Peshawar...

I am the Civilization, I am the father of Budha;
I am the oldest amog cities, I have seen it all;

I have seen the mighty Kushans,
Ruthles Parthains and Aryans;

I have seen the Guuris and
I have seen the Ghazbais;

And the Mughals I have SEEN
I have seen the Sikhs and British!

I survived all those and I SURVIVED!
Because I have SONS like NONE!
OH Brave sons! I survived because they are me!
and I am THEM!

I survived for thousand of years,
and I will surely survive these moments too!

Let me tell you WHO I AM!

I AM PESHAWAR.... ......... ......... ..

اقبال

فقط نگاہ سے ہوتا ہے فیصلہ دل کا

نہ ہو نگاہ میں شوخی تو دلبری کیا ہے

Jessica Watson

Jessica Watson, the youngest sailor to set an aim to sail across the globe. An Australian national, she is only 16 and has started her journey on 18 Oct 2009 (Yesterday). She will sail over more than 23000 nautical miles (around 37,000 KMs). Her journey will last for 18 months and she has started from Sydney towards Cape Horne (Argentina).

During her solo trip, she is expected to take no assistance, and sail non-stop.

She can regularly send her updates through her website and blog.

http://www.jessicawatson.com.au/

I think its the human courage personified.

Hats off

Goodluck Jessica.

On younis' Resignation

Yet another resignation from the second most prominent khan in the history of Pakistan Cricket. First one, we all know is Imran Khan.

Since the T20WC win in June09, Pakistan team had a relatively stable time on and off the field. Its a rarity because stability is one word which has always been missing in Pakistan cricket directory. If I recall a couple of years from today (Oct09), I can not even count the number of unusual incidents that happen to Pakistan cricket team. They lost the host rights of Champions Trophy, lacked playing competitive cricket at home and away home, suffered attacks on a visiting SL, had trouble couping with ICL players, Asif and Shoaib's issues, and many similar problems. But a win always unites a team as it does to a suffering nation. A win in a global and prestigous WCT20 and a semi final berth in CT09 were two big reasons for a wave of bliss in Pakistan ranks. Pakistan have now gathered a nice bunch of young and old cricketers who can take their game to the next level. And I think the biggest factor in this surprising surge is none other than Younis Khan, who managed to trust on the under-performing players in their difficult times and brought new refreshing youngsters.

But Pakistan cricket is not a smoothly sailing boat. On the field, they are always unpredictably brilliant, but off the field you can expect any situation.

Younis was called by the parliamentary committee to explain some very serious allegations of match fixing in semi final match against NZ in the CT09. ICC, almost in no time, denied these allegations but the committee persisted to have a "meeting" with the PCB officials, coach and the captain. This left no option for Younis but to resign. He is very clear in his mind on this issue, "I have more value for my self respect than anything else in my life, even cricket". For those who know sub continental cricket, they can realise what cricket means for the people and players. This shows the strenght of character of a sportsman who can sacrify anything for his honour.

I think, even if this is a symbolic resignation which will ultimately be nullified by the board chairman, it will give a strong message to all those who want to fullfil their own small agendas.

Bravo Younis....

Golden Words

"Shiekh Sa'adi"

"شیخ سعدی سے کسی نے پوچھا " بھائی اور دوست کے بارے میں کچھ کہیں
"شیخ سعدی نے فرمایا"دوست ہیرا اور بھائی سونا ہے

اس شخص نے کہا آپ کیا فرما رہے ہیں حضور ہیرا مہنگا ہوتا ہے اور سونا سستا
شیخ سعدی نے فرمایا" بھائی سونا اسلئے ہے کہ ا گر حالات کی وجہ سے اس میں کوئی دراڑ آجائے تو سونے کو پگھلا کر دوبارہ اکٹھا کیا جاسکتا ہے.
مگر
ہیرا ٹوٹ جائے تو اسے دوبارہ جوڑا نہیں جاسکتا
---

Sheikh Saadi was asked by someone,

"What is the difference between a friend and a brother.?"

