A (proper) Pakistani Flag!, originally uploaded by ~FurSid [XO8] - Busy & Away.

While Flickring, I cane across this picture post and I knew it that I’ve to cross post it on Islamabad metblogs. Last year I even saw Pakistani flags with MICKEY MOUSE drawn instead of the crescent and star.

It’s amazingly awful to see so many different versions of the Pakistani flag that it makes me sick! Sick to the core of my soul that why we do not respect the very flag!??

I have seen many funny versions of different variations like

Various shades of green (even pink and blue! - for god’s sake!).
Slogans and other text with/around the crescent and star.
Different dimensions
Varied versions of crescent and star

I think there should only be one version that we should be using wherever we use!

Here’s what a PROPER Pakistani flag should be (technically):

“A dark green rectangular flag in the proportion of length and width 3:2 with a white vertical bar at the mast, the green portion bearing a white crescent in the centre and a five-pointed white heraldic star. The size of the white portion being one-fourth the size of the flag, nearest the mast, the remainder three-fourths being dark green. The dimensions of the crescent and star are obtained as follows:

“Draw the diagonal from the top right hand corner to the bottom left corner of the green portion. On this diagonal establish two points ‘A’ and ‘B’. Point ‘A’ at a distance equidistant from top right and bottom left hand corners of the green portion, i.e. the centre of the green portion. Point ‘B’ at a distance from the top right hand corner equal to 13/20th the width of the flag. With centre point ‘A’ and radius 1.1/4th the width of the flag describe a second arc. The enclosures made by these two arcs form the crescent. The dimensions of the five-pointed white heraldic star are determined by drawing a circle 1/10th the width of the flag. The circle surrounds the five points of the heraldic star. The star lies with one point on the diagonal at a point where the larger arc of the crescent, if completed, cuts the diagonal.”

The Interior Ministry of Pakistan provides dimensions for flags in different circumstances:

* For ceremonial occasions. 21′ x 14′, 18′ x 12′, 10′ x 6-2/3′ or 9′ x 6 1/4.
* For use over buildings. 6′ x 4′ or 3′ x 2′.
* For cars 12″ x 8″.
* For tables 10 1/4″ x 8 1/4″.

Source: Wikipedia

Fasi Zaka’s terse verses printed in today’s The News go very fine with this imagery.

Wanted to share with the readers of IMB.

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The leader of the PML-N tries his hand at penning poetry once again by explaining his plans for Pakistan.

Now that I cannot be an MNA,

I know what it is you will say.

You will throw at me the finance bill,

And get some cheap insulting thrills.

I may be disqualified but I am not defeated,

I promise someday I will be thrice repeated.

I promise I will fight for the redundant judges,

Not just because of my recent personal grudges.

Please don’t say that I am a hypocrite,

Even if the PPP made me seem like a dim wit.

Was gone so long have become a bit of a novice,

I thought PCO meant Public Call Office.

MA Qayyum says PCO means Provisional Constitutional Order,/ But I say it means Please Cut Out Nawaz and Brother./ The courts made my candidacy brief,

All I am now is the party chief.

Since then I now seethe and leer,

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I needed some anti-allergy for a relative at 3:30 am yesterday and I found that there was no medicine shop open at that time.

The only chemist shop that I could find at that time was the chemist shop in Ali Medical Center at F-8 Markaz.

So, God forbid if you need medicines in emergency at that time, Ali medical center is the place to go…

When someone dies, someone important actually I and you are of no value, what is the first step taken??

Anyone??

Almost there - yes rename some famous place in honour of that Martyred (by no means I’m trying to ridicule someone who is dead but Get Some Life, No?). Here the Govt is hers truly too … I wonder why they waited for 21st june (Pinky’s bday to do this mass-scale renamings).

So to date the order of lord is to rename Islamabad Airport, Rawalpindi general Hospital (RGH)  and the-oh-so-famous-and-pindi’s Murree road after Muhtarma Benazir Bhutto.

You may be thinking why am I having problems on this decision. To me its kind of obscene to change the decades old names to suddenly a new name. Well, we are in the process of building new roads and avenues … why not name them after her or anyone of your choice?? Huh? You say what?

I wonder how long it’d take the next govt to take these orders back….!

Read more on BBC and DT.

Like every 1st May, posts are made and news pieces are written all over the globe to share the care we have for the labor class.

