mein terey jhootey sachey lafzoon sey banney
kachey pakkey rishtun ki kamzoor doori ko
key jissey joortey joortey khud toot gya hoon
ussey khud hi toor daloon ga
key bohat jheel lia dard
teri majboorion key hijaboon ka
kissi kitab mein rakh key
bhooley hovey murjhaye gulaboon ka

yaqeee’N aur bey yaqeeni ki
aankh machooli sey bantey
taptey hovey siraboon ka

teri wapsi ki rah takti
pathrayee hoi aankhoon ki palkoon per
bikhrey hovey chand khawaboon ka
na khatam hooney waley azaaboon ka

ab ki baar khushion ki pehli kirn
merey dil mein phootey gi
aur naye saal ki pehli sehar
merey ander key sab aansoo nikaal ker
dharti ki goud shabnam sey bher dey gi

Touseef - Dec 16th, 2003, 03:20 PM

This is pretty old poem by me shared/appreciated on Gup Shup board. Just felt like sharing it on the new year on my blog too.

“You are driving in a very populated area where every minute some one is either trying to get under your car/bike or over your car/bike and all of a sudden your mobile phone beep starts. You think this must be the address you have been trying to reach from past one hour sent by your friend. You just push the break, escape a narrow accident and eagerly unlock your cell phone and read the message. To your utter surprise it is your carrier telling you that now you can download some new ringtones from their site.”

If that’s not enough, here is another scenario,

“you were up all night finishing off the project/paper/assignment with remote class/team mates and were dead tired after submitting that and nothing seemed better than a good 3 hour morning sleep at 6:00 am and you were just so close when all of a sudden the beep buzz in to scare the hell out of you thinking may be there were some problem with your submission, with trembling hands you try to unlock your cellphone, but put the wrong code, you try again and this time you are in, you press the read message and spontaneously thank Allah that it was not your greatest fear come true but a message again from your carrier about their new way to exhaust your mobile balance.

So how do you feel about it when you get a wrong message at a very wrong time? Do you get pissed off like me or start saying your prayers that you finally have been able to receive a new message?

BTW, if you are not the one likes to get spam messages either  from carriers themselves or from any advertisers then here are some interesting findings. Most of you guys are probably aware of this shoe company  Timberland but not many of you probably be aware of the class action law suite settlement against them. check this link.The crime was actually being committed in 2003, the company was sued in 2005 by Jeff Weinstein of Chicago and just had the settlement a few months ago.  A huge whooping $7 Million Dollars Fund for everyone who has received a message from them in all these years (2003-2008). That makes at-least $150 for each recipient.  Here are some more details. Pretty interesting?

Now you must be thinking that hey receiving unsolicited/forced sms is not as bad as it may look provided we too have a Jeff Weinstein in Pakistan.

ok, stories apart, tell me do you really like to get such sms. Don’t you think at times they can be pretty annoying and in certain cases can lead to swear accidents. (although you are not supposed to check your sms on the road while driving but well we do that all the time as if this is an adventure as well.)

So what is the role of government in such a case. They did what they are good at. i.e., passed another bill. Here is the cutting regarding the new cyber laws coming directly from the presidency.
You can also check a very hot discussion here on our all time favorite blog of dear Dr. Awab..

Well it is still unknown on how they are actually going to implement it as it has not been put forward in the assembly as of yet and besides I do get local spam  emails every now and then. So there is a lot to be done.

Coming back to the topic, may be that is the reason why the un-wanted SMS, even when the new law clearly points out that you do not send any sms  as well,  are on the rise. people are not afraid of the laws. companies are not afraid of the laws. I remember some time back there was a post on developing a DNC (Do Not Call) list and giving that to the carriers so that people like me could opt-out  from getting any such call but I guess PTA is least botherd about any development in this regard. So I am not sure if there would be much interest in developing and maintaining a DNSMS (Do not SMS) list but at-least what these carriers could do is provide an opt-out way in their messages to give me my freedom back of not receiving any offer from them. The point they are missing is that they are inflicting more damage to their brand then making people use their new services. I for one, would hate and never use such a service and I am sure there must be many more who take their freedom as seriously as they could. SPAM is SPAM in any form. Either it is an email, a phone call or SMS, as long as they do not have explicit conscent by me to receive such messages and as long as they do not provide a clear way to opt-out, this should be considered as a pounishable crime.

And btw, just to mention, if I have to call on their paid number to stop receiving their messages, that’s even bigger nonsense, why on the earth I would like to get charged for a service which i never wanted to have at the first place. These companies have huge budgets at least they can afford to integrate an opt-in and opt-out system with their sms messages so they could at-least give us a feel that they really care about us and not there to bug us with their wrong messages with extremely efficient odd timing.