He replied,

"A brother is like GOLD and a friend is like a DIAMOND...!"

The guy,amazed with the response, asked again,

"But the Gold is cheaper, sir....???"

Sa'adi calmly replies,

"Even if there is rupture in the GOLD, it can be melted to be refashioned, but once a DIAMOND is broken, it can't be reformed..."

A documentary about Iran...

My office mate Arash is from Iran. He recommended me to watch this video about Iran. It is made by an American--- Rick Steven.
Its a nice documentary which shows how impressive and rich is Iranian tradition and culture.

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-2884232348733568709&hl=en

May Iran be blessed.

Who was the best PTV actor?

During this weekend, I got a recommendation from a friend to watch PTV drama, Parchaiyaan, written by Haseena Moin and starred by some great names of PTV--- Rahat Kazmi, Talat Hussain, Shakeel and Saira Kazmi. It can be found on youtube with 41 ten-minute-apiece episodes. This stirred up a discussion among us:
" Can we enlist 10 best actors from PTV?
The discussion sounds futile specially in this modern era of fast track movies and fabricated star plus dramas. But if you have ever lived in that time of PTV dramas' frenzy when streets could easily go barren during the hour between 8pm and 9pm, this ranking makes meaningful sense.
There were some big names in PTV during the 70s, 80s and early 90s. Here is our list of best PTV actors.

1. Talat Hussain
2. Rahat Kazmi
3. Shafi Mohammad
4. Abid Ali
5. Shakeel
6. Qawi Khan
7. Firdaus Jamal
8. Tauqeer Nasir
9. Hassam Qazi
10. Jamal Shah

One can argue over the ranking, but in my view, these were the top ten actors from PTV.

Bandishen Mohabbat ki...

Bohat Ajeeb Hen Ye Bandishen Mohabbat ki

Na Uss Ny Qaid Men Rakha Na Hum Farar Huway

A sleepy leader of an enlivened Pakistan

I got this picture from a pakistani newspaper (Daily Express, may be). Its a picture of a sleepy-eyed leader who spent a sleepless night between 15 and 16 March, to lead a nation to help it redeem itself for one more time.

Personally, I could give the long march a remote chance of success, with all sorts of fears that naturally arose with the the possibility of conflicts which were on the cards.

a. Chance of yet another military takeover...!

b. Chance of an attack on the parliament....!

c. Concerns of a civil disobedience.

d. Likeliness of a terror attack on such a large gathering of people.

etc...

But Thanks to THE ALMIGHTY.... Some common sense prevailed.

Give full credit to PM Gilani for his statesmanship and Nawaz for his resilience and mature politics. He is like a leader-reborn.

A

Sleepy Nation....

Re-born,

'May peace prevail on Earth'

(An expression written on the International court of Justice in Den-Haag, The Netherlands)

Aaj Ki raat

Tonight, I got this poem from Dr Khurram Saidal on the eve of restoration of Cheif Justice, Iftikhar Chaudhary.


Aj Ki Rath!
Faqat Aj Ki Rath..
Hath Jal Jaye To Jal Jany Do!
Saans Tham Jaye To Tham Jany Do!
Rooh Thak Jaye To Thak Jany Do!
Ke Aj Ki Rath Kategi
To Kal Ek Naye Daor Ki Dehleez Hogi
Ek Nayee Adal Ka Sehra Hoga
Nayee Ek Aman Ka Dastoor Hoga!
Ek Naya Shehr Basega Yaro
Ek Naye Khwab Ki Tabeer Hogi!
Ke Dast-e Qatil Ke Teyz Teyshy Per
Aj Ki Rath Kat Ke Marna Hai
Ke Khoon-e Enqelaab Ki Khushboo
Kal Tery Parr Choomny Wali Hai
Kal Tera Khwab Banny Wala Hai!
Bus Es Umeed Pe Ae Rehrao Ye Shama
Na Bhujany Dena
Aj Ki Rath Faqat Aj Ki Rath!!

