The Missing Gender?

The UAE Census reports released last month put the total female population of UAE at 32.4 %. The ratio of men to women in the UAE is 7 : 3

I wonder if they counted these lovely plastic ladies too. They are fashionable and portray the blend of cultural diversity this country is known for. It might be a good idea to boost up that percentage by counting these beauties in the next census perhaps.

(Apologies for the unclear picture - people are sensitive and a tad jealous when passer's by try to photograph their plastic beauties).

A Tiger Falls but the Forest Burns!

Tiger, tiger, burning bright

In the forests of the night,

What immortal hand or eye

Could frame thy fearful symmetry?

In what distant deeps or skies

Burnt the fire of thine eyes?

On what wings dare he aspire?

What the hand dare seize the fire?

- William Blake

The Tiger of Baluchistan, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, roared his last on 26 August, 2006 as Pakistani Air Force planes levelled his cave complex in the mountains of Baluchistan. At the grand age of 79, and with his trusted men by his side, they went down fighting to the last, taking out dozens of Pakistani army commandos.

The grand old man of Baluchistan, Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti was Tumandar (head) of the Warrior Bugti tribe. The Bugti are a warrior race, tracing their origins back 2,000 years to Aleppo in Syria. For the last 1,000 years or more, they have lived in present-day Pakistan, Iran and Afghanistan. The Bugtis' were renowned for their attacks in the First Afghan War against the British and they were only subdued in 1890, after a conflict which began in 1845.

Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, was unlike anything what the term tribal leader would bring to mind. He did his studies from Oxford, London and was also known as grandson of Sir Shahbaz Khan Bugti, who was awarded the Knight of the British Empire for bravery on the battle fields. Nawab Bugti was known to many as a dictator, or an iron fisted ruler, irrespective of that he was a leader widely respected in Pakistan and revered in Baluchistan.

In Pakistan, he was known as "A person who never refused dialogue, who in the capacity of member Shahi Jirga at the time of establishment of Pakistan made Baluchistan a part of the country, someone who has been the member of first constituent assembly of the country, someone who took oath of defense and development of the country. Someone who has been Member National Assembly, Governor and Chief Minister of the province. Who has been willing to talk about the proposals of the Parliamentary Committee until the last breath.”

Baluchistan is Pakistan's biggest province, and is said to be the richest in mineral resources. It is also a major supplier of natural gas to the country. However, despite all this natural wealth, there is wide spread resentment among local people that the wealth being tapped by teh Central Government of Paksitan does not relfect in the development of the region or jobs for locals. This resentment has flared in four seperate revolts by Baluchi Nationalists who have been time and time again been crushed by the Pakistani Army.

Nawab Akbar Bugti was always part of the government and his role as Governor and Cheif Minister in different stints always saw him choose the political path to resolve the problems of his people.He took up arms against the Pakistan Government only to drive home his point that there were excesses in the way his people were treated by the Pakistani Army deployed there. And in a tribal society where violence is the preferred means of getting things done, he always left open the door of dialogue and diplomacy which went hand in hand with his armed conflict.

His troubles started with his fallout with Pakistani President Musharraf. Both disliked each other and it nothing short of a showdown brewing between a Tribal Leader and a Military General. They were reported to have traded threats publicly a few days before the attack.

India, always looking for a chance to point out flaws, commented that it was unfortunate that Pakistan had used excessive force instead of dialogue. But in this world of self interests, India has always compared Baluchistan with the Kashmiri Issue. Sounds ridiculous? How can Baluchistan be like Kashmir? The answers lie in the history of the region which has been long relegated to dusty history books.

Baluchistan shares its western border with Iranian Balochistan, Afghanistan and the Federally Administered Tribal Areas to the north and Punjab and Sindh Provinces to the east. To the south is the Arabian Sea. Dera Bugti district is in the south west of Baluchistan province of Pakistan. Dera Bugti is named after its headquarter town 'Dera Bugti'. Dera (a Balochi word) means `abode' or `habitat', while `Bugti' is the name of the major Baloch tribe. Thus Dera Bugti means the abode of the Bugtis, the dominant tribe of this district. This region was largely under Iranian control and the autonomous principality of Kalat.

The British wrested control away from the Khan of Kalat in the early 1840s and it became the staging ground for the various Afghan-British wars in the later half of 19th century. The 1876 treaty between the Khan of Kalat and Robert Sandeman accepted the independence of the Kalat as an allied state with British military outposts in the region. After the 1878 Afghan War, the British established Baluchistan as a provincial entity centered around the municipality of Quetta. The administrative and legislative matters of Baluchistan for the late 19th and early 20th century was then largely controlled from British India.

Around the 1930s, Baluchi nationalist parties emerged to contest for freedom from British rule. They took the princely State of Kalat as the focal point of a free and united Baluchistan.

