After a long long effort to control traffic flow within the Defence Stadium circle area, the DHA has, after complete lack of success, launched its final assault on vehicles that break the traffic flow pattern that has been set up to eliminate congestion in the area.

Tyre killers

These tyre killers will puncture the tyres of cars that come from the wrong direction, while allowing the correct drivers to pass through.

I spoke with an engineer there, who told me that during the past week, DHA had received 4 complaints from angry drivers who lost their tyres to this device. Its interesting how people can call up and complain about something thats a consequence of violating the law!

And so we’re at that time of the year again when the ITCN opens its gates to delegations, IT and Telecom professionals and sadly, the public, to keep up the hype created about Pakistan as the hottest outsourcing destination in Asia. The 3-day expo and conference, while manages to create the greatest hype we’ve seen, I’m wondering whether the quality-quantity angle needs to be kept into perspective.

More than 100 stalls, thousands in foot traffic, delegates from almost all the continents, speakers from various organizations and representation from every walk of life, the ITCN has helped to keep on course with its mission. Read more

I found this image on Flickr originally uploaded by *abro*, a well known Karachi photographer. I was extremely moved by this image to see the small gesture of generosity that it gives me hope that there are still a few good people out there who are still willing to take care of the poor. It is said that Pakistanis could easily be ranked as a nation with the highest level of philanthropy in terms of GDP. Abro writes the following words describing the image

Every Sunday, poor people, women and men gather at the commercial Area in Defence Karachi to have free breakfast (tee, paratha) and Rs.100 in cash. On Sunday 6th July early in the morning after returning from walk I found the streets were filled with men and women having free breakfast from two hotels of area. I estimated at least 800 to 1000 people was gathered there, especially women were more than men. After asking some people I come to know every Sunday poor people gather here and have free breakfast and 100 rupees in cash from this person. It means he distributes 100,000 every Sunday!

Credit for Image and text *abro* on Flickr

Considering that Pasha kicked off the trend of Jobfairs a few years ago, the association has a knack for putting together the kind of event that clicks with their audience and today’s Career Expo was no exception! Read more

I wasn’t going to post this up until later, but then I saw Afreen’s post on “Wake up and Smell the Rubble”… These were photographs I snapped when I was so frustrated trying to drive through the inner roads of Defence (the Green and Clean), where every major road was dug up.

You may want to argue that we live in a post-military dictatorship or in a crazy democratic state of mayhem, but the sad state of affairs is this - we’ve got more holes in the ground than the surface of the moon, and we seem to be okay with it. There are rallies and walks and protests to release the judges and make god knows what else right, but not one little picket when it comes to the stink and filth that is created around us. Not one worker, not one working bulldozer, and certainly not one protester screaming his frustration with what our streets have become. Read more

This a play based on two stories by Ismet Chugtai. The Tehrik - E- Niswan group usually does a good job so i am looking forward to catch this one at the Arts Council. Tickets are available at the gate and Agha Supermarket as well.

Few among us know that May 12 also marks the death anniversary of the People’s Poet Habib Jalib apart from what it is now known for. I shall try to do a detail post then but for now here is a song that is being seen quite regularly. Incidentally it also depicts the current situation except that its sola (16) carore and not dus (10) carore. The new ministers and advisor’s have(are) taken(ing) oath these days and so Habib’s poetry is as valid as ever. “Main Nay Kaha” is a satirical poem called “Musheer” (Advisor). Mr. M bokhari has done his bit to put the audio into text here in comment section.
Audio DOWNLOAD


Credits:
Mainay Uss Say Yeh Kaha - Habib Jalib
Vocals - Shahram Azhar , Music - Taimur Rahman , Backing Vocals - Mahvash Waqar , Director Producer - Taimur Khan

Breaking News:-
Reports coming in suggest there has been a breakthrough in a crucial meeting between PPP and MQM and a final formula has been agreed upon by both sides to run the future gov. in Sindh. MQM will get its share through 8 ministries and 5 advisory positions. Asif Ali Zardari who is in Dubai at the moment has also given his approval on this agreement. We may hear a press conference shortly this even or tomorrow probably.

More soon . . .

I just couldn’t help it… I trailed this car for a ways before I managed to whip my camera out and snap this. But I think the stickers on the car cover just about every imaginable message, applicable to all of us! “Keep your distance”, “Park Ethically”, “Don’t block others”, “Respect Other’s Rights” and of course, “Please drive safely”. It’s bi-lingual, it’s bright and yellow (Courtesy former PM Taxi Scheme!), Read more

Karachi was once known as the ‘city of lights’. All that changed not due to the load-shedding power failures, but due to violence and terror the city saw in the 90s. While the citizens of this city that ‘never sleeps’ are continuously in search of any outlet they can find, our city has long been the target of pointless violence countless times. If anything was left, all went down in the unforgettable incidents of May 12th and 27th December last year.

These incidents have left such a deep scar amongst us that even a small rumor now triggers a chain reaction of panic and uncertainty in the city. Today was another one of those days!

As my fellow authors have already pointed out the incidents, and while we hope everyone is safe, its high time that our city is taken for granted; and to top it all, we have so-called political leaders playing the centuries old blame game, talking on their party leader’s behalf, trying to copy the tones, dialogues and even accents of leaders that don’t even have the guts to face the music, and who live lavish lives abroad on the cost of innocent people and make a living from “bhattas”

We don’t deserve democracy……………we need another Martial Law!