Tuesday, May 31, 2011

How to recession proof your life.

How to recession proof your life.

By : Khawar Nehal

31 May 2011.


Creative Commons License
How to recession proof your life by Khawar Nehal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at atrc.net.pk.

Emergency Fund

Have an emergency liquid fund. This means 20% of your values should be in Cash at home, and spread out in at least 3 banks in different countries incorporated in opposite sides of the earth.


Live in your limits.

Divide your expenses into three areas. Needs, wants and desires.

Most people tend to place more than their real needs in the needs area. Most of the expensive stuff is usually in the desires area. Example everything which more than 90% of you neighbors cannot afford is most probably a luxury and can be placed in the desires column.

Do not budget more than 30% of your income on expenses. And make sure you budget at least 20% of your income into your needs. Use the envelope method for expense control.

Make sure you have only one credit card and that is topped up with cash in the bank. Use this credit card for only these three areas :

  1. There is no other way to pay like internet shopping.

  2. It is too dangerous to carry cash. Like touring difficult areas. You can carry cash and take travel insurance. It may be cheaper than the accidental credit card charges which accumulate.

  3. You cannot pay someone else cash to use their credit card for the transaction.


Have at least three sources of income.

This is called diversification. One basic like a food business or a simple job. One medium like a car rental company and the third a value added company like an ecommerce business or a venture capital.

Do not invest more than 10% in high end high risk venture capital which claims to pay more than 50% per year returns on investment.



Take a long term view of investments.

Invest like you are going to stay in the business for at least 10 years. If you do not intend to finish something then do not start. Most probably for awesome returns you need to stick around in the business for at least 20 years. At least 5 years to start making a return on investment.


Do real risk management.

Most of the losses are because the risks are not calculated completely and properly. If at all.

This takes time and patience but is the best way to make a profit.


Have a high trust level.

Business runs on trust. If you lose and you have committed to pay back, then pay back from your other profits to clear old dues. This way you shall always have a line of credit. If you have a high trust level an no credit line available, then you can safely assume that the world is in a recession/depression and there is no way the common person is going to get a loan on any sane terms.





The existence of God scientifically.

God's existence according to Khawar Nehal and tips on how to fight like a warrior.

Creative Commons License
How to fight by Khawar Nehal by Khawar Nehal is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 Unported License.
Based on a work at atrc.net.pk.
Permissions beyond the scope of this license may be available at http://atrc.net.pk.

Copyright 22 May 2011. All rights reserved.

Occam's razor is right.
According to wikipedia : "Occam's razor (or Ockham's razor[1]), often expressed in Latin as the lex parsimoniae, translating to law of parsimony, law of economy or law of succinctness, is a principle that generally recommends selecting the competing hypothesis that makes the fewest new assumptions, when the hypotheses are equal in other respects.[2] For instance, they must both sufficiently explain available data in the first place."

First the observed facts

  1. The universe exists.

  2. We exist

  3. The Universe has an apparent structure and a design


I am calling these observed facts because if we live in some kind of simulation then all the observed facts shall not physically exist.


Now to exist, something has to be created. To create something has to be the creator.


Idea 1 : An all knowing, all capable and forgiving God exists who created the Universe.

The reason for the qualities are as follows :

  1. God is all knowing because he needs to know what and how to create the Universe.

  2. God is all capable. After all he needs to have the power to create the Universe.

  3. God is kind. Because an all powerful and all knowing God who knows that the created life forms have the guts to deny the creator's existence after they have been provided the freedom to do so might just as well delete the creation.


Idea 2 : God does not exist.


God fearing people agree with idea 1 because they want to keep things simple and do not want their buts kicked in hell.


Atheists exist to try to refute the idea 1 in favor of idea number 2. Here are the reasons why they do it in vain.

They argue that based on arguments for simplicity, God's existence defines a very complex existence.

Now they have to understand the Occam's razor is not a law which states that everything that is simpler is true but a suggestion that the simpler idea is usually true.

If you assume that the simpler idea is better then the God's existence idea is simpler. The reason for this is that you shall need to come up with an idea that explains the existence of the Universe without God as a creator. So far no one has come up with such an idea even.

Now suppose you add the complexity of a simulation. If we are in a simulation, then the simulation needs to be controlled by a computer which is controlled by another computer creator. Now this idea is more complex but still does not explain the creation of the computer that is driving the simulation. This idea is more complex than a single God creating the universe and dealing with the life forms in is directly. Instead of an indirect communication of having to create a computer to run a game with a set of rules like Physics, psychology, maths, chemistry and other rules.

Firstly occam's razor is a suggestion so existence of a complex God does not contradict it. The non existence of a God is an idea so beyond the human capability of though that no theory has been proposed. The simulation (matrix) type ideas end up contradicting the occam's razor by requiring another entity to create the simulation. So stating that God does not exist makes a human or a jinn look like an illiterate fool making a statement. That is all it is, a statement. A statement that an illiterate fool can make because God is kind enough to allow them to make it while they are alive.

Here are some more facts for people to think about.

  1. There are many life forms which are created and finished during your own lifetime.

  2. They are created, they live for a period of time.

  3. They die.

Based on these you can infer that you were created, you shall live for a certain period of time and you shall die.

Now if the die hard athiests wish to use occam's razor to deny God, they cannot because it is a suggestion for simplicity. There is nothing in the observed Universe which suggests the fact that Occam's razor is a fact.


Also there are many signs based on Maths, science, psychology, logic and many other subjects that suggest near completely that there is a God. But none prove it.


If God wanted to, he could have deprived humans the capability of free thought. However, he provided free thought to humans so they could prove to the devil that having free thought is more powerful than an Angel which does not have free thought. He also created animals which have some freedom to make decisions however they were not provided the capability of vision and ability to come up with names for ideas. The angels also have not been provided with the capability of putting names on things.

Now an explanation of Islam.


The word Islam means submission. Here are the points. Facts if you are a believer and assumptions if you do not believe.


  1. There is no God except the one true God

  2. God created everything

  3. God created you with a soul and provided a body

  4. God created shaitan the devil to test you

  5. Shaitan has been provided the power to whisper in your heart. Not in your mind

  6. Shaitan argues with God that humans can be turned into worse than animals if they have free thought. God, who knows better does thinks shaitan is too arrogant and egotistic to understand.

  7. God created the Universe for demonstrating his theory in practice to Shaitan

  8. Shaitan has been permitted and allowed to mess around in the hearts of humans

  9. If a human becomes a man very close to God then God protects the human from shaitan inside the Universe


Solution :

The best book I have found which explains the conflict between a good God fearing human and the shaitan is in the book self discipline in 10 days by Mr. Theodore Bryant. He explains Hyde as a person or ego to be controlled. When I read this it made me feel that Hyde was a description of the shaitan inside us and how hard it is for a human to control it. There is always a constant struggle between the shaitan and the mind to do the right thing. Usually if we let go, shaitan wins. There seems to be no way to beat such an enemy. The only way which I feel is to give up and submit (Islam) to God for help.

That way a feedback loop is created. You work for God over your own interests that he finally provides his protection from the shaitan and the conflict ends. But remember, if you relax your work then God returns you out of his protection and the conflicts with shaitan start again.

