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Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Surviving Gates of Multan
One of the oldest living cities in the world, Multan is a significant example of old Islamic urbanization. While many historic Islamic cities have lost much of their original character during the twentieth century, Multan has survived remarkably intact, retaining the classic form of the medieval city encircled by its rampart and gateways. It is the entire urban fabric of the place that is historic.Inside the walled portion -- archetypal form of old town -- one can still see beautiful bay windows with intricately moulded 'jharokas' in narrow streets or delicate brick work with geometric patterns and tile friezes on the facades of havelis. Meanwhile, modern Multan has expanded in all directions covering over 28 square kilometres of area. And with modernism have come related difficulties. "Problems like overflowing sewerage and a broken down water supply system, encroachments and pollution are taken as hazards of urbanization or attributed to lack of funds," says a resident of Gulgast colony.Archaeologist Nazir Ahmed complains," the intelligentsia is inactive and people have no time for pursuits like preservation of historic and cultural heritage." The original defensive wall -- 40-50 feet high -- dating from the seventeenth century was demolished in 1854 after the British captured Multan but its lower sections survived. The present remains of the wall preserves the semi circular form of bastions at intervals.
The wall was reduced to 10-12 feet during the British period. It contained seven gates, of which Lahore, Delhi, Daulat and Khizeri gates have disappeared. Dilapidated Khuni Burj (Bloody Tower) named after the bloody battle fought here when British force stormend Multan in January 1848 still survives.
A circular road (alang) runs around the walled city connecting the surviving gates, Khuni Burj and Hussaim Agahi entrance. Three of the six gateways -- Bohar, Haram and Delhi -- were rebuilt in the latter half of the nineteenth century with pointed arches and castigated towers. All of them badly need renovation.
Once an imposing gateway, Lahori Gate existed even in the nineteenth century when Alexander Cunningham visited and wrote about Multan. It was damaged when the British annexed Multan and totally demolished in 1854. The new gate built on this site is a combination of two double story towers with a flat band above and is without much decoration. Haram gate comprises of two pylons on each flank, with a large four cantered pointed arch in the middle. The castigated towers on flanks are double storied. Delhi Gate, one of Multan's oldest landmarks, existed even before arrival of the British. The present gate was rebuilt during the British rule. Its construction is similar to Haram Gate except that its arch has a wider span. The gateways have been white washed and painted several times with water based earth colours and none of the original work has survived. The wooden doors have also disappeared. The gateways are surrounded and engulfed by encroachments, cubby-hole shops, hundreds of advertisements and hoardings.
As for the wall itself, its present condition is ruinous and at no place does it maintain its original shape. At most places, it is totally missing. Most salient portion exists between Daulat Gate and Pak Gate. Rows of houses and shops have been erected on the strip of land between the outer face of the circular road and the inner face of the wall, in the process concealing several notable historic features.
However ruined it maybe, the wall still defines the edge of the old city far more clearly than the circular road and is an immediate reminder of Mutlan's historic character. The circular road is in fairly good condition through its width and right of way has been considerably reduced due to unchecked encroachment.
Multani monuments face unsympathetic development, unsuitable repairs or general neglect. All the surviving gates should be cleaned, repaired and renovated to their original shape as far as possible, says Nazir Ahmed. They should be freed from all sorts of neon sign that hide more than they highlight.
The Antiquities Act 1975 and the Punjab Special Premises (Preservation) Ordinance 1985 are not sufficient to protect historic cities. A new concept for area conservation is required to be developed through government polices and public education. Towards this end, the departments of archaeology, Auqaf and civic bodies all need to work together to save what remains of a once glorious medieval Islamic culture.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Blog Proposal
Read this Business {Blog} Proposal at Fine Art of Blogging.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Commercial Mailboxes
Call me old timer but I still get my mail the old fashion way. Every day I come back home, the firth thing I do is check my mailbox and get my letters, magazines and other stuff that comes to me in bulk. I like strong and weather proof mailbox that can stand rain. One of those mailboxes displayed on Mailboxixchange is already on my wish list.
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Commercial Mail boxes are made of the finest material. Have a closer look and you will find the quality. Whitehall mailboxes are cast from recycled die cast rust free aluminum. The metal is poured into a mold and then undergoes a substantial amount of pressure. This means that the mailboxes are lightweight yet made out of extremely dense metal that will withstand years of use.
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What is more, they have a lucrative affiliate programme. Participants are paid $20.00 for signing up. I am considering to join.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Zardari and the Judges
Anwar Syed
Maulana Fazlur Rahman said at a press conference on May 26 that General Musharraf's actions of Nov 3, 2007, including the dismissal of certain judges, could not be undone by the adoption of a National Assembly resolution and the issuance of an executive order.
If that were feasible, he added, we might ask for his coup of Oct 12, 1999, also to be undone and Mr Nawaz Sharif's government restored.
The procedure for reinstating the deposed judges has become controversial. One group of jurists has maintained that a resolution of the National Assembly requiring reinstatement, followed by an executive order, would be sufficient. Others contend that a constitutional amendment is needed to open the way for their reinstatement. Maulana Fazlur Rahman, though by no means an expert in these matters, has chosen to side with this latter group.
Let us suppose that the National Assembly passes the resolution under reference and the prime minister issues an executive order to implement it. What happens then? An interested party will probably file a writ in the Supreme Court, challenging the legality of the resolution and the executive order. The present court, largely the outcome of Gen Musharraf's proclamation of emergency and the PCO of Nov 3, has already validated these actions of his along with the dismissal of certain judges and appointment of others to replace them. The likelihood is that it will hold the Assembly's resolution to be unlawful, null and void.
It is argued, on the other hand, that General Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule was unlawful and so were the actions he took under its authority, including the appointment of judges to replace the ones he had removed. This school of thought argues further that the present court lacks legitimacy and cannot be regarded as a properly constituted organ of the state. Its verdicts are therefore of no consequence.
A distinction has to be made here between de jure and de facto. The present court may not meet the test of legitimacy but it is de facto supreme: it is hearing cases and its decisions are to be enforced. For practical purposes the constitution, as amended by Gen Musharraf, is the law of the land. This situation will not change until a constitutional amendment is passed, which revokes the PCO and certain specified actions taken under its authority, including the dismissal of judges, and repeals the Seventeenth Amendment.
In the aforementioned press conference Maulana Fazlur Rahman also stated that the PPP and PML-N did not see eye to eye on issues relating to the judges (a fact now well known). Mr Zardari says he will provide for their reinstatement in a constitutional amendment (consisting of 80 items) that will be moved in parliament on an undetermined date. Mr Sharif wants a National Assembly resolution requiring reinstatement now.
Mr Zardari does not want to go Mr Sharif's way. He may be apprehensive that the reinstated judges will invalidate the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO), which allowed the withdrawal of criminal cases pending against him. If that does come to pass, these cases might come back to haunt him.
