Every language has idioms, they leave a mind-boggling impression on the recipient. Idioms are ‘one of a kind’ and indicates that a phrase is being used with a special meaning that can be very different to the literal meaning.

Most of us use idioms, we don’t just use them, we use them alot! So, if you are one of ‘us’ grab some pen and paper as there is a new idiom in town. See you at malta!

So, when you see a lame/lousy post, a something that is just ‘a fool’s errand and ‘hit the roof’, beacuse it’s just ‘one of those days, be ‘as cool as a cucumber’ and be kind enough to leave a nice response because you don’t want me to ‘see you at malta :)
‘Food for thought’, isn’t it? no? :) Hell no!

The 23rd Lahore International Book Fair at the Fortress stadium main ground was opened yesterday. The five-day mega book fair with the theme Education for All, Books for Peace was inaugurated by Caretaker Chief Minister Punjab Justice (r) Ejaz Nisar. Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the Book Fair he laid stress on the necessity of promoting book reading and improving the education system by all means.

The book- fair is becoming more and more popular and expanding each year. That is why publishers from around the world are attracted. Around 175 publishers from around the world, including the US, UK and South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) countries, would set up their stalls at the fair. The international publishers will offer attractive discounts and local publishers will give as much as 50 percent discounts on their books. Sounds good enough, no? :)

So, all you book-lovers out there hungry to discover the best selling authors, grab your wish-list and don’t miss this exciting and extraordinary literary event. It’s worth your while.

See you at the festival.

And they say it was an artificial crisis caused by smuggling of wheat to Afghanistan, Central Asia; fueled by evil intentions of the stockists; worsened by unplanned exports by the government; and hyped by bulk consumer purchases…

What factor do you blame the most?

Experiences, insights, thoughts and ideas were shared in abundance at the 6th Startup Insiders session held on February 24 at the LUMS campus.

With quite an active, participating and respectably patient audience, though limited to almost 50 individuals, the session took off in high spirits and was able to maintain it throughout.

Main topic of discussion was ‘the ways of finding, identifying and targeting the right customer’ as an entrepreneur specifically in the Information Technology industry which was very intelligently moderated by Jehan Ara [President, P@SHA] and Jawwad Farid [CEO, Alchemy Technologies].

Everyone benefited from listening to and questioning some of Pakistan’s most promising IT entrepreneurs including Zafar Khan [Sofizar]; Faisal Qureshi [Kolachi Advanced Technologies]; Fahd Bangash [Amaana]; Zia Imran [Vahzay]; Umar Saif [BumpIn; Chopaal] and Jawwad himself. Almost all of these people started off with just a few individuals and have tasted success of varying degrees.

The most refreshing aspect of the session was the desire as expressed by all panelists to help and guide people who really want to break barriers and are striving to make a mark for themselves and their country. It was very heartening to see these people actually willing to share and spread their success among promising stars of the future.

Like all great myths, the Pied Piper of Hamelin has appeared and reappeared in innumerable variations throughout the world. In our desi version he wears no pied cloths and doen’t even have a pipe.
A Pied Piper with no pipe.

Enjoy!

Seriously, We all need to get a life!
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The three-day ‘Urs’ or death anniversary of the 11th century saint Syedna Ali bin Usman Hajveri also known as Data Ganj Buksh (R.A) or simply ‘data sahab’ starts today in Lahore at his mausoleum, popularly known as Data Durbar. Governor Khalid Maqbool and Caretaker Chief Minister Justice (r) Ejaz Nisar will inaugurate the event with the traditional chaddar-laying ceremony and a milk-sabeel (free distribution of milk) at the shrine. As the preparations for the 964th urs are in full swing, security has been beefed up in the city.

It is generally thought that in his lifetime the great saint was called as Gang Bakhsh but afterwards he became too famous as ‘ Data Gang Bakhsh’. Ali Hajvery (R.A.) was a Persian sufi and a scholar. The greatest saintof the sub-continent born in Hajver, a town of Ghazni in Afghanistan, in 1000 A.D (400 H) and died in Lahore in 1063 or 1071A.D. In the course of his spiritual journey to God, he journeyed physically to many countries, including Turkistan, Transoxania, Iran, Iraq, and Syria where he met innumerable Sufis and Sheikhs, many of those have been mentioned in his book ‘Kashf-ul-Mahjoob’.

During the urs the shrine and its whereabouts are beautifully lit. A large number of devotees from different parts of the country besides tens of thousands from the city will visit the Data Darbar to pay their homage by reciting verses from the Holy Quran, qawalees, and recitation of naats and poetry to the saint. Separate arrangements are made for women to visit the shrine. ‘Langer Khana’ (distributing free food) and milk sabeel also attract a large number of people. The tradition of milk-sabeels traces its roots to a time when the people of Lahore used to give tax in the form of milk to the city keeper Ray Raju Jogi. Legend has it that when Hazrat Data Gunj Baksh arrived in Lahore, he stopped them from this practice. As a result, their businesses flourished and followers began giving the milk to the saint to give to the needy. Today, milkmen continue the practice by donating milk to destitutes.

Sultan al-Hind Hazrat Khwaja Moeenuddin Chishti paid his homageto Data Ganj buksh in the following words:

Ganj Bakhsh-e faiz-e aalam, mazhar-e Noorr-i Khuda
Naqisaan ra peer-e kaamil, kaamilan ra rahnuma

“The bestower of treasure (Ganj Bakhsh) in both the worlds, the reflector of the splendour of God, An accomplished spiritual guide for the learned and a guide for the ignorant”.
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Any Aitzaz Ahsan is going to protest for this??????
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Dear Lahore,

I know, it’s been long since you were here.

Since long people from you have been very sarcastic to people from me and have told my baby children that you’ve got no life. Islamabad is a dead city.

Albeit you being the capital of the province I reside in but am not a part of, since I am the “Federal Capital” of Pakistan and although reside in Punjab but am not a part of Punjab.

One of my kids on his way from Gulberg to somewhere on your roads took this picture, and it reminded him of this song.

These kids in the photos are the ones who make their lives by cleaning car screens . And the night time is usually their business’ most revenue-generating moments.

This picture reminded my resident the fact that even in the most busiest of all moments of life, one can still take time out to tell to their loved ones, “I Love You”

Dear Lahore,

Despite what everyone says or believes.

I love you loads.

Yours,

Islamabad.

I recently signed up on LinkedIn, which is, and I quote:

LinkedIn is an online network of more than 19 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries.

When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you

Although the Internet is part and parcel of daily lives of millions in first world, developed countries, it still has to make deep impact on countries like ours. But Lahore is a modern city to say the least and a lot of people are now not only Internet-savvy but visit blogs like this one to get their news, have their own blogs to communicate/vent/rant their opinions and have their company websites to fully market their business.

I have only started using LinkedIn, and would recommend all of our visitors to use this service to not only expand their ‘network’ but to make friends across their industry worldwide.