THE HIDDEN SECTOR

Must See Hill Stations of Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Tue, 7 Jun 2011 14:28:00 +0700

People from all over the world come to Pakistan to visit its most popular and stunning hill stations that truly may be called heavens on earth. The reasons behind their popularity are that they mesmerize you with natural beauty, striking landscapes and hospitable and courteous people who always welcome the tourists from all over the world. Tourists in Pakistan come here for its many other attractions but hill stations in the northern areas are most popular among tourists. Here I am giving brief description of these most spectacular hill stations.

Murree

Muree is undoubtedly called the Malka-e-Kohsar (Queen of Hills) as it has beautiful scenes and outstanding places to visit. It is a popular tourist’s attraction in Pakistan as it has all the facilities for local as well as foreign visitors. People in Pakistan go and stay there in warm months of summer while the foreigners come here for other attractions including:

Mall Road: It is the most famous market in Murree having a large number of shops providing different things associated with the culture of these areas. There are shops of ancient jewelry, traditional clothes and wooden carvings. Doing shopping from Mall Road will always remind you of this beautiful place.

Patriata: It is a well developed place having high trees and attractive sceneries. Tourists are attracted towards it for the chair lift and cable car system that take you from New Murree to Patriata. This journey on either chair lift or cable car makes the tourists’ visit memorable. Especially in winter, this ride gives you an immense pleasure of watching the hills and mountains covered with snow.

Kashmir Point: It is on Mall Road providing gorgeous scenery of the nearby mountains.

Pindi Point: Pindi Point is one of the favorite places in Murree. This place also provides you the facility to enjoy a ride on chair lift.

Ayubia

This place can surely fill your heart with great pleasure when you will see rising pine trees grown there excessively. Here you will find wild life also including monkeys and tigers. As there are a large number of trees so you will find different kinds of beautiful birds there. Other attractions include:

Monkey Point: Also called “Bander Point” is just near the Ayubia chair lifts. It is that part of forest where you can find a large number of monkeys amusing the children and adults alike. Here you will see the tourists feeding the monkeys with their hands as they are not harmful at all.

Ayubia National Park: The basic attraction of this place is the chairlifts that take you to the peaks of attractive and forested hills. The chairlift provided here was the first entertainment of its kind provided in Pakistan so it attracts the locals as well.

Bhurban

This hill station is at a distance of 13 KMs from Murree. This hill station is famous for its greenery and colorful flowers. It provides a breath-taking view of surrounding hills and landscapes. Here in Bhurban, there is a four star hotel so mostly the showbiz and political personalities prefer to stay in Bhurban. Most of the common visitors and tourists come here for trekking and hiking as it is suitable for both of these activities. If you are fond of golf then Bhurban would proved to be the top choice for golf lovers. There is a nine-hole golf course in Bhurban which provides a unique experience of playing golf in this beautiful and startling town.

These were some must see hill stations of Pakistan which you should visit to have a memorable holidays with your friends and family.

The 3 must see destinations in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Tue, 7 Jun 2011 14:23:00 +0700

Pakistan is unique. A country situated in the heart of South Asia, Pakistan is the country of diversity. Pakistan offers something to everyone. Get a leave from the cold climate of Europe and America and heat yourself in the sunny beaches of Karachi and Baluchistan or enjoy the thrill of winter games in the valley of Malam Jabba. Pakistan is a country of vivid colors. Here are the top 3 must see places in Pakistan which you cannot miss.

See all 7 photos

Nanga Parbat

moen jo daro

harappa

Lahore Minare Pakistan

The top 3 Must see destinations

Northern Pakistan - Heaven on Earth

The Northern Area of Pakistan is the most spectacular and fascinating region of Pakistan. A meeting point of the three most famous mountain ranges in the world - the Karakoram, the Himalaya and the Hindukush, this area is a cluster of vividity. The Northern region of Pakistan is a paradise for trekkers, hikers and climbers so if you're fond of some real adventure then this is the place for you.
The Northern area of Pakistan is a vast area of Natural beauty. The beautiful lakes are a great attraction to tourists in the area. The lake Saiful Muluk is located at the northern end of Kaghan near Naran.On foot, the trek from Naran to the lake takes about 1-2 hours. The water is clear with a slight green tone which adds to the beauty to the scenery.The impact of the beauty of the lake is of such extent that people believe that fairies come down to the lake at the time of full moon.
Valleys are an integral part of the beauty of the region.The Gilgit valley at an elevatin of 1453.90, is home to spectacular scenic beauty. Surrounded by high mountain, fresh water lakes, glaciers and rivers is where some of the world's tallest peaks, such as Nanga Parbat, 8125 meter and Raka Poshi, 7788 meter are located. These provide great attractions to climbers from all around the globe.
This region is also home to beautiful historical destinations. Buddhist Rock Carvings carved out on the mountains are worth attention. These are about 10 km away from Gilgit is a great example of historical heritage of Pakistan.
The Taj Mughal, about 11 km away from gilgit, build around 700 years ago, is also a good example of historical architecture.

Historical Heritage Sites - History in Rocks

Pakistan is home to rich cultural and historical heritage. The history of the region dates back to the Indus valley civilization which occupied the region during 3300 - 1300 BC and flourished around the Indus Valley Basin. This civilization is one of the most worlds greatest civilizations. The ruin of this civilizations are found all over the sub continent. In Pakistan are the two major cities of the civilization Moen Jo Daro and Harappa.
Located near the city of Larkana, Moen Jo Daro was the metropolis of the the ancient Indus Valley Civilization. The city is entirely built of backed bricks covers and has such modern day technologies that would have been magnificent in that time like covered drains and public baths.
Harappa is the other most important site of the Great Indus valley civilization. Harappa is situated in Punjab in Northeastern Pakistan and is 20 km west of Sahiwal. It is a large city of the Indus valley civilization which is now of the Unesco World Heritages sites.
In addition to this Gandhara civilization near Taxila is also a great attraction for ancient civilization lovers.

Lahore - The city of Hearts

Lahore a sparkling city in the heart of Punjab is also the capital of the Province. The city of Lahore has a great history of its own and has been through a long journey from a important city on the busy trade roots of Gandhara to the capital of the Mughals to a dense metropolis of Pakistan. A city destroyed and rebuilt many times in the course of its life. In the long journey through time, one thing has not changed and that is the charm of Lahore.
Lahore is the best place to get a glimpse of the rich culture of the Punjab. Delight your taste buds with the rich and spicy tastes of the Lahori cuisine or dance at the beats of the Dhol. Lahore is a real fun ride.
Lahore is also home to many historical sites. The tomb of Jehangir, the Lal qila, the sheesh mahal, etc are the great examples of the Mughal architecture whereas The minare Pakistan is a memorial to the Pakistan Resolution which was passed at the same location.
In addition to this, the warm hospitality of the lahoris makes Lahore the city you cant miss.

Places to Visit in Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Tue, 7 Jun 2011 14:18:00 +0700

SINDH

Sindh is well known for its quality of its light. It has two main places that tourists should visit. Mohenjodaro a settlement dating back 5000 years and Karachi’s museums and beautiful monuments

KARACHI

Pakistan’s former capital has a number of attractions to be enjoyed by tourists Although most of the places maybe far apart it is still worth a visit to enjoy it’s attractions. Such as the famous building Quaid-e-Azam’s Mazar, the monument of the founder of Pakistan, this is made entirely out of white marble. The best time to visit it is when the changing of guards occurs, which takes place three times a day. Other places to visit would be the National Museum. The National Museum is home to a two million year Old Stone Age axe and also an interesting Islamic section. There is also a Freedom Movement gallery that has articles and photos etc. relating to the independence movement.

MOENJDARO

Moenjadaro is a very astonishing sight. It is a very interesting place for people who are interested in archaeology to visit

THE PUNJAB

The Punjab is an historic city with a whole lot to see and do. Its filled with bazaars, the national museum of Archaeology and the Gate of Chauburji and is also home to one of the largest mosques in the world, the Badshahi Mosque.

The Lahore museum showcases the history of the subcontinent of Pakistan. But part of this is gone after the partition between India but it is still the most impressive museum in Pakistan.

The largest mosque in the world can hold up to 100,000 people. The entrance gate house many relics of Muslim history and even said to have the hairs of the Prophet Mohammed.

ISLAMABAD

The capital of Pakistan is a busy and bustling city. As a planned capital the city has many government offices, and the city is very spacious with beautiful parks, gardens and fountains below the Margalla Hills. And the famous terraced garden Daman-e-Koh is a must visit cause of its excellent view over the city. Also another attraction in Islamabad would be the Shah Faisal Masjid.

The Margalla Hills National Park is a good place to go hiking on. It is advised that you do not go alone and also to bring along lots of water as it can be very hot.

The Shah Faisal museum is located at the foot of Margalla Hills. It is one of the largest in Asia. Most of the expenses for building this mosque was paid by King Faisal of Saudi Arabia.

KASHMIR

Kashmir hosts some of the highest mountains in the world such as Nanga Parbat and the second highest mountain in the world K2 which is also known as Mount Godwin-Austen. And in winter you can get your chance to enjoy sports like skiing, lugging, sledge riding and much more. Most tourists love to come to Kashmir during the winter to enjoy the atmosphere and have fun with the many sports they can participate in.

Many other attractions of Pakistan include Shalimar Bagh, Nishat Bagh, Chashma Shahi, Pari Mahal, Hazratbal Mosque, Jama Masjid, Shankaracharya Temple, Makhdoom Sahib, Martand, Awantipur.

