So finally ITP (Islamabad Traffic Police) has made it a rule. Any driver caught on mobile while driving or not wearing a seat belt will be fined from today, Friday 1st August. This law is introduced to minimize the accidents caused.

A driver will be fined a sum of Rs. 300 for violation of these laws (which IMO is a very low amount – more the better).

BTW, I heard of laws in Sharjah and Dubai (not first hand news so cant really confirm if the situation is actually such) where the police just notes down the registration number of cars and send them heavy amount on tickets direct to their homes. They wont stop you asking why are you speaking on your mobile or why’s the seat belt hanging around. Perfect way to treat our people here as well. I wish.

So be careful next time you hear a ring tone in your car. Dont be tempted to pick it.  Good Luck~

Adieu~

Today Islamabad and Rawalpindi got quite some scare of the explosions. Speculations are they could be some supersonic jets.

As geo reports:

Police officials in Rawalpindi say there is no evidence of any actual explosion having taken place. A senior police official in Rawalpindi told he was unaware of any actual explosion, and suggested the sound may have been from jets breaking the sound barrier. However officials at the Pakistan Air Force said that none of its jets had broken the sound barrier today.

If I remember accurately back in 96-97, an Indian jet flied in airs of Islamabad breaking the sound barriers. Ironically, our air forces woke up hours after the incident.

Nothing concrete yet.

We are out to save the judiciary. We are out to save the country.

Lawyers country-wide are approaching Islamabad, alongwith political leaders like Nawaz Sharif and Imran Khan, to stage anti-Musharaf protests and reinstating of CJ and SC judges.

Musharaf’s entrapment is increasing day-by-day BUT don’t you think the judiciary is going political too. In present circumstances what do you think is good for Pakistan?

• Musharaf leaving his seat?
• CJ and other judges reinstated.
• Zardari’s CO-PM status.
• Nawaz Sharif coming in Parliament and a to-be PM.
• “Azaaad Adliya” or Free Judiciary.

Do you think like shedding of uniform … Musharaf’s leaving the seat will bing any good to the nation and country?

Do you think reinstatement of judiciary is a bigger problem for awaam of Pakistan (a common Pakistani) or is it price hikes in daily commodities, Fuel, loadsheddings, etc.?

Who do you see as the perfect leader from the present clan of leaders?

The freedom of judiciary will ever be able to bring us free and fast judiciary too? Dowe have men of faith and just in abundance now?

I hope the answers to all these queries are not just rants of me and you. I hope that they be heard. In present circumstances I’m not very hopeful.

Pictures after the jump.

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I was shocked to read this news piece today in Dawn. Probably I still have many hopes buried deep inside from the ones in power … Should I lay them to eternal rest?

Have a read yourself:

Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari visited the headquarters of Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) on Friday to attend a briefing on the security situation, sources told Dawn.

The presence of Mr Zardari, who is neither an elected lawmaker nor a government official, in the important briefing surprised observers here because such briefings are held exclusively for people under oath.

….

The sources said the prime minister and his team were briefed on the current situation in tribal areas and along the borders.

Such meetings are a routine matter and heads of intelligence agencies brief new government functionaries on the security situation to help them formulate future policies. The nature of such briefings is so sensitive that the president or the prime minister is required to go to the headquarters for first hand information, and non-government functionaries and low-grade intelligence officials are not invited.

No official handout was issued about the briefing and ministers belonging to the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) were tight-lipped about Mr Zardari’s presence in the briefing.

Meanwhile, Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, General Tariq Majeed and Director General Strategic Planning Division Lt-Gen (retd) Khalid Ahmed Kidwai visited the Prime Minister House and briefed Mr Gilani on the country’s strategic assets and various projects undertaken by the division to make the country’s defence impregnable.

….

On Political front a lot more is going on than we are thinking …!

God help the country!

