What no one told you about Pakistan

Anybody there?

umalik — Sun, 17 Jul 2016 00:52:14 +0500

Should we start again? or at least try at that?

hd-pakistan: Karakoram National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan

pak-socioeconomy-blog — Mon, 22 Feb 2016 18:36:21 +0500

hd-pakistan:

Karakoram National Park, Gilgit-Baltistan

best blog ever

umalik — Thu, 06 Aug 2015 23:48:47 +0500

Earth Home Project investigates the rising challenges people in Pakistan and other developing...

Sun, 29 Mar 2015 23:20:04 +0500

Earth Home Project investigates the rising challenges people in Pakistan and 
other developing countries have to face. The focus is on trying to find 
applicable solutions for people to erect affordable and stable homes by 
themselves. Architecture plays a crucial role in finding new ways of designing 
by incorporating local materials and building techniques, thereby minimizing not 
only the cost but most importantly the reliance on the economic situation. 
Sustainability, understood as an environmentally as well as socially responsible 
answer, therefor becomes the starting point of this architectural thinking.

The project started in Pakistan in 2011, initiated by Irshad Balouch, as a 
response to the flood that devastated his country during the summer of 2010 and 
the lack of support people in rural areas where given after they had lost their 
homes. A land area of 160,000 km² (nearly 20% of the country) was hit. The 
poorest regions were the ones most badly struck. 15 million people were affected 
and 6 million people lost their homes. For most of them it is strictly 
impossible to erect their houses on their own, the inflation in the cost of 
basic building materials forcing those able to acquire a loan into debt for life.

Following a thorough investigation of the shortcomings of the houses which had 
collapsed during the flood, the project then started working on a plan based on 
traditional architecture, making use of local building materials available in 
abundance: earth, straw, lime and bamboo. Those materials contribute to the 
sustainability of the design since they are highly accessible and do not require 
heavy machinery, hence empowering people by virtue of those materials being easy 
to acquire and handle.

The goal is to spread the necessary know-how required to build stable 
constructions, by involving residents of flood affected areas into the process 
of rebuilding their houses, accompanied by skilled craftsmen, employed by the 
project, and neighbors, there on a voluntary basis. The project (thanks to 
donations) is able to cover the unavoidable expenses of some building materials 
such as concrete and burned bricks for strong foundations, wood for window and 
door frames as well as basic tools.

The hope is that this will enable the community to be more prepared against 
future natural disasters and to be able to rely on their neighbors and their own 
abilities even if the dire state of the economy is pushing them towards the 
margins. So far the endeavor has been able to help raise 121 homes around the 
area of Multan, which had been very badly affected by the flood due to its 
position in the Indus river basin.

http://www.earth-home-project.org/EN&index.html

Working on the foundations.

Forming the light weight clay bricks.

Locals learning from skilled craftsmen.

Mixing the earth with straw.

Applying the insulating layer of earth and straw on the wall.

Finished insulating layer drying in the sun.

Working on a set of houses.

Shift in focus: Rise of Pakistan just a matter of time, says Morgan Stanley

pak-socioeconomy-blog — Thu, 29 Jan 2015 10:58:44 +0500

Shift in focus: Rise of Pakistan just a matter of time, says Morgan Stanley:

Speaking about the strong fundamentals of Pakistan’s stocks, he said, with 31% returns in dollar terms Pakistan led the world markets in 2014. “What is important is that the stocks in Pakistan are still very cheap compared to the markets in the industrialised world and they are performing better than many markets in terms of returns,” he added.

“I am surprised to see low number of investors in the bourses of Pakistan. This must change considering the strong fundamentals of Pakistani stocks.” (David M Darst- Morgan Stanley Chief Investment Strategist)

:VOTE for a chance to see Pakistan being represented at the...

deep-inwonderland-blog — Sun, 07 Dec 2014 13:43:00 +0500

:VOTE for a chance to see Pakistan being represented at the North Pole!

Here’s more. (via deep-inwonderland)

Rediscovering Pakistan - The Untold Tale (trailer)

Hi, i’m glad there is a page like this where you upload pictures and explain about pakistani culture, I’m pakistani living in Spain so my english is not really good ,I’d like to know your name please, your age and if you are living in pakistan thanks

umalik — Mon, 13 Oct 2014 23:40:28 +0500

Thank you - there is a good team behind the page, which might get slow every now and then but still run this as much as possible. Here is something about us.

There is no such thing as a muslim name there are arabic namesor arabuc pronunciations

umalik — Tue, 02 Sep 2014 12:12:00 +0500

Hello! So I hope this is the right blog to ask this question. I’m an author and one of my main characters is a Pakistani woman who was adopted by white parents in the 30s when she was about 6 months old. They name her Laila (I found it on a Pakistani naming sight which I hope was appropriate.) I was wondering if there was a specific way to pronounce her name according to Pakistani customs and whatnot? And if this is even an appropriate Pakistani name. If you guys can’t answer I understand thanks

umalik — Tue, 12 Aug 2014 14:06:55 +0500

Hey, sure. Leila/Laila would be quite literally said (sung) like this: Laila O Laila, Coke Studio Pakistan. Best of luck with the novel though, do share when you are done or wish to spread some of it. However in name of factual significance, in 30s should not be a Pakistani woman rather a British India's citizen. Pakistan was formed 17 years later in 1947. Plus chances of a white couple adopting a Muslim child in those times would be even more slimmer because majority of Muslims did not believe in adoption especially by an outsider and that too by a gora (white). Most of Pakistani orphans usually find home within their own relatives, others who make it to orphanage are usually with strong religious inclination (both in India and Pakistan) and adoption outside the country, to another religion is quite impossible.