SHAH RUKH KHAN - Biography

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Sat, 4 Jun 2011 16:43:00 +0700

First Name:
Shah Rukh
Last Name:
Khan
Called:
The King Khan, Baadshah of Bollywood
Day of Birth:
2nd of November, 1965
Place of Birth:
Talwar Nursing Home (Rajinder Nagar) New Delhi-India
Shah Rukh was born with the umbilical cord entangled around his neck. A nurse said that it was by the blessings of Hanuman and that he would be a very lucky child.
Mother:
Fatima Begum
(a social worker and a first class magistrate, who died of complications from diabetes in 1991)
Father:
Mir Taj Mohammed
(a lawyer and a freedom fighter, who died of cancer in 1981)
Siblings:
one sister named Shehnaz fondly called Lala Rukh
Zodiac Sign:
scorpio
Religion:
Moslem
Height:
5'9'' (around 1,75 m)
Weight:
around 75 kg
Eyes:
magic brown
Hair Color:
shiney black

Education:
High School: St. Columbia High School In New Delhi.
College: Graduated from Hansraj College, & then Masters in Mass Communication from
Jamiya Miliya Islamiya, New Delhi Qualifications and Achievements:

Masters; A Brilliant Student

Sword of Honour to the most outstanding student

The Ravi Subramani award

The Sujit Memorial award

He captained all teams in football, hockey, and cricket

He was also good in dramatics

He was a king in Hindi, Electronics, Biology

Occupation:
actor, producer
If not an Actor:
In the arm force or a school teacher.
Start his Career:
in a TV serial called "Fauji"
Film Debut:
Deewana (2002)
Hobbies & Interests:
his family, his work, playing computer games
Martial Status:
Married, since October 25, 1991 with Gauri Chibber / Khan
(born 8th of October 1970)
Children:
son Aryan (born on the 13th of November, 1997)
daughter Suhana (born on 22nd of May 2000)

Aamir Khan Kiran Rao Wedding Marriage Amir Wife Reena Dutta Divorce

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Sat, 4 Jun 2011 16:32:00 +0700

[Aamir and Kiran photo]

Aamir Khan‘s and first wife Reena Dutta Marriage & Divorce

Aamir fell in love with the girl next door Reena Dutta and proposed her when he turned 21 and She accepted his love. Aamir Khan’s love with Reena Dutta got strengthened during the years of Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. Reena Dutta made a brief appearance in the song sequence ‘Papa Kehte Hain’ in Qayamat Se Qayamat Tak. But his parents were against their marriage as she was not a muslim. Finaly they eloped and got married against the wishes of their family membors on April 18, 1986. As a result of this Amir’s marriage remained a secret for a some time. The marriage story hit the headlines when it was revealed for the first time.

[Amir with Reena Dutta]
Even after their marriage Reena Dutta continued to work at a travel agency. They had a son named Junaid and a daughter named Ira . Reena Dutta was very less involved in Aamir Khan’s film business. She worked as a producer for Lagaan, after which they broke up.
Aamir Khan and his wife Reena Dutta have filed a divorce petition with mutual consent, in family court Mumbai in December 2002, they got divorce & she took the custody of children ending the 15-year marriage.
Aamir khan was allowed to meet his children Junaid and Ira thrice a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 6 pm to 8 pm. He will also have a right to meet his kids on alternate weekends every month from Friday 7 pm till Sunday 6 pm. Aamir and Reena decided to share summer and Christmas vacations equally with their children. If a child spends summer vacation with one parent, he would have a choice to spend Christmas with the other.

Aamir Khan and Kiran Rao Wedding ceremony

Aamir khan fell in love with Kiran Rao during the shooting of Lagaan and married Kiran, who was an assistant to director of “Lagaan” under the Special Marriage Act, on December 28, 2005. Their marriage was registered at Bandra Registration office
Aamir Khan’s wedding to his girlfriend Kiran Rao was celebrated in a star hotel in Panchgani, Maharashtra. It was attended by many filmy people including Anil Kapoor and Rani Mukherjee. Sachin Tendulkar was also a special guest.
The security was very tight at the venue mediapersons and outsiders were prevented from approaching the venue. Only the special invitees were allowed inside.
Aamir was in an off-white kurta and a South Indian silk mundu and Kiran Rao was in a purple-and-red Sabyasachi lehnga-choli.
His wife Kiran Rao has a special pet name for Aamir Khan. She fondly calls her husband “Chhote”.

Invitees of wedding

Ashutosh Gowariker, Anil Kapoor, Rani Mukerji, Kunal Kapoor, Raj Zutshi, Bobby Bedi, Deepa Mehta, Rakeysh Omprakash Mehra, Tanvi Azmi are some of the filmy people who were invited to the wedding.
Media not allowed for Wedding

The marriage was restricted to few selected people only those with the wedding invitation were allowed. Here are some examples of it:
“We are not told in advance where we are going next. There are three hotels booked and the parties keep happening at each venue. Even to enter the hotels we have to show our passes. We cannot get food and water without these passes,” said the driver of one of the guests.
“Aamir is a private person and he has only invited those very close to him. It is still not clear who all are exactly attending the party, but some famous faces are likely to be there.” – sources said.

Kiran Rao quotes about Aamir Khan

“My working with Aamir was pretty accidental. I am not from a filmi family. A friend of mine who was working with Aamir’s Lagaan asked me if I would like to work as part of the team, and I agreed. Prior to that, I must have watched, like, ten Hindi movies in my life. I didn’t know much about Hindi films at all. And one of the films she did know about was Rangeela. QSQT was the first complete Hindi film I ever watched, as a young adult. I must have been about 14 then. I’ll never forget that because, it was the first movie I watched on our new VCR.”

Latest Rumours Amir and Kiran Split..!!

The latest news is that there are rumours about Aamir khan and Kiran Rao split. Some people say that they haven’t seen the couples together for a long time since their marriage. It was said that Kiran isn’t ready to stay home always and loves to involve in movie making, and this is said to be the reason for misunderstanding.
Aamir Khan was seen dining with his ex wife Reena Dutta and children at a five star restaurant, some media even reported this as an evidence of split between Aamir and Kiran Rao. The family was greatly enjoying the dinner after along time..!!

Real Story behind Osama Bin Laden Death

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 3 Jun 2011 16:09:00 +0700

USA need a closure of 9/11 and is in her best interest economically to finally close this issue which was may or may not created by USA in start but ending the war due to financial problem, is and would have lots of unforsean down falls i.e Superpower image and political disaster. Although USA superpower image is already shattered but USA is not yet ready to hand over the role to China, atleast willingly. Osama death was a perfect solution to save the face for some time as after the death USA will insist that Nato is not leaving the Afghanistan but the international community will request, Nato will recommend, USA voters will pressure to leave Afghanistan and UN security council may come to rescue as well. Under the above scenario USA as responsible power will withdraw the forces, win for USA and peace for the world.

Pakistan need a stability economically & politically if the big international war is in progress next door to Pakistan, both of her objective look not more than a dream. This is a fact Pakistan was dragged into the Afghanistan war unwillingly and want to come out quickly as possible. OBL death drama is a window of opportunity to come out of this nightmare therefore Pakistan has decided to stage this death drama with help of USA and also committed to provide full support and forged all eveidences to convince the world about authenticity of OBL death. One can ask questions why Pakistan is helping USA? Why this is staged in Pakistan? Why Pakistan is taking this big risk of own public backlash? First Pakistan is helping USA as this drama can bring an end to the war which will bring to end to terrorisim which is unleashed by CIA to blackmail the Pakistan. Second if the drama was staged in Afghanistan or any other country, USA army and CIA would have lots of credibility issue and internal backlash which USA Govt, Army and CIA can not afford especially in re-election years. Under the script Pakistan Army and ISI is faking to take the fall as one of only powerful institute in Pakistan can afford it and they have proved it in Raymond Davis case. Answer to the third question is simple, Pakistan is not a true damoratic country with pupit and corrupt civilian Government where powerful army can control anyone and anything what so ever in exchange USA and CIA will rescue the Pakistan from international alienation with immediate cashflow. Mark our word Pakistan army will never say a word on this stage drama however in a strange way USA will convince the world about innocence of Pakistan army, restrain the India, EU and any other about taking against Pakistan and Pakistan Army.

Middleeast situation is also a factor, regime change in Tunisia, Libya, Syria, Iran or any other close neighbour to Israel except Egypt is a part of USA agenda but the unrest in Saudi Arabia, UAE, Bahrain or Kuwait is not on the table. OBL death is an effort to take the sting out of Arab revolution.

Obama re-election to white house is also a reason as for as the timing and procedure the way OBL death drama was staged to portray Obama an American hero.

