Fuel Prices

IT is amazing how our government responds to certain situations. Going back a few months when the issue of restoration of Chief Justice was still in dispute, the government was discarding all possibilities of restoration of Chief Justice. Ironically, however, the government officials changed their statements after CJ’s reinstatement saying that government itself was considering to restore the deposed judges. A similar incident can be witnessed in the recent past as well.
Ever since his restoration, Chief Justice has taken steps to ring relief to the common lot, his appointing Justice Bhagwan Das as commission to prepare a report on petrol prices was in line with such steps. When the commission submitted its report and recommended a considerable cut in fuel prices, concerned government officials came forward with the statement that government itself was considering a cut in fuel prices by the end of the month. The sad and rather shameful aspect, however, is that the fuel prices have not been decreased to the recommended extent but only by Rs.1.44. What is even more shameful and requires action from the Chief Justice is the attitude adopted by the petrol pump owners on occasions when fuel prices are likely to reduce. They create fake shortage of fuel and charge even higher prices per liter and their atrocities always go unchecked. Such opportunists should be dealt with the iron hand and brought to justice.

Shops and Establishment Security Act

ALL around the world, laws are formulated and regulated to protect the rights of citizens. Our Constitution and several major and minor Acts and Ordinances ensure protection of the public rights. A bird eye view of the law reveals that it covers almost every aspect, however nowhere is the true application witnessed. Back in the year 1999, the then Man on Top for the time introduced Shops and Establishments Security Ordinance which got the status of Act with the 15th amendment. The Act calls for keeping security guards and installing CCTV cameras in the establishments like banks, work places and shops, etc.

The Act provides for payment of fine of up to rupees 15000 or imprisonment of 1 month and for repetition of offence it provides for sealing the shop/establishment. Even though, the Act had come into force in the year 1999, public at large remained alien to its existence. Interestingly, however, the Police department came with a surprise and started giving notice to the banks, establishments and shop owner to employ security guards and install CCTV cameras. Metropolitan banks and shops already fulfill the requirements of the Act, it were bank branches of small towns and villages where the bank managers received court summons in their name as a convict for not installing CCTV cameras.

Then came the turn of shop owners who received court summons for not keeping a security guard. Imagine a small town with few shops and a security guard in front. Police Order 2002 changed the fate of the Police department when cops were given new vehicles and were armed with arsenal like G3 Rifle. The sad aspect, however, is that crime rate has not decreased even with the Police department in a better position to handle the affairs and with the presence of law like Shops and Establishments Security Act it seems that opportunity has been provided to the Police department to relieve itself of its duties, patrol around with guns in their hands and ‘serve’ the nation.

If every shop owner has to manage for his own protection like this, then I think weapons do not suit in the hands of our cops and instead they should be wearing bangles.

Back in the Saddle

CHIEF Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhary showing his concern over the huge pendency of cases has directed the judiciary for their quick disposal, in which connection the High Courts are also conducting a meeting with the District and Sessions judges in the next week. It is said that justice delayed is justice denied, so the justice should be provided without any delay. In the first place, our problem is not the pendency of cases but just decision of the case. It is usual with the High Courts to issue directions time by time regarding particular cases for their early disposal, but myself a lawyer I have seen how parties have to suffer on account of such directions which mostly result in miscarriage of justice. It so happens that once a direction case comes before the court, the court naturally gives more attention to its decision rather than going into factual and legal aspects of the case, which obviously results in the miscarriage of justice. Secondly, if the judge is a corrupt one, interested party can get a decision in its favor easily by greasing the judge’s palms. What is most required at this stage is an eradication of the evil of corruption from judiciary.

In order to keep check and control over the corruption, the High Courts can establish a sort of committee comprising honest officials. This has been done in the past and it bore fruits too. Corrupt practice can also be abolished by a regular shuffling of pending files among the courts so that a particular file may not remain in just one court. Then the High Courts can increase the number of civil judges and judicial magistrates at District and Tehsil level in order to cope with the pendency of suits, and also the High Courts can establish new benches to decide the pending cases at the appellate stage. Whereas new benches would reduce the number of pending cases, they will be also helpful to the common lot who has to travel from remote areas to pursue their case at the appellate stage. With the Chief Justice back in the saddle, a lot of improvement is expected.

Flight of the Desert Hawk

Finding some free time and fuel in the bike's tank has its consequences, i.e. RIDING and so it happened today. I had been planning for this trip for quite some time now but time itself was the problem but I got the opportunity today.

The destination was no specific, I only wanted to be in the middle of the desert which is toward South of my city.

I shall post some pics with commentary..This time pics were taken from the digital camera a gift from my uncle. Images have been resized for quick loading.

As the ride began, two things bothered me quite much.
1. I was hearing some cracking kind of sound that really freaked me.
2. Every biker coming from front had his face fully covered (because mostly we don't use helmets) but I was wearing my helmet.

