24 Hours in Dubai - Dunes and Dinars Re: # 26

nice sense of humor.
frankly I consider myself atypical to those dumbos, who either refuse or can-not transform to the civilized world ; and furthermore I am plain striaght .......lol

24 Hours in Dubai - Dunes and Dinars Re: # 10
Cobra;

Randhawas, Ghummans, Chattas, Cheemas, Bajwas and most other casts of Jats can be found in the Hindu, Muslim and Sikh religions of south asia. They were all originaly hindus. With the advent of Islam in the sub-continent, considerable number converted to Islam, and then much later, some to sikhism as well. The muslim and sikh Randhawas can trace their ancesstory in Hindu religion.

Allama Iqbal and His Women Rafi,

Kudos for posting a wonderful paper on the personal life of Iqbal, an aspect on which very little has ever been written. Your research was very objective and, despite candidly describing many flaws in the judgement and personal dealings of this great philospher, did not degrade his huge stature of national poet and a founding father. Iqbal, after all, was a human being with all the inbuilt inadequacies. Thank you very much and keep it up.

An Appeal to Honourable Supreme Court Justices The worst effected by this messup, created by the General, are the numerous hard working, honest and patriotic personnel in uniform. They have been pushed, by default, on the side of the plots and money hungry few dozen scavengers. Be assured that these personnel, numbering hunderds of thousands and belonging to poor and middle class families, have no lust of power, greed of money or plots. These sepoys, havildars, captains & majors etc are standing guard in siachen in -50 degree C and will perform and obey the lawful commands of their superiors. In return, they get and expect nothing more than honourable living for themselves and their children.

So people, when you are condemning the General, do not loose sight of the sacrifices and patriotism of these heros, who are obeying the lawful commands of their superiors even to the peril of their lives and sentiments. Isnt this what people are striving for in the land of pure, `the rule of law`.

A Profile In Courage Asma is a ray of light in the sea of bigotry, ignorance and barbarism. Her courage and undaunted efforts to raise voice for the rights of oppressed and presecuted are laudable. She is one of handful of persons, the nation can rightly be proud of.

An Evening with Ustad Asad Amanat Ali Khan: A Tribute Artisians of the stature of Asad Amanat Ali are a national treasure. Sadly, it is not uncommon for many of them to die at relatively early age, even thouhg they have wherewithals and resources for best health care. I think the crisis in this community is due to the very busy life style, pressures of peak performance and a casual attitude to their physical well being.

Whenever I hear a performance of Nusrat Fateh Ali, I mourn his early death and think of everlasting tunes he never got the time to create. The music that would have given immense pleasure to countless millions.

These people are, undoubtedly national treasure. It is impossible even to quantify the prosperity, happiness they bring to the masses. Most of them are a class in themselves. Once gone, they are irreplaceable.

The government takes pain in ensuring the preventive healthcare of millions of employees. All service personnel are given annual medical check. Millions are spent on perfectly healthy MNA`s and bureaucrats for expensive and elaborate medical checkups, all in the name of national interst. Wont it be in order if the Government also takes the responsibility for these talented and gifted citizens too ? After all they are the people who are our real embassadors and treasures.

Violation of Civilians by the Army in Pakistan Re: # 1

Maulana , why every civilian is most eager to buy property in DHA and live there ? Also mind your language; shows yours excellent background and education.

Pakistan Shinning III - Population and Literacy Shocking statistics and reasoning that makes lot of sense. The views in the paper conform to the realities on ground. I wholeheartedly agree with the writer that this government (and those before it) has just just one point agenda , ``clinging on to power come hell or high water``. To that end they are ready to engineer and invent any kind of numbers.

Pakistans Permanent Revolution Is there a way to know the qualifications and pedigree of all , who were admitted in professional colleges on prime minister/ chief ministers/ president reserved seats in last 8 years ? I can bet that this list will consist , only of sons and wards of politicians, generals and officials with academic standing far below that of Dr Arsalan.

Their is nothing unusual or unprecedented in Dr Arsalan`s admission in the medical college on reserved seat and transfer to police service. Rather, it is a routine and a granted right of the kins of all Generals, Politicians and high officials in the Islamic Repubic.

There are hunderds of cases where son and wards of high ups were trnasfered to lucrative civil posts through the back door and every one knows about it, to the extent that it does not even look like an irregularity in the governmental culture in the republic. I can recall a similar case of of son of General Abdul Majeed Malik, a stalwart of Q league now , who was admitted in the Army Medical College, trained as a doctor on public expense, granted an accelrated promotion to the rank of major, just a day befor he was transferred to DMG group in civil, to start his civil career in Grade 18.

It only shows how desperate the Government is to bring something against the CJ. I am surprised that model 1993 cars were being used by the CJ; Would someone care to mention the number, make and model of the cars in the use of the ADC`s and MS to the President ?

Education Reform: Signs of Hope Re: #25 bulleya, # 26 teshah & #29 hamidm2

Its an intersting situation. The three gentlmen have lot in common. They are scions of the Army. Hamidm2 and Teshah take great pride in being descendents of soldiers (perhaps mercenary would be more suitable) in british indian army. Bulleya has briefly served in the military. I wonder he was shown the way out or could not bear the rigors of service.

