Anybody noticed the ‘new-age’ bus stops being put up around some places in the city? I noticed them on Karsaz road and in their current ‘untouched’ state, they look very neat. While the capacity does not seem to be enough for the crowds that we typically have at the bus-stops (that is assuming that our buses stop at designated places at least on the major roads) but the designs are eye-candy. The structure is apparently equipped with an electronically controlled display advertisement area around 3 feet by 2 feet on one side (besides the mandatory sign board on top).

Please share if you’ve spotted these structures elsewhere in the city and what are you comments on the new design. Would it be able to sustain the ‘wrath’ of the public? And the dreaded ‘poster plastering’ that is the fate of every public structure that springs up on our roads of Karachi?

Jamil Dehlavi is a fiercely independent filmmaker, fully qualified lawyer, musician and artist, something of an enigma. Ironically, a private man in a very public profession, he has managed to retain the mystery of his persona through the years. He has displayed a tenacious commitment to his beliefs, and his career history shows him digging his heels in and maintaining his position, however controversial.

He will give a special lecture @ AKU Auditorium on Guerrilla Filmmaking

Wednesday, February 27, 2008 4 PM at Aga Khan University Auditorium
For more information contact: conf.sect@aku.edu
or call Conference Secretariat: 486-4584
Admission is free and is on first come first served basis
www.aku.edu

Courtesy: Arsalaan Haleem

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Quite a dusty day today!

We recently heard a lot about Bird Flu while the election was our main focus but one angry KMB reader shares his views on Rangers with regards to their role which doesn’t go well with their professional task. I shall try to covert his views into a questions and ask if Rangers/ARMY or police for that matter should be allowed to do business, especially when we know the extra-edge they will get due to their position, & the formation of a class that then establishes its own interest & in order to safeguard it has to resort to some undue tactics (& readers know what i mean by that).

Guest post : Ammar
[ While going through bird flu related news item in todays papers, (see attached link) i was surprised to learn that theres is a rangers maintained poultry farm in Gadap town. I recalled the facts that that a number of hydrants in the city are also controlled by rangers, which no doubt are playing a big role in the painful r*** of Karachi infrastructure. Gone carnages of May 12 and Dec 27, this paramilitary force, originally formed to safeguard the borders, remained confined within their barracks (by the way most of these are set up in hostels and other buildings forcibly taken) while people of Karachi suffered. I think we must, as Karachiites, should raise voice to stop these atrocities. ]

Celebrating for winning the elections is one thing but endangering your child’s life in the sprit is not only stupid but also highly irresponsible. I hope this father would realize that before it’s too late.

Image credits: Raja Islam.

Credible sources Confirm that a protest rally of lawyers at the city court and on M.A. Jinnah Road have been beaten, tear-gassed and even fired upon by the police and law-enforcement agencies.

As many as 9 lawyers have been reportedly arrested and at least three lawyers have been seriously injured and are taken to Civil Hospital including a female lawyer who has received a bullet wound.

Please Update with your comments if you have witnessed the incident::

Read more here and here .

Story credits: Teeth Maestro .

[ Images : Yawar ] . . . People of Pakistan have now thrown the ball in its leadership’s court, for a better future. If they have learned anything from past, now is the movement to prove it !! because these [ 1 2 3 4 5 ] images are still fresh in mind . . .

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The elections are finally over. Unsurprisingly, the ruling party that oversaw the election process with great diligence has been able to secure majority of the seats and so we can be spared any large scale unrest in the city.

But what still remains an eyesore are the countless kites and arrows along with party flags still at large all over the city. The walls are still graffitied with candidate names and the campaign billboards still haven’t been taken off. It is a surprise that the authorities cannot mobilize the public resources for un-vandalizing Karachi with the same efficiency with which they used it for self advertisement.

Here’s an interesting news item reported on the Reuters Wire Service: “Over 30 Million people will switch off their electricity on March 29′s celebration of Earth Hour. The move is to bring awareness about climate change, and to generate support for energy efficiency. Earth Hour asks residents in participating cities to switch off lights and non-essential electrical items for one hour at 8 p.m. to raise awareness.”

I wonder if KESC is already a few steps ahead this great plan! I just wonder if we can POSSIBLY spin the massive, horrific loadshedding we have here, so the world thinks we’re all just really good, responsible citizens of the world!

I know a lot of people have views they want to share – I noticed a link that Current.Com had posted up on its front page, to get people to voice out their opinions on camera – If you DO want to talk about the current situation in Pakistan, you can do so at: http://current.com/topics/88798756_pakistan_elections_2008

It’s been interesting watching the other webcasts/videos that people have put up. If you have a webcam on your laptop, it helps of course…