"Things fall apart, the center cannot hold"

WHY can I never access Buzzvines???

2009-08-31T19:19:00.001+06:00

HELP!!!I just saw an article on Bloggers.Pk posted on Buzzvines that I really want to read but as usual I cannot open up Buzzvines. Someone help me!!

The best Iftar deals in town!

2009-08-30T00:15:00.002+06:00

Come Ramzan and you'll be able to see hordes of hungry people clam,ouring for food around 8.00 PM. No, this is isn't a scene at sone langar or soup kitchen, but what happens at fashionable restaraunts and eateries throughout Karachi. In Ramzan.
Anyway, I'll be publishing a whole series of guides (I hope) on the best places to eat and drink in Ramazan for Iftar, Sehri and dinner.
So, the first guide I've written is tentatively called "The Best All You Can Eat for Iftar Buffets". Enjoy.
Note: It'll be published in a later post.

Ramazan comes to town!

2009-08-30T00:05:00.001+06:00

And so, the first week of Ramzan ends. However, I still have to see the traditional Ramazan spirit of tolerance, piety and peace among the general public, who are still enthusiastically cursing their way through town.
I'll be publishing a definitive guide on Iftar and Sehri deals in town soon....Stay tuned!

Unilever mess up; one dead.

2009-08-29T14:20:00.002+06:00

The people over at Unilever had been behaving VERY badly recently. So bad, in fact, that they deserve to be put in the doghouse. It has surfaced recently that in their quest to reproduice a thrilling reality TV show, Unilever ended up killing a guy. Father of four, Saad Khan, lost his life when the host of the show (and also a top model) Amina Sheikh gave Saad Khan an underwatere challenge. Saad accepted but he ended up losing his life in the stunt.

Only the poor and substandard arrangements made by the cheapskates over at Unilever, and their agency, MindShare, who are the producers of the show, are responsible for the killing of the young man.

My Life Is Desi.

2009-08-21T20:57:00.004+06:00

Thanks to some random friend on Facebook, today I discovered a website called My Life Is Desi. Apparently, its a spoof of F My Life but its still hilarious. On it, Desi people post their real life experiences regarding Desiness. Here's a few quotes:

"Today, my mom told me to steal some chopsticks from the chinese restaraunt because she wanted to use them to make seekh kebabs for the guests coming over tomorrow."

"Today, we were eating and I spilled my drink and I asked my mom for some napkins and she hands me napkins you would find at any McDonald's."

"Today, my mom threw an impromptu chai (tea) party. She threw it not to see her friends, but to finish the milk that expired yesterday."

"Today, my cousin wouldn't let my mom FedEx some cloth directly to her in New York from Houston. Instead, she is having my Khala (aunt) take it on her trip to Karachi and then have her friend pick it up and bring it on her way to New York."

"Today, my mom came home and told me she got makeup for me. it turned out to be chai-flavoured lip gloss."

"Today my dad proudly wore my brother's T-shirt which says "jackass" on the front because he accidentally thought it said "jhakaas" and he showed it to all his friends."

Happy Birthday Pakistan!!!

2009-08-14T01:10:00.001+06:00

Congrats, Pakistan you now 62...Happy Birthday!!!

Real Smart.

2009-08-01T16:22:00.005+06:00

A friend of mine posted a link to this picture on facebook. Its a problem posted by a boy on some site where you post a question and someone answers it. Well worth reading!

Twitter!

2009-08-01T16:19:00.001+06:00

I finally signed up for Twitter!!!Follow me at www.twitter.com/faizkhalil.

Two years ago today-The beginning of the end.

2009-07-10T15:53:00.003+06:00

Exactly two years ago, today was the day paramilitary forces stormed the Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) in Islamabad after a week-long standoff with the militant clerics holed up inside with dozens of hostages. It also marked the start of the end of the reign of then-President General Pervez Musharraf. After the Lal Masjid operation ended, peace deals that forces in the restive tribal areas were supposed to sign with the government were scrapped and a wave of attacks started. The lawyers movement also started in earnest after President Musharraf woefully misguaged public sentiment and sacked the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Mohammad Choudhry. Mind you, it also started the process that brought that idiot Zardari into the Presiential Palace. Anyway, President Musharraf was eventually forced to resign by a powerful coalition of political parties, the lawyers' movement and the citizenry. Later on, the same mix (minus the PPP) forced "President" Zardari to reinstate the Chief Justice.

So anyway, two years ago was the beginning of the end. In the process that began that day, Benazir Bhutto was killed, the PPP was brought into power, Musharraf was forced to resign, Zardari was made President, and a new wave of insurgency took hold in the northern and north-western areas of Pakistan. And so we ended up sending in the army and fighting a war against our own populace (albeit those who have chosen to wage war against Pakistan). What will happen next as a part of this process? No one knows. Lets just hope that its for the best.

WiFi hotspots in Karachi-Part II

2009-07-05T22:32:00.003+06:00

As promised, Ive updated my original list of WiFi hotspots in Karachi (the original can be read here). As most of us know, WiFi, or Wireless Fidelity technology is widely understood to be Wireless LAN (even though there are certain differences). So basically, we in Karachi can use WiFi certified devices to move aorund and still be able to use internet without the hassle of wires. My updated list of WiFi hotspots in Karachi includes:

SZABIST, in Clifton.
CBM.
FAST-NU.
Bahria University.
Royal Rodale Club.
Time Out at The Forum.
Hot Spot.
Beach Luxury Hotel.
Costa Coffee.
Evolution and Purple Haze.
Karachi Broast.
McDonald's (Clifton).

Apart from these, there are hundreds of other,private WLAN/WiFi networks that may or may not be password-protected. It all depends on how lazy/stingy the Karachiite in question is. Do leave a comment if you know of any more WiFi/WLAN hotspots in Karachi and i'll be sure to include them in this post at the earliest possible time.

A fun alternative to your regular political news show- Hasb-e-Haal!!

2009-07-04T19:32:00.003+06:00

A few days ago, as I was doing my nightly surf of the 100+/- channels on cable TV, I came across a program that happened to be just what I was looking for. Its called Hasb-e-Haal, and is aired by Dunya TV. Hosted by Aftab Iqbal, the show also incorporates Sohail Ahmed (who, btw, is hilarious) and Najia. The aim of Hasb-e-Haal is to discuss current event and happenings in the political, economic and social life of Pakistan. Aftab Iqbal acts as the main anchor, and Sohail Ahmed (called Azizi) gives the program most of its comedy with his witty remarks and funny anectodes. The show is funny, but unlike Hum Sab Umeed Say Hain (aired on Geo) and many other programs, it does not comprise of loud, slapstick humour. A must watch!

P.S-Thanks to the good people over at PakPoint, Hasb-e-Haal can also be watched online for free at www.pakpoint.com.

A Tribute to Pakistan Cricket Team.

2009-07-04T19:22:00.005+06:00

This video, with the editing done by Zohaib Waqar and the concept by Xoobie Krispy, is an awesome video tribute to the Pakistan Cricket team, who by winning the T20 World Cup have brought a smile to the faces of nearly every Pakistani.

Awesome partying.

2009-06-23T15:04:00.003+06:00

After Pakistan won the T20 WOrld Cup, spontaneous celebrations started in Islamabad. I was there at the Jinnah Super market along with fellow swimmers from the Sindh and NWFP swimming teams and we just got carried away. Dancing and shouting slogans in the streets, we tired ourselves out. Here are a few videos of the celebrations which took place at Jinnah Super. I think me and my mates are somewhere in there. Enjoyed it a lot..:D

Pakistan have indeed made a come back..

2009-06-23T14:44:00.002+06:00

After facing a long run of defeats, Pakistan beat Sri Lanka and claimed their first ever Twenty20 World Cup on Sunday night. I was in Islamabd at the time representing Sindh at the 49th National Swimming Championships and I saw the end of the match on a small public TV in the middle of Aabpara market. And I can say that I have never before seen the enthusiasm amongst the populace which I saw after Pakistan won the T20 World Cup. I was part of the spontaneous celebrations at the Jinnah Super market which continued late into the night and the level of enthusiasm and suport there among the people surprised me.

I am SO back.

2009-06-23T14:37:00.002+06:00

The last post I published was on the 9th of May, 2009. Its been over a month since I posted anything on my blog. In that time, I've given 3 O Level exams, been to Islamabad, Lahore and then Islamabad again, participated in the National Swimming Championships and been invited to swim for WAPDA. And I also partied my butt off at the celebrations in Islamabad after Pakistan won the T20 World Cup. And I can say, it was FUN!!!

Sorry ppl...

2009-05-09T16:18:00.003+06:00

Hey guys, sorry for the lack of updates recently.My O Levels are about to start soon and I'm swamped by studies.
Anyway, I'll be back soon with new stuff....

December 2009-An unmeetable obligation.

2009-04-22T15:23:00.003+06:00

Last year, we all saw the T.V ads by the government which said that the electricity shortage and loadshedding problems would be wiped out by Decembeer 2009.
There is absolutely no way in hell they can do that!!These days the shortfall has soared, widespread loadshedding is being carried out and the industries have been crippled.
The government has managed to talk the talk, but it seems that it is failing to walk the walk. Consumption is growing at an almost exponential rate, and the gap between demand and supply is ever-widening. It has grown to over 2,500 Megawatts. This situation is unacceptable, as most of the residents of karachi are too poor to arrange or afford backup systems like generator and UPSs. As I write this, the generator in my garage yammers on and consumes expensive petrol, while the government doesn't appear to give a whit. Why should they? THEY don't have to endure 10-15 hours of loadshedding a day.
Lets see what happens. I personally don't think that we will get rid of loadshedding by December 2009.

