Good Bye 2009 Or Hello 2010?

Well for me it never works to plan things. Its best to take things and yes accept them too as they come. Briefly it would be okay to say that my quest for getting to know my ownself better in the year that went by continued. The best part is I can't say if I was successful or miserably failed. But I tried. Isn't that great!!!

Do I have any regrets? Yes I have one. Just an hour ago I was being called by someone from a spooky phone number but I couldn't receive it because I was on air. That person never called me back! and surprisingly I can't get back either.

No use reviewing the year. You would be able to watch and read plenty of related material. I was touched by some overseas greetings...people who remembered me despite the fact that I am no longer part of their lives ....physically atleast. Out of sight out of mind is not always true...hehe!!

That day, I went to deliver a lecture at a university to boys and girls in their mid twenties....it was nice to come across enrolled students ......I think every age group has its own characteristics that appear, stay and then disappear automatically. There is something intoxicting about youth...may be its the arrogance.....Its plain enigmatic.

No new year resolutions but a pledge within myself to keep the romance in life alive! The rikshaw driver the night before , halted by the roadside and pointed out towards the moon to tell me how beautiful he thought it was and that he could see a reflection of a human face in it. I had to pop up my head out in the cold and look for it. It was beautiful. But the rickshaw wallah taught me alot. SOmething on the lines of ...stop by and take the time to smell the roses!

Here are some new year quotes that you might enjoy........... Happy New Year All!!

Cheers to a new year and another chance for us to get it right. ~Oprah Winfrey

In the New Year, may your right hand always be stretched out in friendship, but never in want. -traditional Irish toast

New Year's is a harmless annual institution, of no particular use to anybody save as a scapegoat for promiscuous drunks, and friendly calls and humbug resolutions. -Mark Twain

One More!

Good resolutions are simply checks that men draw on a bank where they have no account. -Oscar Wilde

PARADIGM

The way things and developments are going these days, it is difficult to predict what will happen in the days to come. By the way it’s never been possible to predict what the future holds.

With United States now hinting very clearly at the presence of Al Qaeda in Yemen which in a way hints at Somali involvement too. The extent of Somali involvement is not so clear however. But with all of that in mind, clashes on Saudi border with Yemenis become more poignant. UAE signing civilian nuclear energy deals in the same troubled region might have more meaning to it.

Talk of US exit strategy from Afghanistan is also doing the rounds for quite sometime now and that too at a time when the debate of Pakistan Army’s targeting an enemy which is not what United States wants it to, has matured.

And at the same time, newspaper reports surface that reveal that recently when the Pakistani authorities put their foot down on not giving visas to quite a few US citizens was for the reason that Pakistanis were severely convinced that those applicants were Black Water agents. How true is that ………well if you frequent Islamabad markets these days you would succeed in spotting some young looking foreigners. The only way to ascertain if they are US diplomats or black water agents or some other nationals is to ask the foreign office people or the foreigners themselves.

Interestingly, when I got a chance to speak to Haji Adeel of ANP trying to get his reaction on the sad developments of yesterday in Karachi where an Ashura procession was targeted, he clearly mentioned Jamaat e Islami and Imran Khan’s Tehrik e Insaaf supporting Terrorists! In the same hour, I was lucky enough to speak to Qazi Hussain Ahmed former chief of Jamaat. When I asked about the allegations against his party, he said the Governments policies were no good and that the army was killing its own people in the country and there were no successes in Waziristan.

Feel free to link up all of what is happening in any way you like. Because the situation is still brewing…..but something that we know for sure is that innocent people died yesterday, renowned TV star Sajid Hasan ( injured) and his family among the victims.

Merry Christmas!

St Matthew-in-the-City Church in Auckland, which erected the billboard that you can see, said it had intended to provoke debate.
What they are trying to do is to get people to think more about what Christmas is all about,"

"Is it about a spiritual male God sending down sperm so a child would be born, or is it about the power of love in our midst as seen in Jesus?"

But as expected, this has not got down too well with many Christians in New Zealand because it negates the Christian tradition of 2,000 years is that Mary remains a virgin and that Jesus is the son of God, not Joseph. This poster was therefore described as in appropriate and disrespectful.

