حیرت ہے تعلیم و ترقی میں ہے پیچھے
جس قوم کا آغاز اقرا سے ہوا تھا

The translation of above Urdu verses: it is so outrageous to watch, extremely ignorant in knowledge and virtue is the civilization who originated with the word READ…

There is a big story in the media, look for the story they are trying to distract you from.

You spend first two years of their life teaching them to walk them and talk. Then you spend next 16 years telling them to sit down and shut-up. I also was considering myself very unfortunate when I was about two and a half feet tall and could not reach light switches as the elders did it very conveniently. Politicians and diapers have one thing in common; they both should be changed regularly and for the same reasons.

In Pakistan, they have been changed over frequently. When we got independence, the wars of power and greed influx had us inviting for military dictators to gift us promises and assurances of glorious future. This roller coaster journey is not unusual in third world. Immediately I am reminded of Gaddafi in Libya who ruled for 41 years and actually gifted many mega reforms against our dictators who brought one man show miseries.

I am very uncertain how current discussion has disassociated itself so widely to establish a link between technologies and dictators. However, strange but that is how I intend to describe this post. One more thing, news was fixed at 7 PM for English and 9 PM in Urdu which still is relatively constant in all TV channels.

The day of joy arrived and we received a color television, so did ‘love hate’ arrangement: love as our life style was upgraded at par with elite of Lahore and hate because I had lesser time allowed to watch television due to my superior commitments demanded for my studies. I stole few ideas learning English from the movies resulting my passing through English subject exams conveniently but on the contrary showing terrible scores in Maths. Whether glass is half full or half empty, I miss the point glass is always fragile and so venerable was my personality. This was the period when I first attempted to masturbate, this experiment so successful that I did it more than all the standard limits physically allowed; I watched my first colored pornography on 8 mm projector owned by my father which I without permissions stealthily took it to my friends house.

Surround yourself with assets, not liabilities.

To be continued…

حیرت ہے تعلیم و ترقی میں ہے پیچھے
جس قوم کا آغاز اقرا سے ہوا تھا

The translation of above Urdu verses: it is so outrageous to watch, extremely ignorant in knowledge and virtue is the civilization who originated with the word READ…

I’m so thankful I had a childhood before technology took over.

The transmission lasted for about three hours daily and everything was live. Black and white experience was the only option until the technology was eventually upgraded to color transmission in 1974. Abrupt mistakes and sometimes, blunders were not noticed and entertainment was nice pass time for families.  The technology is so advanced today pizza arrives quicker than an ambulance.

Color television also brought colored movies and talk shows which were labeled as controversial and sometimes needed parental guidance. Unlike black and white period, during the improvement in technology color transmission mostly separated kids from their parents and the gap continued sky rocketing. Many programs were censored and the censorship was at its limit when General Zia-ul-haq came to power overthrowing Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in a bloodless coup. The host of programs if females were tightly scarfed around faces and no glamorous makeup was allowed. Many soap opera programs were cancelled when the theme was not acceptable as they were found either un-Islamic or raised fingers against the dictator’s ideas.

I don’t want to become a bit political but as a matter of recalling the events of the past, I have to answer the correct history. Talking about color television, of course, I desperately wanted one in my home. It reminds me of the lines I read somewhere on Facebook, ‘I asked god for a bike, but I know god doesn’t work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness’.

Usually, the dictator (Zia-ul-haq) justified his coming to power and promised national election in 90 days and perhaps was convinced he would carry out elections. No elections were arranged until his death on 17^th August 1988 in a plane crash: his rule lasted for 11 years. No one argued with this idiot, and those who did, Zia-ul-haq apparently beat them with his experience dragging them down to his level.

Relationship advice: pay more attention to your parents then your phone.

To be continued…

حیرت ہے تعلیم و ترقی میں ہے پیچھے
جس قوم کا آغاز اقرا سے ہوا تھا

The translation of above Urdu verses: it is so outrageous to watch, extremely ignorant in knowledge and virtue is the civilization who originated with the word READ…

You have to be odd to become number one.

Only few countable privileged and rich arranged to receive the ‘idiot box’. Only Phillips electronic corporation had sole rights for distribution of 23 inches television sets in Pakistan. Who knew this new arrival would give birth to endless ‘couch potatoes’ that eventually would risk lives of thousands if not millions giving way into hypertension and heart diseases.

I was counting days when my father would makeup is mind to place an order for a television, I repeat OUR television set. Mind you, it was only black and white. He ordered one and there came the blessing in shape of a monster that understandably resulted as a curse.

Before owning one, I manufactured a fake antenna made of bamboo and sticks with a hanging black wire and placed it on the roof so on lookers assumed we also had purchased the prettiest invention. Thankfully, my initiative was not condemned by any member of my family. I assumed the purchase of our television set impossible until it was done.

