* Cars’ back screens also being used to spread agenda, preach to people * PU Centre for Clinical Psychology director says such youngsters are neglected and seek fame

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: Youngsters in the city seem to be in a race to impress others through the writings on the rear screens of their cars, as most cars in the city have some message on them for others.

The witty, and sometimes smutty, statements on the rear screens of cars are often written to catch people’s attention. Some youngsters also write quotations, and even names of their beloved ones, especially their girlfriends.

Sohail Malik, a resident of Gulberg, had a statement on his car that read, “Mom says no more girls.” He said that he had written it just for the sake of fun, and that his views on the ‘issue’ were totally different. “Girls often dislike this statement, but some become my friend just because of it,” he said, adding that he did not believe that there was anything ‘immoral’ in it, and that he was just using his ‘freedom of expression’.

Amir, a resident of Model Town, had “If you are mad, I am your dad” written on the back screen of his car.

He said that it was a ‘warning to others’ attempting to overtake him on the city roads. He however said that it was not an attempt hurt anybody’s feelings.

The young drivers often write such statements on their cars to make readers laugh. A youngster had a message on the back of her car that read, “Fasla rakhain warna piyar ho jaye ga” (Keep distance or you might fall in love).

Another car in the Defence Housing Authority (DHA) had “Waldain ka adab karo, Santro kia BMW bhi milay ge” (Respect your parents and you’ll get a BMW instead of a Santro) written on it. Aqif Sheikh, another resident of the DHA had written “Looking good is a curse” on his car. Another car in the locality had “Save the drama for your mama” written on it.

Spreading agenda: As youngsters write statements on the back screens of their cars to seek attention, others use the space to spread their agenda.

This practice was evident during the general elections when political workers wrote slogans on their cars in favour of their leaders. Some lawyers had also pasted stickers in favour of sacked judges on the back screen of their cars. Some of them read, ‘Restore Judges’ and ‘Save Judiciary, Join Lawyers’ Movement’.

Safdar Hussain, a lawyer, said that the stickers had played an important role in creating awareness on the issues among people. He said that there was no harm in using ‘modern methods’ for sharing one’s ideology.

Some people had also used their cars’ back screen for preaching purposes or for sharing their beliefs, and others had written Quranic verses on their cars for protection.

A car owned by Dilawar Hussain, a resident of Model Town, had “Ali Maula (AS)” written on its back screen. He said that the name had saved him from many curses. “What is bad in showing your beliefs? I think if one wants to preach his ideas like this, there is no harm in it,” he added.

Neglected: Punjab University (PU) Centre for Clinical Psychology Director Dr Nosheen K Rehman said that most youngsters wrote such statements to seek others’ attention. “Those who do not get attention at their homes or in society adopt such methods to get attention of others,” she said, adding that it was not a healthy practice. She said that such people could earn fame and others’ attention through hard work.

However, she said that new ways were being adopted for advertisement purposes, and writing on cars was one of them

Nokia E61i was available for Rs.26,000 brand new, so E71 is almost Rs.7000-Rs.9000 more. Hopefully the prices will go down, but as far as my experience tells me, the prices of E-Series phones rarely ever go down. It might go down Rs.1000-Rs.3000 in the next 6-8 months, but thats about it.

As today is the launch of Nokia E71, the phone is only available at Sheraton Karachi. From 28th-29th July 2008 onwards, the E71 will be available at United Mobiles and Advance Telecom shops all over the country.

Sheraton Karachi - Nokia E71 - PKR.35,000/- (Launch price according to Nokia Representative at Sheraton)

Advance Telecom - Nokia E71 - PKR.33,000/- (Confirmed price by Advance Telecom guys)

United Mobiles - Nokia E71 - PKR.36,000 or PKR.37,000 (Expected sale price by United Mobile guys)

By Abdul Manan (Daily Times)

LAHORE: Noise pollution in the city is on the rise with most residents complaining that the noise is becoming a public nuisance.

Dr Khursheed Ahmad, Department of Environmental Engineering head at the National College of Business Administration and Economics said: “Noise pollution is one of the main causes of hearing loss, cardiac disorders, epileptic seizures, emotional problems and restlessness.”

