Merry Christmas to all and Happy Birthday Mr Jinnah - deeply sorry to how "we" have ruined and misconstrued your vision of a secular Republic Of Pakistan. A nation where the interests of all faiths, ethnicity, and cultures are secure under a single federated national umbrella. Hope someday, soon we can get it right! RIP Sir.
Cross-posting from my Facebook Status dated 25th December, 2012, Karachi
*** This Message Has Been Sent Using BlackBerry Internet Service from Mobilink ***
Monday, December 24, 2012
Sunday, December 23, 2012
Can Take A Horse To Water But Can't Make Him Drink It
You'd imagine someone from a poor background earning barely enough (~$100/mon) to support a family of 7 would be glad to have access to a decent and free Government School near his home. But no, the attitude that kids will only go the best or not go is prevalent at all levels of Pakistani society.
There is one individual with 6 six kids who go for private tuitions to learn Quran. But are not going to school as the tuition and admission fee is to high. Whereas the Government School near his house is free. I cited an example of another boy who just got his Metric through that same school, and now is en-route to doing his Inter.
Seriously, makes me wonder. Here you are with an opportunity to get your 6 kids educated - okay fine it's not the best school in the world, but it's decent enough for them to atleast become literate and maybe pass their Metric, more than what you had.
Government Schools, whatever one says about them however horrible the conditions do work - kids can get an okay education, enough to help their families out of poverty. And these schools are FREE.
*** This Message Has Been Sent Using BlackBerry Internet Service from Mobilink ***
There is one individual with 6 six kids who go for private tuitions to learn Quran. But are not going to school as the tuition and admission fee is to high. Whereas the Government School near his house is free. I cited an example of another boy who just got his Metric through that same school, and now is en-route to doing his Inter.
Seriously, makes me wonder. Here you are with an opportunity to get your 6 kids educated - okay fine it's not the best school in the world, but it's decent enough for them to atleast become literate and maybe pass their Metric, more than what you had.
Government Schools, whatever one says about them however horrible the conditions do work - kids can get an okay education, enough to help their families out of poverty. And these schools are FREE.
*** This Message Has Been Sent Using BlackBerry Internet Service from Mobilink ***
Friday, November 23, 2012
Kemari Home To Soccer
Even though I grew up in Karachi , I'm always learning something new about the city such as tye famous Football (Soccer) league is from Kemari.
Sent from my iPhone
Sunday, October 21, 2012
Mujhe Se Pehli Si Mohabbat - Faiz Ahmad Faiz
Muj Se Pehli Si Mohabat Merey Mehboob Na Mang: This is a famous ghazal by Faiz Ahmed Faiz. It is one of my favorite songs/poems by Faiz. Typically most of us have heard it sung by Madam Noor Jahan's. However recently via a friend's Facebook wall I heard it sung by a somewhat unknown artist, or perhaps she is unknown to me named Sheelo Khan.
Mujhe Se Pehli Si Mohabbat
-
Maine samjha tha ke tu hai to darakhshaan hai hayyaat
Tera gham hai to sham-e-dahar ka jhagra kya hai
Teri soorat se hai aalam mein baharon ko sabaat
Teri aankhon ke siwa dunya mein rakha kya hai
Tera gham hai to sham-e-dahar ka jhagra kya hai
Teri soorat se hai aalam mein baharon ko sabaat
Teri aankhon ke siwa dunya mein rakha kya hai
To jo mil jaye to taqdeer nigoon ho jaye
Yun na tha maine faqat chaha tha yun ho jaye
Aur bhi dukh hain zamane mein mohabbat ke siwa
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siwa
Yun na tha maine faqat chaha tha yun ho jaye
Aur bhi dukh hain zamane mein mohabbat ke siwa
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siwa
Angeenat sadiyon ke taariq bahimanaa talism
Resham-o-atlas-o-kamKhwaab mein bunwaye hue
Jaa-ba-jaa biktey hue koochaa-o-bazaar mein jism
Khaak mein litharey hue, khoon mein nehlaaye hue
Resham-o-atlas-o-kamKhwaab mein bunwaye hue
Jaa-ba-jaa biktey hue koochaa-o-bazaar mein jism
Khaak mein litharey hue, khoon mein nehlaaye hue
Jism nikaley hue amraaz ke tannuuron se
Peep behti hui jaltey hue naasuuron se
Laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar kya ki jiye
Ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn mager kya ki jiye
Peep behti hui jaltey hue naasuuron se
Laut jaati hai udhar ko bhi nazar kya ki jiye
Ab bhi dilkash hai tera husn mager kya ki jiye
Aur bhi dukh hain mohabbat ke dukh ke siwa
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siwa
Rahatein aur bhi hain wasl ki raahat ke siwa
Mujhse pehli si mohabbat mere mehboob na maang
-
Don’t Ask Me Now, Beloved
-
Don’t ask me now, Beloved, for that love of other days
When I thoughy since you were, life would always scintillate
That love’s pain being mine, the world’s pain I could despise
That your beauty lastingness to the spring would denote,
That nothing in the world was of worth but your eyes;
Were you to be mine, fate would bow low before me.