The transmission started with long display of the television station logo, and then some religious programs and then, kids’ cartoons were scheduled. We as children were only allowed to watch cartoons and later were time for our homework. This limitation was never adhered and followed by me; I cheated to watch English movies aired in prime time.

All the servants and some people of neighborhood used to regularly come to view the masterpiece. No regrets until I realized I wasted precious time watching screwed up presentations. Of course, there was hardly any other entertainment available at least for young growing kids at that time. It was a rare facility that became a common disease.

It’s not the load that breaks you down, it’s the way you carry it.

To be continued…

حیرت ہے تعلیم و ترقی میں ہے پیچھے
جس قوم کا آغاز اقرا سے ہوا تھا

The translation of above Urdu verses: it is so outrageous to watch, extremely ignorant in knowledge and virtue is the civilization who originated with the word READ…

Technology is a queer thing. it brings you great gifts with one hand, and it stabs you in  the back with the other.    Carrie Snow

Humanity is aquaring all the right technology for all the wrong reasons.   R. Buckminster Fuller

Long sizzling hot summer is now, ultimately over. Very important to mention here, only for last month I had used my old feeble window air conditioner. Mainly, for two reasons, first, fear of the AC knocking down and getting it repaired being out of my financial reach. Secondly, the kind of inflated bills sent here by power company is so unjustified it becomes quite absurd for me to show courage and effort to face it.

This much for the change of the weather. When it comes to change of weather, let’s paint the change of technology, political systems (governments), and change of over all state of personal moods. I may sound weird but most certainly I cannot ignore even the slight improvement that my smart phone has delivered in my life style upgradation.

Too late to keep up with current sudden changes in cellular technology, I remain a little self contained using my so called smart phone. It was not too long ago when I had about five dolor’s US, phone that remained my most loyal and trust worthy companion.

It was Ayub Khan’s regime in 1964, the self proclaimed Field Marshal who was of course a dictator. In discussing technology, obviously he has no legitimate place in this write up. He deserved this mention mainly to explain you the period that I am mentioning was about more than fifty years ago and was led by a dictator. That period yet had not encountered with the ‘glorious’ invasion of a box called Television or Idiot Box.

But quite sooner, it was 1965 and the transmission activity through test services was launched in Lahore, Pakistan and we all were so thrilled to hallucinate the TV. The whole Lahore became TV eccentric republic. My parents could not afford the new life style accessory despite both were bread earning people – father and mother were medical doctors. Rod antennas erected on top of roofs clipped by cable coming to the rooms where almost square black boxes were installed.

To be continued…

*17 images originally posted in this post on 9th Sep 2015 were deleted, the Tweets reproduced sound critically bitter. Now, to balance my recipe, I have mixed a sweet and sour elements of my digital photography…

بیان کر دیں جو ٹوٹے ہوۓ دل کی حالت
یقین جانیے الفاظ کی رگیں پھٹ جایئں

The English translation of above Urdu verse is,  ‘Description of the shattered broken heart, when narrated, in fairness… believe me, the words would explode into splinters of its veins’ .

‘Sometimes, I shutdown and don’t talk to anyone, its nothing personal’ 

‘Look at life through a windshield, and not through rear mirror’

My vintage manual print film photography.

I was wondering why I failed to fill the tummy of my empty blog for so long. Frankly, I was on mute and shutdown mode. Thinking of topics and subjects, I realized either I am ahead of existing time frame or I am worthless lazy individual. 

Being citizen of third world country, the culture and environment that surrounds me remains in a status Quo state. Some of the kind readers of my blog have shown interest in my disoriented writings. Their number is a few, but that has once again made me to believe to use my keyboard again. Don’t worry, I am not going to write anything new but shall reproduce some of my tweets with a hope they may be answered.

Don’t grieve, anything you lose comes around in another form. Allow me to say rather confess, the light enters the places where one is wounded.

When there is ruin, chance is there for treasure. 

The most powerful weapon in the world is human soul on fire.

To be continued… later.

Enjoy the joy…

Part XV

تیری دنیا سے ہو ک مجبور چلا
میں بوہت دور بوہت دور بوہت دور چلا

The English translation of the above verse is:’… I am leaving your selfish world, in distress and helpless… that I am going too far, too far, too far’

‘A wise traveler never despises his own country’- Goldoni, Pamela

 My digital exposure – making friends, feeling emotions, discovering travel.

When man landed on the moon in 1969, I intensely wondered with extreme feeling of curiosity how bunch of men obviously male gender, traveled to their destination moon. Where did they performed the Loo essentials and when did they refueled their biological desires and needs. 

