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!