But it is Christmas Eve today and a very chilli one in most of the western world. Santa is somewhere out there riding his sleigh of God knows how much RP (Reindeer Power)!! I do miss the Christmas hustle and bustle that I used to enjoy in Super Market, people strolling around the market and some waiting around the steaming espresso machines. A Christmas tree here and there.

Ah, the good old times! What do we all need??

World Peace …yeah! World Peace

DUTY BOUND

Journalists are determined to report from the volatile NWFP even after their beloved Press Club in Peshawar comes under attack. The first direct attack on a media institution. It’s a profession that can only be pursued with passion and desire.

What happened?
As around 30 journalists waited on the upper floor of the Peshawar Press Club for a press conference to begin, a suicide bomber casually walked up to the main gate and detonated the explosives when he was not allowed entry.

4 people were killed. Around 17 injured. Head Constable Riazuddin, who was deployed for the last 3 years because he recognized all members, gave up his life to save many others.

Injured were rushed to a hospital.

Is this significant?
The death toll is negligible keeping in view the amount of innocent killings that just the city of Peshawar in NWFP has recently witnessed. But this is a direct attack on people who bring information from a region of the country that is at the war front. It is not very easy to provide information from the sensitive area. Journalists work under immense pressure in the area. They are caught between the security forces and militants. Reporters have to be immensely watchful of talking about sensitive issues that might upset any of the parties involved. There is also the national interest that needs to be protected. And the life too.

Clearly the way journalists have been reporting and the ways their messages have been broadcast by the electronic media have had an impact. It clearly has left a bad taste in the mouth of the aggrieved party and hence this attack.

The job is being well done that means.

Is there a solution?
A journalist from Peshawar Iftikhar Firdous tells me that Pakistan climbed up to tenth position in the list of countries with untoward conditions for journalists to report from.
This should not be able to stifle the precious voices. Safety training and capacity –building measures could be helpful. All media organizations should take steps to provide fair pay and adequate support for their safety and protection. Insurance schemes are very useful to give a sense of security in the event of injury or worse.

JAMES TREACH AND ONE LOVE!

The adventures of James Treach was a piece of writing that my 10 year old nephew showed me...and it somehow signified the importance of wild imagination and to keep on dwelling in our self created world of our own. I hope Omar completes that book one day.

And its always useful in one way or the other to be with younger generation.So the other day , on arecent trip to my hometown in Islamabad , I had to drop a couple of teenagers to their house. On the way while driving I asked them what kind of music was a hit these days and they named David Guetta.

Well , I dont know what genre of music this exactly is, but it is music to the ears ....This song is called One Love!

I like the lyrics because they are very inspirational some how. You could like it if you are in love and even if you are kind of suffering from heart ache....there is a chance you'll like it. And even if you are chaste , do listen to it. Its peppy.


Here's the link on you tube.....http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Amw-BYXZMI

I present you with the lyrics too.....( forgive me for the bad formatting)

Can anybody help me im outta plans
guess I left my world in somebody’s hands
I don’t like to hurt but but everyone gets weak
someone to rely on that’s what I really need
Now here we stay its all that were worth
I’ve been thru the pain and been dragged thru the dirt
whatever they tell you were bigger than words
I’ve been where your standing
I know how it hurts let this be a song now
and this be a day and we stand together well be okay
Because were survivors were making it work
expecting the best when they hope for the worst
One love - this is the way we found
One love - even though they'll let you down
One love -nobody’s perfect now
One love -don’t let that hold u down
One love - lets stick together now
One love -we got to stand our ground
One love - its easy to believe in
One love - believe in u and m
eOnee loveeeeeeeee
Now I cud try and fix this all by myself
but I know it’d turn out better if u help no one likes to hurt but but everyone gets weak someone to rely on that’s what everybody needs
Now here we stay its all that were worth
I’ve been thru the pain
and been dragged thru the dirt whatever they tell you were bigger than words
I’ve been where your standing
I know how it hurts let this be a song now
and this be our day
and we stand together well be okay
Because where survivors were making it work
expecting the best when they hope for the worst
One love - this is the way we found
One love - even though they'll let you down
One love -nobody’s perfect now
One love -don’t let that hold u down
One love - lets stick together now
One love -we got to stand our ground
One love - its easy to believe in
One love - believe in u and me
Onee loveeeeeeeee,
its oneee loveeee
,Im here to tell you its one love
, ohOne loveeeee,
said its one loveeeeSing with meee one loveee
,One love to be oh that’s all we needOne love.

