Google Maps Makes An Appearance in Pakistan

Tech fans have been using their GPS phones for amusement for quite sometime now, and are now a bit bored. But now they can relive their initial excitement again. Google earth recently released street maps of many major cities in Pakistan (Including Multan, Peshawar, Hyderabad, etc) along with all the highways as far as i can tell. Though they are still not available on Google Maps (the website, they are available on mobile) and thus can not be used for route calculations, they are very detailed (listing bus stops, etc) even if a bit inaccurate and incomplete (Names of at least one place wrong and a few new roads missing in Karachi). But as a geek in Karachi, i want to say my `Topi` off to Google for doing this. on a side note i would like to mention that another group (www.naqsha.net) was doing the same thing about a year ago and last i heard were done with Islamabad wit most of Lahore and Karachi complete, they kind of disappeared in the mist. Anyhow, as long as the job gets done, i cant complain.

 

goodbye

to the few(like 1 or maybe 2)readers tht read this blog on the few time I actually wrote it,im sorry.not for closing this blog but cuse ur lifes dead if ur reading this. so I won’t be writing this nymore. ill be reinventing this as a fake news blog to ramble about my own opinions. its a way of stres release really.nuthin else. so good night and god luck.

Mars n Snickers go haram from 1st May.

 From 1st of May 2007 Master foods will use animal rennet ( the contents of the stomach of an unweaned animal and especially a calf, used for curdling milk) in their products namely Mars, Snickers, Bounty, Minstrels, Milkyway, etc.  It’s not just the chocolates that are effected but all the ice-creams made from these chocolates would contain the same non-halal ingredient. As these animals won’t be slaughtered in the halal manner, it won’t be halal for Muslims to eat the mouth watering delicacies.

For further information visit:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/6653175.stm

Daniel Pearl Arrest Victim Dies

‘Daniel Pearl detainee’ is dead. Saud Memon was missing for years. A Pakistani man detained over the murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl has died weeks after being released. Saud Memon owned the property in the city of Karachi where Pearl’s body was found after his kidnap in 2002. Mr Memon’s family say he disappeared in 2003 and was held in Guantanamo Bay before being dumped by unidentified men outside his Karachi home last month. They deny he had anything to do with the murder. Doctors say Mr Memon died of tuberculosis and meningitis.

Mr Memon’s family say he was in extremely bad health when he was returned to them, weighing just 18kg (44 pounds). He was also suffering psychiatric problems, they say.

The 44-year-old textiles businessman owned the shed and land where Pearl’s body was found in a shallow grave after his kidnapping and beheading in January 2002.

Musharraf Suggests OIC Force in Iraq

On the 15^th of May, General Pervez Musharraf suggested an OIC peace force to be sent to Iraq to help with the situation.

UK Media Questions Goverment Over Altaf

 

The Daily Telegraph on Monday raised the question about allowing Altaf Hussain run affairs of Karachi from London. In an article ‘Running Karachi From London’ the paper said

“As his fiefdom descended into brutal violence, with the deaths of at least 40 people reported amid the worst political bloodshed Pakistan has witnessed in years, Altaf Hussain directed his followers by telephone from a safe place, more than 5,000 miles away.

“His headquarters, or ‘international secretariat’, is not in the Pakistani port city but housed in a red-brick office block opposite a supermarket on Edgeware High Street,”

The paper also reported that when a British diplomat was questioned as to why Mr. Hussain was not deported before citizenship was granted, the diplomat replied that

“He has not committed a crime on British soil.”

US Calls For Peaceful Resolution

Washinton on Monday Urged all parties to resolve the conflict through dialog and not violence. Question is will they listen to someone who refuses to talk itself (US and Iran).

Peshawer, bomb explosion.

PESHAWAR: More than 24 people killed and several injured when a blast occurred in a hotel (Marhaba Hotel) situated at main road here on Tuesday. Interior Ministry has confirmed the killing of 19 people whereas investigations teams have formed on the directives of Frontier chief minister. Frontier Chief Minister has also announced the compensation of Rs.0.1 million each for deceased and Rs. 50,000 each for injured.

 

Can money really compensate for your loved ones?

Reporters Without Borders says MQM attacked Business Recorder and Aaj TV

Paris-based Reporters Without Borders blamed the assaults, which hit the private Aaj TV and the Business Recorder (BR) newspaper, on activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM). the channel refused to comply with MQM’s request to stop covering the protests, Reporters Without Borders said in a statement. Aaj broadcast live on Saturday as the building housing its studio and the office of the newspaper came under fire, with correspondents seen diving to the floor as bullets smashed their office windows. Employees of the TV channel and newspaper remained trapped in the building for nearly six hours due to heavy fire but security forces did not intervene, the watchdog said. For more information go to www.aaj.tv.

Copyright AFP (Agence France-Presse), 2007

Karachi Closed

City roads deserted only a few taxis and rickshaws on street. Areas towards National and Super highway a bit unstable and a few armed gangs seen near Sohrab Goth. No violence reported as yet.