Pakistani jets pound Taliban positions, 18 militants killed

Pakistani fighter jets on Sunday pounded several Taliban positions in the restive Aurakzai tribal region in northwest Pakistan killing 18 militants, as large army contingents moved into the area, triggering speculation about a fresh offensive against the rebels.

Jet fighters pounded targets in several areas of lower and upper Aurakzai Agency, killing 18 rebels.

The house of the father-in-law of Taliban commander Aslam Farooqi in Mirowak area was among the targets struck by the jets, official sources said. But it was not clear if he was among those killed.

Eight militant hideouts and a girls’ high school were destroyed in the bombardment.

The air strikes were carried out as large contingents of the Pakistan Army moved into Aurakzai Agency.

Troops set up check posts at Kulaba and surrounding areas and tightened security at entry points to the region, the sources said.

The deployment triggered speculation that the army planned to launch a “decisive operation” against the Taliban in Aurakzai Agency in the next few days, sources said.

Keywords: Pakistan military offensive, Taliban attack, northwest Pakistan

Career Job

SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA - JUNE 01: P&O Cruises ship 'Pacific Dawn' arrives back in Sydney after cutting short her Great Barrier Reef voyage following a Swine Flu scare on board, at Darling harbour on June 1, 2009 in Sydney, Australia. The 2,000 passengers left aboard were all allowed to leave the ship after they were given the all clear following an outbreak onboard, where three crew tested positive for the virus. The Queensland Government was forced to declare a public health emergency on Saturday in order that the vessel be allowed to dock in Brisbane, where 84 passengers disembarked having been screened for the Swine Flu virus, with all required to quarantine themselves for seven days. The ship is due to sail again on Thursday, reportedly fully booked, as Australia now confirms 303 cases of human swine flu.

Got epic talent? Show us in a video and you could be performing on Norwegian Epic

Looking for that big break in the entertainment world? USA TODAY readers, here's your chance.

USA TODAY's Cruise Log and Norwegian Cruise Line today are announcing a nationwide contest to search for an "epic" entertainer to perform at the July inaugural of Norwegian Epic.

The winner of the Search for the Epic Star contest, as it's being called, also will receive a seven-day Caribbean cruise on the much-awaited vessel -- the line's largest and most elaborate ever.

The 4,200-passenger Norwegian Epic is designed to take entertainment at sea to a new level with regular performances by big-name acts such as the Blue Man Group and Las Vegas' Legends in Concert. Also on board will be Cirque Dreams, the only "big top" at sea; a comedy show by improv group Second City; and the dueling piano show, Howl at the Moon.

RELATED: NCL's next ship will have cabins for single travelers
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ALSO ONLINE: NCL says bookings strong, fares heading up

Entering the contest is easy. Starting today through April 25, would-be stars who think their talent is epic should submit a video of one minute or less at www.epicstar.usatoday.com.

Singers, musicians, dancers, jugglers, comics, rappers and more in groups of one to four performers who are 21 years of age and older and reside in the U.S. or Canada are eligible.

Once the entries are in, a panel of professional judges including Neil Goldberg of Cirque Productions, Tim Aumiller of Blue Man Group, Beth Kligerman of The Second City and Brian Brigner of Legends in Concert will select eight semi-finalists whose videos will be displayed here at the Cruise Log throughout May (two videos will be posted per week).

The public then will have the chance to vote for its favorite contestant here at the Cruise Log June 1-11. From the top three scoring acts, the judges will select the grand prize winner, who will be announced on June 18.

In addition to the grand prize winner, the top two finalists will be awarded the opportunity to come to Norwegian Epic's inaugural festivities in New York, July 2-4.

Judging will be based on creativity, originality, entertainment value, quality of performance and professionalism. Only original content and videos of one minute or less will be considered. Any videos that use licensed material will be disqualified.

For more information about the contest and to register,visit www.epicstar.usatoday.com.

At 153,000 tons, Norwegian Epic will be more than 50% larger than the line's biggest ships currently at sea and include a number of industry innovations. The ship will have curved "New Wave" cabins; the largest suite complex at sea, comprising 60 suites and villas on two private decks at the top of the ship; spa cabins and family cabins. The vessel also will be home to Nickelodeon at Sea -- a family-focused, Nickelodeon-themed entertainment program that will include character meet-and-greets, interactive game shows and more.

Also announced for the vessel: The first Ice Bar at sea; an outdoor entertainment area called SpiceH20; an expansive Aqua Park with the only tube slide and largest bowl slide at sea; a 33-foot high, 64-foot wide extreme rock climbing wall; the first rappelling wall at sea; the most bowling lanes at sea with six in two venues; a mixed-use sports deck with the ability for guests to engage in eight different athletic activities; three separate kids' and teen activity areas; 20 eateries; and 20 bars and lounges.

Saudi Arabia denies pressuring China against Iran

Saudi Arabia has dismissed US claims that Riyadh would use its leverage to pressure China to approve new sanctions against Iran.

According to the Saudi official news agency, SPA, an official in Riadh rejected a claim by US Defense Secretary Robert Gates on the issue of pressuring China to support fresh sanctions against Iran, IRNA reported on Friday.

The report indicates that the two sides did not even discuss the matter during Gates' visit to Saudi Arabia.

Earlier, Gates had said that the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia had expressed willingness to push Beijing to support sanctions against Iran.

The West accuses Iran of seeking to develop atomic weapons through its nuclear program.

Iran has repeatedly denied the charge, saying that the country seeks nuclear energy to meet its growing demand for electricity.

Tehran notes that its nuclear program does not violate the boundaries of the International Atomic Energy Agency and the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), to which it is a signatory.

Court audit unveils Lehman's deceptive bookkeeping

An official report indicates that the now-defunct US financial services firm Lehman Brothers used misleading accounting ploys to eliminate $50 billion of troubled assets.

The 2,200-page report by a court-appointed examiner explains how executives of the company manipulated their balance sheet to make their finances appear more robust.

The report says Lehman temporarily shifted the troubled assets in the months before its collapse to conceal its dependence on borrowed money.

The new finding could result in new legal liability for former officials at the firm.

They added that then-Lehman CEO Richard S. Fuld Jr. was "at least grossly negligent" and that the accounting firm Ernst & Young could be accused of professional malpractice.

“It's a very damaging report and certainly is something that is going to be carefully scrutinized by federal prosecutors,” said Robert Mintz, a former justice department prosecutor who is a private defense attorney.

Lehman Brothers' collapse in 2008 shook financial markets worldwide and sparked the worst stage of the financial crisis.

Quake-hit Chile doubles troops to restore calm

Chilean officials have deployed thousands of extra troops to stop chaos and lawlessness in areas already traumatized by the country's devastating earthquake.

President Michelle Bachelet on Tuesday doubled the number of troops to 14,000 in the wake of widespread looting in some of the worst-hit areas in central and southern Chile.

Speaking at a news conference the president said that mayhem would not be allowed and vowed to "apply the full force of the law," to stop chaos.