The bad people want freedom and do not wish to submit to the extreme that God wants. When they do this, they are easily controlled by shaitan and shaitan gets them to go against what God has written in the book for humans to follow. Ok so you may now be thinking this is easy. I would like to tell you from my experience. I am 40 years old and have been dealing with this enemy inside all my life. You need to learn and fight like a warrior to keep it under control. I do not know of any way to win. The only thing I have learned to do is do good enough to get God's protection and then there is some sanity and calm to be enjoyed. When you are protected, it is like being under a cool shade but you always have to keep your guard. This because if you become too relaxed and start doing what you feel like doing, then God places you back in the war zone and the next thing you know is the shaitan is whispering in your heart like the Hyde described in the self discipline book. The tough part is the rules you have to follow. They are described in the book. You cannot commit suicide because that means a straight failing and you shall end up in hell. So the whole objective is to fight all your life. Now most people shall be thinking : “what a crock to waste his life on just one concept.”

Well that is what I am talking about. That is not you, it is shaitan (like hyde) speaking inside your heart.

Here it is in points.

If you do not believe in God then you can believe anything you want and it won't matter what you do in life because you are worthless.

If you want to believe in God then you need to believe that he exists.

If so then you are created by him and you shall return.

If you return then there is a day of judgement. This is the day that shaitan shall always make sure you do not believe in so that he can make you feel that you are a believer in God. However belief without accountability is good for shaitan because he can make you a worse person by getting you to practically do bad deeds while KNOWING that there is a God. And therefore KNOWING that God is the one providing the freedom to do as you want while you are alive.

The real belief in the day of judgement is what gets serious God believers to get off their buts and break their backs in the fight against shaitans whisperings and doing good things for themselves and others during whatever life they have left. Remember today is the first day of the rest of your life so get off you butt and collect some goodie points to reduce your chances of ending up in hell. Inshallah hope we all meet in heaven. (Pray for this). Inshallah means God willing. We have to say this because saying that something shall happen because of us is like undermining God's persistent control and God does not like that. In many cases he forgives but in some cases we get into real deep trouble for thinking we can do something because of us alone without God's permission.


Ok now you can thank me for creating hell on earth for you all. I have told you a bit of what I have learned. Now to summarize for you.


Good things first :

  1. You can increase your chances to go to heaven by doing good. (The reason I say increase is that if you knew you have passed you shall stop the fight)

  2. You can ask and get God's protection during your lifetime if God accepts your request.

  3. What you want is similar to what God wants. It it the God given whispering power in your heart that causes you to confuse what shaitan wants as something you want.

  4. It is possible to control your heart and make it cleaner by using your brain. However never expect to do it alone without God's help.


Tough (not bad) things next :

  1. If you listen to shaitan's whispering and follow them by being lax in life you increase your chances of doing bad things and ending up in hell.

  2. This universe has not been made as a playground to satify the human's basic needs, wants and desires but to be a Man and fight for what God wants over what shaitan wants.

  3. The ego management is the toughest issue to manage.








Monday, May 30, 2011

State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 2010]


State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

By Aamir Attaa · Monday, May 30, 2011 1 Commen


Broadband services in Pakistan have penetrated well in urban areas, still the growth rate is yet to see the enormousness – and the main reason is the inaccessibility of broadband services in rural areas.

Due to limited investments, broadband service providers are mainly limited to the major cities of the country.

Even in larger cities, the quality of service for internet service providers remains a question mark. This is mainly due to old copper media for landline connections which prevents reliable service available for home-users who are 1,500 meters or farer from the telephone exchange he/she is getting services.

This constraint compelled investors to bring wireless broadband services such as WiMAX
and EvDO which started a fierce competition between fixed vs. wireless broadband
operators.

Resultantly, coverage, quality of service, marketing and tariffs were positively effected and industry statistics got a new boost as more subscribers started to join the broadband clan.

The growing trend of wireless uptake by the general public will shun the dependency on fixed line parameters.

Subscriber Stats:

There are currently 1,140,781 broadband subscribers in Pakistan as compared to 643,892 at the end of December, 2009 showing a 77% growth over the last calendar year.

Despite the fact that growth rate lowered in year 2010 as compared to previous year, still, it must be noted that the number of net additions this year (496,889) are more than that of last year (376,712).

Currently, broadband penetration of the country stands at 0.66% at the end of December, 2010 which was 0.39% in December 2009, depicting almost 69% growth in just one year.

It is also a fact that Broadband is still an emerging phenomenon with inherent constraints associated with it like lack of connectivity to rural areas, low literacy rate, lack of local content and applications etc., therefore, it will take some time for the penetration level to reach the high mark.

Broadband Subscribers thumb State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

Major Broadband Players

PTCL, Wateen, WorldCall and wi-tribe are the biggest broadband operators of Pakistan having a combined share of over 90 percent.

PTCL holds 55% market share having 626,748 subscribers with both its DSL and EvDO services topping in their respective broadband technology charts.

PTCL has added the highest number of new broadband subscribers as well i.e. 294,481 showing 89% growth rate in the previous year.

Wateen, out of the 232,541 subscribers, added 81,526 subscribers in the previous year with a 54% growth rate which is much lesser than its direct competitor PTCL.

With 125% growth rate during calendar year 2010 and 122,813 subscribers, WorldCall has been the standout operator in terms of growth rate whereas it added 68,128 new subscribers as well.

Wi-Tribe follows World Call closely in terms of growth rate as it added 40,064 new subscribers depicting 118% growth during the last calendar year. Link Dot Net stays at the fifth spot with 36,391 subscribers up 28% from December 2009.

broadband subscribers by ISPs thumb State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

Technology Wise Broadband Market Share

Broadband market of Pakistan is a true amalgamation of latest fixed and wireless technologies from around the world. Ranging from primitive fixed line technologies like Cable TV, FTTH and DSL to latest wireless technologies like WiMAX and EvDO, the nation has a variety of options when selecting a suitable broadband package.

Figures show a historical view of Pakistan’s broadband technology evolution over the years. DSL ruled the broadband market of Pakistan since 2007 due to an established fixed line infrastructure by the incumbent, PTCL.

HFC and WiMAX broke the monopoly of DSL by getting a combined chunk of almost 37% in the market in 2007-08. The scenario changed again when WiMAX truly established itself as a viable wireless broadband solution and EvDO made a promising start in the market however, HFC declined sharply due to introduction of new technologies.

Currently, there exists a fierce competition between fixed and wireless technologies as EvDO and WiMAX are collectively increasing their market share over DSL and other fixed line services.

technology wise Broadband share thumb State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

fixed vs wireless thumb State of Broadband Industry in Pakistan [Dec 10]

Note: All stats, figures are taken from PTA’s quarterly report – and are till December 2011


Dubai Business Club

The Dubai Professional Club is designed to bring together like minded people in order to establish a company which shall accomplish common objectives.

We are looking for members with the following criteria.

Executive Manager

In Dubai for the past 5 years

Though process of a businessperson.

Belief that contacts are just as important as capital.