The launch of Apollo space program was instigated by their rival Russians. Now, Iron Curtain and the Berlin wall has been replaced by many gratifying financially benefiting cross border love hate feelings, travelling across the borders is as easy as trespassing into your neighbors key holes.

My learned readers please don’t get carried away with any impressions this right up is in anyway or form is going to be near or about geography. As usual, I am still not ready to establish how do I pen down a travelogue that will start from the start point of politically graceful and envious recently launched Metro Bus service in capital city of Pakistan, Islamabad.

Needless to say, this Metro service is for the good of the residents of Islamabad who befittingly deserve such class commuting privilege. Few days back, I traveled one way and found it pretty amazing experience. I felt young once again but not immature. I keep few friends or lets say, non at all sometimes. It was my knowledgeable and powerful travelling instincts while holding a cheap camera around my neck that I became an instinct celebrity in the bus.

There are roughly twenty four stops of this Metro and I communicated to half passengers of the figure twenty four. For the first two stops my fellow traveler asked me why i was carrying a camera? Failing to plan is planning to fail; I confidently gestured if I was a photo journalist which I did not planned to do at all. I also kept in mind adventure may hurt but monotony will kill you.

That person was talking the opportunity of course, not guarantees when he reaches for a job interview, first, he would reach in time as his destination was quite far away ahead of the last stop of Metro. Further, if he would cast a spell on the employers mind about his unskilled disposition that he owns. In the end he admitted he is also not very serious about that ridiculous job opening but he believed in, do it now, later, sometimes become newer. He was going for this interview to tell his wife he is trying his best to earn more. 

To be continued

I have designed and written this post particularly for my class and school fellows of Central Model School Lahore who have been reunited on one of the social media apps, after all.

میری یہ خصوصی پوسٹ میرے تمام ان بچپن کے ساتھیوں کے نام  ہے جو میرے ساتھ سینٹرل ماڈل اسکول لاہور میں .میرے ساتھ پڑھتے رہے ہیں اور جو اب انٹرنیٹ آن لائن پر ایک سوشل میڈیا کی ایک اپپ میں آن ملے ہیں  

میرا یہ اس لےآؤٹ پر محیط معمولی سا تیسرا  بلاگ اور میری کوشش میرے اندر دفن سوچوں اورتجربات کی منظر کشی کو کہا جا سکتا ہے . انٹرنیٹ ایک عجیب ایجاد ہے جو چاہے لکھ دو اور جو چاہے لائک کر لو اور بغیر کسی پابندی کے لکھتے جاؤ

ایک مکمل بے یقینی اور خوف سے بھرپور احساس کے ساتھ میں آپکو اِس بلاگ کی تیسرا  اُرْدُو پوسٹ پیش کر رہا ہوں . اپنی اُرْدُو کی سنگین کمزوریوں کے باوجود میری یہ نڈر اور حقیر پیشکش کو مجھے ایک دیوانہ اوردل لاچار سمجھ کر خدارا نظرانداز کیجیۓ.

میری ڈیجیٹل فوٹوگرافی کو میں نے اُرْدُو شاعری کے ساتھ سادگی سے فریم کیا ہے ، چاہیں تو اسے اپنے دِل کے کسی بِیابان اور خاموش اجاڑ سے تیخانے میں رکھ دین یا پِھرردی والے کو بخش دین .

تھا وہ مانند خورشید رستے دکھا گیا 

خودی کے فلسفہ سے پردے اٹھا گیا

میرے رگ رگ میں نشہ محبت کا ہے
جو سمجھ میں نا آئے تو میں کیا کروں

Drunken men give some of the best pep talks. 
― Criss Jami

وہ جس کی روشنی کچے گھروں تک بھی پہنچتی ہے
نا وہ سورج نکلتا ہے نا اپنے دن بدلتے ہیں

If you want to kill time, try working it to death. – Sam Levonson

چاند کو کیا معلوم چاہتا ہے اسے کوئی چکور
وہ بے چارہ دور سے دیکھے ، کرے نا کوئی شور

I would like to paint the way a bird sings. – Claude Monet

کل جوانی کا حشر کیا ہو گا
سوچ لے آج دو گھڑی كے لیے
وقت رکتا نہیں کسی كے لیے

Here we are, trapped in the amber of the moment. There is no why.
― Kurt Vonnegut

بے خبر ہو میری یاد سے زرا سوچو تو سہی
تعلق فرصت کے نہیں توجہ کے محتاج ہوتے ہیں

Computers are useless. They can only give you answers. 
― Pablo Picasso

بہت آسان ہو جاۓ گی منزل
چلو ہم ہی کسی کے ساتھ ہو لیں

The storm before the calm. 
― Cameron Conaway

وہ اتفاق سے مل جائے راستے میں کہیں
مجھے یہ شوق مسلسل سفر میں رکھتا ہے

Thinking is the capital, Enterprise is the way, Hard Work is the solution –

A.P.J. Abdul Kalam

وائے ناکامی! متاع کارواں جاتا رہا
کارواں کے دل سے احساس زیاں جاتا رہا

The driving force is feeling like you can do it.