WiFi hotspots in karachi

2009-04-22T14:47:00.003+06:00

Three years after buying my trusty Sony PSP, I have just discovered that IT CAN BE USED TO SURF THE 'NET!!!!! So now, I go around karachi tapping into various WiFi hotspots and getting FREE WIRELESS INTERNET in Karachi!! The WIFI hotspots i have discovered so far are:
1-Jinnah International Airport.
2-Pearl Continental hotel.
3-Sheraton Hotel.
4-Avari Towers.
5-Hotel Mehran on Sharah-e-Faisal.
6-Karachi Club. (Free but password protected)
7-Karachi Club Annexe.(Free, but password protected. The password is "Annexestaff")
8-PNSC.(That huge container terminal on your right as you go down the PIDC bridge)
9-Park Towers.(The Food Court).
10-Cafe Evolution/Purple Haze.
11-Wired Up Cafe and Gaming Zone in Zamzama.
12-Hotel Marriot.
13-IBA City Campus in Saddar.
14-Regent Plaza.
15-Dunkin Donuts. (Tipu Sultan road).
16-Cafe Espresso.

These are the WiFi hotspots I've discovered so far. If you know of any other ones feel free to comment on them and I'll include them in this post ASAP.
A major concern is obviously taking out one's laptop or PDA in the car or in any other public area. The law and order situation is bad and this is likely to get you robbed or killed. Do be careful.

Get fresh content from my blog straight to your email address

2009-04-22T14:12:00.002+06:00

Click on the following link and sign up to get fresh content from Faiz's blog delivered straight to YOUR email address.

Subscribe to Faiz's blog by Email

All about the Iphone...

2009-04-22T14:08:00.002+06:00

The Iphone, released some time back by Apple, is one of a new generation of touch-screen smartphones. anyway, this good friend of mine, Shayan Tejani, has started a great blog in which he writes all about the Iphone, including how to get free Itunes as well as how to get free Iphone applications. Visit shayantj.blogspot.com or just click here.

The World Challenge-an international ray of hope.

2009-04-22T12:05:00.005+06:00

For the last five years, an international competition called The World Challenge has, in association with Shell, Newsweek and the BBC, found projects and small businesses from around the world which show enterprise and innovation at a grassroots level. The winner each year gets a substantial grant.

The World Challenge winner in 2008 was the Plan Bee Project, ruin by the Hashoo foundation, which is run by the Hashwani family, the hotel tycoons of Pakistan. The Hashoo foundation encourages female beekeepers of the remote Gilgit region, which is traditionally male dominated, to keep bees and harvest their premium honey. The Hashoo Foundation processes and packages their honey and sells it in luxury hotels at premium prices. The profits go directly back to the female beekeepers of the remote region. The Hashoo Foundation's Sarah Hashwani explains, "We're not interested in just helping them earn more money - we want to see that their children are better educated, that they have access to healthcare, that the have better sanitation in the houses and that they have better nutrition."

Visit the Hashoo Foundation here.

Visit the World Challenge website here.

The Plan Bee Project:

Deaths in "Rancholain"..

2009-04-20T22:47:00.002+06:00

Just saw that deaths have been caused due to firing in some area of Karachi called "Rancholain". First time I'm hearing of that area. Watch ARY OneWorld for more info.

Taliban marriage bureau

2009-04-20T21:34:00.002+06:00

Looks like even the Taliban in the Swat Valley have had to become modernized. According to the BBC Urdu Service, the Taliban have opened up a sort of marriage bureau called "Shuba-i-Aroosat", headed by Taliban commander Abu Ammad. It arranges love marriages for couples denied marriages of their choice by their families. Taliban spokesman, Muslim Khan has said "The love marriage aspirants contact the bureau on a fixed telephone number. The Taliban collect their particulars and then contact their familites to arrange these choice marriages,” he said, adding that Islam allows every adult to get marry according to his/her own choice.

He said, “Most of the girls, or their families, who contacted us wish to marry ‘militant’ Taliban.”

It is claimed that they have already gotten 11 couples married, while more than 300 boys and girls wait for their turn.
Amazing!

Death of a student at LUMS...Again...

2009-04-20T21:19:00.002+06:00

It seems that LUMS (the Lahore University of Management Sciences), one of the top universities in Pakistan, has been suffering a little bad publicity lately. Only last year, a student tragically took his own life. And today early in the morning, 3 students went out of the gates and were smashed into by a drunk driver in a Pajero. One student has been pronounced dead, another has suffered major injuries, while the third one is relatively OK. As usual, the hospital had to deny medical aid to the critically injured student initially as it was a "police case". The teachers and students at LUMS have protested, and rightly so, and classes were cancelled for the day at LUMS.

I ask you to call the police chief Lahore, DIG Pervez Rathore and have your voices heard, for the police, as usual, seem determined not to deliver justice.

Call him at:

0301-4093189
042-9202976
P.S. Please spread this around. Remember every phone call counts!

Im baaackk...

2009-04-17T21:28:00.002+06:00

I have been busy like crazy for the last two weeks cuz I was studying like crazy for my mocks and signing up for Second Life. But I am SO back....

World Cup 2011 matches cancelled....CRAP!!

2009-04-17T21:10:00.004+06:00

Just heard that the Cricket World Cup matches due to be held in Pakistan in 2011 will not be played in Pakistan. The ICC has announced at a press conference in Dubai that due to the present security concerns about Pakistan, no World Cup matches will be played.

This has come following a decision last year deciding not to play the Champions Cup 2008 in Pakistan. Also, I have been hearing that the 2nd South Asian Swimming Championship, in which I was supposed to participate, has been cancelled. It was supposed to be held in August 2009.

Following the ICC's decision, public feeling has that been of resentment. Also, people like Nasim akhtar (former Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board) and Ramiz Raja (former skipper of the national cricket team) have said that the ICC rushed its decision. The populace feels the same.

I believe that, what the people fail to realize is that Pakistan is seen internationally as a volatile tionderbox ready to catch fire at any point. It is obvious that despite assuring "foolproof plans" to ensure the security of the Sri Lankan cricket and them having them ambushed in the heart of lahore, NO sane cricket-playing nation will send its team to play within our borders. Until we actually improve the situation in this godforsakens hitpile e call a nation, we can be rest assured of being deprived of international teams and delegates visiting us. Instead of making false promises (like Zardari did today in Japan at the Friends of Pakistan conference) we need to be truly committed to actually doing something. Only then will we actualy do something.

WTF-AMAZING!!

2009-04-09T16:43:00.002+05:00

Someone I know sent me a link to this video on Youtube. For some reason it had been titled "Desi Ladki Ka Action", along with a bunch of other stuff that shouldn't be repeated here. Anyway, Waqar Zaka has done an amazing job of directing this cideo and its frikin' FUNNY, especially with the little guy whos always at Pizza Hut Boat Basin. And I have to say, the girl's not bad as well....:D
Heres the video:

Baitullah Mehsud claim responsibility...

2009-04-03T15:57:00.005+05:00

It has been claimed by various news agencies that Baitullah Mehsud has accepted responsibility for the attack on the Manawan police training academy, which killed around 20 people and injured many others.

One of the terrorists being arrested.

Yeh Watan Tumhara Hai (This country is your)-NOT!!

2009-04-03T15:46:00.001+05:00

I discovered this slideshow/video on YouTube. Played over the stirring song by Mehdi hasan this video does a great job of showing what pakistan was and what it will become.
Thanks to the people at chaikhana.blogspot.com....

Mobile snatching on the streets of Karachi..

2009-04-03T15:03:00.003+05:00

This string of videos demonstrates how girls and guys on the streets of Karachi are brutally robbed. In some cases when they resist they are also often killed or hurt.

Its really pissing off to see stuff like this happening in front of me. i mean, what the hell are we supposed to do?

Donkey parking available!!

2009-04-03T14:34:00.003+05:00

It seems that the Utility Stores Corporation, which was established by the government to provide goods at subsidized prices to the masses has started to provide parking for those created it. Yes, it seems that the parking at all the police stations and government-owned hospitals has run out and donkeys are now being parked at the Utility Stores. Have a look at this picture from the well-known Jang daily.

ATM robbery in Karachi

2009-04-02T22:22:00.003+05:00

There have been a string of ATM robberies in Karachi recently. As usual, our police has been unable to arrest or even identify the culprits involved even though you can see their faces easily in the video and the videos are circulating all over the 'Net.

Pakistan police-Seriously needs help

2009-04-01T15:15:00.003+05:00

Continuing the string of posts dissing our police force, here is another one. it particularly shows how much our police is lacking in funding and training.

Police forces of the world

Mexico police

German police force

Chinese police force

Pakistani police force-LOL!!

Indian police force-LOLer!!

Prison Pigeons in brazil

2009-04-01T14:42:00.002+05:00

Police in Brazil have intercepted two homing pigeons which had been trained to carry parts of mobile phones to prison cells, where the handsets were later assembled by the prisoners. The trick of training pigeons to carry contraband into prisons is not a new idea in Brazil and has been used several times in the past few years.
In the last case, the pigeons were found near the prison with cloth sacks tied to their backs containing the electronics components, as shown by police representatives to Globo television after they were caught outside Danilo Pinheiro prison.

Attack on poilce training academy, Manawa.

2009-03-31T22:54:00.004+05:00

In yet another one of the rocky earthquake-like happenings that our sorry country is so famous for, the police training academy at Manawa was stormed yesterday by terrorists (claimed to have links to Baitullah Mehsud), who threw grenades and fired blindly, killing twenty police officers and five civilians. Yet again, it seems that our intelligence service was forewarned but, as usual, they failed to take action. I seriously dunno whats gonna happen next-maybe Sherry Rehman dancing nude in the Parliament??

Of course, the police make themselves a huge target by doing shit like this. I mean, you can't help but want to blow them up when they do this. Have a look:

I mean, wouldn't YOU be a pissed-off Desi if some cop stops in the middle of traffic to talk to his gay police buddy at the 'station. Well, DUH!!!

