Another 9 youngsters lost their lives one-wheeling the night of Independence in Lahore and Gujranwala.

We are in dire need of rollercoasters in this country as people are so desperate to go to any lengths for a pill of thrill. One-wheeling, night car racing, phut phut rickshaw racing, drugs, throat slitting wire twine - what next for our youth?? 

Are we turning into psychos as a society or what?

Mozang Chungi: One of the worst traffic jams I ever witnessed.

Recent torrential rains, especially the heavy rainfall on Tuesday, left the whole city paralyzed. Forecast experts considered it a record rainfall (168mm) in past 12 years. People from all walks of life were badly affected. The attendance remained short in offices and most of the businesses, especially in the lower areas, remained closed or were opened late in the evening. The water entered the houses and in the shops of the people. It was reported that even the Chief Minister’s house was drowned. It may also affect the Independence Day celebrations.

Boys pushing a broken down ambulance.

Many motorcycles and cars broke down in 3.5 to 4 feet rain water.

A section of Ferozpur Road is not able to be used due to rain water. The other lane is jam packed with vehicles.

Luckily, the rain stopped. If it had continued for a little more while, I had to help my family to wipe out the rain water from my own house. It’s still raining today. I wish it does not add to people’s problems.

It did nothing..

WASA Emergency centre: I believe they were helpless.

No other way to cross except going through it.

I wish every Pakistani a very happy independence day :).

This day brings me lots of delightful childhood memories, when we used to get together, shop around and decorate our house with flags and candles and believe me, hamaisha barish ho jati thee :(. This is happening again, monsoon downpours are right here and affecting most of the country, but still the spirit is there, kyon bhai?? So what activities you guys gonna’ have on this holiday? Just sleeping (zzZZZZZZ….) or decorating and some bhangra stuff at Mall Road?????

For those who missed it on PTV and/or Teeth Maestro’s post on KMB, here is the text of the emergency order imposed by the present regime.

“Whereas there is visible ascendancy in the activities of extremists and incidents of terrorist attacks, including suicide bombings, IED [improvised explosive device] explosions, rocket firing and bomb explosions and the banding together of some militant groups have taken such activities to an unprecedented level of violent intensity posing a grave threat to the life and property of the citizens of Pakistan;

Whereas there has also been a spate of attacks on state infrastructure and on law enforcement agencies;

Whereas some members of the judiciary are working at cross purposes with the executive and legislature in the fight against terrorism and extremism thereby weakening the government and the nation’s resolve diluting the efficacy of its actions to control this menace;

Whereas there has been increasing interference by some members of the judiciary in government policy, adversely affecting economic growth, in particular;

Read more

As the ‘Freedom Month‘ i.e. August, is ending; every one celebrated it in full swing.. and there are some people who don’t have much to enjoy but still, may be, they are more patriot than us.

The plot in the picture is situated in front of ‘Shimla Hill‘ in front of Radio Pakistan. This plot is so old that I remember when I was young I used to come here to meet my grandmother’s sister.
(:-D I really did..!)

There were some huts then and there are some huts now… but don’t know why they are here!

Whatever, the main thing is that even in this condition, they celebrated their independence. If not much, at least the flag is there.

Hey guys, hopefully, most of you know that BBC World has dedicated month of August to mark the independence days of Pakistan and India.

With many other interesting posters depicting the era before partition, there is a poster related with Lahore by Jankidass & Co from Neela Gumbad and O.K. Electric Works Limited, The Mall, Lahore, it is “from the 1920s, Congress advocated the boycotting of British goods and the embrace of swadeshi - the promotion of Indian products and traditional technologies.”

Though the poster looks quite nice with all the fans and tricycle, I just cannot figure out that how two traders could go for one poster, maybe because of ONE cause, i.e., independence? and now, can we think of sharing ads? NO WAY!!!!

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Suggested by Atif S.

Coca-Cola has always been on the forefront in bringing up cool ideas, themes and jingles for its ultra-hip brand and the products it labels. Be it the ‘Coca-Cola Enjoy’ basant theme or the current, refreshing ‘Khaa Lay, Pei Lay, Jee Lay’ campaign; they have always put colors, celebration and youth in focus.

They did the same with the much celebrated ‘Independence Day’ event. Although, there were not any advertisement campaign as such, however these flashy billboards were put up at selected spots in the city including this one at Centre Point.

