Our brethren need our help. They have been displaced from Swat, Boner, Dir and surrounding areas due to the military operation there. We can help in cash and kind. What can be donated includes but is not limited to as follows:

Food
Wheat, Flour, rice, cooking oil, sugar, lentils, porridge, milk (in powdered form or in sealed tetra/brick packs), potatoes, onions

Water
Cans/bottles of clean drinking water (preferably mineral water)

Clothing
Clothes for Summer and Winter, Socks, Shawls, Shoes

Utensils
Cooking pans, containers, crockery

Bedding
Sheets, Bedding, Blankets

Toiletries and Personal Hygiene Items
Soaps, Tooth pastes, Tooth brushes, Washing powders

Medicines and Medical Items
Bandages, Painkillers, Malaria/Cholera/Diarrhea/Flu medicine (Note: You can contact your local medical centers to get more guidelines on these.)

Apart from this, money can be donated to the aid organisations to enable them to get the basic necessities for our displaced brethren.

Following are some useful links for people of Pakistan who would like to help with their generous donations:

Edhi Foundation: http://www.edhifoundation.com/contact.asp
Al-Khidmat Foundation: http://al-khidmatfoundation.org/donate-here.php
Sarhad Rural Support Programme: http://www.srsp.org.pk/IDP/internally-displaced-people.html
Pakistan Red Crescent Society: http://www.prcs.org.pk/donation.asp

PS: Every little counts, so please help even if you have just one rupee to donate. :-)

So how can we actually celebrate Earth Day? Should we take out a group of people and chant slogans in favor of the environment? Should we put up colourful posters in our offices, homes or even streets? Should we send e-mails to everybody in our contact list to tell them of this day?

Well the above will surely attract attention of a few and they will at least know that it is Earth Day but that would not be fruitful. And it would be much better to do something productive than just do something that doesn’t count towards anything. Here is what I suggest that we should so:

• Let’s be extra careful about the light bulbs and electrical appliances we turn on today. It would be good to turn off one or two (or few) if we can. Turning off all lights and electrical appliances when leaving a room, even if it is for 15 minutes, will surely be a good deed.
• Let’s be extra careful about the tap water we consume today. We should turn off the tap while brushing our teeth or putting soap on our face. We should also keep it turned off while doing kitchen chores (unless off course washing dishes). We should use lesser water to wash the dishes and clothes.
• Let’s be extra careful about the fuel we use today. Let’s turn off the ignition of our cars on all signals and walk instead of taking the car where possible.
• Let’s be extra careful about the paper we use today. Reading e-mails, articles, journals and documents etc on the computer screen is as good as reading a printed version. If we have to print, lets use both sides of the paper. If possible let’s recycle all the waste paper that is around us (we may use services of a “raddi wala” since recycling facilities are practically non-existent).
• Let’s be extra careful when we consume eatables while being on the move. It would be polite as well as environment friendly to keep the fruit peels, wrappers, disposable glasses/plates, bottles and packs etc with us, possibly in a bag, instead of throwing on the streets & roads. Those items can be disposed off when we see a bin or reach home.

This was just a very tiny list of the possible things we could do today to celebrate Earth Day. But I also wish that we would do all this and more every day, irrespective of it being a special day or not. We are all responsible human beings and it is our duty to keep our environment clean and safe. We need to conserve and preserve the existing resources and the environment. Let’s do it for the betterment of our future generations, if not for anything else.

It’s that season in Islamabad.

For those like me who are mildly allergic to pollen grains, or their allergy is quite substantive – take good care of your health.

The season has started!

I didn’t know that it was the International Anti Corruption Day today (on the same day as Eid). I came to know this when I entered Islamabad in the morning via Islamabad Highway. Banners were put up on the street-light posts on the green belt from Faizabad till around Zero Point.

Corruption: Your No Counts

The message on the banner “Your NO Counts” seemed realistic. I do believe that every little ‘no’ really counts. I hope that ‘anti corruption’ does not remain a topic to discuss or a day to observe. I hope we all realise the kind of menace corruption is and try to make all efforts to minimize it. And then eventually eradicate it completely.

Post made originally on December 28, 2006. Re-published :)

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This Sunday I made a trip to the “Mandi Maweshia” also known as Bakra Mandi that is being placed in H-11 this year – yes you are right the same ground where last year earthquake affectees were placed.

I don’t know if it’s large place that’s making the number of sacrificial animals lesser than every year or what … but I guess it’s enough to cater the needs of Islooittes.

Just step in the locality and a very familiar “Goaty smell” or as I normally say “the feeling of Bakriat” is what you’ll feel. Don’t worry move on. To be honest, this was the first time after so many years that I actually stepped inside the bakra mandi … face to face with all bakras and dunbas and gayays. So it was interesting too and incidentally I was the only girl in whole Bakra mandi at that time taking portraits of bakras aka goats and stylish “phedoos” aka sheep with utmost tries to stay as far as possible.

Few tips for newbie who may go out to look for animals just for fun with their parents, or maybe friends …. Few terms that are associated with Goats are:

Kheera: It’s the animal that is of 1.5 – 2 years old.