Allama Mohammad Iqbal's (credited with first proposing the idea of an independent state for Indian Muslims, which would later inspire the creation of Pakistan) vision of autonomous federation of Muslim state included Baluchistan but the Khan of Kalat never brought into the nationalist paradigm, arguing that the Kalat had special treaty powers. Baglar Begi Khan declared the independence of Kalat on August 15, 1947. He assured Pakistan that Kalat will participate in the defense and infrastructure of Pakistan but will be autonomous. That didn't go over well at all and the Pakistani army entered the region to occupy the area immediately.

On Mar 27, 1948, the Khan of Kalat gave in to the State of Pakistan and his old attorney Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Founder of Pakistan). His brother Prince Abdul Karim Khan refused to surrender and revolted until his arrest in 1950. Baluchistan was put under Governor General control and no elective body was formed in Baluchistan until 1973.

Kashmir, a erstwhile princely state under British India was overrun by the armies of India and Pakistan who raced each other to claim the state at the time of Independence. Finally, drawing up the infamous Line of Control (LOC) where both armies could not advance further, which cut through Kashmir into two halves. Now, Pakistan accuses India and the neighboring Karzai government of Afghanistan of arming and training Baluchi rebels and promoting violence in Pakistan.

Pakistan needs to take a reality check and ignore its neighbours and listen to its people. It is not the time to play politics. Violence and trouble are signs of a discontent people. The people of Baluchistan are their own and the Pakistani government should not adopt an unreasonable and stubborn stance similar to Gen Yayha Khan in East Pakistan which finally resulted in the creation of Bangladesh. The Pakistani Media said his death could fuel Baloch nationalism and could end up as the second biggest blunder by the military since the execution of former prime minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto in 1979. “Whoever in the national security establishment decided to eliminate Nawab Bugti physically is clueless about the force of politics, history and nationalism,” Daily Times said in its editorial.

Did Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti, deserve a death of this nature will be long debated, once the dust settles. By this attack Musharraf has created a martyr and has lost the trust of the Baluchi people. Threatening and killing an old man of nearly 80 years, who has been part of the nation from its birth, a governor and chief minister and respected politician does not go well with the common masses. Pakistan has for long struggled in its desire to have free and democratic elections with successes and bitter failures.

Now it is the time for change and a time to listen to the grievances of the people. Pakistan has long ignored and covered up internal strife, but now the very fabric of the nation lies in danger of being torn. In the Pak Tribune yesterday, the Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), one of the many parties decrying the attack stated, “… the government is playing politics of power. Akbar Bugti who used to be part of the national political stream is killed being considered terrorist. The country is being pushed towards civil war.”

"Let them win their battles, the Baluch will win the war!" By fighting and dying for the cause of the common people even a tyrant becomes a hero. Dreaded warlord or respected leader of the masses, his death and words “It is better to die quickly in the mountains than slowly in your bed", has thousands of youth marching in the streets of Baluchistan ready to hold the Kalashnikovs he left behind. The Tiger may have roared his last but it may just be what unites his people for a better future and peace.

“A house divided against itself cannot stand” - Abraham Lincoln

Nawab Akbar Khan Bugti welcomes Mohammad Ali Jinnah (Quaid-e-Azam) in Baluchistan. (1947 - Source unknown)

Solar System Downsized!

Pluto is no more a “True Planet” but a “Dwarf Planet” from yesterday bringing the number of planets in the solar system from nine to eight. That decision was taken by a group of astronomers at the XXVIth General Assembly of the International Astronomical Union. The Assembly was at session at Prague, Czech Republic for 10 days.

For as long as all generations alive on this planet can remember barring a few, Pluto has been a planet from its discovery in 1930. But from today it is been classified with a few other celestial bodies to a ‘Dwarf Planet’.

This may be something akin to Copernicus introducing his theory through his book, De revolutionibus orbium coelestium (On the Revolutions of the Heavenly Spheres) in the 1543. His theory demolished the prevailing belief that the earth was the center of the universe and everything else revolved around it.

Now what is the problem with Pluto being a true or dwarf planet? Does it make a difference? Well the matter of fact is only 424 astronomers who remained in Prague for the last days of the meeting took part. The IAU has 9040 individual members (i.e., professional astronomers); and 63 national members (i.e., countries that are affiliated with the IAU). So it is only about 4% of the world’s authoritative body which has voted in a new code of classification for planets. What happens in another 4 years when the next assembly comes? Will they rectify this error and bring back Pluto as the ninth planet in the solar system. As kids, the nine planets were drilled into our heads through a variety of methods and sentences. But does it really matter? Think of reprinting everything from encylopedias to charts in schools showing 9 planets.

