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Pakistan's telecommunication business

For decades in Pakistan telephone connections was the purview of the government. These were given on priority basis. Ordinary people who were in no particular field could not get a telephone connection for years. The procedure had tremendous red tape.  Strangely enough the application was addressed to the president of Pakistan, as if he had nothing better to do than approve telephone connections. It was some time later that civil servants realised that telephone connection was not privilege but a business like any other. The PTCL was apparently 'privatised' but it remained a monopoly. Land connections belonged to only one organisation namely PTCL and no other company 26% shares belong to Etisalat Telecommunications instead of allowing private Pakistani companies own. it. The rest of PTCL is still owned by the government. In all fairness privatisation should have meant that PTCL's different operations should have been sold to different Pakistani companies.  There should n

Acid attack on women

The film 'Saving Face' won an Oscar Award. But the the question about who is  really responsible for the acid attacks on women. Women have been mentioned very categorically. The problem is why has no one heard of men being attacked in the same way? The number of places such attacks take place in the red light areas. Any prostitute is beautiful and is a source of attraction to the majority of men  - such a woman is taking business away from other brothels and this affects them. What they do in retaliation is throw acid on those prostitutes. When those women are scarred - the men will visit other brothels. The business is a nasty one. The brothel in which the women are scarred retaliate by doing the same to the prostitutes belonging to other brothels. This is one aspect. Women vehemently hate each other and are very jealous of one another. Immediately after marriage - a man has to shift to a new place with his wife. Because his wife cannot get along with her mother in law and s

The ever growing Pakistan middle class

The development of middle class - was a result of several forces.  The concept of a middle class, rather the middle class being a force to be reckoned with was not realised. It is easy to rule a country - if there are only two classes - the rich and the poor. The rich rule the poor obey. The cliché term 'widening gap' between the rich and the poor' which the pseudo-intellectuals have used - would apply if there was no such things as a middle class. The existence of the middle class negates such perceptions. When Pakistan  came into existence - the middle class was small - it comprised mainly of civil servants.  There were doctors and lawyers - as time went by retired military officers joined the ranks of the middle class. Instead of people plunging into abject poverty - people floated to the surface to form the middle class. With large number of labour moving to the oil rich countries and returning - they started settling in cities  - initially Karachi became first city

Bacha bazi and Western values

http://www.newjustice.net/blog/2010/09/13/bacha-bazi/ When the Afghans were fighting the Soviet Union, they were  best allies of the the ' Free World'.   Their religion was supported and their way of life was never questioned. However after the defeat of the Soviet Union in 1988 - Afghanistan was implicated in an act of terrorism and attacked by the USA and its allies (the invaders) 2001. This war not only involved having soldiers and hi-tech weapons in Afghanistan, it involved starting a propaganda war. The faith of the Afghans down to their way of life started being questioned. A campaign started that the people of Afghanistan are against the freedom of the West.  A tradition which has been around since time immemorial of boys used for sexual purposes. Even  Alexander the Great and his army got caught up in it. Invaders have been defeated in Afghanistan. A leading reason is the feminising of the soldiers. Any soldier would never happy to rejoin fellow soldiers because of

A free life

Sexual repression is a way of life, it is not freedom in any way. The most important aspect of a sexually repressed society is the inability to find sex pleasurable. There is too much guilt and shame associated with it. What is shameful about finding sex enjoyable? Why is it dishonourable to do so? Everyone is, to  a certain degree perverted in one way or another- but everyone wants to give the appearance of being 'just like everyone else' - which is, for all practical purposes impossible. Everyone has some sexual quirk which differs from another person. We live in a world in which norms are dictated by a group of people who have specific values and want others to follow them. A concerted effort has gone to into desexualising children. In the movies of the 1950 and 1960s children were not desexualised. Take for instance the movie Yesterday Today Tomorrow -  Sophia Loren is lying and a boy fingers her.  That would be unacceptable today - because the powers that be are will not

The falsehood of unrequited love

Unrequited love- is really sick. There are emotionally dead people - they are called sociopaths. - no amount of romantic overtures done to them will make them fall in love, because they do not what love is. They can give all the impression of falling in love - as long as it is a means to an end. I fell in love  -many times - those three women did not and could not respond the same way. They were cold as ice. I was young then - thought there was something wrong with me. Or it was my fault. Now I know better. How those women turned. Their careers mattered more to them than anything else. They have lied and cheated to the top and destroyed everyone who came in their rise. These women do not know love or any other emotion. They also can never have any genuine sexual desire. If they do have sex - it is to gain something. They also know how important it is to keep partner happy and be deserving of his love, affection and intimacy. She would be hurt  and very upset if I would give the same