CHANGES

"Gone are the days when Adam wove and Eve span"I remember this expression from a speech delivered by a fellow in school ......

And today after so many years , it applies in its full spirit to the Miss World beauty contests. What I mean to say is that this contest has kind of lost the oomph that it possessed once . Back in 1951, in the UK when it was started by Eric Morley, I am sure the western society was far more careful on what was modest and what wasn't . So the sight of contestants sashaying in swim suits and revealing gowns must have been a treat to watch.

In the new millenium , the cosmetic, film and fashion industry have all undergone a revolution.....making both men and women very conscious of how they look. Result: you see beauty kings and queens all around you all the time. People feeling beautiful all the time ( physically I mean). I want you to dig that the winner of Miss World is no longer the defining element of whats hot when it comes to how one should look. Its not globally accepted.

Similarly, the controversy around the concept of beauty pageants is invalid. People are leading far more liberated lives now...relationships of different kinds are getting legally accepted , lifestyles changed every where, the woman somehow became more intelligent and is now , no longer expected to fit the house wife profile......Its more of what you are capable of doing than what you look like. Its about how much secure you are in surviving the pressures of the life today!

But that doesnot mean that you should not watch the contest. You could test your eye....find out if you are the beholder in whose eye, beauty lies. Select a candidate and watch what's her destiny. Winner or loser!

But isnt this years winner pretty?

Great Expectations

As many waited in the biting chill of Islamabad outside the Supreme Court, me here in Lahore felt quite anxious awaiting the short order of the Court on the fate of NRO. Though my auto cue read "verdict expected soon" for the last four hours , I changed the script to "any time now" .....that any time also lasted another hour!

Call it a land mark judgement or a historic verdict or ask me what am I talking about in the first place, but the declaration of NRO being Void ab initio and against the constitution is bound to create some ripples and come down hot and heavy on the youthful dermocracy in the country.

Analysts and legal experts appearing on numerous television channels , all drumming the same issue were happy on the verdict and tried to make sense of legal implications of the verdict...which is not so easy untill the detailed judgement comes out, the Presidential spokesman was quick in making it clear that there was no question of the President resigning. Well if you lust for political debate , you are in for a sinful ride because there is enough fodder for the media to chew upon for the many many days to come.

But the common man couldn't care less what the verdict meant. One of the staffer asked me today, yes today after NRO's death ...what was the fuss all about?? Because the junta has a different expectation from the independant judicuary ....something on the lines of speedy justice.

But if you know how difficult it is to acquire even the stamped paper from the Kachehris ( Courts) that expectation does seem like a tall order.

Hope that does not turn out to be a case of great expectations! By the way I love this movie that stars Ms . Paltrow in the role of Estella.

REALITY

The intelligently silent air about him made him quite intriguing somewhat mysterious. But when he spoke he was so gentle and unassuming that I was encouraged to ask my own questions about the Tribal Belt in our country. And I got detailed answers. All of this was coming from a person who I had never met before and answering my childish questions must have been a waste of time for him. He himself had been picked up by insurgents. There was something about him that commanded respect.

Fast forward a couple of months and I see him sitting in the news room, again with that aura of mystery….. I went up to him and offered him my hand and then introduced myself. He got up from his chair and shook my hand without a smile but with a very affectionate expression. That’s it. No other words were ever exchanged between us. And that is all I knew about Sohail Qalander- renowned journalist!

But when I got the news of his sudden death, I was in disbelief and shock as if some one I had known for a long long time had died. The grief- indescribable.

It is after his death that I found out that:

· He had enjoyed a spectacular career as a journalist and made it to the top in a span of just ten years.
· He was a self made person. Usually this term is used to describe people who achieve success with sheer hardwork.

· Known in his circles for raising his voice and pen for the rights of the aggrieved.

· So generous that many homes awaited his regular financial assistance.


The above list is of course not exhaustive. May his soul rest in peace.
Death, they say is the only reality of life.

