Follow-up post
The old KMC building clock is back in order. The clock which was installed 75 years back was out of order from quite some time. The engineers took one and a half month to repair the clock after which, it’s under a trial period.

now that’s a welcome change. a sikh and a woman in fauji wardee. as good a public relation statement as any. and what better place to make it than the quaid’s mausoleum? a small step surely, but an important one.

now if only they would move beyond the statement level and try to get this kind of thing really ingrained in their own and the average pakistani’s psyche that would really be something.

photo credit: dawn

Even though I figured that there are not many Gaye-Enthusiasts on this site, I am sharing the video (poor quality) which my brother made for me because I won’t be with my family in Karachi for the Eid.

The video quality is not very good, but there are a few things which I think an observant person will notice.
1. The Gulaabi Urdu accent (a karachiwala born to Punjabi Speaking parents) in the start of the video.
2. Azan in the background and not many rushing to the mosque (so very Karachi like)
3. Later down the video, pure Karachiite Accent (almost towards the end)
4. Too much manpower available

Allah hum sab ki qurbani-an qubool karay. New Year ki aisi ki taisi, I wish you all a very Happy Eid Mubarak. Eat Well. Stay Beautiful.

Asalama Alaikum

After the outbreak this year of the Dengue Virus (which was extensively covered here), we hope this be the last year we have to suffer through these. The dengue outbreak highlighted the vast indifference of the political powers for the general health and well being of the largest city in the country.

We wish more officials from within the health ministry are involved in the various seminars conducted around the city, especially on viral and epidemic deseases, and the involvement of these people is more than ribbon cutting and bouquet giving. We wish for a more proactive department, where people with genuine interest are inducted, rather than people failing in other departments. We wish for stability within the province, so that funds can be allocated and spent where needed the most.

SMC and DMC are already doing a good job of educating doctors, lets hope for the next year, incentives and offers allow the best and brigthest to help their own city-men rather than taking the first flight abroad.

Karachites have been known to be party animals when it comes to new year celebrations, tickets to selective balls actually start selling like crazy a few months in advance to an extent that you are unable to acquire seating anywhere if you start hunting around in the month of December. Special Olympics New Year’s Ball had generally captured the fascination of Karachiites in the past few years but this year it seems to be an ‘oldies ball’ conveniently replaced by the Club Night Ball which has most of the young & hip scrambling to attend

This year the new year has an interesting twist since Eid is going to fall on the 1st of January, so for many its a dilemma as they desperately want to party (including consumption of alcohol) and then to wake-up early morning for Eid prayers. For many Eid prayers are an essential component of their hypocritical Muslim values and it could very well be that they might skip on the morning prayers all together due to an intoxicated state of mind.

I don’t want to wrap everyone who attends these balls as ‘drinkers’ as I know quite a few who go there for the sake of interacting with the elite and limit their consumption to sodas. I also do not mean to offend anyone for his/her religious values but express my concern at the growing trend that alcohol consumption is becoming a norm rather then an exception being limited to a select few.

What’s your take on this issue?

As we bid farewell to 2006, let’s hope we also bid farewell to all of Karachi’s transportation woes. Let’s hope that in 2007, no Karachiite ever has to be a stuck in a traffic jam again. Let’s hope that traffic lights in the ‘city of lights’ never fail to work again. Let’s hope there are no more traffic bottlenecks, no more dug up roads, no more diversions, and no more VIP Movements in Karachi.
One resolution for the elected officials of Karachi would be to get rid of the traffic problems that plague the citizens of Karachi. They’re already trying their best but some areas that need attention are the public transport system, traffic law enforcement, and most importantly road maintenance.
Lets hope 2007 sees the end of all the troubles that we have to face on the city roads each day as we drive across the length and breadth of Karachi.

The importance of free media is recognized all over the world especially WEST. People believe in what comes on the screen, even if it’s not the truth. Similarly media is responsible to uphold truth and perpetuate it. With the advent of internet & especially after the role Tehelka played back in 2001, media websites have achieved recognition as well, though at lower level.

If there is one thing that is lacking badly in our Media it is investigative journalism. Every channel is churning out Mushy, kursi, wardi, LFO, MMA & mix plate of politics to keep us busy and we being callous as we are don’t ask them to highlight our other major issues. Programs hosts are so incompetent, once on AAJ TV the guest had to explain in detail the basic of Hudood law to the host first before she could ask any question. The same ghisey pitay sawal are asked & homework lacks badly. You never see anything like BBC’s hard talk. Exceptions are very rare.Today in Jang there appeared a news item about tape being sent to GEO that contains video related to corruption in society (probably govt.). What that tapes has is only known to GEO but our question is why it’s taking them long to bring it to public. Does it have anything real sensitive or what? Is there anything against the Army, the practically, self appointed, unaccounted for GOD. From the outlook it seems it may well have something on police as the line “ jub qanuun ke rakhwalay hee mujrimun ki pusht-panahi kerainge…” suggests, God knows.

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‘Few individuals significantly alter the course of history.
Fewer still modify the map of the world.
Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state.
Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.’

Prof Stanley Wolpret in his book ‘Jinnah of Pakistan’

Today, in addition to christmas, we celebrate the birth of the founder of our nation, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah. I thought to write on this myself, but on review, i came across two articles which truly capture the spirit and personality of this great man, both before and after Pakistan was created.

On Pakistaniat, Yasser Latif Hamdani, discusses the life of the Quaid in the pre-1937 era while on Pakistan Times, Raza Mumtaz sheds light on his career after the creation of the nation. Both articles give a complete picture into the personality of this great man.

Last year, Ramla asked here on metblogs
He[The Quaid] imagined Pakistan to be the laboratory of Islamic injunctions – one day leading to a practical implementation of Islam. Today, with Pakistan questioning its very essence, it remains to be seen whether Pakistan will finally come to know what it is, or forever lose the vision of the Quaid.

This year, i echo it again… will we come to know what it is, or forever lose the vision of the Quaid?

Before i start off with this post, on behalf of Karachi Metblogs, i wish everyone celebrating the day a very merry christmas!

(Send some gifts over our way too)

As with all the years preceding, the one place where i see christmas celebrated full force is Karachi Gymkhana. Complete with a decorated tree, lights and a special buffet lunch with turkey! Also, at the area where i used to live had a big christian community behind it, and it was fun to see them all dressed up heading for the churches early morning on the day, and then the hulla gulla which followed.
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According to this news Item in Dawn, the DAWN Group of Newspapers is organizing a five-day exhibition of art and photography in the Mohatta Palace Museum starting from January 15,2007.
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