An amazing painting

This is the most amazing piece of painting one can ever encounter.

There are 100 personalities from the human history, in this painting. All of them, very famous who swung the history of the mankind by being the masterminds in their respective fields.

Coming to the painting.

Most astonishing thing about this painting is that the painter had the vision to realize how to adjust these great men from diverse fields on one canvas.

Watch Einstein sitting on the heap of books and Gengiz Khan sitting on the horse.

A picture is worth a thousand words, as it is said, but this painting is worth a million words in terms of time and space.

@Faisal

Aaj Baazar mein Pa'bajolaan chalo

A classic by
Faiz Ahmed Faiz....


Chashm-e-num, Jaan-e-shoreeda, kaafi nahi
Tuhmat-e-Ishq posheeda kafi nahi
Aaj bazar mein Pa'bajolaan chalo
Dast-afshaan chalo
Mast-o-raqsaan chalo
Khaak bar'sar chalo
Khoon b'damaan chalo
Raah tak'ta hai sab shehr-e-jaana chalo
Haakim-e-shehr bhi
Majma-e-aam bhi
Sub'h-e-naashad bhi
Roz-e-nakaam bhi
Teer-e-Ilzam bhi
Sung-e-dushnaam bhi
Inn ka dam'saaz apne siwaa kaun hai?
Shehr-e-Jaana mein ab ba'safa kaun hai?
Dast-e-Qatil ke shaayan raha kaun hai?
Rakht-e-Dil bandh lo,
Dil-figaaro chalo
Phir humi qatl hon
aao yaaro chalo

=================================================

The tearful eye, the noisy spirit
are not enough.
The accusation of hidden love
is not enough.
Lets go today to the Bazar in chains
Let's go with hands waving, intoxicated and dancing.
Let's go with dust on our heads,
blood on our sleeves.
Let's go to the city our love lives in
Everyone is watching
The city ruler, the general populace
The unhappy morning
The day with no purpose
The arrow of accusation
The stones of abuse
Who else besides us is their intimate friend?
Who now in our beloved's city is still pure?
Who now is worthy of the executioner's hand?
Pick up the burden of the heart
Let us go, heartbroken ones.
We are the ones who have to be
murdered again, my friends.

A nation like Pakistan in the eyes of Gibran

What Khalil Gibran said in 1920s, applies so aptly to the current Pakistan.

My friends and my road-fellows....!

"pity the nation that is full of beliefs and empty of religion."

"Pity the nation that wears a cloth it does not weave, eats a bread it does not harvest, and drinks a wine that flows not from its own winepress.

"Pity the nation that acclaims the bully as hero, and that deems the glittering conqueror bountiful.

"Pity the nation that raises not its voice save when it walks in a funeral, boasts not except among its ruins, and will rebel not save when its neck is laid between the sword and the block.

"Pity the nation whose statesman is a fox, whose philosopher is a juggler, and whose art is the art of patching and mimicking.

"Pity the nation that welcomes its new ruler with trumpetings, and farewells him with hootings, only to welcome another with trumpetings again.

"Pity the nation divided into fragments, each fragment deeming itself a nation."

Bhlleh! to me, I am not known

Not a believer inside the mosque, am I
Nor a pagan disciple of false rites
Not the pure amongst the impure
Neither Moses, nor the Pharoh

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not in the holy Vedas, am I
Nor in opium, neither in wine
Not in the drunkard`s craze
Neither awake, nor in a sleeping daze

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

In happiness nor in sorrow, am I
Neither clean, nor a filthy mire
Not from water, nor from earth
Neither fire, nor from air, is my birth

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Not an Arab, nor Lahori
Neither Hindi, nor Nagauri
Hindu, Turk (Muslim), nor Peshawari
Nor do I live in Nadaun

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

Secrets of religion, I have not known
From Adam and Eve, I am not born
I am not the name I assume
Not in stillness, nor on the move

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

I am the first, I am the last
None other, have I ever known
I am the wisest of them all
Bulleh! do I stand alone?