Interested in coming together to form a company for the mutual benefit of all the members.

What has been completed so far :

Office and license is ready.

If you are interested in joining this group. Please

Contact the following :

Mr. Khawar Nehal khawar.nehal@gmail.com

Voice : 971-55-639-8386

Mr. Mohammad Saif mqahraman@hotmail.com

Voice 971-55 66 75 75 4 (Dubai) 973-3-646-3474 (Bahrain)

Please register here if you are interested in getting a membership to this club.

Registration form for the Dubai Business Club

Sunday, May 29, 2011

Linux administrator Job Karachi, Pakistan

Relevant Experience:


At least 1 years of experience in Linux server administration.


Job Description:

Plan and implement network security, including firewalls configurations, managing host security, file permissions, backup and disaster recovery plans, file system integrity, and adding and deleting users.
Troubleshoot networks, systems, and applications to identify and correct malfunctions and other operational difficulties.
Perform and/or oversee software and application development, installation, and upgrades
Install, setup, and monitor local area network (LAN).
Anticipate communication and networking problems and implement preventive measures.
Establish and perform maintenance programs following company and vendor standards.
Ensure timely user notification of maintenance requirements and effects on system availability.
Document network problems and resolutions for future reference.
Working experience in database environment will be plus.
Email server administration on dedicated servers


Send your CV at info@cttc.net.pk

Friday, May 27, 2011

BS K&N Filters and advertising

Debunking the K&N Myth - Why OEM is Better

Postby AZhitman » Mon Jun 12, 2006 7:22 pm



For decades, the aftermarket hot rod, racing and tuning communities have relied on oiled-media filters to free up that extra few horsepower. In fact, it's often one of the FIRST modifications many automotive enthusiasts do to their car.

This report shows, with empirical data and sound reasoning, why OEM filters perform better in a variety of areas.

Special thanks to Arlen Spicer and all others involved in making this information available.

A note from the author:

The reason I started this crusade was that I was seeing people spend a lot of money on aftermarket filters based on the word of a salesperson or based on the misleading, incomplete or outright deceiving information printed on boxes and in sales literature. Gentlemen and Ladies, Marketing and the lure of profit is VERY POWERFUL! It is amazing how many people believe that better airflow = more power! Unless you have modifications out the wazoo, a more porous filter will just dirty your oil! Some will say " I have used aftermarket brand X for XXX # years with no problems. The PROBLEM is you spent a chunk of change on a product that not only DID NOT increase your horsepower, but also let in a lot of dirt while doing it! Now how much is a lot? ANY MORE THAN NECESSARY is TOO MUCH!

Others are persuaded by the claims of aftermarket manufacturers that their filters filter dirt "better than any other filter on the market." Sounds very enticing. To small timers like you and me, spending $1500 to test a filter sounds like a lot. But if you were a filter manufacturer and you believed your filter could filter dirt better than any other media on the market, wouldn't you want to prove it? Guess what. Test your filter vs. the OE paper. It will cost you $3000 and for that price you will have the data that you can use in your advertisements. Your investment will be returned a thousand fold! EASIER than shooting fish in a barrel! So why don't these manufacturers do this? Hmmm? Probably not because they would feel guilty about taking more market share.

Now I am not saying that ALL aftermarket filters are useless. A paper filter does not do well if directly wetted or muddy. It may collapse. This is why many off-road filters are foam. It is a compromise between filtering efficiency and protection from a collapsed filter. Now how many of our vehicles collapse their filters from mud and water?

However, if a filter is using "better airflow" as their marketing tool, remember this....Does it flow better? At very high airflow volumes, probably. BUT, our engines CAN'T flow that much air unless super-modified, so what is the point? The stock filter will flow MORE THAN ENOUGH AIR to give you ALL THE HORSEPOWER the engine has to give. And this remains true until the filter is dirty enough to be recognizeable. At that point performance will decline somewhat. Replace the filter and get on with it.

Hopefully the results of this test will do 2 things. Shed some light on the misleading marketing claims of some aftermarket manufacturers and/or give us new insight on products already on the market that are superior to our OE filter.

SCOPE:

This report presents the results of an ISO 5011 test of several air filters designed for the GM Duramax Diesel. The test was independently performed under controlled conditions using a $285,000 machine at Testand Corp of Rhode Island (manufacturer of the machine).

Arlen Spicer, a GM Duramax Diesel owner/enthusiast organized the test. Testand offered to perform the tests at no charge. (These tests typically cost approx $1700.00 per filter). Ken (and employee of Testand), a Diesel enthusiast and owner of a Ford Power Stroke Diesel, shared Arlen’s interest in performing an accurate unbiased test of different types and brands of diesel engine air filters.

The filters used in the test were purchased retail and donated by Arlen and other individual Duramax Diesel owners. The detailed reports from the test have been compiled and are presented in the following pages. The final pages of this report present the behind the test.

ISO 5011 Test:

The ISO 5011 Standard (formerly SAE J726) defines a precise filter test using precision measurements under controlled conditions. Temperature & humidity of the test dust and air used in the test are strictly monitored and controlled. As Arlen learned in attempting his own tests, there are many variables that can adversely affect filter test results. A small temperature change or a small change in humidity can cause the mass of a paper filter to change by several grams.

To obtain an accurate measure of filter efficiency, it’s critical to know the EXACT amount of test dust being fed into the filter during the test. By following the ISO 5011 standard, a filter tested in Germany can be compared directly compared to another filter tested 5 years later in Rhode Island. The ISO 5011 filter test data for each filter is contained in two test reports; Capacity-Efficiency and Flow Restriction.

Capacity and Efficiency:

The Capacity and Efficiency test report presents the test results of feeding an initially clean filter with PTI Course Test Dust (dirt) at a constant rate and airflow. The course test dust has a specific distribution of particle sizes ranging from less than 2.5 microns to greater than 80 microns (see table below).

Every filter is initially tested at 350 CFM and the Initial Restriction or differential pressure across the filter is recorded in IN-H20 (Inches of Water). The filter is then tested by feeding test dust at a nominal rate of 9.8 grams per minute with a constant airflow of 350 CFM. The test is continued until the flow restriction exceeds the Initial Restriction + 10 IN-H20.

At this point the test is terminated and the amount of dust passed through the filter (Accumulative Gain) is measured. Dirt passing through the filter is captured in the Test Station’s Post Filter. The exact amount of dirt passed is determined by measuring the before and after weight of the Post Filter.

Similarly, the amount of dirt retained by the Filter under test - Accumulative Capacity – is measured by taking the difference between the before and after weights of the Filter. From these results the overall % Efficiency of the filter is calculated. This test also indicates how long a Filter will last before replacement is required (or cleaning for reusable filters).

Flow Restriction:

This report presents flow restriction of a clean filter resulting from an increasing airflow. The differential pressure restriction across the filter is reported in inches of water (IN H2O) versus Air Flow in cubic feet per minute CFM.

Data from these reports has been compiled and presented in the following bar graphs, plots and data tables.

Filtering Efficiency:

Filtering efficiency is a measure of the filter's overall ability to capture dirt.