He said cars and other vehicles were a main cause of the noise. He said the total number of registered vehicles in the city had increased from 45,000 (1976) to 1.5 million in 2008. “Main residential areas such as the Defence Housing Authority, Johar Town, Township, Gulberg, Askari Flats, Faisal Town, and WAPDA Town have noise levels that exceed the National Environmental Quality Standards (NEQSs),” he said.

On August 29, 1993, he said, the Environment and Urban Affairs Division, through a notification, had enforced NEQSs at 85 decibels (dB). He said a recent survey had revealed that residential areas have NEQS levels higher than the permissible levels. He said, “People exposed to 85 decibels for 50 years or more can suffer a permanent hearing loss.”

To curb traffic noise, he said, the Motor Vehicles Rules had been enforced in Pakistan in 1969. He said, “According to the rules, every vehicle should have an efficient silencer. The law restricts the frequent use of horns – especially at midnight.” He said the rules should be modified and should prescribe maximum permissible noise levels for all the types of vehicles currently on the roads.

He said environment impact assessments of new road projects should be made mandatory.

Air ambient standards: Advocate Akhtar H Awan, who deals with environmental cases, said the Environment Protection Agency (EPA) should also establish air ambient standards keeping in view the noise pollution. “Unfortunately, the EPA relies on the World Health Organisation’s standards regarding noise pollution.”

Noise standards: EPA Deputy Director Naseemur Rehman said the EPA would establish the noise standards within a month. He said the EPA had been working to eliminate every type of pollution.

Coming this August at a cinema near you!

R e l a t e d     L i n k s

[ Ramchand Pakistani Official Site ]

[ Mehreen Jabbar Official Site ]

[ Tribeca Film Festival: Ramchand Pakistani ]

[ Minority Report: Ramchand Pakistani by Madeeha Syed ]

Image courtesy of Alison Nelson Website

You might never taste chocolate in the same light after savoring an Alison Nelson Chocolate Bar, a chain of gourmet cocoa emporiums!

Make way for the utterly fashionable trend in the luxurious chocolate market today for Alison Nelson is coming to town!

The venture is being set up in India and Pakistan thanks to a partnership with Dubai based HFK General Trading.

The Alison Nelson chocolate bar is an amazing brand and a unique concept that offers no only a chocolate cafe, but also a fresh, vibrant blend of fashion and art, which is exactly what our customer is looking for. I am sure it is going to be an unprecedented success.

Hassan Khan, CEO: HFK General Trading

Known for its cocoa and unusual flavor combinations such as 'salty pretzel' and 'malted milk', Chocolate Bar employs an artful approach, using graffiti-influenced chocolate-bar wrappers designed by iconic New York-based artists.

Consumers will join Chocolate Bar's A-list fans such as celebrity Sarah Jessica Parker, Gwyneth Paltrow, Julia Roberts, Scarlett Johanson, Leonardo DiCaprio and Uma Thurman, who all rave about the presentation and most of all the adventurous flavor combinations: Nelson's boutiques prove that the
world's favorite sweet goes with everything: at the sleek outlet in New York's upscale Henri Bendel store, a typical sandwich is made from a melted dark 72% chocolate bar dabbed with olive oil and sea salt. Gourmet chocolate from high-quality cocoa beans can be eaten, drunk, or even used in the
store's own line of cocoa-based beauty products.

Yummylicious!

So will the new trend in the chocolate market jolt already present icons like Patchi and the Chocolate Fondue Fountain in Karachi?

Only time will tell!

Related Links:

Alison Nelson's Chocolate Bar to Open First Gourmet Concept Stores in Pakistan [ Pakistan Daily ]

Alison Nelson Official Site [ Alison Nelson Chocolate Bar ]

In other words, Dorian's is not the UES. It's a part of UES that sucks in non-natives. It's sort of like how people in Lahore can tell if you're in the CIA, you live and frequent that part of town for people who have no idea how to live here. Oh, you're a "consultant"? And you live in the Embassy district? Uh-huh.

I'd recommend some other fine establishments, but I don't want you to show up there.

The original idea of the Lahore Ring Road (LRR), the largest project of the province, was floated about 25 years back and a number of studies were conducted in this regard. The purpose of launching this project was to provide an alternative transport route to ease the traffic burden in Lahore. It saw many changes in its design - four times in 1992, 1999, 2004, and 2007 -for protecting the interests of some favourites in the government. Perhaps, still another. However, there are still more chances of re-designing the project. The project has already seen a number of changes that resulted in the increase in the cost and delay in the execution of the project. With the passage of each passing day, the cost of the project is an additional burden on the national exchequer. The logic behind these changes in design is to increase the ratio of commission given to various personalities.

