The roads are deserted as 170 million people eagerly watch the final moments of the 40th match of the Cricket World Cup 2011 between Pakistan and Australia. Pakistani right-handed batsman, Abdul Razzaq, swings his bat with a flourish and finishes the match with a Four to Australian bowler, J.J. Krejza’s ball. Team Pakistan has won the match by 4 wickets from it’s most formidable opponent!
As the whole country rejoices after the big win from Australia, I look around me and wonder at the nonchalance of some people who claim it …

Debate is on…recent flood disaster did not take its natural route; flood waters gushed through some areas and saved the others; breaches saved the few and destroyed the majority; conscious altering of the route of flood water had the devastating effect on the poor.
In the backdrop of such an important issue there is a need to look at the evidence available to apprehend whether there were such incidences where actually the course of flood waters altered to save the land and property of those in power and influential.
There are enormous …

The news of regime change are now being supplemented by news of another grave possibility: a repeat of the 3rd November steps to purge the judiciary. These may be rumours perpetuated by this sensation loving media but unfortunately Pakistan always operates under “Murphy’s law”. Moreover when a rumour is going around, our response often makes it materialize.
And the Judiciary has apparently taken the rumours to be some indication of the brewing scheme in the corridors of powers and met late night to develop a counter strategy and on the morning …

The man with the richest vocabulary, Ayaz Amir, has no assets!
While the poor became poorer and more people fell below the poverty line in Pakistan, the average net worth of an elected Pakistani politician (MNA) tripled, it has emerged. The only exception to the rule involves Ayaz Amir – one of the most educated and articulate legislature whose writings are read
more than perhaps any other Columnist.
In 2002, the average net worth of an MNA was around Rs. 27 million. In 2008, it shot up to 81 million -a three-fold increase.
Interestingly, …

Ho Allah… Oh Allah, Ho Allah, Allah, Ho Allah
Aik Allah kaloon mein dardi
Aik Maula kaloon mein dardi
Mahi yaar di ghadoli bhardee
Maula yaar di ghadoli bhardee
Aik Allah kaloon mein dardi
Aik Maula kaloon mein dardi
Mahi yaar di ghadoli bhardee
O Maula yaar di ghadoli bhardee
Ho Allah… Allah… Maula…
Tu hee hai mein naa hi sajna
Khuway de parchawain wango, ghum riya mann mahi
Jiddar waikha toiyon disda
Bullah disda nahin
Mahi yaar di ghadoli bhardee
O Maula yaar di ghadoli bhardee
Aik Allah kaloon mein dardi
Mahi yaar di ghadoli bhardee
O Maula yaar di ghadoli bhardee
Ya Ali…Ali Ali
Man-ammi… goyum an-nal haq
Man-ammi… …

More than a billion mobile phone connections have been added to the global tally in just 18 months, according to Wireless Intelligence. There are now more than five billion connections worldwide. In many regions, penetration exceeds 100%, where there is more than one connection per person in the country.
Ben Wood, mobile phone analyst at CCS Insight said the mobile phone may be “the most prolific consumer device on the planet”. “If you just take the UK in 1987, when the first mobile companies launched, an industry insider predicted a maximum …