Zoom in (real dimensions: 600 x 422)Image

Accumulative Capacity:

“Accumulative Capacity” is a measure of dirt holding/loading capacity before reaching the maximum restriction limit.

Initial Restriction + 10 IN-H20.

Zoom in (real dimensions: 614 x 397)Image

Accumulative Gain:

"Accumulative Gain" is the total amount of dirt that passed through the filter during the test.
Zoom in (real dimensions: 600 x 403)Image
(Note: The Purolator was reported to have a seal malfunction during the test and passed more dirt than it would have with a good seal.)

Initial Restriction:

Initial Restriction is the Filter under test’s resistance to flow at 350 CFM.

Zoom in (real dimensions: 619 x 419)Image

Dirt Passed Versus Total Test Time

This graph shows each the duration of each filter’s test versus dirt passed (Accumulative Gain).
Zoom in (real dimensions: 733 x 491)Image
(Note: The Purolator was reported to have a seal malfunction during the test and passed more dirt than it would have with a good seal.)

In the chart above it’s important to note the different test durations for each filter. The AC Delco filter test ran for 60 minutes before exceeding the restriction limit while the AMSOIL and K&N tests each ran for 20 and 24 minutes respectively before reaching max restriction.

In 60 minutes the AC Filter accumulated 574gms of dirt and passed only 0.4gms. After only 24 minutes the K&N had accumulated 221gms of dirt but passed 7.0gms.

Compared to the AC, the K&N “plugged up” nearly 3 times faster, passed 18 times more dirt and captured 37% less dirt. See the data tables for a complete summary of these comparisons.

Dust Loading:

The dust loading curves show graphically how each filter responded to a constant 9.8 gms/min dust flow before reaching the maximum restriction limit.

Zoom in (real dimensions: 681 x 459)Image

It’s interesting to note the shape of these Dust Loading Curves. The AC and Baldwin filters each had near linear responses until reaching maximum restriction. Restriction for these filters increased at a constant rate versus the 9.8 gms/min dust feed rate.

The other filters, most notably the oiled reusable types, had an exponential loading response before reaching maximum restriction. These filters had a lower initial restriction, but they became exponentially more restrictive under a constant flow of dirt.

This runs counter to the "myth" that oiled media filters actually "work better" as they get dirtier.

Also notice the length of the curves as it shows the relative test time for each filter (time to max restriction).

Restriction to Flow:

The Restriction to Flow curves graphically show how each “clean” filter responded to a steadily increasing flow of air up to 350 CFM.

Zoom in (real dimensions: 681 x 461)Image

The Flow Restriction response curves for each filter have the same basic shape. However, note how the AC Filter, which passed the smallest amount of dirt and had the highest dirt capacity and efficiency, also had the highest relative restriction to flow. The less efficient filters correspondingly had less restriction to flow.

This illustrates the apparent trade-offs between optimizing a filter for dirt capturing ability and maximum airflow.

Thursday, May 26, 2011

Congress To Palestinians: Drop Dead!

Congress To Palestinians: Drop Dead!

May 25, 2011 1:59 pm ET — MJ Rosenberg

If anyone had any doubts about whether the Palestinians would declare a state in September, they can't have them now.

On Tuesday, Israeli Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu delivered a speech to Congress that essentially was a series of insults to Palestinians and their national aspirations. Every insult was met by applause and standing ovations.

In fact, Netanyahu's appearance itself was an insult.

In the entire history of the United States, only four foreign leaders have addressed a joint meeting of Congress more than once.

British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, America's great ally, addressed Congress three times during and after World War II. South African President Nelson Mandela was honored for destroying apartheid and freeing South Africa. And Israeli Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin was recognized for opening negotiations with the Palestinian people.

And now Netanyahu. But for what?

In his entire term in office he has done nothing but reject every request by the United States that he take some action (like freezing settlements) to promote Israeli-Palestinian negotiations. In the history of Israel, there has been no prime minister as hardline on Palestinian rights and as indifferent to the interests of the United States as Netanyahu.

So why was he invited to address a rare joint meeting?

He was invited because the new Republican leadership of the House of Representatives wanted to demonstrate, loudly and clearly, that Congress will not support President Barack Obama in the event that he tries to achieve an Israeli-Palestinian agreement.

And that is exactly what the Netanyahu appearance achieved. The prime minister unambiguously stated that he had no intention of making peace with the Palestinians.

He began by saying that, in point of fact, there is no occupation — that "in Judea and Samaria [the term Israeli right-wingers use for the West Bank], Israelis are not foreign occupiers" but the native inhabitants. (He cited Abraham and Isaiah from the Bible!)

He said he might consider giving up some of that land but not an inch of Jerusalem. Additionally, he said that Israel would retain most settlements and insist on a military presence in the Jordan Valley (thereby ensuring that any State of Palestine would be locked in on both sides by Israel).

He said that Israel would never negotiate with a Palestinian government that included Hamas, whether democratically elected or not. He declared that not a single Palestinian would be allowed to return to Israel; not even a symbolic return would be acceptable to him.

There is little reason to elaborate. Netanyahu essentially returned to the policies that Israel pursued before Yitzhak Rabin and Yasir Arafat agreed on mutual recognition and the joint pursuit of peace.

And the worst part is not the appalling things Netanyahu said, but how Congress received them. Even Netanyahu's declaration that there is no Israeli occupation was met with thunderous applause, with the Democrats joining the Republicans in ecstatic support. Every Netanyahu statement, no matter how extreme, received cheers.

Netanyahu was also applauded wildly when he invoked Palestinian terrorism over and over again, even seeming to lump his former "partner," President Mahmoud Abbas, in with people who "educate their children to hate, [who] continue to name public squares after terrorists, and worst of all, continue to perpetuate the fantasy that Israel will one day be flooded by the descendants of Palestinian refugees."

His bottom line, which Congress fully bought, was that all Palestinians are terrorists who haven't earned a state and probably never will.

Congress cheered and cheered and, when Netanyahu was finished, they climbed over each other to touch the hem of his garment.

It was as if Congress thought that no Palestinians or other Arabs (or Muslims) would be watching. It was as if it believes that it can shout its lungs out for Netanyahu (and secure those campaign contributions from AIPAC supporters), without any consequences to U.S. policy and national interests in the Arab world or, for that matter, in the diplomatic community.

But Congress is wrong. The message it sent to the Middle East, to the whole world, in fact, was that Palestinians cannot count on the United States to ever play the role of "honest broker" between Israel and the Palestinians. Even if President Obama was inclined to, Congress would stop him. And AIPAC, using its leverage, would hold Obama's feet to the fire, too. As far as Congress is concerned, Palestinians do not exist. They have no rights — to a state least of all.

And that is why Palestinians have no choice but to unilaterally declare a state in the fall. They can no longer rely on the promise that, one day, America will do something about the occupation. As David Ben Gurion understood when he went to the General Assembly to achieve recognition of Israel, a small, powerless people must take its destiny into its own hands.

The good news is that, although Congress is in Netanyahu's pocket, the Obama administration isn't. Netanyahu insulted the president at the White House last Thursday and then again in the halls of Congress by eliciting support for policies Obama rejects. And the administration is furious.