My former friend Baber

I became  Baber's friend - because it was his older sister Chikie whom I was interested in, in my teenage years. She was pretty - it was unrequited love. Eventually  realised  she did not spurn just  my feelings - she had none of her own - was married for a year or so - her true passion was move up in her career and she move to the top, destroying everyone who was on her way - she is phenomenally rich. However Baber poor soul was not nearly as successful. I remember always needing to emain extremely polite with him. This  friendship was growing up to be a nuisance.  With other friends I could say anything I liked, talk utter nonsense for hours, let our hairs down and joke. With him there was nothing like that. I accepted him  for what he was and let it be. Then there were little things which I chose to ignore. Once I went to his place - he was feeding his grandmother. I was talking to with, he exploded in rage. I was taken aback. "Can't you see I am feeding my Naany&quo

The mystery of Hitler

Hitler remains a mysterious figure for people in Asia - because the western 'World War' II remained mainly in Europe and some parts of Africa. For the people of South Asia - Britain was the main occupying force and everyone hated them. So whenever the British suffered a set back - the South Asians cheered. No one was allowed to praise the victories of Germany over Britain. The famous poet Josh Mali Abadi had written a verse in praise of Hitler, which landed him jail for a short time. Hitler has been portrayed as the most horrible man in Western History - however the atrocities of the British were no less in Bengal.  There are so many stories regarding this apparent villain - it makes no sense at all. There conspiracy theories  and there are counter-conspiracy theories.  Is Hitler a human being or some kind collective mindset or an institution. There are stories he was funded and supported by a whole bunch of people to get him power. Why would anyone want that to happen? What

Blocking adult websites 2

Except for one article in the Daily Times, there has hardly been any reaction to the government ordering the blocking of adult websites. It is as if the people accept no one really cares or concerned.  The most probable reason is that the people that this has become and on again off again thing.  Facebook and You Tube have been banned then re-opened.  The people of Pakistan it seems consider their government to be clownish and insane.  Taking it seriously is an absolute waste of time. It is only a matter of time when all the rules will be reversed because it is technologically  impossible to stop things such as these. A few years ago a complete ban on Indian TV shows had started. Quickly people found their favourite alternative - the CD and the DVD.  Some wag said  Zardari wanted to favour some video shop owner who rents out CDs and DVDs and Internet adult website were not letting him do so. When that video shop owner has enough customers, the adult websites would be restored. All

Blocking of websites

http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?86588-Pakistan-Blocks-Thousands-of-Adult-Websites The government has ruined its image in practically every field - by resorting to rampant corruption. The result is that  Pakistan Railways is bankrupt. Pakistan International Airlines may close down soon.  The cronies of Zaradari and Gilani have been given opportunities to steal as much as they can from wherever they can.  New ministries and departments are being made for different lackeys - so that they can loot the country as much as they want. Since the cronies cannot be kicked out and outright theft cannot be stopped - the only thing Zardari can do is tell the ISPs to do is block all Adult websites. Which has proven to be a monumental task and has resulting in the crashing of the Internet. General Musharraf tried the same thing with disastrous consequences.  It is next to impossible to block thousands of websites. A few can be, but not all. of them.  When General Musharraf tried - it was

Thought control

If I hate something - I cannot express it on social network. If something bothers me -  I cannot say it. When I know something is wrong - I have two choices - write it down in my journal - which I do more often when I come across the fact I have been blocked out. I am angry - I will use my journal - no one can stop me from doing that. No moderator, no administrator. No one. Its just me and my thoughts. My emotions and my feelings, written down using ink. No I will not use the computer to do that, who knows what kind technology there which can be transmitted from a mere word processor. Only those moderate are those who are afraid what I say is right. The answer are placard, leaflets and what I write my private journal.What kind of world is it  - in which there is such thing thought control? One should restrain ones emotions and thoughts. One should not express something, which presumably will hurt the feelings of others. The truth hurts a great deal - because it happens to be true.

Plot to assassinate God

HHaving as much money as God is the not the same thing as being God and creating anything and owning it. Gaddafi was killed today. Osama bin Laden is said to have been killed, this year. Some years ago Saddam Hussain was killed, all his sons killed, just like Gadaffi's sons were recently. The reasons for all these wars may seem mundane as oil, the control over the riches on the planet. Economic reasons. It could be something very different. I had met astrologist in 2004 and was fairly accurate in his predictions. He had said if the war in Iraq and Afghanistan do not end, then 2008 the USA will suffer a major financial set back. The astrologer died in 2006 - never get to see how true he was.These wars on the surface may be religious in nature or political but they have a greater meaning. 2012 is cited as the end of the world. There is a kind desperation - conquering a country is one thing, but actually seeking and killing the leader of the country and wiping out his family is biza

Cell phone companies call charges in Pakistan

No matter how the  cell phone service providers advertise  their call charges - the call rates are Rs. 6 per minute. This includes all the other charges like: Line rent LLD GSM service GST Advanced Income Tax So it is fairly expensive to make calls. The advertised call charges hide the actual charges. Why should cell phone companies charge income tax from its subscribers? Income tax is on the  income the cell phones  and it has nothing to do with the subscribers, unless cell phone companies are committing tax fraud.  They are hiding their actual income from the auditors and the tax collectors. 

