April 2014 – My Random Ramblings

The menace of Aerial Firing

Little Anwar* was just nine when he died. He wasn’t suffering from any ailment, he wasn’t retarded in any way, his father had no enmity with anyone, he didn’t die in a road accident, nor was he a victim of a suicide bomber. He died because of a macho’s stray bullet, (ostensibly having a good time trying his new weapon) that hit him right in the head while he was learning to read Quran from a lady on the roof of his house. Death did not come to him instantly, he died some hours later in a hospital. His family is devastated, the pain cannot be described, it is beyond words. I know it because he was my cousin’s son. A lovely boy, always smiling and cheerful. When I went to his father’s house sometime back, I saw a letter written by his class fellows lamenting how much they all missed him. The thought of that letter alone brings tears to the eyes of a harum-scarum slob like me.

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Who Shot Hamid Mir?

Oh! I must tell you I hate the man, I hate the looks of him, I hate his talk, I hate his views, I hate his chubby appearance, his manner of speech, his effete, poor, pathetic English (which he prefers not to speak in). I hate the guy, really. But not enough to shoot or kill him, I mean. Its just a hate one develops for someone they don’t like in the first look. Heck, I can’t even remember when I first saw or heard him, but it was instinctive. I mean how can you love they guy? You can’t ignore him, so what’s left? hate off course. This dud, which we are forced to see every time we switch on the idiot box, and are forced to change the channel, is in the news, big time. Someone, tried to kill him. Yeah , yeah its all over the news everyone knows that. But then he says the spies wanted to kill him. Damn! Reminds me of the 80’s flick “Spies like us.” They must have been a nasty lot of shooters who missed him from such close distance, and instead aimed for his derrière. No wait, were they Pathans? Ah, I guess so. Maybe they fancied him, I mean his derrière. But then why shoot him in that tender part? If they were Pathans they should have kidnapped him and had a go on him. Big time! Big booty! Big fun! Whoa! But instead they shot him in the booty. Phew! And fled away.

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3G finally comes to Pakistan!

We have good news finally. The grand auction of 3G and 4G technologies was held on 23 Apr 2014 under the auspices of PTA. The total amount coming in Government’s kitty is about $ 1.2 Bn, WOW! From what I have heard and followed, Ufone, Zong, Telenor and Mobilink participated in the auction while Warid preferred to stay away. So now the latest picture is like this;

Ufone got a 5 MHz 3G slot.
Mobilink got a 10 MHz 3G slot.
Telenor got a 5 MHz 3G slot.
Zong got a 10 MHz 3G and 10 Mhz 4G (Read LTE, in 1800 MHz) slot.

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Frere Hall Karachi

Lush green placid lawns, acres of space, rows upon rows of trees, a majestic building in the center, a few monuments; that’s what makes Frere Hall stand out in the so many remnants of the British Raj. The building itself was constructed somewhere in 1860’s. It’s a beautiful place to spend any day of the month. In the mornings you are sure to find men and women jogging or walking, in the afternoon a few couples busy talking their troubles under the shade of trees and in the evenings the place is full of kids playing cricket and football, hobbyists clicking their cameras, hawkers selling Pani Puri, Chanay, Chaat or even Ice Cream. The place is serene and full of activity, often. It can be approached from Abdullah Haroon Road as well as from Fatimah Jinnah Road. The adjoining lawns were named as Bagh-e-Jinnah after independence.

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DHA Karachi Sunday Bazaar

Spread on acres of area, nicely laid out, clean and airy, full of interesting stuff; you can find shoes (both old and new), clothes (old and new), socks, caps, hats, veggies, fruits, meat, second hand stuff, tactical gear, holsters, branded bags, books (books and more books), eatables, used toys, dry fruits and almost everything at DHA Sunday Bazar. The show starts every Sunday at around 9 am and goes on till sundown. Early birds get to pick the best stuff, specially imported bags, rucksacks and tactical gear. One is likely to find very good stuff to his/her liking provided he/she has the patience to sift through it. You are sure to find desis as well as a few foreigners trying on stuff or checking out the decoration pieces. The prices are on the low side and one has to master the art of haggling. The sellers come to sell and the buyers to buy, if a price that that suits both is agreed, a quick sale usually follows. The entry/exit and parking system is regulated and the place is lined with cars, motorbikes and bicycles. No need to carry your shopping for you will surely find umpteen porters who will willingly carry your stuff while you shop for a paltry sum of money. The porters do in fact act as guides also. If you get tired or are late and need a cup of tea or even food, head over to the food court which serves everything from Shawarma, to tea, cold drinks, Biryani, BBQ and even Lassi. Do remember to wear comfy shoes so that you can walk the walk, carry your shades, a hat and a water bottle. They do have toilets for men and women both but I would rather hold my bladder then use their services which are abysmal. It is the place to get all your stuff under one roof. Useful Tip: If you find something and like it, buy it. Chances are, you may not find it on your next trip.

Try it out, you will love it. Smile

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Pages: 12

Karachi Bike Show 2014

Last Sunday, amidst the loud music, stiletto heels, tight fitting pants, some auburn hair, lots of hoopla, tight spaces, festive mood, the ever present Press, some crazy teenagers dressed to kill, old moms and young dads, foodies, BBQ wallahs, bike enthusiasts and all converged on The Forum for the Karachi Bike Festival 2014. The same place that hosted Vintage Cars Show, few weeks back. Anybody and everybody looking for some good time was there. The Bikes? well there were more than one could count, more variety, color and designs. Some bought they way they were made others customized to match the required Torque and power. A clear windy day made it an even more joyous place to be. The Hondas, Suzukis, Yamahas, Triumphs, Harley Davidsons and even a lonely BMW were all there in more forms then one can imagine. It was the place to be for Motorbike aficionados. To make it even more pompous some of the bravados put up a spectacular show of bike drifting, one which resulted in much furor, sound pollution and enough smell of burning rubber to stone a lazy haggard like me. Kudos to the management for organizing such a nice show for the motorbike-less likes of me. Enjoy the pics!

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Book Review: Karachi Backwaters by Wayne Crowning

Karachi Backwaters, “My Love Affair with Boats and Other Adventures”

– Wayne Crowning

Karachi Backwaters is the story of a young boy and his love affair with boats, it is a story of hope and failures, of his adventures, it is a story about dreams and their realization, of friendships and parting of friends, of adolescent infatuations, it is a story about the city of Karachi, of boating, fishing and crabbing, of sweet memories, dinners, outings and good food, of stolen cigarettes and veiled puffs amid laughter and fun, it is a story that leaves the reader mesmerized, while in between the lines one can read the nostalgia the author has experienced while writing this book.

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