Madspeak

It is an old tradition of our newspapers is to announce the names ‘top three’ position holders of any examination. Which is nothing but a statistical improbability, because out of tens of thousands of students appearing in an exam it is ludicrous that only three students should fully comprehend the subjects they were taught. If this is true then it would mean that all the other candidates for the exams are complete idiots who could not understand the subjects they were taught. There is something seriously wrong with this, either all should fail all should get equal marks because they were all given the same subjects to study hence should provide the same results. It is impossible to believe that only three students every year get the topmost marks while the rest lag behind. No one studies in order to fail one seeks admission in an educational institution so that one gets an opportunity to learn. No one will invests in anything in which the chances of failure is the most likely outcome....

In Islamabad a residential area has come under control of an authority (which has been praised to the skies0 - it only means the people living in that residential area will not the previlege represenatation. They will be subject to the whims and fancies of the those who run the administration of the authority. Instead of being called a housing society in which all the people living in the residential area had a say in the problems which they faced - now those rights have been taken away from them. It is as if the people cannot be trusted to look after their own interests. In Karachi the Defence Housing Authority exists it is a part of the Cantonment Board. A cantonment use to a British military base and housing area. These should have been done away after 1947 - but they continued. The military not only runs the country, it is also the biggest real estate businessmen. The military has also entered the education business - providing dubious degrees to students. When the most hated and ...

The anti-smoking campaign has been around for over 20 years, cigarette ads and packs of cigarettes state the harmful effects of smoking. But even then people smoke, obviously the anti-smoking campaign does not work. I doubt very much that cigarettes are addictive as it is claimed. I tried smoking - it had no effect! I never developed the 'habit' . I can only assume that most people smoke more for social reasons than anything else. Perhaps some people have the tendency to get addicted or they choose to get addicted. One of the most potent argument smokers present is 'No one lives forever' and the other is 'live healthy and die healthy'. Unlike excessive alcohol consumption, cigarettes have yet to prove that they are a social menace. A person who drinks too much can become a menace to society, his behaviour is a danger to everyone, particularly his family provided he has any. No warning labels exist on the bottles of alcohol beverages - althoug...

Considering the way people protested about the building of new consulate for the USA in Karachi - only shows how fed up people of the city have become with - diplomats of not only the USA but also of other countries, who are demarcating entire city areas as if they are their private turf. It has become irritating. Not only the flow of traffic is affected but also anyone passing by the offices and residences is considered suspect as if everyone in the city is a terrorist. A perfectly law abiding citizen is treated like a common criminal. It would be better if the consulates, all the foreigners who feel insecure in Karachi, would be start living elsewhere. It is a matter to note that as long as the Cold War lasted, the friendly face of all envoys was seen. There were cultural events. But as soon as the Cold War ended the envoys became blatantly obnoxious and hostile. First it was ' How to make friends and influnce people' the opposite 'How take enemies, coerce, irritate...

Starting a career in advertising – every advertising agency is one man show. The person who owns the advertising agency – is the only copywriter and creative director. There is no place for anyone who chooses to be a copywriter, there never was and there never ever will be. In all companies whether they are advertising agencies or not have one thing in common the person who is the most incompetent, the most stupid is more likely to be promoted. Promotion is based the heights of incompetence one can rise to. This idea cost the life of the former Prime Minister ZA Bhutto who promoted the apparently the most idiotic generals and who had track record of complete incompetence – to the top ranking position in the army. He was none other than General Zia-ul-Haq. He overthrew ZA Bhutto’s government and had him executed. But the concept of promoting a complete moron is the fear that a smarter person would threaten the position of the person at the top. An incompetent and stup...

The junta has done it again, blocking all the roads of Karachi – because of another dubious international fanfare which goes by the name of Expo 2005. The junta is above the law and has no consideration for anyone, causing huge traffic jams where should be none. Entire areas have shut off so that the movement of traffic is curtailed. Not even ambulances are allowed to get through, although have right of way, because they are on a mission to save lives. Just like the previous IDEAS exhibition where the same moronic behaviour was displayed. Whenever the existing ‘prime minister’ and ‘president’ is in the city, the entire city areas are blocked. What is worse the junta has recently increased the price of petrol has been increased by 110% and the ‘prime minister’ says inflation is only 7%. So all the people who waiting forced traffic jams with their engines running were going nowhere at all, waiting for hours before they got anywhere. Be it IDEAS, Expo 2005 or if the ‘prime ...

It is said that slavery has come to an end in this day and age, but nothing can be further from the truth. The large feudal lords of Sindh and Punjab are above the law in every sense. All the people working on their farms are slaves or serfs. Slavery also exists amongst the tribes, tribesmen are nothing more than slaves of their chiefs, they are not entitled to any pay for their services. What has become a threat to their way of life is industrialisation. The employment of people and paying them salaries on a monthly basis. But it will take a very long time when slavery will ever end. All these slaves have forfeited every bit of their dignity for the singular purpose of survival. Those who can escape to the city, mainly Karachi where the majority of the factories are located do so. But it takes a tremendous amount of courage to do so. The concept of industrialisation and job creation is still an alien one. The existing system can never bring about true democracy when most...