HAMIDM2 writes ``I grew up on csd rations and also had the misfortune to drink water from the spring at ilyasi masjid - so i know a thing or two about the incompetent kernels and jurnals``

I must say the waters of Ilyasi mosque lacked potency that someone raised on the rations of CSD could breed deep hate for anything khaki. While the service in military is most fulfilling, it has its down side. A good number of the children of officers are throughly spoiled. The fathers never get time from their official commitments and thus pay a heavy price.

``i can pull my father`s rank on you !........ he had a two digit PA number and served in a real army under real generals like wavell and auchinleck``

Was your father a JerNull ? I wonder! The fact it that children of senior officers seldom find the courage and gutts to join the service. Mostly they become pseudo intellectuals. Out of all the Army Chief, only one son of General Tikka was a career soldier. Few others who did enter the service, left it with 3-4 years. The sons of officers dont think of themselves any less than the rank of their father, and for them to start any lower would be accelrated demotion. As far as lack of competence in the Jernuls and Kernuls is concerned, I agree with Hamidm2. The lot of officers , around whom he was raised ( the british indian soldiers) were a different creed. The debacles of 1948, 1965, 1971 could directly be attributed to their incompetence. These guys were given commission mostly in non-fighting arms like ASC and Ordnance by the Gora GOC`s after a 1 1/2 minutes interview while standing in a line and on simple recommendatins of their gora commanding officers (to whom some of them were serving as batmen). After the partition the few muslim officers who belonged to the territories of Pakistan and opted for Pak Army were awarded rapid promotions due to sever shortage and in absence of any competetion. It is only in the last 10-15 years that the Army has finaly come out of the shadow of its colonial past and mentality.

BULLEYA writes ``the easiest way to judge the merit of an individual is to take away all their govt. ranks and titles and then see how valuable they are in the open market``

For your information around 300-400 officers retire every year at an average age of 45.5 years. Only around 10-15% are re-employed in Government Jobs. The rest seek adjustment in other sectors and make decent living in business and private jobs.

``and having hung around people with the qualifications you have mentioned, and then having had a chance to hang around and study with cilvilians in other fields, i think i can say with quite a bit of authority that military qualifications - specifically the ones you have mentioned - are not of much use outside the military``

Well, I have attended some of these courses myself while in service. I worked in the civil for a couple of years after I got retirement from the military with 25 years service at age 45. Made a move and did masters from a good Unversity in US. Moved back to Pakistan, worked there for a year in management position. Moved to US again and for the last 8 years wroking in corporate sector. I consider myself well qualified to compare the education in the military with the education in the civil. A good part of curriculum of Training at all levels in the military is personnel and office management and that is equaly applicable to civil and military. The standard of imparting the academic training in the military institution is comparable to anywhere in the world.


TESHAH writes ``On personal exlanation I would say that I am a son of a fouji, an honoured one by the British, and have all praise for what Qazi Javed is doing but what that son of Zia is doing will, I am afraid, undo all his efforts``

The son of Zia; I can not agree with you any more ; the lesser said on the sons, the better.

Education Reform: Signs of Hope Re: # 18

Hamidm2;

I am convinced ,Its useless to argue with your likes, who only aim to show their adeptness and mastery in the abusive liguistic skills on the chowk. Perhaps it portrays your wonderful background and upbringing. I can only hope that your children would do a little better than that.

Having said that, I would only recommend you to restict yourself to the matter under discussion and don`t divulge your rotten idiosyncracies publicly.

Education Reform: Signs of Hope Re: # 15
To the self acclaimed Bullehya; Perhaps Mr Qazi is the most qualified and experienced minsiter in the present cabinet ;

Civil Qual:
MSc War Studies;
MSc Strategic Studies
German Language Interpretership (from Germany)

Military Qual:
Gunner Staff Course
Staff College Camberley (from UK)
Armed Forces War Course

Instructional / Teaching Experience
Instructor Pakistan Military Academy ( a degree awarding institution)
Instructor Artillery School
Instructor Staff College Quetta ( degree awarding institution)
Instructor National Defence College ( degree awarding institute)

Experience in Civil Government
Federal Secretary Science and Technology
Federal Secretary and Chairman Pakistan Railways
Federal Minister of Communication and Railways
Federal Minister of Education
Add to that his wast experience of management as a unit, brigade, division and corps commander; head of Ordnance and Maintenance Services, Head of Military Intelligence, Head of Iner Services Intelligence and many other challenging appointments.

By the way, I am no spokesman for the minister, I have no personal or official affiliations with him. I am not a benficiary , nor desiring or expecing to be one. All the above information is available on Pakistan Government web site http://www.moe.gov.pk

Education Reform: Signs of Hope Re: # 13
The education minister, Javed Ashraf Qazi, after retirement from the Army, for the last 10 years, been serving in various senior positions before becoming a senator and federal minister. Rather than debating upon the contents of the white paper, which would been relevant, Mr Shah has only rolled in useless, absurd and irrational remarks about anyone who has military back ground. He is, after all, a civil bureaucrat, albeit retired.

Knowing Kashmir, Officially Mr Choudhary;

whats the big deal? It shows your poor judgement to write on this matter on chowk. Frankly you wasted time and irritated countless people for whom Kashmir is a little more than your meaningless observations on officialy maintained web site. The title of your essay is misleading.

Jasmines in Colorado (final part) Thanks Raja;

It was good.
I was waiting for the final part. Took me back 30 years into time.
keep writing; you have the talent.

Jasmines in Colorado (part 1 of 3) Romair,
Its wonderful work. Congrats. waiting eagerly for the next part.