Everyday Rants

does it really take so long to get this...

2007-09-18T00:21:00.000-07:00

Alan Greenspan — the former chief of the US central bank, for years an inscrutable seer on the economy — has outraged the Bush administration by alleging in his new memoir that “the Iraq war is largely about oil.”

Its dark and its gruesome

2007-09-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

eighteen people, four of them security personnel, were killed and 17 others suffered injuries when a teenaged boy detonated explosives wrapped around his body in a passenger pick-up near Bannu Chungi on Tuesday.

"DIG Haji Habibur Rehman of Dera Ismail Khan said that the bomber was 12 to 15 years old."

?

2007-09-10T12:30:00.000-07:00

The Animal Farm

At non defensive position

2007-09-06T07:38:00.000-07:00

Defence day is being observed today to reminisce the audacious and unflinching endeavor of Pakistan armed forces. Each year this day thrill and galvanize the sentiments of nation having polarized notions regarding patriotism even. Every passing year this day bring about a different meaning to me. while recalling the sense of feeling I had in mind in my childhood or early teenhood was just more or less being obsessive about the fighter planes, patriotism, creaseless uniforms of our soldiers and a heroic character which every single Pakistani aspire of. Even today, lingering with the reflections of their charismatic aura conditions at present are not just as simple as romanticizing this day. The armed institutions, notably pak army is depicting some what strange sense of its poise and existence due to the ones at the helm. One can’t deny the fact of strengthening its area of defence should be the prime objective of any serving caretaker of the nation. But a catch -22 state is prevailing. The transition is advancing towards affirming its standing on the cost of repudiating people’s emotions and values. the stout-hearted soldiers who have obligated not to waste a single moment in endangering his life for its country fellows is today get eulogized by dragging them to the bloody gallows, merely in the name of retaining law and order state of affairs. On the other hand, savior is not safe even and becoming the victim of resentment of their dependents. The never-ending threats by our adversaries and allies which later become the basis of substantiating the pretexts of increasing defence budget are not actually subverting the state and destructive to the deprived country men. It is in reality the malfunctioning by our own guardians causing devastation and destabilization.

Entire social, economic and political infrastructure is at crossroads and they key actor playing its part in this turmoil, willingly or unwillingly is one of the high stance armed institution. the real reason after all the chaos so far is the inborn tendency of being more actively at hand for performing someone else responsibility rather than doing one’s own.

Nevertheless, with all the disturbing status, I would like to find my way in rejoicing this day with old romanticism.

Another loss..

2007-08-20T06:56:00.000-07:00

While switching from one channel to the other,i was stunned to read this news in a ticker about one of the best Pakistani cricket player Abdul Razzaq.According to that piece of information he has decided to take retirement from international cricket after badly disappointed by the way PCB(Pakistan Cricket Board) has been treating him.
On the other hand the Indian Cricket League issue hasn't clear completely as yet.Even after all PCB's warnings to the willing players, four of the key cricketers (Inzamam,Imran farhat,Mohammed Yousuf and him) of Pakistani cricket team have assured their presence in the league.
Razzaq's decision will badly affect the Pakistani Cricket scene.How is it possible that our sports department can stay behind in malfunctioning like the other areas.
A little info about is career is given below;

Full name :Abdul Razzaq
Born: December 2, 1979, Lahore, Punjab

Major teams

Pakistan, ACC Asian XI, Khan Research Labs, Lahore, Middlesex, Pakistan International Airlines
Batting style Right-hand bat
Bowling style Right-arm fast-medium

	Tests	ODIs
Matches	46	229
Runs scored	1946	4449
Batting average	28.61	30.06
100s/50s	3/7	2/22
Top score	134	112
Balls bowled	7008	9737
Wickets	100	245
Bowling average	36.94	31.04
5 wickets in innings	1	3
10 wickets in match	-	n/a
Best bowling	5/35	6/35
Catches/stumpings	15/-	30/-

Test debut	Australia v Pakistan at Brisbane - Nov 5-9, 1999 scorecard
Last Test	Pakistan v West Indies at Karachi - Nov 27-Dec 1, 2006 scorecard
ODI debut	Pakistan v Zimbabwe at Lahore - Nov 1, 1996 scorecard
Last ODI	Pakistan v Sri Lanka at Abu Dhabi - May 20, 2007 scorecard
Twenty20 Int. debut	England v Pakistan at Bristol - Aug 28, 2006 scorecard
Last Twenty20 Int.	South Africa v Pakistan at Johannesburg - Feb 2, 2007 scorecard
First-class span	1996/97 - 2006/07
List A span	1996/97 - 2007
Twenty20 span	2003 - 2006/07

Stats source:cricinfo

Humara Pakistan !