It was not so; it was only my wish that it were so;
Other pains esist than those that love brings,
Other joys than those of lover’s mingling.
Dark fareful talisman, come down the centuries,
Woven in silk and damask and cloth of gold;
Bodies that everywhere in streets sold
Covered with dust, all their wounds bleeding.
When I thoughy since you were, life would always scintillate
That love’s pain being mine, the world’s pain I could despise
That your beauty lastingness to the spring would denote,
That nothing in the world was of worth but your eyes;
Were you to be mine, fate would bow low before me.
It was not so; it was only my wish that it were so;
Other pains esist than those that love brings,
Other joys than those of lover’s mingling.
Dark fareful talisman, come down the centuries,
Woven in silk and damask and cloth of gold;
Bodies that everywhere in streets sold
Covered with dust, all their wounds bleeding.
Bodies that have passed through the furnace of ills
With putrid ulcers which their humours spills.
How can I but turn my eyes sometimes that way?
Your beauty is still ravishing, what can I say?
With putrid ulcers which their humours spills.
How can I but turn my eyes sometimes that way?
Your beauty is still ravishing, what can I say?
Other pains exist than those that love brings,
Other joys than those of lovers’ mingling.
Don’t ask me now, Beloved, for that love of other days.
Other joys than those of lovers’ mingling.
Don’t ask me now, Beloved, for that love of other days.
Wednesday, September 26, 2012
A Death Sentence Dressed In Blue!
Getting laid of from my very first job and the company I joined straight out of college was probably the best thing that could have happened to me.
In one stroke my employer, Cisco pulled the rug from under myself and thousands of others. A shock it was, as who could have imagined this. Especially it happening to you.
You may have played all the right cards available to corporate professionals. Yet at the end of the day usefulness of employees is not based on their individual contribution.
As an employee in a corporation you get paid for being in the office day-in and day-out, as long as you deliver upon your specific role, everyone is happy, and you continue to get paid, with the occasional bonus slapped on.
It is a great and cushy life, you feel on top of the world, secure in your life. Never really expecting your life line to the company could ever be axed by the same company you've diligently slaved for day-in and day-out.
That was me until the morning of Thursday, July 16 2009. Upon walking in to my cubicle, as I took my seat in front of my 17 inch LCD monitor, I clicked open Outlook to find two emails from both my managers marked urgent with the subject line "Please contact me at your earliest convenience".
I thought to myself, what could they want to see me about so early in the morning. While going over all the project deliverable's and statuses in my mind. Not quite able to figure out what might they want to see me for, and both of then early in the morning, and that in my senior most managers office.
Anyhow I got up from my desk, and walked over to my managers office that was around the corner, two cubicles away from me.
There I saw both my managers, I knocked and my senior most boss asked me to have a seat, while my second boss got up to close the door.
Then my senior most manager started reading, though I am quite sure he wasn't reading. As I heard what he had to say I felt my self sink, my heart started to pound, mind was in turmoil, trying to comprehend my managers words. I felt as if I was going to faint.
He then handed me a blue folder, inside of which was a 25 page termination letter, most of which I could barely read apart from "we regret to inform you that your employment at Cisco Systems has been terminated".
Terminated I thought, but why, why me? Then my boss looked at me and said you have two months at Cisco, within that time you will have the same rights and privileges as before. But you are not to work on any existing projects...."but ..." I blurted out "there are the following projects I am overseeing....." my boss smiled and said "don't worry about those your remaining time at Cisco is for you to look for another positions internal or external".
With that we parted, the short walk back to my cube was one of the longest walks I had ever taken. Back at my desk I reopened the blue folder, took out that 25 page death sentence, that's what it felt like as I skimmed over each page. I could barely comprehend the words. Felt like I was having some sort of bad dream.
Felt like my entire worth as a human being had been shattered. Who was I, what do I do? I found myself wonder how will I break the news to my parents, to my friends, to close acquaintances, what will I do? What will I say, that I got laid off?
I felt like running, putting the entire morning behind me and continuing my work as I usually did. Then suddenly I noticed my Sametime, the company wide instant messenger we used popping up with messages from all over. Oh they were friends from within the company asking how I was and if I survived ? That's when I learnt of dozens of others who received the same death sentence dressed in blue.
Turned out 25% of my Business Unit had been affected, about 1,000 - 1,500 people company wide. Many from my Business Unit, the team that had been responsible for Cisco's flagship product Catalyst 6500. Once the only bread winner for the company was on its death bed.