Bachelet also urged the public to organize mechanisms for self defense.

The president's comments came after another restless night in Chile's second biggest city, Concepcion, where desperate residents openly ransacked stores in anger over slow government actions.

Officials however blame criminals and thugs for involvement in the looting sprees and have extended a curfew in the city and neighboring regions from 6 p.m. Tuesday until noon Wednesday.

Around two million people, or one-eighth of the country's total population, have been affected by Saturday's massive 8.8 magnitude earthquake.

More than 120 aftershocks with magnitudes greater than 5 on the Richter scale have also rattled the country.

The government has put the death toll from the quake at 795, but officials say the tally will likely increase in coming days as search-and-rescue crews dig into collapsed buildings and discover more bodies.

Fears also persist that hundreds more might have been dragged into the Pacific Ocean by tsunami waves that reached 30 to 40 feet high.

According to Bachelet, Chile has received offers of international aid and will accept the help that it needs.

According to the US Geological Survey, Chile's Saturday earthquake is the fifth-strongest tremor since 1900. Another 8.8 quake struck off the coast of Ecuador in 1906.

US drone attacks kill 16 in NW Pakistan

Two US drone attacks on Pakistan's North Waziristan tribal region have killed at least 16 people and injured a number of others.

Ten people were killed when a drone fired five missiles at a vehicle in Mizar Madakhel village, Pakistani intelligence officials confirmed on Wednesday.

The second drone fired three missiles at villagers, who were recovering bodies from the site of the first attack, killing six others, Press TV correspondent reported. Several Pakistanis were also wounded in the strikes.

The US carried out numerous such attacks on Pakistan's tribal areas last year, killing hundreds of people — mostly civilians.

Washington claims the strikes target pro-Taliban militants. Islamabad has repeatedly condemned the attacks, saying they violate Pakistan's sovereignty.

Earlier in March, a Washington-based think tank reported that US drone attacks have killed over 1200 people in Pakistan over the past six years.

Consensus emerges for key Web app standard

Browser makers, grappling with outmoded technology and a vision to rebuild the Web as a foundation for applications, have begun converging on a seemingly basic by very important element of cloud computing.
That ability is called local storage, and the new mechanism is called Indexed DB.
Indexed DB, proposed by Oracle and initially called WebSimpleDB, is largely just a prototype at this stage, not something Web programmers can use yet. But already it's won endorsements from Microsoft, Mozilla, and Google, and together, Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Chrome account for more than 90 percent of the usage on the Net today.

"Indexed DB is interesting to both Firefox and Microsoft, so if we get to the point where we prototype it and want to ship it, it will have very wide availability," said Chris Blizzard, director of evangelism for Mozilla.
And standardization could come. Advocates have worked Indexed DB into the considerations of the W3C, the World Wide Web Consortium that standardizes HTML and other Web technologies. In the W3C discussions, Indexed DB got a warm reception from Opera, the fifth-ranked browse

Indians, Pakistanis to be biggest non-white group in Canada

Toronto, March 10 – With immigration and higher birth rates among non-whites fast changing Canada’s demography, non-whites will account for almost a third of the country’s population by 2031, according to figures released Tuesday. Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis will become the biggest non-white group, accounting for 28 percent of the minorities.

The population from the three countries will total 3.2 million to 4.1 million – up from 1.3 million in the 2006 census.

By 2031, one in every three Canadians will be non-white, Statistics Canada said in its report. In Toronto, Canada’s biggest city, every two in three persons will be non-whites by then.

In 2006, Canada had about 5.3 million non-whites in its population of over 33 million.

If the projections made Tuesday are correct, Canada could have between 11.4 million and 14.4 million non-whites by 2031.

After South Asians, the Chinese will be the second biggest group by 2031, accounting for 21-24 percent of non-white population. Their population is expected to grow from 1.3 million to between 2.4 million and 3 million by that date.

Currently, the Chinese are the largest immigrant group to come to Canada each year, followed by Indians.

Canada’s three top cities – Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver – will change drastically as 71 percent of all visible minorities will live in these cities.

By that date, visible minorities would comprise 63 percent of the population of Toronto, 59 percent in Vancouver and 31 percent in Montreal.

Interestingly, Indians, Pakistanis and Bangladeshis will number about 2.1 million or about 24 percent of Toronto’s population within two decades, up from 13 percent in 2006.

Canada’s Black and Filipino populations, which were the third and fourth largest visible minority groups in 2006, could also double in size.

Muslims (Arab and West Asian groups) could more than triple, the fastest growth among all groups, the report said.

By 2031, Christianity would decline from 75 percent to 65 percent of the population, while followers of other religions will double from eight to 14 percent.

Islam will account for one-half of the rise in non-Christian religions, up from 35 percent in 2006.

Supreme Court orders Zardari graft cases to be reopened

Islamabad, March 12 – The noose seems to be tightening around Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari, with the Supreme Court saying a Swiss money laundering case against him should be immediately reopened.

At a hearing Friday, the court asked the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) to immediately write to the Swiss authorities for reopening the case and also take into its custody the records related to the case lying in London, Online news agency reported.

The ruling came after the NAB submitted that it was hampered in its efforts because records relating to the case had gone missing during the tenure of then president Pervez Musharraf.

Dissatisfied with this statement, Judge Tariq Pervez said the court was not interested in individuals and asked the NAB to recover the missing records, Geo TV reported.

Judge Javed Iqbal wondered why a Supreme Court order striking down an amnesty against graft was not being implemented, adding that the prosecutor general did not seem to be interested in pursuing NAB cases.

In August 2008, Swiss judicial authorities, acting on the request of the Pakistani government, closed the money-laundering case against Zardari and released $60 million frozen in Swiss accounts.

The Pakistani government had cited the amnesty against graft promulgated by Musharraf as the reason for seeking closure of the case.

Musharraf had promulgated the amnesty, in the form of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), primarily to enable former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Zardari, who faced a slew of corruption cases, to return home from self-imposed exile.

Some 250 other politicians, retired army officers and bureaucrats also benefited from the NRO.

The Supreme Court in December 2009 termed the NRO unconstitutional and ordered the reopening of all the cases closed after its promulgation.

Zardari and his aides have been blowing hot and cold since then. While he says he is ready to face the courts, his aides insist he enjoys presidential immunity, at least as long as he is in office.

IANS

New Alzheimer’s test to ensure early detection

Washington, Mar 12 : A new test, developed at the University of Tennessee, is over 95 percent accurate in detecting cognitive abnormalities linked with Alzheimer’s disease and other forms of cognitive impairment.

Called computerized self-test (CST), it was designed to be both effective and relatively simple for medical professionals to administer and for patients to take.

Rex Cannon and Dr. John Dougherty, an associate professor in the UT Graduate School of Medicine, worked with a team of researchers to develop CST.

The impetus for the test came from data showing that 60 percent of Alzheimer’s cases are not diagnosed in the primary care setting, and that those delays lead to missed treatment opportunities.

“Early detection is at the forefront of the clinical effort in Alzheimer’s research, and application of instruments like CST in the primary care setting is of extreme importance,” said Cannon.

