Madspeak

I went to Canada, the first time ever and stayed with my in-laws just because my mother-in-laws was dying and my wife wanted to see her. The trip itself is an adventure in itself. After arriving in Toronto, I stayed one of my nephews. We were having a great time with his kids, who were playful and very loving. stayed for the first day with him. Arriving at the Toronto airport was not as terrifying as we had been told, it was strange and shocking coming to a different country.Anyway that has nothing with the story. We only could stay for 2 days and 1 night, because my eldest sister-in-law Nishat wanted to take her house in Ottawa. It was the afternoon of the next day when she came over  in her car, to whisk us away to Ottawa. The road trip to Ottawa was deathly silent. My brother-in-law Azhar had a very grim face.  Some years back he had sent an e-mail saying that his mother-in-law was not welcome in his house, one of the reasons is because he spent years looking after his aged mothe

She left Pakistan when she was very little and settled in the USA. Her father had married an American woman. Her name is Alisha.when she became 18. Her father is my cousin, his sister tells me that Alisha is pregnant, she was not prepared to discuss it further.  I left it like that, the grapevine of my extended family started. There was lot of gossip going. The little details I could extract was that she was not married and was having a baby For my extended family it was a shocker. "How could she? She is not even married"  and so many questions like them. The more religiously zealous sounded as if they would kill her  if she was in Pakistan.  Several decades ago there was young woman who had come to Pakistan, because she had never seen her father's country. She had a six year old son. Every single day she would get furious calls from her father. One of the reasons he was upset was that the people who knew him would be shaming him for bringing up a daughter who is unmar

Here some issues pertaining to religion in Pakistan   Noise Pollution : There are several mosques where I live. The  Azaans (call for prayer) via loudspeakers go on for over 30 minutes or more. Every mosque wants its 5 minutes of fame. Fortunately I do not living right next to one, but they are fairly close. The noise over hundred decibels enough to kill people or make their ears bleed. Each mosque tries be louder than the next. It is similar to the public transport people who want traffic ahead of them to move, they use very loud horns, the horns become louder so as to be the one to be heard over the others. As if that will help make the traffic move faster. or  other drivers ahead of them would move out of the way.     Many mosques recite the Koran so loudly that it can ruin anyone's sleep.The people who run the mosques have absolutely no consideration for the people in their neighbourhood. It is uncivilised, uncouth and stupid. Disturbing other people for fanatical religio

I invited my wife's family for a get together. When they came, instead of sitting down to chat, rushed to where the TV was to watch a game.I have no interest whatsoever in the game. Even if I am, I will not watch a game when I am having a get together.  I sat where I usually sit and talk with anyone who comes visiting.This time I was sitting alone - because the game was many times more interesting than my company. Addiction to a game and not being interested in talking about anything is some kind of anti-social behaviour. Some kind of mental illness.  Even if the people are family, there is such a thing as  courtesy and decorum. I suppose people who are anti-social  cannot understand that is, which they brush it  aside. Only after the game ended did they come over to sit. But that was temporary, dinner was served and they rushed to the table. It was apparent they had no interested in talking with me whatsoever. I was feeling really sickened by this behaviour. It hurt. But they

Every 'social networking' site has some technical limits as to how many people can be on a single account.  For Twitter it is 3000 and Facebook it is 4000. Others may have their own. What is social networking for if it is limited in the number of people it can handle at a given time.  All these social networks are beginning  police all activity and censor a great deal.  The very purpose of social networking in itself self -defeating. Many people have stopped using them because there is nothing really going on. No drastic changes, no updates. Many people are on them for absolutely no reason at all. They are there, they have an account but never ever use it. They never bother to log in. There are those who want to share what they are not liked by the owners of that social networking website and the people who using it. The original social networking websites were myriad chat rooms and forums. People who liked the same things got together and shared whatever they had in common 

Young students in their twenties are being kidnapped from Karachi and other cities. Though reports about these are kept secret, but with the frequency they are taking place, there is bound to be a leak  and people eventually get to know about this. But the question is who responsible and why is it happening. There are no clear answers. But the people who get away by committing such crimes are obviously are very highly placed, they are virtually above the law. No one can arrest them, even though the evidence is overwhelmingly against them. This is a new way to terrorise the people, it simply boils down to this. If the police and other law enforcement organisations are unable to prevent crime, the people would be forced to take up arms against those who murder, kidnap and steal. Whatever the reasons for the kidnapping, is irrelevant, the people protecting the kidnappers will face the wrath of the people. No court, no judge is going to prosecute these criminals. There is a limit to su