There are other theories on OBL death we think the reader need to read them as well so every one can come to their own conclusion.
The death of Osama bin Laden gave rise to various conspiracy theories, hoaxes, and rumors. These included the notions that bin Laden had been dead for years, or was still alive. Doubts about bin Laden's death were fueled by the U.S. military's disposal of his body at sea, the decision to not release photographic evidence of bin Laden's death, the official story on the raid at the Abbottabad compound have changed or directly contradicts previous assertions, and the 25-minute blackout during the raid on bin Laden's compound during which a live feed from cameras mounted on the helmets of the U.S. special forces was cut off.
On May 2, 2011, an image showing a dead bin Laden broadcast on Pakistani television and picked up on front pages of the Mail, Times, Telegraph, Sun, and the Mirror website, as well the Associated Press though swiftly removed after the fake was exposed on Twitter.
On May 4, 2011, the Obama administration announced it would not release any images of bin Laden's dead body. The administration had considered releasing the photos to dispel rumors of a hoax, at the risks of perhaps prompting another attack by al Qaeda and of releasing very graphic images to people who might find them disturbing. Several photos of the aftermath of the raid were given to Reuters by an anonymous Pakistani security official, but though all appeared to be authentic, they were taken after the U.S. forces had left and none of them included evidence regarding bin Laden's fate. The Associated Press and Judicial Watch filed Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requests for the photos and videos as of May 3, 2011. Politico, Fox News, Citizens United, and NPR have also drafted FOIA requests. Legally, the government has 20 business days to respond to such requests. Criticism of burial at seaDoubts about bin Laden's death were fueled by the U.S. military's disposal of his body at sea, though U.S. officials maintained that the burial was necessary because arrangements could not be made with any country to bury bin Laden within 24 hours, as dictated by Muslim practice. However, the Muslim practice has not always been followed by the U.S. in the past. For example, the bodies of Uday Hussein and Qusay Hussein, sons of Saddam Hussein, were held for 11 days before being released for burial. In that instance, however, several Iraqi cities were reluctant to grant a gravesite for Saddam's sons. The decision to bury bin Laden at sea was questioned by some Islamic scholars and by some 9/11 victims and their relatives. Professor Peter Romaniuk of John Jay College described the burial at sea as a way to forestall further questions. He stated: "Obviously they're going to be under pressure to show a body or produce further evidence, but this was a way of taking that issue off the table." In Pakistan Number of people in Abbottabad, Pakistan, residents said they believed the announcement of Osama's death was a U.S. conspiracy against Pakistan. A local lawyer said, "They're just making it up. Nobody has seen the body." Some residents doubted not only that bin Laden was dead, but also that he ever lived among them. Conspiracy theories abound in the Middle East, according to Lewis Brownstein, professor of international relations and political science at State University of New York. Senior Pakistani officials disseminated the theory that no firefight ever took place, and that U.S. forces captured bin Laden alive, executed him outside the compound in front of his 12-year-old daughter, and took his body away on a helicopter. In a interview with CNN's Eliot Spitzer, Hamid Gul former head of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) stated that he believed bin Laden had died many years ago and that the official death story given out by the American media was a hoax. Furthermore, he thinks the American government knew about bin Laden's death for years, "They must have known that he had died some years ago so they were waiting. They were keeping this story on the ice and they were looking for an appropriate moment and it couldn't be a better moment because President Obama had to fight off his first salvo in his next year's election as he runs for the presidential and for the White House and I think it is a very appropriate time to come out, bring this out of the closet." Yet another scenario was reported in an article in the Urdu newspaper Ausaf, which quoted military sources as saying, "Bin Laden has been killed somewhere else. But since the US intends to extend the Afghan war into Pakistan, and accuse Pakistan, and obtain a permit for its military's entry into the country, it has devised the [assassination] scenario." Bashir Qureshi, who lives just a bean field away from where bin Laden was shot and whose windows were blown out in the raid, was dismissive. "Nobody believes it. We've never seen any Arabs around here, he was not here." In 2007, former Pakistani prime minister Benazir Bhutto said during an interview with David Frost on Al Jazeera that she believed bin Laden was "murdered" years ago by Omar Sheikh. In Iran Number of Iranians said they believed that bin Laden was actually working with the U.S. during the entire war on terror. Ismail Kosari, an Iranian MP, said that bin Laden: was just a puppet controlled by the Zionist regime in order to present a violent image of Islam after the September 11 attacks. Bin Laden's death reflects the passing of a temporary US pawn, and symbolizes the end of one era and the beginning of another in American policy in the region. Another MP, Javad Jahangirzadeh, said he believed that it was the U.S. that had carried out the terrorist attacks, and bin Laden was the main source of help. He stated, "The West has been very pleased with bin Laden's operations in recent years. Now the West was forced to kill him in order to prevent a possible leak of information he had, information more precious than gold." Iranian Intelligence Minister Heydar Moslehi claims that bin Laden died from an illness before the US raid on his compound in Abbottabad, Iran has documents to prove it, "we have credible information that Bin Laden died some time ago of a disease."

5 Reasons India can't Attack Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 3 Dec 2010 16:35:00 +0700

1. India is not a military goliath in relation to Pakistan in the way Israel is to the Palestinian territories. India does not have the immunity, the confidence and the military free hand that result from an overwhelming military superiority over an opponent. Israel's foe is a non-sovereign entity that enjoys the most precarious form of self-governance. Pakistan, for all its dysfunction, is a proper country with a proper army, superior by far to the tin-pot Arab forces that Israel has had to combat over time. Pakistan has nukes, to boot. Any assault on Pakistani territory carries with it an apocalyptic risk for India. This is, in fact, Pakistan's trump card. (This explains, also, why Israel is determined to prevent the acquisition of nuclear weapons by Iran.)
2. Even if India could attack Pakistan without fear of nuclear retaliation, the rationale for "doing a Gaza" is, arguably, not fully present: Israel had been attacked consistently by the very force--Hamas--that was in political control of the territory from which the attacks occurred. By contrast, terrorist attacks on India, while originating in Pakistan, are not authored by the Pakistani government. India can-- and does--contend that Pakistan's government should shut down the terrorist training camps on Pakistani soil. (In this insistence, India has unequivocal support from Washington.) Yet only a consistent and demonstrable pattern of dereliction by Pakistani authorities-- which would need to be dereliction verging on complicity with the terrorists--would furnish India with sufficient grounds to hold the Pakistani state culpable.
3. As our columnist, Karlyn Bowman, writes, Israel enjoys impressive support from the American people, in contrast to the Palestinians. No other state--apart, perhaps, from Britain--evokes as much favor in American public opinion as does Israel. This is not merely the result of the much-vaunted "Israel lobby" (to use a label deployed by its detractors), but also because of the very real depth of cultural interpenetration between American and Israeli society. This fraternal feeling buys Israel an enviable immunity in the conduct of its strategic defense. India, by contrast--while considerably more admired and favored in American public opinion than Pakistan--enjoys scarcely a fraction of Israel's "pull" in Washington when it comes to questions of the use of force beyond its borders.
4. Pakistan is strategically significant to the United States; the Palestinians are not. This gives Washington scant incentive to rein in the Israelis, but a major incentive to rein in any Indian impulse to strike at Pakistan. However justified the Indian anger against Pakistan over the recent invasion of Mumbai by Pakistani terrorists, the last thing that the U.S. wants right now is an attack--no matter how surgical--by India against Pakistan-based terror camps. This would almost certainly result in a wholesale shift of Pakistani troops away from their western, Afghan front toward the eastern boundary with India--and would leave the American Afghan campaign in some considerable disarray, at least in the short term. So Washington has asked for, and received, the gift of Indian patience. And although India recognizes that it is not wholly without options to mobilize quickly for punitive, surgical strikes in a "strategic space," it would--right now--settle for a trial of the accused terrorist leaders in U.S. courts. (Seven U.S. citizens were killed in Mumbai: Under U.S. law, those responsible--and this should include Pakistani intelligence masterminds--have to be brought to justice.)

Why the Indian army can’t attack Pakistan

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 3 Dec 2010 16:27:00 +0700

* Bharati missile failure: The truth is out of the bag

* Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor’s epiphany

If the analysis by the Indian authors is to be belived, the Indian army is not in a state to confront Pakistan. That is the reason it did not attack Pakistan after the Mumbai attacks. Pranab Mukherjee, Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh had all threatened Pakistan with war–and now threaten Pakistan by not showing up for peace negotiations. Mr. Siddharth Srivastava discusses the reasons why Bharat did not attack Pakistan after Mumbai.

The idea of becoming subservient to India is abhorrent and that of cooperation with India with object of promoting tension with China equally repugnant. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto

* The Hydrogen Bombs of South Asia?

* India envious of Pakistan nukes–jittery about Pakistan Plutonium capability

The Sorry State of the Indian Army, January 21, 2009

India ready for war? Forces grapple with delays, red tape, Rajan Pandit | Times of India

NEW DELHI: For all its aspirations about becoming a superpower, India continues to fumble in formulating strategic plans to systematically build the country’s military “capabilities” in tune with its geopolitical objectives.

For one, the government is yet to finalise the 11th Defence Plan (2007-2012) due to wrangling between the finance and defence ministries. For another, similar is the fate of the much-touted LTIPP-2007-2022 (long-term integrated perspective plan) till now, say sources.

“Successive governments have failed to formulate budgetary plans with a concrete strategic underpinning,” said a top official. India does spend a lot on arms deals but it happens in a haphazard manner, without clear prioritisation, and is dogged by huge delays.

* Pakistan’s robust Nuclear & Missile prowess growing fast–US scientists

* Indian “Nuclear” Duds: Scientists question Kalam’s credentials-confirm fizzle

India’s defence expenditure, of course, has also fallen below 2% of its GDP for the first time in decades this fiscal despite military experts demanding at least 3%. Even as UPA government now belatedly fast-tracks procurement of military hardware and software in wake of 26/11, here’s a look at some of the gaps in military capabilities:

Nuclear Deterrence: India has Agni missiles as well as fighters to deliver nukes but no nuclear-powered submarines armed with nuclear-tipped missiles. The “nuclear triad” is still some four years away from completion, with the 25-year-old indigenous programme to build nuclear subs under the ATV (advanced technology vessel) project yet to come to fruition.

Submarines: To China’s 57 attack submarines and submarine-launched ballistic missiles, India has just 16 aging diesel-electric submarines, with huge serviceability problems. Only half of Navy’s 10 Russian Kilo-class, four German HDW and two virtually-obsolete Foxtrot submarines are operationally available. The Rs 18,798-crore Scorpene project will deliver six submarines only between 2012 and 2017. Pakistan, meanwhile, is building its submarine arm, inducting three French Agosta-90B vessels.

Fighters: Airpower may be decisive during wars but IAF continues to grapple with a free-fall in its fighter squadrons, down to 32 from its sanctioned strength of 39.5. Though 44 squadrons are needed to meet “a full conflict” with Pakistan, while maintaining “a dissuasive posture” against China, IAF will reach the 39.5 mark only by 2017. Delays in both the indigenous Tejas Light Combat Aircraft as well as the procurement process for 126 new multi-role combat fighters in the $10.4 billion project has led to this situation.

Artillery: The Bofors ghost has derailed Army’s artillery modernisation plan, valued to be well over Rs 15,000 crore. There has been no induction of big guns since the 1986 procurement of 410 Bofors 155mm/39-calibre howitzers. Army wants to induct 400 155mm/52-calibre towed guns, with another 1,100 of them to be manufactured indigenously, in a Rs 8,000-crore project; 180 wheeled self-propelled howitzers for around Rs 4,700 crore; 140 air-mobile ultra-light howitzers for around Rs 2,900 crore.

Night-Fighting: Army, in particular, requires a strong dose of third-generation thermal imaging sights and night-vision devices. It wants to equip all its tanks, which include 1,200 T-72 tanks, with solid NF capabilities by around 2010-2011.