PS: Did anyone actually ever take a look at any form you fill up while you get a new sim? I mean, back then, I did not but I am not sure if they have any thing related to receiving of messages in that form or in their terms and conditions.

PS2: I intentionally have not added spam messages sent by individual advertisers. Sure they also bug but their frequency is very limited and in most of the case they offer some thing better than a new ring tone.

http://pakalert.wordpress.com/2008/11/15/a-second-911/

Well,  I know another 9/11 has been speculated to great extent but I was thinking that although America want’s to disarm the only (declared) Muslim nuclear power from its nuclear assets in any case but can they really afford to have such kind of massacre on their own land, especially with the new party and supposedly liberal President in the white house?

No!

They can’t afford to have it especially at such a time when their economy is almost broke already and a large number of Americans are suspicious about the first attack as well. But they really need to get their objectives, i.e.,creating a reason to disarm Pakistan from Nuclear weapons. So what could look like a possible solution in this situation is use someone else’s land and what better option could have been than India?

So I see a relation here. A second 9/11 may not took place far far away from us if it really has to happen. It may very well be planned in our neighbourhood as well. And the recent Mumbai attacks can be part of a greater conspiracy for a collective attack on Pakistan.

Please share your views.

faqt ik qatra aanso Ramadan ki pyaas hey!

Mallal ki gharri ho,
sar uth jaye Khuda ki terf,
aankh mein kuch nammi tu aaye

Mehromiat ka ho ehsaas,
ik aah ban key dil mein dab jaye,
a’shk aik hi nikley, kuch aajzi tu aaye

Ya tashakur key hooN jazbaat
qadmoN mein us key gir jaye
Izhaar ki surat mein kuch bandgi tu aaye

na gunwana essey, bas essi ki hi aas hey
Tauba kerna ka tujhey kuch ehsaas hey?
faqt ik qatra aanso Ramadan ki pyaas hey!

Let’s hope Allah Kareem help us spend this holy month of Ramadan in a better way. Let’s pray that this Ramadan kareem we repent before our Creator and get the companion ship of Holy Prophet in Jannah.

Aaye dua kerien key yeh Ramadan hammarey ander key saarey gand nikal ker hamien sheeshey ki terhah shafaaf ker dey.

Aaye dua kerien key es daffa ki eid pey hamien wahi khushu haasil ho ju Hazrat Muhammad (Peace be upon him) ney bataya hey key rooza daar ko hoti hey .

Ameen!

On the contrary side, I do not see any professionalism (at least by looking at their website) at all. They look like typical Govt. employees who are least bothered on how their site looks and do not understand the vital role it can play to help spread their very cause. I have taken a few more screen shots (well, you can say I’m getting habitual on making screen shots.) to show the layout and information problems with their site.

Another thing I have noticed is that they do not have any information of this event on their site. Come on, don’t you think that the people most related to such events check website of the host?Should I come all the way from Lahore to attend this event as much as I want to when I do not see any info on your site about it? Is it intentional? Thanks God, that I have received the info from a reliable source so I may go and check it out but heck, for the sake of all other related parties please do provide some details on your site as well. For those who want to attend the events can download the pdf invite and call following person for more details.

Invitation to InfoSec 2008 - 4th International Conference on Information Security, Islamabad. (Please right click to save as)

KHAWAJA Mohammad Ali, CISA
Regional Coordinator

National Response Centre for Cyber Crimes (NR3C)
Federal Investigation Agency (FIA)
Government of Pakistan
Karachi Regional Office
Direct: +92.21. 9266 007
PBX: +92.21. 926 NR3C
Fax: +92.21. 9266 733
Emai: khawaja.ali@nr3c.gov.pk

This also reminds me of a projector presentation for Gulf Information Technology Exhibition (GITEX), Dubai along with a few awareness screen savers and posters on Information Security I did few years back for a big Saudi Giant Al Faisaliah Group and Al-Elm Information Security.

Posters:

Screen Savers:

Projecter Animation:

You can see it at the very top. Full width can be viewed here.

I still have some more unfinished story boards which I can “donate” for the cause of Information Security Awareness. NR3C, let me know if you want to take a look at it or anyone else.

I would report back if I could attend that event and provided, FIA did not arrest me to confessing the crime of illegally entering to PKNIC domain panel. But in any case, please leave some comments if you like to.

Here is a better course of action for you.

Come into Politics, please!

