So the Ruyete Halal Committee at last announce that the Shawaal moon’s been sighted and It’s eid here in Pakistan, all over Pakistan, on 1st October. The announcement came at around 11 PM.

The possibilities of moon sighting were near to zero. Saudi Arabia announced the moon sighting yesterday and it was Eid in middle east. A minister in Frontier announced that there are 15 witnesses of moon sighting with him and he announced Eid without Ruyete Halal Committee’s consent. In my opinion, to erase the conflict the Committe decided to have Eid in Pakistan unanimously. Hence it’s tomorrow.

Eid Mubarak!

May the day brings lots of happiness for Pakistan and us all!

Despite the very recent Marriott bomb blast, the maddening rush is no less than all the previous pre-eid days. Markets are humming with people as usual. Whether it be Jinnah Super or Karachi Company or even the boring F-10 Markaz … the Eid hustle bustle actually looks good. Choori Stalls being set up in all major markets. Girls and women shopping as there’s no tomorrow (in these circumstances .. who knows actually).

Just yesterday I went to a market and got the chance to take some quick snaps. For all those who are missing the glitz of Eid and Ramadhan away from Pakistan. And all those colors. Dont forget to pray for Pakistan.

A quick excerpt from Daily Times:

Glass bangles and Hena are the first things women, old or young, look for at roadside stalls or Eid Bazaars. The more variety of bangles and latest patterns of Hena you have, the more chances you have of attracting large crowds. In this time of cutthroat competition, lights and music are the new attractions for female Eid shoppers. Mostly, young boys run these stalls and women don’t mind getting served by them. However, some stalls offer services of women.

Perhaps, it’s the best thing of Chand Raat.

tea break, originally uploaded by fezaizm.

A change from the disastrous posts :-)

After the hideous Marriott blast, even-though the STP-1 building is nowhere in the immediate neighborhood, the management has posted a disclaimer.

It’s sad…

The 9/20 incident Islamabad witnessed on Saturday eve was a severe blow not only for Marriott hotel and the employees working in it. The adjacent Evacuee Trust Complex aka STP2 (Software Technology Park), housing a large number of software houses and banks, faced the sudden blow head-on too. Though in news its mostly about frontier house and other ministerial buildings … media is largely neglecting the STP2 Complex. Which is going to cause much larger Economical blow than the Frontier or Baluchistan houses. They were not housing businesses. Important large businesses.

Thankfully it was a Saturday eve otherwise the causalities in ETC may have gone exponentially high. Even now … around 6-10 deaths and 20+ injured are reported in ETC. The fate is still undecided. temporarily offices are being shifted but they can’t work from home for months to come. Cold assumptions are … without regarding structural miscarriages the building authorities will give OK to move back in. A social dilemma. We condemn the sad demises later on but value them NOT when they are alive.

Here’s a pictorial overview of what Marriott and ETC has faced.

An aerial view taken from an army helicopter shows the devastated Marriott Hotel two days after a suicide truck bombing in Islamabad on September 22, 2008.  Courtesy: AFP PHOTO/Aamir QURESHI

Please share your views? What steps should be taken NOW? How to fight this evil of terrorism?

Also how this continuous economical attacks can be fought? If you were a victim of this 9/20 attack, in any way, what steps your company has taken to ensure your safety?

Please refrain from personal attacks … Share the positive energy … that’s what we need right now.

More Reads and PicS:

• Another aerial view of Marriott … the double road in front of it is .. GONE !
• Assessment of battered Marriott.
• Marriott’s owner, Sadar ud Din Hashwani, has said that the hotel will be up and running in three month’s time … in the meanwhile, employees WILL get their salaries.
• For victims of terror a Citizens trust is up. Please follow the link to read more about them. You can find more on it through this Facebook group.

Not 18 hours completed and what do we see here? The Prime Minister and President of Pakistan desserts the capital city, Islamabad, for safe waters. At times like this when elsewhere premier of countries cancel their trips and return home. Ours thought the catastrophe done is normal. So, why fuss over a thing that’s not going to stop? So lets visit USA and meet Mr. Bush!

Well actually its all normal, isn’t it? When things happen daily … it comes in normal range, No? Be it Islamabad, Peshawar, Quetta, Bajaur, Anguur Ada or any place else. … after yet again few promises of we are with you sir in YOUR War Against Terrorism. Even if we’ll have to risk Pakistan (and that we’re doing) … we won’t stray away from our promises. Though promises are not hadith or quran. But a promise with Uncle Sam can’t be compromised on. We’ll sacrifice our kids, our men, our women. Let’s make the whole world a 9/11 … to fight thy war of terrorism.