The policeman on the roof is really asking for it.

China will RULE!!!

2009-03-28T12:28:00.004+05:00

I've been thinking about about China and how its been enjoying double digit growth for the last 30 or so years. Recently, they've started expanding into the cell phone market, and from little dip-shit phones, they've gone up to making great phones. Today I saw a blog post on Sense Applied about a "Razor Phone". Now this isnt a copy of the Motorolla Razr, but the phone has a frikkin RAZOR built into it. See the full story here.

Its features include:

Dual sim cards working at the same time
Bluetooth
FM radio
E-book reader
support to extend TF card to 8GB maximally
Language :English/Chinese
2.6 inch Touch Screen – 260k VGA , 240 x 320 Px
0.3 mp Camera ( so you don't get to take a good pic of yourself shaving)
Stereo Loud Speakers
GPRS & WAP – sorry no EDGE it only keeps you on a Razor’s Edge
300 Contacts Directory
and of course a Builtin Razor.

Car capers

2009-03-20T21:40:00.002+05:00

This is a post of various stuff that i've seen on the wacky roads of Karachi. It's funny and crazy, and I'll be updating this soon.

You get to see a lot of stuff like this on the roads of Karachi, especially in Ramzan in Karachi when everyone's hungry and suffering under the burning heat. It's like weird stuff like this is an outlet for the Desi Desparados populating our city.

Mission accomplished!!!

2009-03-16T20:39:00.006+05:00

In a dramatic wee-hour development, the government agreed to reinstate the deposed chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudhry who, along with nearly 50 judges, had been unceremoniously sacked by the then president and army chief General Pervez Musharraf almost two years ago.

In a long-awaited development, the PPP government finally bowed to immense pressure by the opposition and the lawyers movement. The announcement by the Prime Minister ordering the reinstatement of judges followed a not-so-veiled warning by Chief of Army Staff General Ashfaq P Kiyani told the government that they needed to reverse some of their more controversial decisions before the situation spiralled out of control.

The reinstated Chief Justice is likely to continue the work he was doing in office before being deposed in 2007-the finding of the 'missing people' many believe to have been held by the security agencies.

After the announcement restoring the judiciary, scenes of mass celebration and jubiliation were seen in the streets, especially in the cities of the Punjab, and sweets were handed out. Many people also resorted to aerial firing.

The full story can be seen here.

I personally believe that the reinstatement of the CJ, Mr. Iftikhar Chaudhry ought to have positive repercussions. The Constitution in force, that is, the 1973 Constitution provides for an independent judiciary in its' preamble, the Objectives Resolution, by clearly stating ["Wherein the independence of the judiciary shall be fully secured"].

Anyway, lets just be thankful that this crisis is over. Now, Ali Ahmed Kurd and all the other lawyers can finally get back to their real job with this little sojourn over. Hey, maybe Kurd will be able to finally change that ridiculous hairstyle of his.

Supreme Court Bar Association President Ali Ahmed Kurd-with that ridculous hairstyle of his.

And maybe, maybe, this will be enough to wipe that huge smirk off "President" Zardari's face.

"President" Zardari-with that huge smirk of his.

Geo News snuffed. Once again.

2009-03-13T23:45:00.004+05:00

It seems that we are once more returning to the bad old days on Nvember 2007 when emergency was imposed by then President Musharraf and the star of our mushrooming group of TV channels was ordered to shut down. In an ironic twist of events, today, cable operators were threatened and told to shut down Geo TV. This has now taken place in Karachi, Peshawar, Quetta, Lahore and Islamabad. The full story can be seen here.Ask anyone in Pakistan and they'll tell you one of the reasons that the PPP came into government was because of their promises to restore democracy, the judiciary and to make the media independent. In fact, non of these have taken place. The judiciary is still beholden to the corupt, inefficient government, and yet again, the media has been shut down while the lawyers movement is brutally suppressed and atrocities are committed. At the same time, the economy is so far down the toilet that it probably can't even see the toilet roll and Pakistan's standing in international forums has fallen greatly.

It seems that the government of "President" Zardari IS definitely corrupt, inefficient and self-serving (big surprise there). Anyway, what I really don't get is why that bastard refuses to liberate the judiciary. Hes probably afraid that the BILLIONS of dollars hes embezzled will be discovered.

OK, now only a kind and merciful God with a highly developed sense of irony will save this country from going to the dogs (characterized by Asif Zardari).

The Show Must Go On....And on and on and on....

2009-03-13T23:17:00.002+05:00

Our country seems to resemble something like a bad soap opera. The show just keeps dragging on and on and on..
Its like the show goes on whenever theres another "democratically elected" government and then at regular intervals, theres a break, shown by yet another imposition of Martial Law. Like a bad soap, the saga never seems to want to finish, and the same actors keep showing up through the ages playing different roles and characters. It seems that the only thing keeping the country on its feet is the breath of fresh air that (usually) blows in during Martial Law.
It seems that we need a bunch of new, EDUCATED politicians who can actually think for themselves..Otherwise it'll be the same old story all over again, Martial Law, failed ddemocracy, corrupt democracy, Martial Law and so on...
It seems we need another Ayub Khan....Rise from the dead, Ayub!!!

Free girl provided at a beauty parlour...

2009-03-07T11:21:00.002+05:00

This is a picture of a signboard that's been going around the 'Net lately.

The translation goes like:

"Husna Beauty Parlor.

Facials - Threading - Plucking - Bleach - Cutting - Party Makeup.

Great and satisfactory work, in your neighborhood.

Get One Girl Free with the Bride."

The signmaker should't have been stingy with the words..LOL

Allegations

2009-03-06T21:31:00.002+05:00

Okay, Punjab is really into deep shit now. A few days ago, the Governor of the Punjab, Mr. Salman Taseer, accusedthe former Chief Minister, Mr. Shebaz Sharif, of having upto 144 armoured vehicles accompanying him around. SHIT...People are dying of hunger, disease and stuff, while this bastard has more than a HUNDRED FRIGGIN CARS trailing him around. Damn!!
Anyway, today at a rally in Lahore, Mr. Shebaz Sharif has accused "President" Zardari's crony and advisor, Mr. Rehman Malik of stealing upto Rs. 50 million from public funds. GAWDDAMNIT, will these people never learn??
Those bastards...

Shame..

2009-03-04T22:23:00.004+05:00

Shame can come in many forms...But right now its come to visit Pakistan in the form of the horrible terrorist attacks on the Sri Lankan cricket team. Right now, our country has been humiliated internationally, tensions with arch enemy India are rising and the stock exchange is down. There remains a threat of another flight of capital like after the Mariott bombings last year. Besides the six police officers, a driver of a vehicle in the convoy was also killed. Seven Sri Lankan players, a Pakistani umpire and a coach from Britain were wounded, none with life-threatening injuries. As usual, our governement has floundered about, trying to blame India, various militant factions and different people within itself.

Now for my opinion:

To the:

Freaks in our government: SCREW YOU!!! Why don't you actually DO something instead of just pointing fingers, arresting people absolutely uninvolved in any crime and talking about "non-state actors" in every media interview [thank you "President" Zardari].

Militant groups: SCREW YOU TOO!!! The majority of the Pakistani population never wanted to be in the war on terror. So, go attack, bomb and rape Musharraf, Bush and all the other gay, crusty old men who dragged us into it. And while you're at it, why don't you try picking up a translation of the Holy Qura'an and try actually following the true principles of Islam. Huh??How 'bout that??

A few years ago, when General Musharraf took over in a counter-coup, many of the intelligensia breathed sighs of relief and hoped that he was not ct from the same cloth as the previous militiary dictators like General Yahya Khan [stupid drunk who fell to the hims of Bhutto and gave away East Pakistan], General Zia-ul-Haq [had a penchant for actresses and a ludicrous mustache]. Musharraf quickly settled the economy, set the country moving forward and liberalized it. (He also had a curious habitt of shutting away people in secret jails). Anyway, he was a progressive dude.

Meanwhile, the present government has bungled up the economy, gave away Swat to the militants and has started to turn Punjab into a battlefield. Thank you, Zardari.

Anyway, we really need some rulers who actually know how to run the country and havn't flunked their classes at the Naval Cadet College of Petaro like "President" Zardari.

Cricket goes byee-byee in Pakistan...

2009-03-03T16:18:00.004+05:00

In a surprising development, today the bus of the visiting Sri lankan cricket team was shot at by militants using RPGs, automatic weapons and hand grenade. The Sri Lankan team was swiftly evacuated using militiary helicopters. It is reported that the governemnt had prior information of this attack from a report which was apparently handed to them as early as 22 January 2009 accusing agents of RAW, the intellgience agency attacking the Sri Lankan team at this very place and time.

The Government of the Punjab was apparently too busy changing the IG, six SPs and several other high police officials in Punjab as well as changing chief ministers and what not. With the imposition of Governor Rule in Punjab, all executive authority rests with Governor Salman Taseer and he is in charge of the government. As usual, "President" Asif A. Zardari has 'regretted" the incident.
News stories related to the incident can be found at Dawn[http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/Dawn%20Content%20Library/dawn/news/pakistan/punjab/sri-lankan-cricket-team-convoy-attacked-eight-players-injured-ha] and Yahoo [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090303/ap_on_re_as/as_pakistan_cricketers_attacked]

The attack has been described by a senior journalist as "remarkably well planned" and it is said to bear a lot of similarity to the mumbai attacks.

With an attack like this the standard of sports is likely to fall even more in Pakistan, not that it was that high anyway. Foreign teams' visits to Pakistan will likely lessen (not that they were that high anyway) and sports activity in pakistan would probably slow to a halt. I remember that as early as 2007, when I was participating in the 1st South Asian Swimming Championship, at least two teams-including Bangladesh-refused to attend. I don't think that Pakistan's sports teams will be able to go for foeign tours. DAMN!!!! And i wanted to be at Dhaka at the 2010
SAF Games representing Pakistan.