Aircraft Carriers: Navy has long demanded three carriers but it does not have even one operating at present since the ageing 28,000-tonne INS Viraat is currently undergoing another life-extension refit to ensure it can run for five more years. Indian army ‘backed out’ of Pakistan attack. Siddharth Srivastava | Asia Times
NEW DELHI – Reluctance for battle by an ill-prepared army could have resulted in India not launching an attack on Pakistan in the aftermath of the Pakistan-linked terror attack in the Indian city of Mumbai on November 26 in which nearly 200 people died.

High-level government sources have told Asia Times Online that army commanders impressed on the political leadership in New Delhi that an inadequate and obsolete arsenal at their disposal mitigated against an all-out war.

The navy and air force, however, had given the government the go-ahead about their preparedness to carry out an attack and repulse any retaliation from Pakistan.

Over the past few weeks, it has become increasingly apparent from top officials in the know that the closed-door meetings of top military commanders and political leaders discussed the poor state of the armory (both ammunition and artillery), and that this tilted the balance in favor of not striking at Pakistan.

According to senior officials, following the attack on Mumbai by 10 militants linked to Pakistan, India’s top leadership looked at two options closely – war and hot pursuit. Largely for the reasons cited above, the notion of an all-out war was rejected. Hot pursuit, however, remains very much on the table.

The government sources say that a framework for covert operations is being put in place, although India will continue to deny such actions. Crack naval, air and army forces backed by federal intelligence agencies will be involved. The target areas will be Pakistan-administered Kashmir and areas along the Punjab, such as Multan, where some of the Mumbai attackers are believed to have been recruited.

The coastal belt from the southern port city of Karachi to Gwadar in Balochistan province will also be under active Indian surveillance.

Thumbs down to war

Following the Mumbai attack, New Delhi’s inclination was to launch a quick strike against Pakistan to impress domestic opinion, and then be prepared for a short war, given the pressures that would be exercised by international powers for a ceasefire to prevent nuclear war breaking out.

The expectation of New Delhi was that the war would go beyond the traditional skirmishes involving artillery fire that take place at the Kashmir border, essentially to check infiltration by militants, or the brief but bloody exchanges at Kargil in 1999.

It was in this context that the army made it apparent that it was not equipped to fight such a war, given the military’s presence along the eastern Chinese borders, and that India was at risk of ceding territory should an instant ceasefire be brokered with Pakistan.

This would have been highly embarrassing, not to mention political suicide for the Congress-led government in an election year. So instead, New Delhi restricted itself to a strident diplomatic offensive that continues to date, and the option of hot pursuit.

The air force, on the other hand, was confident that it was prepared to take on the first retaliatory action by Pakistan, expected at forward air force bases along India’s borders in Rajasthan, Gujarat and Indian-administered Kashmir. The role of the navy in the operations was not clearly defined, but it was to cover from the Arabian Sea.Not ready to fight

Various experts, former generals and independent reports have voiced concern over the past few years about the state of preparedness of the Indian army.

For example, the Bofors gun scandal of the 1980s stymied the army’s artillery modernization plan, with no induction of powerful guns since the 1986 purchase of 410 Bofors 155mm/39-caliber howitzers. The army has been trying to introduce 400 such guns from abroad and another 1,100 manufactured domestically, without success.

The latest report by the independent Comptroller and Auditor General said the state’s production of 23mm ammunition for Shilka anti-aircraft cannons and 30mm guns mounted on infantry combat vehicles lacked quality. Further, supply was nearly 35% short of requirements.

India’s huge tank fleet is in bad shape due to a shortage of Russian spare parts, while indigenous efforts, such as the main battle tank Arjun, have failed.

Signs of trouble emerged during the Kargil war when it was revealed that India’s defense forces were dealing with acute shortages in every sphere.

In remarks that underscored the problems, the then-army chief, V P Malik, said his forces would make do with whatever was in hand, given the fears of a full-scale war that was eventually avoided due to pressure by America, then under president Bill Clinton.

The Kargil review committee report noted, “The heavy involvement of the army in counter-insurgency operations cannot but affect its preparedness for its primary role, which is to defend the country against external aggression.”Although there have been attempts to hasten India’s overall defense modernization program, estimated at over US$50 billion over the next five years, gaping holes need to be plugged, including corruption and massive delays in the defense procurement processes.

India’s defense expenditure has dipped below 2% of gross domestic product for the first time in decades, despite experts pegging 3% as adequate.

Other defense arms are in dire need of enhancement. Fighter jet squadrons are much below required strength, while the bidding process for medium fighter planes has only just begun and may take a few years to complete.

Meanwhile, the prospects of an India-Pakistan conflict are not over. India’s army chief, General Deepak Kapoor, said last week that Pakistan had redeployed troops from its Afghan border to the western frontier with India. “The Indian army has factored this in its planning,” Kapoor said.

Siddharth Srivastava is a New Delhi-based journalist. He can be reached at sidsri@yahoo.com.

All of Indi’a Rockets have failed. 1) Agni 2) Pirthivi 3) Akash 4) Trishul and 5) Nag 6) Agni consisting of surface to surface surface to air and anti-tank systems.

Prithvi: Failure: To date the only reliable delivery system inducted is the Pirthvi missile with a range of 300 kilometres. The subsequent versions of this missile are still undergoing tests. The pride of India the Agni missile tested last time landed 200 kilometres off target.

Akash: Failure: After several years of testing has been shelved for reasons best known to the Indians. Akash was meant as a substitute for Pechora. On the Akash missile, which was the subject of the DRDO media conference here on Tuesday, former air chief S. P. Tyagi said:“Akash was to be ready at a certain time, but it wasn’t. I had to change everything to make up for the delay.” Both missiles were part of a programme to develop indigenous weapons, which began in July 1983, with plans for Agni, Prithvi, Trishul, Akash and Nag missiles.

Trishul: Failure: Trishul is being replaced by Israeli Barak and Russian systems.

The IAF, for instance, has aging Pechora, Igla-1M and OSA-AK missile systems, and that, too, in woefully inadequate numbers.

While Trishul was to replace its OSA-AK weapons system, Akash was meant as a substitute for Pechora.

But both the Trishul and Akash air defence missile systems, which are part of the original Integrated Guided Missile Development Programme launched as far back as 1983, have been dogged by development snags in their “command guidance and integrated Ramjet rocket propulsion” systems.

Trishul, for instance, has been tested over 80 times so far without coming anywhere near becoming operational. It was, in fact, virtually given up for dead in 2003 after around Rs 300 crore was spent on it, before being revived yet again.

Trishul’s repeated failure, in fact, forced the Navy to go in for nine Israeli Barak anti-missile defence systems for its frontline warships, along with 200 Barak missiles, at a cost of Rs 1,510 crore during the 1999 Kargil conflict. The Navy is now inducting even more Barak systems due to Trishul’s continued failure.

Speaking of the Trishul surface-to-air missile that has now been termed a technology demonstrator, former naval chief Sushil Kumar said:“It was a national embarrassment. DRDO made fake claims for 25 years. In the 1999 Kargil conflict, the navy was vulnerable to attacks from Pakistan’s Harpoon.

“Finally the project was scrapped when the navy went in for the Israeli Barak missiles. The Prithvi’s naval variant, Dhanush, is also flawed and ill-conceived, which is being inflicted on the navy.”Indian missile system started back in the 50s on a five folder programme namely:

Nag: Failure: The Nag proved to be as deadily as the Holy Cow.

Agni: Failure: The Agni-I (range 700 to 800 kilometers) and Agni-II were both products of India’s space program and connected to its Integrated Guided Missile Development Program (IGMDP), itself launched in 1983. Originally, their design used a satellite space-launching rocket (SLV-3) as the first stage, on top of which was mounted the very short-range (150 to 250 kilometers) liquid fuel-propelled Prithvi missile.

The Agni-III’s brand new design, in which both stages use solid propellants, was to enable it to carry a payload weighing up to 1.5 tons and deliver it to targets as far away as Beijing and Shanghai. At present, India lacks an effective nuclear deterrent vis-a-vis China, based on a delivery vehicle carrying a nuclear warhead. Agni-III was meant to fill the void.

The failure of the Agni III was in some ways more serious because it exposed the political limitations of India’s attempts, despite its ambitions, to pursue a military capability which is truly independent of the US’s strategic calculations.

The surface-to-surface ballistic missile, designed to have a range of 3,500 kilometers, took off in a “fairly smooth” manner at the designated hour. But “a series of mishaps” occurred in its later flight path.

The Agni-III was originally meant to be tested in 2003-04. However, the test was postponed owing to technological snags. After their rectification, said reports, the missile’s test flights were put off twice largely for “political reasons”, so as not to annoy the US.

Earlier this year, India decided to postpone the missile test out of fear that a test could hamper US Congressional ratification of the India-US nuclear cooperation deal. Publicly, the Indian defense minister cited “self-imposed restraint” to justify the postponement.

The Indian missile met a disaster as it could not attain the altitude where the first stage is over or the second is even ignited.

He disputed the Indian claim, saying that with the range of 3,500 km, the missile had to go above about 800-900 km while the second stage had to be ignited at 28 to 30 km.

‘If the missile fell from the height of 12 km, it establishes that either it’s motor rocket, the basics of the missile proved failure or the guidance and control system was faulty. In both the probabilities, Indian technology has been exposed in clumsy manners.’

‘It is interesting to watch that Indian missile programme that was initiated by French and US assistance and later New Delhi also borrowed Russian technical support has been facing tragedies from the beginning,’ the newspaper quoted him as saying.