The Assembly resolution would mollify Mr Zardari's coalition partners. But it may turn out that the desired resolution will not do and a constitutional amendment is, after all, needed. To be on the safe side, an amendment dealing only with the judges may be moved at the same time that the resolution is. Still another amendment to protect the NRO and implement all the other 79 items in Mr Zardari's bag may be introduced at some appropriate time.
Nawaz Sharif has threatened to join the lawyers' long march if the resolution he wants is not moved in the Assembly very soon. It is possible that Mr Zardari will yield. The greater likelihood is that he will keep up his preference for dealing with the judges by way of his 80-item constitutional package. It will have to be taken to the Assembly after the budget has been passed. Let us see what kind of a time frame that will require.
If the prescribed rules of procedure are followed, the budget will go to a committee, which will apportion segments of it to sub-committees, each dealing with the estimates of a specific department. It will go over its package item by item, consult with departmental officials, and make recommendations.
These segments, with each sub-committee's recommendations, will eventually reach the parent committee, which, after some additional work, will send the document to the ministry of finance. The latter will finalise its proposals and bring them back to parliament. The Houses will debate and vote. All of this will easily take a couple of months.
A PPP spokesman has recently said that the budget, to be presented on June 11, will be passed by the end of the month, that is, in less than three weeks. If this is how the PPP government proceeds, parliamentary consideration of the budget will have been perfunctory, meaning that parliament will not have taken its most important function seriously enough. It will also mean that the PPP's constant talk of the sovereignty of parliament is gibberish, merely ritualistic sloganeering.
After the budget session, members of parliament will probably go home to take care of their other obligations. They will return a few weeks, possibly months, later to do more work. If the judges' issue is presented to them as part of an 80-item package, it is hard to say how much of the document they will accept and how long they will take to reach a decision. If parliament follows its own rules of procedure, the process could take months to complete.
Unless Mr Zardari and his associates are enthusiastic and have a sense of urgency about the package (which they may or may not have), the proposed amendment may fall short of a two-thirds majority support in the Senate (if not in both Houses) and fail, in which case the deposed judges will stay deposed. This outcome will suit Mr Zardari well.
It is possible that all of this has been a part of his design all along. He is emerging as an expert in killing projects with a blunt and rusty knife one side of which is indecision and the other inaction. Knowing that time can be a silent erosive, he may have been expecting that the powerful tide of public opinion in favour of the judges will one day subside and the issue of their reinstatement will eventually go away.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Get DirectIn the age of communication and collaborative technologies, Satellite TV users' base is exponentially growing. The increasing demand for the TV access has given birth to so many services. It becomes difficult some time to choose the best. Thanks to Direct Sat TV (very aptly named) that they provides comprehensive information and choices on Satellite TV at one place. In order to make an informed decision, users can explore the neatly laid out site and find out what suits their needs, and then get direct service from DirecTV.
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See what Direct Sat TV is offering and how. Better still ask for quote; tell them what type programs (family, Movies, International, Sports and more) you are interested in, how many rooms of DirectTV service you want and enter your Zip Code for Direct TV in your area and they will take care of the rest. If you still have questions, call (800-400-0296). Also check special offers.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Desertification PhaseDesertification is major ecological, climatic and human activity phenomenon that leads to land degradation. As per the definition, "desertification is the progressive destruction or degradation of vegetative cover on dry land to form desert." It is the destructive process that turns fertile and productive land into non-productive and barren area. Desertification occurs mainly in arid and semi arid areas bordering on deserts. It is one of the major environmental threats in Pakistan.
Desertification process affects the output of arid, semi-arid and dry sub humid areas. This may happen due to variety of natural climatic variations or human activities like removal of tree cover, over cultivation, drought, irrigation practices, water logging, soil erosion, chemical actions and many other unsound land use and management practices.
Early pastorals along with their small groups of domestic animals used to move from one place to another in search of food and water. Such regular live stock movements prevented overgrazing of the fragile plant cover. Shepherds living in northern mountain of Pakistan (called Gujjars) and those living in Cholistan or Thar still move from one place to another. Beyond their movements, overgrazing is another foremost cause of desertification in different parts of the country.
Increasing human population and poverty contribute to desertification as poor people are forced to overuse their environment in the short term, without the awareness or affordability to cater for the long-term effects of their actions. In Pakistan, the consumption of fuel wood and timber is a major practice that contributes to deforestations, which in turn accelerates desertification.
Loss of productivity increases poverty, loss of biodiversity and forces internal and or cross-border migrations of people and wildlife. The reduction in plant cover that accompanies desertification also affects domestic animals, agricultural crops, and speeds up soil erosion by wind and water.
As vegetation cover and soil layer are reduced, rain drop impact and run-off increases. Water is lost off the land instead of soaking into the soil to provide moisture for plants. Even long-lived plants that would normally survive droughts die. A reduction in plant cover also results in a reduction in the quantity of plant nutrients in the soil, and plant production drops further. As protective plant cover disappears, floods become more frequent and more severe. Desertification is self-reinforcing experience. Once the process starts, conditions are set for continual deterioration.
Some analysts believe that desertification is only a phase in a natural climatic process that does not receive attention because it occurs slowly and over the long term. Others believe that drought triggers a crisis, but does not cause it. One thing on which every one agrees is that desertification can be and should be stopped. Or can it be stopped.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Shopwiki Collectibles and MemorabiliaWith growing Internet users' base, trend to shop online is increasing exponentially. Millions if consumers across the world are shopping as a source of source of savings and convenience. The trend growing fast.
The great strength of the World Wide Web search is that it can locate out vast amounts of products matching to what any user may be asking for. The great weakness is that the traditional shopping sites will only show you stores that have paid for placement.
It is in this milieu that Shopwiki - a shopping search engine designed to help consumers find specific products on the Internet with ease - gives shoppers everything that is available on the Internet. It is the only shopping search engine that combines advanced Web-crawling technology with consumer-written wiki.
Best thing is that traditional shopping sites will only show you stores that have paid for placement, and ShopWiki will give a shopper everything. For a shopper, this means they can find anything and everything for sale on the web at ShopWiki.com. More products from more stores means better deals and savings for your readers. Have a look at Collectibles and Memorabilia and you will know.
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Balochistan has been blessed by an awe inspiring landscape and scenery. A man made means to explore all this expanse of beauty had been the Railways in this province (see Bolan and Trans-Baluchistan). I have deliberately used past tense in the previous sentence because one such railways in Balochistan is getting uprooted right now; at this very moment; as I am writing these lines.
This section of railways, when laid during the British Raj, was called the Zhob Valley Railway (ZVR). It has been out of service since 1986 but these days all the left over track is being uprooted and sold as scrap. This has provided me the motivation to write this post and re-visit the history of this once longest Narrow-Gauge Railways of the subcontinent.