That means that while Palestinians can and should ignore Congress, the White House and State Department are still in play. Yes, they will both go along with Netanyahu, but probably without much enthusiasm.

And they can send a signal to our allies that although the United States cannot openly oppose Bibi's policies because of Congress — and AIPAC's control of it — the allies can. The Palestinians should not give up on Obama or on Secretary of State Clinton, who cannot abide Netanyahu and made sure she was out of the country to escape being present for his speech.

And so we can look forward to a unilateral declaration of statehood in September. The Israelis who refuse to negotiate with stateless Palestinians will have no choice but to negotiate with the state whose land it is occupying. And those negotiations, state to state, may produce peace and the "two states for two peoples" that most Palestinians and Israelis aspire to. In any case, it's the only hope. (According to a new report by the editor of the Jerusalem Post, David Horovitz, there is no way the United States can use a veto to block UN recognition of the Palestinian state, a point the Israelis have missed but is not lost on the Palestinians.)

Palestinians should thank Prime Minister Netanyahu and, even more, the United States Congress for making their choice so much easier. Together they helped create the Palestinian state and did irreparable damage to America's image as a beacon of humans rights and self determination.

Americans should be deeply ashamed of their Congress.

Wednesday, May 25, 2011

Education expo Peshawar

Dear Sir / Madam,

FES,one of the leading higher education consultant is going to conduct 2nd Education Expo 2011 Peshawar.

The reason behind is to create awareness among those students who wants to pursue their education in UK, Australia and Canada.

On behalf of FES Higher Education Consultants, I would like to invite you to come and join us on our 2nd Education Expo 2011.

It will be our pleasure to have you with us and answer your queries with the hope that the provided information will be beneficial for your future studies in UK, Australia and Canada.

Peshawar: 28th, 29th May @ PC Peshawar.

Timings are 11am to 7pm.

Thank you for your co-operation.

Regards,


FES Pakistan

The futility of justice: Was the movement in vain?

The futility of justice: Was the movement in vain?

From facebook. The reason it is replicated here is that we need to do something about it before we die and are asked by God what we did about such things.



April 23, 2011

We may have seen the return of the chief justice, but ‘justice’ has still not been delivered.

The lawyers’ movement that began three years ago was supposed to restore justice and fairness to the Pakistani judicial system with the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, who had been so unceremoniously dumped from his position by then president, General Pervez Musharraf.

But, while Chaudhry returned to his former office, justice it seems got lost somewhere along the way.

After nine torturous years, Mukhtaran Mai, who was gang raped and assaulted on the orders of the village council of where she lived, witnessed five of the six accused freed by the Supreme Court (SC).

A desperate end to a harrowing saga that began in 2002, when the village elders of a tribal court ordered the rape as punishment for the adulterous relations of Mai’s younger brother with a woman from a rival clan.

Mai was visibly distraught after the verdict was announced and suggested that the release of the men threatened and endangered her life and that of her family. Still, as testament to her bravery and courage, she pledged to remain in her village and carry on with her work running a school for girls and an NGO which she founded after the incident.

‘At least one accused was not released’

Apologists of the verdict claim mitigating circumstances in order to fend off the scorn and outrage that it has inevitably invited. Mai, they say, was defended by one of the finest lawyers in the country and the supreme figurehead of the lawyers’ movement, Aitzaz Ahsan and in stark contrast to most cases in Pakistan, her case passed through the courts relatively swiftly.

Further, given the fact that Pakistani law treats victims of rape more like suspects than injured parties, the SC ought to be applauded for, at the very least, acknowledging that a crime was committed by upholding the sentence against one of the accused. In the very pages of this newspaper, Nadir Hasan, argued that the problem is not with the judges but runs far deeper than that.

He writes:

“The problem is purely institutional… with Mukhtaran Mai, the police in her village of Meerwala refused to register her case for several days after she was raped… That delay torpedoed her chances of a fair hearing and ensured that a miscarriage of justice was the most likely outcome.”

Not only that, he adds that Pakistan’s parallel justice system must also carry a significant portion of the blame given that the various different courts contradict and contravene each other and only serve to hinder the judicial process.

Honour crimes and justice

While all that might be true, the upholders of the law cannot be so easily exonerated. Honour killings and rape cases have historically been poorly investigated by the police and all too often have gone unpunished by the courts. In Mai’s case, would it have been too much of a stretch for the judges of the SC to deliver a more damning verdict. In the face of such overwhelming evidence and the fact that the conviction was upheld by the Federal Shariah Court suggests that there was more than just the constraints of the country’s Hudood Laws that influenced the decision making of the judges.

One may choose to recall the case of the blind servant girl, Safia Bibi, who in the 1980s was notoriously sentenced to fifteen lashes for the crime of becoming pregnant following a multiple rape. The perpetrators went unpunished because of “a lack of evidence” and the pregnancy itself was entirely ignored. The steadfast upholding of the pernicious blasphemy law has also resulted in numerous travesties over the years.

Judiciary penetrated

The courts have long been criticised for pandering to the whims of the religious right especially in cases which are of a religious nature. The hero’s welcome, Salman Taseer’s assassin, Mumtaz Qadri received from the lawyers and the subtle acclaim of his actions by some judges, certainly suggests that Pakistan’s legal institutions have been infiltrated by the firebrand politics and hard line views of the extremist fringe.

The judiciary in Pakistan is not merely a slave to Pakistan’s Penal Code. It is, to a certain extent, straitjacketed by far too many insidious tenets. But even then, the depressing truth is that all too often it is a sordid collaborator.

When justice is not done even when the circumstances and evidence allow for it, then there is surely no excuse.

In March 2009, we may have seen the return of the chief justice, but ‘justice’ has still not been delivered.

The views expressed by the writer and the reader comments do not necessarily reflect the views and policies of The Express Tribune.

Rape & Incest: Islamic Perspective

Rape & Incest: Islamic Perspective

From http://www.muslimaccess.com/articles/Women/rape_in_islam.asp

Uzma Mazhar © 2002

Incest and rape are not new in this day and age; these problems have always existed and will continue to exist if not confronted face on. If you have ever worked with an incest, sexual abuse or rape survivor you will never be able to forget the devastating impact it has on all aspects of their life, nor will you be able to sit back and do nothing about this issue. These are serious crimes that corrode the fabric of family and society and cannot go un-addressed, since these problems do exist in Muslim families it is about time that we address it openly and take action to put an end to it.

To fully understand this issue we need to examine what Islâm teaches us about the value of human life.

Islâm views human life as a sacred gift from God. The Qur’ân repeatedly stresses the sanctity of life (hurmat al hayat). The life of every single individual regardless of gender, age, nationality or religion is worthy of respect. In verses referring to the sanctity of life, the term used is ‘nafs’ (soul, life); and there is no distinction made in that soul being young or old, male or female, Muslim or non-muslim.