Pakistan in New Zealand 2010/11

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 14:34:00 +0700

26 Dec 2010	1st Twenty20	New Zealand v Pakistan	Eden Park, Auckland	IT20
28 Dec 2010	2nd Twenty20	New Zealand v Pakistan	Seddon Park, Hamilton	IT20
30 Dec 2010	3rd Twenty20	New Zealand v Pakistan	AMI Stadium, Christchurch	IT20
07 Jan 2011	1st Test	New Zealand v Pakistan	Seddon Park, Hamilton	Test
15 Jan 2011	2nd Test	New Zealand v Pakistan	Basin Reserve, Wellington	Test
22 Jan 2011	1st ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	Westpac Stadium, Wellington	ODI
26 Jan 2011	2nd ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	Queenstown Events Centre	ODI
29 Jan 2011	3rd ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	AMI Stadium, Christchurch	ODI
01 Feb 2011	4th ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	McLean Park, Napier	ODI
03 Feb 2011	5th ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	Seddon Park, Hamilton	ODI
05 Feb 2011	6th ODI	New Zealand v Pakistan	Eden Park, Auckland	ODI

Indonesian Military Strength

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 12:01:00 +0700

PERSONNEL
Total Population: 237,512,352 [2008]
Population Available: 125,530,542 [2008]
Fit for Military Service: 104,496,911 [2008]
Reaching Military Age Annually: 4,291,700 [2008]
Active Military Personnel: 316,000 [2008]
Active Military Reserve: 400,000 [2008]
Active Paramilitary Units: 207,000 [2008]
ARMY
Total Land-Based Weapons: 2,122
Tanks: 425 [2004]
Armored Personnel Carriers: 684 [2004]
Towed Artillery: 293 [2004]
Self-Propelled Guns: 70 [2004]
Anti-Aircraft Weapons: 515 [2004]
AIR FORCE
Total Aircraft: 313 [2004]
Helicopters: 194 [2004]
Serviceable Airports: 652 [2007]
NAVY
Total Navy Ships: 111
Merchant Marine Strength: 971 [2008]
Major Ports and Harbors: 10
Aircraft Carriers: 0 [2008]
Destroyers: 0 [2008]
Submarines: 2 [2004]
Frigates: 15 [2004]
Patrol & Coastal Craft: 24 [2004]
Mine Warfare Craft: 12 [2004]
Amphibious Craft: 26 [2004]

3 Asian Markets With The Most Positive Outlook: China, Indonesia, Singapore

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:43:00 +0700

As President Obama wraps up his trip to Southeast Asia, we thought it was a good opportunity to update you on some Asian markets we have the most positive outlook on: China/Hong Kong, Indonesia and Singapore.
China/Hong Kong
China and Hong Kong have been laggards so far this year but we remain bullish. Government policies in 2010 were targeted to slow the economy, but next year’s policies should cause less friction to China’s growth trajectory.
The 12th Five Year Plan, scheduled to roll out in March 2011, is expected to focus on transitioning China from an investment-driven economy to a consumption-driven one. This means further urbanizing the country’s interior and improving its energy efficiency.
Markets in both China and Hong Kong are also relatively inexpensive, with the price-to-earnings ratios (P/E) roughly 15 times future estimated earnings. In addition, these markets have strong liquidity compared to peers and are logical destinations for fund flows as investors add more Asian influence to their portfolios.
Indonesia
Indonesia got out of the gate quickly in 2010 and has remained one of the world’s best-performing markets for the year, up nearly 53 percent in U.S. dollar terms in 2010.
This strong performance has pushed the P/E of the Jakarta equity market up from 13.5 times earnings in August to 18 times forward earnings currently. This is relatively high compared with other emerging markets—the MSCI Emerging Market Index is trading at 14.7 times and the MSCI BRIC Index is trading at 13.5 times earnings.
However, the fundamental drivers of Indonesia’s market are strong and China can look to Indonesia as a blueprint for building domestic consumption.
The country’s strong balance sheet—very little leverage—and healthy urbanization trend has led to increased demand for the country’s rich natural resources. This has driven growth while insulating Indonesia’s economy from external volatility.
This year’s performance has attracted more investment capital, but that’s just the tip of the iceberg. The government’s efforts to de-risk Indonesia’s balance sheet could pay off with an investment-grade rating for the country next year, setting off another wave of investment flows.
Singapore
Singapore gets excellent marks for business development and employment. Employment opportunities are rising and personal income tax rates have been declining, an ideal situation for increased domestic consumption.
The city-state has one of the lowest corporate tax rates in Asia, 17 percent versus 25 percent in both China and Indonesia. Hong Kong’s is roughly the same at 16.5 percent. In addition, Singapore has been generous in giving tax incentives to select industries.
We expect more companies to establish or expand their presence in this city-state.
The MSCI Emerging Markets Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity market performance in the global emerging markets. The MSCI BRIC Index is a free float-adjusted market capitalization index that is designed to measure equity performance of Brazil, Russia, China and India.

Pakistan & Indonesia Relations

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 19 Nov 2010 16:55:00 +0700

Pakistan aims for better relations with Indonesia beyond politics.

Pakistan is eyeing better relations with Indonesia beyond the political sector especially in the economic, cultural and tourism and military sectors, Pakistan Ambassador to Jakarta Maj. Gen. (ret) Ali Baz Khan said Tuesday.
Khan said the four sectors were his main objectives when assuming post as the ambassador to Jakarta, saying that the political and diplomatic relations "are very deep and cordial".
Speaking at a forum to Indonesian editors and business executives, Khan went into detail about how Indonesia and Pakistan have been helping each other since the dawn of both countries.
He told of a contingent of Punjabi soldier sent to Indonesia who revolted against the British Empire and instead "helping their Muslim brothers and sisters in Indonesia".
"The surviving soldiers never returned to Pakistan and there are three or four generations of them living in Indonesia," Khan said.
However, he said, there was still much that could be done in other sectors.
"Two years ago the trade value was just some US$400 to $500 million and currently reach some $870 million," Khan said.
"Both presidents Pervez Musharraf and Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono have agreed to increase the value to some $1 billion."
Khan was sure that once Pakistan and Indonesia signed a preferential trade agreement, the value would be reached.
He said that distance and the language barrier were two things that curbed trade the two countries.
"I always tell younger Indonesian to master English as it is widely spoken. Pakistani businesspeople speak English very well and they trade and invest where English is spoken.
"So Indonesians should learn and speak English more without forgetting Indonesian," he told the audience with a mix of English and Indonesian languages.
Having graduated from the Indonesian Army Staff College (Seskoad) in Bandung, Khan said he could still speak the language and maintained close contact with his Seskoad classmates, which includes Yudhoyono and secretary general of the defense ministry, Lt. Gen. Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin.
He also said that there were plenty of investment opportunities in Pakistan for Indonesian firms especially in the infrastructure sector such as water dams, electricity and housing.
"Both countries have same problems of unemployment, lack of infrastructure and education. Pakistan, however, have plenty of scientists," he said.
"We should share and exchange our knowledge."
The forum was jointly organized by the Communications and Information Ministry in cooperation with the Indonesian Journalists Association and the Confederation of Asian Journalists.

Top 10 Most Powerful Countries

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 29 Oct 2010 12:19:00 +0700

1. The United States of America
This country is the largest economy today and has the strongest army as well as a very powerful democracy. It is also said to be a superpower and its media is very influential as well. It has built itself and its power ever since it gained independence and is only getting more powerful. The country controls international relations and is a part of a number of influential bodies.

2. Russian Federation
The Russian Federation has the second most powerful army and controls a number of states in the Central Asian area. It has a very large population and immense world area. These factors allow it to stay independent and prevent external forces from meddling in the political, economic and financial issues of the country. Because of its size, Russia has the resources to become a superpower.

3. Peoples Republic of China
Peoples Republic of China is said to have the 4^th largest GNP in the world. It has gained supremacy only recently over Britain and France. It has a large army and immense potential to become the most powerful country in the world.

4. France
France is a part of the UN Security Council and is said to be the fifth most powerful country in the world. It is a great nuclear power and influences many African nations. The French have a large army which helps in maintaining law and order. It is a G7 economy and part of the European Union.

5. Britain
Britain is part of the UN Security Council as well. It has powerful nuclear weapons and the democracy is considered to be the most stable as well. As a G7 economy and as a leading country in areas like music, films and media, the country has immense influence when it comes to world politics. It is a part of the European Union as well.

6. Japan
Japan has an extremely large economy and is a leading democratic power. The population of the country is large but since the competition is intense, it features below USA, China, France and Britain.

7. Republic of India
India is very populous and has a well-known democracy which gains its power from the detailed Constitution of India. The economy is growing at a staggering rate and the nuclear weapons are becoming more and more powerful.

8. Federal Republic of Germany
Germany has the third largest economy in the world and features in the list of the most powerful European Union members. However, it was greatly affected during the two World Wars which hampered its influence over the world.

9.Islamic Republic of Pakistan
Pakistan has a very large Muslim population and powerful nuclear weapons. It is a united country but since it spends a hefty sum on military dictatorship, it has not become truly powerful. In addition to that, even though it has good resources, the battles with India have made the country very weak in these terms as well. Therefore, if it can replenish these resources and find a way to balance its political standing, it will be able to become more powerful.

10. Republic of Brazil
The Republic of Brazil is very large and is part of Latin America. It is said to hold the largest Portuguese speaking population in the world. In addition to that, the media of the country is quite stable and its relations with the rest of the world are quite secure.

