Islam & Pakistan! Technology & Me!
Archive for February, 2009
Pakistan Democracy fails us.. Yet Again!
Feb 28th
By Laila Sohail
Saturday, 28th February – 2009
How many times does it take to fool someone? Once? Twice? Over and over again? No, Mr Sharif is not the one I am referring to, no need to keep count for natural fools. I am referring to the people of this country. Fooled once, fooled too many times.
The ugliest face of Pakistani politics unmasks itself once again. Burning buildings, blocked roads and angry jiyalas: welcome to Pakistani democracy. First we had an incompetent government, and now we have an opposition to match. The current government is a failed one with only individual self actualization on its agenda, and the future one is sure to bring times that are as dark.
There is no plan for the economic crises. There may be an inflated cabinet in place and countless committees formed, but there is no policy for any issue we are facing on ground. With the newly begun wrestling match, things will only go from bad to worse.
During the current global economic recession, private companies are announcing budget cuts and cost cutting measures, and while the government budget deficit is alarmingly high, the extravagance is no less. Dinner parties, huge entourages and foreign trips, our elites know how to maintain their life styles, while the common man struggles to earn a decent meal with the rising inflation. PEPCO may run all the advertisements it wants on television, but how can you ask a man to minimize the use of the one light bulb he can afford in his house, while he sees those in the Capital residing comfortably in dazzling buildings.
The Tourism Minister Maulana Attaur Rehman has been sent for a visit to the beaches in South France and Switzerland, so that the romantic peaceful environment may help him think of more innovative ideas to attract tourists. Maulana Sahib here is an idea: start by cleaning the beaches, more tourists may be attracted if they are assured there is no danger of getting throat and eye infections at the Clifton beach. AND I did not have to go to France to think of it.
Corruption, favoritism and nepotism characterize power struggle. There is overstaffing in the government and semi government departments, even the PPP workers who had lost their jobs ten years ago are being reinstated. Cars with number plates that say NAZIM (translation: do not mess with me, I am king) rule the roads, as for the jeeps with dark windows; it is impossible to see what their number plates say as they go zipping past. Accountability is a word only found in the dictionary. The PIA building in Rawalpindi looks like an inartistically designed PPP poster. Coins and stamps with political leaders’ faces on them, Bhutto family pictures replacing the pictures of Quaid-e-Azam and a Prime Minister who says that he is a member of a party, and will follow the party decision, even if he disagrees with it…this is Bhutto land. So all that is important is that we keep remembering the great legacy of our rulers, the rest of the trivialities we are already used to.
A hand written undisclosed will determines the future of the biggest political party in Pakistan. A piece of paper called the NRO turned a man facing charges (including criminal ones) into the President of the country. The lust for power brought the two arch rival parties together, until they realized there was only one prize, and the same lust tore them apart. Mr Nawaz Sharif placed his bet on one Mr Iftikhar Chaudhery and the great lawyers’ movement, while Mr Zardari relied on the charm of his wide grin, and the PCO judges. Mr Nawaz Sharif will play his lawyers’ movement card now, and he wants the people to join him. In this battle of the courts, the final decision is yet to be made.
The lawyers’ movement has managed to get quite a bit of attention by the educated class and the media, because of its high claims of standing by principles and reinstating an independent judiciary. All that Mr Iftikhar Chaudhery will do for Nawaz Sharif is what Justice Doghar is doing for Zardari. The precedence set by the NRO will continue to be followed. The 3rd Nov actions may be unconstitutional, but even if the right principles are used for wrong reasons, they still remain wrong reasons. Replacing one pawn with another is not going to achieve the end of an independent judiciary.
So what does it matter if the courts gave a decision against the Sharif brothers? It is just another move in the game we call Pakistani politics. Its now all up to the power of the streets, and a match between the PPP jiyalas and the PML N workers. Mr Sharif is openly calling for policemen and other civil servants to revolt. Students are missing school and taking their energy out by causing violence and destruction on the roads.
The two parties are at each others’ throats again. And it wont really make a difference to any one of them. No matter who wins this round, there is always another one to follow. The only sufferers in this cat fight are the people of Pakistan.
“No one party can fool all of the people all of the time, that’s why we have two parties” Bob Hope.
How literally true for us.
Zardari may be nearing his end, but what is there to rejoice for if Sharif is his replacement?
Whether it is Zardari or Sharif, both are incompetent, and both belong to parties that are non democratic. Both have been given chances, Sharif twice before and Zardari currently {not counting his wife’s tenures} and at the end they have taken more than they have given and the country was better off before them. Both are products of dynasty politics, and neither of them deserves any share in the running of anything…be it the party, or the country. The only thing they can do for the country is to leave it alone, but that is too much to ask.