The photos above show the Narrow Gauge locos (#57) which was used on ZVR and is now preserved at PR HQ Building in Lahore
During First World War, a Railway line was laid from a place called Khanai (30 km north of Quetta) to a place called Hindubagh (renamed as Muslimbagh in 1960s). Hindubagh had Chrome mines, which was used in munitions of First World War. The railway line at that time was a private siding for the Balochistan Chrome Ore Company. The work started on Khanai-Hindubagh line in 1916 and was opened for rail traffic in 1921. In 1927, the Hindubagh to Qila Saifullah section was opened and finally the section up to Zhob was opened in 1929.
There were dreams of ultimately connecting the track toBannu in the North West Frontier Province. But that dream became a victim of the uncertainty of the 1930s and the Second World War. This is how the track was inherited by Pakistan on August 14, 1947 and since then we didn't add a single kilometer to the line.
The Rolling Stock of Zhob Valley Railway: The 'Zhob Valley Railway' as it was then called used rolling stock that belonged to the 'North Westen Railway'. Most of which became the Pakistan Western Railway and later Pakistan Railway. Much of the rolling stock used on ZVR was part of a "strategic reserve" intended for use elsewhere in the British Empire. The gauge was thus standardized at 2ft 6ins (762mm). Curiously, no strategic reserve equipment could be used in the European war of 1914-18, because all the combatants were standardized on 600mm or 2ft gauge for their trench railways. However, some equipment saw service in the Middle East and Africa, in both the World Wars. For comparison, Pakistan's Broad Guage Railway is 5′ 6″ wide.
Maps of Zhob Valley Railway: Following is an overall map of Bostan to Zhob route. With our maximum main column width, it is hard to read for details but it gives a big picture of the route. I will break this map into smaller pieces below. You can see that Highway 50 and Zhob River follow very closely to the railway.
The Zhob Valley Railway served as an important means of transportation of goods. People also travelled for shorter distances. Things, however, remained in a state of rapid flux and with the birth of Pakistan the notion of military use for a slow moving narrow gauge line died.
The passenger train service remained in operation for almost 60 years and was abandoned in 1985, as it was proving uneconomical and the tracks were not properly maintained.
Freight service continued to run for a year longer to haul chrome from the mines at Muslimbagh. That too got stopped in 1986.
The Highest Railway Station in Pakistan: The total length of this railway from Bostan to Zhob was 294 km, which made it the longest Narrow-Gauge Railway of the subcontinent in 1920s. It had 11 stations in between including the famous Kan Mehtarzai station which was the highest station in Pakistan at an altitude of 2224 metres (7295 feet).
For a long part of its journey, the railway followed the Zhob River and thus it was called the Zhob Valley Railway (ZVR).
What Happened in the Winter of 1970 at ZVR: As I was researching for this post on Internet, I found a very interesting article called 'Breakfast at Kan Mehtarzai' by Salman Rashid. An excerpt from that article talks about the winters on this railway.
Here it goes: In Bostan in 1992, Mirza Tahir the Station Master remembered the glory days of the ZVR. Winters were pretty hard on the tiny Narrow Gauge locomotives, he had told me, and it was not uncommon for trains to be caught in snowdrifts. Tahir remembered the great snowstorms of the winter of 1970. So deep was the snow that the snowplough in front of the locomotive just could not make way. The train foundered. The fireman built up steam while the driver tried again and again to nose through. But the snow was too deep — nearly two metres — it was said, and they had to give up. They dropped fire and waited.While the passengers walked to the highroad that runs parallel to the line and got away as best as they could, the telegraph wires buzzed. Bostan was informed of the snow-bound train and requested for a rescue locomotive. Out came one steaming and puffing through the wintry landscape only to be caught in the snow a few hundred metres short of the stranded train. Bostan sent out yet another one and even that could not make it. Tahir said it took them a few days to clear the line and get it going again.
The Unique Architecture Along ZVR: The most remarkable and picturesque feature on this line is the architecture: the mud-plastered station buildings with their tower like structures and sun rooms. The Photo above shows the building of Kan Mehtarzi. Once again an excerpt from 'Breakfast at Kan Mehtarzai' goes like this:
On the ZVR, the cutest things on the entire pre-partition North Western Railway are the darling station buildings. I have not seen them duplicated anywhere else in Pakistan. They are, with only a couple of exceptions, all mud-plastered; they come with a pitched roof and, to one side, a neat octagonal tower-like structure with a conical roof. This was the ticket window. But only for those who cared to pay fare, for most travellers on this line considered it their birthright to go free. Indeed, that was one of the reasons for the line's untimely demise.
Zhob-Bostan Time Table of Winter 1959: Following image is the actual running time table of Zhob-Bostan section as published by the North Western (later Pakistan) Railway in Winter of 1959. I would like our readers to note the column called 'Actual miles Fort Sandeman' as well as the 'Height Above Sea Level' column which is given in feet. You can see Kan Mehtarzi listed at 7221 feet altitude.
Mr. Ajai Banerji, a friend of mine, tells me about the timetable of Zhob-Bostan route of 1944 in following words:
Bostan-Khanai was mixed gauge until BG was removed after 1942. At this time a mixed train ran twice a week in both directions. 499 left Bostan at 15.55 on Mon/Fri reaching Fort Sandeman at 11.55 the next day. The reverse train 500 left FS at 18.05 on Tue/Sat reaching Bostan at 13.15 the next day. These trains had stops of about an hour at Hindubagh and Qila Saifullah.
What is Happening Now? In the last Government headed by PML(Q) and under the Railway Minister Sh Rasheed Ahmed, it was decided to re-open this section as broad-gauge and later extend the track to NWFP to provide shortest travel time between Quetta and Peshawar. The total cost of this project was estimated ar Rs 7.6 billion. Rs 100 million were earmarked for the project in the 2007-08 budget for it. But Senator Raza Muhammad Raza of Pakhtumkhwa Milli Awami Party (PkMAP) who asked Railway Minister to clarify his position on this project on Senate Floor, said on May 6, 2008: "There is no sign of work anywhere from Zhob to Bostan."
So Who knows when this plan will ever materialize? Will the current or future governments follow the decisions of previous governments? Anyways in the meantime, the official uprooting of old narrow-gauge tracks is currently going on. The rail bed is supposedly being left intact to lay broad-gauge tracks over it after widening/enhancing it.
To be fair to Government decision on removing narrow gauge track, I must say what a friend familiar with the Railways told me, "On account of law and order situation the track was difficult to monitor and a huge amount had already been spent on deputing the staff who sometime felt helpless in the hands of Local tribal people. Theft of track was an ongoing process and a considerable length of track had been plundered by the steel hungry theives. The Local administration was unable to control over the situation. If there would not have been any decision the whole track might have vanished without any trace within few years. The stations and other infrastructure have not been sold but only the tracks and selected narrow guage stock. All the decisions were made public through National Media and open auction was arranged for that. The price of material can be different but there are many factors involved such as international steel prices, cost of lifting and transportation by the purchasers, the risk envolved in an unruly, virtualy lawless terrain ,etc. However best efforts were made at the appropriate level to get the maximum price."
