It is time to consider the implicit message and meaning contained in the fact that all television channels, including the state-owned PTV, have three-day, all day and night, programmes to celebrate the occasion. There is something quite explicitly, definitive about it — it is a statement that the Eidul Fitr (or Eidul Azha for that matter) are three days festivals, supported by trade and industry, welcomed by society, and a fertile ripe public opinion underwriting it as a norm. There is a need to contemplate this in the light of Eidul Fitr October 2006, the mood of which is bound to remain strong into Sunday October 29th — today-and in fact for the next few weeks as Eid Milan parties will unfold their lavish menus.

Regardless of the number of days that are gifted by the government or the employers, there is a need to understand, to appreciate that the religious and cultural values of this society — in which much as critics and entrepreneurs may disagree, that the people place a strong emphasis on holidays on such religious occasions. It is not possible to either wish or legislate them away. Not when even the electronic media, strong and influential declares three days of festivity. When all its channels are exploding with music, fun and games, and its streaming TV commercials advocating consumerism. Look what the cellphone companies are doing, and more so on Eid — persuading and even enticing vulnerable sections of society to talk all night on the cell phone. Even promising talk free and freely, depending upon the package that has been bought.!!

Let me underline that during the Eid days, when the print media was closed for two days (finally!!) one private TV channel carried such news reports reinforce the point about the holiday desire and the holiday mood of Pakistani society which refuses to diminish even in the face of high prices, lowered service quality, poor governance, and growing complaints of how strangulating the octopus of corruption and inefficiency have become.

One of these news reports dealt in detail with the fact that the majority of the ATMs in the commercials bank in the city were not working -- in that there were either malfunctioning in a straightforward manner — or there was no cash. There was such heavy withdrawal given the closure of the banks for Eid (Sunday through Thursday — five days) that the banks could not cope with the demand for cash. That much for the efficiency of the banks — a subject that does not get enough exposure in the media given the advertising clout and manipulation they have, singly and collectively. The State Bank of Pakistan has taken notice of it — but the results have not been forthcoming.

Take the other issue — that of Eidi. Besides a cultural value and norm, integral to Eid, it also reflects our consumerism and overspending on Eid — as reflected in the fact new currency notes which were in exceptionally high demand this year. It does not, however, mean that the new notes released by the State Bank have any aesthetic value or that they can weather day-to-day transaction. Believe me, some of the new currency notes are already so shabby, and so soon in the innings, that the SBP management should order an inquiry into the matter, remarked one disgusted common man. What the State Bank Governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar has ordered is an inquiry into the illegal sale of new currency notes this Eid. Quite possibly, SBP staff is involved, — is the general perception. But the other side of the story, that people relax on eid, need at least three days to celebrate, and spend generously (despite the odds) is like the other side of the coin. The cultural coin, that is.

This Eid, for all the time that we have had even before the festival, much of the dialogue and conversation centred around the subject of three Eids — and whether this was avoidable. There were arguments on both sides, and many citizens were eloquently asking on what was wrong if one Eid wasn't celebrated in the country on the same day. If the agreed principle is the physical sighting of the moon, go ahead and celebrate it, if the moon is sighted in one particular part of the land, said one gentleman and perceived a democratic dispensation in this in approach.

Of course, there was another interpretation to the three Eids that we had — as a result of which we have had a festive, lazy and leisurely, anti-work mood and attitude that should show signs of wearing off sometime on Monday — the earliest, I daresay! Some people felt that this was reflective of the underlying dissent and opposition there is to official announcement of the Markazi Ruet-i-Hilal Committee. Others read a symbolism into all this — suggesting that this was natural outcome of the bitter discord that we have on almost all matters in this society.

But Eidul Fitr 2006, on hot humid days in October, which made people stay indoors during the daytime, generally, had more than a week-long holiday dimension. The problems of street crime and dengue fever remained constant, it appeared. This feeling one got even in the initial stages of the Eid holidays.

A friend of mine, Munawar Karamat Ahmed, said he went for Eid prayers in Clifton (near Sea View) and he was amongst several car owners who returned to find after the prayers that the small windows of their cars broken, and the accessories, like radio and recorders missing. His sister, listening, remarked spontaneously: “connivance." To which I remarked "under organized cover."

Our conversation went onto the subject of senior citizens being neglected on Eid and similar occasions. Eid conversations can be very varied and one theme that seemed to dominate was that of the SMS messages that flooded the cellphones and their networks. Like TV channels which have over the years, changed the Eid culture in homes, this is yet another factor that is inducing families to stay indoors. Given the long distances that Karachi has, the traffic jams that are feared, and cost considerations as well the SMS has virtually become a best means of greeting on Eid. "Even those who normally make phone calls, on Eid, sent SMS greetings," said one Karachiite. He did not sound very approving of this fresh technological inroad into our "traditional Eid values." That these messages had very pedantic and stereotyped English and Urdu texts are an additional cheerless dimension.

The word of SMS and MMS messages — and of these "bolo SMS messages" is a subject for another day. There is a sociology and psychology behind this phenomenon that needs to be discussed, analyzed. Right now we are still in the midst of what a colleague described as the "Eid hangover."

Friday was a working day, but the markets were closed — and so was the mind... Those who came to work — worked without their minds (!) as their hearts were relaxing in laziness and leisure — and their beings seeking sleep without a break.

