Politics or Family Business ?

Although Pakistan can still be considered a young country, and people can and do claim that we need some time to adopt a true democratic system which will take everything into account and be perfect for the betternment of the country, Pakistan has yet to take a single step on the highway of democracy.

In its short 60 year history, Pakistan has been ruled by either the strong military or one of the few ruling families who control Pakistan's few political parties. How can these political parties claim that they are the beacons of democracy when the parties themselves have no democatic principles guiding them. Out of Pakistan's 3 biggest political parties, Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League and MQM, 2 (PPP, PML) are directly controlled by 2 families with no room for anyone else to take the helms and the 3rd MQM is in the firm grip of Altaf Hussain who sits in exile in the UK and yet can get his popular party leaders in Pakistan to follow his every command.

Pakistan People's Part is in the lime light these days since the assasination of Benazir Bhutto, the "Life Time Chairperson" of what she claimed to be the biggest democratic force of the country. On her death the helms of the party that she inhetreted from her father did not go to one of the loyal party leaders who guided the part while Benazir and her familyy were in self imposed exile in the UAE. The leadership of the Party was "willed" to her 18 year old son. What kind of a democracy is this? In a swift and well planned political move her son was "renamed" Bhutto and made the co-chairperson of the Party to take command after his education was completed, in the mean time her husband Asif Ali Zardari also known as Mr 10% (on account of his taking hugs kickbacks while his wife was the Prime Minister) was to be at the helm of affairs. These types of politics will never lead to a democratic country. There is a power struggle going on within the PPP which can turn bad and derail the whole political senario in the country and no matter how much Mr Zardari uses the sympathy card if he continues with his stupidities he will ultimately suffer. There was a news item in Pakistan today that Bilawal "Bhutto" Zardari the son of Benazir has just arrived in Pakistan to announce the choice of PM in the new Government, lets hope its a wise choice and doesn't lead to disintegration of the democratic process. Family run politics have to give way to a true and realistic democracy within parties before democracy can be established on a wider scale.

Weekend on the farm and More blasts

This weekend I figured getting away from the city might be a good idea, It turned out to be quite a lot of fun and some relaxation, came back last night and went to sleep late. This morning i woke up to the news of three suicide blasts in Lahore, 2 bombers struck the office of the FIA and 1 a school in a residential neighborhood of Lahore, over 25 dead and hundreds injured. Now I'm thinking maybe living in Pakistan is not that good an idea, but afterall people are living here and if everyone "runs" away how will things change, I came here fo a reason, I have a worst case senario backup, so what the heck, have faith in God and keep at it. Some pictures from the farm and Sialkot are posted below.

Update: There were apparently 3 explosions in the FIA building, the dead include several innocent children.

Update: The suicide attack in the residential area of model town was not at a school but rather at an advertising agency.

A Field of Mustard on the Farm

Endless fields of wheat

Standing in the Guava Orchid

Wild flowers

Holy Trinity Cathedral Sialkot

Saints and Shrines

The city of Lahore in Pakistan is known for its rich culture, Forts & Grand Mosques, its food and music are world famous, Also famous are the sufi saints who hailed from this city or came here to live and were burried here, among the more famous shrines of Lahore are Data Darbar the Shrine of Hazrat Ali Hajweri Syed Abul Hassan Bin Usman Bin Ali Al-Hajweri the famous Sufi saint of Persian origion, The shrine of Gamey Shah, The tomb of Baba Shah Jamal and Bibi Pak Daman.Although I'm not very religious I decided to go visit Bibi Pak Daman as the legend behind this particular shrine was quite interesting. Bibi Pak Daman is famous for being the shrine of 6 Ladies from the household of the Prophet Mohammed, Including Ruqayah binte Ali the daughter of Hazrat Ali the forth caliph of Islam the othe five graves are said to be those of hazrat Muslim bin Aqeel's sisters and daughters. Legend has it that these ladies were traveling alone after the events at karbala and when the reached Lahore the ruler at that time tried to arrest them because the were gaining a following and not wanting that, Bibi Pak Daman prayed to God and asked him to open the earth and take them in, when the soldiers came to arrest them the earth split into two and they went in only a little of the Dupatta (scarf) of Bibi Ruqayah remained and when the lead soldier tried to get hold of that it too slid into the soil, Thus the name Bibi Pak Daman meaning even the scarf of the lady was pure and thus could not be touched.

The Mazar is the end to a busy and colorfull street full of shops selling religious literature, multimedia and prayer beads among other things.

Pakistan Heritage 1 - Hiran Minar

Pakistan and Pakistanis are not very good at remembering or respecting our heritage, even though we have a rich and vibrant history with monuments and architecture from the Mughal and British era which could very well generate millions for the coffers of this country, the Government has done nothing to maintain or present these amazing chapters from our history to the world at large, and the general public has had no shame in engraving their worthless names over piceless frescos. Hiran Minar complex is one such wonder.

The origional Minar (tower) was built by the Mughal Emperor Jehangir in 1606 in memory of his favourite deer "Mansraj", the grave of the deer is in the tower. The water tank, baadari(pavilion) and causeway connecting the baradari with the mainland and hiran minar were constructed by Emperor Shah Jehan in 1620 and used as a roal residence during hunting trips. The complex is supposed to have been surrounded by a forest and had extensive well maintained gardens, currently the whole complex is in bad shape, the lawns and gardens are badly in need of maintanace so are the buildings which need protection from the people who pride themselves in writing their names over ancient frescos. If something like this was located in a country that honored and respected their heriatage, it would be a place worth seeing, it would be the site for events and functions, and people would flock to it to see the architechture, the paintings and the gardens through which Emperors once walked.

The only painting found intact probably because it was too high to deface.

ps. These pictues and obsevations are from a weekend trip to Hiran Minar a popular heriatge site open to public, I hope to post pictures of another building and its grounds from the british era which still has its glory because it is the residence of a government official, unfortunately that is not open for the public's enjoyment.