Never has our country been into so difficult times and never has the need been so desperate to keep its spirit alive. We will eventually come out of this turmoil and conflict; we will win every war against poverty, unemployment, corruption and indifference.

Here is to our beloved homeland: PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!! :D

Happy Independence Day!!

iss parchap kay sayay talay – hum aik hain hum aik hain

(Under this flag we all are united as one; we are united as one)

**Happy 62nd Independence Day !!**

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?

It’s June, I know and have sweat drenched clothes to prove this. But I am talking about the March that everyone else is talking about, the long one, and not the month. (as if)

Lahore has played her part in this of course, as has every other major city all across the country. What makes this Long March so remarkable, that it has never happened in our country before (as per news reports at least…hmmm). So many people, and not only that, so many people with as many different backgrounds; from your farmer to your lawyer and from the average housewife to the average businessman, all opted in. They were not forced, no fuedal ordered them to reach Islamabad, no intelligence agencies coerced the civilian into going through unbelievable traffic jams and slow moving procession to reach the capital. But there they were, the representers of all of us.

To make it known, that we want Justice. And justice is for all. It does not matter if it is Musharaf that deviates or if it is Chaudry Iftikhar that ‘beholds’, no it does not. What matters is that for the first time ever, Justice itself matters.

God willing, this will have long lasting implication in the adolescent years of our country, that are right around the corner. The pimples on the face are there, the hormones are kicking in and boy oh boy, the world is our freakin’ oyster.

Let’s just make it work and let it all be honest, morally strong and ethically correct.

God bless and good luck to us all.

There is a PAF-Day being celebrated in Lahore on 6th of September 2007 on 0900hrs at PAF Base, Lahore. More details on my earlier August post: Pakistan Air-Force Day in Lahore…

There is a (unconfirmed) news in-the-air that the new air craft JF-17 ‘Thunder’ will be Manoeuvring for public enchantment. Further to our amuse, here are some of the videos I found in Youtube world. See and enjoy.

Also, Lahoris – be sure that you treat yourself and Pakistan by visiting the Air-Show.

(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.

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…

Atrium of Siddiq Trade Centre, Main Boulevard, Gulberg

You may call it commercial exploitation of the event, but, the truth is that this new advertisement by Mobilink is nothing less than brilliant.

As a tribute to Farida Khanum, the ghazal queen of Pakistan, the video of this song is supported by the legend’s very own heart-touching, deep vocals, beautiful lyrics, soulful music and some very artistic shoots of our city.

Interestingly, Farida Khanum herself lives in Lahore and you can actually feel the soul of her city in almost every frame of the video. From Platform No.1 at the Lahore Railway Station to the giant screen at Allama Iqbal International Airport; from Badshahi Masjid to Islamic Summit Monument; from Punjab Assembly Building to Punjab Hockey Stadium, and from Wapda House to streets of the Walled City, all visuals make you feel like the whole city is singing in unity for the love of our beloved Pakistan.

More on Farida Khanum: here and here.

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!!!

In 1947, Subhadra Butalia was only 26 years old and used to work as a teacher in Delhi. At the time of partition, she had her family, including her mother and brother, living in Model Town, Lahore as they all orginally belonged to this city.

Subhadra Butalia [Image Courtesy: BBC Online]

In a touching memory recall, Ms Butalia shares her own experience of the events; scenes of massacre & utter madness; a family’s suffering and the circumstances in which her own brother refused to leave for independent India and did not let even their mother go, falling victim to insecurity, greed and selfishness and finally converted to Islam due to social pressure and inside fears.

Audio Slideshow: A Memory of Partition

If I’m not wrong, Ms Butalia’s own daughter has also written about her reunion journey to Lahore where she met her lost maternal uncle and his family. Her story, which has been published in several newspapers and books, was titled as ‘Ranamama’ (Uncle Rana).