Google has opened Pakistan for its Map Maker API. Please visit the site below and add the information for our beloved city Lahore i.e. Roads, Boulevards, Neighborhoods; Once all this information is processed and moderated, it will be included in Google Maps which would certainly help all of our community.

URL: http://mapmaker.google.com/

What if the channels are down, its not a curfew!

Pasting someone else’s mail:

We need to find Students in Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar, Quetta and Islamabad to co-ordinate this effort.

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Just saw a Justice who had refused to take the new oath speaking on GEO this
morning–he had tears in his eyes as he spoke. A handful of people had left
flowers outside his gate. And the news anchor was saying that it is a pity that
so few had done so–yes it is hard to withstand a baton charge or a tear gas
attack, but leaving a few flowers is not hard. Perhaps you can use your network to encourage people to leave flowers outside the houses of the justices and the bar association officials–just leave them as far as the police will let them go. This would also be a way of catching the attention of the international media.

—————
Dear All,

Several individuals stand out in the struggle for rule of law in Pakistan over the last few months. Most important are the honorable judges of the superior courts who have refused to take oath under this illegal PCO. These honorable judges are now under house arrest. Their refusal to bow to illegality and the state’s oppressive response are the clearest and most unambiguous expression of the nature of the forces arrayed on each side in this confrontation. Thousands of overseas Pakistanis are eager to show their support for these judges and to contribute in some form to the ongoing struggle. We propose the following non-violent, but potent, symbolic action:

SEND FLOWERS FOR JUSTICE.

Individuals as well as organizations should arrange to have flowers delivered as soon as possible to the houses of individual heroes in this struggle. This proposal was initially sparked by the sight of anonymous well wishers trying to deliver flowers to Justice Khwaja Sharif in Lahore. One proposal was to set a date (Friday after juma prayers was suggested) at which time these deliveries would be scheduled, but I think we should leave it up to everyone to pick the time of their choosing. The intention is to flood the streets on which these people live with thousands of flowers. IF the police intercept the flowers, every effort should be made to publicly display their resistance and to leave flowers at the nearest convenient symbolic point.

Dr .Zafar at ANAA has committed one thousand dollars to this project and suggested to pick one person in each provincial capital and Islamabad and send 200 dollars worth of flowers to each recipient. One list of proposed candidates consists of:

1. Justice Rana Bhagwandas in Islamabad. (Justice Iftikhar Choudhry is the obvious choice and other organizations may wish to pick him, but we felt his stature is absolutely unassailable now and we wanted to highlight the important role played by Justice Bhagwandas. But all the other “rebel” judges are deserving of this too and it would be great if other organizations could pick people like Justice Javed Iqbal, Justice Sardar Raza, etc.)
2. Justice Khwaja Shareef in Lahore. Justice Ramday is also in Lahore these days and is most deserving of support.
3. Justice Sabeehuddin in Karachi (His address is as follows. Banglow # 44/2, 13 Street,Phase-V,DHA.Karachi. Ph: 5847582)
4. Justice Tariq Pervaiz in Peshawar
5. Unfortunately, all the judges of the BHC have become lotas. We are thinking that the most appropriate person in Quetta may be the president of the BHC bar association, who is under arrest.

Every person or organization should pick their own names and go ahead with their own timetable.

1. Take this in the spirit of a WIKI. This is not some kind of centralized top down campaign. Let each individual and organization take it in any direction and in any manner they wish. Spread the word. The most effective strategies will be the ones that evolve locally in Pakistan. I hope Sabahat Ashraf and others like him will help to spread the word.
2. Online ordering of flowers is easy, but those companies may not cooperate to the end. Most flowers should ideally be delivered by volunteers in those cities. Student organizations are the best place to target for volunteers. publicity in the press, over the internet and by word of mouth will be the most important factor in the success or failure of this campaign. Please contact whoever you can and carry this forward. ANAA will use its own resources to arrange or attempt deliveries.
3. Overseas Pakistanis can send cash to whatever person or entity they trust in order to financially support this effort.
5. Media coverage is key.

