Budget War
Wednesday, 19 September 2018
Budget War and what is in it for common citizens
Annual budget in democracies is such an important event that involves every one. There is much hype and hoopla before and after. As the fiscal year comes to close and governments begin preparing the budget, economists start debating fiscal issues and policies in the media, pointing out the implications on national economy as a whole and effects on common population. Lots of interest is generated and masses wait for the budget statement with enthusiasm, hoping for the relief mainly. Other stallholders like industries and corporate sectors also try to influence the budget makers by highlighting their needs during the preparatory process.
But not much happens here. At least nothing seems to be happening. No body waits for the budget speech any more. For couple of past years, the federal budgets here have reduced to yet another official exercise devoid of any substance. They neither address long term development programs nor give any immediate respite to the commoners. All those who have been following the budget promises in the past will testify that whatever was announced can hardly be seen on ground.
People are not interested in the budget because budget exercise is not for the people of the country. There is nothing for us in the budget," says Abbas Khan, a senior citizen," its usual significance is lost over the last few years because of deregulation and privatization that de-links the utility prices (natural gas, electricity, oil, telecom and commodities) from the federal budget. These prices are fixed separately on quarterly, monthly and even fortnightly basis. We come to know when a vendor selling lady fringes (bhindi) tell that vegetable prices have shot up because prices of petrol have increased or when meat seller charges more on account of increase in the cost of iron ore." What has prices of petrol or iron ore to do with the lady fingerer or meat one wonders?
Read more »Labels: Budget
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, September 19, 2018,
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Hilal – publication where I started writing
Thursday, 30 August 2018
Pakistan Armed Forces Monthly Hilal is a very popular magazine read by every one from Jawan to General. My own association with this esteemed publication started in 1977 when I was commissioned as a second lieutenant and posted to an artillery regiment in Lahore. Our commanding office Lt Col Ghafoor was to open our tree plantation drive by planting a sapling in the unit ground. He desired the event be covered for Hilal. I was the ‘baby of the unit’ so I was asked to do the needful. That is when I asked about Hilal. Our unit head clerk gave me a complete file of previous issues of Hilal to read and familiarize myself with the then weekly magazine.
Read more »Labels: Hilal, Personal, Urdu Blogs
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, August 30, 2018,
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Social Media Marketing - Proposal
Saturday, 18 August 2018
Promotion, Branding (including Personal Branding), SEO and Creating Buzz Online through Blogs, Twitter, Facebook
Introduction
A strong online presence is important for businesses and even individuals in today's high-speed and competitive world. Blogs have already become a new buzz in marketing and a welcome mate for corporate sector. Businesses are taking advantages to reach out to uses in fast growing Pakistani users’ base.
Read more »Labels: Blogging
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, August 18, 2018,
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Fancy office furniture imported from China
Labels: Furniture
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, August 18, 2018,
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Why everyone blogs and why you too should?
Wednesday, 15 August 2018
I have been in bogging for a long time now. In 2007, I wrote a post Why Everyone Blogs and Why You Too Should? I asked readers and fellow bloggers to list their reasons to blog. Some 85 people answered and gave their reasons as to why they blog?
I often go back to the post to find out if those bloggers are still blogging. Sadly there are very few who are still blogging. Rest has faded away.
It is so easy to get lost in excuses when your desire to blog and it is only natural. May be we are programmed not to pursue goals even if we truly believe and we want it. The reasons may be any: fear of failure, other more pressing priorities in life, not enough time. That is why in life you may find usual circle - start something then give up, or you start then stop then start again. Many of us go through this exercise at some poi of time in life. This life cycle is truer in case of blogging. Several studies indicate that most blogs are abandoned soon after creation (with 60% to 80% abandoned within one month, depending on whose figures you choose to believe) and that few are regularly updated.
Eve shorter is the life span of bloggers who start a blog for goal of making money through blogging in hurry. Too soon, they find that it is one of the difficult tasks and abandon their effort. That is why I suggest that have a solid reason to start a blog, research your subject and plan what you want to contribute Making money is even harder than most of us think.
Blogging should be an informed decision. If you don’t have a thorough plan in place then don’t start.
Labels: Fine Art of Blogging
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, August 15, 2018,
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Shalimar Garden
Wednesday, 8 August 2018
It's easy to love a place where residents make efforts to feed the squirrels. In the Shalimar Garden, a few senior citizens party with the squirrels every morning.
When my friend Hussain Qazi who is naturalist and a photographer told me about people feeding birds and squirrels, I planned to skip my ‘ritual morning walks’ and decided to visit Shalimar Garden instead; hopping to find more about the party with the squirrels.