The CST is a brief, interactive online test that works to asses various impairments in functional cognitive domains – in essence, it’s a “fitness test” of sorts for the basic functions of thinking and processing information that are affected by Alzheimer’s and milder forms of cognitive impairment.

The study showed that the CST was substantially more effective and more accurate in detecting the presence of Alzheimer’s and other forms of cognitive impairment in patients than other existing tests.

The CST had a 96 percent accuracy rate compared to 71 percent and 69 percent for the tests that are currently in use.

Cannon said that they developed the test partly because they wanted to ensure that the test is useful in the primary care setting, where physicians may not have detailed training in recognizing cognitive impairments, but where an early diagnosis may do the most good for patients.

“Computerized testing is a developing and exciting area for research,” said Cannon.

He noted that the test can provide an objective way to determine what diseases may affect the patient and provide information to begin treatments that can blunt the effects of Alzheimer’s.

The study has been published in the latest issue of the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease. (ANI)

Pakistani apex court unhappy with Zardari case

Islamabad, March 12 – The Pakistani Supreme Court Friday expressed unhappiness over the lack of action in reopening a Swiss money laundering case involving President Asif Ali Zardari. It has asked the country’s anti-corruption watchdog to speed up matters.

At a hearing, the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) submitted that it was hampered in its efforts because records relating to the case had gone missing during the tenure of then president Pervez Musharraf.

Dissatisfied with this statement, judge Tariq Pervez said the court was not interested in individuals and asked the NAB to recover the missing records, Geo TV reported.

In August 2008, Swiss judicial authorities, acting on the request of the Pakistani government, closed the money-laundering case against Zardari and released $60 million frozen in Swiss accounts.

The Pakistani government had cited an amnesty against graft promulgated by Musharraf as the reason for seeking closure of the case.

Musharraf had promulgated the amnesty, in the form of the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), primarily to enable former prime minister Benazir Bhutto and her husband Zardari, who faced a slew of corruption cases, to return home from self-imposed exile.

Some 250 other politicians, retired army officers and bureaucrats also benefited from the NRO.

The Supreme Court had in December 2009 termed the NRO unconstitutional and ordered the reopening of all the cases closed after its promulgation.

Zardari and his aides have been blowing hot and cold since then. While he says he is ready to face the courts, his aides insist he enjoys presidential immunity, at least as long as he is in office.

IANS

Is Job Hopping The Right Way To Boost Your Career?

In the wake of the high inflation and the economic crisis, job hopping has become a far more common phenomenon than it was in the past. Nowadays, people switch jobs easily as long as they are being offered a better position and pay, or even if they are being offered only one of the two. Since it is becoming harder for companies to hold onto good employees, job hoppers are getting better employments as compared to what they did in the past. Yet, job hopping is a phenomenon that indicates inconsistency at your end, a trait that is frowned upon by all employers

TEA PARTY "It's Not Political, It's Personal! Business as Usual, The Show Must Go On!

Tea Party, it's not political, it's personal. Business as usual means the show must go on!It is time we all share our information and intelligence so that we can learn to protect our planet when the time comes with nuclear technology and weapons that can be used in space. We will be armed with laser and nuclear technology for wars in stellar space. This is part of the reality that has always faced us in the past.

The world has become jaded and is operating in fear whether accidental or intentional, the overall goodwill of America is at stake. This is a high price to pay in which words such as lies, spies, and politics have now become part of our critical mass consciousness.

A real American Society does work with the overall minds in the critical mass consciousness. We may put various labels, tags, and categories on our products and services in America but this is our way.

We are always the Big Brother voice in the world. America is the Home of the Brave and the Free. We are the people who came together to announce our independence, freedom, and democracy.

It is now time that we get in tune with the ancient past of our historical culture to redefine what our goals are for our future in America.

It is apparent that we are in a world of debatable issues. America wants jobs. The North American continent needs jobs. The five main landmasses in this world all need to know what their worth and purpose of existence is in the larger scheme of things.

We presently are fixed in our American Culture with two main parts. These parts boil down to products and services.

We also have two main factions regarding our lies, spies, and politics in America and they are going to dominate the playing field in the Game of Life during the next few years as we plan for new leaders.

Power has come be down to that controls the masses. This power in the world has been divided up among the Global Community. The world banks and the world leaders have all decided to divide the playing field.

The oil companies are thought to have seven major and top players. We are aware that there is such a thing as price fixing and price gauging that has affected all of us.

The "Powers that Be" are all those in favor of assisting their level at the top of rungs of the ladder. In other words, there are some major rich intelligent beings in the world that arrived at the top of the food chain of survival based on several leading world factors.

The intelligent community in the world has learned that they too must join in an alliance. Most all intelligence is paid for in the world by the governments and religions in the world. Let no one kid him or herself into thinking that politics and religion are not bedfellows. This is part of the lies, spies, and politics that America has faced and endured. We all know about the Kennedy assassinations.

America has followed a pattern of two main political parties. There are the Democrats and the Republicans. The argument also now winning includes all the other smaller groups but mainly the third political party is called the Independents. The Independents are thought to be the swing votes in the middle of the left liberal Democrats, and the right conservative Republicans.

Many of the younger generations who are now old, enough to vote and only know what they have been taught in education classes in school are not aware of the extremes.

They have done what most all of us Americans have done in the past and that was listening to our peers and become swayed under peer pressure to vote a certain way or for a certain person.

Now a new spiritual movement is gaining some attention in the world. This spiritual movement is called the ASCENSION AGE.

This is a wave of spiritual intellectual enlightenment that has come into existence by way of disenchantment with the religions and the scientific communities´ arguments and/or debates. Some of these entail whether we are to believe in creation or evolution.

Politicians may have one to believe that the liberals believe with the science side of the equation and are for evolution. Whereas, the politicians on the right may want one to believe that they are for the creationists.

This is not the truth. There are believers in both science and religion on both sides of the lies, spies and politics. The view that the worlds is not trustworthy nor are governments and religions smacks more toward truth.

Some of our suppressed energy in the world has come to be laid upon our superficiality secular concerns that profit is king.

There are politicians that want to act tough during the election process in order to gain votes. Some times though, they may want to show they have a vulnerable personable side. All of the best politicians are polished and rehearsed by their political parties.

We know that President Obama was a Democrat. He won the last election but we are not sure after a year in office that we want to reelect him to a second term. This is now causing us confusion. Most of what we are feeling in the critical mass population in the world is based on the outcome of our perceptions and expectations of what the world should be in the ideal situation. This is actually a spiritual worldview. No one can really predict and control the outcome of this political game.

There are higher powers that many do not recognize in the world. Some of the higher powers that we are told do not interfere with our "Game of Life" can actually nudge certain spiritual intellectuals in directions that will change the outcome for the greater good of us all. This power is well known in and among the secret societies that have controlling interest in governments, religions, and public corporations around the global community.