I am spreading the word. I hope others will come forward to take this much further. It sounded like a good idea to several of us, but if it sparks some other, better idea in anyone’s mind, please go ahead and act on that. Send us your proposals and we will try to spread the word.

Act locally, think globally…

I have been a tiny contributor to OSAF’s Financial-Aid program for past 7 years. Even when I was not a Fastian, I used to donate for them. Because I was comfortable enough that each and every penny in that goes in the process, is accountable. To OSAF, each donation makes a difference, no matter how small or large. No donation is too small. Every penny counts!

The purpose of this post is not to advertise but to get the message through. If there is one association (of students or recent graduates) that can work on such grounds and professionalism, there is always healthy room for others to take an example and move forward on similar footsteps.

The examples I am going to discuss here are real-world that can be confirmed by anyone who study or work at FAST. So let me start with an introduction.

Read more

These days there’s- finally!- a rumpus being created by people with brains about the 10,000 trees slated for choppage along the canal to broaded the road. We all know that 10,000 trees is far in excess of the actual number that should be cut, and that the g0overnment’s is absolutely crap at protecting the environment, let alone gap replanting the trees they will destroy. 800 extra trees were cut for the Thokar and Jinnah Hospital underpasses; this time we have to do something to protect our City of Gardens!

There’s a meeting tomorrow at Nairang Gallaries (which is opposite Kinnaird College) at 5:30 on Tuesday, 27 June. The ‘Darakht Bachao, Lahore Bachao’ people really need volunteers, so if you can go, please please do so. There is also a Peoples Conference at Ali Complex on Friday, the details of which one will probably be told of at the Tuesday meeting. You can also call this number and leave your name and e-mail address if you’d like to be informed of further meetings :042-6303037. Let’s really pull together, people, and save our little bit of the world!

“Data di Naggri” is celebrating annual Urs of this great Saint.

Thousands of people travel by foot with chaadars spreak out; dancing on the rhythm of Dhol beats and collecting nazrana. I witnessed such a group of people heading from Qainchi to Data Darbar.

“Punjab Governor Lt General (r) Khalid Maqbool will inaugurate Data Gunj Buksh’s 962nd Urs today (Sunday).

Punjab government has allocated Rs 2.5 million for special arrangements for the Urs, including a ‘langar’ and a ’sabeel’, and the City District Government Lahore (CDGL) has planned to announce a local holiday on the occasion. Punjab Governor Lt General (r) Khalid Maqbool will lay a floral wreath and chador at the shrine and inaugurate the milk ’sabeel’ after Isha prayer.”
Read more

LAHORE: Three-day urs of renowned Sufi spiritualist Hazrat Syed Ali bin Usman Hajweri (RA), known as Data Gunj Bakhsh, will start from March 19.

Governor Lt Gen (r) Khalid Maqbool will formally open the urs and the Lahore city district government (CDGL) is likely to announce a local holiday on March 20 in connection with the urs, said Muhammad Nasim Abbasi, public relations officer at the Auqaf Department. As informal urs ceremonies began on Tuesday, Punjab Aquaf and Religious Affairs Secretary Syed Rais Abass Zaidi opened a speech and holy Quran recitation competition among seminary students at the Data Darbar Complex.

According to the urs schedule given by the Data Darbar administration, a seminar titled “Syed Hajwair Tasawuf” will be held on March 16. A press briefing about official urs arrangements will be held at the Library Markaz-e-Maarif-e-Aulia the same day.

A poetry competition will be held at Data Sahib after Isha prayers on March 17. The governor will inaugurate a milk sabeel on March 19. The Punjab government will allocate Rs 2.5 million to facilitate pilgrims on the occasion. Mehfil-e-Sama (quwwali competition) will open at Darbar Samah Hall on March 20. Police have finalised security arrangements for the urs. Five closed-circuit cameras have been installed at various points at the shrine, while a number of personnel from law enforcement agencies will be deployed to maintain law and order.

For the first time, people will have an official system at the shrine to announce names of the missing. A monitoring system will be in place to monitor areas surrounding the shrine. According to a senior official from the administration committee, 250 large cauldrons of rice and 200,000 breads will be distributed among the pilgrims every day and around 50,000 people from across the province will supply thousands of tonnes of milk for the pilgrims free of cost. A separate food distribution point will distribute food among the pilgrims. The administration committee members said that a number of volunteers had been engaged to make arrangements for the urs.