Sûrah al An'am 6.151:
"Do not take any human being's life, (the life) which God has declared to be sacred - otherwise than in (the pursuit of) justice: this has He enjoined upon you so that you might use your reason."
(Also check: Sûrah al Isra 17.33 & Sûrah al Ma'idah 5.32)

Qur’ânic teachings encompass every aspect of life; hence it does not limit the definition of life to the physical body only, but includes the mental, emotional and spiritual aspects as well. There are about 150 verses that define the term ‘nafs’ in various ways making it clear that the concept of ‘life’ is not limited to mere physical existence.

Historically, Islam has addressed serious issues openly and sought to correct actions that constitute harm or ‘zulm’ (ie: cruelty and abuse) to the dignity of humankind. Human life and respect for it has been stressed unstintingly, regardless of age or gender. As a general rule, Islâm forbids all ‘zulm’, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual:

Sûrah al An'am 6.120
”Abandon all harm (ithm), whether committed openly or in secret.”
(Check Sûrah al A`raf 7:33)

Sûrah al 49:11-12 points out categorically that emotionally abusive language and behavior is not acceptable.
"You who believe do not let one (set of) people make fun of another set. Do not defame one another. Do not insult by using nicknames. And do not backbite or speak ill of one another."

In the last address to his community, the Prophet (saw) said: "Your lives and properties are forbidden to one another till you meet your Lord on the Day of Resurrection… Regard the life and property of every Muslim as a sacred trust… Hurt no one so that no one may hurt you... You will neither inflict nor suffer any inequity." The Prophet (saw) did not prohibit only the unlawful encroachment of one another’s life and property, but also honor and respect.

Considering that human life is to be valued and cruelty is forbidden, what is the Islamic perspective on incest and rape?

According to Islâm, a woman has to be respected and protected under all circumstances, whether she belongs to your own nation or to the nation of an enemy, whether she follows your religion or belongs to some other religion or has no religion at all. A Muslim cannot outrage her under any circumstances. All promiscuous relationships have been forbidden to him, irrespective of the status or position of the woman, whether the woman is a willing or an unwilling partner to the act. The words of the Holy Qur’ân in this respect are: "Do not approach (the bounds of) adultery" (17:32). Heavy punishment has been prescribed for this crime, and the order has not been qualified by any conditions. Since the violation of chastity of a woman is forbidden in Islam, a Muslim who perpetrates this crime cannot escape punishment. (Maudoodi)

The Quran has, in various ways and in different contexts; impressed on men that they must observe the limits set by God (Hudûd Allah) in respect to women and must not encroach upon their rights in either marriage or divorce. In all situations it is the men who are reminded, corrected and reprimanded, over and over again, to be generous to women and to be kind, compassionate, fair and just in their dealings with women. Even in divorce, when the chances of anger and vindictiveness are high, it is stressed that men are to separate with grace, equity and generosity.

Forbidding cruelty against children and women is apparent from rulings against female infanticide and rights of inheritance given even to an unborn child; and the kindness mandated even when divorcing your wife. There are numerous ahâdîth about the rights of children to respect and dignity. The same holds true for respect and the unprecedented rights given to women.

Relevant verses from the Quran:
Sûrah an Nâs 4.119
'O you who believe! You are forbidden to inherit women against their will...'

Sûrah an Nûr 24.33
'... And do not, in order to gain some of the fleeting pleasures of this worldly life, coerce your slave women into whoredom if they are desirous of marriage, and if anyone should coerce them, then, verily, after they have been compelled (to submit in their helplessness), God will be much forgiving, a dispenser of grace (to them).

During the time of the Prophet (saw) punishment was inflicted on the rapist on the solitary evidence of the woman who was raped by him. Wa'il ibn Hujr reports of an incident when a woman was raped. Later, when some people came by, she identified and accused the man of raping her. They seized him and brought him to Allah's messenger, who said to the woman, "Go away, for Allâh has forgiven you," but of the man who had raped her, he said, "Stone him to death." (Tirmidhi and Abu Dawud)

During the time when Umar (raa) was the Khalifah, a woman accused his son Abu Shahmah of raping her; she brought the infant borne of this incident with her to the mosque and publicly spoke about what had happened. Umar (raa) asked his son who acknowledged committing the crime and was duly punished right there and then. There was no punishment given to the woman. (Rauf)

Islamic legal scholars interpret rape as a crime in the category of Hiraba. In ‘Fiqh-us-Sunnah’, hiraba is described as: ‘a single person or group of people causing public disruption, killing, forcibly taking property or money, attacking or raping women (hatk al ‘arad), killing cattle, or disrupting agriculture.’

The famous jurist, Ibn Hazm, had the widest definition of hiraba, defining a hiraba offender as: ‘One who puts people in fear on the road, whether or not with a weapon, at night or day, in urban areas or in open spaces, in the palace of a caliph or a mosque, with or without accomplices, in the desert or in the village, in a large or small city, with one or more people… making people fear that they’ll be killed, or have money taken, or be raped (hatk al ‘arad)… whether the attackers are one or many."

Al-Dasuqi held that if a person forced a woman to have sex, his actions would be deemed as committing hiraba. In addition, the Maliki judge Ibn ‘Arabi, relates a story in which a group was attacked and a woman in their party was raped. Responding to the argument that the crime did not constitute hiraba because no money was taken and no weapons used, Ibn ‘Arabi replied indignantly that "hiraba with the private parts" is much worse than hiraba involving the taking of money, and that anyone would rather be subjected to the latter than the former.

The crime of rape is classified not as a subcategory of ‘zina’ (consensual adultery), but rather as a separate crime of violence under hiraba. This classification is logical, as the "taking" is of the victim’s property (the rape victim’s sexual autonomy) by force. In Islam, sexual autonomy and pleasure is a fundamental right for both women and men (Ghazâlî); taking by force someone’s right to control the sexual activity of one’s body is thus a form of hiraba.

Rape as hiraba is a violent crime that uses sexual intercourse as a weapon. The focus in a hiraba prosecution is the accused rapist and his intent and physical actions, and not second-guessing the consent of the rape victim. Hiraba does not require four witnesses to prove the offense, circumstantial evidence, medical data and expert testimony form the evidence used to prosecute such crimes.

Islamic legal responses to rape are not limited to a criminal prosecution for hiraba. Islamic jurisprudence also provides an avenue for civil redress for a rape survivor in its law of "jirah" (wounds). Islamic law designates ownership rights to each part of one’s body, and a right to corresponding compensation for any harm done unlawfully to any of those parts. Islamic law calls this the ‘law of jirah’ (wounds). Harm to a sexual organ, therefore, entitles the person harmed to appropriate financial compensation under classical Islamic jirah jurisprudence. Each school of Islamic law has held that where a woman is harmed through sexual intercourse (some include marital intercourse), she is entitled to financial compensation for the harm. Further, where this intercourse was without the consent of the woman, the perpetrator must pay the woman both the basic compensation for the harm, as well as an additional amount based on the ‘diyya’ (financial compensation for murder, akin to a wrongful death payment).