King Qzer takes on Karachi

Recently, my six-year-old daughter accompanied me to a football freestyle event at a local mall. Needless to say, we had a blast as rap and hip hop blared in the background and desi kids ranging from 18 to 25 years old performed some incredible moves on stage with a bouncing football. Even more thrilling was a chance encounter with an 18-year-old rapper, Qasim Naqvi – better known as King Qzer in Karachi’s underground hip hop scene.

I caught up with King Qzer to chat about Pakistani rap, what inspires him, and the two things that can put a smile on one’s face.

Q. How did you become a rapper?

A. You know what they say, expect the unexpected. Rapping is a talent that you cannot get into; you have to be born with it. I was nine years old when I found it within me. Honestly, I didn’t even listen to hip hop music before that. One random day, I found myself bursting with rhythmic lyrics while I was watching a football match on the internet with a really ill beat. The lyrics went, “no pain, no gain, I feel like I’m wrapped up in chains, this ain’t no game and you can’t play it and you can’t stay in it, oh yeah…”

In hip hop culture we call this freestyle – you come up with lyrics on the spot; no pre-written or pre-heard stuff. Not a lot of rappers nowadays can freestyle. Luckily, I am one of the few who can, so I decided to take it to the next level, which involved writing and recording rap lyrics.

Q. Fakhre Alam is the only other desi rapper I recall who made it big. Who are your musical influences?

A. As I dug into this hip hop music more and more I got influenced by a lot of rappers, but it was not the subject of their rap (money, weed, gangsters) that inspired me, but the depth of rap, the reality they went into. It had a major influence on me, not as a follower, but as a competitor. I wanted to make my lyrics deeper and more soul-touching. And the only way to do that was by interacting with my surroundings and other people to get a taste of their lives.

Once I have done my research, I want to make something that can create a bridge between what I have to say and what they have to hear. You can say my rap songs act as a musical thread between me and the environment.

Q. The music scene in Pakistan is dominated by ballads, pop and a smattering of rock. Do you think you can carve a niche for yourself?

A. Your question can also be read as: “once there’s a way, there’s a will.” Hence, my answer is, “once there’s a will, then there’s a way.” Also Newton stated that “an object at motion will continue at steady motion as long as there’s an equal but opposite force acting on it.” I consider myself as that object, and there has to be an opposite force acting on me. In this case, the opposite force can be considered as other genres of music, de-motivation by people who think differently, and even my studies.

Now, I don’t want to be an object that’s rolling with an uncontrollable pace which is likely to crash. I personally prefer the opposing force to be there because that’s what keeps me balanced. I don’t want to break a barrier and succeed in crossing it – I want to blend through it and succeed in not changing my original self. In hip hop language we call this “keeping it real.” There’s no doubt that I will find a place for myself, I’m more concerned about expanding my place and providing like-minded people with a platform to work with me for the same cause. I also plan on mixing rap music with rock, pop, classic, bhangra, and all other genres of music which will lead me through the barrier.

Q. What themes do your rap songs address?

A. I had to rap about things similar to what I criticise in order to drift the actual message back to where it’s supposed to be. Still, a lot of people misunderstand my songs.

I started off rapping about historical events, but it got too boring. It didn’t attract the listeners, nor was it appealing to me at a later stage. After many mood swings and brainstorming, I came to the conclusion to stick to my original plan, which was creating a musical interaction between me and others. The moment you use the word “I” on a song, people automatically put themselves in your shoes. After that, I just have to explain my life in a rhythm. A lot of people in this world listen to music that can pump them so they can motivate themselves, and I’m the man behind this.

Q. Have you produced any of your songs?

A. By production you mean making beats, which I have often tried, even succeeded, but never really liked doing. I was never really into making beats, since my mind expresses itself in words.

Many people confuse production with composing. Composing means coming up with your own lyrics, your own flow, and that’s what I love doing. In order to survive on your own you need to be able to do both, the production and composition.

Q. You are studying to be a dentist. These two interests seem worlds apart…

A. I needed to do something with which I can support myself financially as well as something I like doing. There are two things in this world that can put a smile on a face – music and a good dentist. For that reason, I figured that these two were the perfect match and just went ahead with dentistry. So far it’s pretty interesting, and my studies give me a lot of material and words that I can use in my rap songs to increase the depth. Although it is hard to maintain the balance between studies and rap music, I am not giving up until one of these quits on me.

Q. Do you have a message for your fans and readers out there?

A. I’m only 18 years old; I have a long road to go. If I make mistakes along the way, I sincerely request people not to give up on me. I need the readers to be my fans, and my fans need to be my lovers. I need your support in everything I do, every decision that I make (good or bad). I’m just a flying bird that needs a building on which to rest and rely upon. I may fly high or low, but I need my fans to be that building for me. I love you all. Qzer is the name. Peace and may Allah bless you all.

Pakistan’s New Media Dictionary

Advertising:
A very important phenomenon in the Pakistani electronic media, where little, irritating films about fairness creams and mobile phone connections become the lifeline of big, irritating seths running really irritating TV channels. Also, the constant source of that wonderfully poignant line, ‘choti si break,’ which, however, may last as long as a military dictatorship in Pakistan.

Asif Ali Zardari:
A custom-made punching bag with prominent teeth for talk show hosts to practice their jihadi judo chops and passionate, ‘anti-corruption’ missionary positions on.

Aamir Liaquat:
Name of a special Pilgrimage Package offered by Peo Travels (Pvt.) Ltd. to specifically attract fitnahs to go for Haj and get God’s approval of their meaningful hatred of sub-humans (such as Jews, Ahmadiyyas, Hindus, liberals and swine flu carriers). Also the name of a hyperbolic over-actor masquerading as a ‘religious scholar’ on a TV drama masquerading as a ‘religious advice show’ on a gossip channel masquerading as a ‘news channel.’

Aishwarya Rai:
Famous Indian tree-hugger (especially on mangals), who is also a favourite of rabid anti-Hindu Pakistanis who will let her go (along with her tree, but not her husband), when they conquer India during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind in 2012 AD and slaughter all the Hindus of the world with their nuclear-powered laser-swords and bad TV shows, such as Muhammad Bin Iqbal Saladin Qasim Ka Pakistan.

Aaj TV:
A TV channel you’d rather leave for kal (as in yesterday).

Aag TV:
The favourite music channel of freckled, teenaged fascists.

ARY News:
A TV channel set up by jewellers. Get the picture?

Bobby Master:
Some guy who serves tea at a famous Pakistani TV channel. Most probably the most intelligent fellow there.

Conspiracy Theory:
A theory that is not a theory at all but a hard fact on Pakistani TV channels. Anyone disagreeing with the hard and loud factoids (conspiratorially called conspiracy theorists), is a Mossad/CIA/RAW/NASA/KFC agent and a possible swine flu carrier who would be lined up against the walls of Delhi’s Red Fort and shot dead during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind in 2012 AD.

Dr. Danish:
A dentist.

Duniya TV:
A channel on which Sohail Warraich tries to be funny, and Najam Sethi, serious.