Meeting, Greeting and Condoling

Winter jackets are out. For a person like me who finds it difficult to receive and believe a compliment, its somehow getting easier to give one with the passage of time. That is why when someone approaches with a look in their eyes asking for praise for their jacket, I always tell them it looks nice. And most of the times the jacket DOES look good. But I am still unsure of what kind of a jacket do I want for myself?

Haajis (Pilgrims from Makkah) have started returning. Most of them wearing masks to protect against Swine Flu perhaps and a swagger indicating that they have done it…not quite understanding the true spirit of this long and tedious travel to the Holy Land. Even then, I am all for the celebrations that follow…dates and Aab E ZamZam..all being distributed to people who make it a point to come and give the returning haajis a hug.

The Ministry of Religious Affairs featured the most in the Pakistani Haajis’ paryers as they raised their hands in unison before Allah….because the ministry gave them dingy rooms in which they were crammed up, with other stories that said the toilet in the room was without a latch and so one Haji would wait out side while the other finished his thing inside, lest someone else barged inside and saw everything! The dispensary was also without any proper medicine stock….No transport was arranged for the Haajis to return back from Muzdalifah…they were on their own! But Ministry would be quite satisfied because their Indian and Bangladeshi counterparts meted out a similar treatment to their citizens.

It’s just a matter of some years when I think that people will make the switch from Bakras (male goats) to Cows and Bulls for good. This was very evident in the market in Islamabad and Pindi where the bigger animals were in larger number for sale. And an interesting reason that one shepherd gave me was : not enough rain received this year, that’s why bakras had not teethed properly! Hence majority of the Bakras were Kheeras!!

Condolences to the families of Parade Mosque attack victims and many more laying down their lives almost everyday. Salutes!

Obama Singh.

Love, something I don't know about at all .....but it does have a feature that is truly amazing. And that is its ability to make one fall for countless objects in one's life. These days I have developed a thing for the smooth and eloquent adresses delivered by many a diplomats and leaders.

Holbroke, Hilary Clinton and our very own Foriegn Minister Qureshi all possess this quality. As they say ...there is always something to learn from every one.

It was interesting to see Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh , who is by the way a doctor....speak at the formal welcome given to him by the handsome and very tanned President Obama of the United States. (Italian leader Silvio Berlesconi known for his humour termed Obama so). Dr. Singh gave very interesting pauses each time he said " Me and my wife..." in his address. I guess that's nice material for the witty to come up with some Sardar Ji jokes.

Both leaders gave eloquent enough speeches...loaded with heavy duty classical rhetoric. Civilian Nuclear Energy Deal, Climate Change, a greener environment, Education initiative which will be called Singh Obama or Obama Singh initiative and high tech exports to India are just some of the issues that were seen talked about in their addresses. Surprisingly they totally steered clear of Terrorism and peace and stability in South Asia.

But my moment of surprise was momentary because the first Indian journalist when given a chance by Dr. Singh, came up with the typical Indian insecurity that they feel ever since the creation of Pakistan....She asked if Obama administration was doing anything about the miliatry aid that Pakistan receives from US and then terrorises India with it!

In reply to the simplistic question ..I was surprised again to find Mr. Obama point out the successes that the Pakistan Miliatry was achieving in South Waziristan and Swat and clearly hinted at aid continuing for Pakistan but directed towards improving the social indicators.

Thats an altogether a different issue and opinion that if the national money plundered by NRO beneficiaries could be brought back, there wouldn't be any need for Kerry Lugar aid bill.

I don't know and probably will never find out if Mr. Obama gave a piece of his mind to Dr. Singh on India's activities in Afghanistan! but he did say that India had made significant contributions to Afghanistan.

Analysts in our country are of the view that U.S could use its leverage in the region to get Pakistan's concerns across to Indians. This visit coming around the anniversary of Mumbai attacks was just the right time to do that.And that was slightly reflected in Mr. Obama's response to the journalist and in the expression on Dr. Singh's other wise poker face.

After all the entire globe could benefit if Pakistan and India went hand in hand.

EYE WITNESS

Two cars screach pass by me today as I try to cross the road in a neighbourhood of this city where I live in at present. I clear my myself out of their way...what I see is a luxury car trying to side the smaller car, still from a luxury brand in our country but a common man's car abroad, on the side of the road.