On the other hand there is also an argument that instead of closing down the section for the past 23 years, Pakistan could've provided security on this section and used it as a World tourist attraction to earn some dollars. People from all over the world would love to visit any remaining Steam Railway if ample security is given. But even as I write these lines, I understand it is very difficult to make this case a high priority in government decisions. They would rather auction the tracks and make quick money out of it before it is all stolen in a lawless region. What a pity.
Where are the Locomotives Used on Zhob Valley Railway?
Six locomotives were used on Zhob Valley Railway during its 60 years of operation.
1. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 46:
It is now preserved as a monument in the Car Parking of Multan Cantt Station. This locomotive was in full running condition when brought here. See photo to the right. # 46 is seen in the car parking of Multan Cantonment Railway Station.
Built by: North British Locomotive Co
Builder's Serial Number: 19644
Class: G
Year Built: 1911
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 58.15 tonnes
2. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 54:
This locomotive was at one point in time preserved as a monument in PR Golf Course Lahore alongwith a coach. Photo to the right. But after this golf course was sold to a private company in 2005-06, this loco was moved to the car parking of Gujranwala Station. I don't have its photo available from Gujranwala. Can a reader help me with it?
Built by: Nasmyth Wilson
Builder's Serial Number: 1021
Class: G
Year Built: 1913
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 58.15 tonnes
3. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 57:
This Zhob Valley Railway veteran locomotive is now preserved as a monument outside PR Headquarters Building, Lahore. This locomotive is also in fully functional condition. Its photo from its current resting place (PR HQ bldg) be seen to the right.
Built by: North British Locomotive Co
Builder's Serial Number: 18330
Class: G
Year Built: 1908
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 58.15 tonnes
4. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 62:
Mr. Thomas Kautzor saw this locomotive last time in February 2006 under restoration at Mohalpura Workshops. Photo is to the right. Since then, the location of this loco is unknown. Is it still at Moghalpura Workshops? Can somebody confirm.
Built by: North British Locomotive Co
Builder's Serial Number: 22766
Class: G/S
Year Built: 1921
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 59.82 tonnes
5. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 65:
Current Condition and Location unknown. Last documented spotting in Jan 1999 at Bostan.
Built by: North British Locomotive Co
Builder's Serial Number: 22769
Class: G/S
Year Built: 1921
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 59.82 tonnes
6. Pakistan Railway Serial Number 74:
The following two photos show #74 at is current (and final?) resting place. It is preserved as a monument in car parking of Quetta Railway Station
Built by: Nasmyth Wilson
Builder's Serial Number: 1018
Class: G
Year Built: 1913
type: 2-8-2
Weight: 58.15 tonnes
Chronology of Zhob Valley Railway:
1916: Work started on Khanai - Hindubagh section of ZVR.
January 1, 1921: 74.7 km (46.12 mi) long Khanai to Hindubagh Narrow gauge track was completed
May 2, 1927: 62.93 km (38.85 mi) long Hindubagh to Qila Saifullah section of NG line was opened
January 15, 1929: 143.62 km (88.66 mi) long Qila Saifullah to Fort Sandeman (now called Zhob) section of NG line was opened. Only goods traffic started on this section on this date.
July 15, 1929: Passenger service started from Qila Saifullah to Fort Sandeman (now Zhob)
Novemeber 20, 1939: 15.84 km (9.78 mi) long Khanai to Bostan Jn NG was opened
1985: Bostan to Zhob Narrow Gauge line was closed down for passenger service
1986: Bostan to Zhob Narrow Gauge line was closed down for frieght service
2007-08: Narrow gauge track was uprooted and auctioned off for roughly Rs 300 million
References:
1. Dawn News Story on Quetta-Zhob-Peshawr Link, Nov 2, 2007.
2. Breakfast at Kan Mehtarzai by Salman Rashid.
3. North Western Railway Timetable of Winter 1959.
4. Hundred Years of Pakistan Railway by M.B.K. Malik, 1962
Credits:
1. A friend named "Subuk Raftar" for NG57's Photos
2. Mr. Thomas Kautzor for data on Pakistan's NG locos.
3. Mr. Umar Marwat for #74's photos at Quetta
4. Dr. K.J. Walker for the information on ZVR rolling stock.
5. Mr. Ajai Banerji for providing the 1944 timetable of ZVRПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Clickbooth - An International Publishers NetworkLast evening, while registering for Clickbooth Publisher Network, I was prompted to give my phone number where they could give me activation code. I did that and even before I could move to the next screen, I got a (overseas) call telling my code. I was impressed by the efficiency and their emphasis on authenticity. With all the help available, signing up is easy.
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While browsing the site, I liked those Grant Quick Lace Boxing Glove. Those innovative boxing gloves have a unique lacing system to secure the wrist and feature a locked thumb for safety. Built in grip bar aids in fist forming. Constructed of multi layered foam and covered with durable vinyl. They make a perfect boxing glove for training, sparring and fighting. They are endorsed by 4 former heavyweight world champion, Evander Holyfield.
Shopping is easy and safe online. Products are neatly listed and search function too is very efficient. Users can find what they want easily. They have multiple options for payment. Imagery is good and there are sufficient details given along the image to help make shopping decision online.
Explore the site and see what they are offering and how (check out their collection). If you still have a question, contact them.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Outsourcing; Where To?The world economy has always been international. Offshore outsourcing is not a new phenomenon. In our part of world outsourcing has been a prominent feature since at least the 18th century, when the British began to explore the Subcontinent in search of riches and power. Only the advent of IT has changed practices, as well as types and directions of economic flows. In the old times, when Vasco da Gama landed on the shores of Southern Asia, it was for "spices and Christ"; later on, it was for "Made in Sialkot" sports goods for the USA and Europe; now it is for software, back office operations and call centres.
One of the most important issues in developing countries rich in human resources, like Pakistan, is to understand IT outsourcing. Developed countries are doing it to lower costs and to free scarce resources back home for high value-added work, and work concentrating on core competencies. On our end of the equation, outsourcing is important in order to boost the economy, reduce unemployment, and develop the local IT services industry. Both sides can mutually benifit.
Untill September 11, high tech companies in the developing world, including Pakistan, were admired extensively for the quality of work they produced and for their technological edge. But the economic slow down and increasing layoffs after the heinous events of September 11 changed things in more than one way. Moreover, the workforce in USA and Europe is seeing offshore outsourcing differently: they complain that jobs meant for them are moved outside their countries, for cost savings, to the extent that they have started influencing policy makers to check this practice. Their worries were confirmed by the US Bureau of Labour Statistics, which stated that in March 2003 alone 212,000 US computer and engineering professionals were unemployed.
Pakistan is one of the important destinations for outsourcing. The country has a good base of IT professionals, developed infrastructure, and friendly government policies and laws. The effect of "Pakistan's 60 fold rise in its budget for IT" has already started showing results. An employable workforce with good command of the English language is available at a very competitive cost. Pakistani universities and IT institutions in both public and private sectors have internationally standard curricula and are turning out many tens of thousands of IT graduates each year who are adept at turning their hands to anything from software development to running call centres.The IT market has also matured, as local IT companies have been doing contract work for clients in developed countries for over a decade. But, sadly, the trend has not picked up as much as in neighbouring countries like India and China. Reasons are rather political and diplomatic than technological. Pakistan, relatively, is a smaller market. Pakistan has always been a frontline state to fight terrorism but ironically the image of the country in the world media is not very helpful either.