In 1991, the World Bank (WB) prepared a feasibility report on 60 kilometres Ring Road. In 1995, the Lahore Development Authority (LDA) presented its Ring Road scheme. However, it was decided to include Raiwind Road and with this alteration the total length of the road increased to 75 kilometers. The feasibility of the Ring Road project was finalised in 1997. President Musharraf performed the ground-breaking of the Lahore Ring Road Project on December 22, 2004.

The LRR will start from Babu Sabu and pass through Niazi Chowk, Shama Chowk, Ichhra, Kalma Chowk, Ferozpur Road, Allama Iqbal International Airport, Defence Housing Authority, Mahfuzpura, Harbanspura, Darogawala, Mehmood Booti, Bund Road, Old Ravi Bridge and New Ravi Bridge. The proposed new road alignment will run from the Defence Housing Authority to Hadiara Drain to Halloki, Bahria Town to Niaz Baig. When the project started in 1992, the actual cost of the six-lane road with 77 kilometres' length was just Rs 7 billion. Now the Ring Road with six lanes (43 kilometres) comes at the cost of Rs 85 billion while the same road with 77 kilometres will cost approximately Rs 150 billion. Now, 30 percent of the work on the first phase from Niazi Chowk to Bund Road, is about to complete.

The political aspect and tragedy of the project is that the previous provincial government deliberately tried to modify and delay the project that resulted in damaging of the actual plan. Another delaying factor was the non-availability of foreign help after Pakistan conducted nuclear tests on May 28, 1998. With the installation of new government in the province, there are chances that this project will pick up speed and see the light of the day in the form of its completion. The long awaited project of the LRR got a new lease of life after the Pakistan Muslim League- Nawaz (PML-N) took charge of the province. But as the new government takes up the project with essential changes, its cost has gone up exorbitantly. The project review committee is working on new proposed road alignment in the LRR. The committee also informed Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif about the exact situation of the project. The Punjab government was likely to approve the new design of the Ring Road soon. The project showed the sign of life again after Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif showed keen interest in the early completion of the project. He had asked the Lahore Development Authority, Punjab Management Unit, Federal Planning Commission, Traffic Engineering and Planning Agency, and Nespak to provide the complete presentation on the project.

There is usually the practice of acquiring land by the Lahore Development Authority and the EDO revenue but in this case of Lahore Ring Road, the Board of Revenue was exclusively given the authority to acquire the land. There are also reports of the authorities leaving the project in the middle by the executing company for lack of acquiring land for the owners. Adding salt to the wounds is that the owners of the land acquired for the purpose are still not paid the price of the land promised to them. In this connection, a protest of those whose land was confiscated under the Ring Road plan was organised in Lahore in July for the full payment of the land acquired from them. A blame-game has started between various departments over the acquisition of the land for the project. When Nespak was contacted in this regard, an official of the company informed that the consultancy company is not responsible for the delay in the project but the government departments are a major hurdle in the speedy completion of the project.

Work on the LRR has again been deferred due to problems with the contractor while the project cost has reached Rs 6 billion. The construction of an interchange at the Saggian Chowk is one of the main components of the project, which has again been hit by fresh snags. The second important part of the project was linking the traffic from in and around Lahore to the Lahore Airport from the Burki Road intersection to the Ghazi Road intersection. The work was also stopped because the project was awarded to the contractor without handing over a complete Right of Work (ROW). The chief secretary has ordered an inquiry for fixing responsibility about why the ROW was not obtained prior to allowing the construction.

On the one hand, at a meeting of the Provincial Development Working Party (PDWP), various technical objections, including assurances for measures to control noise pollution, were raised. On the other hand, there is no executing agency at the moment. Therefore, the project has been deferred. The component of the Ring Road is, therefore, likely to be advertised again to hire another executing agency and the project cost is also likely to rise further.

