I read this message today via Ponder Alliance, a group of serious Pakistanis who are willing to promote I.T in Pakistan. At one side PSEB claims that IT industry is booming and government is serious about it but on the other hand, we have to hear such things as well.

I am not sure how true it is but let me tell you that I personally is a member of BrightSpyre and this is really a great platform to know different credible job openings in Pakistan. If such thing really has happened with these guys then I must say that it’s not sending some positive message to foreign investors as well as sincere Pakistanis who are in field of IT working in US or UK but willing to do something for their motherland. The link I mentioned above doesn’t have attachment therefore I am re-producing the message of Mr.Amir Mumtaz below:

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Injustice at the hands of PTA/FIA in Pakistan

I wanted to share a recent harrowing experience that my company is going through in Pakistan. First a bit of a background.
Background:I Co-founded an internet Startup company, called Cogilent Solutions (www.cogilent.com), in Islamabad, which runs a very successful job portal in the country called BrightSpyre ( www.BrightSpyre.com). Among our innovations, we are the largest web based portal with over 300,000 users in Pakistan and customers like United Nations, Pakistan Software Export Board among our growing list of over 200 national and multinational companies. We are also one of the first companies in the world to launch an integrated Voice Resume system based on VoIP technologies. And our solution is being used by companies like TRG, CresTel and others to hire quality talent for their call centers in Pakistan.
The Injustice:
On Tuesday Dec 4, around noon, Pakistan Time, FIA (Federal Investigation Authority) and PTA (Pak Telecom Authority) walked into our offices in the software technology park 2 in Islamabad, and seized all our servers, mobiles and everything on the pretext that we are using our office premises to make illegal VoIP termination. They also locked up our current CEO, Mr. Faisal Chohan behind bars and also put out the arrest warrants for Ahmad Jawad and Director Networking. Even when we explained to them that we are not doing call terminations, and only develop creative solutions for call centers to use, they would not listen.

The accusation that we have been informed through Managing Director Pakistan Software Export Board is that there are over 29,000 call records that are terminated internationally through our server.

Here is our sincere response. In our office, at Islamabad, we manage a telephone exchange that is based on our product IRIS and popular software called Asterisk. This exchange was brought live a few months ago to not only enhance the functionality of our IRIS product but also to act as our inter-office exchange. It is completely VoIP as almost all inter-office exchanges are. It is primarily used to call within the office for communications and to our clients, our homes and friends through our PSTN gateway. This fact can easily be verified by comparing with PTCL Call Records with call logs on the server. Therefore, the calls that were made from our exchange can also be easily traced and tracked and will prove without doubt that we were not terminating the services anywhere. These calls will end up either at our clients offices locally or homes of our employees in Islamabad. That means, all the calls were made locally for local contact with no international contact….or termination… Furthermore, in order for this machine to act as an international gateway, it needs to be connected with another box somewhere. Since they have the machine in their control, they can easily verify that the machine is not connected with any server anywhere and is actually a standalone box. And lastly but not the least, the hardware configuration of the box is a Pentium 2 machine dating back to 1998/99. It only has all our office PTCL numbers terminated which are just three phone lines. How can we make 29,000 calls with such a configuration. A load test on the server box by anyone can prove without doubt that this machine is unable to handle the load.

Therefore, in conclusion, the purpose of this machine was to act as an inter-office exchange and to further the development of our IRIS services. For that we have been testing various new technologies on it and implementing various tests. Without testing our services, we cannot sell this hardware box to any of our customers. Hence, everything inside it is designed for that purpose.

A close look at our financials will also prove that we have nothing to hide. All are money is legitimate and can easily be traced back to our customers. And majority of our financials come from BrightSpyre and software services.

Cogilent and BrightSpyre
Since 2002, we have focused our business around BrightSpyre and its related services. We occasionally also secure software projects from abroad for work within Pakistan. Taking away all our servers and routers means, we cannot deliver on those projects.

Furthermore, we had never received any notice from PTA or FIA that we were doing anything illegal. Nor are they willing to listen to anything that we say, and are accusing us and threatening us.

It also does not bode well that they have locked up our CEO and have also taken a remand off him for 3 days (till Saturday). What can he tell them that we have not repeated a million times? There is nothing to find and nothing to hide.

We would like to cooperate and find out what is the issue, but we are not being informed of anything and are totally lost.