The care and feeding of squirrels in Shalimar Garden is a recent phenomenon. Long overshadowed by heritage talk (it is on UNESO’s world heritage list), Shalimar Garden is overcrowded during day. Whether or not Shalimar Garden ultimately can maintain its past glory - and with it, an influx of foreign and local tourists - it's a surprisingly satisfying open space during early hour of the day.
Every morning, two charismatic old men, loaded with biscuits, rice and pluses came to the waiting population of birds and squirrels in the Shalimar Garden. They sit on the same benches and start throwing grins to the birds. When this is happening, one can see squirrels coming down from nearby trees for their breakfast and then those gentlemen dig deep down their satchels and take out biscuits and start feeding the squirrels. The tiny winy animals are so use to those caring hands that they jump to take the first bite.
One of the old men Fazal Karim – a retired primary teacher who lives in nearby Daroge Wala – explained me this phenomenon and said, “I am coming here for my morning walk every day for a long time now. I feed the bird population and squirrels and find them very friendly. I miss them and look forward to meeting them every day. I think they miss me too.”
Labels: Environment, Lahore, Shalimar Garden
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, August 08, 2018,
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Virtual Communities
Monday, 6 August 2018
Virtual world is seamlessly getting into real world. Social side of technologies is making the World Wide Web much more localized by bringing like-minded people together and in the process creating closely knit online communities.
Combination of features like worldwide accessibility and instantaneous communication has made it possible for backpackers, globetrotters and other curious from all over the world to join together at different online platforms to exchange information, experiences and plans in their favorite pursuit; travel.
Subscribers range from the professional travel writers to hardcore travelers and adventurers and commoners who are simply interested in reading online. Travel communities are accessible by millions of interested people all over the world.
Read more »Combination of features like worldwide accessibility and instantaneous communication has made it possible for backpackers, globetrotters and other curious from all over the world to join together at different online platforms to exchange information, experiences and plans in their favorite pursuit; travel.
Subscribers range from the professional travel writers to hardcore travelers and adventurers and commoners who are simply interested in reading online. Travel communities are accessible by millions of interested people all over the world.
Labels: Virtual Communities
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, August 06, 2018,
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At war with myself
Wednesday, 1 August 2018
You seem to be doing odd thing all the time – sitting in sun and avoiding cold water during summers, sitting in shad and having chilled water in winters, keeping awake during nights, eating less and walking the streets despite having the facility of transport. Everyone else goes to gardens whereas you go for wilderness.
I am all right. Only I am at war with myself.
What for?
To conquer myself!
What will you achieve by this?
I will be able to get what I want done by myself – creation of a new world.
Translated from Sitaroon Ki Bastiyan by Abbas Khan
Labels: Abbas Khan, Books, Fiction, Literature, Sitaroon Ki Bastiyan
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, August 01, 2018,
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Discoveries of Empire
Tuesday, 24 July 2018
In July 1798, the minarets and domes of Cairo emerged shimmering in the heat before the eyes of Napoleon’s troops as they marched south along the Nile River. Some ways away, amid the rock-strewn desert, stood the pyramids. The West was already acquainted with these strange ghosts of the desert that were ancient even when Herodotus wrote his nine-volume Histories in the middle of the 5th century BCE. But little was known about them beyond the fact that they were royal burial sites.
Now, for the first time, these peculiar apparitions became the subject of scientific inquiry, thanks to the 175 ‘learned civilians’ that were part of Napoleon’s train. They came with scientific equipment and a veritable library containing every book, ancient and contemporary, then available in France on the Nile valley.
Read more »Labels: Archaeology, Book of Days, Books, Salman Rashid
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, July 24, 2018,
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National University of Modern languages
Sunday, 22 July 2018
Human beings - fortunate of all the creatures- are unfortunately plagued with needs. We want material things and comforts of life besides our basic wants like love and social recognition. Sometimes ago, in an effort to improve material well being, my outer adult joined an educational institution to study the behavioral sciences that are at work to shape the very complex society at present time. This brought back memories of student life: students’ culture, fun of the school days, aspirations I used to have when I was very young, prophecies of my teachers and the missed opportunities I (now) think I should have availed. My admission also brought in focus the main stream education system working in our country.
Earlier, I learnt most of what I have known throughout my life during early stages from my parents and in the primary school. My teachers in small village primary school taught me reading, writing, counting and other basic skills required to lead a successful life. I have never forgotten the efforts of junior Vernacular Teachers to instill some kind of discipline in me. They also taught me about giving, sharing, enjoying, commitment, helping, smiling, trying and caring in addition to the academics.
Labels: NUML, Personal, Russian Language
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, July 22, 2018,
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