Dawn.Com:
A place where tiny worthless dots gather at dawn to receive handouts from the many myriad enemies of Pakistan – such as, Indians, Americans, Israelites and Tellytubbies – so that they can use cyberspace to spread their anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan, anti-Shan propaganda through anti-Islam, anti-Pakistan, anti-Tigar Balm writers, columnists, subeditors, reporters, accountants, tea boys and gymnasts. Just what this article is doing on this site, I have no idea. All I know is it’s a conspiracy because Rana Naveedul Hassan said so.

DawnNews:
A groovy hang out where pleasant young men and women practice and sharpen their newly acquired American accents by toning their frequently mobile jaws. Here, cops become ‘caaps,’ jobs become ‘jaabs,’ Pakistan becomes ‘Pai-khis-tan,’ and Karachi becomes LA.

Dr. Shahid Masood:
A TV hakeem famous for his tangy concoctions and cocktails made from the equally famous witch-doctor Harun Yahya’s recipes of Vulcan stew, Martian soup, and other out-of-space (and out-of-mind) delicacies. If you look closely, you will notice that the good doctor also has a moustache, which many believe was gifted to him by Hamid Gul on his second birthday in 377 BC, during the first Ghazwa-ul-Hind.

Eeeeek!
A common female vocal response after watching Dr. Masood’s moustache fall every time someone mentions ‘PTV’ or something about him having a Canadian passport.
‘Me? No. (Plop!) Oops.’
‘Eeeek …!’

Express News:
An express-ion connoting something half-baked, done in a hurry. Example: ‘All pace and no substance makes Jack an Express News.’

Geo TV:
A Mongolian TV brand that can be watched on horseback while triumphantly marching into Hindustan during the Ghazwa-ul-Hind, Holi,Dewali, and Filmfare Awards. Shows programs hosted by hard, loud factoids bred on prime Vulcan stew and Hilal ki Ding Dong Bubblegum.

Ghazwa-ul-Hind:
A forthcoming Lollywood science-fiction blockbuster directed by Zaid Hamid, produced by Dr. Shahid Masood, and staring Maria B., Ali Azmat, Hamid Gul, Irfan Siddiqui, and Yoda.

Hamid Mir:
A wrestler.

Hamid Gul:
The guy who gave Shahid Masood his moustache and the man Masood hasn’t stopped thanking. ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ ‘Thank you, Hamid Gul sahib, for coming on the show…’ Why can’t his show just be called The Gul-Masood Show?

Indus News:
A news channels watched on the banks of the River Indus. By fish.

Iqbal Ka Pakistan:
The show that makes the great allama roll in his grave each week.

Imran Khan:
A man who still thinks the Taliban is a brand name for a series of chubby, cuddly teddy bears.

Kashif Abbasi:
A TV anchor whose eyes turned green after he’s had a bit too much of Dr. Masood’s Vulcan stew.

Kamran Khan:
A very dry man.

Maria B.
A fashion designer who is a fan of Zaid Hamid and thus keeps getting a ‘C’ in politics. She should actually be called Maria C., or Maria Z. Or better, Maria GHB (Maria Ghuzwa-ul-Hind B).

Munawar Hussain:
A guy who believes the Taliban are bigger than Elvis.

Mushtaq Minhas:
A very strange man.

Nusrat Javed:
Another very strange man.

Nadeem F. Paracha:
An abomination brought to life by the Elders of Zion and the illuminati to misguide innocent young Pakistani patriots and mohib-e-watan-Ghazwa-ul-Hind warriors with the help of CIA money, NASA spacesuits, and KFC Zinger Burgers. Most probably has ancient Dravidian Hindu blood running in his veins and is certainly out to destroy the super-duper Muslim master-race.

Nadia Khan:
A woman who grew up watching too many Hasina Moin plays.

Nawaz Sharif:
The ‘N’ in PML-N, some of whose starlets are still trying to put an ‘N’ in the Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) as well. Example: PTT-N. Likely to be disappointed.

PTV:
The channel only Rehman Malik and Bilawal Bhutto watch.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed:
A very old man.

Taliban:
Very hairy people who, in spite of being extremely obvious and ubiquitous, are still treated as ghosts by many TV hosts and their guests. They’d rather believe Elvis is alive than agree that it is the Taliban who are blowing themselves up in markets and mosques every now and then.
Example:
News Item: Taliban take responsibility for Pindi mosque blast.
Host: Who are these men?
News Item: Taliban take responsibility for Pindi mosque blast.
Host: Who can these terrorists be?
News Item: TALIBAN TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PINDI MOSQUE BLAST!!!
Host: Who can do such a thing? Is it the Indians? Israel? CIA? Elvis?

Zaid Hamid:
A fast-talking rap artiste who stole Ali Azmat’s soul (and guitar), and turned Aag TV into the official Ghazwa-ul-Hind music channel. His biggest hits are ‘Let’s march on Delhi, y’all!’ ‘Hindus are insects, y’all,’ ‘I love wars, y’all,’ ‘M. B. Qasim is ma man, y’all,’ ‘So is Maria B, y’all,’ ‘Even though she’s a woman, y’all.’ Recently, Zaid also claimed that Ali Azmat’s tind is a UFO landing site. Ali was thrilled.

Army ready to respond to misadventure: Kayani

ISLAMABAD: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani has said the army is fully prepared to give a befitting response to any misadventure from the eastern border and there is no possibility of the adversary catching Pakistan unawares.

Responding to questions raised by members of the Senate standing committee on defence during a briefing at the General Headquarters, he said that India’s cold start doctrine based on hegemonic designs had not been taken lightly and the armed forces were capable of responding to the challenge and safeguarding the country’s geographical frontiers.

According to a participant, Gen Kayani said Pakistan had played an important role in the global war on terror and remained committed to combating the menace. But he added, long-term national interests would never be sacrificed on someone else’s short-term interests.

The Senate committee recently received briefings at the naval and air headquarters, but this was possibly its first meeting at the GHQ.

Director-General Military Operations Maj-Gen Javed Iqbal gave a detailed briefing to the committee on the role functions and organisation of GHQ, the state of preparedness in the wake of internal and external threats and counter-insurgency operations in the NWFP and Fata.

Gen Kayani made some brief remarks which were followed by a question answer session.

Although most of the members praised the army’s role in combating terrorism, according to sources, some of them expressed concerns over what they called an extension of the US-led war on terror and said that Pakistan was paying a heavy price for it.

The sources said that Prof Khursheed Ahmed of Jamaat-i-Islami said that time had come for Pakistan to review its policy on cooperating with the US in the war on terror.

Some members said there was a perception that the operations in the NWFP and Fata had been launched under US pressure.

They were of the view that steps should be taken to consolidate the gains.

The members asked questions about the future scenario in Afghanistan, the US troops surge, Pak-US relations and external threats faced by Pakistan. They observed that the army’s requirements should be fully met at this juncture to enhance its capacity to protect national security interests. They promised to raise the issue in the Senate.