2007-08-14T06:20:00.000-07:00

Six decades has been passed of Pakistan’s subsistence. Holding an identity or sense of belonging isn’t mere title I or one endowed with. It’s far beyond than that. It allows feeling contentment, authoritativeness to stand at the global grounds and the sense of fearlessness of not being segregated in someone else’s land.

By and large we converse about the deteriorating circumstances the country has been facing from quite a period of time and this head-to-head go ahead to question the basis and creation of Pakistan. But if there was any substance in the uncertainty regarding its creation, There wouldn’t have been any sacrifice of the lives and belongings of thousands and thousands of inhabitants, there would not have been any unification and solidarity among the intelligentsia and leaders then and also there wouldn’t have been any wholeness shown by whom who were willing to breathe in the land where they can practice their cultural and religious customs without being restrained.

We can’t repudiate the notion which our beloved leaders then had in their minds by observing the prevailing situation of the country and people. Existence of Pakistan is so indisputable and deep rooted in its grounds that even after the plundering by its name bearers it is still undiluted and impregnable to serve them ahead.

So, it would be rather better not to fritter time and space in recrimination. Start feeling the sense of ownness to this piece of land, which will involuntarily evoke the feel of responsibility not only as a native of this country but also as a human being too. If this freedom will be taken for granted, it will be more detrimental than any external storming of which our leaders are howling about these days.

Long Live Pakistan!

Deal or No Deal !

2007-07-30T06:17:00.000-07:00

The game is on,waiting for the results to come!

The details of what went right and what went wrong at the still-to-be-officially-confirmed Musharraf-Benazir meeting in Abu Dhabi on Friday are being kept under such tight wraps that even some of the leading British newspapers, with all their resourcefulness notwithstanding, seem to have been forced to indulge in pure speculation with each of them reaching a different conclusion.

The Sunday Telegraph says that under the power-sharing deal struck by Benazir, Gen Musharraf would step down as the army chief but would be able to retain the presidency while Ms Bhutto would be permitted to return home to seek a third term for the slot of prime minister.

The Sunday Times, however, said the talks deadlocked because Gen Musharraf had refused to give up his army job in the bargain.The Sunday Observer perhaps for want of any concrete information did not even refer to the meeting, but said: “Some see him (Musharraf) as a reformer and the West’s ally, but others believe he’s a dictator who secretly supports Taliban. After bloody violence at a mosque in the centre of Islamabad, riots in Karachi, a slap administered by Pakistan’s courts after a clumsy bid to get rid of the nation’s judge, approaching elections and a string of failed assassination attempts, the 63-year-old career soldier and president is looking more fragile than a long time.”

The Sunday Telegraph story appears to be rather more rounded as after having talked about the points of agreements between the two it has also gone on to the issues on which Benazir and Musharraf did not agree.

The newspaper said the two still remained divided on who should hold the post of interim prime minister. Benazir is said to have suggested the name of Nasir Chattha, former speaker of National Assembly, while Musharraf wants to give the job to Iftikhar Shah, Pakistan’s ambassador to Turkey.

The paper said two ministers, Shiekh Rashid and Sher Afgan, confirmed the Abu Dhabi meeting with the former describing it as ‘successful’ and the latter saying that the two sides were able to overcome most of the stumbling blocks.

Sunday Times said he (Musharraf) had what the Pakistani media described as a secret summit in Abu Dhabi with Benazir Bhutto.

The exiled former prime minister is said to be central to American plans, supported by Britain, for shoring up Musharraf as a bulwark in the war on terror.

“The proposal is that, together, Bhutto and Musharraf would be able to establish a governing coalition that would isolate the extremists after elections due in November. They are reported to disagree, however, over Musharraf’s desire to remain both president and head of the army.

“Mutual distrust has surrounded contacts with Bhutto, and a deal remains fraught with problems, though both share a vision of turning Pakistan into a moderate, progressive nation.

“Living in self-exile, Bhutto has seen her bargaining position strengthen as Musharraf’s grip on power weakens. While he would be ready to give her Pakistan People’s party (PPP) a share of power, he would prefer the strong-willed Bhutto to stay on the sidelines, according to government sources.

“It may already be too late for a political settlement. Musharraf is trapped between the demands of his foreign patrons and the suicide bombs of his domestic enemies. He is given few chances in what appears to be the endgame of his eight-year benign dictatorship".

Source:Dawn newspaper.

Yeah !

2007-07-23T00:27:00.000-07:00

This short-sightedness must be avoided

CJ Reinstated !