I did some more distance and finally found out that the cracking sound was in fact bugs hitting the helmet and for the same reason other bikers had their faces covered

Time is ripe for the harvesting of gram crop so the desert is covered with a green blanket in this season.

I did a total of 82km on this ride, both ways. This is the second longest ride for me on this bike.
Some pics..

Found a diverging road and stopped for a pic there, it was just me myself and I on this road...Complete wilderness..

The whole place gives an entirely different look in the summer season, but wow here..


Love this shot..


A pic of the Thal Motorway, very nice for speed riding. Needless to say I didn't go fast :-)


It was beginning to get dark as I started on my way back, however I stopped for a few pics..

As it got darker there were more bugs hitting the helmet. On my way up I had spotted this area near the main road, I wanted to be back here while there was still daylight so I could take some good pics but unfortunately I got a bit late. Nevertheless, I took some pics...

Next up it got even darker and my helmet's visor had got little bugs all over it so that made the visibility even poorer. When I got back home I came to know that the bugs were actually mosquitoes, I had killed several today.


A look of the helmet after the ride..


The ride done, the bike now needs a good cleaning... :-)

Aliens Do Exist

YOU’D believe in their existence too, especially after hearing Rehman Malik’s pointless statements that he’s been giving to the media trying to brush aside the shame that the current situation has caused the government. To be specific, Rehman Malik has said repeatedly, in very innocent way at times, that no one is being blocked from going to Islamabad, that the government has not blocked any road whatsoever, that no political leader is being restricted to participate in the Long March, that rather the government is doing every effort to ensure security to the participants of the Long March. Must be true what he says, which strengthens my belief in the existence of aliens in our country. I mean if the government is ensuring a free flow of the Long March then it must be aliens who have put containers on the roads to block them and the selfsame aliens have caused arrest of political activists and have restricted the political leaders and the lawyers’ leadership to reach Islamabad. So now, do we have a new enemy in the form of aliens?

They say that what happens once may not happen twice but what happens twice will surely happen again. We, as a nation, have been caught up in this vicious cycle where the unwanted episodes are repeated time and again. The way the nation got rid of the ex is still fresh in everyone’s mind, that was when some in the present government were on the road too. All the faces on the road today (except the few in the ruling party) are the same as there were in the previous Long March and yet there is a difference, because this time the nation is going to register the unprecedented turnout in its history not only to show that they want restoration of pre November 03, ’07 judiciary but also to bring it home to Rehman Malik who is a victim to the fallacy that the worthy President is very popular among the lot. Things should have a limit. If the historic turnout of people could not open Rehman Malik’s eyes to reality, certain resignations should have. But everyone is a famous one unless sacked.

Blood Sport

THE government of the people, by the people, for the people is out with providing another relief to the suffering lot of the country by allowing Basant to be celebrated, of course as a festival. Even though the lot mostly consists of the people anxious for an old promise to be fulfilled, that of Roti, Kapra aur Makaan, and who may not be able to celebrate it as they used to in antiquity but why ‘the others’ should be deprived if opportunities for recreation? I mean, what recreation is left in this country! Basant should certainly be celebrated even though it might cost a few needless lives who may fall a victim to the sharp string, be crashed under a vehicle as a kite runner or the enthusiasts who fall off the roof. And not to forget that livelihood of several thousands depends on this yearly festival so why deprive them in a situation when shadow of hunger has engulfed what was left of humanity in the hapless country. So the nation should celebrate the festival with great fervor and it would be great if it be celebrated under the patronage of the government considering the terrorist threats. Besides, who knows if any approaching night might also draw curtains for the government so keep providing relief when the opportunity is there.

Under Attack

MARCH 3, 2009 would be written among the long list of the darkest days in the history of our country when a foreign cricket team was attacked by terrorists killing members of the escort and injuring six players. Whereas the incident itself is pathetic having no precedent in our country’s history, what makes the situation even more pitiable is how our leaders have responded to the situation in a shameless manner. Incidents like this fall heavy upon governments and are usually followed by resignations of certain officials who having admitted neglect of their duties step down from their post, something which was also witnessed in the neighbouring India in the recent Mumbai attacks. On the contrary, in our country we have leaders with complete absence of sense of responsibility. Whereas the situation demanded his resignation, the wearer of black glasses proved his inability for his post by commenting straightaway that the terrorists were the same as involved in the Mumbai attacks. Someone please tell this man the meanings of responsibility toward the state affairs.

And if this stupidity wasn’t enough it was followed by another one commenting that the terrorists were the Tamil Tigers. Earlier it was America and now it is India that we feel difficult to look into the eyes, have we really degraded to a level when we should feel hesitant in calling out RAW as being responsible for the tragic incident? By naming Tamil Tigers, are we not trying to make new enemies? Why has sanity turned a face to the approach of our leaders? When, if ever, would this nation and its leaders wake up from the eternal slumber?