The committee headed by Lt-Gen (retd) Javed Ashraf Qazi comprises Senators Waqar Ahmad Khan, Faisal Raza Abidi, Mian Raza Rabbani, Sardar Ali Khan, Maulana Mohammad Khan Shirani, Haji Mohammad Adeel, Raja Muhammad Zafarul Haq, Jan Mohammad Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Prof Khursheed Ahmed.

Promotion of 29 brigadiers to rank of maj-general

Those promoted include 10 officers from Infantry, four each from Artillery and Medical Corps, three from engineering corps, two each from Electrical and Mechanical Engineering and Army Services Corps and one each from Armoured Corps, Air Defence Signals and Ordnance. – Photo by APP.

Economy of Pakistan

The economy of Pakistan is the 27th largest economy in the world in terms of purchasing power, and the 48th largest in absolute dollar terms. Pakistan has a semi-industrialized economy,[5][6][7] which mainly encompasses textiles, chemicals, food processing, agriculture and other industries. Growth poles of Pakistan's economy are situated along the Indus River,[7][8] diversified economies of Karachi and Punjab's urban centers, coexist with lesser developed areas in other parts of the country.[7] The economy has suffered in the past from decades of internal political disputes, a fast growing population, mixed levels of foreign investment, and a costly, ongoing confrontation with neighboring India. However, IMF-approved government policies[citation needed], bolstered by foreign investment and renewed access to global markets, have generated solid macroeconomic recovery the last decade. Substantial macroeconomic reforms since 2000, most notably at privatizing the banking sector have helped the economy.

GDP growth, spurred by gains in the industrial and service sectors, remained in the 6-8% range in 2004-06. Due to economic reforms in the year 2000 by the Musharraf government.[9] In 2005, the World Bank named Pakistan the top reformer in its region and in the top 10 reformers globally.[10] Islamabad has steadily raised development spending in recent years, including a 52% real increase in the budget allocation for development in FY07, a necessary step toward reversing the broad underdevelopment of its social sector. The fiscal deficit - the result of chronically low tax collection and increased spending, including reconstruction costs from the devastating Kashmir earthquake in 2005 was manageable.

Inflation remains the biggest threat to the economy, jumping to more than 9% in 2005 before easing to 7.9% in 2006. In 2008, following the surge in global petrol prices inflation in Pakistan has reached as high as 25.0%. The central bank is pursuing tighter monetary policy while trying to preserve growth. Foreign exchange reserves are bolstered by steady worker remittances, but a growing current account deficit - driven by a widening trade gap as import growth outstrips export expansion - could draw down reserves and dampen GDP growth in the medium term.[11]

Hafeez Jullundhri

Abu-Al-Asar Hafeez Jalandhuri (Punjabi, Urdu: ابو الاثر حفیظ جالندھری) [1] writer, poet and above all composer of the National Anthem of Pakistan[2]. He was born in Jalandhar, Punjab, India on January 14, 1900. After partition of India in 1947 he moved to Lahore. Hafeez made up for the lack of formal education with self-study but he has the privilege to have some advise from the great Persian Poet Maulana Ghulam Qadir Bilgrami. His dedication, hard work and advise from such a learned person carved his place in poetic pantheon.

Hafeez Jullandhuri actively participated in Pakistan Movement and used his writings to propagate for the cause of Pakistan. In early 1948, he joined the forces for the freedom of Kashmir and got wounded. Hafeez Jalandhari wrote the Kashmiri Anthem, "Watan Hamara Azad Kashmir". He wrote many patriotic songs during Pakistan, India war in 1965.

Hafeez Jullandhuri served as Director General of morals in Pakistan Armed Forces, and very prominent position as adviser to the President, Field Marshal Mohammad Ayub Khan and also Director of Writer's Guild.

His monumental work of poetry, Shahnam-e-Islam[3], gave him incredible fame which, in the manner of Firdowsi's Shahnameh, is a record of the glorious history of Islam in verse. Hafeez Jullandhuri wrote the national anthem of Pakistan composed by S.G.Chhagla. He is unique in Urdu poetry for the enchanting melody of his voice and lilting rhythms of his songs and lyrics. His poetry generally deals with romantic, religious, patriotic and natural themes. He chooses his themes, images and tunes from the subcontinent and his language is a fine blend of Hindi and Urdu diction, reflecting the composite culture of South Asia.

Syed Ahmed Khan

Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, KCSI [1] (also Sayyid Ahmad Khan) (Urdu: سید احمد خان} (October 17, 1817 – March 27, 1898), commonly known as Sir Syed (although this is technically incorrect; he would have properly been called "Sir Ahmed" as Sayyid is itself a title in this case), was an Indian educator and politician, and an Islamic reformer and modernist[2][3]. Sir Syed pioneered modern education for the Muslim community in India by founding the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College, which later developed into the Aligarh Muslim University. His work gave rise to a new generation of Muslim intellectuals and politicians who composed the Aligarh movement to secure the political future of Muslims in India.

In 1842, Emperor Bahadur Zafar revived upon Syed Ahmad Khan the title of Javad-ud Daulah, conferred upon Syed Ahmad’s grandfather Syed Hadi by Emperor Shah Alam II in about the middle of the eighteenth century. The Emperor added to it the additional title of Arif Jang. The conferment of these titles was symbolic of Syed Ahmad Khan’s incorporation into the nobility of Delhi.[4]

Born into Mughal nobility, Sir Syed earned a reputation as a distinguished scholar while working as a jurist for the British East India Company. During the Indian Rebellion of 1857 he remained loyal to the British and was noted for his actions in saving European lives.[2] After the rebellion he penned the booklet Asbab-e-Baghawat-e-Hind (The Causes of the Indian Mutiny) — a daring critique, at the time, of British policies that he blamed for causing the revolt. Believing that the future of Muslims was threatened by the rigidity of their orthodox outlook, Sir Syed began promoting Western-style scientific education by founding modern schools and journals and organising Muslim intellectuals. Towards this goal, Sir Syed founded the Muhammedan Anglo-Oriental College in 1875 with the aim of promoting social and economic development of Indian Muslims.

One of the most influential Muslim politicians of his time, Sir Syed was suspicious of the Indian independence movement and called upon Muslims to loyally serve the British Raj. He denounced nationalist organisations such as the Indian National Congress, instead forming organisations to promote Muslim unity and pro-British attitudes and activities. Sir Syed promoted the adoption of Urdu as the lingua franca of all Indian Muslims, and mentored a rising generation of Muslim politicians and intellectuals. Although hailed as a great Muslim leader and social reformer, Sir Syed remains the subject of controversy for his views on Hindu-Muslim issues.