Top Ten Armies of the World

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:43:00 +0700

According to the CIA and other Intelligence Services (European, Asian, African) this is the tally - based on a Combination of Manpower, Technology, Firepower, Training, Resources, Available Reserves, and Nuclear Potential (Current or Likely):
1. USA
2. China
3. Germany
4. Pakistan
5. France
6. Russia
7. UK
8. Italy
9. Israel
10.India

Pakistan Military Strength

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Mon, 11 Oct 2010 16:37:00 +0700

PERSONNEL
Total Population: 172,800,048 [2008]
Population Available: 82,747,782 [2008]
Fit for Military Service: 63,822,970 [2008]
Reaching Military Age Annually: 3,998,981 [2008]
Active Military Personnel: 650,000 [2008]
Active Military Reserve: 528,000 [2008]
Active Paramilitary Units: 302,000 [2008]

ARMY
Total Land-Based Weapons: 3,919
Tanks: 2,461 [2004]
Armored Personnel Carriers: 1,146 [2004]
Towed Artillery: 3,952 [2001]
Self-Propelled Guns: 260 [2004]
Multiple Rocket Launch Systems: 52 [2004]
Mortars: 2,350 [2004]
Anti-Tank Guided Weapons: 12,329 [2004]
Anti-Aircraft Weapons: 1,900 [2004]

AIR FORCE
Total Aircraft: 710 [2004]
Helicopters: 198 [2003]
Serviceable Airports: 146 [2007]

NAVY
Total Navy Ships: 33
Merchant Marine Strength: 14 [2008]
Major Ports and Harbors: 2
Aircraft Carriers: 0 [2008]
Destroyers: 0 [2008]
Submarines: 11 [2004]
Frigates: 9 [2008]
Patrol & Coastal Craft: 8 [2008]
Mine Warfare Craft: 3 [2008]
Amphibious Craft: 0 [2008]

LOGISTICAL
Labor Force: 48,230,000 [2007]
Roadways: 259,758 km
Railways: 8,163 km

FINANCES (USD)
Defense Budget: $4,260,000,000 [2006]
Foreign Exch. & Gold: $15,690,000,000 [2007]
Purchasing Power: $411,900,000,000 [2007]

OIL
Oil Production: 62,000 bbl/day [2007]
Oil Consumption: 345,000 bbl/day [2005]
Proven Oil Reserves: 376,800,000 bbl [2007]

GEOGRAPHIC
Waterways: 25,220 km
Coastline: 1,046 km
Square Land Area: 803,940 km

ICC Awards 2010

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 7 Oct 2010 14:31:00 +0700

We were at the 2010 ICC Awards at the Grand Castle in Bangalore.

Cricketer of the Year: Sachin Tendulkar Here’s what the master blaster said about his first ICC Cricketer of the Year award: Better late than never. He was happy that the team achieved the number one Test team ranking in Decemeber and have maintained it since then. He gave credit to all his fans for the support he has which continues to egg him on.
Test Cricketer of the Year: Virender Sehwag- Sehwag who has had a spectacular past 12 months in the longer format of the game rated Tuesday’s win against Australia as the best win of his career. He said it was privelege to part of the team and that the Indian team has set their sights on winning the ODI World Cup in the coming year.
ODI Cricketer of the Year: AB de Villiers – We asked AB if he thought the ODI format was still relevant. He said he loved playing all three formats of the game, and that it was up to the ICC to make changes in the format to keep interest alive.
World Test Team of the Year: Lead by MS Dhoni
The team: Virender Sehwag, Simon Katich, Sachin Tendulkar, Hashim Amla, Kumar Sangakkara, Jacques Kallis, Mahendra Singh Dhoni, Graeme Swann, James Anderson, Dale Steyn, Doug Bollinger.
India’s skipper took the opportunity to speak about his team and said he was proud of his team’s exploits. When quizzed about what India could improve on Dhoni said ground fielding was one area they weren’t brilliant at and could do with some improvement.
World ODI Team of the Year: Lead by Ricky Ponting –
The team: Sachin Tendulkar, Shane Watson, Michael Hussey, AB de Villiers, Paul Collingwood, Ricky Ponting, MS Dhoni, Daniel Vettori, Stuart Broad, Doug Bollinger, Ryan Harris
Ponting was quite surprised to get this one. He said he came to the awards not expecting to win anything.
LG People’s Choice Award: Sachin Tendulkar
Spirit of Cricket Award: New Zealand
Women’s Cricketer of the Year: Shelley Nitschke
Twenty20 International Performance of the Year: Brendon McCullum for his unbeaten 116 against Australia.
Associate and Affiliate Player of the Year: Ryan ten Doeschate from the Netherlands
Emerging player of the year: Steven Finn from England- Steven spoke of how England were confident of winning the upcoming Ashes even though they would be underdogs in Australia.
ICC Umpire of the Year: Aleem Dar – The Pakistani umpire won the award for the second year in a row. He said that the UDRS system for reviews should be implemented
West Indies fast bowlers Courtney Walsh and Joel Garner, along with Bishan Singh Bedi and the late Ken Barrington of England joined the 60 male members of the Hall of Fame, while England’s Rachael Heyhoe Flint becomes the first woman to be inducted.

Foods That Burn Fat!

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:45:00 +0700

n addition to regular exercise, you'll also want to add some fat burning foods to your diet to help trim your waistline.
Foods that are high in protein and fiber are the best kinds of food to eat if you want to burn fat around your middle.
Did you know that it takes more energy to digest protein than it does to digest fat? So the more protein you eat, the more calories your body burns.

Eggs

Eggs are super high in protein and can help you burn that unwanted belly fat.
You may have heard all the warnings about eggs and your health. That's because a couple of eggs will put you over the recommended daily amount of cholesterol.
Well, more recent studies have shown that dietary cholesterol has a minimal impact on blood cholesterol. Dietary fat is the real culprit. It's what raises your bad cholesterol levels.
However, if you're still worried about your overall cholesterol intake from eating too many eggs, you can remove the yolk and still benefit from the high protein contained in eggs. One of my favorite breakfasts is an egg-white sandwich. Mmmmmm!
Eggs contain the vitamin B12 -- a great supplement for breaking down fat cells.

Low Fat Dairy Products

According to an article in Obesity Research, women who ate low-fat dairy products, such as nonfat yogurt and low-fat milk, three to four times a day lost 70 percent more fat than low-dairy dieters.
In another study done at Purdue University those who consumed 3 cups of fat-free milk gained less weight over the course of 2 years than those on low calcium diets.
So, not only do dairy products help you strengthen your bones, they can also play an essential role in burning that unwanted body fat.
If you are a regular consumer of milk and other dairy products, that's great (as long as you don't overdo it). Just watch your proportions and perhaps switch over to the low or no fat varieties.

Beans

While beans are often associated with the gastrointestinal disturbances they may cause, they are also very good sources of protein, fiber and iron.
Some of the best kinds of beans to eat are:

Navy beans
White beans
Kidney beans
Lima beans

And as always, there are those beans that you should limit in your diet - I'm talking about those that are baked and refried.
Refried beans contain tons of saturated fat while baked beans are usually loaded in sugar. Sure, you'll be getting your protein but you'll also be consuming a lot of fat and sugar you don't need.
Here's something else to remember. Be sure to cook your beans thoroughly because our digestive tracks are not adapted to breaking down some proteins that are contained in certain beans.
They are already good enough on their own at stimulating GI activity. You don't want to create any unnecessary turbulence in your belly. ;)
Lisa's Tip: I recently discovered a wonderful vegetable called Edamame (pronounced ed-uh-ma-may). It's an ogranic soybean in a pod often served at Japanese restaurants.
All you do is boil them for three minutes, add a pinch of salt and eat the soybeans out of the pods. They are surprisingly tasty and very good for you. One serving contains 10 grams of soy protein.
The best place to find them is at a store that sells organic foods. (Whole Foods, for example).

Oatmeal

While it may not be the tastiest thing you can eat, oatmeal definitely has some great nutritional qualities.
You may have noticed that many of the oatmeal brands are now boasting that eating more oatmeal will help lower your cholesterol level. That's because oatmeal is loaded with soluble fiber which helps reduce blood cholesterol by flushing those bad digestive acids out of your system.
The best kind of oatmeal to eat is unsweetened and unflavored. While I know it's tempting to select the apples and cinnamon flavor and load it with butter and sugar -- you really lose out on all the health benefits. If you must sweeten your bowl of oatmeal, do so by adding fruit.
I eat mine with a spoonful of honey (much better for you than sugar) and a handful of raisins or dried cranberries.
Oatmeal is also beneficial in fighting colon cancer and heart disease.

Olive Oil

Certain fats are good for you and your body needs them. Olive oil is one of those "good fats". In fact, it's so good that it helps you burn fat and keeps your cholesterol down.
Olive oil is rich in monounsaturated fat, a type of fat that researchers are finding provide outstanding health benefits. One ounce of extra virgin olive oil contains about 85% of the daily value for monounsaturated fat.
So instead of taking a swig of orange juice in the morning, many dieters are picking up a bottle of extra virgin olive oil.

Whole Grains

These days everyone seems to be screaming "No carbs!" It's as if the world has gone no-carb crazy and everyone is running from sliced breads and pastas.
Well the truth is, your body needs carbohydrates. If you go without them completely your body will start to crave them. So it's not a good idea to exclude all carbs because the right kinds are actually good for you.
It's the processed carbohydrates that are bad for you -- the white breads, bagels, pastas, and white rice to name a few.
None of the above foods come out of the ground the way you eat them -- which is usually a bad sign. They've all been processed, thus stripping out all the nutrients leaving you with loads of starch.
The key is to eat "whole grain" foods because they haven't been processed and contain the fiber and minerals your body needs.
So don't be fooled by a loaf of bread labeled "wheat". Regular wheat bread is still lacking in vitamins and minerals. Manufacturers add molasses to it so it turns brown.
Don't let them trick you. The only kind of bread that's good for you is the kind that's labeled "whole grain".

Lean Cuts of Meat

Turkey and beef are great for building muscle and boosting the immune system, but as always you have to be careful:
Basted turkeys are usually injected with fatty substances while beef contains saturated fat. That Thanksgiving turkey may look good, but it's not always good for you. And if you are going to eat beef, be sure to consume the leanest cuts you can find by looking for "loin" or "round" on the labels.
Salmon and tuna are also good sources of protein. They both contain omega-3 fatty acids which may sound bad, but are actually healthy fats. These two foods are also good for giving your immune system a nice boost and should be consumed at least 3 times a week.

Healthy Snack Options

Running out of snack ideas? I've compiled a list of some snacks that are good for you, low in fat and delicious.

Top 5 Most Effective Ab Exercises

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 15:38:00 +0700

Bicycle Exercise for Abs

How to
Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45- degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even, relaxed breathing throughout.