In the current scanario,  Mr. Asifali Zardari, would never get you back on your seat and may use all of his might to keep you ou of judiciary. On the other hand, Mr. Nawaz Sharif would never rest un-till you are back on your seat and cancel the NRO. So it would be much better of a choice to not being played by both parties and come into the Politics. Join a party which you think is better than all or else form your own Political Party. Come into the competition, Really, we are all tired of seeing old faces with new tricks. They does not seem to amuse us any more. We need a real man to see where these leaders could not. We want you to lead us toward a better Pakistan and a prosperious Pakistan.

Please Help us save the remains and build a stronger nation.

LONG LIVE PAKISTAN. Insha Allah!

Well, it was a regime spanned on almost a decade. Now as he has left now, the most important thing is how we are going to deal with the impeachment process. Is their a deal been already made for a safe passage or he is going to face the court?

Considering our past record, no armed official has ever been put to Jail or faced trial in the 61 years of history. So I am pretty confidant to say that he will get a safe passage. Chapter closed.

Question is, who is going to be the next president of Pakistan? The real battle begins. Now we will start seeing all the tu-tu, mein-mein, chik-chik between the coalition parties every where. I am not a pro-Musharaf but the leadership we have is not any better than him. Infact, everything seemed alright before the incident of Lal Masjid and Chief Justice. The things I am going to be worried from now on are.

- Would there still be selections based on merit as I have seen that happening in the past in many departments.

- Would the new leadership will accept the media in the current form? Can they let them enjoy so much liberty-to-air almost anything?

- Would they actually start doing something to make the life easier for a poor man now they have solved one major issue according to them?

Well, I am sure many more questions will come up in every ones mind soon. Let’s see how many answers we get from them.

Do you Thank Allah Everyday being a Muslim?

I thank God every day that when I was a kid I got the affection, love and care that I deserved from my family.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that your mother is your key to go to heaven. If you want to make your God happy then try to make happy your mother.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that husband and wife share a divine kind of love and companionship and know how to sacrifice for each other and how to see only the good in each other.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that if you are lucky enough to become parent of a daughter, treat them well and you will be a companion of Holy Prophet (PBUH) in heaven.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that the children should be raised by their own parents and not in a day care system. So that they may not grow up with some kind of love complex and with insecure feelings.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that kids, even when they grow up and become adults, should respect us as parents and would not raise their voice in front of us or let us feel ashamed or disgraced in front of others.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that grand parents are a blessing to the family and to be taken care with love and extreme respect rather them sending to old homes only to be met on the mother’s father’s or parents day.

I thank God every day that I am being taught that to honor my words and fulfill promises and to remain true to my friends no matter what the loss and gain would be.

I thank God every day that am being taught that all the neighbors should be treated just like a big family and you should not only know if some one is ill in whole vicinity but go to him and do some part in taking care of him.

I thank God every day that I am being taught to remain honest in my business, pay taxes, do not hold the money and give at least 2.5% share of my profits and reserves to poor and needy each year and been advised to give more if you seek Allah’s companionship.

I thank God every day that I am being taught to forgive others no matter what they have done to us for a greater reward in the life here after and to get closer to the Creator but to not have a second thought to fight back with everything we have got if some one rages a war against us.

I thank God every day that I know we have given a Role Model in the shape of the purest soul of all our beloved Holy Prophet (PBUH) who has established a great Muslim state in a very limited time with a strong followers base and have an outstanding history which puts Him at the top of greatest man ever in the world even in the eyes of those who do not follow his path.

I thank God every day that I have to bow my head in front of my creator 5 times a day each and every day till my death, when the day just starts by the dawn, when the sun is jut passed my head, when its afternoon and when its going to set and when the night takes over the light so you may not forget your purpose of existence and refresh some of the Holy Book in each prayer as well to not let your worldly desires over come you and to  remain human through out the day.

I thank God every day that I know this life is given to me as a test to see whether I still give thanks to my Creator and obey him instead of forgetting him and forgetting my purpose of existence, making my own morals of right and wrong and think that I am on my own and can do whatever my heart desires.

I thank God every day that I know the purpose of my life is to proves God’s will as a testimony that the human being will still obey his creator even after giving him a free mind with his own will power.

I thank God every day that I am born as a Muslim and pray to become a better Muslim each and every day.

Happy Independence day to the few ruling (ruining) families of Pakistan, for the rest Happy In-Dependence day!

PS: I had this crazy idea of asking Amams from every sect to do an Ijtamaye prayer of Hajit on 14th August to get rid from all the leeches of Pakistan. I am sure that even the people who have not casted their votes, people who have not participated in any long/short march and even people who have not seen mosques in ages would come to join the prayer and bow their heads on such a call.

Please check the original post to see their reply and my subsequent comments on their supposedly “minor bug”.

Touseef