For abida Parveen and Shameem Aaraa...Dhoondo ge Agar

Two icons of Pakistan are lying in hospital and my heart doesn't want to write more obituaries. Our own national treasure, legendary singer Abida Parveen had a heart problem in the early hours of Saturday morning and was admitted to hospital where mercifully her condition is stable now. And our beautiful screen icon, Shameem Aara of 60s is also critically ill. Please pray for health of both of our national assets. Presenting here one of the famous works of Abida Parveen...Dhoondo ge Agar Mulkon Mulkon (Search the whole world and you won't be able to find another like us)...

Presenting you work of The Cheapmunks....Say My Name/O Humdum

The Cheapmunks: Looking for more from them

The Cheapmunks are an amazing amazing band of two cousins Suhana and Mehak with great voices and great potential at fusion. One of their recent recording is making rounds on Internet in which they have fusioned O Humdum by A. R. Rahman and Say My Name by Destiny's Child. The fusion is mesmerisingly beautiful and their voices are a treat to listen. Accompanied by some wonderful background music, here is another living proof that talent in Pakistan is never gonna end. The question still remains whether there is an institutionalized effort to project and nurture this talent into a national asset? Listen, Watch and Enjoy....

Pakistan Hockey team wins ASIAD making us all proud...after 20 painful years

Resolute like their nation

It was perhaps 1994 and the event was champions trophy, when Pakistan hockey actually did something good for Pakistani nation. 1994 was a fateful year for Pakistan hockey...much like the reign of great Mughal Emperor, Aurangzeb...just as Aurangzeb became the last emperor in the history of India to bring almost all of India under his reign but also proved to be the one who was the last established Emperor of India. In 1994, Pakistan was the proud winner of World Cup in Sydney and Champions Trophy in Lahore but this was also the year after which nation just saw with barren eyes for any major success in international field hockey events. Hockey, which is national support of Pakistan. 1994 gave us the last of our hockey legends as well...Shahbaz Ahmad Senior.

1990 was the last time, Pakistan hockey team won Asian Games hockey tournaments. By that time, Pakistan hockey team had won this on 8 occasions (that roughly means Asian hockey champion for 32 out of 43 years of its existence till then). Such was the excellence, mastery and glory of our national hockey team. 

Proud like their nation

And then, there was 2010, another fateful year which the depths of hopelessness experienced when team finished 12th out of 12 teams in Hockey world and the joy experienced today when...after a lapse of 20 long agonizing years, the Pakistan Hockey Team made the whole nation proud again by winning gold in Asian Games Hockey event. May the success always be yours by the grace of the almighty and may this even prove watershed for bringing more and more laurels for a nation starved for good news. A proud capable nation that needs more and more for the effort that it carries every day. In my opinion, this title should be in the name of proud and resilient nation that dwells in this part of the world called OUR PAKISTAN...A happy Asian games hockey triumph for all of Pakistan...

Aasia Bibi: Some questions that need answers now...

Aasia Bibi: Needs fair trial...NOT sympathy

Where is our nation headed to? This is a question that I kept hearing all through my childhood and adolescence and the answer has not yet been found. The only difference is that previously the question used to come from religious zealots and we felt secure that mercifully, we are living in a tolerant society built on high Islamic moral grounds of justice and equality along with the beautiful foundation principles of tolerance laid down by our father of the nation. We never realized that the QUESTION is slowly creating an army of faithful sympathizers who will one day wreck havoc with the basic fiber of our society. I realized this on the eve of tragic razing of Babari Mosque when soon after I witnessed that we were actually doing the same by demolishing Hindu temples, Sick shrines and christian churches as a symbol of revenge against what Hindu fanatics did in India. On that day, I lost something very precious and perhaps many others did experience the same loss. My generation did not experience the traumatic moments of 1971 when East Pakistan was lost so this was all the Pakistan we had. On that day, I felt like I had lost my Pakistan as what we were doing with Hindus and Christians here was exactly what Hindu zealots were doing to Muslims in India. So where was the difference? Why did we create Pakistan if we wanted to become same bigots?

And the rot never ceased. Attacks on Ahmadi minority, Christians and their worship places, Hindus only increased. And the started coming the news of forced conversions from interior sindh and Punjab. The Talibanization was accomplishing its agenda. Soon these matters ceased to be news. People like me and my fellows cried ourselves hoarse saying this is not the way of our beautiful religion which established itself on the principles of Tolerance, forgiveness, wisdom and intelligence. But, we all realized that we were fighting an already lost battle. A battle that minds like us had lost even before it began because of our surrendering mentality.