Clearly, Pakistan needs to catch and then hold the attention of big IT players. For that, we have to have a constant supply of skilled IT workers to meet the demand when it comes our way, now and in the future. Policymakers have to ensure sufficient planning is done to create the human/intellectual capital. This done, it will be difficult for anyone to ignore Pakistani talent that is untapped so far.
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - OpticsPlanet – Great Site
Hobbyist of all kind must already be familiar with Opticsplanet.com - web's best destination for hobby related products. Explore the wide range and see what all they are offering including huge selection of riflescopes, binoculars, spotting scopes, night vision, telescopes, rangefinders, laser sights, flashlights, tripods, radar guns, digital camera binoculars and much more. They also have a great selection tactical gear like Leupold Riflescopes, Bushnell Rifle scopes, EOTech Sights, Burris Riflescopes and a fine selection of Blackhawk. All are industry's finest brands at one place. Given my outdoor interest, I liked so many things there. One of their Microscope is already on my wish list.
Whatever hobby you indulge in, Opticsplanet.com has the best gear to suit your needs. What is more, they offer best prices and free UPS Shipping on most orders over $29.95. Shopping is easy and secure. Try them.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Information TechnologyUsers' perceptions are already changing noticeably. Most of the analysts, trend watcher and users I talked to expressed hopes of positive changes IT is poised to bring about. Developments in IT has resulted in expanded access and pervasiveness of computers. Some of the software houses are doing contractual IT work for western developers in their individual capacity. Businesses which are online cross political and corporate boundaries in seconds, forming new alliances that were unknown to traditional structures and channels. Public and private sectors IT institutions are preparing large number of employable IT graduates every year. Political image notwithstanding, industry giants are showing interest to invest in Pakistan to take advantage of IT professional's base here that is familiar with international business language (English) and available at comparative rates.
Similarly, computers and the Internet have penetrating in households more and more. Fairly large number can afford and obtain computers and the Internet connections. Rich and poor have nearly equal access to cyberspace almost anywhere and anytime. Online activities of home users are maturing beyond casual communication and fun surfing.
It is in this situation that those who have employed IT in corporate sector say that business practices as well as consumers' behaviours are changing positively: Businesses have gone increasingly international in scope. Markets have expanded and monopolies are changing into oligopolies if (yet) not pure competition. Anyone who can bring a first class product and harness technology successfully is bound to prosper in world market. "World in which we do business today differs profoundly from that of ten years ago, and this difference is mainly attributable to IT solutions. Why else sky suits made in Karachi and sports goods made in Bheikho (near Sialkot) are seen prominently in international championships," says an International Marketing expert Punjab University Professor Ehsan Malik. Sure we are not making most of existing IT infrastructure. "What I can say with certainty about the future is this: Large number of business concerns, large and small, is poised to making optimum use of IT and benefit. The realization is already upon us that IT (coupled with standard business practices) is the only way ahead," adds Professor Ehsan Malik.
Call centre technology developer Anwar Sheikh thinks, "IT is not just a set of programs, instruments or utilities processing information. IT is a mixture of all these essentials to meet to achieve business goals and should be able to meet the needs of any business outfit. It is the output from all the applications and experience to produce something useful; a product, a process, a system, a methodology. It is a result that matter ultimately because that is what businesses want. Every futuristic concern now believes that employment of IT results in better efficiency, lower cost, more production flexibility, and product quality and consistency. I see more business adopting call centres and deploying other IT solutions in future."
The power of computers is increasing by every day. They are getting affordable to have, simpler to learn and massively customisable for different set of wants making them vital part of all contemporary life activities. It is now imaginable to consider an era where hotel, airline, rail and other reservations, stock exchange trade, banking, shopping, payroll accounting and many other functions, which have already become part of life in the developed world, becoming routine here too. "It is no prophecy because these systems are already successfully working in the west. What I see is the local users developing trust in gizmos and networks to transfer information as well as money economically and speedily," says Mahmood Ahmad, graduate from reputed local IT institute now studying abroad.
IT is not autonomous. It is part of social and cultural phenomena. Information is a universal engine of social change. "Information found online in its various forms -- "voice conversations, still images, motion pictures, multimedia presentations, and online, including those not yet conceived" -- is bringing about social changes; some are already visible. Users are demanding quality information that they can turn into common knowledge and apply to real life problems on ground. Sociologist Dr. Muhamad Anwaar predicts, "What we find on the Internet is to become part of wisdom ultimately. Or it will be rejected right away."
Past events and measure taken are suggesting safer surfing in future. Users have been complaining of information deficiency syndrome (and information overload), spam, security concerns, identity theft, cyber crimes, copyright violations, and unsavory material that mar the internet experience. Only spasm has coasted millions to businesses besides irritating individual users by filling in their inboxes with mails sometime carrying viruses, Trojan horses, ads for herbal medicines or links to explicit imagery. But a lot is being done to clean the cyberspace and make it more liveable. Majority of local users believe that email, instant messaging, searching, surfing and blogging will mature and improve in quality in future. A hardcore techie Khalid Shahzad says, "In future, commute on the Information Highway will be much safer. Ethics will get better. On the downside, I see paid contents on the Internet increasing. More information will go behind subscriptions and or security firewalls."
Future seems heavily IT dependent. IT plays central role in business word and lives of individual users, whatever they happen to be doing in life or career. Academicians, media and IT professionals themselves are best placed than any other category, to span the gaps between real world and IT and the gap between IT and perceptions.
New generation will be more digital than the present one.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Dr Tom ToomaDr. Thomas S. Tooma currently limits his practice to refractive surgery. Dr Tom Tooma has performed over 45,000 surgical procedures. As a principal investigator in excimer laser technology, Dr Tom Tooma has taught hundreds of eye doctor's refractive surgical procedures and has certified many ophthalmic surgeons in excimer laser surgery. Dr Tom Tooma has been a participant and an invited speaker and surgeon at many national and international meetings.
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - People Who Belong to ChakwalBelonging is one of the best strength. On an article titled Rediscover Chakwal, Bashir Malik – a successful entrepreneur and very concerned and proud Chakwalian reached out and pointed to the facts that are lying deep down in history. I am putting up the image. All those who belong to Chakwal are invited to give their opinion about what has happened to the people of this area.
The title of this clipping reads, "Canadian to formally apologies to Indians for 1914 brutality."
Click the Image to EnlargeПереслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Beauty WarehouseBuying and selling is an old phenomenon. Advent of the Interne and other collaborative technologies has only changed the ways buying and selling is done. Now users can interact on the Internet – one big market and find what they want and close the deals.