Mr. Yousuf Hussain, Managing Director, PSEB, Mr. Wahaj us Siraj (Micronet) and Dr. Aamir Matin (Cisco) have been assisting us in this matter as they have not only used our services but know Cogilent for many years. We would like an amicable end to this debacle and cooperate but we are only getting threats.

So far, we have called up PASHA (Pakistan Software Houses Association), PSEB (Pakistan Software Export Board), ISPAK (Internet Service Providers Association of Pakistan) to assist and help us in this regard. But PTA/FIA have not budged from their position.

Conclusion:On one side, the government is promising so many incentives to help the nascent software Industry in the country. On the other, it is using these horrendous acts of saboteur that it makes it impossible for us to work efficiently. If there is an issue then they should send us a notice or talk to us first and discuss the matter. To barge into our offices, locking up our staff and seizing our hardware/software will not help in any way get them more investment in the country. The most ironic part of the incident was that our office is located in the Software technology park, less than 100 feet from Pakistan Software Export Board and two floors below Ministry of IT and Telecom.

In today’s day and age, we need to understand that we are not all guilty until proven innocent. Sometimes, just talking to us and working together will help. We will not only cooperate but will also be able to share new developments in the industry.

Cogilent Solutions has always prided ourselves for being self made. We started with nothing in our pockets in 2002 and worked hard to generate all the revenue. We now employ 20 employees and pay our taxes on a regular basis. We have never taken any bribe or given to any company for doing any project. We have also shied away from any shady business and have only accepted legitimate projects.

We were also one of the first companies to successfully launch a web based business in Pakistan, called BrightSpyre (www.BrightSpyre.com) which today has almost 300,000 users. That is the largest online community of professionals in the country and Cogilent is proud to attract such a huge talent to its fold. We were awarded, “Young Entrepreneur of the Year 2004” award by Shell Corporation for successful innovation and creativity in hiring solutions in the country. We are also one of the only 100 software houses in the country that is ISO-9000 certified.

We now request your support and cooperation in amicably resolving this crisis that has plagued us this week. We are losing money daily and are also suffering. Your help in this regards will be greatly appreciated.

Thanks and regards,

Atif Mumtaz

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Update: Mr Atif Mumtaz contacted me via email and informed me a website for this particular issue. Please visit http://wheelofjustice.blogspot.com

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I found this from matt cutt’s blog entry. According to source:

Former CIA clandestine case officer Robert Steele has stated that Google is “in bed with” the CIA, as his contacts within the CIA confirm.

Matt who works for Google has made an intresting funny post to debunk the claim. Though Matt is speaking the language of his Employee and can’t go against it but one can’t deny the facts about the Google’s stand about censorship in China so how could they say NO to their own govt? Sounds weird to me.

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Wohoo! Now I had to read this thing as well. According to Jang resource [Dec 8-2006], Chairman of PAC[Public Accounts Committee] has instructed to ammend the laws which allows Pakistan Army to use 87% Free electricity.

I am not allowed to criticize because according to Mr.Muhammad Ali Durrani, Fedral Minister for Information:

We won’t allow anyone to criticise Pakistan, the integrity of Pakistan and the institution of the armed forces as it is enshrined in the constitution,”

“Pakistan and the armed forces, which are responsible for the protection of Pakistan, are beyond criticism,” the minister said.

If anyone get the english version of the news then kindly let me know.

Tagged:corruption,Military,Pakistan Army,Musharraf

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Nasim Ashraf should be in Lollywood rather working as a PCB chairman because like Meera and Reema, he also loves to see his name in media sources by bringing different scandals up.

I already mentioned recent cricket controversy here here and here

Shoaib and Asif have been freed from dope test ban and they are allowed to take part in future matches but Mr.Nasim has tried to create another controversy by saying that these players can’t play for next 6 months unless they’re tested again because drugs remain in body for 6 months. It means that both players can’t only take part in South Africa tour but also in WC. The childish attitude of PCB is just giving reasons to others to raise fingers at PCB. First they banned and then they themselves freed them. I believe Shoaib and Asif did nothing wrong, It was PCB who tried to play with these guys’ and still playing with them. The guy is a real moron, at one side he says that it was an Internal matter and WADA has no role in it and on the other hand he says that WADA rules will be followed? Has he lost senses or it’s just he’s being a political celebrity and trying to fool awam?