The PDWP has, however, approved the second scheme between the intersections of the Burki and the Ghazi roads for linking the Ring Road to the new airport. This part of the project also hit snags because the planners had not consulted the Civil Aviation Authority (CAA) before preparing the PC-1. The CAA has objected to the design, which would have obstructed the entire front view of the Lahore airport building. The entire design, therefore, had to be changed and the flyovers had to be shifted away from the airport building. Other changes were also incorporated in the revised design, costing additional financial burden on the national exchequer. If such attitude continues at the government level, then it is feared that the LRR project will continue to suffer. Practically, the land affectees should also be compensated according to the market value. Without this the project will not see the light of the day.

Courtesy The Post

Then we headed off to Whole Foods Market @ Kensington. I was very 'jakun' to see these and took pics of them while my fren ran off to hide behind the aisles pretending not to know me.

Choose your nuts & seeds and make ur own peanut butter!!

I thought that this was cool! Certainly helps save some space.

Cypriots march - Guess the Turkish PM must be in London for a visit.

‘Brothel’ raided

LAHORE: Green Town Police raided a brothel-cum-dance club and arrested five people including a girl. They also recovered 4,000 bottles of foreign liquor and an illegal weapon. The arrested were identified as Zubair, Irshad Kamal, Sheraz, Rashid Butt and Iram. The place’s owner, Aysha of 69/B- PCSIR Colony and her four accomplices fled. Rashid Butt had told the police that Aysha used to supply foreign liquor to residents of affluent localities of Lahore and Islamabad and the consignment seized by the police was about to be sent to Islamabad. He further told the police that some of the liquor had been stored in Punjab Society, in the limits of Sattukatla Police Station. Police raided the said place and recovered 4,000 bottles of liquor. The senior superintendent of police has announced cash prizes and appreciation certificates for the police team. staff report

Palmistry in Pakistan

Palmistry experts in Pakistan:

Palmistry is very popular in Pakistan. Especially in: Islamabad, Lahore, Multan, Sialkot & Faisalabad.

Find palmistry experts, palmistry websites + much more info brought to you by palmists and palm readers from Pakistan:

Palmistry in Pakistan:
9 Palmists & Palm readers

Palmists & palm readers in the Capital city of Pakistan:

Palmistry in Islamabad:
Zahid - palmist

Palmists & Palm readers in other cities in Pakistan:

FIND MORE: Palmistry News | Palmistry Research | Palmistry Psychology | Palmistry TOP 100 | Free Palmistry Reading

* Women from all walks of life joining fitness centres

By Shahrukh Ayub

LAHORE: Women are apparently as health conscious as men, as gyms and health centres for females seem to be packed, revealed a survey conducted by Daily Times.

As the importance to look physically fit escalates in society, particularly in the case of women, joining a gym is gaining popularity amongst them.

Gyms are very crowded in the morning, which is considered to be a peak time for exercise. Women, especially from the elite classes, are now giving so much importance to their health, that they are ready to join gyms despite busy schedules.

Women: Women from all walks of life work out at health centres, irrespective of whether they are businesswomen or housewives. A famous fashion designer was spotted at a gym in Gulberg, although she has to follow a very busy schedule. A housewife at a gym on Zafar Ali Road said, “I have four kids who go to college and although they are grown up now, I still have to take care of them. I cook food for them and have a busy routine, but I still take time out for exercise. Sometimes I go to the gym in the evening, and other times in the morning. But I never miss.”

A visitor at the Gymkhana Club said, “Six to seven months ago, I was overweight. I did not like to go anywhere and my blood pressure was increasing by the day. A friend suggested that I should join a gym, which I then did. Within a few months, I started losing weight and I am not overweight anymore. My blood pressure is also normal. I have one school-going kid. I drop him to school and then go to the gym. I have to take out time for exercise, but it is necessary.”

Women join fitness clubs for different reasons some to reduce weight, others to keep themselves healthy, and still others to exercise as a necessity.

Clubs are offering lifetime memberships for fees ranging from Rs 100,000 to Rs 450,000 and people are buying these memberships. In fact, it has now become difficult to get the membership of any club because they are jam-packed all the time.

Source: Daily Times, Pakistan

By Afnan Khan

LAHORE: Residents of Model Town Society (MTS) still await action against people using residential plots for commercial activity.

Offices, private schools and even the office of the Special Investigation Unit, a wing of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA), are still operational in the MTS.