Ever since I haven't looked back, the death sentence in blue is none but a fading glimmer in the fabric of space and time. Though, many times less wealthier, I am glad that the death sentence came when it did. The experiences and skills gained in the months and years since were well worth the initial anguish.
I am more determined than ever before not to allow myself in such a similar position, and decided to embark, full throttle ahead upon the entrepreneurial journey, wherever that may take me. After all this is a journey that is the most rewarding, despite the emotional tolls faced from time to tome, there is no better thrill than to be working on something, building a business of your own, striving to make it profitable, tweaking and pivoting every step of the way.
The death sentence dressed in blue was none but a silver lining that came at the peak of a Great Recession.
Sent from my iPhone
In one stroke my employer, Cisco pulled the rug from under myself and thousands of others. A shock it was, as who could have imagined this. Especially it happening to you.
You may have played all the right cards available to corporate professionals. Yet at the end of the day usefulness of employees is not based on their individual contribution.
As an employee in a corporation you get paid for being in the office day-in and day-out, as long as you deliver upon your specific role, everyone is happy, and you continue to get paid, with the occasional bonus slapped on.
It is a great and cushy life, you feel on top of the world, secure in your life. Never really expecting your life line to the company could ever be axed by the same company you've diligently slaved for day-in and day-out.
That was me until the morning of Thursday, July 16 2009. Upon walking in to my cubicle, as I took my seat in front of my 17 inch LCD monitor, I clicked open Outlook to find two emails from both my managers marked urgent with the subject line "Please contact me at your earliest convenience".
I thought to myself, what could they want to see me about so early in the morning. While going over all the project deliverable's and statuses in my mind. Not quite able to figure out what might they want to see me for, and both of then early in the morning, and that in my senior most managers office.
Anyhow I got up from my desk, and walked over to my managers office that was around the corner, two cubicles away from me.
There I saw both my managers, I knocked and my senior most boss asked me to have a seat, while my second boss got up to close the door.
Then my senior most manager started reading, though I am quite sure he wasn't reading. As I heard what he had to say I felt my self sink, my heart started to pound, mind was in turmoil, trying to comprehend my managers words. I felt as if I was going to faint.
He then handed me a blue folder, inside of which was a 25 page termination letter, most of which I could barely read apart from "we regret to inform you that your employment at Cisco Systems has been terminated".
Terminated I thought, but why, why me? Then my boss looked at me and said you have two months at Cisco, within that time you will have the same rights and privileges as before. But you are not to work on any existing projects...."but ..." I blurted out "there are the following projects I am overseeing....." my boss smiled and said "don't worry about those your remaining time at Cisco is for you to look for another positions internal or external".
With that we parted, the short walk back to my cube was one of the longest walks I had ever taken. Back at my desk I reopened the blue folder, took out that 25 page death sentence, that's what it felt like as I skimmed over each page. I could barely comprehend the words. Felt like I was having some sort of bad dream.
Felt like my entire worth as a human being had been shattered. Who was I, what do I do? I found myself wonder how will I break the news to my parents, to my friends, to close acquaintances, what will I do? What will I say, that I got laid off?
I felt like running, putting the entire morning behind me and continuing my work as I usually did. Then suddenly I noticed my Sametime, the company wide instant messenger we used popping up with messages from all over. Oh they were friends from within the company asking how I was and if I survived ? That's when I learnt of dozens of others who received the same death sentence dressed in blue.
Turned out 25% of my Business Unit had been affected, about 1,000 - 1,500 people company wide. Many from my Business Unit, the team that had been responsible for Cisco's flagship product Catalyst 6500. Once the only bread winner for the company was on its death bed.
Ever since I haven't looked back, the death sentence in blue is none but a fading glimmer in the fabric of space and time. Though, many times less wealthier, I am glad that the death sentence came when it did. The experiences and skills gained in the months and years since were well worth the initial anguish.
I am more determined than ever before not to allow myself in such a similar position, and decided to embark, full throttle ahead upon the entrepreneurial journey, wherever that may take me. After all this is a journey that is the most rewarding, despite the emotional tolls faced from time to tome, there is no better thrill than to be working on something, building a business of your own, striving to make it profitable, tweaking and pivoting every step of the way.
The death sentence dressed in blue was none but a silver lining that came at the peak of a Great Recession.
Sent from my iPhone
Wednesday, September 12, 2012
In Respect of Honest Work
Many Pakistanis are programmed to think of businesses or jobs outside of high-tech, medicine, law, politics & government as lowly. Auto repair business though are tech in nature, in the Pakistani mindset they are categorized as jobs for the under classes (or cullee classes).
Success as a nation requires us to break this in-bred societal prejudice. Something that owes it's roots to colonialism where pre-colonial jobs were shunned to the lowest rungs of society by the English colonial rulers in India. Case-in-point: Jamhadar was once a highly respected rank in the army, equivalent if not above that of a general.
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