Lie on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.
Straighten the left leg out while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, taking the left elbow towards the right knee.
Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

Pakistan 2010-2011 Cricket Schedule

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 16:12:00 +0700

Oct-2010
Tue 26 16:00 GMT, 20:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 1st T20I - Pakistan v South Africa Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Wed 27 16:00 GMT, 20:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa Only T20I - Pakistan v South Africa Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Fri 29 11:00 GMT, 15:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 1st ODI - Pakistan v South Africa Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi

Sun 31 11:00 GMT, 15:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 2nd ODI - Pakistan v South Africa Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Nov-2010
Tue 02 11:00 GMT, 15:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 3rd ODI - Pakistan v South Africa Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Fri 05 11:00 GMT, 15:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 4th ODI - Pakistan v South Africa Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Mon 08 11:00 GMT, 15:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 5th ODI - Pakistan v South Africa Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Fri 12 - Tue 16 06:00 GMT, 10:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 1st Test - Pakistan v South Africa Dubai Sports City Cricket Stadium, Dubai

Sat 20 - Wed 24 06:00 GMT, 10:00 local	Pakistan v South Africa 2nd Test - Pakistan v South Africa Sheikh Zayed Stadium, Abu Dhabi
Dec-2010
Sun 26 01:00 GMT, 14:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 1st T20 - New Zealand vs Pakistan Eden Park, Auckland

Tue 28 06:00 GMT, 17:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 2nd T20 - New Zealand vs Pakistan Seddon Park, Hamilton

Thu 30 06:00 GMT, 17:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 3rd T20 - New Zealand vs Pakistan AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Jan-2011
Fri 07 - Tue 11 22:00 GMT, 11:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 1st Test - New Zealand vs Pakistan Seddon Park, Hamilton

Sat 15 - Wed 19 22:00 GMT, 11:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 2nd Test - New Zealand vs Pakistan Basin Reserve, Wellington

Sat 22 01:00 GMT, 14:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 1st ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan Westpac Stadium, Wellington

Wed 26 22:00 GMT, 11:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 2nd ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan Queenstown Events Centre, Queenstown

Sat 29 01:00 GMT, 14:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 3rd ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan AMI Stadium, Christchurch
Feb-2011
Tue 01 01:00 GMT, 14:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 4th ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan McLean Park, Napier

Thu 03 01:00 GMT, 14:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 5th ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan Seddon Park, Hamilton

Sat 05 22:00 GMT, 11:00 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 6th ODI - New Zealand vs Pakistan Eden Park, Auckland

Wed 23 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v Kenya 6th match - World Cup 2011 Hambantota International Cricket Stadium, Hambantota

Sat 26 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v Sri Lanka 10th match - World Cup 2011 R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo
Mar-2011
Thu 03 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v Canada 17th match - World Cup 2011 R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Tue 08 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v New Zealand 24th match - World Cup 2011 Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy

Mon 14 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v Zimbabwe 33rd match - World Cup 2011 Pallekele International Cricket Stadium, Kandy

Sat 19 09:00 GMT, 14:30 local	Pakistan v Australia 40th match - World Cup 2011 R.Premadasa Stadium, Colombo

Nokia N8

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:11:00 +0700

Nokia N8 Smartphone
Nokia introduced the Nokia N8, the latest smartphone that intuitively connects to people, places and services that matter most. The Nokia N8 enables people to create compelling content, connect to their favourite social networks and enjoy the latest on-demand Web TV programs and Ovi Store apps.
12mb Camera
The Nokia N8 introduces a 12 megapixel camera with Carl Zeiss optics, Xenon flash and a large sensor that rivals those found in compact digital cameras. People can also make HD-quality videos and edit them with an intuitive built-in editing suite.
Unrivaled entertainment system
The Nokia N8 offers a true home theater experience with HD quality film and Dolby Digital Plus surround sound. You can plug the device to your home theatre system with an HDMI cable.
The Nokia N8 enables access to local and global Web TV services that deliver TV programs, news and entertainment from channels such as CNN, National Geographic, E! Entertainment and Paramount directly on the homescreen.
Social media
People can update their status, share location and photos, and view live feeds from Facebook and Twitter in a single app directly on the home screen. Calendar events from social networks can also be transferred to the device calendar.
Software
The Nokia N8 comes with free global Ovi Maps walk and drive navigation, taking you where you want to be and showing you what want to see in over 70 countries worldwide.
Memory
The Nokia N8 has 16GB of in-built storage space, expandable up to 48GB with a Micro SD card. Large files can be easily transferred to a memory stick with the USB On-the-Go.
Symbian 3 advancements
Multi-touch and customizable home screens
Symbian^3 introduces several major advances, including support for gestures such as multi touch, flick scrolling and pinch-zoom. The Nokia N8 also offers three customizable home screens which can be loaded with apps and widgets.
The new 2D and 3D graphics architecture takes full advantage of the Nokia N8’s hardware acceleration to deliver a faster and more responsive user interface.
The Nokia N8 marks the global device debut of the new Symbian^3 software, featuring several major advancements:
• Usability enhancements across the user interface, including single tap, multi-touch and support for gestures such as “pinch-to-zoom.”
•Three personalized home screens on the Nokia N8, easily maneuvered through by a simple flick.
•Faster and more responsive user interface with new 2D and 3D graphics architecture that takes full advantage of hardware acceleration
•More efficient memory management allows more applications to run in parallel for a faster, more complete and efficient multi-tasking experience.
More Features:
HD quality imaging and cinematic sound
•Shoot and edit photos and video with supreme clarity of a 12 MP camera with Carl Zeiss optics
•Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound and HDMI connection to a home entertainment system
Personalization capabilities for a truly individual experience
•Personal touches come to life on three fully customizable home screens
•Instant access to Ovi Store’s apps, games and other cool content
•Web TV delivers local and global TV favorites right to the home screen
A seamless and fully integrated social network experience
•Get live updates from Facebook, Twitter, and RenRen pushed right to your home screen, with feeds visible at a single glance
•Connect from anywhere on your phone—your home screen, contacts, or map
•Enrich your social network experience with content from your phone including pictures, location and more
Free navigation, forever
•Free worldwide satellite car and walk navigation from Ovi Maps in over 70 countries
•Built in premium guides from Lonely Plan and Via Michelin for tips on travel, restaurants, weather, and hotels

Operating times:
•Talk time (GSM/WCDMA) –12/5 h 50min
•Standby (GSM/WCDMA) –390/400 h
•Video record –3 h 20 min
•Music playback –50 h
•Video playback –7 h
•Video playback with HDMI –6 h
•Web TV –3 h 20 min
Technical Profile:
System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and
GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Symbian^3
Form Factor: Touch screen monoblock
Dimensions: 113.5 x 59.12 x 12.9 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 135g
Display: 3.5 inch widescreen (640 x 360 pixels)
capacitive touch
Battery: 1200mAh BL-4D
Media Storage/Memory: 16GB mass memory + micro SD card
slot, 135MB internal memory, support
up to 32GB memory cards. RAM256
ROM512
Video Playback: Video recording, Performance: encoding
25fps, decoding 30fps, File Formats:
H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263, Real Video
10, ON2 VP6, Flash video
Music Playback: FM radio, FM transmitter, MP3 player,
Supported codecs: MP3,AAC,eAAC,
eAAC+,WMA,AMR-WB, DRM support, DRM:
OMA DRM 2.0
Main Camera:
• Lens: Carl Zeiss optics
• Image capture: 12 megapixels
• Video capture: HD 720p
• Aperture: F2.8
• Focal length: 5.4
• Flash: Xenon flash
Connectivity:
• Nokia Adapter Cable for HDMI CA-156
• WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/n
• BT2.1 with support for stereo
headsets
• Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN
and Cell-ID
• Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file
transfers and charging
• USB On-the-Go
•Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio
input/output and TV out
Available colors:
•Dark Grey •Silver White •Green •Blue •Orange

Nokia E7

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 16 Sep 2010 14:09:00 +0700

Today, during Nokia World in London, Nokia announced the E7, a smartphone targeted at business users that runs the Symbian^3 operating system.
The Nokia E7 sports a 4-inch polarized AMOLED touchscreen with a 640 x 360 pixel resolution, and offers 802.11b/g/n WiFi connectivity, GPS, USB on-the-go support, a 3.5mm headphone jack with TV-out, and free Ovi Maps with navigation. It also has an 8 megapixel camera.
The E7 offers both a touchscreen and a full QWERTY keyboard. It measures 123.7mm x 62.4mm x 12.6mm (4.8in x 2.4in x 0.5in) in size and weighs 176g (6.2oz).
The E7 also comes with a host of business apps from the Ovi Store preinstalled, such as Salesforce for Symbian, Bloomberg, F-Secure Mobile security, Microsoft Communicator Mobile, and JoikuSpot.
Nokia expects the E7 to be available during the fourth quarter of 2010. Its estimated retail price is 495 EUR ($637).