2007-07-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

Its time to rejoice, the verdict has been announced!Chief Justice Ifthikar Mohammed Choudhry, restored yesterday to his real designation at Supreme Court of Pakistan.
cheers for the triumph of judiciary!
cheers for the triumph of people of Pakistan!

Pride of the President- PTV !

2007-07-11T12:51:00.000-07:00

Ad published on 8 july in DAWN

I have got a chance to mess up with advertising as a subject in one of my semester. So, with all the knowledge and handiness that I have learned so far drive me to do this creative chore.
Note: the following script has been the victim of my dexterity. : P

HEADLINE:

“In our monkey business, corruption comes in a matter of seconds”.

SUB HEADLINE:

“Non stop gibberish of P(seud) TV.”
It’s airless!

BODY COPY:

P(seud)TV has futile transmission hours strong history, making us the most crooked hand in Pakistan’s TV history. But this callowness did not come to us overnight; we learned the ropes of incompetence and fiddled with your minds time and again. Our time was squandered to misapprehend information and give our audience stultifying experience of boredom. From 1964 when PTV started with its first hour of blabbing until today, we have been dragging a head to screw you up 24/7—year after year dashing your expectations by our doltishness. As your president airwaves carrier we feel responsible for every second on the dial to commend or eulogize his stature more and more.

SLOGAN:

All new bullshit—coming soon

07/07/07 Mystery!

2007-07-07T04:28:00.000-07:00

Those superstitious types who freaked out last year when the calendar read 06/06/06 will have something to smile about on the 7th day of the 7th month, 2007.

Believing the triple appearance of the number 7 will bring luck, many people are planning important events for this first Saturday in July. Brides and grooms, especially, looking for a little extra dose of marital fortune, are flocking to the altar in droves on 07/07/07, according to wedding watchers.

If they only knew what the Chinese were thinking.

The number seven is considered lucky due to its frequent and favorable appearance in the Bible, say historians.

"As the number of the days of God's first week, of the levels of heaven...of the numbers of angels and trumpets, etc., the number came in the last few centuries BCE to represent divine perfection," said David Frankfurter, professor of religious studies and history at the University of New Hampshire. "Something organized seven-fold meant that it corresponded to God's own arrangement."

Numbers control our fate?

Just as some people wouldn't dare get married on a Friday the 13th or live in a house with the address 666, believing in the positive influence of the number seven is just another technique humans use to have some jurisdiction over the chaotic world around them, said Frankfurter.

“In our modern American society we have a tendency to look for magical ways to control the world or fate, so numerology is especially important for us,” Frankfurter said.

The obsession with numerology—and other para-sciences like astrology—tends to get stronger especially during significant life events like marriages, he added. "It represents Americans' rather weak (compared to Asian cultures') attempt to exert some numerical or calendrical control over important life-cycle, transition, or other crisis situations," Frankfurter told LiveScience.

Seven not lonely in luck

Trying to find meaning in numbers is a practice that goes back to ancient times, say historians, and doesn't begin and end with 6, 7 and 13.

There are many other numbers in the Bible that were thought to have sacred meanings, said Frankfurter, including twelve (for the tribes of Israel and the zodiac), five (books of Moses) and four (archangels, gospels).

Lucky numbers also vary from culture to culture, proving, skeptics say, that coincidental connections between an event and the influence of a number can always be found if you're looking hard enough, no matter what the digit.

Chinese culture, for example, associates "degrees" of luck according to how a number is pronounced. Eight, whose Chinese name rhymes with the words for prosperity and wealth, is considered particularly auspicious. The Beijing Olympics, as a result, will open next year at 8 p.m. on Aug. 8, 2008.

Oh, and many Chinese consider 7 a very unlucky number associated with death. Don’t tell the brides.

By Heather Whipps

The Masjid Mayhem!

2007-07-07T02:53:00.000-07:00

The ongoing drama of Lal Masjid under the nose of the country guardians or its better to say a play all directed by the administration seems to be in its ending episodes after the ruefully ridiculous arrest of Maulana Abdul Aziz, who is said to be the backbone of this sharia movement. Since the occurrence of this incident and further, there comes many speculations, revelations and predictions. The whole Lal Masjid saga emerged as a failed strategy of a planner which resulted in Maulana Aziz’s unexpected capture. Moreover, all the time which has been surfed on the negotiations by the government with the Maulanas didn’t result in any fruitful conclusion. These are the people after whom those offered prayers which are now crediting them as stigma on Islam. Presently the situation has entered in a new phase, more than 4 days have been passed. There seems a revulsion in Maulana Rasheed Ghazi’s stance, who prior was agreed to do consensus with the government and ready to surrender themselves to them. But later on yesterday they have refused the officials to make any dialogue with them, and this proving the speculation about losing his control over the hardcore inmates. now according to the recent updates they are agree to dialogue with some MMA leaders, but this didn’t happened yet due to the various security reasons presented by government and them.