Regardless of the fact that do we pay any heed to their needs or the simple fact they are all-human-just-like-us on other 364 days of the year; the picture below can cause anyone to feel instantly en grief for the poor kid who’s working when he’s still a youngling. But in today’s soaring dearness what more to expect?? Be it an adult or a kid … both have to work hard to earn a few bucks only. That hardly helps in meeting the two ends.

I read a few articles today and ‘am for many days crying out about CHILD LABOR at large. The situation seems similar to those earthquake days when, oblivious of the difficult terrain of Kashmir, western media was saying Pakistani army is not just trying hard.

Child labor is an issue that needs to be healed deep. When their are mouths to fed, they dont care about age. And for that matter should they be?? With milk, oil, flour, meat, chicken, eggs, vegetables, rice … all out of one’s reach … you can do two things. Either Steal/Beg or Earn. And they are earning.

What do you think?? Will we be able to eradicate this … will we ever be prosperous enough to give books in these beautiful lil’ hands. About knowledge, they are gaining it though the hard way.

As for US, we are enjoying yet another off-day … sad it doesn’t collide in with the weekend.

<< Haymarket Affair in Chicago

Last evening I was walking by The Mall in pindi. I was a little behind the Army Stadium chowk, when I heard the sound of a smash. I looked forward and all I could see in the dark was an Army jeep backing off and then moving forward on The Mall with a bit of pace. I was frowned on this. As I was a little far from the incident, so all I could think of from this was: this jeep hit somebody, and the guy just backed off, and ran away. Ruthlessness, isn’t it, was all I could think.

Literally pissed off, I moved a bit quickly to the place of incident. There were two guys, quite young, sitting by roadside and a black motor bike, with all that bichu stuff painted on its tank. They were rubbing their arms and the stuff. I just got near to them and asked if they were fine? and if they need any help?, to which they said “No thanks”. A traffic police guy, yeah the new generation, was around and was sort of scolding them which surprised me. On my amusement he told, that the signal was red, and these two guys tried to cross the chowk, and as they thought the road is empty, because of red-signal, they were driving on the backwheel only. Yeah they were wheeling as you say it. And as they were wheeling, they smashed into the army jeep coming from the other side. And it was the Good Lord who saved them, otherwise this could have been as tragic as you may think off.

Image Courtesy: Daily Times

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Some people’s idea of fun is plain sick!!

While being out tonight, i was browsing through a used bookshop in Ayub Market (F-8) when this guy, wearing all black, ran up to the doorway. With arms outstretched and something in his hands he screamed, in the most terrifying tone i have ever heard, “Allah o Akbar”.

Before any of in the shop had a chance to react, he lowered his arms and ran away. It was a couple of seconds before i realized i had just witnessed a precursor to a suicide bombing. Only, that it was done as a prank or a dare (thankfully).

Moments later, a car was screeching away with boys laughing at the top of their voices.

Some people… are just plain sick!

I am the man who walks alone…

Ok, my post isn’t about this song.

I did a post on Cinepax some time ago.

Yesterday night, I was getting bored and wanted to go see a movie in cinepax, but didn’t really go. Because one of the fear in my mind was what if some suicide attack takes place since it’s close to the residence of many Army men and lately there have been many such attacks on Armed forces personnels. The latest one was this one in Lahore.

Ok, suddenly I was taken back about fifteen to twenty years in the Islamabad of my childhood when we used to stay inside our houses at night but back then we had no place to go at nights to hang out. That was not an option because of unavailability of places, these days it’s because of fear.

It’s a shame, God help Islamabad.

God, help Pakistan.

Peace on you, Peace on me…Peace on Humanity…

P.S. I like the new look and feel of Islamabad metblogs. :D

I remember receiving a promotional text message on my cell from NAB, somewhere in Dec 2007. It was Anti Corruption Day, I think. The sender showed a name “NAB”, and the message preview in my cell was only able to show two words “Corruption You …”. I, like anybody else, got a bit amazed on receiving a text message from NAB starting with the word “Corruption” :) Anyway, I went on to read the message, and it was something on the lines of, “Corruption, your NO counts … “. I was like, “Where did these NAB guys got my number from?” with no obvious answer.

Then it was Jan 2008 when I received a promotional text message from Bonanza, telling that SALE on Bonanza Sweaters was on, and I should not miss this opportunity etc. This time it was from some Warid number.

And a couple of days back it was some web portal using GEO in their name (and they were not GEO TV), advertising their website, right on my cell.

I was wondering that how come such spammers get my, or anybody’s for that matter, cell number. It can’t be easy- load guys, as I don’t remember any such instance when I did easy-load on this number. The first thing that struck my mind was “banks”.
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Anyone who wants to buy?