Beauty Warehouse is the ultimate resource to sell unwanted salon items, from equipment and furniture to overstocked consumables. As the saying goes, one man's junk is another man's treasure. Approach Beauty Warehouse for selling old beds, unused product, outdated equipment, cosmetics or anything else you ant to sell. Beauty Warehouse is one of the finest market places online. You can register and get started. How does it work?
Simple; get registered and you can use the marketplace feature. Post your advertisements, making sure that you have filled in every question (imagine what all you would like to know when you are buying. So give answers to all those possible questions while selling). Add an image (remember image is worth thousand words). All products must have an image of what you are selling, in order to be loaded. If you are having trouble loading your image, let them know and the will help. Wait and your advertisement will be approved and posted within up to 48 hours.
Now sit back, relax and wait until Beauty Warehouse calls you with details of a buyer. It is open 24 hours a day and seen days a week. From this point onwards, closing a deal is in your hands, unless of course you are too busy and would like Beauty Warehouse to conclude the formalities for you (on a nominal fee of 8% of the value of the sale). Beauty Warehouse manages a deal and also takes care of shipments.
Explore the site and see what all they are offering and how. I found that Beauty Warehouse stocks the largest range of professional salon, hair and beauty equipment in Africa and still cares enough to service the smallest outlying towns in Southern Africa. "If there are roads, we will get it to you, and if not, we'll meet you at your nearest Post Office," they claim.
I found their Topical Article section very information rich, interesting and very useful. Given my personal interests, I picked up some great ideas going through articles in the section.
Site is neatly laid out. You can find what you are looking for through directory. Search function too is efficient. Try them for your needs.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Big is Not Always BeautifulAnwar Syed
Writers on public administration used to refer to Parkinson's Law, which holds that a bureaucracy is inherently a self-enlarging creation. A unit of five functionaries, including a supervisor, to do a relatively small job may be set up. Before long, it will take on unnecessary chores and start claiming that it is overworked and understaffed.
The supervisor will want a deputy who in turn will want an assistant, and fairly soon the organisation will have increased to three times its original size. It will also have become unwieldy, less efficient and wasteful.
The same tendency works in bureaucracies outside the public sector, including political parties which, even if they have little to do, will create an army of office bearers. Posts and designations are created and awarded because men of substance will not join a party simply to promote the good of the order. They want to be able to show the folks back home that the world outside recognises their importance and value.
Witness the recent formation of central and provincial governments (cabinets) in this country. In addition to a head (prime minister or chief minister), they have senior ministers, regular ministers, ministers of state, a variety of advisors and parliamentary secretaries.
The central government following the 2002 election consisted of more than 60 ministers. The existing departments, not numerous enough to take in all of the aspirants, were chopped up into segments named 'divisions', to accommodate legislators whose support was needed but who would not lend support unless they were made ministers.
This practice continues even after the election of Feb 18, which was thought to have wrought radical change in the nation's political culture. Those who emerged as winners laid claim to self-denial, insisting that they were not covetous of offices, and that they would support the government of the day if it was doing the right thing and criticise it only to show the right way. But this was mostly pretence. In fact, they all wanted jobs if they could have them. Even Maulana Fazlur Rahman's JUI, which has only six members in the National Assembly, got away with one ministry in the central government. If the PML-Q is occupying the opposition benches, it is due to the want of an option.
This is not to say that the quest for public office and the accompanying fun is wicked. It is one of the ends of the competitive pursuit of power called democracy. A politician gets office if his party, having received the popular mandate to govern, chooses to give him one. But it is unethical for him, or even for his party, to sell its support to others to enable them to form a government. This unethical practice is still going on. It goes by the name of 'power sharing' and, to make it sound chaste, 'reconciliation'.
If I may be allowed a slight digression, I should like to submit that the term, 'reconciliation', is being used loosely in the current political discourse. Reconciliation may be brought about between parties that have been enemies, parties at war. It is irrelevant to rivals in the game of democratic politics. There can be no democracy if there are no rivals. Opponents may quit being opponents for a time and come together in a power-sharing arrangement. But if all players come into the same team, there will be no game or, let us say, match.
Having won a solid majority in the Sindh Assembly, the PPP could have formed a viable government without the aid of others. Mr Asif Zardari, professedly moved by the spell of national reconciliation, wanted to take the MQM as a partner in the provincial government. Negotiations to settle the number of ministries and portfolios the MQM would get ensued and went through many rounds.
Not getting as much as they wanted, the MQM negotiators, claimed to be disenchanted with the PPP's attitude and broke off the talks. But they were soon persuaded to return to the table and, on April 30, concluded an agreement, which gave them 13 out of 34 ministries (a number which is now said to have reached 52).
In pre-independence India, a provincial cabinet hardly ever exceeded 10 members and it worked well. The government of Sindh does not have to comprise 52 ministers (reports say more of them are on the way). A cabinet of 15 divided between the two parties on a nine to six basis would have been quite adequate. The tendency to think that big government is the more desirable is not unique to Sindh. The government in Balochistan could have done with five ministers but it ended up with more than 30. The same tendency has been at work in Punjab.
These governments include departments such as culture, youth affairs, technical education, public health engineering, environment, religious affairs, minority affairs, human rights, tourism in addition to the traditional and well-established portfolios. It may be assumed that politicians want to be ministers because they will then have power and the gratifications it brings. There is power to be exercised if one is a minister in charge of law and order, finance, commerce and industry, education, health, agriculture, possibly among others. But I do not see that there is any power to exercise in departments of religious affairs, youth affairs, culture, tourism, protection of minorities, human rights.
Why would then anyone want to be minister for tourism or youth affairs? There is no power here but the post still carries numerous benefits for the holder in addition to a substantial salary and allowances, such as private secretaries and personal assistants, healthcare, free furnished housing and domestic servants, several chauffer-driven automobiles, escorts, foreign trips to attend conferences on esoteric subjects , unlimited access to long distance telephone, media exposure and enhanced prestige among constituents back home.
These advantages and comforts are not to be dismissed lightly. It is surely more fulfilling to be a minister for youth affairs, with no work and a lot of fun, than to be only a neglected backbencher in the legislature.
I am not saying that none of those who become ministers have an interest in serving the public interest. But it is my impression that in far too many instances the primary objective is not as much to serve the people as it is to obtain personal gratification at their expense.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Stay YoungAging is a natural process. Ever one has to get old. Thanks to wonders of medical sciences that the process can be slowed and one can remain young for longer period. Some of the best products to slowing the aging process rather turning back the clock are Murad's Anti Aging Products and Anti Wrinkle Products. Their use can diminish fine lines and wrinkles (that start much before than when they are visible), restore resilience and firmness, and improve texture and tone with. These non-surgical Anti Aging solutions guarantee skin that looks and feels years younger.