Recently, the MTS administration handed over a list of more than 150 residential sites to the quarters concerned. The residents said they were living under constant threat after suicide bombers attacked the FIA office in the area on March 11.

A Model Town Residents Association (MTRA) official alleged the MTS administration was responsible for the illegal commercial activity. He said the MTS administration had complained to MTS officials about commercial activity in residential plots, but no action had been taken so far.

MTS President Col (r) Tahir Kardar said he had requested the government to remove sensitive offices from the area after the blast at the FIA office. He said he had sent a list of such offices to the district coordination officer, chief secretary (CS) and chief minister (CM) for immediate eviction from the area.

He said, “The MTS administration can disconnect electricity and water supply or charge these offices on a commercial basis. 20 percent of the illegal offices belong to the government.”

He said he had visited FIA and other security agency officials asking them to remove their offices from the MTS, but to no avail.

“I tried to convince them, but powerful people often pressure us not to take action against the violators.” He said the MTS was planning to cancel the membership of violators.

Chief Secretary (CS) Javed Mehmood said, “Setting up government offices and markets in a residential area is illegal. I will order federal and international departments concerned to remove their offices from the area.”

It’s been long since I have a Love & Hate relationship with you, and you remained there while I loved, lost and learnt. Since long people from you have been very sarcastic to people from me while telling that I’ve got no night life. And I’ve always been a dead city.

You seduced me .. as beauty is the greatest seducer of man then you also became my friend as you knew the best way to know and destroy an enemy is to pretend to become his friend and then stab him in the back...

You lied despite knowing ... one can't lie, one can't hide anything, when he looks directly into someone's eyes. Everything that happens once can never happen again, but everything that happens twice will surely gonna happen a third time. Knowingly we entered the paradigm of the forbidden and we willingly and knowingly did it..

You told me ... my faith is lust... I don’t believe in any other faith or entity or a supreme being or whatever nonsense anymore... and if there is a punishment at the end of it all... I bet a masochist will have loads of fun, as nothing is permanent.. not hurt not even lust.. Everything is transitionally, because its being enjoyed when its happening... it brings out the darkest thoughts,  What about regrets.. ? the regret is short lived  isn't it ... and its washed away with another 'attack' of pure lust ...

Should you be forgiven ?
Don’t do it if the betrayal has ripped you apart...
Babar ... I betrayed no one.. I am not ashamed of lust...and I left the faith when I stopped believing in it....there can be no love without respect... never...

Then ... I will never forgive ... I will never forget... because betrayal per se implies insult... and insult should never be forgiven !

But these grey areas ... they will kill you every moment of every single day of your life you live, you breath !

I know that it hurts when you lose. Now, though, I am convinced that no one loses anyone, because no one owns anyone. That is the true experience of freedom ... having the most important thing in the world without owning it.

This letter will remind me this fact that even in the most busiest of all moments of life, one can still take time out to tell to their loved ones, they are needed … they are missed above all they are loved …

Dear Lahore,

Despite what everyone says or believes, I love you loads.

If I had to relive life all over again I would gladly live it with the same friends who were there for me.

Yours,

Islamabad.

-As BratX quoted: "... kay duniya main hum ghum khareedtay nahi bechtay hain "

Mobilink Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All LOCKED)
Blackberry Pearl 8120 - PKR. 27,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8320 - PKR. 29,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8800 - PKR. 34,000/-
Blackberry Bold 9000 - PKR. 40,000/- to 45,000/- (Expected availability in September-October 2008 )

Warid Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All UNLOCKED)
Blackberry Pearl 8120 - PKR. 25,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8310 - PKR. 28,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8820 - PKR. 31,000/-

Ufone Blackberry® Phone Prices: (All UNLOCKED)
Blackberry 8700 - PKR. 18,000/-
Blackberry Pearl 8100 - PKR. 24,000/-
Blackberry Curve 8300 - PKR. 25,000/-
Blackberry Huron 8800 - PKR. 29,000/-

Visiting all three head offices was an eye-opener. Mobilink first brought Blackberry® services to Pakistan, and the way the were explaining the differences in tariff's and phone sets showed that they have years of experience of dealing with Blackberry properly. The people at Mobilink knew what they were talking about. Some of the CSR's were even using Blackberry®, and knew the name of all the set's. They knew what the Blackberry® Bold was, and knew the expected availability and price as well. Now for the negatives, out of all the 3 Blackberry providers, Mobilink is offering the most expensive sets, and Locked as well! Locked sets means that the phone cannot be used with any other company except Mobilink.