ہم تھے جن کے سہارے
وہ ہوۓ نہ ہمارے
ڈوبی جب دل کی نیا
سامنے تھے کنارہ

The Ocean Is Where I Belong…

سب اٹھو، میں بھی اٹھوں، تم بھی اٹھو
کوئی کھڑکی کسی دیوار میں کھل جائے گی

Never trust a pretty girl with an ugly secret. 
― Sara Shepard

ذرا بھی پاؤں میں لرزش نہیں ہے ،

ہمیں کانٹوں پہ چلنا آ گیا نا . . . ؟ ؟

Nobody else’s footsteps lead exactly where you’re going…

Enjoy the joy…

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( I sincerely apologize to my worthy readers who do not understand Urdu, some Urdu admirers were insisting my complete Urdu post )

میرا یہ اس لےآؤٹ پر محیط معمولی سا دوسرا بلاگ اور میری کوشش میرے اندر دفن سوچوں اورتجربات کی منظر کشی کو کہا جا سکتا ہے . انٹرنیٹ ایک عجیب ایجاد ہے جو چاہے لکھ دو اور جو چاہے لائک کر لو اور بغیر کسی پابندی کے لکھتے جاؤ

ایک مکمل بے یقینی اور خوف سے بھرپور احساس کے ساتھ میں آپکو اِس بلاگ کی دوسری اُرْدُو پوسٹ پیش کر رہا ہوں . اپنی اُرْدُو کی سنگین کمزوریوں کے باوجود میری یہ نڈر اور حقیر پیشکش کو مجھے ایک دیوانہ اوردل لاچار سمجھ کر خدارا نظرانداز کیجیۓ.

میری ڈیجیٹل فوٹوگرافی کو میں نے اُرْدُو شاعری کے ساتھ سادگی سے فریم کیا ہے ، چاہیں تو اسے اپنے دِل کے کسی بِیابان اور خاموش اجاڑ سے تیخانے میں رکھ دین یا پِھرردی والے کو بخش دین .

تھا وہ مانند خورشید رستے دکھا گیا 

خودی کے فلسفہ سے پردے اٹھا گیا

Lead me, follow me, or get out of my way. — General George Patton

میں سمندر ہوں کہیں ڈوب نہ جانا مجھ میں
تم کو اندازہ نہیں میری گہرائی کا

To achieve some depth in your field requires a lot of sacrifices. – Mikhail Baryshnikov 

اوپر سے اتر کے تازہ دم تھا
نیچے سے اتر کے تھک گیا ہوں

They key of persistence opens all door closed by resistence.  
― John Di Lemme

سندر تھا اس قدر کے معلوم نہ ہو سکا
کیسے؟ کہاں؟ اور کب؟ میرا بچپن چلا گیا؟

Play is the highest form of research.
―Albert Einstein

وقت تیزی سے بدل گیا
اور تم
وقت سے بھی تیز نکلے

Time is an illusion.
― Albert Einstein

لہو کو بیچ کر روٹی خرید لایا ہوں
امیر شہر بتا! یہ مجھ پہ حلال تو ہے

Live to the point of tears.
― Albert Camus

نشہ پلا کے گرانا تو سب کو آتا ہے
مزہ تو جب ہے کے گرتوں کو تھام لے ساقی

My mind may be sober, but my confidence is high!
― Habeeb Akande 

!فاصلے بڑھ گئے
اور کم بخت محبت بھی

Everything seems simpler from a distance.
― Gail Tsukiyama

کہیں تنہائی کے دریا میں نہ پیاسا مر جاؤں
جانے والا میری آنکھوں میں نمی چھوڑ گیا

Time itself comes in drops. – William James

آوارہ ہے گلیوں میں ، میں اور میری تنہائی
جائیں تو کہاں جائیں ہر موڑ پہ رسوائی
میں اور میری تنہائی

All great and precious things are lonely.
― John Steinbeck

اب کی بار اسکا ہدف میری انا تھی
سو صلح کا پرچم جلا دیا میں نے

Simplicity is ultimately a matter of focus.
― Ann Voskamp

پیار کا پہلا خط لکھنے میں وقت تو لگتا ہے
نئے پرندوں کو اُڑنے میں وقت تو لگتا ہے 

You are never too old to become younger!
― Mae West

چھلکائے جام آئیہ آپ کے آنکھوں کے نام
ہونتھوں کے نام

I drink to make other people more interesting.
― Ernest Hemingway

Enjoy the joy…