God, what a clusterf**k!!!!Get your act together people!!!

P.S:Shahid Afridi just said that cricket would become more "difficult" in Pakistan.

The ICC has also cancelled the Pakistani part of the World Cup unless there is a "dramatic change". Gee, that seems unlikely.

Younis Khan has also stomped out of a press conference in anger and disgust. Dunno why yet.

Following are pictures of the attack:

Electricity woes-Part 2

2009-03-01T15:38:00.006+05:00

It seems that with the advent of the Islamic month of Rabiul Awal, everyone seems to have forgotten the shortfall of electricity affecting Pakistan and is happy celebrating the Prophet's(PBUH) birthday with lights garishly decorating the streets and naats blaring out like its the religious version of Dubai Desert Rock, or Desert rock or whatever the hell its' called. I took some pictures with my cameraphone of these giddy scenes on the streets and here they are:

One can only hope that God actually gives the people celebrating these "Islamic celebrations" so they can realise that saving some electricity would actually be better.

Electricity woes...

2009-03-01T15:31:00.001+05:00

Karachi gives you the benefit of being able to fit in any society at all, with or without electricity.

Aaj kal both my generator and UPS is dead. I’ve been dropped to ‘normal’ non- elitist, non burger level. Now it's my house in perpetual darkness while the entire street is aglow. And being a burger and an 'elite', I can't take that.

I have no qualms with the KESC. We use up more electricity then we produce, half the city steals, the other half fix the meters, and the few that pay the bill curse them so much they probably have booked seats in hell. What I can't stand is myself being so dependent on electricity that 5 minutes without a fan drives me insane. And nothing pisses me off more than seeing the barabar wala house radiating more light than uranium. It's all I can do to keep from putting sugar in their generator's engine. In my defense, they have their meter 'fixed' as well.

I miss the days before generators and UPS’s where everyone became equal whenever the KESCwale or WAPDA (let’s not limit this to Karachi) felt like giving society a sermon.

Trucker Tales

2009-02-28T16:05:00.001+05:00

I've decided to start a new series on my blog. I'tll be called "Trucker tales", consisting on stuff that I see during the day on the back of rickshaws, trucks and buses. so, the maiden trucker Tale is:

"Sajan koi koi. Dushman har koi"

Enjoy.

Power crisis??What power crises???

2009-02-28T15:52:00.003+05:00

Taken at 8 A.M.

As the Holy Prophets (pbuh) birthday gets closer, Karachi is lit up in an array of overpowering green and white. The colors of choice for the various religious organizations making plans which last upto 12 days during this holy month.
Chief among them is the “DI” or Dawate Islami which seems to have decided on its own that there is no power crises in this country and that people want to hear naats and cries of “Sarkar ki amad, marhaba” at all hours of the night.
Noise pollution aside, even though they claim to pay for all the lighting they use, i think it is quite safe to say that their over zealous celebrations are turning from a pageant to a nuisance every year.
Perhaps it is their war with the shiates who paint the city black with equal fervor to their green that has gained precendence over true spirit and effort? The emphasis is now more towards outdoing each other then on bettering oneself. In either case its been a total of 72 hours and the naats are not stopping, the lights are not turned off during the day even upto 10am sometimes and it feels like I am being kept in some of sort of concentration camp. Naats and duas are beautiful to listen to when one has the choice to listen to them when they want not whether they want to or not!!!

Park where you please in New York- Reflective of corruption

2009-02-25T19:51:00.002+05:00

What makes officials corrupt?

Disentangling law and culture is a tricky business, but a pair of economists have come up with an ingenious way to do it: studying the frequency of parking violations committed by diplomats in New York City. Since, as their study reports, there is "essentially zero legal enforcement of diplomatic parking violations," the authors hypothesized that any cross-national variation in parking-violation rates should flow from culture alone. And sure enough, diplomats from countries with high levels of corruption were significantly more likely to incur parking tickets, suggesting that cultural factors rather than legal norms drive a great deal of official misconduct.

More interestingly, the number of parking tickets of diplomats from corrupt countries increased with their stay in New York, implying that the diplomats took some time to make sure they weren't going to get caught, then went all out. So, a deterrent would lower corruption, even if it can't stop it.

Funny stuff #6

2009-02-17T22:51:00.004+05:00

In keeping with the age-old Pakistani tradition of poking fun at our (corrupt and incompetent) rulers, I decided to post up some picture I found on the 'Net. When I say "government of Pakistan", I actually mean the current circus that's in town. Most of the pictures have to do with Asif Ali Zardari, the only head of state in the world who has served time for corruption and is also referred to as "the ultimate oppurtunist" due to fate handing him everything he wants, via the Supreme Court and sham elections.

"Why so serious??"

Puppet master!!

"The names Zardari, Asif Ali Zardari".

"Mmmmmm....yeah!!!..mmm...lemme at 'em!!"

I SO wanna go to Oxford. Well actually, no I don't. Disgraceful!

Malir River Bridge

2009-02-17T22:45:00.001+05:00

Malir River bridge was inaugurated on 4th Feb,2009 by Governor Sindh. The 5km bridge is the longest in Pakistan. It links Korangi to Shah Faisal Colony via Malir River. Here are some pictures for the same. Well done CDGK. Around 43 houses were demolished on the site after payment of compensation to their owners.

Funny stuff #5

2009-02-17T22:23:00.005+05:00

The world of sports has long been known for its' humorous side. Here are a few of these imortalized moments I got from the Web. Of course, most of them are from football, the funniest sport in the world!

"Oh YAH!!! Now that feels GOOD!!"

"I can't wait..I just gotta have it NOW!!"

"I thought you were doping that to the other guy."

"Mmm...mmm....I've been waiting my whole life for this.."

"Uhhh..Don't you think we should do this off the field?"

I soo wanna see the landing!!

Funny stuff #4

2009-02-10T15:36:00.002+05:00

I just received this in an email from a friend. I thought of putting it up on my blog.

The new and improved design for a seatbelt to be introduced all over the world from next year. Resarch shows that it will reduce accidents by as much 45%. I am definitley gonna be using it.

Pakistan in 2020

2009-02-10T15:27:00.003+05:00

I received this in my email and while the resolution may not be great, it sure does point the way towards what might happen if these conditions continue.

Always check your child's homework

2009-02-06T13:14:00.001+05:00

(Here’s the message the teacher received the following day)
Dear Mrs. Jones,
I wish to clarify that I am not now, nor have I ever been, an exotic dancer.
I work at Home Depot and I told my daughter how hectic it was last week before the blizzard hit. I told her we sold out every single shovel we had, and then I found one more in the back room, and that several people were fighting over who would get it.
Her picture doesn’t show me dancing around a pole. It’s supposed to depict me selling the last snow shovel we had at Home Depot.
From now on I will remember to check her homework more thoroughly before she turns it in.
Sincerely,Mrs. Smith

I'm baaackk...

2009-02-05T13:19:00.000+05:00

The REAL staple food-Doodh patti

2009-01-24T20:54:00.002+05:00

This week, Kolachi did a short feature on the mainstay of my day - doodh patti.

Kolachi spoke to Zaman Khan (not his real name), owner of a tea dhaba in Saddar, to find out. “People in Karachi are always busy, frustrated, and overworked. When they come to a dhaba, they want something strong enough to take their mind off things.”
…”I don’t want to name them, but there are a few dhaba owners who extract opium from its stem, grind the stem left behind and let it boil in the tea.“
What?! Is this yet another one of those Karachiite secrets I wasn’t privy to, or just another urban legend akin to the ‘Slims has drugs in it to make it more addictive’ story?

If they don't care, why should we?

2009-01-22T23:19:00.006+05:00

I was just going to some place the other day and I saw this car pull up right in front of me at the signal. And I thought, "If this guy is a member of the National Assembly, then shouldn't he be actually aware of laws banning tinted windows and customized plates?". So I took this picture to prove that even the rulers don't actually giva a shit here in Pakistan. And by the way, this picture will be shown on Dawn News as part of their Citizen Journalist programme every hour on Sunday, January the 25th.

An original pictue by Faiz Khalil.

Random quote

2009-01-21T23:03:00.001+05:00

I just came across this random quoe while surfing the web:
"Ability is what will get you to the top if the boss has no daughter."

Ridiculous and ridiculous-er

2009-01-20T15:48:00.001+05:00

Should the thousands who work in the media be expecting drones to hover around their buildings soon? Perhaps - Asif Ali Zardari declared yesterday that “journalists are the biggest terrorists.”
Geo just ran a bit on the National Assembly’s proceedings today: Ayaz Amir reportedly said it was ‘regretful’ that Zardari had termed the sahafi baradari as terrorists. Sherry Rahman denied he’d said anything of the sort. And surprisingly, Naveed Qamar seemed to be awake while Gilani was talking! Miracles all abound.

Double trouble

2009-01-20T15:46:00.001+05:00

Imagine if this had happened at a Western airport:
Syrian police mistake man for Iranian president Mahmoud AhmadinejadThe bearded man’s distinctive features appeared to be instantly recognisable as he stepped off the plane and entered the arrivals hall of Damascus airport - so much so that the Syrian police, taken aback by his presence, sounded a major security alert.
Puzzled as to why they had not been tipped off about the impending arrival of such an important VIP - Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad - flustered officers swarmed around the familiar figure and tried to usher him to a secluded part of the airport, out of harm’s way and away from the prying eyes of the masses.
The Iranian leader, they believed, must have travelled to Syria on the same kind of unannounced trip he sometimes makes in his native country, where he has been known to attend mourning ceremonies and visit deprived areas without prior notice.
His presence on Syrian soil would not have been entirely surprising, since Syria and Iran are allies. But only when word reached Iranian passengers newly arrived on a flight from Tehran that their president was in the airport did it became clear that it was a false alarm.

