Light Within

Chasing Life

How many friends you have online?
Monday, 23 December 2024

















When the 5000 friend limit on Facebook just isn’t enough in this age of friendaholism!

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, December 23, 2024, ,

The Fad That Fades

This article appeared in daily Dawn

Sending greetings on occasions is a traditional part of our culture, and people from all age groups, particularly children, revel in sending and receiving greetings. With Eid around the corner, the custom is once again triggered, but unlike earlier many years, when it was greeting cards that ruled the roost, this is now the age of electronic messaging.

While greeting cards hold a charm of their own, most young people prefer the ‘techie’ way of exchanging greetings, since it is far more hassle-free, and definitely more affordable. And hence, the this age-old custom of paper cards gave way to e-greetings, courtesy, the hundreds of site which offer free e-greeting cards with spectacular graphics, funky, innovative messages and background music. But the latest fad today is greetings via text messages on cell phones.

Cell phone mania has taken over the entire nation and has become an inseparable part of everyday life almost everywhere in the world. Their usage is exponentially growing, thanks to the tough competition among many cell phone brands; the word is that more companies are coming in operation soon. And while the gadget may be used for other purposes as well, like listening to music and capturing pictures, the most popular function – other than talking of course – remains messaging, which comes out full throttle during Eid.


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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, December 23, 2024, ,

Oh, Dear Khalid Ghias
Sunday, 22 December 2024

The historic Gymkhana Club, Lahore, has lost its most beloved fixture, our lives have been forever enriched by the presence of Khalid Ghias, who passed away on 30 November 2024. A lifelong bachelor, Khalid spent his post-retirement years surrounded by friends, acquaintances, and anyone fortunate to cross his path.

General (Retd) Sikandar Shami, Nina Shami, Mrs. Nighat Naseem, and others hosted a memorial event at Gymkhana on 20 December at 4 pm to commemorate and celebrate the life and personality of Khalid who was able to touch the lives and hearts of so many, some even without meeting in person.

“The memorial of Khalid Ghias was simply incredible. I have made my Wassiyat (Will), I need the same memorial,” said Farah. The best of Lahore spoke: Kamran Lashari said it best that the soul of a city is shaped neither by its politicians nor by its admin; it’s the people like Khalid who build and add to its social and cultural value.

Dr Aamir Khan said, “I have never seen anyone celebrated like this. I sat transfixed listening to my childhood hero Javed Iqbal (the famous cartoonist), Governor Shahid Hamid, Zahid Hamid, PTV GMs of those times, the Gymkhana president, Ambassadors, and many more pay tributes to Khalid Mamu: all were eloquent, respectful, funny at times, but very sincere in paying respects to a wifeless, childless man who touched the hearts of so many and taught us that relationships are built not through blood but through Ehsaas. I must thank Gen Shami here who pulled it off magnificently. Not easy to bring together such diverse people and maintain the grace of the occasion.”

Nadeem Alam wrote, “Khalid was an institution, a walking encyclopedia whose vast knowledge spanned centuries, continents, and cultures. His lectures on history were the stuff of legend, leaving listeners in awe of his intellect and passion. With an uncanny ability to recall even the most obscure references, Khalid's opinions were always delivered with unwavering conviction.”

“No topic was off-limits for Khalid, from politics and philosophy to literature and the arts. His fearless candor inspired lively debates, and his generosity earned him a vast network of friends and admirers,” added Nadeem. 

Khalid's family was the community he built around himself at the Gymkhana Club. His legacy will live on through the countless lives he touched, the minds he expanded, and the hearts he warmed.

I struggle to find words that fully encapsulate his unique persona. A man who often threw caution to the wind, yet even in his recklessness, the end that eventually came was beyond imagination. Rest in peace, dear Khalid Ghias. Your absence will be deeply felt, but your impact will continue to inspire and educate future generations.

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, December 22, 2024, ,

What is Gujrat famous for?
Saturday, 21 December 2024

This article appeared in daily The Nation


While cities are dynamic centers of creativity, commerce and culture, these benefits are often undercut by environmental problems, lack of civic amenities, inefficient governance, and administration. Centuries old historic city Gujrat is a classic example where one can see all the hazards of urbanization’.

