People who surround you, your relatives, your friends, people who serve you and people who almost go unnoticed but they still have an impact on your life are the people who reflect your own image for you to recognize.

An Exhibition titled “mien” by Dr. Altamash Kamal, of portraits evoking a vast spectrum of emotions, sentiments and thoughts, celebrating delicate bonds and shedding light on the grim realities of life opened on the 18 of September, 2008 at the Canvas Art Gallery in Karachi.  

The magnificent portraits featured at the exhibition comprise of noted personalities of the country who have made a vibrant impact on our society, some near and dear ones of to the artist who have touched his soul so to become a vital part of his personality, people who almost remain unnoticed but play a vital role to define us for who we are and people who are suffering just because we have failed to look upon them and recognize them as fellow beings.

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Last night when i was in gulshan sitting late night with friends we were discussing how the whole city seems a frustrated psycho mob. And yes politics had to be the center topic. Going for a change, i was searching for some serious jokes in newspapers this morning and here i found one (”The minister assured the governor that the water and power secretary would be in Karachi on Monday and take steps to improve the situation“). The minister hoping something even a prophet wouldnt commit. Because Prophets dont commit on abnormalities. Moving on, here is one MASTER JOKE i found from past. This post is just to share some such serious jokes about KHI in political context since i find there is hardly anything worth smile in this city these days. And the price hike in Ramazan was just the last nail in coffin we were waiting for.
NEWS, July 2005 :[ The water plants would also be installed in Karachi, said the president who was confident that the entire country would have safe water by 2007. He told the gathering that provision of electricity in all parts of the country by 2007 was among the government’s priorities . . ]
In coming days (weeks,months) i am very hopeful that the same statement will be repeated by Mr. Zardari (who is by the way much worried about Kashmir than Karachi these days) whenever he visits Karachi. The circus goes on and on . .

I was thinking what would become of Karachi and the green CNG rickshaws, (legacy of debunked General & President Musharraf) if Altaf Hussain, Pir of London, Imam of Mohajirs of Karachi, were to suddenly transform from being a leader of MQM into an erstwhile rickshawala.

First, he won’t get any license. PPP wants all Sindhis, mostly un-educated and belonging to interior, to do everything. From sweepers to customs officers at port, to PIA’s various GMs, and the President of the god-damn country.

If in case he gets the license, he will do lot of things.

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In a country where DICTATORs are treated as hero’s, and ironically by educated, you cannot expect much when you talk about accountability. A land where thugs become leaders, accountability is an alien specie. While Mr. Musharraf is playing golf and will soon prepare some lectures for his foreign tours and earn some dollars by selling his lie-crafted visions his democratic-child ZARDARI is all set to continue his left over work aka the promise-dodge-next policy. Had this been real, pakistan would be have been a different story altogether. In such dismay this is the maximum people on street could do to manage a smile.

ExtraCorp Announces a fundraiser movie Screening, “BATMAN-THE DARK KNIGHT” at The PALPA CLUB (Near Acropolis) on the 30th of August 2008, at 8:00 PM Sharp.

ExtraCorp an organization committed to empower people with disabilities by training and inculcating entrepreneurship skills in them.

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Originally uploaded by *abro*

Abro shares his comment on this thought provoking picture taken on Seaview early in the morning

We have seen beautiful pictures of Seaview at Karachi, here I am sharing pictures I have taken early morning after 5 a.m. Peoples mostly come here in the evenings, nights and specially in weekends. But if you go early morning, you find how people behave with the sea they pretend to love.

There are so many homeless people living here. They come from all over the country and in days/nights they sale things like food items and other stuff. You find them sleeping on these benches. And dirt all over is obvious. Some time I feel how Sea tolerates these things and give happiness in return to all people who come here to enjoy!

AT recently said that AZ should be the next president. This he thinks is better for country. Many see it in quite different perspective. For Karachi this might be a good gesture, no matter whatever is the real agenda. For country’s sake this seems shocking. What you think is the real reason Altaf bhai gave such a statement? Was it because of the reconciliation fever that seems to take on everyone in country or after sitting in power for 5 years Altaf bhai finally realized the attraction is too difficult to resist? What they say in urdu ki iqtidaar ka maza muu ko lag gaya hai. There is no doubt about the fact that no matter how much you despise the two, currently Karachi is in their hands & luckily/unluckily people have choosen them. With agencies always ready to get political parties fight each other do you think both guys are taking right steps for peace in karachi? Please also comment especially in view of the fundamental reason MQM was born i.e the fight for the rights of the Urdu speaking community in Pakistan (Karachi). Do you guys believe this cause is still alive or it’s dead now?

The 13th of August brought rain and some relief from the heat Karachi had been suffering for a while. As I made my way back from office thinking the usual thoughts of “god how to find less traffic” and “man are they  ever gonna fix anything in the KESC for the rest of us who do not know anyone in the government” I saw an accident on Shahra E Faisal.  A couple riding a motorbike slipped in the rain and got hurt as it skidded across the road.

Perhaps this was a rare occurrence but in that instant the entire line of cars braked and stopped. People ran out  and gave them water, someone called an ambulance and helped them in when it arrived, the guards outside Avari wheeled their motorbike to the side and promised to keep it safe for them in the parking till they came back. In about five minutes the traffic started again but my mind stopped back there.

We often tend to blame our country, we often tend to scream and cuss at our leaders but do we ever look into our ownselves and ask what we have ever done for this land? Do we even realize what our ancestors gave up when they arrived in Karachi?  Or how the people who lived here opened their arms to them.  My own family was sheltered by a Hindu one in the old saddar area of Karachi. My own parents traveled first to Bombay by train and after that horrifying journey boarded a steamer to come here with nothing but hope.

This accident showed me something, it showed the good of the common Pakistani, it gave me hope for this land. For even if our politicians leave no stone unturned to take us as far back as possible the people of this land are hard working, hearty and good folk and one day god willing we will make it somewhere.

So let us today make an oath, let us try till the next 14th of August to forget that we are Mohajirs or Pathans or Sindhis or Baluchis or Punjabis. Let us first try to make ourselves worthy of the freedom that so many died for! Let us first call ourselves Pakistanis and be proud of it. This world may heap it all on us, and land every blame at our doorstep but do not forget who we are, we are the flag bearers of a rich country, we carry the wealth of freedom!!

Long Live Pakistan & Happy Independence Day!!

A flurry of pompous and showy displays by leading student political groups marked early celebrations on the 13th of August, 2008 ahead of the 61st Independence Day here at the University of Karachi. Celebrations centered on at least three major points, one each for the three major political student groups at the university. Read more