Representative isn't it??

2009-01-09T22:35:00.004+05:00

I was going to Dreamworld last sunday and right off the highway, I saw this sign. It made me think off hte state of our police force and how representative the donkey really is.

On bribery

2009-01-06T16:45:00.002+05:00

Here in Karachi, bribery has become almost a fact of life. To get anything done efficiently, one simply HAS to give bribes. For example, police officers routinely give "discounts" on their chalaans, bringing the fine down from Rs 500 or so to Rs.50. Of course, if you decide to "avail" this "discount" you will not have your license taken away or have to fill out a proper form. The policeman simply pockets the money and walks away.
Of course, now it's not just the policemen who ask for bribes. KESC, CDGK and almost all government employees now ask for "help" or "bhatta" (protection money) to ensure speedy service. On festivals like Eid, policemen routinely stop over trucks and threaten to fine them for irrelevant things unless they pay up. In the major markets, millions of rupees change hands every month in the form of bribes. Also, some of the police departments are so fire with corruption that the collection of protection money is their sole occupation between 9 A.M and 5 P.M, thus ensuring that markets are an easy target for robbers
Recently, the TCP (Trade Corporation of Pakistan) launched a tender to buy 100,00 bales of cotton (the full story is available at http://www.dawn.com/2009/01/04/ebr11.htm). However, to ensure that a company's bid is even considered, bribes in the order of Rs.15,000 must be given to the Director of the TCP.
I think that now only God's gonna stop this country from actually going to the dogs.

Funny stuff 2

2009-01-04T13:32:00.010+05:00

OK as usual, I've found some more funny stuff.

I am guessing that the person who wrote this didn’t actually look at the keyboard before posting this message on someone's faccebook wall.

“I am trying, I am trying, will you stop looking at me, I can’t do it when people are looking at me!! There’s just too much pressue!!!!! STOP TELLING ME TO JUST DO IT!!!!!!!!!”

Isn’t that what you always wanted to say to that annoying goody two shoes in your office/school/university.

I want a T-shirt like this!!

If that is VIP, it’s a good thing they’ve kept the door closed to the ordinary one

Whose responsible?

2009-01-04T13:17:00.001+05:00

Recently a girder fell from an under construction flyover on a taxi killing one person on main Sharah-e-Faisal. The flyover, which will connect PAF base situated on both sides of the road, is reportedly being constructed by Frontier Works Organisation (FWO), the same organization responsible for the debacle of Northern Bypass a couple of years ago.
This should be treated as a case of criminal negligence however, considering the past, the people responsible for this mistake will walk scot-free. Let’s face it, when a debacle as huge as the collapse of the Northern Bypass Bridge, days after inauguration can be brushed under the rug then the lost life of a taxi driver won’t be a cause of concern for the authorities.

Chickens?BAH!

2008-12-25T13:57:00.003+05:00

Spotted at Tauheed Commercial Area, DHA, Karachi

Where’s the rest of them dummies?

2008-12-25T13:52:00.001+05:00

This was a photograph I snapped outside a store on Zamzama, whilst trying to navigate my way through the one-way streets. The lower portions of these dummies were just standing around, quite freaky until I realized how they were probably just waiting to be picked up… ;-)

Bush's farewell dinner

2008-12-25T13:50:00.002+05:00

News Spews

2008-12-25T13:02:00.001+05:00

Good evening ladies and gentlemen, you’re watching your computer screen, and these are the headlines.
*Play instantly addictive theme music*
The leaders of two major Pakistani political parties cannot come to a decision regarding the restoration of the judiciary, hence further negotiations have been suspended. The decision will now be made by the political leader who wins three games of Bluff in succession.
Another suicide blast has taken place in the country, making Pakistan a more valuable ally in the United States led War on Terror. The blast is expected to help increase U.S. aid in the country.
In the world of sports, Shahrukh Khan was jumping around like a monkey in the stadium today. Shoaib Akhtar and Shahrukh Khan are expected to attend the seminar ‘Learn How To Behave Like An Outta Control Celeb!’
And in the business sector, petrol prices have been increased once again as Pakistan remains adamant to not explore alternative sources of energy.
Stay tuned for further updates. Now a message from our corporate-blood sucking sponsors.
*Fade out to instantly addictive theme music*

Germany: Land of the ......

2008-12-24T23:34:00.000+05:00

Warning: This post is all about sex, if this makes you uncomfortable please feel free to skip this post. Oh who am I kidding, this kind of warning will only attract people to read it rather then turn them away If people continue to smoke with all those warning signs on the side of the cigarette packs, they will keep on reading this post as well.
The internet has made it so easy to read the news from around the world. I am not talking about the headline grabbing news, but the local news that is only published in the newspapers of that particular country/city, like the Metropolitan page that comes with Dawn here in Karachi. After going through the news sites of different countries, I have come to the conclusion that Germany is probably the horniest country in the world. I mean the amount of sex related news coming from Germany is one thing, but the kind of news it is will even put America and other western countries to shame.
Consider this, in UK, one of the contestants in the Big Brother show simulated having sex with a toy, and the station got so many complaints from the viewers that they had to issue an apology. Even the contestant who did that issued an apology on air. When the same show started in Germany, it featured in the first episode lesbian kissing scenes, a woman masturbating and reaching an orgasm in the bathroom, kinky spanking scenes in sauna and oral sex. All this was from the edited version that was shown on air. The show was so raunchy that one viewer thought he had tuned into a porno channel by mistake.
The government in Germany has legalized prostitution and it has become an industry in itself. An entrepreneur tryed to cash in the football world cup by opening up a three story brothel just yards away from the main stadium in Berlin. The football fans came in to negotiate the prices and have sex.
Since the brothels in Germany have legal status, some of the techniques that the owners come up with are very creative indeed. For instance, a brothel next to an unemployment office started offering a special discount for all those who are jobless and since then its business is booming. I guess the jobless people collect their unemployment cheques from the government and then spend it over at the brothel next door.
The brothels have also started advertising in the mainstream media. A German lifestyle magazine sold out on the first day when the readers discovered a full page ad with a coupon that offered “half an hour free sex with a lady of your choice”
A German inventor has invented robot sex doll that breathes harder and gets warm during sex. It also has an artificial heart inside which beats faster during sex. It is selling for £4,000 with optional extras such as large breasts. However the inventor is still not satisfied and will only be happy when his “dolls will be better than the real thing.”
I always used to think that having more sex makes a person happy and its people who have sex less often are the ones that are usually frustrated. If this was true, then how come Germany started the two World Wars??? Or maybe all this started after the end of the Second World War and the responsibility of it falls on the Allied forces who can think of this as the only way to keep the Germans from starting a third one. It looks like the plan is working brilliantly. I just hope they don’t have similar plans for Iraq and Afghanistan.

Hmmmm....

2008-12-21T01:20:00.002+05:00

Interesting.....

Funny stufff

2008-12-19T20:55:00.006+05:00

As usual, I found some more funny stuff on the Web.

Yes, this is what our first impulse is when we get there. It’s a good thing they’ve put up this sign otherwise I don’t know how we could resist taking a sip.

After three continuous day of “Anal Exams” May 29 better be the last day of school

This is what I call “Full Service Client” or “We will not stop until you are satisfied”.

Iraqi shoe bomber- Preliminary Investigation

2008-12-19T20:53:00.001+05:00

Just got this in my mailbox:

Result of Preliminary investigations:
The shoe tossed by Iraqi journalist at George Bush has been linked to Pakistan.
It is said to have been made in a factory near Lahore. Officials have said that a clear link between ISI and shoe thrower could NOT be established however some lower level ISI officials may be involved. According to an anonymous source in Iraqi government, the shoe “bomber” has “stated” that he was imparted training on pelting stones, shoes and similar objects in some camp in North Western part of Pakistan run by retired army officers from the elite Pakistani group SSG and the ISI.
President Zardari and Chief of the Army General Kayani have assured full support in investigating the matter. In a recent action, Government of Paksitan has sealed the local operations of English Boot House and Service Shoe industries (owned by current defense minister) and would be holding trials against the Factory owner located in Muridke near Lahore.

Bush gets whacked by size 10s.

2008-12-19T20:06:00.006+05:00

A surprise visit by US President George Bush (also referred to as "the Great bastard") to Iraq has been overshadowed by an incident in which two shoes were thrown at him during a news conference.
An Iraqi journalist was wrestled to the floor by security guards after he called Mr Bush "a dog" and threw his footwear, just missing the Great Bastard. In Iraqi culture, throwing a shoe at someone is a grave insult to someone.

In the middle of the news conference with Iraqi Prsident Maliki, Iraqi television journalist Muntadar al-Zaidi stood up and shouted "this is a goodbye kiss from the Iraqi people, dog," before hurling a shoe at Mr Bush which narrowly missed him.
With his second shoe, which the Great Bastard managed to dodge, Mr Zaidi said: "This is for the widows and orphans and all those killed in Iraq." (Number of Iraqis dead so far= 100,000+)
Mr Zaidi, a correspondent for Cairo-based al-Baghdadiya TV, was then wrestled to the ground by security personnel and hauled away.
"If you want the facts, it's a size 10 shoe that he threw," Mr Bush joked afterwards.

According to me, it would have been much better if the shoe had actually hit Bush. that way, the security forces would actually have an excuse to drag off Mr. Zaidi, the reporter and detain him. He has still not been released, despite mass protests (with 10,000 + people) calling for his release. While being detained, Mr. Zaidi has also reportedly suffered a broken arm and several broken ribs as well.

Journalist Muntazar Al-zaidi with his arm raised in preparation for throwing his shoe at the Great Bastard.

Unfortunately, the Great Bastard still has enough sense to duck when Al-Zaidi throws him a small farewell present.