Bulleh! to me, I am not known

A HANDBOOK for 2009

One of my teachers sent the HANDBOOK-2009 to me.
Most of the points are so poignant.

HEALTH

1. Drink plenty of water.
2. Eat breakfast like a king, lunch like a prince and dinner like a beggar.
3. Eat more foods that grow on trees and plants and eat less food that is manufactured in plants.
4. Live with the 3 E's -- Energy, Enthusiasm, and Empathy.
5. Make time to practice meditation, yoga, and prayer.
6. Play more games.
7. Read more books than you did in 2008.
8. Sit in silence for at least 10 minutes each day.
9. Sleep for 7 hours.
10. Take a 10-30 minutes walk every day. And while you walk, smile.

PERSONALITY:

11. Don't compare your life to others'. You have no idea what their journey is all about.
12. Don't have negative thoughts or things you cannot control. Instead invest your energy in the positive present moment.
13. Don't over do. Keep your limits.
14. Don't take yourself so seriously. No one else does.
15. Don't waste your precious energy on gossip.
16. Dream more while you are awake.
17. Envy is a waste of time. You already have all you need.
18. Forget issues of the past. Don't remind your partner with his/her mistakes of the past. That will ruin your present happiness.
19. Life is too short to waste time hating anyone. Don't hate others.
20. Make peace with your past so it won't spoil the present.
21. No one is in charge of your happiness except you.
22. Realize that life is a school and you are here to learn. Problems are simply part of the curriculum that appear and fade away like algebra class but the lessons you learn will last a lifetime.
23. Smile and laugh more.
24. You don't have to win every argument. Agree to disagree.

SOCIETY:

25. Call your family often.
26. Each day give something good to others.
27. Forgive everyone for everything.
28. Spend time with people over the age of 70 & under the age of 6.
29. Try to make at least three people smile each day.
30.. What other people think of you is none of your business.
31. Your job won't take care of you when you are sick. Your friends will. Stay in touch.

LIFE:

32. Do the right thing!
33. Get rid of anything that isn't useful, beautiful or joyful.
34. GOD heals everything.
35. However good or bad a situation is, it will change.
36. No matter how you feel, get up, dress up and show up.
37. The best is yet to come.
38. When you awake alive in the morning, thank GOD for it.
39. Your Inner most is always happy. So, be happy.

Last Night...

Raat, yoon dil mein teri khoi hui yaad aayi
Jaise veerane mein chupke se bahaar aa jaaye
Jaise sehraaon mein haule se chale baad e naseem
Jaise beemaar ko bevajha qaraar aa jaaye

Last night your lost memory visited my heart
as spring visits the wilderness quietly,
as the breeze echoes the silence of her footfalls
in the desert,
as peace slowly, softly descends on one's sickness.

Love is not a victory march...

I heard there was a secret chord
that david played and it pleased the lord
but you don't really care for music, do you
well it goes like this the fourth, the fifth
the minor fall and the major lift
the baffled king composing hallelujah

hallelujah...

well your faith was strong but you needed proof
you saw her bathing on the roof
her beauty and the moonlight overthrew you
she tied you to her kitchen chair
she broke your throne and she cut your hair
and from your lips she drew the hallelujah

hallelujah...

baby i've been here before
i've seen this room and i've walked this floor
i used to live alone before i knew you
i've seen your flag on the marble arch
but love is not a victory march
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...

well there was a time when you let me know
what's really going on below
but now you never show that to me do you
but remember when i moved in you
and the holy dove was moving too
and every breath we drew was hallelujah

well, maybe there's a god above
but all i've ever learned from love
was how to shoot somebody who outdrew you
it's not a cry that you hear at night
it's not somebody who's seen the light
it's a cold and it's a broken hallelujah

hallelujah...