Archive for the ‘News’ Category

Mother Earth’s revenge: Lahore jolted again

Yesterday it shook us all living in central and upper parts of the country and today wasn’t a relief either.

At about 4:20 AM this morning, a rather medium-wave earthquake shook Northern Areas, Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore. Today’s quake, as I felt it, was a bit stronger than yesterday’s 5.9 richter scale tremor but then I am sitting on wheels and can’t confirm the intensity by observing a chandelier’s swing.

We will still have to tune in to our evil-box media who kept bragging about ‘A Strong Earthquake has shaken Pakistan’ throughout early yesterday morning and were doing the same about an hour ago; reminiscing negative vibes of the dreadful Oct, 2005 quake when it wasn’t true or confirmed.

God bless their obsession with sensation!

Coming back to the quake, whatsoever was its intensity; it was scary. We were not used to so much frequent ground-shakers until something bad happened deep inside earth’s core or people’s hearts in this part of the world…

Who knows Mother Earth is giving back to us what we are doing to it in terms of maligning her face by spreading anarchy and disrespecting her spirit and beauty with pollution, deforestation, and by killing her innocent sons and daughters through terrorism and war on (t)errorism waghaira waghaira…

Earthquake in Lahore

We just experienced a strong earthquake in Lahore and Islamabad  10 minutes ago (1:30AM approx.) that is being reported to have a 5.9 magnitude. The news was almost instantaneous on twitter though we are still waiting for the ‘old media’ to provide more information. We hope everyone is safe and sound (asleep).

Aey Watan key sajeelay jawanoon: Army launches battle exercises

Lahore...

Lahore...

Lahore...

Security for CM, Shahbaz Sharif, to cost Rs200 million (US $2.5 Million)

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!!!

Obama From Gujranwala!

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

PIA resumes New York – Lahore direct flights

PIA has once again resumed New York – Lahore direct flights effective October 27th, 2008. PIA made a similar announcement about an year ago, but then apparently they couldn’t get the clearance from Uncle Sam. I hope they can also start non stop flight from Karachi as well.

Update: Only NY-LHE is non-stop. The LHE-NY sector still has a stopover.

Lahore beats Mumbai by 8 wickets

Lahore...

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)

AIIA recently upgraded

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

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.

Even CIA is worried "no money, no energy, no government"

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”

Big money is more important for Aussies



Shahid Afridi, originally uploaded by Max Loxton.

Pakistan and India have been victims of huge number of bomb attacks this year. Yet…….Australia decided today to go ahead with their upcoming tour of India. Our Australian friends have canceled tour of Pakistan twice this year, earlier a test series and later champions trophy.

Is this not double standard on player safety? Or they simply get more money $$$ by playing in India twice this year as visiting team and in India’s lucrative IPL domestic league. Remember there were bombs going off in Rajasthan, where Shane Warne and rest of the Australians did not mind continue playing, earlier this year.

Conclusion: Money is more important for Australians than bombs or safety. All I say as cricket fan: Shame on you Australia.

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