Useful Site of the Day: Karachi Metro

2008-12-19T20:02:00.001+05:00

Here’s a useful site I came across today for people of Karachi. It’s called Karachi Metro and tagline says “The simple way to find that restaurant’s number.”
While it won’t be able to compete against a comprehensive directory such as Karachi Snob, but from the looks of it, that’s not what the site owner is aiming for. But, where Karachi Snob gives you many different options and layers and layers of information, this site feels like Google of Karachi’s restaurant directory, simple and to the point. According to the person running this site, “Karachi Metro came about in 2005 when I got tired of calling PTCL “17″ to get a restaurant’s number. They never seem to have any of them! Kmetro is a simple, clean space where you can find phone numbers to popular spots in Karachi. Get in, get your number, order your meal. Really helps during lunch time at the office, too.”
The main page shows all the restaurants’ phone numbers sorted alphabetically along with a tag for whether the restaurant delivers or not and in some cases a link to an online copy of their menu. On top there is a search box where you can quickly search for a restaurant if you know the name. Then there is a list of categories which will quickly show only those restaurants which fit a particular category such as, Chinese, Italian, Fast Food etc. There’s also “I am craving” button if you can’t decide and want to go by author’s favorite restaurants in different categories.
It’s really simple and fast, however, it will only work if it’s updated regularly.

India getting ambitious?

2008-12-14T16:25:00.003+05:00

I just read in today's Dawn that last night Indian fighter planes crossed over the Indo-Pak border and violated our airspace. This happened in two separate locations, the azad kashmir (AK) and Lahore sectors. The planes were then chased away by PAF fighters. Indian authorities claimed navigational errors and said that the planes had inadverately crossed the border. Given the current level of tensions between India and Pakistan, analysts have described as ‘meaningful’ the ‘inadvertent’ intrusion of Pakistan’s airspace in two different sectors on the same day for the first time in recent memory. All I have to say to this is "WTF??!!". I mean, Pakistan has agreed to India's demands for cooperation and even raided the Lashkar camps, now what else is it supposed to do? Jeesh...

My War on Terror

2008-12-13T23:11:00.012+05:00

These are just some funny pictures i found on the 'Net, and since so many of them are to do with the War, you can guess why I gave it this title.

Darth Ladin??

I guess the family lamb got bored in a cave.

Who said Chinese dudes don't look gay on broomsticks? Now speaking of gay:

Mmmmmmm...yum!I guess Bush really was desperate for some oil.

It might just hit the batter in the balls. Now thats a security risk.

Who says soldiers don't get tired on duty? Nappy time!

"Fire when ready captain." And drop my screaming ass into the flames of Baghdad. I wonder if he'll actually survive takeoff?

I bet the photographer found a good shot.

Funny pics

2008-12-12T20:40:00.008+05:00

I was just surfing the web and I came across these pictures and thought of sharing them with you guys.

Yes, that IS a goat spending its' final days here on earth before baqra Eid in the balcony of a FIFTH FLOOR apartment!!!

Gee...I guess the guy just couldn't afford fuel.

Why Nandos WHYYY??

2008-12-12T20:27:00.000+05:00

I really hate Nando’s here in Karachi because they manage to ruin the one thing I love the most on their menu, every single time. I am talking about their Pita Meal. Of course this is beside their awesome chocolate cake slice which is really really good.
For some reason they make the Pita bread so soggy that it is impossible to pick it up in your hand and eat it like you are supposed to. The moment you pick it up it starts falling into pieces, with chicken bites falling down and the sauce going all over your hands and then Mayonnaise coming out from the middle as well. Before you know it, you are eating what is supposed to be a sandwich with a fork and knife.

Arizona Grill…. we absolutely make sure you’ll love our food

2008-12-12T20:26:00.000+05:00

The service levels of Arizona Grill have really gone down the tubes. It seems like they are having trouble handling the success that they’ve had. Although the quality of the food is still superb, especially the steaks are to die for, but to wait for 50 minutes for the steak to arrive is absolutely pathetic, considering that you have already had to wait 25-30 minutes to get the seat because of the “No reservation over the weekend” policy.
Hmmm…. maybe that is why the steak tastes so good, because they starve you beforehand..

Passport office Trip

2008-12-12T20:13:00.001+05:00

I was dreading going to renew my passport this whole week. My passport is about to expire so I thought I better get it renewed in case I need it in an emergency, but my previous experience when I went with a friend to have his passport renewed was enough to make me put it off.
Today I finally decided that enough was enough and went to Awami Markaz for the renewal and surprisingly it took me less than half an hour to get everything done, and I didn’t even had to hire an agent. The NADRA system is efficient and has finally managed to get rid of the agent culture that used to be part and parcel of getting anything done at passport office before. Now you can do everything on your own and don’t even need any documents or photographs, just keep your original NIC and passport and you’ll be done in a jiffy. Now if they can do the same things with the driving license office, it’ll be wonderful as my license will expire next year and I will have to go thru that hassle again. Maybe till then the system would’ve changed. Who knows.

How to loose potential customers………………… the Zong way

2008-12-12T20:07:00.000+05:00

First up, open up only one customer service center for a city as big as Karachi. This will make sure that the entire center is jam packed so that when the customer who books their favorite number online and goes to pick it up gets daunted and returns without getting the connection. If this doesn’t deter the customer, he will try to go back to the website to edit his booking and have the SIM delivered to his home for an additional charge, only to find out that once you have booked the SIM there is no way to go back and edit it, meaning if you made a mistake, that’s it, you are screwed.
If the customer still really wants that number and decides to come back and brave the crowd to finally get to the counter after waiting in the line, tell him he can only get one connection per NIC. When the customer asks for the reason given the website states that each customer can book up to ten connections per NIC, tell him you can book 10 but get only 1!!!!!
After that when the customer finally selects one number from the multiple numbers that he has booked, tell him he cannot get this number because “we have sent it to our franchise to sell it out.” When the customer blows his fuse and asks how can you sell it when he already has it booked since the last 3 days, tell him that it is still booked under his name but “we have sent it out to our franchise to sell it out.”
When you see that the customer is getting really angry and will not leave without getting his number give him the SIM that you just told him a minute ago that you have sent it to a franchise.
This, ladies and gentlemen, is the great Chinese strategy to capture the market and become its leading player.

Where to get your reading fix in karachi

2008-12-12T20:00:00.001+05:00

Since I am into books, I thought why not write a post about the places where I go to buy these books. I’ve searched on the net trying to find some good bookstores besides the ones that I go to, but sadly, there isn’t much information about them considering the size of the city that we live in. I don’t know whether it’s the lack of interest in reading or the lack of interest of these small bookshop owners into using the net as a marketing avenue. Anyway, here goes, the list of places where I go to satisfy my craving for books. Note that I mostly read fiction, so this list is based on that:
First of all, there’s Liberty Books, the best place to go to buy any book you need, because of their huge collection and helpful staff, although sometimes they are overzealous in their helpfulness and end up chasing the customer away. Of course you have to pay the top buck to get your books from there as not only are they the most expensive, but they don’t usually offer discounts at their stores either. They do have a bargain basement at their Clifton shop near BBQ Tonight, but the books that they have there are just not worth the trip. But if you want something that you can’t find anywhere else, you will probably find it Liberty. Just be ready to pay the top price for it.
Another way to go is to shop at Liberty’s online store, where you get free delivery anywhere in Karachi and you get 20% off on each and every item. The good thing about shopping online is that you can shop at your pace, 24 hrs a day, 7 days a week, without any pushy sales guy giving you advice on which books you should buy. You can check out the ratings of the books on other websites, read reviews, before making the purchase and if you are on their mailing list you will get regular emails of the new arrivals which you can purchase with a few clicks while sitting in your home/office. Although there are a few kinks in their site, for instance while browsing thru the books, you get three options for sorting the books, i.e., by price, by newest arrival and by title, but these don’t work out the way it should as they only sort out the 12-15 books that are displayed on that particular page and not the entire category.
Another draw back is their delivery times, I’ve ordered books that have been delivered the very next day and for some I’ve had to wait for over a week, sometimes even two to three. This you don’t know when you order, however from my experience I’ve realized that it’s best to order in small lots. If you order one or two books and those too from the new arrivals, you will get the fastest delivery times. If you go for 8 to 10 books in an order and they are mixture of new arrivals and published previously then you better be ready to wait for your delivery.
The reason that I have been able to come up with is that they don’t have a central stocking warehouse or if they do, it doesn’t have the entire collection. Therefore they ask their various bookstores to send them the books and once they have all the books they will send them to you. Also, while ordering they won’t tell you whether the book you are ordering are in or out of stock. My last order, which compromised of 9 books, was delivered after over a week and that too after I’ve called them two or three times, in two batches. Out of nine two of the books weren’t delivered. When I called them up about it, I was told that they are out of stock so I can either order some alternate books or ask for refund. If they can work out these kinks, they’ll be one of the best option for a bookie like me.
Third stop is the Paramount Books, located in PECHS, they are famous for their annual book fair in August every year where they offer big discounts on all their wares. I only go to their annual book fair so I don’t know what kind of discounts if any they offer. They also have an online book store, but navigating thru the site is so tedious that I’ve never bothered to order any book online thru them.
Next up, we have Time Books and Stationers, located near National Stadium, next to Time Medico. This is an excellent stop and has recently become my number one shop for books. Reason being that their prices are below Liberty in most of the cases plus the owner will give you 8-10% discount, but you’ll have to ask for it. So lets say The Bourne Identity, which I was browsing at Liberty Online was priced at Rs425 and after 20% discount it will come down to Rs336. I found the same book at Time Books priced at Rs375, and after 10% discount I was able to get it for Rs340. But you’ll have to be careful because some of the books, for instance A Case of Exploding Mangoes by Mohammad Hanif, are priced at same rate here as at Liberty so for those you’ll be better off getting from Liberty Online and get 20% off rather than 10% at Times. Needless to say it’s better to come here rather than going to the Liberty’s brick and mortar stores, where prices are fixed. If you can’t find something here then go to Liberty.
These are the only places I go to buy new books. However more than half of the times I buy used books in order to avoid a big dent on my wallet. My most frequented hangout for used books during my school days used to be Khori Garden. It had the most amazing collection at the most amazing prices and in the most amazing condition. Almost all of the books there used to be in brand spanking new condition at throw away prices. However after coming back to Karachi, I haven’t been able to go there because of the traffic congestion in that area, lack of parking places, lack of time needed to go there during weekdays.
Nowadays, I think the best option for used books has to be the Sunday Bazar in DHA. You get tons and tons of books there, the only problem is that it’s only on Sunday and if you don’t live in that area, then it’s a long ride to and from and parking is a mess!! But it’s all worth it when you can get 3-4 books for the price of one that you’ll buy at Liberty or other places.
So what do you do if you want to buy used books during weekdays?? Well, if you in Clifton/Defence area, there are a few used book shops in Khadda Market, plus one at Boat Basin. And if you are on the other side of the bridge, then you cannot go wrong by going to the University Road, next to Bank Al-Falah and opposite Bait-ul-Mukarram Masjid, where you’ll see different book walas selling their books on thellas on an empty plot. You can get a paperback here anywhere from Rs20 to a maximum of Rs100 in very good condition and if you sister or wife likes to read Archie comics, then check out these prices, Rs25 for singles and Rs50 for doubles.
There are two ways to go around shopping here. You can either spend time to go thru the entire collection of each and every thellay wala and find the stuff that you like, or, you can fix a price with someone, give them a list of books that you want, and he’ll arrange them within a day or two. You can come back, check the condition of the books that he has arranged, take what you like, and leave what you don’t. Personally I prefer this method as it saves a lot of time.
So there, I think that about sums it up for the places I go to take care of my fix for reading. If anyone who reads this and thinks that I have missed some stops, feel free to post them in the comments section.