Unfortunately there will be more to follow. In a disgusting display of defamation and dirty politics, the economy is already being hit, and the security conditions can only worsen. Instead of tightening the belt, its all you can eat…and everyone wants a piece of the cake. So those who think Mr Sharif is some ray of hope…think again. He offers nothing different. He is a part of the same dirty system that brought us here in the first place. The lawyers’ movement is just another power tactic, and the only way to hope for some real change, is to say no to both these leaders. Whether it is from the public, the polity or the military, a third force needs to come up and fight for the interests of the people of Pakistan.
Laila Sohail is a young Pakistani commentator and can be reached at: blabbersboo[at]gmail.com
© 2008. All rights reserved. Ammar360.com
Copying and distribution of this article is permitted provided this copyright notice remains intact.
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Previous Columns by Ms. Sohail at Ammar360.com:
Time to go solo: Stop Begging, Start Building!
No to the President, No to the media
Wake up, we are already at War
Where there is a will – There is a way! Zardari’s Success Story
Pervez Musharraf: Pakistan’s Only Real Democrat in 40 Years
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Loading ...PTCL Administration comes under fire
Feb 20th
The Pakistan Telecommunication Company Ltd. (PTCL) administration has come under fire in the National Assembly and is reported that the new administration under Etisalat has already closed down 170 telephone exchanges across Pakistan and a few more may be closed soon.
Ever since Etisalat took over control of Pakistan’s largest telecom company, the company has shown dynamism by launching new products and packages for its existing customers and packages to attract new customers.
But the fact remains that changes are only seen on television, in press advertisements and at the ‘one-stop shops’ of the PTCL. The line-man monopoly remains. I am going through one hell of a time, knocking different doors at PTCL but to no avail as of yet. Acquiring a landline has become a nightmare, and I know it is routine business and everyone has to go through this unless you agree to the terms and conditions set by the ‘line-man’.
Never the less, what follows is an excerpt from the Business Recorder regarding the National Assembly taking up the issue with the PTCL management:
National Assembly body discusses deteriorating standard of PTCL
ISLAMABAD: Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Information Technology & Telecommunications Chaudhry Muhammad Berjees Tahir, chaired a meeting on Tuesday at the Parliament House, wherein the body discussed complaints made by the members and consumers regarding the poor performance and deteriorating standard of PTCL.
The Committee was perturbed being told that 170 exchanges have already been closed and more exchanges are being closed and shut down. They strongly recommended that no exchange should be closed, misplaced or sold forthwith.
The Committee took a serious note of the violation of contract between Etisalat and Government of Pakistan in which Etisalat having only 26 percent of shares holds the management of PTCL and does not bother about the complaints made by the Members of the Parliament and consumers. The Committee also directed the PTCL management to facilitate the customers and not burden them with extra call charges.-PR
http://brecorder.com/index.php?id=891648&currPageNo=1&query=&search=&term=&supDate=
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...SAWJ is GONE
Feb 13th
Love him, hate him, loath him, adore him – but the reality is – he is GONE. He spoke to me before he decided to. He has left. He has, undoubtedly, been what has kept our little blogosphere alive.
Here’s his farewell post: http://blog.ratedsawj.com/2009/02/12/khuda-hafiz
That is all I have to say. We will all miss you, Ali. And some day, tum bohat maar khaao ge!
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Report: Energize Pakistan
Feb 7th
The Energy Crisis in Pakistan is serious. A competition was organized at the Ghulam Ishaq Khan Institute in which our team presented this report that I am sharing with my readers here.
Abstract
Pakistan today faces a severe energy crisis with a shortfall that varies from 2000 to 5000 megawatts. Developing countries and emerging powers plan well in advance to not only ensure sufficient energy for the present but also for their future needs.
While alternative energy or ‘greener’ solutions are the talk of the hour – we in Pakistan need to understand the potential of utilizing our natural resources like coal and water for increased power generation apart from exploiting other sources like nuclear and tidal energy.
We, in this report, have tried to suggest a viable solution for today and plan for tomorrow to come out of the energy crisis at hand using all available resources.
Introduction
Pakistan’s power generation has been marred by complex socio-political and economic issues over the past several years. We are a naturally blessed country, with immense potential if we choose to utilize water for power generation. We are already late. It is now time to move forward and explore other area’s through which this crisis may be overcome.
