Arba'in
Monday, 18 August 2025
For Shi’ite pilgrims in Iraq's deserts, suffering strengthens faith
Twelver Shiism – a branch of Islam that serves both as a spiritual and political force in Iran and beyond
Labels: Arba'in
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, August 18, 2025,
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Garam Chashma
Sunday, 3 August 2025
Labels: Chitral, Garam Chashma, Travel
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, August 03, 2025,
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AI Resources
Ways to Make Gen AI Work for You
Labels: AI
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, August 03, 2025,
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Alexander’s Garrison in the Salt Range
Monday, 14 July 2025
The Salt Range derives its name from extensive deposits of rock salt. The Range stands as remnant of forts with bastions and temples. Exceptionally, this region maintains an almost continuous record of history that can define the evolution of society. Forts and temples surviving along the range are a reminder of how untouched many of the ancient remnants are. Alexander from Macedon came to this Range twice; one from Taxila and later when his forces refused to go any further from the banks of the River Beas. From here he marched towards the Arabian Sea on his way to Babylon. And, now an NGO is constructing a monument of Alexander near Jalalpur town in the foot of the Salt Range in district Jhelum.
Labels: In Print, Nation, Travel
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, July 14, 2025,
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Chillianwala Chase
Wednesday, 9 July 2025
People of the area are eager to help “at their own expense – when you ask anybody. One finds volunteer ‘guides’ who are forthcoming with a wealth of information. Chillianwala is a historic village that played an important role in the history of South Asia. It was a battleground where British and Sikh forces fought one of the decisive battles in the history of the Subcontinent in 1849. The quiet village has not changed much since then. Only slowly old agricultural methods are changing and tractors and wheat threshers are seen in place of bull-driven ploughs. Painted double-story houses are coming up where used to be conventional mud houses. The land is excellent with record carrying capacity and the display of seasonal crops is very powerful.
Read more »Labels: Chillianwala, History, Travel
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, July 09, 2025,
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On the G T Road
Monday, 30 June 2025
So much has changed since Kipling's description of the GT Road, which he saw "brimming with all manner of travellers -- rich merchants with elephants and camels laden with merchandise, guarded by retainers. The aristocracy on colourful horses and elephants with gilded howdahs for the ladies, their silk drapes fluttering in the wind, the raggle taggle of the gypsies roaming from one village to the next in search of food and work." The old identities have steadily defused by the common objectives for prosperity and development. Since partition, the new social and economic objectives have been the major engines of change. The only thing that still remains on this strategic, economic and cultural artery of Pakistan is that it is "the river of life."
Labels: G T Road
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, June 30, 2025,
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Plagiarism, Prove it!
Thursday, 26 June 2025
Broadly speaking, plagiarism as per the popular literature on the subject refers to use of another's work without giving credit. This dangerous trend is not new but advent of the Internet has facilitated the speed and methods used.
It is a chronic problem that has been greatly facilitated by the resources rich Internet. Students (mostly those who are not Internet savvy), who plagiarize, do it old fashion way here -- finding some relevant article printed somewhere and getting it typed. In case one article does not cover all dimensions of the topic, a wary student may get some old book on the subject (perceiving that the teacher might not have read it), mark apparently relevant paragraphs and give it to the typist to prepare the assignment. The source material is commonly known among students' fraternity as chappa or nuskha. Some may proof read the typed paper, correct mistakes and clear irrelevant references in the text while some other may not take the trouble of reading "their work".
Labels: Education, Plagiarism, Students, Technology
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, June 26, 2025,
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When dreams come true
Monday, 23 June 2025
The first thing that I saw hung on the wall of his office was a framed verse of revered Pushto poet Khushal Khan Khattak. It said, "Right you love me deeply and immensely but what should I do that it still is not enough for me." Gulzar is a newspaper forwarding agent who works on contracts with different publishing houses to dispatch their publications to the newspaper agencies, which further arrange their mass circulation. I first met him in his office cum residence a decade ago. That was a place from where he arranges the dispatch of newspaper and periodicals to the agencies in over 200 stations (including remote villages, towns and small cities). He uses railways, road transport and airlines of that purpose. He has employed 11 workers, one motor rickshaw and a Suzuki pick up for the job. He has two telephones in the office and of course carries a cell phone.It takes a lot far a man to admit but over a period of 10 long years of our associations, Gulzar Baig has displayed a great courage in revealing the emotional trauma of his childhood, contempt and malice with which he had been treated and his undying obsessions.
Labels: Chasing Life, Profile
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, June 23, 2025,
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"Nobody is coming to save you. Save yourself. "
Labels: Chasing Life
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, June 20, 2025,
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Long Trail of the Heritage
Punjab is a gold mine for history seekers and curious travelers. You may find much more than what you hear or read. It pays to get out into the countryside and talk to ordinary people. What is more, people of the area are eager to help – on their own expense - when you ask anybody. One finds volunteer 'guides' who were forth coming with wealth of information. The distances in the hinterland are short but the landscape is so enormous that it had to be studied in parts like a large mural seen by a child.
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, June 20, 2025,
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