Is this the way to spread our faith?

But why am I talking about Aasia Bibi case. The details are yet sketchy but somethings have emerged thanks to investigations made by people like Rauf Klasra and Fasi Zaka. It is not because the case has got a huge publicity. I am writing because when I read the case of Aasia Bibi, it makes me realize she is being treated just the way we as a nation are being treated. She mirrors our state of affairs. Ridiculed because of their beliefs, prosecuted and judged without bothering to get any evidence, sentenced to a life of misery....it is how our nation is treated and it is how Aasia Bibi is being treated.

I don't know whether Aasia Bibi committed the crime or not and I am no jurist or religious scholar to venture my opinion in this regard. Yet, there are some questions in my mind which need answer. Questions like (1) If she was being forced to convert and she was not willing to? Was this not a crime? Our religion is very strict about forced conversions. Islam always spread through good teachings and practices. Were those trying to forcefully convert her not liable to be arrested and prosecuted? (2) If she was being subjected to derogatory comments because of her faith and subjected to humiliation? Was not it also a crime in the eyes of our judicial system and Islam which for the first time declared that "All men are equal and free"? Should not those who humiliated her be brought to justice? (3) If she actually suffered all of this and exclaimed some sentences which were wrong, should not she be examined for psychological trauma afflicted on her which made her say so? Or she should be sent to gallows and finally be hanged? (4) What about the cleric Qari Salam who is the main force behind this case and who actually never was witness to it? What about the principal of "Shahadah"? Islam is so careful about prosecution and emphasizes so much on careful scrutiny of evidence and yet here we are putting one to her death bed based on a case registered by someone who actually never saw it happening? My single most significant question is to the cleric that he was given the knowledge of our faith and yet he so arrogantly used it to get publicity and satisfy his bigot lust for human blood? Did he feel no fear in committing such a crime in the name of our peaceful religion? and (5) My last question is to us...We, the followers of the Holy Prophet (may all my generations be sacrificed for his honor) who was so tolerant that he forgave those who insulted him, mocked him, tortured him, threw stones at him, martyred his dearest among the family and made life a living hell for his and his companions for 23 years. fought bloody wars against him and made evil plans against him. Yet, the only words uttered by our Holy prophet were of peace and forgiveness...both in times of sorrow ad well as in the times of victory. We call ourselves Muslims and yet this is how we follow the practices of our holy prophet?

As I said earlier that I am no witness to the events and neither am I any religious scholar to comment on such matters. I believe that Aasia Bibi should be punished if she actually committed this crime in true state of mind and we have correct evidence in this matter both from our Islamic and well as national judicial point of view. But (and this is a big bit) if whatever has come into media is true, should not we take a closer look at what we, the Muslims and the Pakistanis have actually become? I am not someone who advocated repeal of Blasphemy Law. If someone has actually committed blasphemy, one should be punished. Not just blasphemy against our prophet and our religious symbols but against all other prophets and their symbols and believing in all prophets is part of our faith. But the use and mode of application of this law needs strong reviews. But most of all, as a nation, as an Ummah, we need to take control of our religion in our own hands. We need to go back and study the Holy Quran and the life of our holy prophet again and try to follow those teachings. We have made enough mockery of ourselves and pained those noble souls as much as the crusaders and bigots of other religions have pained the. Because, we have become just like them. If the 14 centuries history of Islam tells us something...it is that Islam never spread through forced retaliations and forced conversions. It only spread through the message and practices of our holy Prophet. Is it time for us to do that?

Post Script: A very thought provoking article by Fasi Zaka for all of you to read and ponder some more is linked below. Please read it too...

The one person who can save Aasia Bibi

What never got published when it was supposed to be...laisser la joie de nos enfants à nous

Prelude: I wrote this blog before heading off for my long due vacations and wanted to share my thoughts with my friends...yet due to state of affairs which we are accustomed to in Pakistan....technology didn't let me publish it throughout vacations...so here it is now...just as a reminder..
Sure...Time are tough....Streets are no more safe....There is a lot of stress....We are gonna be taxed even more...Children don't listen to anymore....and Elders don't understand anything anymore....There is bad television and even worse movies coming out...Life is not easy....But hey when was it easy????...and when did you opt for it cuz of it being easy????

So before going on my vacations of this festive season let me remind you of somethings which are still beautiful...Winter and fall are setting in...Leaves are about to fall from trees...A warm cup of tea or coffee might be waiting for you....Your children, your parents and all their smiles and tensions which are such a treasure of your lives...These pathetic politicians whom we can't bear for a minute but cant live without watching their idiot moves everyday...That totally psycho kind of anchor whom you love and hate at the same time...The evening, the mornings, the nights....Life was never easy but gosh do we have anything better than life at THE MOMENT for us to cherish?