V-Track-No we don't.

2008-12-12T19:53:00.002+05:00

It seems like I have been little harsh on Trakker (a local vehicle tracking company). So what if their customer service reps were a little off when it came to the initial setup, at least they haven’t caused any gaffe afterwards.
I was thanking my lucky stars that I went with them after my experience with another tracking company named V-Track, who had installed their system in my friend’s car. A couple of weeks ago, I was roaming around with my friends on a Saturday night. Since it was just the four of us, we decided against playing cards or go bowling because they are more fun when there are more people involved. One of my friends hadn’t seen the Lyari Expressway yet so we decided to head over there. On the way we called V-Track’s hotline and asked them whether Lyari Expressway was one of their no-go areas (they shut down the car if it goes outside Karachi) and were informed that since this is within Karachi limits its okay to travel on it without informing them. Fair enough, we got on the expressway. Half way through, we got a call from V-Track (same representative) asking us our current location, which was really weird because they are supposed to be tracking the car and should know where we are. Anyway, after confirming everything is okay and giving us detailed information about their 7 exit points where they shut down the car, he hung up.
We got off the expressway and headed towards the Mai Kolachi Road. As we were passing the Lyari area our car was shut down. It shouldn’t have been a big deal if it weren’t 2 o’clock in the morning and all those news headlines about Arshad Pappu and Rehman Dakait’s gang war started flashing in our minds. We immediately got out of the car and started walking towards a chai ka dhabba which was a few meters away. Once we got there, my friend started calling the V-Track’s rep and literally started abusing him for shutting down the car even though he was told twice not to do that. Even then it took them a good 15 to 20 minutes to turn the car on.
During this period a couple of policewala on motorbike stopped by and after inquiring that the car belongs to us, asked us to move it as this is not a safe area and then sped off themselves.
Later on my friend told us this is the third time this has happened and the other two locations were near Mazar-e-Quaid and Bahadurabad. Imagine if this would have happened if my friend’s wife was with him. We told him that he should take this thing off as this is really dangerous especially in a city like Karachi, but according to him, it’s his company’s policy to have the tracking device installed by V-Track and he is helpless about it.

Spiralling downwards

2008-12-12T19:50:00.001+05:00

This occurred with an acquaintance a couple of weeks back, and shows the true form of “jis ki lathi, uss ki bhens!”(the cow belongs to whoever has the stick). Here’s how he puts the entire event in his own words:
“I was driving back home when a car came 2 a sudden halt in front of me near the commercial area. The guy stood there 4about a minute not being able to decide where to go. I simply honked at him couple of times….guess that’s what annoyed him. He followed me and while I was entering my home, he came n slightly bumped my car from behind which sent me in a fit of rage. I followed him n blocked his car a few 100 yards from my house and got out of the car to bash him up or give him a few slaps, the next thing I know he fired three shots at me one of which pierced my knee n put me through an agonizing ordeal to recover from”
Guess nowadays, you can’t even correct anyone…..
This reminded me of a similar incident that happened with me earlier this year. I was going to pick up my son from his school with my wife. The person ahead of me, in a vehicle that had government number plate was crawling at slow speed blocking the road up ahead. I honked the horn to which he moved a little giving me space to squeeze by him. After a minute, I noticed he was speeding up behind me, honking his horn, making me wonder what the hell is wrong with this asshole. When I gave him way to over take my car, he slowed down next to me and asked me “Why were you honking your horn at me?” The question took me by surprise and I replied, “Cuz you were blocking the way”.
At that point he picked up a gun and pointed it to my face and told me there was a pothole on the road that’s why he had to slow down. The exact thought going thru my mind was “How the fuck was I supposed to see what was in front of your car, you asshole” but thankfully the barrel of the gun staring down at me made me keep my mouth shut. Then he told me if I ever do that again, he’s going to shoot me (WTF!!) and drove away.
What is happening to us? Have we really forgotten that one day we have to answer for whatever we do in this world?

Decision Time

2008-12-11T20:21:00.000+05:00

A beautiful woman was walking on the roof of a building. She slipped and fell. An American man was standing in his balcony. He reaches out and catches her. She says: ‘Oh thank you, you saved my life; I’ll do ANYTHING for you…’
The man says: ‘Okay then, kiss me.’
She says: ‘You PIG!! NEVER!!’
So he drops her….
She continues to fall… Suddenly a German man catches her from his balcony. She says: ‘Oh thank you, you saved me, I’ll do anything you want…’ . The German says: ‘Fraulein, kiss me.’
She replies: ‘Oh you nasty pig!!! NEVER!’
So the man says: ‘Fine!!!’ and he also drops her.
While falling she thought that it would have been better if she had kissed one of those men instead of dying now.
A third man catches the woman from his balcony and saves her. She says: ‘Oh thank you, you saved my life, I’ll Kiss you!!
The man replies: ‘Astaghfar Allah’and drops her!!!!!!!!
Moral of the story:1) A successful policy of company A doesn’t necessarily work for company B
2) The decision taken at THE RIGHT time is the ONLY right decision

Comic humour

2008-12-11T20:03:00.003+05:00

I just got this in the mail and its' HILARIOUS!if anyone knows where I can get more of these, do tell me at faiz93@hotmail.com or faizumz@live.com

Mating Kings

2008-12-11T10:57:00.002+05:00

Just read somewhere that lion mate over 50 times a day and are likely to forgo eating. Well, humans would also gladly skip a meal or two for sex but FIFTY FUCKING TIMES!!!!!! No wonder they are called Kings of Jungle!!!

ROWRRRRRRR!!

15 great ways to get revenge

2008-12-10T21:36:00.000+05:00

The Internet is a great tool. If you are screwed over by someone, you now only have to Google the best way to get back at them…. here is a sample of the things you can do to get even.
1. Revenge on a dirty roommate - using a hairdryer blow flour or powder under their door to give everything an awesome white coat…
2. Revenge on a neighbor - write a nasty message on your target’s lawn in weed killer, they’ll never get rid of the bald patches…
3. Revenge on anyone who doesn’t live with you - put gelatin down your target’s toilet, in a few days it’ll get solid…
4. When your roommate goes away, water his/her carpet and sow mustard and cress seeds for a lush shag pile…
5. Revenge on a neighbor - replace weed killer with plant food - they’ll curse their green fingers…
6. Float unwrapped chocolate bars and toilet paper in your neighbor’s pool…
7. Get as many alarm clocks as possible, set them for different times throughout the night and hide them on your roommate’s room…
8. Fill your coworker’s umbrella or coat hood with hole-punch waster, or even better four for a sudden blizzard…
9. Take your friend’s bike, get a ladder and raise it over a lamppost so that it passes through the whole in the middle of the bike frame. Hide and witness their frustration…
10. Take your boyfriend’s favorite clubbing shirt and use an ultraviolet pen and write what’s on your mind, under any black light your message will appear…
11. Revenge on golfers - put dog crap in golf holes…
12. Make up elaborate flyers for a wild party at your enemy’s home and wait for the guests to arrive…
13. Place a singles ad with your ex’s phone number in newspapers and websites…
14. Subscribe your enemy to every form of junk mail you can lay your hands on, the more embarrassing the better…
15. Subscribe your ex to all sorts of weird sex magazines but send them to his neighbor’s…