In this report, we propose a comprehensive strategy discussing the use of the following power generation methods for Pakistan:
a) Hydroelectric power
b) Nuclear power
c) Power generation based on Coal
d) Green solutions for Pakistan (including solar, wind and tidal energy)
(1 votes, average: 5.00 out of 5) Loading ...PTCL agreement with LMKR Pakistan for deployment of GIS Solution
Feb 6th
Okay, this sounds good. PTCL signed an agreement with LMKR Pakistan for the deployment of a Geographical Information System. This was back in November last year. I hope it helps improve PTCL’s operational efficiency. Yes I continue to hope so while I wait for the deployment of a landline at my place. It’s been months now. But still, all the best! =)
November 5, 2008 – Islamabad: Pakistan Telecommunications Company Limited (PTCL) and LMK Resources (LMKR) Pakistan Wednesday signed an agreement for the deployment of a state‑of‑the‑art turnkey Geographical Information System (GIS) solution.
PTCL’s SEVP South Adel Soufah and EVP of LMKR Mahmood Arsalan signed the agreement on behalf of their respective companies.
The solution will enable PTCL to better manage Access and Transmission Networks and inside plant (OSP and ISP) infrastructure including its copper and optical fibre network. The project, which would provide the network mapping of PTCL on the lines of google earth, would not only facilitate the PTCL to trace any fault in its fiber optic network, but also it would assist the PTCL consumers by early repair of any fault in PTCL network.
Under the project, one of the most strategic developments in the country, would enable the PTCL technical staff through the GIS component, a greater visibility by providing quantitative and qualitative spatial information about the capacity and integrity of the PTCL network and pinpoint faults and issues when they arise.
Through the project, LMKR Pakistan would launch network mapping of Islamabad under its first phase.
According to the scope of the project, the system will eventually be implemented across Pakistan and will become the only project of its kind to be put into practice on this scale in the South Asian region.
As part of the project, LMKR will be delivering this project on a turnkey basis. The objective is to design a robust and streamlined architecture that can be scaled to the national level.The resulting solution will significantly improve the operational efficiency through consolidation and better representation of spatial information.
This system will become the backbone of PTCL’s decision‑making framework in terms of planning new expansions and maintaining existing infrastructure.
It will also enable timely and efficient deployment of new technologies such as GPON and NGN. The consumer being the ultimate beneficiary will experience consistent quality of services and a more fault‑tolerant network. For the PTCL, this project will be a key strategic initiative in their long‑term growth plans and reinforce their position as the largest and most innovate telecom player in the industry.
This will also act as a testament to Etisalat and PTCL’s collective drive for innovation and industry leadership. For LMKR, this project will be another milestone, reinforcing their solid grounding and experience in the telecom domain. For Pakistan, projects of this nature will put us head‑to‑head with some of the most developed telecommunication industries in the world. President LMKR Shabana Atif Khan and Senior Manager PTCL Mubashir Haseeb Chaudhry were also present on the occasion.
(No Ratings Yet) Loading ...Nokia 5800 touchscreen
Feb 5th
Nokia rattled the market with the launch of its first proper touchscreen phone, the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music. The phone was first shown in the Hollywood blockbuster, “The Dark Knight”. Available in shades of Blue, Black and Red; the phone truly is lovely aesthetically.
I admit I have only seen it with a friend as yet, but I have gone through detailed reviews of the phone (pictorials, video’s and written reviews) and spoken to my friend about his experience with it.
One of the best features of this phone is Nokia’s experiment with SIM loading. Nope. It’s not under the battery anymore. You can conveniently load the SIM in a tab on the side, just like memory cards are loaded.
The phone has a big 3.2 inch screen with a 360 x 640 pixel resolution. So if you’re fingers are big (or small), Nokia has taken care of it. You can be sure you won’t run into trouble with using the touchscreen interface. The icons are bigger, better.
The Music features have been enhanced, you can slide the phone a notch upwards for the music controls, which makes the phone look even prettier. It has a new and improved Media player and it seems as if Nokia has not given up on its plans to dominate the music/media player market.
The phone is perfectly 3G compatible. Yes, we’re still waiting for these services in Pakistan but anyway. It’s a good plus if you’re a frequent traveller abroad. The Nokia 5800 Xpress music supports 3.6Mbps HSDPA (my final year project is on the deployment of HSDPA in Pakistan) with obvious GPRS and EDGE support for backward compatibility and for the fact that countries like Pakistan are still dependent on GPRS/EDGE. Bundled with Bluetooth and WLAN (Wi-Fi) services, the phone is a gem for data usage.
With the Nokia 5800 Xpress music, Nokia has also improvised its camera interface. You hit a button and you’re ready to play ith the view finder. A 3.2 mega pixel camera supported by a Carl Zeiss lense, I could’nt ask for more.
The phone is priced at around USD 600 and is not officially marketed and sold in Pakistan. It is available through what are known as ‘Grey Channels’ at varying prices from Rs. 36,000 to Rs. 41,000 without proper warranty support.
Hope to see it soon in Pakistan. If you are a user of the phone or have seen/used it or have read about is pro’s and cons. Do share.
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