The smaller car does finally pull up when the driver I believe spotted a security guard standing in front of a small shop.

The man in the bigger car gets out. He also has two kids in the back seat. Hw hurriedly walks upto the driver seat window of the smaller car saying: " I'm not going to eat you!"

The other party who has pulled down its window by now replies: "You are misbehaving with me!"

A very small gathering of onlookers try and position themselves for a better view of the ' scene'.

The party in the smaller car is a woman...and its none other than the renowned model Aminah Haq!

The man says: "Why are you running away after hitting my car? Atleast have the courtesy to stop!!"

Aminah Haq replies: You are married and are still misbehaving with another woman! ( what an interesting stance of her's!)

Then she feels a little brave for some reason and goes on to say something that really works in our country: " You don't know, who you are harassing! You are harassing Mustafa Khar's daughtr.I am Mustafa Khar's daughter".

The must also be someone's son so he goes on to say:"Let me call the police"!

Aminah Haq hits back:"No, I will call the police"!

That's when fancy mobile hand sets come out but apparently both of them do not have the police numbers...because during this the man gets back in his car and Aminah Haq pulls up her window and both zoom away!

Since they had pulled up in front of a slums market area located within a very posh locality of the city, the onlookers had nop symapthy with either party.

One of them did say in Punjabi though: " Shukr ay meray tay gaddi nai chaar diti madam nay".

I dont know what happened after that. Did Ms. Haq totally run away? Was she able to use her father's influence at the police station? But did she ever end up with the Police Wallahs in the first place? Did the man decide that the persuit was usefless because of Mr. Khar being the father of the offender? Did he have a bigger connection , perhaps someone who was still in the Government?

All these questions are relevant given the way rule of law prevails in the country. It also hints at the social thread weave of society...because a woman who has a name and recognitionof her own, and is picture of women empowernment on the nascent media in Pakistan-still needs to give the reference of her father to save herself.

I mean she could have said: "Youdon't know who you are misbehaving with! I am Aminah Haq".

But Alexandra Kerry wouldn't have gotten away after driving in a drunken state in LA, even on shouting out that she was Senator Kerry's daughter.

Tha's why I love Naomi Campbell...she simply spat at the security guard at Heathrow who insisted on going through her luggage. No questions. No Answers!

WHEN THE GOING GETS TOUGH................

It is said that : " When the going gets tough, the tough get going".

But where? In circles?


Fear and anxiety is growing among Pakistanis!. If you are interested in more , you might want to follow the link below:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8306350.stm

No prizes for guessing that it originally appeared on the BBC World Website.

DISCOURSE

So now I am reminded of the Irish Village, a cafe in Dubai ....well I never wanted to review any restaurant on this space but I have to admit it was a place that totally transcends the expectation that its name might create for the visitor....Ok a bad example but let me tell you that even the toilets in the bar were without any wash....that speaks for the mangement's drive to give an authentic taste of Ireland!

The baby potatoes were nice, people who were either too engrosed in their conversations or too high to talk and so could only sing or laugh to the live guitar strings being plucked by a singer I really don't know about, were equally interesting.. you surely could make the most of Dubai's sultry evenings there.....

Normally its very easy for me not to overhear conversations going on around me. Either I donot have the ear or don't have the craft. But at times there is that compelling topic that wakes me up from my day dreaming in cafes.

"Did you do the Istikhaara( consulting GOD through Prayer before making a decision) before getting married?" asks one man to the other sitting across him.

Both nearly the same age around 35. Looking like boss and subordinate sitting across each other in a cafe here in Lahore that has tables placed very close to each other. People supposed to be elite frequent it.

The one being questioned hastily answers: "I didn't but the girl's side did it"....the look in his eyes saying "its too late now!".

But the man asking the question , who appeared to have mastered tackling marital affairs - his demeanour suggested that he had accepted to travel the rocky roads that many say wedlocks put one on. But he wouldn't budge and would continue to give others some strange food for thought.

I donot know why they created it? It has put us into so much trouble....believe me I haven't bought a Canali suit for two years now ...that's why I don't live here....This man , on the wrong side of 40, telling a woman who he addressed as madam frequently....and she was indifferent to the insults being hurled at her country ( Pakistan) munching on her battered fries....

Day dreaming is so much better than to over hear people say stuff that one would not want to hear.