Now life just got tougher for school kids and even adults who have to relearn that there are eight planets in the solar system and 3 dwarf planets called Ceres, 2003 UB313 and Pluto.

So much for enlightening change in the solar system. In this present time and age when we find it difficult to accept man-made rules or national boundaries on earth, our scientists have taken one step further by confusing outer space a little more.

We mere mortals, so small yet we claim to own the universe leaving the higher powers to laugh. In the future when people will be traveling across the universe like Star Trek, I am sure they will look back and laugh at the foolish mortals who sat on earth knowing only of a dozen planets when in the future there would be hundreds of mapped and inhabited planets.

The irony of the matter is, the first earth probe to Pluto was launched on January 19, 2006 and the date of closest approach to Pluto will be on July 14, 2015 according to scientists. Surely astronomers have better things to do than play with names. Why not think of another manned mission to the moon. Keep our dreams of outer space alive - it shows us there is much more than the on this earth no matter what it is called.

Only two things are infinite, the universe and human stupidity,
and I'm not sure about the former. – Albert Einstein

South African Security Issues Clean Bowled!

The local papers over the last two days have been reporting a story on how a Dubai resident was murdered while on holiday in South Africa. A sad incident indeed. This now makes the mind go back a week when the South African cricket team left Sri Lanka citing a threat to their security after a bomb blast in Colombo. Unfortunately for cricket fans, the remaining matches with the Indian team who did not bat an eyelid about security were washed out by heavy rains.

The Sri Lankan media then revealed that the security consultant company, who advised the South African team to leave was never in Sri Lanka to assess the situation, and had filed a report sitting in the air conditioned offices of far away Dubai. The International Cricket Council was forced to admit it had accepted a report on the security situation in Sri Lanka, without sending a security consultant to the country after the bomb blast. The report supposedly stated "that it was unsafe to stay - and to come home. "


Just yesterday the South African Government acknowledged it has a major problem tackling crime before the FIFA World Cup in 2010. Now how safe an environment did the South African team go back too?


I agree, Sri Lanka is in the middle of a civil war! But that's been happening for the last 20 years and business goes on as usual. However the security consultant seemed to have forgotten to tell the South African team their home country has the second highest crime rate in the world.


National crime statistics and the BBC show that nearly 20 000 murders were reported in the country of 47-million over 2004 - 2005. South Africa also has one of the highest rape statistics worldwide - more than 55 000 cases reported by police last year alone. 54 police officers have lost their lives in the first 7 months of 2006. South African Police (SAP) spokesperson Vishnu Naidoo said, the SAP Service is recruiting about 11 000 new members a year - a total of 55 000 by 2009. That's a police force the size of a small army.


It is estimated that the civil war in Sri Lanka has left 65,000 people dead since 1983. Now compare it with number of murders in South Africa in a single year! In 24 years of fighting a war in Sri Lanka, the number of people who have died is slightly higher than the total number of reported rapes in a single year in South Africa. And i shudder to think of the number of unreported rape cases.


Hmm, I am sure the South African cricket team sleeps safe in their homes. After all, you work out the math and statistics - but in one look, anyone can state - there is a highly likely chance of them becoming victims of crime in their own country than a stray bomb in Sri Lanka.


This blog does not intend to offend any of the South African Cricket team or the people of South Africa but it is simply not acceptable to take the public for fools and cite security concerns as an excuse when one's closet is full of skeletons.


And as for the next FIFA World Cup in four years! I guess, i will have saved enough to lay back in the comfort of a couch at a sea side resort in Sri Lanka and see the matches on a wall sized LCD TV without any security fears!

“Hypocrisy is a fashionable vice, and all fashionable vices pass for virtue”
Moliere (French Actor, Playwright and Writer,1622-1673)

An Ode to the Pied Piper of a Nation

One of India's renowned musicians, Ustad Bismillah Khan, master of the shehnai passed away yesterday at the grand age of 91.

The shehnai is a tube-like instrument which gradually widens out from the base through which the musician blows. It has between six to nine holes and tunes are produced like any other wind instrument variation of breath. It is usually played at Indian weddings where the tunes are supposed to bring good luck and blessings on the marriage.

Ustad which means master or teacher was a title befitting Bismillah Khan Sahib, a man of simple ways and stature. Both his music and his personality was a poignant reminder of the ideals IndiaIndependence, the harmonious existence between Muslims and Hindus. Where others saw reason in religion for division, he was comfortable playing at a temple or at muharam procession. His music had no religion. The Ustad was respected and honoured with the highest honours, awards and honorary degrees, including the pro-Hindutva BJP government. He was an icon for a nation of leaders who claim power in the name of caste, creed and religion.