Islamic law, with its radical introduction of a woman’s right to own property as a fundamental right, employs a gender-egalitarian attitude in this area of jurisprudence. In fact, there is a hadith specifically directed to transforming the early Muslim population out of this patriarchal attitude of male financial compensation for female sexual activity. During the time of Prophet Muhammad, a young man committed zina with his employer’s wife. The father of the young man gave one hundred goats and a maid as compensation to the employer, who accepted it. When the case was reported to the Prophet, he ordered the return of the goats and the maid to the young man’s father and prosecuted the adulterer for zina (Abu Daud 1990, 3: Bk. 33, No. 4430; Bukhâri 1985, 8:Bk. 81, Nos. 815, 821, 826).

Early Islam thus established that there should be no tolerance of the attitude that a woman’s sexual activity is something to be bartered, pawned, gossiped about, or owned by the men in her life. Personal responsibility of every human being for their own actions is a fundamental principle in Islamic thought.

Marital Rape
The Quran is very clear that the basis of a marital relationship is love and affection between the spouses, not power or control. Rape is unacceptable in such a relationship.

Sûrah al Baqarah 2.223
'Your wives are your tilth; go then unto your tilth as you may desire, but first provide something for your souls*, and remain conscious of God, and know that your are destined to meet Him...'
* Note in Muhammad Asad's translation: 'a spiritual relationship between man and woman is postulated as the indispensable basis of sexual relations.'

Sûrah ar Rum 30.21
"And among His wonders is this: He creates for you mates out of your own kind, so that your might incline towards then, and He engenders love and tenderness between you: in this, behold, there are messages indeed for people who think!

Sûrah al Baqarah 2.187
"... They are as a garment for you, and you are as a garment for them."

Sûrah al Nisa 4.19
"... And consort with your wives in a goodly manner, for if you dislike them, it may well be that you dislike something which God might yet make a source of abundant good."

"Is there recognition of marital rape in Islam?
In the context of jirah, it would appear so: where there is any physical harm or disease caused to a spouse, there may be a claim for jirah compensation. The law of jirah provides for compensation for physical harm between spouses, and supports Islamic legislation against domestic abuse. Even in these discussions of appropriate jirah compensation, the question of the injured party’s consent plays a central role. Some Islamic jurists considered consent to be presumed by virtue of the marital relationship, while others maintain that where harm occurs, it is an assault, regardless of the consent, and therefore compensation is due. In our modern era, one might take these precedents and their premium focus on consent and apply the Islamic principle of sexual autonomy to conclude that any sex without consent is harmful, as a dishonoring of the unwilling party’s sexual autonomy. Thus, modern Islamic jurists and legislators, taking a gender-egalitarian perspective, might conclude that Islamic law does recognize marital rape, and assign the appropriate injunctions and compensation for this personally devastating harm." (Qureshi)

An often misquoted and abused hadith that is used to tyrannize women is that women cannot and should not say no to their husband when he approaches them Women are advised not to turn away from their husbands except if they have their period or any other reasonable excuse. So much so that she is to break her voluntary fast if her husband approaches her. And if they do angels will curse them. However, this hadith is not quoted with the complementary one that advises men of the same consideration.

In the same manner men are advised that meeting the needs of their wives takes precedence over voluntary worship. Narrated Abdullah bin Amr bin Al-As: "Prophet Muhammad (saw) said, “O Abdullah! I have been informed that you fast all the day and stand in prayer all night?” I said, ‘Yes, O Allah's Apostle!’ He said, “Do not do that! Observe the fast sometimes and also leave them at other times, stand up for the prayer at night and also sleep at night. Your body has a right over you and your wife has a right over you.” (Bukhâri)

To a certain degree these ahâdîth are used to confuse and distract from the issue, since rape does not have anything to do with permission or lack of permission. In a marriage abusive or forced sexual activity cannot be justified by abusing this hadith. Rape is defined as unwanted, violent and forced sex, whether this occurs in a marital context or outside it. The definition of rape does not change because of the relationship.

It is important to not confuse the issue of mutual rights that a couple has on each other with the misguided, distorted and misogynist assumption that women become a husband's property. Islam does not allow for or tolerate ownership of human beings. Human dignity does not allow that any one person has the right to own, mind/body/soul, another human being... and Islam demands that all human beings respect the humanity of everyone.

Incest & Child Abuse
The Quran clearly outlines those with whom marriage is not permitted, we can extrapolate from it that any sexual relation with these would be unacceptable.

Sûrah an Nisa 4:23:
Prohibited for you (in marriage) are your mothers, your daughters, your sisters, the sisters of your fathers, the sisters of your mothers, the daughters of your brother, the daughters of your sister, your nursing mothers, the girls who nursed from the same woman as you, the mothers of your wives, the daughters of your wives with whom you have consummated the marriage - if the marriage has not been consummated, you may marry the daughter. Also prohibited for you are the women who were married to your genetic sons. Also, you shall not be married to two sisters at the same time - but do not break up existing marriages. GOD is Forgiver, Most Merciful.

This includes your foster parents, siblings and children.

Al Hasan reports: ‘If somebody commits illegal intercourse with his sister, his punishment is the same as for any other person who commits such a crime’. (Bukhâri Vol. 8 pp 526)

Thus, these same laws mentioned above in cases of rape would be equally applicable, and incest can be prosecuted as a crime within the bounds of Islamic law.

According to Islam, all aspects of life, ie: the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual, are sacred and must be respected. No gender or relationship has been given the power or right to hurt or harm the other. Domestic violence, rape and incest are all violent and criminal abuses that are outside the bounds of what is permitted in Islam and there is absolutely no justification for it whatsoever.

References:
-Ghazâlî; “Ihya Ulum ud Din”
-Hasan, Riffat; “Religious Human Rights in Global Perspective: Religious Perspectives” John Witte, Jr. and Johan D. van der Vyver Eds. Martinus Nijhoff Publishers, 1996
-Maudoodi, Abu al Ala; “Human Rights in Islam” The Islamic Foundation UK 1976, 1993
-Qureshi, Asifa LLM; “Her Honor: An Islamic Critique of the Rape Laws of Pakistan from a Woman-Sensitive Perspective”
-Rahman, Afzal ur; "Role of Muslim Women in Society" Seerah Foundation, London, 1986
-Rauf, Muhammad Abdul; “Umar al Faruq” Al Saadawi Publications, 1998

Abridged version of article published in the September issue of 'Islâmic Reflections 2002'

Monday, May 23, 2011

15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Posted by Boost Inspiration in Photography | View Comments


This post showcase some beautiful pictures of Pakistan. Islamic Republic of Pakistan is a country in South Asia. It is the second largest Muslim population after Indonesia. The name Pakistan means Land of (the) Pure in Urdu and Persian.

Tourism is still a growing industry in Pakistan because of its diverse cultures, people and landscape. Pakistan also has five out of fourteen mountain peaks of height over 8,000 metres (26,250 ft), that attract adventurers and mountaineers from around the world, especially to K2.

Lets take a trip of Pakistan through some beautiful and amazing pictures. Hope you like them.

We would love to know what you think while viewing these Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan in the comments below. If you want to be the first one to know the latest happenings at BoostInspiration.com, just subscribe to our RSS feed and you can also follow us on Twitter and Facebook

Beautiful Pictures of Pakistan

Dance of a Peacock - Pakistan

01 Dance of a Peacock Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

There is a peaock breeding barn infront of the Guest House where I'm staying. It has more than 30 peacocks from different colors. Unfortunately, all kept behind the chain link.