BRAVO!!

Was this a security lapse? This is probably now the worst and an irrelevant question that could be put to any security official after a terror attack.

As the luxury cab that I have rented, reaches the toll plaza to enter Islamabad, the police man covering his mouth with a scarf to protect against the chilli morning breeze of the city, directs us to halt on the side. He then questions the driver. Later its my turn. With great respect and politeness he asks me where I came from and where I was going. He then checks the boot of the car. And then we are clear to enter Islamabad. At least three other policemen watch from a distance. They are trying to check each and every vehicle in a similar way.

What if another car came from behind and blew up killing everyone there? Would it be a security lapse? Every one was there trying to do their job.

I saw a similar situation at another check point near blue area at night. Each and every car was being checked as far as possible. Of course its impractical to check the boot and bonnet of every vehicle.

But I did see many people behaving irritated at the police men. Actually some gratitude should be shown towards these brave men who literally are in the direct line of fire. Trying to protect the citizens, when they clearly know in their hearts the approaching vehicle they are asking to pull up could be a bomb!

No country in the world faces a law and order problem similar to what we face. Given the kind of funds, training and equipment available to our security personnel, the job they are doing is commendable.

Show some empathy .

M.I.A

M.I.A.......that's what I will be in the next two days as I get a quick escape to Islamabad......I hear its going to be really cold there.....although I am not a big fan of the chill, but I guess it would be nice to feel the fresh cold of the city. Am expecting security checks that make me feel like a criminal but being a responsible citizen that I think I am, I will brave them with a smile.

By the way Sabi was also described as being M.I.A , as no trace of her could be found after the joint Afghan- Australian troop patrol was ambushed in Uruzgan back in the September of 2008. Since then there was no sign of her( Labrador female dog). She is excellent at sniffing but recently she was found in one piece in the country . That was a great morale booster for the Australian troops , who have sent her back.

Oh and yes.....Missing In Action! thats what M.I.A stands for!

Gilgit Baltistan- A Backgrounder

Gilgit Baltistan goes to the first ever polls in its history today starting at 8 in the morning to select a legislative assembly. In this backgrounder I take a look at what makes this Election in Gilgit –Baltistan so interesting!

Introduction
Gilgit – Baltistan was previously known as Northern Areas. Northern Areas were a part of the Azad Jammu and Kashmir, which is that part of the state of Kashmir which is under the administrative control of Pakistan. Gilgit –Baltistan (Northern Areas) are a legal and constitutional part of the State of Kashmir, which itself has been a source of major dispute between Pakistan and India.

Gilgit-Baltistan borders the Wakhan corridor of Afghanistan to the northwest, China's Uygur Autonomous Region of Xinjiang to the northeast, the Indian-controlled state of Jammu and Kashmir to the south and southeast, the Pakistani-controlled state of Azad Jammu and Kashmir to the south, and Pakistan's North-West Frontier Province to the west.

Gilgit-Baltistan is administratively divided into two divisions which, in turn, are divided into seven districts, including the twoBaltistan districts of Skardu and Ghanche and the five Gilgit districts of Gilgit, Ghizer, Diamer, Astore, and Hunza-Nagar. The two main political centres are Gilgit and Skardu.

The High Court of Justice Abdul Majid Malik had declared that the legal and constitutional position of these areas had not changed and they were part of Jammu and Kashmir.

Government Decision
The Prime Minister announced earlier this year that the Northern Areas will have a province like status, will be given full autonomy and will have a Governor and Chief minister.

Federal Information Minister Kamar Zamaan Kaira was later appointed as the Governor of Gilgit Baltistan who after assuming this office, in his first press conference announced that election to the legislative assembly would be held on November 12, 2009.

In September this year, the President signed the Gilgit Baltistan Empowerment and Self Governance Order 2009.

The Government decision invited lots of criticism from Azad Kashmir but appreciation from the PML-N, the opposition party in the National Assembly.

Controversy Surrounding the Decision
This decision of the Government that it claims is in line with the local people’s demands- created quite a controversy in Azad Kashmir. The top brass there maintains that this decision tantamounts to dividing the state of Kashmir ignoring UN Council resolutions. The Kashmiri leaders complained that they should have been taken into confidence.