Explore the information rich and resourceful site and see what they are offering and how. Read about - Howard Murad, M.D. FAAD - widely acknowledged as one of the country's foremost authorities on skincare who has devoted his life to the science of internal and external skincare. A board-certified dermatologist with a thriving practice in El Segundo, California, a trained pharmacist, and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine (Dermatology) at UCLA, Dr. Murad has built a patient base of over 50,000 people. He can do wonders for you.
Murad – where skin care meets health care is a neatly laid out site. Shopping online is easy and secure. Shipping is free for orders over $ 65. Interested users can ask for catalogue o=and or free samples.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Men at Their Best Get Together
ZK
The Lahore chapter members got together for the second time during the week on 31 May 08 to share an evening with three of their 'shining stars'. It was a fantastic setting in the flood-lit lawns of the Garrison Golf and Country Club where a sizzling BBQ dinner was enjoyed by twenty stags. It was organized in the honour of visiting colleagues from Bahawalpur, Pano Aqil and Karachi namely Ashraf Tabassum, Rashad Javeed and Abdul Qadir Shahid in the same order. Those who took time out to re-wind their clocks included Shahid Aslam, Mehmood Tariq, Athar, Javed Iqbal, Sultan Khan, Tariq Fazal, Khalid Javed, Asghar J Shirazi, Azhar Butt, Ijaz, Mustafa Maan, Haider Raza, Waqar Aslam, Tassawar Rana (Gwadar fame), Tariq Mahmood, Maqsood and of course, the local coordinator Zahir Khan. To keep the history, a group photo was taken in the lovely setting of the golf course which is attached to demonstrate the united spirit of the course.
Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Fine Art of Home Lighting
Home Lighting is a fine art. Nicely done, lighting add functionality as well as decor in the living spaces. Lights come in different shapes, sizes.
Thanks to Littman Bros - the leading online retailers of home lighting and fans – that they offer lights of every kind including bathroom vanity lighting, chandeliers, pendants, island lighting, under cabinet lighting for kitchens, wall sconces, ceiling medallions, ceiling fans, outdoor lighting, landscape lighting, forecast lighting, commercial lighting and also industrial grade fixtures for large developments at one place. Explore their uncluttered site and see what they are offering and how.
Littman Bros prices are very reasonable. They also offer whole sales prices to those who are buying in large quantity. Ask them and they will let you know how you can save on shopping at Littman Bros.
Littman Bros also good collection of ceiling fans and other accessories. The prices and choices they offer to consumers make them one of the best places to shop online. Imagery is also good and it gives a feeler of how those fancy lights will look being used at home.
Given my own interest, I explored their Lamp section and that nifty Orbit Table Lamp is already on my wish list. See what they have to offer you?Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Teri Meri MaKalpana Sahni
It took the Portuguese missionaries three long months of travel from Goa to arrive at the Emperor Akbar's court in Fatehpur Sikri. It took us less than three hours to fly from Delhi to Goa. Our drive from the airport was through lush greenery, the occasional dazzling white church or girja (our derivative from the Portuguese) and meandering rivers. The moment we crossed the bridge across the Mandovi River our taxi driver unbuckled his seat belt, removed the white shirt covering his bright orange t-shirt and announced with a grin, "Traffic police left behind!" He had had enough of the Goan police regulations prescribing a seat belt and a white shirt.
Next morning we were reading the local newspapers in the German run Lila cafe recommended to us as the best place for breakfast in north Goa. The front-page headline read "Churchill Ridicules Faleiro's letter to Sonia". Behind me I heard an Englishman exclaim, " Imagine that! His first name is Churchill!"
Churchill Alemao turned out to be the local Congress MP who was ridiculing the Goan education minister, Luizinho Faleiro's letter to the Congress president, Sonia Gandhi concerning a new airport. Everything is possible in Goa! English surnames seem more attractive as first names, while Portuguese names jostle merrily with a range of others.
To assume that Goan vitality was due exclusively to 450 years of Portuguese influence would only be partially true. One should not forget that Portugal was under Arab rule for 500 years. Consequently Goa received a heady mixture of Portuguese-Arab influences, which in turn merged, with the rich amalgamation of local and foreign cultures already present in Goa from earlier times. Arab influences returning with the Portuguese included glazed tiles azulejos (from Arabic al zulayj), guitarra or guitar and music, including fado. Catholicism arrived with the Inquisition.
An old friend recently re-settled in Goa dispelled some of our initial bewilderment. She is a Mangalorean Goan.
"The Mangalorean Goans are looked down upon by these fellows, who keep harping on about the good old days. Have you seen them in their black stockings in this heat? We call them PLOs..."
I thought of Yasser Arafat's Palestinian Liberation Organisation.
"No, no, it has nothing to do with them. PLOs are Portuguese Left Overs."
Many Goans, fearing confiscation of their property, converted to Christianity but continued with their earlier customs, dress and rituals. Relentless Portuguese persecution for their "impure" practices finally forced them to flee to neighbouring Mangalore.
Seeing a large concrete cross, I asked my friend why there was a grave right outside her front entrance. But it was no grave. Like the sacred basil or tulsi plant found in brightly painted concrete containers outside Hindu homes, the converted Christians decided to place a cross. Most of these enormous crosses, scattered across Goa, are bedecked with garlands.
Next morning, we followed our friend's advice and looked up the matrimonial columns in the newspapers.
"GRCB Bachelor 27 yrs B.Com, 5'7 seeks alliance from GRCB Spinster, graduate, age 22-25 years fair, good family. Height 5'5"."
Why a 22 year old girl had been referred to as a spinster was beyond me. Was it a Goan quirk? As for the acronyms I might as well enlighten the readers: GRCB stands for Goan Roman Catholic Brahmin... but it could well be GRCC as well with 'C' for Chardo or Khatri! More letters can be added to these acronyms. There are Goan Saraswat Brahmin Roman Catholics (GSBRC), as well as Catholic Chitpavan Brahmins!
So, depending on the situation they can opt for a Goan identity at one moment, and at another moment a Christian or Brahmin one. They could also opt for all of them rolled into one, or none. Wonderful! Because all these identities exist in their genes and the dividing lines seem rather blurred.
As with all religions, in Goa too, the earlier traditions and conventions got amalgamated into local innovations in the 'adopted' religion — like the crosses outside people's homes. One family, for instance, which looked after the local temple in a Goan village, continued to do so after being converted. Now this family was in charge of the church that had replaced the temple. In all likelihood they would have been the Brahmins.