Mobilink GPRS and Sony Ericsson GC79 connect card

2008-12-10T21:30:00.001+05:00

Onwards with my quest to be connected all the time, every time, I’ve taken another step. After the failed experiment of the VPTCL, which neither gave constant speed, and nor was it true wireless, because you have to carry the huge set around with you, and the battery wasn’t that good either.
The only option at my disposal was to setup a Wifi network at my place and have either the regular dial-up, or DSL. Setting up the Wifi itself is expensive, add to that the huge amount the ISPs are charging for DSL every month, and I had to scratch that option.
The last resort, came in the form of a company that I love to hate. Mobilink, or as is popularly known here, Maybe-link. After being frustrated by their “Network Busy” messages, I threw away the cell phone connection I had and switched over to Ufone, vowing never to return to it, no matter what.
But after it’s launching of GPRS and being the only company in Pakistan that gives the option of unlimited GPRS for a fixed monthly amount, I had to give in and return to its customer service for a new connection. I was intrigued by their offer especially when it came with a GPRS connect card that would make my laptop connected to the net, wherever I go. I collected all the details and then started doing my research, which was a good thing because it saved me from being ripped off.
Mobilink are offering their GPRS connect card, which is basically Sony Ericsson’s GC75 card with a Mobilink sticker on it for Rs. 12,700 (inc of taxes). If you go to any mobile store in Karachi, you can get SE’s GC79 card for around Rs. 8,000. When I asked the Mobilink representative about this difference, he made up a story of how the card that they are offering is compatible and if I buy the card from outside, I will have problems with the settings and it won’t work. It sounded like a lot of BS so I decided to buy the GC79. I bought it from a Sony Ericsson shop in Clifton Center, and bought a zero line rent Mobilink Indigo post paid connection with GPRS activated.
The installation was simple, you install the software and plug in the card, it asks you the APN of the service provider and the username and password. I checked out Mobilink’s site and the APN was there. For post paid users, the APN is “connect.mobilinkworld.com”. The site said to leave the username and password blank. I did just that and guess what, it didn’t work. I called the helpline and asked for the username and password to which I was told it is “mobilink” for both fields. I didn’t argue as to why it was stated blank on the website because I was in a hurry to see the results.
After putting in the right information, I was immediately connected and ready to surf. The speed isn’t that bad, it is almost 75% of what I get with the Cyber Hi Speed that I use at home, which is not bad, plus I get the freedom to roam around anywhere without wires.
However, I tried it again last night and it wouldn’t connect to the network, same result this morning. But right now I am connected and everything seems okay. I am giving mobilink the benefit of the doubt as this might be a one off problem. Will try again tonight and see if it works.
Hopefully this will end better than the VPTCL experiment and this could be it for my search to wireless connectivity until the government decides to reduce the DSL rates.

Unbelievable - Mobile Numbers of Girls For Sale

2008-12-10T21:24:00.001+05:00

I was shocked to read this entry by Ghazala Khan on The Pakistani Spectator. It’s amazing that the frustration level of males in our city has stooped so low that now the phone numbers of girls are being sold to whoever is willing to pay the price and if the price is high then a vague description of how the girl looks is also provided.
How can these guys do such things? Don’t they have any fear of God? Don’t they believe in as you sow so shall you reap?

Mobile Numbers of Girls For SalePosted by Ghazala KhanSaturday, December 15, 2007
For the last two weeks, I was harassed, annoyed, cajoled and threatened by some anonymous and obnoxious calls by some five or six persons on my cell number. Initially when one or two guys called me, I took it as routine missed calls in which people tried to exploit the fluke. But then it became a norm, and I was really listened to some horrible music.
It’s hard to believe but every day in the last two week, I received some 30 or 40 wrong calls on average from different unique numbers on my mobile phone. The experience was horrible. Every one was polite initially. Their objective was same and that was to strike a lasting friendship with the girl on the other side of the mobile. The frightening thing was that though they didn’t know my name and whereabouts (though some pretended that they knew), but they were roughly aware of my visage.
The method of every person was more or less same, though some tried to innovate it. Average callers called me, apologized to me for disturbing me, then asked for my permission to say ‘something’, and then they introduced themselves, and then told me that how lonely they were, and how badly they wanted a sincere friend like me. Initially I didn’t talk to them, and I used to cut off the connection, as soon as I realized its yet another wrong call.
But when it went out of hand, then I tried to reason with the callers. They took it as a cue for further advances. They poured sagas of love and humanity and friendship in my ear, and they quoted the verses of Ghalib and Zauq. They sent me the sms full of love and romance quotes, and they sent me flowers, and roses and hearts in sms. I was thoroughly insulted through mobile mania. Then I let loose my anger, and whoever called me received my severe abuse and rebuttal. I thought that it would shut their mouths tight, and they would look elsewhere.
I didn’t know how wrong I was. Curse unleashed right after that. People started sending me salacious text messages and they sent me nude pictures. I disabled the mms service, but I couldn’t figure out, how to block sms. I, then pleaded with Mobilink support, and they promised to look into the matter. I gave them numbers, but in vain. My suffering continued.
Then I went to the local Mobilink office and went straight to their regional manager. I put forward the lewd text messages displayed on my mobiles in front of him, and then described the whole situation. Perhaps that was the way to do it, actually, as he at once ordered his staff to block all the numbers and trace their owners. He promised me that all the numbers would be blocked in half an hour. I thanked him and came back. But the calls didn’t stop to my utmost agony.
I selected one caller, and pretended a friendship with him. I talked with him a little, and even called him once or twice, and he was ecstatic. After some calls and chats, I casually asked him as from where exactly he has got my number. He tried to circumvent the answer, but at last told me that actually he purchased my number from an Easy Load Center of Jazz for Rs. 50. Yes, I went there to re-charge my balance, I recalled in my mind. Upon my shocking voices, he said that it was fast becoming a lucrative business as not only the Easy Load owner sells the numbers, they also sell the visage and figure feature of ladies for extra charges. I knew right there, that the only option I had was to get a new number. That’s what I did.
Easy Load is now an Unbearable Load for Me.

Build It and they'll come.

2008-12-10T21:00:00.003+05:00

If you’ve ever driven in Karachi, the one thing that bothers you most out of the list nuisance are those people who need to catch the bus and who think that it’s their right for the bus to stop wherever they are standing. It is a common sight to see a bus stopping to pick up 3 or 4 different passengers standing apart all within a few steps of each other.
When the government started the Urban Public Transport system with those green air conditioned busses and educated drivers and conductors, there was hope that maybe just maybe things will change, however it was quickly realized that educating the driver and conductor is not going to do any good when our public is full of educated jahils. Pretty soon these busses also started following the old trend of stopping everywhere to pick up the passengers.
This time around CDGK has taken a new path and a couple of months ago and built brand spanking new bus stops throughout the Signal Free Corridor between Sharah-e-Faisal and SITE. These bus stops were not only good to look at but practical as well. They provide a clean place to rest yourself, provide shade from the sun during the day, and a well lighted place after sunset. I was a little skeptical at first, whether our public will use them as previously such exercises from the government had gone down the drain. But this time it was a little different as people started gathering at these stops. So I guess that old saying was correct that if you build them, they will come, or in this case, they will use it.

The good thing about these stops are that they are brought in and only assembled at the site, which means putting it up is very easy, and in a day they can erect many of these stops. The stops are also designed keeping in mind the advertisers in order to make them self sufficient. However, what I still have to see is how they will hold up if and when the rioting happens, because most of it as you can see in the pic is made of clear glass/plastic.
Anyway, now that CDGK has seen that the idea works, they are expanding it to more places besides the signal free corridor. There’s also a rumor going around that Jahangir Siddiqui, a prominent Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE) broker has bought stake in the company who has the contract for these stops and is planning on putting em up through out Karachi. Once they are erected, then they’ll start renting them out for ads to the marketing companies and start earning revenue from it.
I hope they succeed, as not only do these bus stops give a good look to our city, but also are a much better and safer alternative to those huge billboards for the advertising companies.

Super Enterprises=Super lousy Service

2008-12-10T20:56:00.001+05:00

The Nikon dealer for Pakistan, Super Enterprises are either the most unprofessional Nikon dealers in the world or they’ve taken money from Canon to give the lousiest customer service ever in order to convert all Nikonians to Canonittes!!!!
This was the first time I was dealing with them. I wanted a wireless remote for my D80, so I tried calling them up last week. However, the UAN number that is listed on official Nikon website didn’t worked. Being the persistent kind, I googled up their Lahore office’s phone number, called them up and asked them to give me some other number of Karachi office besides the UAN which doesn’t work.
Then I called the Karachi office and asked them whether they have the wireless remote in their stock for D80. They said they’ll have to confirm the availability and prices from their Head office in Lahore and I should check back after half an hour.
One hour and three phone calls later they confirmed that yes they have it in their stock in Lahore and the price is Rs. 1,800 and if I order it today (which was Friday) I can have it by Tuesday. I confirmed then and there because I really needed it.
Today when I called up before going to pick it up just to make sure that they have received it from Lahore, I was told that it will be with them in the next 2 hours, however the price has gone up to RS 3,800!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I was dumbstruck and said that you just confirmed me when I ordered that it was Rs 1,800 how can the price increase by over a 100% during 2-3 days??? To which I was told that the head office has instructed them that this remote came in the later shipment so the price of it is now Rs. 3,800 and that I can have it within the next 2 hours but I’ll have to pay the new price!!!!!!!
Is this blackmailing or what!!!!!!!

Only in--KARACHI!!!

2008-12-10T19:11:00.002+05:00

You know your from Karachi when:
You get shocked when someone stops at a yellow light.
You never really know what to say when someone asks you what there is to see in Karachi.
You give "missed calls".
You've never really seen a tourist.
You feel you never have to wait in line if you are with "lay-diss" (ladies).
You've bought a dvd of a movie that hasnt even been released yet.
You actually go "out for coffee".
You used to go for tutions even though didnt need them.
You say that you really like that restaurant/shop and someone says "oh yea, my family owns that".
You roll down your car window and you can actually touch the car next to you.
You go by landmarks not street names.
Your only argument in the Lahore/Karachi debate is "well we have a beach".
You never realized that North Nazimabad was actually in the North.
You never have dinner before 1am in wedding season .
You blame everything on K.E.S.C
Your school closes everytime it rains.