The begging racket is one of the most common which plagues the city and it involves the police. Traffic signals are rented out to the beggar gangs, the police collects the rent. Beggars are everywhere, not a single place is spared. In shopping areas, wearing dirty clothes, standing in the sun, exposing disabilities. Stories abound of finding out that beggars actually multimillionaires living lavishly, owning several buildings. On days of  religious events gather around at churches, temples and mosques. Many of the beggars are spies "hiding in plain sight". That does not work anymore, because everyone suspects that behind the guise of a beggar they really are someone else. They act insane and pretend to be so many other things, all of them are really very rich with huge bank accounts. If they are exposed, either they move to some other part of the city or they kill the people who know the truth about them. The really destitute and extremely poor people never dare beg becaus

Turkey lost its empire after World War I. The empire comprised of the entire Arab world and some European countries. The Khilafat Movement essentially was to help Turkey in World War I because they were fighting the British - as the saying goes the enemy of my enemy is my friend.  Turkey never got back its empire, it was occupied by the Allies who had won the war. The Arabs never forgave the Muslims of India because they were supporting their oppressors.  This has had a long term impact on Pakistan in its relationship with Arab countries. Yasser Arafat the  late Palestinian leader never made an official visit to Pakistan, he simply stopped over on his way to India. The Arabs saw Islam as a threat to their freedom, which is why they made the Arab league. They saw the Allies as their liberators.  They much rather be ruled by non-Muslims than by Muslims The Arabs hated the term Muslim Ummah, For them it meant being ruled by some non-Arab Muslim country. The Arabs made the Arab League,

The cellphone has become an integral part of Pakistani life, it is hard to imagine life without it anymore.  Every single person is using them, particularly people by those who have a great deal of free time and lots of people to talk to. Gossip gets around fairly fast. I was in a bus, there was this lady who had this phone stuck to her ear and she was asking virtually about everyone in her family and group of friends and telling them all kinds of stories. No sooner she was diconnected because she used up the credit, she added credit resumed her gossiping. All kinds of people, many who are doing fairly menial jobs are busy receiving and making calls. People love staying connected with anyone they know. There are others who have few friends and want to talk, I received one and that unknown person simply wanted to hear me talk about anything. He even went so far as to ask me to lie to him,  because there was really nothing to talk about. He simply wanted to hear a voice. Lonely people

I feel exactly the same as I used as I did when I was a kid. But it struck me that I was older. I was 20 when teaching and all the kids there started calling me 'Sir'.  That really surprised me. That was the title I used to give everyone who was older than I was. I got over the shock, went to the university completed my studies.Being in my 20s was not safe - cops always stopped all the motorcycle riders who were my age, check licence and registration. But it was easier so many other things. Make friends, talk to almost anyone. When I turned 50 things changed drastically - I looked older to everyone else. People called me  with the titles given to people who are old. It was hard to talk to people because of the age difference. Many of my relatives, friends and colleagues had died. There is tremendous respect for older people I must admit, but I have never felt any different.  For instance I was standing in a place there were number of chairs all occupied by younger people. I

The way people made and established themselves is absolutely disgusting. In any case they are rich, accumulated sufficient wealth over the years. Their wealth however has made them feel they are superior to my family and me.  They have a whole bunch of cars and they arrogant beyond belief and very shallow they cannot make an intelligent comment about anything. They dodge subjects. I know mental illness runs in the maternal side of the family but today was the absolute fucking limit. A month or so back I went to see my surviving maternal aunt, she had some figs, she showed them to me, instead of offering them. She shut them off somewhere and very emphatically said she was not going to give them to anyone. A month later another, simply calling on her she hands over the figs and was being very generous.  When I opened the packet, there were worms and insects crawling all over them. It was fair enough to conclude that even she is not immune to the mean and disgusting behaviour which my

Whichever country the British ruled and left, English was left behind. After the British left America in 1776, that was the starting point of American English. Because the USA was no longer connected to Britain. American English has been undergoing changes because of mass migration from Europe. The people needed to communicate with each other and the only common language was English. In that process American English changed with new words and phrases.  After 1947 Pakistani English started, it no longer was associated with the British English. Pakistani English was adopted by everyone who spoke different languages in different regions. Languages survive when they adapt to new circumstances, they adopt new words.  To expect Pakistani's to speak Kings or Queens English is absurd - because no one will understand it. Pakistani English is a language with its own traditions. Pronunciation may be completely strange,  usage, grammar and syntax twisted and turned around, but they make pe

Rehman Malik's idea blocking  cell phone services is going to ensure is madness.  In times of crisis all lines of communications shoul remain open. It is essential that everyone should be contact with everyone. If terrorists are using cell phones to remain in contact with one another, the police can trace calls, listen to what the terrorists are doing and planning and what they have done. This helps the police in catching them before they can.do any damage. In any case of crisis all lines of communication should remain open. People who need medical assistance can call them. If criminals are seen the police can be informed, so that they should be arrested. Even phones are as IEDs that number can traced if there are scanners around. Rehman Malik is nothing but a bloody absolutely corrupt piece of shit