On the other hand, there is a doubt that government has used the Abdul brothers as a scapegoat. As they are giving this impression by deferring of an ultimate military operation. Keeping apart the issue of hundreds of lives of the women and girls inside. There isn’t any noteworthy statement by the government of this postponement except the above reason. This proving the multi dimensional strategy of government of using all this chaos in their favour. First to strengthen its or Musharaf’s position before the self claimed western pacifists and second, the CJ issue which has taken a secondary place in the prevailing issues. Also the APC rumblings are all there for government. History is evident of the fact that it’s the administration which has nurtured this plant, and now throwing up its tasteless fruit. Either it is Ezaj ul Haq’s or General Zia’s soft corner for them or the pending of the matter of illegitimate grabbing of madressah plot.

All which has happened so far is still in a complex state. The whole scenario appears to be an action reaction game whose result is still undecided.

You will be missed: Bush :-(

2007-06-29T09:49:00.000-07:00

And finally Mr. Brown happens to be Mr. Blair's successor .Mr. Blair, why giving up his position as a PM is another story. The whole tenure of Mr. Blair with its good and bad is all before us. The development which is more thought provoking is that he has been designated as peace envoy to the Middle East.

The game in the name of war and terror which Mr. Bush has played with the full admiration and support of his fellow Mr. Blair has become the eyesore for this world. The row created by the duo of questing weapons of mass destructions led to the deterioration of the total infrastructure of the Iraq. Even after the Iraq turmoil, he has shown all his good sentiments towards the actions taken against Lebanon by Israel. It really sounds distressing that an international diplomatic quartet backing the designation of a person who has been failed to set up peace in the Middle East region.Will he prove himself as a peacemaker?

image: The Guardian

point to ponder!

2007-06-08T11:41:00.001-07:00

I think our Prime Minister should have think loads of time before selecting even a single suit for himself but why hasnt he think once while appointing the minister of (f)Law, (in)Justice and Human Rights of Pakistan Mr.Muhammad Wasi Zafar.
its ruefully sad to hear such a vocalization by some one who is designated at an honorable ministry of law, justice and human rights.

Black Day!

2007-06-07T01:35:00.000-07:00

In support of the journalists observing black day in order to condemn the restrains imposed by so called well wishers of media and Pakistan.

All the P’s around

2007-06-06T05:59:00.000-07:00

The power of letter P incites me to write this; the dilemma Pakistan has been facing is all before us. It is ruefully pathetic to see how people jeopardize the lives of their fellow beings just to grab more and more authority. Focusing on the crises which have been witnessed due to this poor ‘P’. Be it a power (electricity) breakdown or the turmoil facing by politics, everything seems to be in a status quo. The country has turned into a battleground of numerous fronts. The political parties including the ruling (PML-Q) and the opposition ones (contain P in bulk in their identities) all are in a high competition to strengthen Pakistan according to their own with having unmatchable notions.

The political parties mobilizing under an enlightened leader, who is also leading an institution of such a stature i.e. Pak Army but cant stand mere facts and brutal realities and imposed restrictions in the name of Pemra rules to get their hands even on the flow of information.

Moreover, how can one forget a nomenclature, starting with letter P which so much engrossed in our lives, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) and our beloved Pakistani Cricket team with all their unearthed flaws and deterioration.

As things wont get change here, so I, being a concerned citizen of Pakistan daringly would like to take an initiative to change the prevailing scenario and decided to discard letter P from the alphabetical list to avoid its harms in future.

might and media

2007-06-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

While I was browsing from one website to the other for the sake of being updated of currents happenings around. As everyone is much familiar of the fact that Pemra has banned GEO NEWS channel from last 21 hrs or so, with giving a usual pretext of on airing programs having anti state sentiments. Moreover, I found a story (older to the banning one) which was more disappointing to me. According to that news, the cable operators held press conferences at Lahore and Karachi and barefacedly saying that’ the government should not intervene if they took any action against private channels’, as according to them ‘private channels are misusing the (so called)freedom given by the government.’
The situation is getting worse through the passage of time due to (habitual) mishandling from the respective authorities. This kind of progression won’t stop the flow of truthful information because ‘when there is a will there is way’. People have now got plentiful ways of getting informed and online media proves itself quite successful. These kinds of action are rather boosting the image of the media, their dedication towards their profession and the populace.
I would like to share another story which shows a difference of being a genuine human being, owning up her wrong deed all before the people. Are we that much gutless to even confess what we did or guilty of?