Data Sheet
Nokia E7 Highlights
Technical Profile
System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and
GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Symbian^3
Form Factor: Touch and full keyboard
Dimensions: 123.7 x 62.4 x 13.6 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 176 g
Planned Market Introduction
• Q4 2010
Category
• Eseries, Business smartphones
Perfect form factor
• The ultimate business smartphone with full keyboard and a
stunning 4 inch touch display
• The best possible user experience amongst smartphones
• Premium materials, thin design
The Ultimate business smartphone
• Mail for Exchange, Microsoft Communicator Mobile and
support for intranet and extranet portals built on Microsoft
Share Point Server*) offer professionals direct, secure and real-time access to corporate systems
• Pre-installed productivity apps include Vlingo, F-Secure Antitheft,
QuickOffice and World Traveler
• Business apps from Ovi Store include Salesforce for Symbian,
Bloomberg, F-Secure Mobile security, Microsoft
Communicator Mobile, JoikuSpot
Security
• Business grade security solutions such as device lock and
wipe, secure intranet access and device management
• More Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync® policies supported
than on most other smartphones BT3 0 with support for stereo headsets
• Higher security with Microsoft® Exchange ActiveSync®
certificate based authentication*)
• Cisco and Juniper SSL VPN support*) in addition to existing
rich IPSec VPN compatibility
• Rich OMA DM support with enforceable encryption and
device controls including camera and bluetooth
• F-Secure Anti-theft protection to remotely lock, wipe and
locate misplaced devices
*) available via a software update in 1Q2011
Free navigation, forever
• Free worldwide satellite car and walk navigation from Ovi
Maps in over 70 countries
• Built in premium guides from Lonely Planet and Via
Michelin for tips on travel, restaurants, weather
and hotels
A rich multimedia experience
• HD quality imaging and cinematic sound
• Shoot and edit photos and video with a 8 MP camera
• Dolby Digital Plus Surround Sound and HDMI connection
• Three fully customizable home screens
• Live updates from Facebook, Twitter, and RenRen
Technical Profile
System: WCDMA 850/900/1700/1900/2100 and
GSM/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900
OS: Symbian^3
Form Factor: Touch and full keyboard
Dimensions: 123.7 x 62.4 x 13.6 mm (L x W x H)
Weight: 176 g
Display: 4 inch, polarized, AMOLED, widescreen
(640 x 360 pixels) capacitive touch
Battery: 1200mAh BL-4D
Media Storage/
Memory: 16GB mass memory,350 MB internal
memory, RAM256 ROM 1024
Video Playback: Video recording, Performance: encoding
25 fps, decoding 30 fps, File Formats:
H.264, MPEG-4, VC-1, H.263, Real Video
10, ON2 VP6, Flash video
Music Playback: radio, music player,
Supported codecs: MP3,AAC,eAAC,
eAAC+,WMA,AMR-WB- AMB-NB, DRM
support WM DRM, OMA DRM 2.0
Main Camera: Image capture: 8 megapixels
Video capture: HD 720p
Flash: dual led

Connectivity
• WLAN IEEE802.11 b/g/n
• BT3.0 with support for stereo headsets
• Positioning with GPS, A-GPS, WLAN and Cell-ID
• Micro-USB 2.0 high speed for file transfers and charging
• USB On-the-Go
• Nokia AV connector 3.5 mm for audio input/output and
TV out
• HSDPA Cat9, maximum speed up to 10.2 Mbps,
HSUPA Cat5 2.0 Mbps
Operating times (estimates)
• Talk time (GSM/WCDMA) – 9 h /5 h
• Standby (GSM/WCDMA) – 18 d /20 d
Nokia Original Accessories
• Nokia High Efficiency Charger AC-10 (inbox)
• Nokia Connectivity Cable CA-179 (inbox)
• Nokia Stereo Headset WH-205 (inbox)
• HDMI-C to HDMI-A adapter: CA-156
• Micro USB to USB OTG adapter: CA-157
Colors
Dark Grey, Silver White, Green, Blue, Orange

Pakistan vs Somerset ODI Tour Match (2010)

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Fri, 3 Sep 2010 11:57:00 +0700

*Pakistan won by 8 Runs*		Pakistanis innings (50 overs maximum)					R	M	B	4s	6s
Mohammad Hafeez	c de Bruyn b Turner	0	11	7	0	0
Shahzaib Hasan	c Turner b de Bruyn	105	164	120	10	2
Azhar Ali	c Gregory b Turner	0	2	3	0	0
Mohammad Yousuf	run out (Trego)	26	24	24	5	0
Fawad Alam	b Turner	97	140	107	7	2
Shahid Afridi*	c de Bruyn b Gregory	2	9	4	0	0
Abdul Razzaq	c Hildreth b Gregory	2	6	5	0	0
Kamran Akmal†	not out	12	19	10	1	0
Umar Gul	c †Buttler b Gregory	0	1	3	0	0
Saeed Ajmal	lbw b Gregory	0	1	2	0	0
Shoaib Akhtar	run out (Trego)	4	5	3	1	0

Total	(all out; 47.3 overs)	264

US Companies Help Pakistan Flood Relief

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Thu, 2 Sep 2010 12:06:00 +0700

Submerged houses are seen in this aerial view at Muzaffargarh district, Punjab Province, Pakistan.

As the United States and other nations send aid to the flood victims in Pakistan, the private sector is also making significant contributions. The U.S. Chamber of Commerce is coordinating relief efforts being made by private American corporations.

Stephen Jordan is the executive director of the Business Civic Leadership Center at the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
“It is one of those cases in which no business is going to be engaged in across the board in everything. But there are going to be specialists and experts in almost everything,” he said.

Jordan added that U.S. companies have the specific resources to address the many specific needs of disasters like the Pakistan floods. “A lot of this is self-selecting. That is the beauty of the private sector. Individual companies are great at individual things. So a lot of the pharmaceutical companies, a lot of the health care companies are going to focus on the health care issues,” he said.

“The engineering, construction and heavy equipment companies are going to focus on dams, roads and those kind of things. The financial services companies are going to help say with small business capacity building, (and) micro-finance,” Jordan said.

Although the death toll has been relatively low, the floods have affected millions of people as it has washed through Pakistan’s economy. Anne Patterson is the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan. She said initial aid trickled in before the magnitude of the disaster was felt.

“I think the response of the international community was anemic at first. In part because the generous donations to Haiti, in part because the death toll here was mercifully low.” Ambassador Patterson also said “I think the economic impact is going to be huge because so much of the country was affected.” She welcomes the help from private companies, and says their involvement will be a boost for Pakistan in the future.

“Pakistan does present very promising investment opportunities for American corporations, who have largely had a very good experience here on the ground in Pakistan,” she said. “I appreciate that is hard to promote investment when you see a good portion of the country underwater. But even more urgently now, American investment is going to be required to rebuild the country.”

Ambassador Patterson said “I am convinced that American corporations and entrepreneurs can make money here, even in this environment.”

Stephen Jordan said the U.S. Chamber of Commerce has been approached to help Pakistan in a number of areas. “The appeals that we have gotten are for example how we can help out children, how we can help out in terms of education, how we can help out in terms of engineering, public works,” he said. “They are very concerned about dam failures and flooding affecting highway infrastructure. So we are looking at engineering issues. We are also looking at massive, massive health care issues. They are concerned of course about diarrhea, cholera and all of the water-borne illnesses that you can just imagine,” Jordan said.

Once relief aid is gathered, the U.S. military is on the ground to help spread the donations. “Distribution is always key in natural disasters like this,” Ambassador Patterson said. “So I think the military is here. They are very active. And they are bringing in people from these isolated areas of the country with the capacity only the United States can provide.”

The U.S. Chamber of Commerce says Pakistan ranks as the third largest recipient of disaster assistance from the business community over the past five years, behind Haiti and China.

Statement by ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Wed, 1 Sep 2010 16:56:00 +0700

ICC Chief Executive Haroon Lorgat today issued a statement in the light of the ongoing investigation into allegations of corruption during the England v Pakistan Test match at Lord's, which concluded on Sunday.

Mr Lorgat said: "The International Cricket Council (ICC), England and Wales Cricket Board (ECB) and Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) are committed to a zero-tolerance approach to corruption in cricket. All allegations of betting irregularities or fixing of matches or incidents within matches are investigated thoroughly by the ICC's internationally respected Anti-Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) and this case is no different.

"Currently, senior ACSU investigators are in the United Kingdom conducting enquiries into the allegations directed at some Pakistan players during the recently concluded Test against England at Lord's. That investigation has the full support and co-operation of the ECB and PCB. In addition, ACSU officials are assisting London's Metropolitan Police with their criminal investigation.

"Led by Sir Ronnie Flanagan, the ACSU is the most respected and experienced such unit in world sport and it has at its disposal a robust and far-reaching Anti-Corruption Code that all ICC Members support and are bound by.

"The integrity of the game is of paramount importance. Prompt and decisive action will be taken against those who seek to harm it. However, the facts must first be established through a thorough investigation and it is important to respect the right of due process when addressing serious allegations of this sort.

"Make no mistake ? once the process is complete, if any players are found to be guilty, the ICC will ensure that the appropriate punishment is handed out. We will not tolerate corruption in this great game."

Trott and Broad save England with record stand

noreply@blogger.com (Rayan Shah) — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 19:32:00 +0700

Jonathan Trott and Stuart Broad hit centuries at Lord's on Friday to save England with a record eighth-wicket stand after Pakistan fast bowler Mohammad Amir had blown away the early batting in the fourth and final test.

Trott batted all day to reach 149 not out, adding 244 with Broad (125 not out) to lead England to 346 for seven in their first innings at the close of the second day.

Broad, in an innings of genuine quality, scored his maiden test century and the first by an England number eight since John Murray against West Indies in 1966.

His partnership with Broad is an England record for the eighth wicket against Pakistan, and the second highest against any country.

The hosts, 2-1 up in the series, were reduced to 47 for five in the morning session after resuming on 39 for one. Only 12.3 overs were bowled on Thursday

Eighteen-year-old Amir picked up six for 73 in 23 outstanding overs. He took four wickets in eight balls without conceding a run from the Pavilion end, dismissing Alastair Cook (10) and Kevin Pietersen (0) caught behind from consecutive deliveries.

Paul Collingwood was then trapped lbw for a duck and Eoin Morgan was smartly caught at second slip by Yasir Hameed, also without scoring.

It was the first time the England number four, five and six had failed to score in a test innings.

Amir became the youngest player to capture 50 test wickets when Matt Prior was caught behind for 22 from the fourth delivery after lunch.

Graeme Swann was then caught in the gully by Azhar Ali off Amir for yet another duck.

England, on 102 for seven, were in danger of succumbing for fewer runs than their previous lowest score of 130 against Pakistan.

Instead Trott and Broad combined in a memorable partnership which flourished as the Pakistan bowlers tired and the sun finally broke through to sap any remaining moisture from the pitch.

Trott moved confidently on to the front foot to drive through the covers and the mid-wicket area while Broad played like a top-order batsman.

He flicked Amir for a six over square-leg and played the shot of the day with a blazing off-drive from the same bowler.

Trott, who scored 226 in the Lord's test against Bangladesh this year, reached his century, courtesy of overthrows which raced to the boundary, in five minutes short of five hours with 13 fours.

Broad surpassed his previous highest test score of 76 and moved serenely to his hundred from 159 balls with nine