Their fears on division of Kashmir were further strengthened when India following the foot steps of Pakistan Government, formulated a separate administrative set up for Laddakh on its side of Kashmir.

Some organizations held protests against the Government of Pakistan’s announcements. Others argued that this decision should have been reached after a thorough debate in the Parliament.

There is a strong sentiment that people of Azad Kashmir have a feeling of not only loosing their brothers and sisters but also natural resources as a result of this decision.


The People of Gilgit Baltistan
Majority of the people in Gilgit Baltistan are financially reasonable. This is mainly because of agricultural income and business activity with China. Some are also employed in the public and private sector. However there is no quota reserved for them for jobs but in the education sector, they have reserved seats.

Gulshan Bano, a university graduate living and working in Lahore, who still goes back to Gilgit to meet her family, tells me that tourism in the area is a major contributor towards the incomes of the locals. The area is picturesque. But she tells me that locals do not get many jobs because the literacy rate is low and people from other parts of the country come and get their jobs. There is no local broadcast media. Health care needs attention because for every 6000 people there is just 1 doctor available in the 25 hospitals operating in the area. She feels bad that there is no post graduate facility available in the entire Gilgit Baltistan.

She speaks fondly of Prince Karim Agha Khan’s developmental effort in the area. His foundation tries to serve everyone from top to bottom. He had the roads widened in Musharraf’s area. Also, the quality of work is way above government standards. She feels the Prince would have no objection neither to the entire decision regarding the fate of the area nor the election.

Political Parties and Their Promises
The 99 candidates of ten political parties are taking part in the elections among which 23 belong to PPP, MQM (18), PML-N (15), PML-Q(14), ANP(4), JUI-F (3), Tahreek-e-Insaaf (2), Jamaat-e-Islami (1) and 6 candidates of Gilgit-Baltistan Democratic Alliance. The number of independent candidates is 165. Three women are contesting polls on general seats. Two women belonged to PML-Q whereas one is independent candidate.

PPP has a strong chance because it has a Government in the centre. The Prime Minister himself made many promises such as giving international status to the airport in the area and fixing minimum salary for government employees at 6,500 rupees.

But MQM takes the cake when it comes to making promises. They have promised to give Gilgit Baltistan the status of a province, a promise that all other political parties have shied away from. MQM therefore has a strong chance of causing a major upset.

Marvi Memon of PML-Q, daughter of Nisar Memon and an ardent tourist of the Northern Areas could be a favourite by vurtue of being a woman and succeeding in winning sympathies of the simple people of Gilgit Baltistan.

Learning from the Past
Independent candidates, who indulge in local politics, win the most seats. This was seen in 2004. They then form an alliance with the political party that has a Government in the centre. The same trend is expected to be seen this time around as well.

Election 2009 Statistics
Registered Voters: 717,286
Constituencies: 23
Polling Stations: 1022
Sensitive Stations: 119
Voting time: 8 am-4 pm

Election in one constituency (LA-19 Ghazar) has been postponed because of the death of the candidate. Rangers and Scouts have also been deployed to provide security.

Marhaba!

It was interesting to watch Prism being broadcast tonight from Abu Dhabi . It brought back so many memories...thankfully all were sweet. They have Sheikh Zayed mosque in their back ground and will use its shot at the night once it is beautifully illuminated. Its quite wow I think.

Abu Dhabi is a nice place to be in. Its quite different. But every place has its issues. Nothing is like peaches and creme. That reminds me of Mrs. Britto , who use to look at me in disbelief every night I returned from work , looking tired I guess, used to ask me if everything was ok? when evrytime my answer was in the affirmarive!

"Life is not a bed of roses ....I tell you , yes? I have spent 25 years here...You think its a bed of roses"

Real Problem

It was such a long day today. There was less news breaking . A relief that no terror attack took place today. News papers were all crazy about the NRO. There is however a high level meeting going on in the Presidency as I write these lines......and that could be about NRO. Government has decided not to table NRO in the parliament. Apparently no political party wants to make things simpler. Opoosition's role has been criticised in some quarters but even that criticisim was politically motivated because those people neither belonged to the Government and neither the opposition.