And yes Laila is a very appropriate Pakistani or Muslim name for that matter given to girls all over the Muslim world.

Best of luck again! :)

Dukhtar (Daughter):In the mountains of Pakistan, a mother named...

umalik — Wed, 30 Jul 2014 10:30:25 +0500

Dukhtar (Daughter):In the mountains of Pakistan, a mother named Allah Rakhi and her ten-year-old daughter flee their home on the eve of the girl’s marriage to a tribal leader. A deadly hunt for them begins.

Trailer: http://vimeo.com/100581493

Release Date:August 14th, 2014 (via pakistanigifworld)

#Lahore at 6am. (Taxali Gate) 38/6/2014 #photography #Pakistan...

umalik — Tue, 29 Jul 2014 10:30:09 +0500

#Lahore at 6am. (Taxali Gate)

38/6/2014

#photography #Pakistan #social #street (via umalik)

A truck workshop on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) near...

umalik — Mon, 28 Jul 2014 10:30:13 +0500

A truck workshop on the Karakoram Highway (KKH) near Diamir.

3/5/2014
#photography #Pakistan #GilgitBaltistan #street #social #travel (via umalik)

Aurat - woman #log #photography #Pakistan #Lahore #social #nex7...

umalik — Sun, 27 Jul 2014 10:30:19 +0500

Aurat - woman

#log #photography #Pakistan #Lahore #social #nex7 (via umalik)

Mai Dhai Band - Sarak sarak (2014) I don’t understand a word...

umalik — Sat, 26 Jul 2014 10:30:30 +0500

Mai Dhai Band - Sarak sarak (2014)

I don’t understand a word this Pakistani Hindu desert dweller is saying but it is like the sweetest thing I’ve heard in the longest time.

Vocals: Mai Dhai
Guitars: Zain Ali & Danish Khawaja
Bass: Sameer Ahmed
Harmonium: Jamal sahab
Dhol: Moharram Fakir
Drums: Kami Paul

D.O.P: Mohammad Ali Talpur & Tabish Habib
Edit/Post: Tabish Habib
Audio Produced by Danish Khawaja
Record and Tracked at Digital Fidelity Studio. (via umalik)

Sad news: Plane of Pakistani father-son duo flying around the...

umalik — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 15:39:00 +0500

Sad news: Plane of Pakistani father-son duo flying around the world crashes into the Pacific

The plane of father-son duo attempting to fly around the world in 30 days, crashed into the Pacific near the American Samoa Islands,

The father-son duo of Babar Suleman and Haris Suleman were flying from American Samoa Island to Hawaii in their Hawker Beechcraft Bonanza when their plane crashed shortly after taking off from Pago Pago International Airport.

Hiba Suleman, Haris’s sister, confirmed on her Facebook account that the body of her brother had been recovered, while rescue teams are still searching for her father. (more)

We blogged about it before when they touched down in Pakistan here. Our prayers are with the family, they had an amazing son and father who went on an epic adventure with the goal of raising funds for Education in Pakistan.

@Talalqureshi performing at #TEDxuLahore #TEDx #log #video...

umalik — Thu, 24 Jul 2014 10:30:20 +0500

View this post on Instagram

@Talalqureshi performing at #TEDxuLahore

#TEDx #log #video #music #Pakistan #Lahore (at The University of Lahore Defence Road Campus, via umalik)

I didn’t know who Sarmad Tariq was… until he passed away Can...

umalik — Wed, 23 Jul 2014 10:30:04 +0500

I didn’t know who Sarmad Tariq was… until he passed away

Can someone you’ve never known, someone whose name you’ve never heard of, inspire you enough to rethink your entire life?

Apparently it can.

It was only a couple of Facebook posts and the news of his death that moved me, leaving me feeling a little broken inside.

When I logged on to Twitter this morning, I found my timeline flooded with people mourning the death of Sarmad Tariq and talking about what a great person he was. Initially, I didn’t care much. I mean, people die all the time. Famous people die too. And everyone sings their praises after they are gone. (complete article, umalik)

6/5 The tempting yet killer mountain, Nanga Parbat from Beyal...

umalik — Tue, 22 Jul 2014 10:30:20 +0500

6/5 The tempting yet killer mountain, Nanga Parbat from Beyal camp. This is where your heart desires nothing more.

#Pakistan #GilgitBaltistan #travel
#log #notes #photos (at Beyal camp, via umalik)

A mosque in Attock in the 1940s. (via dastaanewatan) Follow us...

umalik — Mon, 21 Jul 2014 10:30:16 +0500

A mosque in Attock in the 1940s. (via dastaanewatan)

Moody’s puts positive outlook for Pakistan’s...

umalik — Sun, 20 Jul 2014 10:30:25 +0500

Moody’s puts positive outlook for Pakistan’s economy

“Moody’s decision to revise the outlook on Pakistan’s foreign currency rating is primarily based on a stabilisation in the country’s external liquidity position, supported by the government’s strong commitment to reforms under an ongoing programme with the International Monetary Fund,” the firm said.

Pakistan’s foreign exchange reserves increased to $9.0 billion by the end of June 2014 from a low of $2.9 billion in early February 2014.

The country benefited from a new IMF programme, bilateral assistance and government deals that included the auctioning of 3G and 4G licences. A Eurobond sale in April also raised $2 billion. (more)