Commuter who prefer to drive on familiar and congested Grand Trunk Road rather than going on isolated Islamabad-Lahore Motorway pass through Gujrat city that has stretched from bridge on the River Chenab to the bridge on Bhimbar Flood Stream.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, December 21, 2024, ,

Joy of being at Lahore School
Friday, 20 December 2024

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, December 20, 2024, ,

The Future of Surveillance
Thursday, 19 December 2024

This article appeared in daily Dawn Oct 11, 2003 issue

How does biometric technology work? Any of the biometric identifiers of a person is measured. The sensing device checks all possible dimensions like length, width, thickness, and surface area of the identifier. Resultant unique characteristics are processed and stored on computers as a sample. A mathematical representation of the identifier is retrieved when the user’s identification is required and verified by comparison with the pre-held records. In addition, the sensor updates the configurations every time identifiers of the same person are read. The results are automatically processed to cater to different changes over time. A database of biometric identifiers may be stored at a central location, at place where it is to be used, or on electronic devices.

Biometric in desktop computing has been around for some fifteen years now but it still is a relatively newer concept for the general users to grasp.

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, December 19, 2024, ,

Matters of hearts – Ram La’l’s love letters to Abbas Khan
Wednesday, 18 December 2024

Ram La’l is to Abbas Khan as Abbas Khan is to me. Only Ram La’l Abbas Khan equation is more visible in recently published book titled Sultnat-e-Dill Say – compilation of letters written by India Urdu writer Ram La’l to Pakistani writer Abbas Khan over a period (1987 -1995) of time. They are all love letters.

The beautifully published book starts with a travelogue by Abbas Khan who traveled from Lahore to Mianwali (birth place of Ram La’l) and Islamabad together with Ram La’l when the later visited Pakistan. The narrative of the journey clearly shows how interests and observations of both the writers are similar.

People still write letters in this age of fast communication when most have switched over to email, cellular phones and social media channels. In his letters, Ram La’l has documented the contemporary literary history. His letters to Abbas Khan not only show personal relationship, love and affection between the two but also document what was happening and how in different fields of Urdu literature – new books, short stories, translations, literary functions. Most of all, Ram la’l’s silent efforts to urge Abbas Kahn to write more and to write everywhere and to read, read and read everything published not only relating Urdu literature but also of diverse subjects that help understand human behavior.

I suggest everyone who has any love for the written words must read the book that is published by Caravan Books, Sadar Multan Cantt.

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, December 18, 2024, ,

Khate-e-Ra’ana - calligraphy script invented by Ibn-e-Kaleem
Friday, 13 December 2024

This article appeared in the weekly Friday Times

In the past few decades, perhaps no calligrapher has created more waves in the field of calligraphy than Ibn-e-Kaleem – the inventor of new script Khate-e-Ra’ana, which literally means beautiful. Ibn-e-Kaleem already stands above the streams of calligraphers who have come before him. 


Today he works in his father’s studio where he grew up. Experimenting with the styles of Nastaleeq, Kufi, Riqa, Diwani and Naqash, he is churning out master pieces and achieving greater recognition by the day.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Friday, December 13, 2024, ,

Gogera Insight
Thursday, 12 December 2024


This article appeared in daily the Nation

Situated on the bank of river Ravi on Okara Faisalabad Road, Gogera Sadar was once an important and dignified town in the plans of Central Punjab. The town is reduced to a shabby and sleepy suburb of Okara today. Gogera still boasts its importance when it was British power centre and district headquarters from 1852 to 1865 and the part played by the resilient people of the area during War of Independence in 1857. The stories of the war that was fought around Gogera echo in the pages of history books.

While traveling, off the beaten tracks, not only do you travel in soot-free and serene environment but you also see what normally remains hidden. I have had a chance to explore Gogera along with Dr. Norbert Pintch - a German architect by profession and a volunteer by choice – who is working on an idea to convert the ruins of the British Court building into a monument. “Remain of British Court are important signs of built heritage of Pakistan and should be preserved for next generation,” Dr. Norbert says.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, December 12, 2024, ,

Plagiarism, Prove it!
Wednesday, 11 December 2024

This article appeared in Daily The Nation

"If you steal from one author, it's plagiarism - if you steal from two, it's research," writes. 
American screenwriter Wilson Mizner


Broadly speaking, plagiarism, as per the popular literature on the subject, refers to using another person's work without giving credit. This dangerous trend is not new, but the advent of the Internet has facilitated the speed and methods used.

It is a chronic problem greatly facilitated by the resources rich Internet. Students (mostly those who are not Internet savvy), who plagiarize, do it the old-fashioned 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".
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, December 11, 2024, ,


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