If you look at the people on the roads they are all busy trying to make ends meet. They brave traffic jams, feel happy if they find flour at a cheaper rate and sugar , something we took for granted since the creation of Pakistan is now a luxury for them . We are also short of thousands of megawatts of energy.......schools in Lahore have been closed down again till November 8.

Theres another set of people too....who have a hardtime figuring out which caffe to eat at and if they should have coffe brewed with Brazilian coffee beans.

So, Is Black Water a problem or not being able to get your hands on cinema tickets to the latest Indian movie.

SACRIFICES

It is very hard at least in these days to celebrate the successes that Pakistan Military is achieving in South Waziristan.

As three children waited impatiently with their mother in their car, two terrorists blew themselves up in the parking lot in the Shalimar plaza in the heart of Rawalpindi. The area is in the vicinity of GHQ which just weeks ago had come under a fierce militant attack. Later in the evening, Babu Sabu interchange came under suicide attack in which a constable gave his life to save the lives of many who live in Lahore that the west describes as the cultural hub of Pakistan.

Listen to any government high up and they would conveniently tell you these attacks indicate the frustration of militants as the army breaks their back in operations against them. But they do not realize how scared the citizens of the country feel out on the streets. Our brothers and sisters (IDPs) fled their homes to help authorities achieve their goal.

India never misses an opportunity to create unrest in Pakistan but according to many senior personnel India does not have the ability to cause terror in cities in Pakistan.
All of this relates to Pakistan’s own fight against militancy, something that one keeps on hearing about ever since the Path of Deliverance began.

But how can one ignore what the west thinks about Pakistan’s efforts to root out terrorism. After all we are assured and reassured time again that we are a very close friend of United States in the fight against terrorism. Richard Holbrook had right at the onset of the Operation Rah e Nijaat had said that United States did not have definitive answers as to how the Operation was progressing. But what he did know was that the target was not Al Qaeda because Al Qaeda was a shadowy group of people who were on the move. US indifference was further cemented by Hilary Clinton’s statements suggesting that Pakistani authorities knew where Al Qaeda was in Pakistan and if they didn’t that US couldn’t buy that!

The case of Indian sponsorship of terrorism in Pakistan should be brought to the fore in the international arena so that they realize the role Pakistan is playing not only in countering its conventional threat that now makes it self available on western borders but also continues to be an effective partner in the global hunt for Al Qaeda going on for eight years now!

BIG MENU

It did come as a surprise to find out that Mc Donalds was bidding adieu to Iceland. The element of surprise was that the fast food chain was leaving a country that was ranked as the most developed country in the world by United Nations Human Development Index. Come the global economic meltdown, and the country could no longer afford to serve Big Macs to its citizens living in its capital Reykjavik. Importing ingredients from Germany was no longer possible for an economy with a failed banking system.

And I am sure that Iceland is at a better relation with the USA than Pakistan is with the super power. However US secretary of State coming to Pakistan and expressing her views on Pakistan knowing but not telling where Al Qaeda’s leaders are hiding in its territory , irks many. The Kerry Lugar assistance package also remains a matter of concern for majority of the people in the country and they continue to criticize those who present a realistic view that we do need US assistance in order to survive. Sections of the press in the country feel triumphant that a seasoned diplomat like Ms. Clinton was given a tough time by the journalists but I wonder if they also give a thought to the fact that many students in Lahore who got a life time opportunity to be in a session with Ms. Clinton were left spell bound when they were put a retaliatory question by the lady if they knew how much assistance had the US pledged for the IDPs of Malakand. No one wants to take a look within.

Icelanders will not miss the US fast food. They will continue to get fast food because the ex franchise owner of Mc Donalds in their country has decided to give them fast food that will have the locally produced Haddock in patty and local yoghurt as dressing to make it sumptuous.
And while you might remain confused and insecure about how US is going to treat Pakistan next, savour each and every bite of the Chicken or beef Big Mac at your nearest outlet.

WELCOME TO DIARY KHAN

Welcome to this space on the big world wide web, where you will be able to read and look at material that is related to our lives on this planet and impacts us in one way or the other.

Arrangements will be made in the very near future to enable you to express your views on any issues that you like and will ofcourse will appear on Diary Khan.

Oscar Wilde has pretty much said it all when he says...........

"I love talking about nothing. Its the only thing I know anything about"

Good Night!