Great spiritualist Hazrat Data Sahib (RA) was born in the Ghazni area of Afghanistan in the Islamic year 400 AH, over a thousand years ago. He completed his early education at his hometown and later contacted great spiritualists of his time for further education.

Blessed with an impressive sacred standing, Data Sahib (RA) came to Lahore when Sultan Mehmood Ghaznavi was ruling the entire area, and made Lahore his permanent abode. He preached Islam in this area with his consecrated writings. His book Kashful Majoub is one of his best writings.

Source: http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=20063\15\story_15-3-2006_pg7_28

Picture Source: http://www.lahoreblog.com/files/data_darbaar1.jpg

Volunteers are needed in Balakot to assist in camp maintenance,distibution of food and setting up of tents etc.The following doctors are also needed:

1.Female Pediatricians.
2.Gynecologists.
3.Psychologists.

Please spread the word, contact Amna Khan 03008231975 c/o Zindagi Trust for
details if you are interested or know a doctor who can make it.

LUMS Disaster Relief Fund

Karwan-e-Hayat (KeH) is a non-profit, charity organization and is active in caring for mentally indigent poor patients. Established in 1983, and the only non-profit, non-government organization in the mental health sector in Karachi, Karwan-e-Hayat runs an outpatient facility at Khayaban-e-Jami and a Psychiatric Care and Rehabilitation Centre at Keamari.

It has recently established a rehabilitation unit- one for males and one for females. Methinks the institution is worth a look here; any suggestions, volunteers and donations are welcome :)

It’s a mail from brother Ejaz Asi who have visited quake hit areas and worked there with mediacl teams.

There are two sources with me right now which you can forward to other students/ people who might be interested in this. I think you can easily take an hour out of a day and visit local hospitals and different wards there and meet patients. You would find the lost vibrance of your life there, let me tell you. And if you’r even luckier, you’d find a new meaning to the word, “life”. I have had great hopes from Asma and Taha who’ve otherwise been very cooperative and responsive so far. I felt very unlucky to have returned but I just had a call from Dr.Zahid (our team leader) from JPMC that there are a lot of patients already in Karachi’s hospitals and as I leave from Multan today night, I am very glad I am re-joining my old team of doctors and volunteers there. We did have bad days and oments but they are all over. We can now get the positive and vibrant energies out of any misery and we hope to collect lowers, sweets and fruits for the children… And yes, mind you, Kites are great things to remind these children of their lost youth. They’d love them even though they cant fly in the hospitals.:)

1- Contact humaira at 0300-5345534 she would tell you which hospitals have un-attended patients and need counselling and care. She is an IT person by profession, as unaiza told me and have been with me near Balakot in earlier days. Brilliant person to work along with.

2- Psychosocial First Aid: Rozan is training volunteers for providing immediate support to children in hospitals. Trainings are conducted every Wednesday (9:00 AM - 2:00 PM) and every Friday (11:30 AM to 4:30 PM). Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis. Volunteers need to attend only one training.

Contact: Khuzama Rizwan (+92-300) 982 4565, Anoushey Nazir (+92-300) 551 7954

Note: these children are severely traumatized and must be dealt with accordingly. Do not attempt to “treat” them without advice / training from professional psychologists who specialize in trauma.

wassalam

Got this on a mailing list …

Volunteers who want to work in Neelum Valley should contact Amir Ahmed khan. There is a lot of rescue work to be done up there. This rescue effort is also being followed by a BBC team and will be aired regularly. Amir’s cell phone no is 0333-2202999. Call him. He is really looking for a lot of volunteers with trekking experience. I also need volunteers in Balakot and Ghanool Valley who can work in Tent Villages in any and every capacity. Volunteers who can teach kids, female volunteers who can work with children and females from health to education. Camp managers, trash cleaners, helping hands who can work with the army etc. Get in touch with me. My no is 0333-5109492. Please pass the word

peace
Wajahat Malik