The people at Warid also had enough information to have an intelligent conversation about Blackberry®, but there wasn't much to talk about as their Blackberry representatives were out to lunch when I went. Warid is offering Unlocked phone set's at reasonable prices.

Ufone, on the other hand was a complete dissappointment. The CSR's had absolutely no idea about anything related to Blackberry®. They handed over the Brochure and said that's what we have. When I asked them about the new Blackberry phone's they simply said "These are the sets which we are offering right now, but don't worry, just tell us which set you want, and we'll get it for you". I have no idea why Ufone is still offering the old sets when the latest one's are already out & being offered by their competitors. Telling the customer "We have old sets in stock, but don't worry. we'll get the new one for you" isn't very good marketing. Ufone is offering Unlocked phone sets which can be used with any GSM service provider.

And last, but not least, I want to say a big thanks to Fauzan for helping one of my readers by providing a detailed Mobilink Blackberry® phone set price list when I was too busy. Here is the price list provided by Fauzan. Thanks again! :)

By Ali Usman and Adnan Lodhi

LAHORE: Lahore maintains its unique fragrance among the world’s most beautiful cities, said Dr Ronki Ram, Punjab University Political Science Department Chairman, Chandigarh, India.

Dr Ronki is in Lahore to attend a seminar arranged by Sir Ganga Ram Heritage Foundation. He said, “Lahore is a culturally rich city where several literary activities go side by side. On one side urs celebrations of Shah Inayat go on while on the other side a classical music sittings are arranged at Alhamra.”

He said he had visited several countries across the world, but Lahore occupied a special place among them.

“Lahore, Lahore aye. I have seen many people discussing Bulleh Shah and other Punjabi Sufi poets. The air becomes misty when people recite their poetry. An old adage that reads that he who has not seen Lahore has not born yet, truly describes the grandeur of this city. Lahore, being Data’s city mesmerises visitors.”

He lauded the Lahore Museum for well-preserved Hindu idols. “When someone goes through antiques put at the museum, history of the Subcontinent flashes before his or her eyes.” He said Lahoris had become more politically aware than they were four years ago during his visit to the city.

“I love Lahori food. I enjoyed Kashmiri daal chawal, biryani and chicken karahi in the food street. Shrines of Lahore spellbind visitors. If someone wants to be blessed, he or she should visit Lahore.”

Ronki said the governments in both the countries should soft visa conditions so that more people cross the border. He said opening of borders would bring the both the nations closer.

Let me inhale deeply... now exhale. AHHHH. The air of freedom! Today is the day a cousin who was visiting and half of my family leave for Lahore. I can't be more thankful. Aware as i am of sounding ungracious, this was the worst cousin-visit EVER. Tis a family trait i think. These are three siblings and they've been irritating the hell out of me since times immemorial.

Consider:

Eldest Sibling:

Gender: Male,

IQ Level: Dubious...existence of ANY IQ not proved,

Age: Unfortunately two years older than me, meaning i wasn't very good at hitting him when we were young. Not that i didn't try, but whatever.

Situation: Specs (aged 11) and C1(Cousin 1, not #1!) are playing a game. C1 hits S too hard and gets a reprimand in the sharpest language possible. Specs, unbeknownst to her, has hit too hard in a spot she never knew existed... C1, aged 13, gets up from the play area and announces, "God you're such a chilli pepper. If you keep on going like this, i won't marry you." S, being the person that she is, stares at him for three seconds and then bursts into peals of laughter complete with rolling on the floor and punching the air with legs... C1, all offended manhood, leaves the room in a huff.

{ Before explaining the sisters, a point that plays a pivotal role in their behavior: I, being of Punjabi descent am unfortunately very light skinned. Now, there's a REASON Punjabis are not light skinned. I mean, if i was to be fair and pretty, God could have made me Pathan, or a Kashmiri but no. I have to be this anomaly with the result that my skin cannot come to terms with itself. The curse of most light skinned Punjabis... ACNE! It takes a long long time to control and one wrong thing eaten or one day without cleansing and there goes a year's hard work down the drain. Not only does my skin mark easily, every pimple has to be red as a traffic signal and visible from the Margalla Mountains. Now onto the sisters who think i am some reincarnation of a former Miss World}

Middle Sibling:

Gender: Female,

IQ Level: Is known to have a good level until she sees Specs. That makes her circuits go haywire.