….. After 44 years :)

Before:

_{A Pakistani soldier and a police officer stand guard as Pakistani athletes take part in a rehearsal for the upcoming Olympic torch greeting ceremony at Pakistan Sport Complex, in Islamabad, Pakistan on Tuesday, April 15, 2008. The Olympic torch will arrive in Pakistan on April 16 on its 20-country, 137,000-kilometer (85,100-mile), global journey. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)} …Courtesy Boston.com

After:

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Roam around Islamabad and find gorgeous colors blooming in nook and corners, roads and highways (Close the other eye from the mud and construction around for your own good ;-) )

Images below are all Courtesy Flickrites … thanks to them for capturing Isloo’s beauty so well … my photographical instincts are waiting for a weekend too :\

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The Beijing Olympics 2008 torch will reach Islamabad on 16th of april – 2 days down the lane :)

Supposedly Islamabad will be decorated for the event … Let’s see what the two-day wait brings in here.

Islamabad is one of the 22 venues selected around the world for the Beijing 2008 Olympics Torch Relay, said Pakistan Olympics Association (POA) Chairman. Six Olympic Torch Bearers who would represent the sposnors during the torch relay in the country were also announced. The six individuals have been selected for their contributions towards the uplift of the society.

Nominated were Syed Babar Ali, a noted business icon, philanthropist, environmentalist and the chairman Coca Cola Pakistan; Dr Yasmin Rashid who is the founder of Pani Pakistan; former world squash champion and currently president of World Squash Federation Jahangir Khan; Hassan Sardar, renowned former national hockey player and 1984 Olympics gold medalist; Ali Hassan Habib, president WWF-Pakistan; and CARE chairperson Seema Aziz.

One of the three ‘concepts’ of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games is the “Green Olympics”.

Information Courtesy: Dawn

Image Courtesy: Pro Pakistan

Flickring through Islamabad MB group on Flickr, I ended up looking at the serene beauty of Golra’s century old Bamyans Banyans (aka bargad ~ century old is purely my own assumption).

Have you been tO Golra Railway Station ever? If no ~ wake up, pack up and get going. Its a MUST visit. The picture above seems familiar? If you closely watched vital Signs singing their tunes in early 90’s … you can recognize it :) Remember Islamabad’s 5th gift to world?

The News published a fine article almost an year back on Golra Railways station and it’s heritage museum … citing:

… All said and done, it is a gem of a museum and well worth a visit, especially if you remember the good old days when traveling by train was an exciting prospect — something to look forward to as you packed your bags; a hamper with food and books and magazines to read when it became too dark to look outside. A paratha and an omelet never tasted as good as when you had them cold with a nice hot cup of tea bought from the vendor on the platform. The strident voices of other vendors as they called out their wares — most of these to titillate pangs of hunger that are somehow intensified during travel — each trying to outdo the other so he could be heard and be the one to make the first sale, the thrill of travelling on a ‘choo-choo’; or ‘chook chook’, as we say in this part of the world; the clouds of hissing steam coming out of the wood and coal fired engine; the hustle bustle of passengers and porters and the “All aboard”, call of the guard as he waved his green flag, are all part of childhood memories a visit to Golra Station brings back — a nostalgic hour or two well spent!

Few weeks back we inquired about a visual which was taken 850 Kms away from Islamabad. Some interesting replies :-)

This time it’s nearer but is it really this near?? Where do you think this picture’s been taken.

Islamabad is just 262 KMs away ..!

Will be answered on 21st Mar !!

Credits Later…!

Update – 22nd March 2008:

Oh it’s 22nd march already … sorry for being late :)

The picture is taken by Go2Net … in Besham, Karakoram highway.

Rehan’s technical answer was quite amusing but hey in first go Riaz answered correctly.

Thanks everyone for participating and most of you were close to the answer here … stay tuned…!

Riaz, you’ll get  1 month free supply of Islooitte news in ur feed reader if u get subscribed to this :P

can you feel th misery in this kid’s eyes? And the packet it’s holding is symbol of neglect from our side, No?

Polluting at large … !

Image Credits: Citizen of Two Worlds @ Maragallas

ps: Do read the comments posted on this pic … interesting point of views (clickety on the image).