So on the eve of my vacations to start as I look forward to be with my family for a few precious days...Be safe, be happy and be precious for all that matters...Whoever you are and whatever religion you practice and whatever part of this beautiful earth you inhibit...enjoy these days...take yourself for a ride...laugh....grab some of your long anticipated books and DVDs and devour them..Listen to your elders for those few precious pieces of wisdom which are due on you for this whole long year.....take your wife and children for a stroll...listen to music...and PRAY...pray to thank whatever is bestowed on you and pray to beg for whatever is lacking...Pray for safety and betterment of yourself, your family, your neighborhood, your country...and also pray for us living in this absolutely beautiful, loving, hospitable and yet troubled part of your earth...PAKISTAN...

Enjoy...laisser la joie de nos enfants à nous

Remembering Humphrey Watts: Father of Capability Maturity Model and a Man of "Outrageous Commitment"

Humphrey Watts, the founder of Capability Maturity Model (CMM) at Software Engineering Institute, CMU, died on 28th October 2010. The following are excerpts from a memorial article that appeared on the site of Software Engineering Institute in his memory....

"When Watts Humphrey arrived at the Carnegie Mellon Software Engineering Institute (SEI) in 1986, he made what he called an “outrageous commitment to change the world of software engineering.”

By all accounts, he succeeded.

During his tenure at the SEI, he established the Software Process Program, led development of the Software Capability Maturity Model, and introduced the Software Process Assessment and Software Capability Evaluation methods. These later became the basis for the development of the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI), a framework of software engineering best practices that has been adopted by thousands or organizations throughout the world. Humphrey also led the development of the Personal Software Process (PSP) and the Team Software Process (TSP). In 2005 Humphrey received the National Medal of Technology, the highest honor awarded by the President of the United States to America’s leading innovators.

Humphrey, 83, died Thursday, October 28, 2010 at his home in Sarasota, Florida.   

“Watts Humphrey was one of the icons of software engineering--one of a handful of engineers like Barry Boehm, Fred Brooks, and Vic Basili who have helped define this young field," said SEI director and CEO Dr. Paul Nielsen.  "Watts brought engineering to software engineering.  His work has had immeasurable impact on the global software community, tirelessly urging the community to emphasize quality, measurement, and performance."

Known as the “Father of Software Quality” Humphrey dedicated the majority of his career to addressing problems in software development including schedule delays, cost increases, performance problems, and defects. 

“He was a wonderful leader and a wonderful man. He set forth an energizing goal and an inspiring mission that we all wanted to be a part of,” said Anita Carleton, director of the SEI’s Software Engineering Process Management (SEPM) Program, who was initially hired by Humphrey. “He was my lifelong mentor and my boss.” 

When he arrived at the SEI, Humphrey worked to clarify that process. 

“Changing the world of anything is an outrageous personal commitment. That’s what makes it outrageous. I felt it needed to be done. I knew I couldn’t do it alone, and I wanted an environment where I could work with folks and do that,” Humphrey explained in the 2010 interview.

Larry Druffel, SEI director and CEO from 1986 to 1996, said that when Humphrey arrived at the SEI, he came with a vision based on his work at IBM; software could be managed by process.

“We all understood the importance of things like version control, configuration management and methodology, but I don’t think anyone knew how to put those into a transferable form,” Druffel said. “Not everybody thought that it was a good idea at the time, but he was persistent, and he was proven right. It could have died easily after several iterations. There were enough people out there criticizing it. But he stayed with it and he made it work.”

Working with a team, Humphrey identified characteristics of best practices in software engineering that began to lay the groundwork for what would eventually become the Software Capability Maturity Model (CMM) and, eventually, CMMI.
Druffel nominated Humphrey to be the first ever SEI Fellow, a designation awarded to people who have made an outstanding commitment to the work of the SEI, and who continue to advise SEI leadership on key issues.

“After we named him fellow, I said ‘Watts, you can work on anything that you want to.’ He said ‘I’ve always believed we can provide statistical control to what the individual software engineer does,’” Druffel explained. "

Remembering him for his ingenious, insight, and his passion to develop excellent software...A very heartfelt farewell to the great Watts...

Breaking News: Another Air tragedy strikes Pakistan

According to latest unconfirmed reports, a plane has crashed in the industrial hub of Pakistan, Karachi with at least 12 casualties. The plane was carrying employees of a private oil company when it crashed after reporting engine failures. The details are coming as yet.....