Age: 4 months younger than Specs.

Situation/s:

Sees Specs and tells her:" I wish i could have acne like you." Worst part? She MEANS it. You can see the googly eyes she's making.

C2 sees Specs buying something and just has to have the very same thing. Right there, right then.

Specs asks C2 for her Email address and guess what. It has my real first name and her surname. Not only that, I accidentally found out that she uses my REAL name and my REAL details to chat with random strangers... and her telephonic 'boyfriend.' She's that obsessed with assuming my identity. So much for internet safety. One day i shall meet a guy in the street who knows me inside out and then my father will kill me. You can see me plastered on Page 2 of the newspaper under the heading 'Honor Killing: girl proved without doubt to have twenty internet liaisons.'

Nowadays I'm just sensitive she doesn't get her hands on my picture, or it is going to be up on Orkut... or some dating site.

Youngest Sibling:

Gender: Female,

IQ Level: Same as her sister,

Age: 16

This is the one that was visiting us nowadays. I thought she was pretty okay... till this visit. First thing off the bat she asks me, "Baji what do you put on your arms?" I was all... huh? She thinks they look really nice (arms can look nice?) and wants to use whatever i use. Er... i don't use anything, i tell her, or i would have done something about my face.

The next day she wants to know if i can help her put on her Kajal in the way i do (yep, i was unaware there are ways to put on your kajal. I thought it only goes into your eyes) Stupid me, i should have seen the signs then. I give her a new Kajal since hers is almost dried out. This comes in later...

Next day she wants to sleep with me ( i have a double bed). Er... okay. Even though i got kicked and punched, i did not complain. In Pakistan, that can cause a family rift. Never complain about your guests.

I find her staring at me. After ignoring her for HALF AN HOUR (!!) i ask her jokingly if she's trying to drill a hole in my forehead. "No," she says dreamily, "i was just wondering, when God made you, he must've been free" (this is a phrase in Urdu that's used only by (as far as i thought) besotted, love blinded lovers for their beloveds). I stare at her... and struggling to stop any sign of anger from appearing, i walk out of the room on some excuse.

Next, she takes to blowing kisses at me every time she catches my eye and saying 'Baji!'... *insert wave here*

Next up, we go to Bhurban. Now, some days before, we had to go somewhere and she asks me to loan her a pair of shoes. Now, not only am i the first one to catch a skin disease, i have been specifically told by the doctor after she cured my last case of foot warts that i am NOT to share shoes because i end up catching any foot disease the other person might only be carrying. I tell this to C3 and she starts weeping(!!) about how she doesn't have any closed shoes and no one else's shoes fit her. Now that's a total lie because my mum and i have the same size. My mum gave her the option from three of her shoes but nope. Only MINE WILL fit her.

Now, here's the deal. Not only am i a potential culturing place for germs of every race and creed, i am also flat footed. I cannot wear flat shoes so i wear something like this. This also means that this is all i wear so i have these shoes in all colors and really smart ones at that. The one this C3 chose cost me a whopping sum of money that i paid from my own scholarship money. Plus they were beige suede... in bhurban!! OMG. She cried so hard when i told her to opt for the black one that NO OTHER shoe will fit her except this. Now, as you can guess, my shoes are RUINED. She used them for hiking in the mud and hid them when she got back to Islamabad. The mud has now stained the suede in places... and my sister told me C3 has been using these shoes to play football in the park every night.

Then, i see my makeup from the bathroom cabinet (yep, i keep some there) has been used. In fact, a very expensive kohl pencil has been unsealed. I was quite shocked but i didn't say anything. My sisters don't do this because we never ever share makeup. Lipstick, maybe once a blue moon but eye makeup, NEVER. Makes me wonder which else of my stuff she used. The icing on the cake, however, is this: I took my makeup from the cabinet and put it in a bag in my bookshelf. Yesterday, i was searching for my kajal. I asked my sister when C3 replies. Oh are you looking for this? And out comes the kohl pencil from the BAG. " Someone's put all your makeup in this bag here Baji." I was so shocked that had this not been her last day here, she would've been given a lecture on the demerits of snooping. WHAT made her go and open the cupboard under the shelf, take out the bag, and search it?!?! OMG, the nerve. And now she was telling my sisters that they are so lucky to have me for a sister... she would give ANYTHING to make me her sister... er... right.