I don’t know what kinda conspiracy he is willing to promote, all I know that if Pakistan team suffer then this man would be the major factor of it.

Image credit: Mumbai Mirror
News Crdit: Jang Multimedia

Tagged:Cricket,Cricket News,Pakistan Cricket

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Image Credit: Jang Multiledia

*Smile*

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So Shoaib and Asif have been freed and now they are available for next trip to South Africa. The whole drama sounds weird and it seems a “lesson” which was given to them by PCB or whoever asked for it but the good thing is that two fast bowlers can take part in future matches. Read further about all drama here.

On the other hand, Inzy is also freed from 4 match ban after Oval controversy despite of today’s abdondened match. According to ICC referee Mr.Allan, the toss is not necessary and Inzimam would be considered banned in today’s match which couldn’t start due to heavy rain in Islamabad. Inzy will be available for 2nd ODI in Faisalabad but I think he would play as a team player under the captaincy of Younis Khan.

So it’s all great! For SA and WC, we have got so many fast and medim pace choices. If you ask me I would like to see Shoaib and ASif as an opening pair and Razzaq and Umer Gul bowling next 10 to 15 overs. No I don’t think Rana Naveed is suitable for WC but he and Shahid Nazeer could be use as reserve players. We do need spinners in ODIs as well and Kinera,Afridi[yes as a bowler] are best choices.

Images: gulf-times.com & The Age

Tagged:Cricket,Pakistani Cricket,Shoaib Akhtar,Dope Test

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Image Credit: The Daily Express
Orignal Link of the Image is here

Thanks God that Faiz Ahmad Faiz doesn’t exist anymore otherwise he would have comitted sucide after seeing all this. According to this source:

LAHORE: The jail administration of Kot Lakhpat, here sewed the lips of an accused on non-payment of the ‘monthly’ on Saturday.

According to the accused Abdur Razzaq, he used to afford ‘monthly’ to jail administration, but this month, he could not do so owing to his sister’s wedding.

I always say that it doesn’t matter how many bills and laws are introduced by the govt. Unless they are not implemented properly, they are nothing but pieces of paper. Now do you think that some LAW gave them permission to do this barbaric exercise or they just do it because for their inner satisfaction. Who should be cursed and blamed? the crimnal who was punished more than what he would have done or the system which gave freedom to these bastards to remind me Abu Ghuraib jail of Iraq? or some moron would come out and would blame to Islam or to Shariyah ? is there any MEN PROTECTION BILL? or we men are mere parasites who don’t need to be treated as humans? Don’t ask me , decide yourself. All I know that this is a big slap on Faiz’s classic ghazal Bol

Bol ke Lab Azaad Hain Teray
Bol Zuban Ab tak Teri hay

Tera Sutwan Jism Hey tera
Bol Key Jaan Ab tak teri hay

Also, How can I forget one of my favorite Zindagi se Dartey Ho by Noon Meem Rashid?

zindagi se darte ho
zindagi to tum bhi ho, zindagi to ham bhi hain

aadmi se darte ho

aadmi to tum bhi ho aadmi to ham bhi hain
aadmi zubaan bhi hai, aadmi bayaan bhi hai
is se tum nahi darte

harf aur maani ke rishte haaye aahan se aadmi hai vaabasta
aadmi ke daaman se zindagi hai vaabasta
is se tum nahi darte
….

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I must confess that we are living in the era where media propaganda is accepted more than a religion. The same media can make masses to believe that there was WMD in Iraq hence it should be invaded. Off course same media was used to attack on Afghanistan by inventing a ‘terrorist’ organization by naming it as ‘Al-qaeda’. Recently same media propaganda was used by Musharraf regime to declare old Hudood law a ‘brutal law’ against women by spreading that ‘it asks for 4 witnesses by a raped woman anyway otherwise it prisons the raped women’. I will make a detailed post about new and old Hudood laws and would discuss that whether new law really protects a woman or whether old law was really so brutal and violent against women. Inshallah I will be given reference of original text of both laws so that readers decide themselves rather I ask them to put my words in their mouth.

