It seems that CDGK has been started Mosquito Control Spray campaign. This picture was taken yesterday near Paradise Bakery where a motorbike busy in spraying anti mosquito medicines. I don’t know whether this was pre-announced or not but I found there was no precaution made by any food shop in the area.

To what GLORIOUS event do we owe the pleasure of the ABSENCE of electricity problems in the city?  I HOPE this is a sign of what is yet to come.  It’s been wonderful..

Iqbal Academy Pakistan is offering a series of weekly workshops about the basic ideas of Dr. Sir Muhammad Iqbal and related subjects. Participation is free for the first three weeks but due to limited space, please register yourself in advance and be there in time (seats will be given on a “first come first” basis).

Resource Person:
Khurram Ali Shafique, author of The Republic of Rumi: A Novel of Reality

Venue: Teachers’ Development Center , 129-G, P.E.C.H. Society, Block 2, Karachi . Phone: (021) 4312017

Timings: 3 to 6 PM

Contact for further information: Dr. Hena Jawaid : henajawaid000@hotmail.com

PROGRAM:
1. The Garden of Mystery – Saturday, March 14

This is an introduction to Iqbal, offered in an easy manner for the beginners. In Persian Psalms (1927), Iqbal offered a set of nine questions and answers to serve as an introduction to his system of thought. Those questions are now being explained with the help of simple stories from the popular culture of modern-day Pakistan .

2. The Mysteries of Simorgh – Saturday, March 21

All birds of the world set out to seek their king, Simorgh, whom no one had ever seen. Traversing seven valleys on the way, they finally arrived at their destination – and the surprise was more than the sum of its parts. The classic tale from the thirteenth century Sufi poet Sheikh Fariduddin Attar, who was among the major influences on Rumi, is being explained in the light of Iqbal’s philosophy for newcomers.

3. In Search of Layla – Saturday, March 28

Everyone has heard about the story of Layla and Majnun, but few know that it was written by one of the greatest Sufi poets of all times, Nizami Ganjevi, who lived in the thirteenth century. Iqbal interpreted the story differently, and following the legend of the star-crossed lovers with the clues given by Iqbal could lead to some unexpected conclusions. Find out more through this interactive explanation.

PS: This will help to look Pakistan, Sufism and Iqbal’s works in an uniquely new perspective!

Same thing but for different purposes

Image Credit: Daily Jang

Personally, I feel this as very dangerous but I am not sure whether their parents are aware or not about this kind of stylish riding. Who should be responsible in case of any disaster? Parents, Rickshaw driver, or children?

Mensa Pakistan is organizing its Karachi Grand Test on 28 February 2009

Timings: 11am – 3:00pm (test sessions every 30 minutes)
 
at: New Horizons Pakistan (formerly TEC)

49-C, Block 6 PECHS (Behind Habib Bank Limited (HBL), behind main Nursery Bus stop)
off main Sharah-e-Faisal, Karachi
Tel: (021) 4554772
4382352 - 53 – 54 (3 lines)

Test fee Rs. 500
Walk-in registration facility at the venue

More on Mensa: www.mensapk.org

Most of us here in Karachi seem to think that the agreement of our government with the Taliban in SWAT has no affect on our urban lives in Karachi. This could not be further from the truth as the government has basically sold out the people of Swat to the Taliban who are now going to impose the most radical form of shariah known even to the muslim ummah on the poor population of the area.

Their influence in our city has been increasing over the passage of time as well and a stark example of it was the “attack” of 40-50 armed mullahs on a concert being held on valentines day in nisar shaheed park in defence. Although people may claim that the concert was creating problems for namazis at the adjacent mosque it was organized with proper permission from D.H.A authorities and the mullahs had no right to take the law into their own hands.

Police has to intervene and the concert had to be abandoned, these mullahs have now realized that it is in their power to disrupt anything they want on the name of Islam. I am not condoling valentines or the loud music interfering with someones namaz, but if I hear noise during Isha prayers does it give me the right to go over and threaten the noisemaker with a beating?

The civic agencies responsible for maintaining law and order have no idea how to deal with these mullahs and I am afraid the time is not far off when all of us will have to make a choice. Who will pay back the organizers or the people who bought tickets at this event? Who is going to hold these people back from taking over Karachi like they did in Swat?

In the end it will be between us and them.

Vision of Prosperity 2009 [From 6 to 8 February 2009, Expo Center]

This exhibition is being organized by All Pakistan Memon Federation with the aim to promote industries and organizations belong to Memon Community. To my surprise, all six halls of Expo Center utilized for this exhibition. A huge number of companies are participating in this exhibition including from builders, telecos, automobiles, or event you can find stall of Tasty Chalia. Number of stalls are offering discount ranging from 10% – 50%.

According to the Minister for Human Rights Syed Mumtaz Alam Gilani (Yes, we have a separate ministry for human rights which perhaps only compiles the list of violations as published in the newspapers), Karachi tops the list of human rights violations in Pakistan.

As covered in Dawn, the Minister said that 5,140 cases of human rights violations were recoded in the country with Karachi at the top with 2,102 cases. A total of 1,695 such cases were recoded in Lahore, 715 in Peshawar and 628 in Quetta.

I am surprised how the esteemed minister came to these figures. I think the most troubled areas these days in Pakistan are Swat and Waziristan where the militants are chopping off heads with great impunity every day. Are they not part of Pakistan or the ministry is too afraid of the Mullahs operating in those areas to actually say it out loud.

Why single out Karachi?

CDGK & Nazim Karachi announced today plans to launch a Parking Plaza in Saddar within one months time to help relieve the traffic congestion in that area. I believe this is a positive move by the local administration in developing this project as Karachi is strife with numerous building projects with ample office space but absolutely no parking for its visitors.

Geo [via @GeoNews Twitter update] The country’s first parking plaza in Saddar here would start operation within a month’s time. This was announced in a statement of the City District Government Karachi. The seven storey facility has been constructed at a cost of Rs.700 million. It has a capacity of 800 cars and 300 motorcycles. The Nazim of Karachi, Syed Mustafa Kamal, visited the parking plaza on Thursday and said that this is the first parking plaza in the country.