Not only that, she's used my pillow! *this is the part where i start crying* I came into the bedroom to find her lying on it saying, "Wow Baji, your pillow is so soft." I didn't change the pillowcase for fear of offending her and hello, this morning i have the worst breakout of acne since i was thirteen.  My sister took one look at it and said "OMG, you know i wanted to tell you but i forgot... C3 uses your pillow all the time when you're not there. I think this breakout is because of that... (tell me something i don't know) God!"

Not only this, C3 has been heard to compliment me an how i have an excellent choice of products. She used all my bath stuff: the salts, the gel, the conditioner, and her hair feels really soft. Thanks to Baji's excellent choice...

I think i'm not going to visit Lahore this August... one more minute of this and i'm going to slap that kid. Its ungracious of me and i'm aware of how mean this rant is, but i've been pushed too far. God help me.

By Ali Usman

LAHORE: Ahata Madhu-ram (Madhu-ram Compound) is an old site of archaeological importance situated in Old Anarkali’s Food Street. However, it has been losing its grandeur due to the negligence of the authorities concerned.

The ahata is more than 150 years old and has historic structures. Few people recognise it through its original name, as now it is popularly known as Butta Da Ahata (The Compound of Butts). A side lane of the Food Street leads into the ahata. Once the ahata used to have a wooden gate, which has now been replaced by a concrete gate. The structure of the wooden gate resembled the gates of the Walled City.

The corridor of the compound opens into a courtyard around which houses have been built in a circle. Around 17 families reside in the ahata, mostly Kashmiris who settled in it after 1947, when houses were allotted to them. The walls of the corridor have holes in which earthen-lamps could be found, when the ahata did not have electricity, as it is situated outside the city, resident Muhammad Anwar told Daily Times.

Anwar is 50 years old and was born and brought up in the ahata. His family settled here in 1947 when they migrated from India. He said, “Food Street has affected the importance of the ahata. Lots of tourists used to come here before the Food Street was established, but now this area is not kept clean and the tourists don’t bother to step into the ahata’s corridor.”

An ahata resident told Daily Times that when the Food Street was established, the floor of the ahata’s corridor had also been tiled. Its walls were also renovated and during the process, a plate that bore the ahata’s name and date in Hindi was covered. He said that the wooden gate of the ahata had been beautiful but it rusted gradually and ultimately had to be removed.

Neglected: Nazir Butt, another resident, said that the place was of historical importance as it reflected the culture and heritage of Lahore. He said that the Food Street had been maintained but the ahata had been neglected. He said that there used to be a well in the middle of the ahata where people could wash clothes and take baths. He said that this well had existed until 1970, when it had been closed, out of fear that children could fall into it. Nazir said that he had been seven or eight years old at the time of the partition of India and Pakistan and had been living in the place ever since. He said that the ahata had been the property of a Hindu named Madhuram. He said that few people today knew about the history and importance of the place, as the government had not done anything in this regard. He said that the people of the ahata had special affection for the place. He said that once a politician of the area had tried to name the ahata after his son, and had put up a board outside the gate. He said, “He wrote Bilal Ahata on the board, but the residents threw the board away.” He said that rainwater now gathered in the ahata and the gutters never worked, as shopkeepers in Food Street would block them with waste. He said that the Food Street gates were kept closed in the evening, which resulted in a lot of difficulty for the people, as they could not bring a vehicle into the place in case of emergency. He said, “Food Street is a valuable addition, but for the ahata and its residents it has proved to be a misery.”

Another resident of the area said that some symbols from Hinduism had also been found years ago in the place, which people had kept safe. He said that the Archaeology Department should do something for the betterment of the ahata.

NCA: Former National College of Arts (NCA) principal and noted architect Sajida Vandal said that the government should make a list of important historical buildings and they should not be neglected. She said that such buildings should be renovated, as they were a part of the history and culture of Pakistan.

For More details Please visit  http://googlerealestate.blogspot.com/