My 2^nd last post was about Nirala Sweets and as I said everyone who contacted me via SMS and forwarded me the message about the accident blamed to the son Nirala owners and asked to boycott the sweets[which I don’t support at all] but nobody cared to find out the reality and whether the things are really true or not. I am one of those who stopped trusting in media after its negative use in Iraq war, this is why I never bought the theories of recent Hudood law controversy while I had access to original laws. Anyways Iqbal Bhutta sahib left a comment in that post and did bring up an important point; that is ‘media politics’. Iqbal Sahib’s reply is given below:

I’ve been a supporter of the freedom for press, but this is forcing me to change my mind. This particular news item is just plain sensationalism. What makes this worse is that it was a tragedy that can make the stoutest of hearts weep & here we are with 2 giant companies out to gain mileage out of it. A 2 month old baby lost its life & The News & Mobilink are taking sides in a fight that doesn’t really matter! Because they feel that they can give their bland & inhuman organizations a human face by taken the side of “the little guy”. This is worse than a tragedy. There is no undoing the past.

The events have been grossly misreported & exagerated. The way it really happened was that the driver of the Honda City took blind u-turn in the middle of the road, into the path of the oncoming Boxter driven by Faisal Farooq. There was no race. I know Faisal to be a particularly cautious driver & he rarely exceeds the 100 km/h while driving. If there was an accident, something must’ve popped up real fast in his way for him to react; i.e. the blind u-turn taken by the driver of the Honda City.

Faisal did not flee the crime scene either. He waited till the ambulance came. He made sure the victims of the accident got to the hospital, & after the authorities allowed him to leave, he left for home, only to come back with his frail old father in the morning to ask if he could to do anything to help. Instead, he was threatened with dire consequences. There was no beating up at the National Hospital, DHA by Faisal’s uncle & his goons either. The price of compassion.

What happened that night is, without doubt, a tragedy. It is beyond words to describe the loss the two, now, have to brave. But, lets pray for them rather than speculate on what happened & come to our own conclusions based on nothing but conjecture of those who weren’t even there that night.

May HE also bless the soul of the poor child that presihed that night. & may HE grant courage & patience to the berieved couple who had to loose their only child. May HE lift the veil from our eyes & let justice be done in this world for our patience is as limited as our wisdom & understanding, unlike HIS; infinite & unfathomable.

May Allah keep our hearts pure & not force us to judge out of ignorance, for HE is the True Seer of all that happens under the sun & the stars.

Ameen!

Thanks Iqbal Sahib to bring an alternative and valid perspective.

Update: Just got a site about that situation and it explains further. Visit aslibaatt

I recieve some lunatic messages by readers who named me whatever they wished. Someone went to such extreeme that he got ready to kill me and another suggested to put me on jail and while another MUSLIM PAKISTANI fellow siad that people like me supported freedom to publish cartoons while my reaction was clearly mention here , here and here. Sorry as I mentioned earlier that I don’t prefer to react like an emotional fool like we reacted about cartooon issue which was globally and now this Nirala issue. I wish we could demonstrate similar emotions for the betterment of Ummah or Pakistan but we will not because we’re hypocrite morons. At one side we whine for an accident JUST because it happened with a RICH kid while we don’t say a word when our women raped by Feudals and they re forced to walk naked on roads as punishments. I think we should curse ourselves first before we think to condemn others.

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I made this post a week back but I think it’s a good time to recreate an entry for it since it was World’s AIDs day and in Pakistan where people don’t even get clean water are in danger.

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My friend Saad forwarded me atleast 4 messages about an accident happened in Lahore by son of the owner of Nirala Sweets ,yet another example of power abuse and how laws are used against poor people only. According to SMS:

Faisal Farooq, young son of family owning Nirala Sweets was racing his Pajero on a Lahore road. He hit a car, a baby of 2 months got killed and the remaining family got severely injured. Faisal later threatened the family with the squad of gunmen that if any case is made against him, he will kill the rest of the family.

We as humans are expected to boycott all kind of nirala products on this act of brutaility. Soul of innocent and tears of parents damnd this from you.

Zakintosh also has provided a link of newspaper clip on his blog and you may read further here

Now would some NGO activist tell me that what kinda protection bill could provide justice to the kid and his parents? I know they would have no answer and they would be rather busy in talking crap in different drawing rooms with the A/C on to make their brains calm and cool.

I am not fond of much sweets so it wouldn’t effect me much to boycott them. I think boycotting is much decent way to express the opinion rather protesting on roads but the question is that who would be most affected by such boycotts? The owner of the employees who would be workin hard to feed their families? Therefore I will take my words back and will not favor for boycott. When the option is available to grab the culprit then why the heck do I make others[who are actually poor] life miserable?

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