He was a living national symbol. Immortalized from the time he played from the ramparts of the Red Fort as India got her Independence in 1947 or again when India became a Republic. For people who grew up in India, Doordarshan - India's National Broadcasting Channel – celebrated his music as tradition. It was always the Ustad's music which played after the Prime Minister's address to the nation on the Independence Day or Republic Day. He was a living reminder from days of Independence and sacrifice which are soon being forgotten in the name of development and modernity.

Be it concerts in Afghanistan, Europe, Iran, Iraq, Canada, West Africa, USA, USSR, Japan, Hong Kong and almost every capital city across the world or the festivals in Edinburgh or Cannes, Ustad never forgot his simplicity always preferring to ride in a cycle rickshaw. He too was human despite his greatness, finding it hard to make ends meet supporting his dependent family which was close to 70 members.

Ustad Bismillah Khan was buried with full state honours and India declared a day of national mourning. A great honour to a man who nether rich nor powerful, but a simple musician playing his own music from a reed pipe. Like the magicial pied Piper of Hamlin, Ustad Khans's music has and will continue to entrace and enrapture music lovers of classical music everywhere.

Live on Pied Piper of India – may your music never die!

"Music has no caste. I have received love and affection all over the world." - Ustad Bismillah Khan

Laban Ups Colas !

The fizz was too good to last. Yesterday, one of the Cola Giants finally admitted that their fizz drinks could be dangerous.

"Pepsi's top boss in India on Friday virtually admitted that the flagship fizzy cola of his company could be harmful for children, saying Pepsico India will "discourage primary schools" from allowing the drink.

Rajeev Bakshi, chairman of Pepsico India Holdings Private Ltd, said as a company he always wanted Pepsico to keep its "fun drinks" like Pepsi and Miranda away from school children. "Our advertisement and marketing exercises never target primary school children," he said."

Coke and Pepsi are already banned in several states in India due to high pesticide levels. With this admission, other Indian states and even other countries are sure to jump onto the "Boycott Cola" frenzy. One question of logic remains - if colas are harmful for children due to chemicals - Are adults immune to it? Poison is poison whether consumed in small or large measures. In the end it will snuff out life.

In Dubai however, Colas are being avoided for another reason. Several shops have raised the price of colas to Dh 1.25 or even Dh 1.50 from the usual Dh 1. They cite increasing costs being imposed by the companies. With the cost of tea being hiked after 28 years from 50 fils to 75 fils and even one dirham in certain outlets the only thing left on my list of cool and refreshing drinks at 50 fils is Laban Up!

Laban, is the Lebanese word for yogurt. Laban Up is essentially yoghurt diluted with water, powdered milk, and salt. It is the best remedy to compensate for salt the body loses through sweat in the harsh gulf summers and high humidity.

With only loose change to spare in my pockets, No more colouful fizzy poison cans or bottles for me. Just me and my Laban Up in its Elopack. With two Laban Ups for one dirham - whoopie! Double the refreshment! Enjoy!

Your Grocery Man is the Moral Police in disguise!

Hmmm, a very unusal notice to be in a supermarket?

Either something is going on in the supermarkets that crosses decency limits or this guy got a new notice to display in his shop. I really wonder how do you define such strong terms when the city is home to over 100 nationalities?

Anyways don't try anything in a supermarket other than buying your groceries or else you just might be breaking a law and be a star in the grocery CCTV video. Or else soon there will be grocery footage on pirated cds soon! Lol

Unusual Media Clients!

Talk about using the media for naming and shaming your cheating partner! Well I guess that Billboard did put a huge dent in the joint account.

Well Good Luck Steven! Let me know if anyone finds out what happened to him. And Emily thanks for giving us the media people some work to design and make a billboard before you gave the job to divorce lawyers.

Red Hot Chilli Peppers!

Took this pic with my mobile camera. Well that's all for today enjoy the rich red hot chilli peppers with a few words from the song "21st Century" by the namesake band - Red Hot Chilli Peppers

There's a reason for the 21st Century
Not too sure but I know that's it's meant to be
And that it's meant to be!

Job opportunity for Cat lovers!

Dubai never ceases to amaze in Job Openings.

This ad was seen in Khaleej Times - 2nd August, 2006. No need for previous experience in the field and must love cats. Hmmm - if the pay is right, I might be tempted to send in my CV, after all a Lion is just a big man-eating cat!

But then again I wonder if this job is only for certain nationalities cause the Lion might have its tastes!

And yes if I do get the job - Please do come and see me in the Circus!

Thoughts of a Football !

Life is just a Football Game!

Either you are kicking the ball or your are not!

Or maybe just a spectator with no consequence to the game!

Your choices are limited to cheering or criticizing a side.

Or just sitting in the crowd and sulking "How did I end up here?".

Just sit back and watch cause you have no way out!