Darakhat Bachao, Lahore Bachao I would like to add to what rozaiba has already mentioned in her/his interact.

I remember going to Sacred Heart School, Thornton Road(renamed Agha Shorish Kaashmiri Rd.) and enjoying the shade of trees throughout the mall, especially while coming back from school on hot summer afternoons. In monsoon evenings one could hear birds in these huge trees lining the mall. but, not any more.

Has someone noticed that the CM has `killled` really old trees with thick wide trunks to build yet another secretarat inside GOR. what has replaced these trees and the old construction is a disasterously hideous construction called the CM secretariat. just a year or so ago, he ordered the felling of trees inside the Freemason`s building where he moved his CM secretariat.......................... how many does the man need?

Recently the Nazim decided to chop off trees in front of Gymkhana Club, just for the sake of constructing another patch of road/turning especially for Nazim House!..................he did not seem to like wasting time trying to turn the corner just a few yards away!

Remember the St. Mary`s Park a.k.a. doongi ground! during the tenure of the previous chairman LDA (now chairman CDA) someone was contracted to fill up the ground to ensure no water accumelated in it. When the venue of the IMAX Theatre was changed from the empty plot on ferozpur road to this ground, some party again got the `theka` to dig up the plot. all at the tax-payer`s expense. The CM is apparently also pulling every trick in the book(and some, not in book) to get the construction of IMAX Theatre restarted on a children`s park................. vested commercial interest i say! i cannot see reason in encouraging the construction of a concrete jungle in the name of entertainment and children`s learning................we all know that more children used it as a park, as compared to those who might come here for the sake of watching films in theatre.

It seems that all we will be leaving behind for our children is a concrete jungle a few palm trees and some flower pots!

Thin as a Pin I once questioned a male friend as to the requirements/qualities in a girl he would like to get married to? I got the following answer,

``she should wear hijab. however, more importantly i would like to confirm that she has not been caught on someone`s cell phone having sex.``

It seems that even though he was clear about the fact that he wanted to get married to a hijab-wearing girl, that is not sufficient as he wants to somehow ensure her chastity! This speaks volumes about the double standards we have, even the so-called hijab-wearing `good girls` are not necessarily `good`. In short, just like growing a beard did not ensure peity for men, wearing a hijab does not ensure chastity or no skeletons for girls/women.

What Drives Men and Women of Indian Subcontinent to Infidelity? Athar,

After having gone through your article it seems that the only reason for infidelity seems to be physical. This is in fact just a small seemingly important aspect.

Additionally, you have stressed the need of small vicarious pleasures like staring or shaking hands as the beginning of the long road to infidelity, this is not the case, and should not be taken as such. Look around you and you will see this is not entirely the case.

It seems to be a very very shallow viewpoint which has not been thought over by the writer.

Cheers!

My Dudley! well written. keep it up Asmaa

Unfit For Command yasmeen,

it seems you are blowing hot and cold in the same breath. you have yourself mentioned in your article that nothing has happened to Dr. A. Q. Khan as the president ensured the same. isn`t that good? we are still trying to recover from the embarrassment caused as a result of aimal kasi`s illegal extradition..........all thanks to a civilian, elected government.

as for the issue of mukhtaran mai. why should she be permitted to go abroad in the first place? tell me, why hasn`t any pakistani NGO invited a rape victim from the united states or united kingdom or europe for a talk in pakistan. in fact inviting other country`s rape victims for talks would at least enlighten us on the treatment received by them by law enforcing agencies and other NGOs in the so-called west. think for a moment.............what is mukhtaran mai`s agenda?

Boot-in-Mouth gawd!

why is there such a hue and cry? just be pragmatic for a moment and think honestly. there are innumerable cases where these `victims` have used this as a means of getting to greener pastures. has everyone forgotten saima arshad and others like the couple????

also, would someone please try to explain how sonia naz ended up inside the parliament building in the first place? it takes eons just to get past the various security personnel on a normal non-session day, so how come she got to the parliament while the session was on..............................was she planted there? if you think not, then just try to get into the building on your own, you will see for yourself how much of an effort it is.

furthermore, i read somewhere that she was inside the parliament during the session, because she was looking for her husband?!?!?!!?? if he was already running from law enforcing agencies due to his alleged involvement in fraudulent transactions, the parliament building would be the last place to go to.

has anybody got the answers?

Bhaiya, Malhar Sunao I would just like to add to what has been said by ballukhan about Rais Khan being forced to put aside his sitar and take the help of a harmonium (better known as BAJA in these parts) for the sake of surviving in Pakistan.

It is not only `visitors` like Rais Khan that have been neglected by listeners in Pakistan, but also its local treasures, to the extent that that have been forced to take up other occupations just to earn a decent living. A good example is that of Ustad Saleem Khan Poonchwalay. He is an accomplished and award winning Sitar player. Having won many a heart with his mesmerizing performances at the All Pakistan Music Conference held at Lahore annually. He has to earn his living teaching girls the Sitar at a local college and also going house to house giving Sitar lessons.

Very often we commit the mistake of blaming the governments for such distressing lives led by most artists, what we completely ignore is the fact that each one of us can contribute positively to the plight of these musicions, not by squabbling over which launda can beat up whom.

Furthermore, its music guys, not the NOORA QUSHTI that someone should be beating somebody with the speed of their paltas, balampat/durat ki gut etc.

Monsoon arrives Sucheta, it is wonderful to have you back!!! i was missing reading the pieces written by you. Chill....

The Lost One simply wonderful!!!...............so many emotions, so close to the heart, its almost like being there.............

The Shah of Chicago: A Novel what happened next...................is there a sequel to this...................i really want to know.....?

Spare Us The Smoke, Please! Madiha,

seconding what you have written above, i would like to add that being a smoker and now a non-smoker, i have seen both sides of the coin. what made me quit was none of the harmfull effects of smoking, but a simple statement made by a friend, `sitting next to a woman who smokes is like hugging an ash-tray!`