Liaquat Ali Khan

Liaquat Ali Khan (Liāqat Alī Khān) (Urdu: لیاقت علی خان) About this sound listen (help·info) (1 October 1896 – 16 October 1951) was a Pakistani politician who became the first Prime Minister of Pakistan, Foreign Affairs & Commonwealth, Kashmir Affairs and Defence Minister[1]. He was also the first Finance Minister of India in the interim government of India prior to independence of both India and Pakistan in 1946.[2]. Liaquat rose to political prominence as a member of the All India Muslim League. He played a vital role in the independence of India and Pakistan. In 1947, he became the prime minister of Pakistan. He is regarded as the right-hand man of Muhammad Ali Jinnah, the leader of the Muslim League and first governor-general of Pakistan. Liaquat was given the titles of Quaid-e-Millat (Leader of the Nation), and posthumously Shaheed-e-Millat (Martyr of the Nation).

Liaquat was a graduate of Aligarh Muslim University, Oxford University and Middle Temple, London. He rose into prominence within the Muslim League during the 1930s. Significantly, he is credited with persuading Jinnah to return to India, an event which marked the beginning of the Muslim League's ascendancy and paved the way for the Pakistan movement. Following the passage of the Pakistan Resolution in 1940, Liaquat assisted Jinnah in campaigning for the creation of a separate state for Indian Muslims. In 1947, British Raj was divided into the modern-day states of India and Pakistan.

Following independence, India and Pakistan came into conflict over the fate of Kashmir. Khan negotiated extensively with India's then Prime Minister, Jawaharlal Nehru, and pushed for the referral of the problem to the United Nations. During his tenure, Pakistan pursued close ties with the United Kingdom and the United States. The aftermath of Pakistan's independence also saw internal political unrest and even a foiled military coup against his government. After Jinnah's death, Khan assumed a more influential role in the government and passed the Objectives Resolution, a precursor to the Constitution of Pakistan. He was assassinated in 1951.

Muhammad Iqbal

"Iqbal" redirects here. For other uses, see Iqbal (disambiguation).

Allama Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal
علامہ محمد اقبال
Born November 9, 1877 in Sialkot
Punjab, British Raj
Died April 21, 1938 (aged 60)
Lahore, Punjab, British Raj
Era Modern era
Region Islamic Philosophy
School Sufism, Islam
Main interests poetry, philosophy, sufism.
Influenced by[show]
Aristotle, Rumi, Ahmed Sirhindi, Goethe, Nietzsche
Influenced[show]
Indian independence movement,Khilafat movement,Israr Ahmed, Abul Ala Maududi, Ali Khamenei, Ali Shariati, Khalilollah Khalili, Jawdat Said

Allama Dr. Sir Mohammad Iqbal (Punjabi, Urdu: علامہ محمد اقبال; November 9, 1877, Sialkot – April 21, 1938, Lahore) was a Persian- and Urdu-language poet, philosopher and politician[1] He is commonly referred to as Allama Iqbal (علامہ اقبال‎, Allama meaning "Scholar").

After studying in Cambridge, Munich and Heidelberg, Iqbal established a law practice, but concentrated primarily on writing scholarly works on politics, economics,ishi history, philosophy and religion. He is best known for his poetic works, including Asrar-e-Khudi—for which he was knighted— Rumuz-e-Bekhudi, and the Bang-e-Dara, with its enduring patriotic song Tarana-e-Hind. In India, he is widely regarded for the patriotic song, Saare Jahan Se Achcha. In Afghanistan and Iran, where he is known as Eghbāl-e-Lāhoorī (اقبال لاہوری‎ Iqbal of Lahore), he is highly regarded for his Persian works.

Iqbal was a strong proponent of the political and spiritual revival of Islamic civilisation across the world, but specifically in South Asia; a series of famous lectures he delivered to this effect were published as The Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam. One of the most prominent leaders of the All India Muslim League, Iqbal encouraged the creation of a "state in northwestern India for Muslims" in his 1930 presidential address.[2] Iqbal encouraged and worked closely with Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and he is known as Muffakir-e-Pakistan ("The Thinker of Pakistan"), Shair-e-Mashriq ("The Poet of the East"), and Hakeem-ul-Ummat ("The Sage of Ummah"). He is officially recognized as the national poet of Pakistan.[3][4][5] The anniversary of his birth (یوم ولادت محمد اقبال‎ - Yōm-e Welādat-e Muḥammad Iqbāl) is on November 9, and is a national holiday in Pakistan.

Early life

Jinnah was born Mahomedali Jinnahbhai[9] in, some believe, Wazir Mansion,[10] Karachi District, of lower Sindh. However, this is disputed as old textbooks mention Jhirk as his place of birth. Sindh had earlier been conquered by the British and was subsequently grouped with other conquered territories for administrative reasons to form the Bombay Presidency of British India. Although his earliest school records state that he was born on October 20, 1875, Sarojini Naidu, the author of Jinnah's first biography, gives the date as ”December 25, 1876”.

Jinnah was the eldest of seven children born to Mithibai and Jinnahbhai Poonja. His father, Jinnahbhai (1857–1901), was a prosperous Gujarati merchant who had moved to Sindh from Kathiawar, Gujarat before Jinnah's birth.[10][11] His grandfather was Poonja Gokuldas Meghji,[12] a Hindu Bhatia Rajput from Paneli village in Gondal state in Kathiawar. Jinnah's ancestors were Hindu Rajput who converted to Islam.[11] Jinnah's family belonged to the Ismaili Khoja branch of Shi'a Islam, though Jinnah later converted to Twelver Shi'a Islam.[4]

The first born Jinnah was soon joined by six siblings, brothers Ahmad Ali, Bunde Ali, and Rahmat Ali, and sisters Maryam, Fatima and Shireen. Their mother tongue was Gujarati, however, in time they also came to speak Kutchi, Sindhi and English.[13] The proper Muslim names of Mr. Jinnah and his siblings, unlike those of his father and grandfather, are the consequence of the family's immigration to the Muslim state of Sindh.

Jinnah was a restless student, he studied at several schools: at the Sindh-Madrasa-tul-Islam in Karachi; briefly at the Gokal Das Tej Primary School in Bombay; and finally at the Christian Missionary Society High School in Karachi,[9] where, at age sixteen, he passed the matriculation examination of the University of Bombay.[14]

In 1892, Jinnah was offered an apprenticeship at the London office of Graham's Shipping and Trading Company, a business that had extensive dealings with Jinnahbhai Poonja's firm in Karachi.[9] However, before he left for England, at his mother's urging he married his distant cousin, Emibai Jinnah, who was two years his junior.[9] The marriage was not to last long as Emibai died a few months later. During his sojourn in England, his mother too would pass away.[11] In London, Jinnah soon left the apprenticeship to study law instead, by joining Lincoln's Inn. It is said that the sole reason of Jinnah's joining Lincoln's Inn is that the welcome board of the Lincoln's Inn had the names of the world's all time top ten magistrates and that this list was led by the name of Muhammad. However, no such board exists, although there is a mural which includes a picture of Muhammad.[11] In three years, at age 19, he became the youngest Indian to be called to the bar in England.[11]
Majinnah7.jpg

During his student years in England, Jinnah came under the spell of nineteenth-century British liberalism, much like many other future Indian independence leaders. This education included exposure to the idea of the democratic nation and progressive politics. He admired William Gladstone and John Morley, British Liberal statesmen. An admirer of the Indian political leaders Dadabhai Naoroji and Sir Pherozeshah Mehta,[15] he worked, with other Indian students, on the former's successful campaign for to become the first Indian to hold a seat in the British Parliament. By now, Jinnah had developed largely constitutionalist views on Indian self-government, and he condemned both the arrogance of British officials in India and the discrimination practiced by them against Indians. This idea of a nation legitimized by democratic principles and cultural commonalities, however, was antithetical to the genuine diversity that had generally characterized the subcontinent. As an important Indian intellectual and political authority, Jinnah would find his commitment to the Western ideal of the nation-state, developed during his English education, and the obstacle that was the reality of heterogeneous Indian society to be difficult to reconcile during his later political career.