Neocolonialism and war's end

 Afghans were attacked against once again by foreign forces in 2001. Only 13 years ago a foreign invader had left their land. They were ready as they always could be. It was not running to the hills, the hills was their countryside and their most powerful defence. The Afghans never question why  they are being invaded they are ready to fight. Their country littered with weapons of the previous invader and weapons provided by an ally. The invader faced unbelievable resistance. All tactics and stratagems adopted against the previous which were tried and tested - were being used against the new one. The  young 20 year old or so soldiers - of the invaders were too small to know about the previous war in the country and did not know what they were getting into. Even the senior officers had no experience fighting here. If the country was a flat plain then fighting would be easier - it was mountainous terrain all the way and there was a sniper on every hilltop and mines left by the Soviet Un

Britain on fire or who really care if it is.

Can a nation which has in recent years destroyed cities and killed so many people be respected? Does such a country deserve sympathy?   Bombing Libya is another example of absolute about indifference and hate which prevails in Britain. Britain has killed people for all kinds of reasons. Not a single one of them justified.  Britain should have been destroyed long ago - a land of  buccaneers. Piracy was considered a noble profession. Britain sold opium to China. The barbarians from this island spread like a disease across the world. This disease is slowly dying. Britain crossed all limits of barbarity and then proclaiming themselves as the most civilised in the world. The arrogance and smugness has not gone. Their stiff upper lips will remain. They will justify every crime. The reason why Britain goes to out destroying countries - is simply the fact it considered more civilised than everyone else and the cities of the world are worthless, hence have to be eliminated. Psychopaths.  Why

US objectives and Pakistan leadership crisis

During the Cold War - the USA used Pakistan for its ends.  Before the USA had set up its spy satellite network, it planned to fly it space planes. The country for this purpose was Pakistan. From Pakistan the plane would take cover the USSR and land in the USA. In order to pull this off - Pakistan had to become dependable ally. Which meant that Pakistan's government should have to agree to this arrangement. The USA did not want to compensate Pakistan for the use of the air base. In order to keep it 'Top Secret' - Pakistan's press had to be completely controlled. Democracy ended in Pakistan on the behest of the USA. Press freedom also vanished. General Ayub was the president of the country and his foreign minister was ZA Bhutto. The U2 spy planes flew from Peshawar air base. Since the press was in complete control of General Ayub's regime - any journalist who stumble upon the 'secret US air base' - such a news item would never be published.  Someone did, he w

Iran and USA, enemies or friends?

The Shah of Iran had upset Israel in his interview   he had with Mike Wallace. The Shah was arrogant enough to condemn Israel for all the troubles in the Middle East . The Shah completely forgot that he was given opportunity to rule Iran – because the CIA had allowed him. The plot which helped bring down Iran ’s prime minister Mossadeq –and bring Shah Pehalvi, could be done again.   The method used by the CIA was to get rid of Mossadeq was start demonstrations in mosque. Islam has been the CIA’s best weapon against the Muslim countries. The Shah was unceremoniously kicked out of Iran in 1979 and no country was willing to accept him. The Shah   as long as he was in power did the following ·         Used the oil money ‘modernise’ Iran – made it more western than the West. He little or not tolerance for mullahs and ayatollahs.   ·         He imagined as long as he kept the same mullahs who had brought down Mossadeq may do the same against him.   ·         The   Shah adopted second l

Rise in the price of world food prices and oil

The USA imposed sanctions on Iran after the Shah was ousted. The result of those sanctions was that Iran's main export which is oil  was stopped - at least the USA was not importing Iranian oil.  Libya was charged with terrorism and trying build nuclear weapons - sanctions were imposed on it too. But Libya managed to bribe itself out of that mess. Some years later Iraq and Iran were at war. Iraq needed money to fund its war  - it bought the latest weapons the USA was willing to offer. As long as the war lasted- There was more Iraqi oil into the world market. There was oil glut- the  price of oil crashed. The oil companies in the USA were the ones which suffered the most, which was unforgivable. The oil glut was worse than an oil embargo. The oil embargo made the oil companies rich a glut made them poorer. The solution lay in a controlled flow of oil, particularly Iraq. Iraq suffered an oil for food system. It had to supply oil in return for food. In 1998 both India and Pakistan

Non-governmental organisations nonsense

There are just about too many non-governmental organisations (NGOs) - apparently working on several projects. The ones working on the problems of women are myriad. There are  others working to free those people who have been detained indefinitely without charges. There are NGOs for the environment and wildlife preservation. For every single problem which exists  there are several NGOs If you ask them what they have achieved, other than having their reports published in newspapers - they have no answer. In the recent Women's Day - the rape and abuse of women was highlighted - how about talking about women who made difference? Women who have done things in the scientific field, in the arts in different fields f human endeavour. NGOs stick to their agenda - on paper their work looks very noble and worthwhile - the problem is the issues once resolved - the purpose of the existence of NGOs ceases. Running NGOs is a business - money comes from people who believe in their cause - some o