If you are a blogger or you want to be one.. you want to learn something about blogging or you have something to tell.. you are a professional blogger or an amateur.. or you just read blogs and want to see who the bloggers are and how do they look like.. you are welcome. Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS) is going to hold a grand bloggers meet up this Sunday.

What is the idea?

The idea is to encourage Internet users & bloggers to meet offline as well. Senior bloggers get a chance to share knowledge & experience. New wanna-be bloggers can learn from the local success stories and network with leaders & professionals in this field.

Host:

LUMS IEEE Students Chapter (in collaboration with CIO Pakistan & Google Pakistan)

Who Can Benefit From Blogging?

Students: Discover how you can earn your own pocket money.
Housewives: Learn how you can earn & support your family while staying at home.
Professionals: See how you can enjoy a second income while still doing a full-time job.

Time and Place

Date: Sunday, November 23, 2008
Time: 3:00pm - 6:00pm
Location: Lahore University of Management Sciences (LUMS)
Town: DHA
City/Country: Lahore, Pakistan

Registration:

Registration is FREE but the seats are limited.

Register here: http://tinyurl.com/lahore-bloggers-meetup

Main event page: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=35844398187

Hope to see you there. :)

This is the first time I got to know that the day named “World Children Day” is not celebrated on a single day around the world. The Universal Children Day is celebrated on November 20 but in many countries the day is celebrated on different days.

We, being elders, must take responsibility.

Without going into the details I want to wish all the children of the world a happy life. I love children until they don’t cry or get rash. :-D    kidding..

I believe that children also form a bigger portion of the human rights victims in this ‘world of elders’. Children are ignored in different ways and in developing and under developed countries, the situation is even worse than just ignoring. Child labor, child abuse, camel jockeys are few examples.

Even in national and international politics, we never think that what particular impact will it make on children. I may not be wrong if I blame the Government of Pakistan for this incident due to its obsolete policies and also some really peace loving countries who are spending trillions of dollars in the name of war against terrorism. I don’t know what role is being played by this The Universal Deceleration of Human Rights and; where is the biggest human rights activist organization Amnesty International.

I wish that everyone, on this day of children, commit that one will work to make this earth a safe place for every child. Wishing all the children a happy and prosperous life.

For Lahorites:

Children Library Complex is holding a 4 days Grand Book Fair from November 20 to November 23. A nice activity for the children on their (children) day.

Event: Grand Book Fair

Timings: 11:00 am - 07:00 pm (daily)

Venue: Children Library Comples, Aiwan-e-Tijarat Road, Lahore

Stalls: Charts, Poster, Greeting Cards, CD/DVD, Food Courts, Jewelery, Face Painting, Garments, etc.

Extras:

1) Painting Exhibition at 11:00 am on November 20.

2) Puppet Show at 11:00 am on November 22 by Iranian Artists currently performing in the World Performing Arts Festival.

3) Walk of Children at 12:00 pm on November 22 from Children Library Complex to Governor House.

Apparently, the Punjab government is considering spending more than Rs200 million of tax payers money on Mian Shahbaz Sharif’s security. The budgeted amount will be spend on obtaining high tech gadgets, sniff dogs, bla bla, so the provincial government could safeguard our ‘national’ asset.

What say you guys? I say if Mian shab doesn’t feel safe in the current environment then maybe he should let someone else take over his position. We are begging IMF for loan these days and so its mind boggling that provincial govt. is considering spending this hefty sum on security of one (or few) individuals. Common Mian shab, we know you are better than this!!!

Pakistan has been on an extended begging expedition. Travelling 11,089 km to New York to beg. Travelling 2,749 km to Riyadh to beg. And, travelling 2,091 km to Abu Dhabi to beg.

While all this begging is going on, 40 new cabinet members have taken oath. The government already spends Rs 600 billion a year more than its income and now, we have 40 new ministers. The government already incurs a loss of Rs 2 billion a day — every day of the year — but the strength of our federal cabinet now stands at 55. Don’t forget that we also have a dozen ambassadors-at-large, advisers and others with the status of a minister.

How much does a minister cost?

Read more

Another evidence that we are living in strange times. Barack Hussain Obama has become the first American President who’s skin is not white. Obama made a clean sweep by taking 338 against McCain’s 159 electoral votes.

McCain conceded defeat and Obama delivered his acceptance speech. Whole world watched as the man spoke to a crowd of one million. It was almost mass hysteria, a very emotionally charged scene, people crying, having trouble finishing their sentences. It was indeed a moment that America should be proud about. It is something they can cherish.