Faisal Mosque, Islamabad, Pakistan

02 Faisal Mosque Islamabad Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

The Shah Faisal Masjid in Islamabad, Pakistan - is among one of the largest mosques in the world. Its Pakistan’s National Mosque. It is a popular masjid in the Islamic world, and is renowned for both its size and its architecture covering an area of 5,000 square meters with a capacity of 300,000 worshippers. It’s relatively unusual design fuses contemporary lines with the more traditional look of an Arab Bedouin's tent, with its large triangular prayer hall and four minarets.

Jahangir Kothari, Karachi

03 Jahangir Kothari Karachi in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Single RAW HDR processing on photomatix from my Canon 400D.Photo at Jahangir Kothari parade, Karachi, Pakistan.

The Tomb of Jam Nido at Makli Hills, Thatta, Sindh, Pakistan

04 The tomb of Jam Nido at Makli Hills Thatta Sindh Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

This is the tomb of Jam Nido, a Summa ruler who reigned from 1461-1508.One of the largest necropolises in the world, with a diameter of approximately 8 kilometers, Makli Hill is supposed to be the burial place of some 125,000 Sufi saints. It is located on the outskirts of Thatta, the capital of lower Sind until the seventeenth century, in what is the southeastern province of present-day Pakistan.

Shrine of Bibi Jawindi, Uch Sharif in Beautiful Pictures of Pakistan

05 Shrine of Bibi Jawindi Uch Sharif Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Uch or Uch Sharif is located in Punjab, Pakistan. Uch is also known as "Alexandria at the Head of the Punjab", is a historical city in Pakistan. Once it was an important city of ancient India. It is believed that in 325 BC Alexander the Great founded a city called Alexandria at the site of the last confluence of Punjab rivers with the Indus river.

Arambagh Mosque, Karachi

08 Karachi Aram Bagh Mosque in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

An illuminated view of colorful lights installed over the Aram Bagh Mosque in connection with Shab-e-Barat.

Derawar Fort, Cholistan, Pakistan

07 Derawar Fort Cholistan Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Derawar Fort is an ancient fort located in Cholistan Desert in Pakistan. The Fort was built by Deoraj, a prince of Jaisalmer. It was in possession of royal family of Jaisalmer when it was captured by Abbasis in 1735. In 1747, the Fort slipped from the hands of Abbasis in the reign of Nawab Bahawal Khan due to his pre-occupations at Shikarpur. Nawab Mubarak Khan took the stronghold back in 1804.

The Astore Valley in the Northern Areas of Pakistan

09 The Astore Valley in the Northern Areas of Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Astore Valley (el. 2,600 m (8,500 ft)) is located in Astore District in the Northern Areas of Pakistan. The valley, adjoining the eastern side of mountain Nanga Parbat, is about 120 km (75 mi) long, having area of 5,092 km2 (1,966 sq mi).[citation needed]The entrance of the valley is located about 60 km southeast of Gilgit with four side-valleys. The valley has more than 100 villages with a total population of 71,666 (Census 1998)[citation needed], including Chilm, Bubin, Gorikot, Eid Ghah, Fina, Bulen, Chongra and Tari Shing. Chilm is the most beautiful village among all the villages of Astore, because it is the starting point of Deosai, the world's second highest plateau. The majority of people practice subsistence agriculture and livestock is the main source of livelihood complemented by seasonal work in down districts of the country. Due to its diverse landscape and climatic conditions the valley provides excellent habitat for a variety of commercially important medicinal plants.

Warrior and his Sword in Beautiful Pictures of Pakistan

09 Warrior and his Sword in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Before the opening of four in line tent pegging category only he was honored to lift this peg with sword instead of Lance.

Sunset at GT Road, Pakistan

10 Sunset at GT Road Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Even though it is Winter, sunset is still colorful and bright in Pakistan.

Beautiful Pakistan - View from Lord of the Rings

11 Pakistan View from Lord of the Rings in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

This is a view of Tupopdan mountain, one of the most amazing places along Karakoram highway.

The Karakoram is a ‘who’s who’ of the world’s tallest peaks – including K-2, second only to Everest. And its valleys deliver a glut of glaciers, the longest outside the polar regions, with some creeping right to the road edge. The 240-kilometer Hunza Valley is an ancient and remote kingdom in the northeast of Pakistan, nestled close to China and the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan. The simplicity of village life belies the valley’s strategic and economic importance. Not so many years ago, travel through its narrow gorges and high passes was treacherous as local brigands supplemented meagre agricultural outputs by raiding silk route caravans, trading slaves and capturing loot.

Pakistan - Amazing Scary Suspension Husaini Bridge

12 Pakistan Scary Suspension Husaini Bridge in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

This is a shot of Mt. Tupopdan (6106m) taken at the sunset with new and old suspension Husaini Bridge in foreground. Probably one of the more instantly recognizable pictures you'll see in books and promotional pictures of Pakistan is of the numerous suspension bridges that cross the rivers in and around Northern Pakistan. And in saying that, one of the more famous day treks around the region is known as the Two Bridges trek which as the name suggests sees you crossing two bridges on a five hour trek in the area surrounding Passu and the neighboring villages before ending at Borit Lake.The trek itself is probably more of a pleasant stroll than a strenuous effort but the setting and the scenery is some of the best I've seen so far. Apart from crossing the two bridges you meander through farming villages, traverse steep ravines, cross potato and pumpkin fields as the farmers wave hello and end the day by enjoying a nice cold drink by an alpine lake.

Pakistan - Fairy Meadows - Circles of Life

13 Pakistan Fairy Meadows Circles of Life in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

The mountain in the picture is Nanga parbat (also known as Nangaparbat Peak or Diamir) is the 9th highest mountain on Earth and the 2nd highest in Pakistan. Nanga Parbat has tremendous vertical relief over local terrain in all directions. To the south, Nanga Parbat boasts what is often referred to as the highest mountain face in the world: the Rupal Face rises an incredible 4,600 m (15,000 feet) above its base. To the north, the complex, somewhat more gently sloped Rakhiot Flank rises 7,000 m (22,966 feet) from the Indus River valley to the summit in just 27 km, one of the 10 greatest elevation gains in so short a distance on Earth. Nanga Parbat is the fastest growing mountain on Earth and it is still growing about 7mm a year.

Falaksair Peak Swat Valley in Amazing Pictures Pakistan

14 Falaksair Peak Swat Valley Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

Wonderfull view of snow covered peak Falaksair from Swat valley (Pakistan)

Shahjahan Masjid-Pakistan

15 Shahjahan Masjid Pakistan in 15 Beautiful and Amazing Pictures of Pakistan

The Shah Jahan Mosque was built in the reign of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan. It is located in Thatta, Sindh province, Pakistan. In the town of Thatta (100 km / 60 miles from Karachi) itself, there is famous Shahjahani Mosque with its beautiful architecture. This mosque was built in 1647 during the reign of Mughal King Shahjahan, also known as the builder King. The mosque is built with red bricks with blue coloured glaze tiles probably imported from another Sindh's town of Hala.