ISLAMABAD: Good tidings for Indo-Pakistan diplomacy. The Indian government has finally filled in the key diplomatic slot of external affairs minister that had been lying vacant for almost a year. The new man in, Pranab Mukherjee, who has moved from the defence to the external affairs ministry, was in the international spotlight last month when he led the Indian delegation at the UN General Assembly in New York.

The appointment of a foreign minister in India augurs well for the Indo-Pakistan composite dialogue as it paves the way for political engagement which is crucial for giving impetus to the sluggish peace process.

The dates for the foreign minister level review meeting as required under the agreed framework of the composite dialogue would now be worked out. Although the meeting is unlikely to be held back to back with the foreign secretary-level talks scheduled for November 14-15 in Delhi it may take place later in the month.

Under the composite dialogue framework agreed between Pakistan and India in 2004 a political-level review meeting of foreign ministers is to follow the official level dialogue between the foreign secretaries of the two countries at the conclusion of each round.

Foreign Minister Kasuri met Pranab Mukherjee in New Delhi last April when he had accompanied President Gen Pervez Musharraf on his official visit to India.

Although both Mr Kasuri and Mr Mukherjee were in New York last month for the inaugural session of the UN General Assembly they did not get a chance to interact there.

As defence minister Mr Mukherjee had been indulging in anti-Pakistan rhetoric but the general sense now is that in his new office he is bound to be more careful and diplomatic. This is already evident by the fact that soon after taking over as the external affairs minister he expressed his desire of living in peace with Pakistan.

“We cannot alter our neighbours. As we cannot alter our neighbours, it is desirable to live with our neighbours in peace and create tension-free situation on our borders with our neighbours,” Mr Mukherjee said in Delhi while responding to questions on Pakistani role in terror attacks in India, it was reported.

Mr Mukherjee who is second to the prime minister in the cabinet hierarchy was reportedly reluctant to take over as external affairs minister. Apparently he wanted to be a deputy prime minister but the Congress party President Sonia Gandhi refused to create that slot. In Pakistan Mr Mukherjee is viewed as a ‘hardliner’ and a political stalwart whose voice carries weight. Then there is also this view that individuals at the Indian external affairs ministry do not make any difference and it is the institutional or the establishment view that prevails in the end. But the indications from New Delhi are that in case of Mukherjee it may be a little different. That he will be the man calling the shots on foreign policy front and would not like interference in his ministry from Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) that has thus far been dealing with the crucial aspects of foreign policy, particularly vis a vis Pakistan and the US.

“The Congress buzz is that Mr Mukherjee, who did not allow intervention from the PMO in defence ministry, will equally be possessive about all matters related to foreign policy,” wrote Seema Mustafa in Indian daily Asian Age on Saturday.

An Indian analyst who sees Mr Mukherjee as a man without any major controversies, also believes he would assert himself and not just be guided by the establishment agenda.

The dominant view in the Indian media is that the ruling Congress Party has “chosen the best man among the lot” who is most experienced, politically most influential and close to the Gandhi family. In the Indian circles he is seen as a level-headed person and an intellectual with a vision of his own.

Pranab Mukherjee, 70, generally referred to as a loyalist of the Congress Party is said to have been “the principal trouble-shooter” for Mrs Sonia Gandhi. But former external affairs minister Natwar Singh was quick to remind the Indian media soon after Mr Mukherjee’s appointment that he was expelled from the Congress for six years when he formed his own party and had attacked the late Prime Minister Indira Gandhi.

Mukherjee has held key portfolios in various Congress-led governments. He was the finance minister in Rajiv Gandhi’s government from 1982-84, served as external affairs minister Narsimha Rao’s cabinet from February 1995 to May 1996 and was appointed defence minister in 2004. According to Natwar Singh his successor’s last tenure in the ministry of external affairs had not been “particularly sparkling.”

RED ALERT: The Ministry of Foreign Affairs was alerted on Eid day when a fake press release was e-mailed to the media in its name.

The email dated October 25, 2006 and issued at 14:13 hours was titled: “One of FBI’s ‘Most Wanted Terrorists’ confirmed dead in Pakistan” and came with an attachment meant to mislead its recipients into believing that the news had been carried by CNN.

The attachment read: “(CNN) — An Al Qaeda operative wanted in connection with the 1998 US Embassy bombings was killed in April in Pakistan, American officials have confirmed.

“Pakistani officials had said that Muhsin Musa Matwalli Atwah was killed in North Waziristan during an airstrike by Pakistani forces near the border with Afghanistan.”

The Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam made it clear she had not issued any press release. “This is a fake,” she told the curious hacks puzzled by the bizarre press release.

The format of the fake press release was the same as used by the Office of the spokesperson. It was serial numbered ‘P.R. No. 329/2006’. Clearly the fraudster got it wrong as the last press release issued by the Foreign Office on October 21, 2006 carried serial number: P.R. 321/2006.

Notably in the fake press release the sender’s address was: spokespress@yahoo.com instead of the official address of the foreign ministry’s spokesperson, which is: spokesperson@ mofa.gov.pk

A high-level inquiry will soon be conducted into the matter as it is seen as an attempt by someone to break into the Ministry of Foreign Affairs communication network. Apparently this is the second fake press release issued in foreign ministry’s name in less than four months and has alarmed the officialdom.