Where else  can an immigrant family can rise to such riches… A true personification of “American Dream”. As I watched the speach, I was trying to find similarities and differences between Pakistan and America.

The way Obama Interacted with the crowed reminded me of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Only one leader in know history of pakistan had such a charisma… Also I do see some sparks of such charisma in Lawyers Moment.

““If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,”” Obama said.

Los Angles Times Reports

“Barack Obama, the son of a father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, was elected the nation’s 44th president Tuesday, breaking the ultimate racial barrier to become the first African American to claim the country’s highest office.

A nation founded by slave owners and seared by civil war and generations of racial strife delivered a smashing electoral college victory to the 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, who forged a broad, multiracial, multiethnic coalition. His victory was a leap in the march toward equality: When Obama was born, people with his skin color could not even vote in parts of America, and many were killed for trying.”

What This will mean for Pakistan

Obama winning election is not seen as good omen for Pakistan.  India being a bigger and better democracy, Democrats Govt. tend to have more inclination toward india.

It also means and end of what is called an American love affair with Pakistan. American Dollars that poured over the countries elite will stop. Pakistan might face sanctions of economic nature.

Theater of “War or Terror” will most likely to be shifted from Iraq and Afghanistan to Our North Western Province and some parts of Baluchistan.

Zardari might get a call from Obama in middle of night informing that US will pursue terrorists in setteled areas of Pakistan.

The Gujranwala Connection

Obama’s mother is reported to have lived in Pakistan for 5 years in Gujranwala.  Little is know about how Obama Spent his 3 weeks in pakistan when he visited her mother here.. May be he came to lahore too..

More here

Severe economic crunch; continuing political instability; rapidly deteriorating security situation; crisis after crisis and now, the nature does not seem to be forgiving of Pakistan’s plight as well. A powerful earthquake of 6.4 magnitude has stricken parts of Baluchistan province killing about 200 people and injuring thousands across the region according to GEO TV.

 Devastating after-effects - Image Source: BBC News

Rescue efforts have been initiated to save as many people trapped under the debris and landslides as possible with Pakistan Army taking the lead. Powerful aftershocks are being felt around Quetta, and the epicentre in Ziarat Valley, which also happens to be the most picturesque of all places in the province.

Epicentre of Baluchistan Earthquake - Source: BBC News

Please try to reach out to organizations planning or working to get some relief goods to the affected region. We’ll update you with any details that we can possibly collect on rescue efforts.

Further Updates: IMB, Pakistaniat

Imran Nazir declared man of the match

Imran Nazir & Imran Farhat set fastest fifty-partnership world record

The 16th match of the ICL 20s Indian Championship featured the two ICL sides Mumbai Champs and Lahore Badshahs representing the cricketing nerve centers of India & Pakistan respectively, battle it out at the Sardar Patel stadium Ahmedabad. In the end it was a Lahore Badshahs night scoring a comprehensive win by 8 wickets, to register their second consecutive victory of the tournament sending a strong reminder to all other competing sides at ICL season-2. Imran Nazir was declared man of the match for his explosive knock of 83, off only 38 balls; including 5 fours and 9 mighty sixes; sealed an eight wicket victory for the Lahore Badshahs in only the 14th over of their innings.

Brief Scores: Mumbai Champs 140/5 in 20 overs (Jadhav57, Taufeeq 41, Mughal 3/28) lost by 8 wickets Lahore Badshahs 141/2 in 13.2 overs( Nazir 83* Inzamam 27* Van Der Wath 1/40)

According to a news post on the Helicopters Association International, Lahore’s Allama Iqbal International Airport has most recently installed the latest Runway Visual Range (RVR) system by Belfort Instrument Company for better visibility and safe aircraft landings during harsh weather conditions. All this makes landings in Lahore a bit more safer if you just exclude some other kind of ‘threats’ elsewhere in the city.

Apron at Allama Iqbal International Airport, Lahore

We seriously hope security situation in the country keeps improving so that airlines that had previous plans of starting operations to or from Lahore and other cities in Pakistan and those who have discontinued their operations after a turbulent year are made welcome here again.

… lies where?

McClatchy reports on an upcoming U.S. intelligence assessment on Pakistan:

“A U.S. official who participated in drafting the top secret National Intelligence Estimate said it portrays the situation in Pakistan as “very bad.” Another official called the draft “very bleak,” and said it describes Pakistan as being “on the edge.” The first official summarized the estimate’s conclusions about the state of Pakistan as: “no money, no energy, no government.”

I am in bahawalpur at the moment, Power only comes for half hour after every 4 hours. Its torture…

Still, Dil yeh kehta hay “We will survive this” but “Dil to pagal hay”