Donda: This animal is of 2+ age and usually have 4 teeth in front.

Choga: This is of around 4 years of age and is considered a bit older with not very good quality meat.

Please correct me if I’m wrong or any additions to this “knowledge-base”

The range of goats (sorry we didn’t asked for Bulls or camel :>) would go from 7K to 20+ for an average to a very good piece. Do take tips on your way to buying a sacrificial animal for differentiating between a healthy and sick animal … and do look thoroughly if the animal is hurt from somewhere.
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Many a times when I am driving I do not realise that I have gone a notch (ok several notches) up the speed limit. As soon as I realise this (or see the Islamabad Traffic Police sitting at a distance with their speed detection gadgetry) I step on the brakes a little to slow myself down. At times like these I wish for a programmable speedometer that would yell whenever I would break the speed limits. I will have to keep wishing till such a thing is invented and I get my hands on it.

Till that time I am amusing myself with the speed detection meters installed on the 7th Avenue. People who travel on that road must have seen the elevated detectors that tell your speed when you pass by them (you have to be in the right most row to get full benefits of the detector).

When I am driving, I usually take that lane and jump with joy as soon as ‘my’ speed is glorified (displayed on the board that is). My father likes to drive in the centre lane. Everyday when we are heading home at night from work and passing through 7th Avenue, I literally force him to switch to the fast lane well in time for the detector to detect our speed. It is so much fun to see the glowing numbers change on the board! Yuppie! I hope others also enjoy this small ‘treat’ as much as I do.

I would also like to make a note here that speed limits are made for our safety as well as the safety of others. So no matter how compelled we are to break it and speed away, we should try to restrain ourselves. We should at least care for the life and safety of others if not our own.

Happy driving and detecting your speed on 7th Avenue you all! :-)

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 in a forwarded e-mail, I got an interesting letter written by an affectees of post-budget like you and me to the ruling bodies.

Sharing with my readers.

Prime Minister of Pakistan
President Of Pakistan
Co-Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party
Federal Finance Minister

Dear Sirs

Thank you so much for increasing the prices of petroleum products, after the shortage of edible commodities this
increase is like a cold breeze in hot summer, specially your new gift to the nation at the start of the fiscal year 2008-09 by increasing the CNG prices to 31%, we as a nation sincerely appreciate your efforts to support us.

Dear Sirs, we further suggest the following measures to be taken in the broader interest of the nation as soon as possible, the way the nation is enjoying the following benefits, is not the right of this nation and it also hurt your efforts for the stability of economy.
Your kind attention to the following will help to strengthen the economy of the country;

• Breathing – The tax may please be imposed on breathing.
• Eating – The tax may please be imposed on the eating 2 meals a day, (Because of the strong economy now the nation do not afford to eat 3 meals).
• Drinking of Water – The tax may please be imposed on drinking more than 2 glasses daily, additionally taking bath more than once a month should be Taxed.
• Clothing – Wearing Cloths may please be taxable and additional tax on changing the suits/shirts on daily basis.
• Traveling – Journey through the public transport should be allowed once a day, means if someone comes to work by bus/rail he should not be allowed to use the same for going back, when the nation will start to walk back to homes it will help to keep them healthy.
• Birth – Tax may please be imposed on the birth of every child, the tax should be the 10% of the monthly wage rate of the father and if the mother is a working woman, she will also have to pay 10% of her wage, it is also suggested that this tax should be increased 20% to 30% on every additional birth.
• Death – A death tax may please be imposed on every person who dies, an additional tax is also suggested to the suicidal or accidental death.

There are so many other items that are still identifiable and we will try to let you know as soon as we realize the taxability of those.
Now at the end we recommend to award “Nishan-e-Haider”, “Tamgha-e-Khidmat” to the former Prime Minister of Pakistan Mr. Shaukat Aziz and his team for the efforts they made to revive the dying economy of Pakistan.
An increase of 100% in the packages of Members of Assemblies / Ministers and other officials is also suggested, it will help them to serve the nation better, after all we have to take care of the interests of the nation.
Thanking you in advance
Pakistani Nation
Courtesy: M.Arshad Minhas (his name was on the letter I received ~ so probably written by him)

Islamabad Ttraffic Police has issued this traffic plan for the Awaam and Lawyers …. courtesy Dawn for your reference.

See a container … go back to home =))

Ciao!

Just few hours ago, Mansoor posted on Karachi Metroblog about MCB’s under phishing threat. Few minutes later, I got MCB’s Customer Support e-deptt’s e-mail too.

I am sure everyone having an online account is wise enough to manage it well. Still, we are all humans and To err is Human :-)

So Better watch out, if anyone claiming to be a representative of a bank asks for your personal details either through E-Mail or on Phone (lately, telephonic detail gathering is getting common in Pakistan too) . NEVER GIVE ANY PERSONAL/ACCOUNT DETAILS. Even if (s)he says you may win 50K through a lottery … (happened with me =P)

Happy Phishing Counter-Attack!!

E-mail’s pasted after the Jump.

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