Furthermore, the ancient (pre-Hindu) cult of the mother goddesses, the Saptamatrukas or the seven sisters, merged in time with the cult of Siva and Parvati, revered locally as Shanta Durga or Santeri, who later donned a Christian mantle as St Anne. The Cucumber Feast, for instance, is in honour of St Anne, the mother of Virgin Mary venerated in Goa not only as St Anne but also as the reincarnation of the mother goddess, Santeri. People of all faiths offer cucumbers to the goddess in order to be blessed with a child. Similarly, after Easter, all Goans celebrate the festival of Milagres Saibin — Mother of Miracles in the Mapusa Church and both Christians and non-Christians offer oil, candles and objects to the statue of Saibin, one of the seven mother goddess sisters. Such permutations are endless and preclude any attempt to box identities or cultures into pure hermetically sealed compartments.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Rock Formation
Why We Travel?Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru - Sitting Premier's Town
Multan has always been politically alive urban centre in southern Punjab. It has become even more prominent since Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani took charge as the Prime Minister of Pakistan. Stand in Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh - accumulated debris of ages - and think of Alexander the Great, Muhammad Bin Qasim, Saints, Mystics, Sultans, Gardezis, Gilanis, Qureshis, and Khawanis. But what you see is the ageing town hall and Ghanta Ghar, Hussain Agahi chowk - Hide Park of Multan - with the nerve jarring rattle of auto rickshaws, tangle of tonga and donkey carts vying for space with mechanical transport, vendors and shoppers, blaring music of audio video music centers and second hand cloths (landa) hung on the walls.
A city of monuments, Multan has been around for centuries. History of Multan dates back to ancient times. As per the legend, its origin is assigned to the time of Hazrat Noah (A S). Under the various Hellenic forms of ancient designations (Kasyapapura, Kashtpur, Hanspur, Bagpur and Mulasthan) Multan figures into works of Hecataeus, Herodotus and Ptolemy. It has been an empire, a kingdom, a province, a state, a capital and now a divisional headquarters. Thousands years after Macedonians, the conquerors of Multan present an amazing variety of races: Graeco-Bactrians are followed by the Kushans who in turn give place to White Hans. The Arab first arrived here in 662 A.D. and it came under Muslims rule in around 712. Multan also remained under Karmatians, Lodhis, and Ghaznivids. Between 1221 and 1528, ten invaders swept through the city till it finally fell in the hands of Mughals in 1528. Under the Mughal rulers, Multan enjoyed years of peace and prosperity. Nawab Muzzafar Khan remained in power from 1779 to 1818, when Ranjit Sing stormed the city. After a resolute defense, British captured Multan on 22 January 1849. From Alexander to Aurangzeb the city was built, damaged, repaired, destroyed, demolished, and reconstructed many times. After the British rule, partition once again changed the face of the city and it witnessed the new demographic and socio-economic order in 1947. Multan has been reinventing itself ever since.
Today, there are 'two' Multans. One is the city of inordinate glory and unique architectural style: imposing citadel, Agha Khan International Architecture Award winner Shrine of Saint Shah Rukn-i-Alam and shrines of Bahawal Haq Zikaryya, Shah Yousaf Gardezi (also other shrines of religious, architectural, and historic values) and landmarks like the newly constructed building of State Bank of Pakistan. It is a city of calligraphers, writers, poets, actors and actresses who make difference in the lives and outlooks of others. The other Multan is a soot-choked city (spread over 28 square kilometers area) developed haphazardly without any planning and foresight. This is a city where old trees are ruthlessly cut and all the open spaces have been converted in jungle of concrete in the last 55 years.
The walled city - one of the living examples of old Muslim urbanization in the world - is crumbling. Refuse is everywhere, the air thick with flies. Electric connections are loose and dangerous wires are hanging about. The narrow streets are dark at night. As you roam about in the old city called androon shehr, you will see aged palace-like havellies, shrines, remains of defensive walls, historic gateways, and mosques in the most unexpected places. That is Multan's charm. There are probably more heritage sites in Multan than in all of Pakistan, which is why this city should be recognized by UNESCO as a "World City of Heritage".
Three severing historic gates (Haram, Delhi, and Bohar gates), Hussain Agahi entrance, Khooni Burg (bloody tower), remains of the wall, and Alang (ring road) around the medieval Old City are crowded with stalls and cubbyhole shops and rehriwalas. As per an estimate, there are about 40,000 venders working in every nook and corner of the city selling every thing from Nali Nihari to new carpets.
Clay pot made in Multan Keeping part of its historical and cultural heritage in tact, Multan has accepted the modern trends. People still like to eat Doli Roti, Daal Mong served on tree leaves, specially cooked Sohanjna (curry) and Tabakhi ke Bor (curry). Word is out and it says that a food street (like Gawalmandi in Lahore) is being planned near Hussain Agahi where conventional Multani food will be served. Needlework on Dopatta (head scarf for women), golden work on Khussa (sandals), and items made of clay and camel skins and Sohan Halwa are very popular. At the same time the blue pottery, glazed tiles, cotton sheets, bed spreads, and towels of Multan are in great demand in Pakistan and abroad. Historian Al Masudi wrote, "Multan is a gold mine" and Dr. Karim Dad says, "Multan is a cotton mine with 35,000 power looms manufacturing exported cotton goods." Gard, Garma, Gada and Goristan are no longer the gifts of Multan.
The last thing on the minds of city planners is preservation of Multan's old and legendary heritage. Historic buildings disappear without regret and even the protected monuments are suffering from vandalism. Only 24 historic monuments have protected status in the city. Whereas at least 131 sites of intrinsic and irreplaceable value have been recommended to be protected by Gilmore Hanket Kirke Limited, London based architects, engineers and planning consultants firm who carried out a survey of the city, in cooperation with the World Bank, a decade ago. The list does not include historic houses, narrow streets and engraved 'jarokee' and bay windows - being eaten by termites - inside the walled city that are a vital and living part of present Multan.
Multan building The services of the Corporation and other city development agencies are barely visible in the city. Multan Development Authority, since inception, has hardly been able to do any thing evident in 362 square kilometers area of jurisdiction. A cricket stadium with seating capacity of 18,000 built in Qasim Bagh, 50 feet above city level, was declared unfit for international cricket in 1984 and construction of the stadium inside the cluster of historic monuments, shrines of Shah Rukn-e-Alam, Bahawal Haq Zakaria and Nawab Muzzafar Khan, memorial Obelisk, Barood Kana, Damdama, and Babe Qasim, has been a classic example of ignorance of city planners about our heritage conservation.
During the last days of Tughlaqs, when the whole of their empire was in pieces, Multanis selected Shah Yousaf Gardezi, a religious leader and a saint, to run the affairs of the city. If nothing else, the governance of the city should be improved for the saint's sake whose shrine - a unique specimen of architecture - is venerated by many in the Old City.
Multan is rich in both history and archaeology that make for good tourism. In this age when the word tourism is top most industry, Multan could still be a tourist's paradise. The mall road in the cantonment could be extended to the other (Fertilizer Factory) end of city through Airport, Sadar, Abdali Road, Haleem Square, Khanewal Road, touching Bahaudin Zikria University, Qila Kohna and walled city on the way. The encroachments and other bottlenecks could be removed from the road. "It should be called Nawab Muzaffar Khan Road after the name of a lieutenant of Liberty from Multan," says Professor Atta Ur Rehman Khan.
Not withstanding the aforesaid and other typical misdemeanors, I shall still adore preserving the gard (dust) of Multan with Sraiki speaking, passionate and full of love Multanis.Переслать Сохранить на memori.ru
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