It is a sad fate for a woman to end up getting married a man who is a gambler, an alcoholic or simply does not work at all. The parents are duped into believing that their son-in-law to be actually works somewhere.  The women who have suffered this and borne children, ensure that their children do not suffer in the same way.   But there is no easy way out of the tradition of arranged marriage. The only recourse is make extensive background checks of the people who come with proposals. It is a very arduous task but absolutely necessary. With extensive background checks raises - makes easy arranged marriages impossible. The mothers are very careful, particularly when it comes to their daughters.  They do not want to go through hellish experience as they have. his is a growing pattern. Women who have divorced their useless husbands are making sure that their daughters do not end with similar husbands. This is happening because society has reached a level of prosperity allowing them to s

Where there are extremes of wealth there  such a situation  there is an extreme of corruption and lechery and extremes of shame, guilt and fear. But such extremes are unsustainable. All extremes gravitate towards neutrality, towards entropy. Extremes cannot survive because they need to be fed constantly and when they can no longer be fed it leads to decay. Just as wealth end so does poverty. Because the wealthy start becoming poorer, start losing money the money gets distributed. Amongst the poor, some become prosperous.  Some of the former wealthy descend into poverty  - some starve to death because wealth had made them lazy they never developed the energy to work for themselves, there were always had servants catering to all their needs.The poverty stricken rise, because they learn how to steal from the lazy rich who are to weak and incompetent to protect their wealth. This cycle breaks when there are few who do not steal, but work for a living. Any kind of skill which they have

The democratic government in Pakistan is a mirage.  The power lies in the hands of the military which decides everything.  It is above the law hence not accountable to anyone. During the 1990s the military was playing the role of puppeteer - after General Zia was killed in 1988 - it was assumed the end of a military dictatorship. It was not so - the military was very much in control and remains so.The generals may change - but within the armed forces there is a central command. It does not have to show its face. The military consumes 90% of Pakistan's budget. There is no money left for anything else. There is no room for development of infrastructure or anything else. When a general is removed the central command offers the people a political government of its own choice. All the failures of the military, all the allegations of corruption of decades is dumped on the new civilian government. The generals and the central command which run their affairs are the ones to blame. The ce

http://tribune.com.pk/story/420919/no-dance-parties-but-dars-allowed-rules-dha/ Some people are pleased to abandon their freedom.  Their privacy taken away. There are military officers who imagine by denying people freedom they are doing a great service. The military has occupied a large chunk of Karachi and is running it as its personal fiefdom. Its are rules are not debated. It is dictation and nothing else. Greed and corruption runs rampant there is no one to challenge it. Commissioned officers firmly believe that only they have the right to run Pakistan - for better or for worse. When General Zia took over he changed Defence Housing Society into Defence Housing Authority. Ever since then every kind of racket started. The water supply racket. Although water pipelines were set up, but the water was not supplied through them by through water tankers. The road building racket. The sewerage line racket. Every conceivable violation has taken place Schools were set up by private parti

People have such little regard for their personal freedom - when they do not like something on TV and films they start making calls for  banning it. If not not entirely banning it - seek to have it censored. What they forget are the people who do not find it offensive or are curious to know about it. Not wanting to watch something, is a personal choice but it is not something which should apply to others. Just because they feel in a certain - does not necessarily mean that others feel exactly the same way. Some go along with the condemnation of books, films and TV shows - because they do not want to be seen as separate from the rampaging crowd, lest they become a target. Because of this attitude the government sets up organisations which censor everything the public sees the most fundamental of liberties - freedom of expression is gone. It is dangerous. Because when the government starts making mistakes, there is no one telling it what it started doing wrong. Those who report the

I suppose nowhere in the world are courts closed for 'summer vacations' as they are in Pakistan. Courts are closed for two long months. For that reason cases pile up by the end of those two months.  The number of judges are few and the number of cases run for into hundreds at times., every single day. Court sessions are only  from 9.30 AM to 1.30 PM with a tea break in between.  The cases which are not heard on that day are given a new date or never given any. The lawyer has to get a new date provided a judge is available.  Before any case can have its day in court - it has to be registered - the registrar is a very powerful person he can choose to reject a case if he wants to. After the case is registered - the bailiff takes his time to send the case to the respondents.  The respondents hire their lawyers who prepare a reply. When the reply is sent a rebuttal is sent.  There is such a thing called Katchi Peshi - meaning rough presentation of the case - if the petitioner is l

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