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Free for all ANYONE out to make a quick buck should form an NGO. But that is nothing new. The fresh piece of advice is: form an NGO in Balochistan, preferably in some area close to the Chaman border, stretching up to Pishin...		A tale of forbidden love IT was after years that I received Zeni’s telephone call. In her inimitable accent she said, “Virag, welcome back home from bunvas (exile).” “Thank you, Zeni,” I said. “You sound as sweet as ever.” “Do you still believe in timelessness?” “Yes, I do.”...
A tale of two governors DOES history repeat itself? Historians will of course throw light on this point more candidly and authoritatively. But in our day to day life we do find that it does, though sometimes in a very strange and tragic way. Prior to partition of the subcontinent, when the British Raj was...		In the wrinkle of life LIFE is all about enthusiasm. It bubbles up from within and comes from the very soul and spirit of a person. Loving life and being grateful for every breath keeps the...
Highway to insecurity FOR centuries, the ancient Silk Route was one of the few land links connecting Northern Areas with the outside world; the armies of Alexander, the early pilgrim taking Buddhism to China, caravans of spice and silk traders...		Beyond the blue yonder AFTER weeks of speculation and unprecedented security, on October 16, China finally sent its first astronaut into space. This made the Chinese, a community of more than a billion humans only...
A journey into the past I COULD see the tall white minaret of the tomb of the early twentieth century Punjabi mystic poet, Peer Mehr Ali Shah, where devotees visit all round the year to pay homage. The mud houses, cattle and fields in the autumn sun shine...		Eggs are good CHOLESTEROL is a waxy substance that occurs naturally in all parts of the human body. We need cholesterol for its ability to make many hormones and vitamin D. Cholesterol, is also involved in producing bile acids that help the body process fats. In fact, the body produces enough cholesterol to meet its needs....
Enchanting Dudiput AND then there was Dudiput lake. All of us gasped, we could not breathe. It wasn’t only due to the breathtaking beauty of this elusive enchanting lake, but the real cause...		Pillars of stability IT was a nice weekend till the door bell rang. I guessed it right. It was Yasser. Almost all my horrible hunches have an irritating tendency to turn out to be true. Ha! The much-awaited weekend is gone, no more listening to the soft music....
The shades of culture THE world of culture, that includes literature, painting, music, sculpture, traditions, norms, values, and customs is a creation of human efforts. As it is created, developed and used according to the needs of community, it changes when there are new demands and new requirements....		The case of the Urdu Lughat Board ONE more academic body is in trouble, which may lead to its extinction. There is said to be an official proposal that the Urdu Lughat Board should be amalgamated with the...
Hot Seat PROFESSOR Laeeq Ahmed Khan — yes, of the Science Magazine fame — has no particular preference for any type of film. For him “anything that catches my attention” is a good...		Wearing two hats at a time ... gleefully AAMER Sohail has always been a difficult man to pin down, whether as opening batsman, commentator or selector. Uncomplicated, he hits hard with his opinions and candidness as he did with his bat. He has always been brazenly patriotic...
Nothing succeeds like success WE will come later to the nitty-gritty of what brought about the victory in Lahore, but first let’s celebrate a victory that has sure lifted the morale of those who follow...		Life is a matrix FED UP with the daily rut that life throws up; she had for long been planning a fun party for her family. The night before, she laid the table, set the scented candles waiting to be sparked and chilled the wine...
A litany of half-truths I AM writing my experience so that people benefit and save their time, money and peace of mind and not be deceived by attractive announcements....		A cry for justice WITH reference to the article A cry for justice (September 14), I regret to say that there is a cry for justice not only in Saudi Arabia or Pakistan but in...
MOSAIC: Bloody diamond trade THE link between illegal trade of rough diamonds and the use of diamond trade proceeds to fuel armed conflict was weakened when the United Nations General Assembly passed a resolution in...		Newsmaker IT sounds like a plot right out of a Bollywood thriller — a megastar adored by millions turns out to be someone suspected of shady deals. As the drama unfolds, the superstar pleads innocence and accuses his near ones of defaming him....