PepsiCo may have a better market share, however, it has so far been unable to personify fun, excitement and party mode in its image…

Okay this time round, I will USE this platform for communicating something personal. Yes this IS personal to me as it should be to all Pakistanis. The truth is, we’re hardly aware of what we’re doing and most of us don’t even know when we commit these mistakes. Here is an abridged list of what I observed this time on and after August 14 (not to mention its the same story every year)

1. Flags are put up on houses and buildings a few days preceding the big day and are still there, today being the 17th day of the month of August, year 2007
2. A lot of places the flag is put up BACKWARDS as in, the wrong way
3. some places the mast (or “baans” or “pole”) used is either bent or distorted in some way or another
4. I actually witnessed torn and half mutilated flags on cars
5. The smaller flags those pasted on a thick thread, ones we all love putting up at our places (jhandiyaan) are usually found lying on the floors/ grounds/ roads, before, during and after the August 14
6. We’ve got a pretty Quaid-e-Azam Portrait with one of Allama Iqbal on the White side of the flag

Okay these all seem small, petty things and by now most of you have moved on to the more interesting posts. Why would some one even want to waste their time on a post that doesn’t even have any picture? THAT my friends is for a reason, because the pictures for this posts are all around you. In your street, on the roads, try just peering out of your window, you might even find something within the premises of your own house that fits the profile of this post

Okay now the amendments we need in the list of things we do up above

1. Have you ever noticed that in older movies or rushes or any older records of a flag on the telly, there’s always a ceremony in which someone is raising a flag to its pole? Or has anyone pondered over the fact why they have that lovely ceremony at Wahga border everyday to take the flag off at sunset? They could very well leave it on can’t they? BEEEEP! NO! In the sheer respect of the flag of your country, it must not stay up on the pole after sunset or to be exact, in the dark. The second point within this one is the fact that we’re only allowed (according to the law) to put flags over civilian buildings for the day of August 14 and not the entire month. It’s sad that no one monitors this law implementation but I guess we can let them policemen go if they’re really saving lives and take care of this little detail ourselves, can’t we? :)

2. Okay now this one is almost criminal! When the flag is put up BACKWARDS, it means the country is at WAR!!!! Please be careful what way you put your flags up because you just might be declaring war (OUCH!)

3.Okay, again an issue of respecting the flag, we don’t want people to mistake that we have our flag on half mast at or independence day do we? I’m sure we’re not regretting the fact that we are an independent nation nor is it a national dilemma that we reduce our flag to half mast. The pole or mast has to be straight/ upright. We doNOT wish for our flag to be bowing down before anything or anyone!

4. Now this one is horrifying. How can you have torn and mutilated your country’s flag and still be moving around with it on your car? Again an issue of respect. Please respect the flag a wee bit more than you already do.

5. Okay from what I’ve heard, in the Armed Forces they get punished for letting the flag even touch the ground at any point. Some army man please elaborate if you may, on this. This is highly disrespectful to muss up your flags (no matter what size or material) in feet, under the cars and in the puddles.

6. Okay WHY didn’t Liaquat Ali Khan put Quaid-e-Azam’s portrait on the flag if they wanted to? PLEASE do not buy or make any such modified flags, you are not looking trendy with that mohawk boy and especially not you, the one with a mask out of the movie Scream!

The point I’m trying to make is not to be overly agitated over petty things or getting sacrilegious about YET another thing, but I went to turkey earlier last month and seeing them respect and follow all these rules about their flag really shamed me to bits how we play around with ours at August 14. It’s not about being a nagging mommy for all of you, it’s simply about being sensitive towards something that is a part of patriotism.
Okay now you may bombard me with comments, Thank You
CURTAINS!!!

Image of a city road on the eve of Independence Day

Parade at Baab-e-Pakistan, Wagah Border

An old man charged with the spirit of patriotism

Schoolchildren perform at Huzuri Bagh in front of the Badshahi Masjid

‘Manchalay’ on bikes

Youth dance to the rhythm of freedom on the Mall

Images’ Source: Dawn

Daily Jang and The News have done an excellent job in summarizing 60 years of Pakistan’s existence through an Independence Day special issue.

The coverage ranges from transformation of Pakistani society, changing political scenario, its leaders, to all the progress made in literature, culture, education, institutions, literacy rate, health & treatment, civic system, women rights, fashion, economy, banking, defence through all these years. There also is a section on how intellectuals from around the world see Pakistan completing 60 years since its creation in 1947.

For all the information, visit Jang’s 60th Independence Day Special Edition