The Western world not only inspired Jinnah in his political life. England had greatly influenced his personal preferences, particularly when it came to dress. Jinnah donned Western style clothing and he pursued the fashion with fervor. It is said he owned over 200 hand-tailored suits which he wore with heavily starched shirts with detachable collars. It is also alleged that he never wore the same silk tie twice.[16] M C Chagla, who was a close friend of Jinnah's, has stated that Jinnah was fond of eating pork, an act which is forbidden is Islam.[17] The historian Stanley Wolpert has also alleged this in a book about Jinnah. The Pakistan government has banned books (including Wolpert's) which have mentioned this alleged dietary preference of Jinnah's.[18]

During the final period of his stay in England, Jinnah came under considerable pressure to return home when his father's business was ruined. In 1896 he returned to India and settled in Bombay. He became a successful lawyer—gaining particular fame for his skilled handling of the "Caucus Case".[15] Jinnah built a house in Malabar Hill, later known as Jinnah House. His reputation as a skilled lawyer prompted Indian leader Bal Gangadhar Tilak to hire him as defence counsel for his sedition trial in 1905. Jinnah argued that it was not sedition for an Indian to demand freedom and self-government in his own country, but Tilak received a rigorous term of imprisonment.[15]

When he returned to India his faith in liberalism and progressive politics was confirmed through his close association with three Indian National Congress stalwarts Gopal Krishna Gokhale, Pherozeshah Mehta and Surendranath Banerjee. These people had an important influence in his early life in England and they would influence his later involvement in Indian politics.[19]

Muhammad Ali Jinnah

Muhammad Ali Jinnah (Urdu: محمد علی جناح About this sound Audio (help·info); Gujarati: મુહમ્મદ અલી જીનાહ); December 25, 1876 – September 11, 1948), a 20th century politician and statesman, is regarded as the founder of Pakistan. He served as leader of The Muslim League and Pakistan's first Governor-General. He is officially known in Pakistan as Quaid-i-Azam (Urdu: قائد اعظم — "Great Leader") and Baba-e-Qaum (بابائے قوم) ("Father of the Nation"). His birthday is a national holiday in Pakistan. Jinnah rose to prominence in the Indian National Congress initially expounding ideas of Hindu-Muslim unity and helping shape the 1916 Lucknow Pact between the Muslim League and the Indian National Congress; he also became a key leader in the All India Home Rule League. He proposed a fourteen-point constitutional reform plan to safeguard the political rights of Muslims in a self-governing India.

Jinnah, advocating the Two-Nation Theory, embraced the goal of creating a separate state for Muslims as per the Lahore Resolution. The League won most reserved Muslim seats in the elections of 1946. After the British and Congress backed out of the Cabinet Mission Plan Jinnah called for a Direct Action Day to achieve the formation of Pakistan. The direct action[5][6] by the Muslim League and its Volunteer Corps, resulted in massive rioting in Calcutta[6][7] between Muslims and Hindus/Sikhs.[8][7] As the Indian National Congress and Muslim League failed to reach a power sharing formula for united India, it prompted both the parties and the British to agree to independence of Pakistan and India. As the first Governor-General of Pakistan, Jinnah led efforts to rehabilitate millions of refugees, and to frame national policies on foreign affairs, security and economic development. He died a year after Pakistan's formation in September 1948.

PIATC

Pakistan Industrial Technical Assistance Centre (PITAC) is a dynamic organisation providing Engineering Solutions to both Public & Private sector industries and training of engineers/students in the latest CAD / CAM technologies and usage in modern CNC machinery.

PITAC - engineering Pakistan

The PITAC facility has advanced machinery that is operated by dedicated trained engineers, our skill at providing a 'one-stop-service' to industries from Plastic Injection Mould Tooling, Heat Treatment Technology through to advanced Machining Centres is second to none. We are proud to educate and disseminate our skills to engineers/students and companies throughout Pakistan, a service we do with pride.



We have the abilities to develop and design from conceptual ideas to the finished product and continue through to production.

US accepts Pakistan as a declared nuclear state

Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former ambassador to US, said that America’s ‘explicit recognition’ could be useful “only if stops such propaganda otherwise Pakistan is already a nuclear weapons state, with or without America’s recognition”. — File Photo

Overview

The Finance Division deals with the subjects pertaining to finance of the Federal Government and financial matters affecting the country as a whole, preparation of annual budget statements and supplementary/excess budget statements for the consideration of the parliament accounts and audits of the Federal Government Organization etc. as assigned under the Rules of Business, 1973.

Moreover, Finance Division maintains financial discipline through financial advisors organi-zation attached to each Ministry/Division etc.

Mission Statement


Mission Statement

To pursue sound and equitable economic policies that put Pakistan on the path of sustained economic development and macroeconomic stability with a view to continuously and significantly improving the Quality of life of all citizens through prudent and transparent public financial management carried out by dedicated professional.

Government Guarantees :

Government Guarantees issued during 2009-10 ( July - January, 2009-2010 )

Total

140135/- (Rs. Million)

Jobs in Pakistan with Pakpositions :

Currently Pakistan is one of the fastest growing economy with the economic growth rate near seven percent. This growing and flourishing trend in the economy has created a lot of jobs in Pakistan's products and services industry. Reforms of the present government and the security of investment to the investors have attracted lot of foreign investment groups and companies in various sectors of Pakistan economy. The situation has created significant jobs in Pakistan to the young and talented new generation of Pakistan. pakposition.com, an online job portal for free listings of jobs in Pakistan is basicaly working on the idea to provide a common ground for the needy employers and the talented job seekers. pakpositions listings of jobs in Pakistan are equally beneficial for the professionals and experts of different fields as pakpositions.com provide online listings of various jobs in Pakistan market opened and listed by various industries and organisations and also is a well known choice destination for both Jobseekers and Employers from across the country. our available jobs in pakistan listings include the jobs from support staff to UN coordination like categories, these jobs in pakistan are listed directly by the employers or the pakpositions.com team list them with authentic source for the facility of the candidates and seekers of jobs in paistan.

Jobs in Pakistan are expanding with growth in Pakistan economy. With government of Pakistan incentives the multinationals and foreign companies are venturing into the IT and Telecomm Sectors heavily. These trends have created lot of jobs in Pakistan and have provided the chances to our talented young lot to polish their talents and excel in their fields.


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