The president who claims, during his fumbled up speech, god-knows-what … must be happily flying in a plane right now. He couldn’t bother paying the site a visit or sympathizing with the poor – common Pakistanis suffering in hospitals. And for our dear Prime Minister … attending a iftaar party in Lahore was much much important.

We are a proud nation! We bicker a lot and we blame each other. We can’t even think straight … act is a totally different story.

Isn’t it high time, govt show some steel in their necks? Take some stern decisions and ACT. Fight the war … but protect your own territories. If I and You can tell who did this … why can’t the govt? FGS. Take your own people into confidence. Stop war on your own people. Start digging for facts please … and Seriously … act before its too late. Though I’m not too sure if its already late or not.

But then these are my opinions … you are free to share your own. Your own theories … and some plan of action if you can suggest would be highly welcome.

I DID whine here … but I know whining would yield nothing. Its time to act.

ps: In case you haven’t watched the CCTV footage earlier released … clickety. Seemingly there was lot of time … but nothing could be done to save this huge terrorist attack.

The panic one feels when something like this happens is unbridled. Our first thoughts are for the safety of those we love most. Cellphones are whipped out, locations are verified. They’re safe. The panic subsides somewhat.

But for many, many of us, the panic never did subside last night. For many, life changed forever the moment that truck exploded. And although this is a waking nightmare for us all, we can’t even begin to imagine the horrific magnitude of this nightmare for those who lost their loved ones last night. They are from among us, people just like you and me, and could easily have been you or me. In grieving for them, we grieve for ourselves, because it is the same.

That all this death and destruction happened in one of the liveliest and most radiant locations in the city, a place we associated with special family dinners and weddings and exhibitions and festivity and warmth, makes it even more unpalatable in our minds. The sheer scale of this tragedy is still sinking in. And so is the extent of our vulnerability.

Image from www.nytimes.com

According to TV reports, a hug explosion at Marriott (F-5) Islamabad is heard and seen. Causing fatalities and injuries.

A second blast in Marriott in an years time.

Its a “High Security” area.

Update 1: 10-15 killed and many injured.

Gas pipeline exploded as well causing more damage.

Gulshan e Jinnah (living flats for federal govt employees) is affected badly as well. Its just at the back of mariott (almost).

According to TV reports, a hug explosion at Marriott (F-5) Islamabad is heard and seen. Causing fatalities and injuries.

Ironically, its a “High Security” area.

Update 2:

The entire front section of the Marriott Hotel has been blown out and wreckage is everywhere.

Reports are that it could be the biggest explosion – terrorist attack – in Pakistan’s history. Among dead,  drivers out in parking area and the security guards mostly included (Geo and Aaj tv reports).

Update 3:

Blood needed in hospitals.

Image Courtesy: Aaj TV

For more videos and Pictures, also visit All Things Pakistan.

Its the second time that I went to pizza hut this week. The first time I was financing my self and the second time it was a treat so couldn’t miss the opportunity! :P
Well anyway a lot of people turn out at pizzahut when they start their all U can eat deal in Ramadan. Don’t know why but a lot of people seem to think they can eat more than the usual( at least I managed to eat a large size pizza alone each time but I don’t think everyone can manage that). But since the time they have started this deal each time I have seen a decrease in the quality of the pizza meaning a bigger crust, lesser amounts of toppings and an ever lesser amounts of meat in the toppings. To counter this, although it was rear earlier but now I see a mountain of crust on each table each time I go there. Everyone eats the center with the toppings and leave the side portions of the pizza.Well I think pizza hut deserves this as the quality of their pizza significantly decreases!

On the other hand they don’t even serve the pizza at the aftar time! Probably at least 10 minutes must have passed when they brought out the first pizza at the F-10 branch and don’t know about now but it took about 30 minutes the last time I went there in the previous Ramadan. They keep on filling the glasses and you can take as much salad as you want so you fill up your tummies and thus eat lesser amounts of pizza! :P This is a conspiracy hatched high in the upper ranks of the pizza hut administration! :P And after all this even when you have made mountains of pizza hut crust they probably still earn quite a lot of profit! When ever I go there I try to neutralize that profit as much as possible, so go to pizza hut and eat all U can eat! :P

Image credits: Ifti

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Image Credits: Ahsan Rashid