(Image from this article)

It is an important day for us, no doubt. But it was sad to see hordes of people burning money on fireworks, running amok in SUVs and firing automatic weapons into the air. Even those without access to these luxuries and banned items were still out on the streets, adding to the traffic jams and the general state of apathy.

At any other time, such displays of joy and celebration are tolerable. It is a common perception that we don’t have many forms of entertainment and occasions such as these are opportunities to let off some steam. However, at a time when 20 million Pakistanis are homeless and in need of urgent help, there is no excuse. This sort of behavior is insensitive and shows that even if we have something better to do, we don’t.

There were also campaigns that called on people to refrain from buying flags, fireworks etc. and instead, spend the money to help flood victims. Sad to see that they didn’t have much effect. Maybe we deserve to be ruled by the incompetent leaders that have mostly stood by and filled their own pockets.

It was heartening to see the armed forces cancel the usual celebration plans for the 14th August and the 6th of September. And their efforts in this front are highly commendable. So are those of countless volunteers who have ventured into the worst affected areas and also those who have donated generously.

But much more is needed. More money, more supplies and more volunteers. Things would look a lot more hopeful if we took part in the operations rather than be indifferent to the disaster.

As is the case with most events concerning Pakistanis, many conspiracy theories have sprung up about the cause of the crash which was most likely due to human error or failure to follow proper procedures. The exact cause of the crash has not been determined, or at least hasn’t been made public yet, but the incident has put into question how closely safety standards and regulations are followed by the airlines operating here. (link). May we never see such an incident again.

The other calamity to hit us came as a result of the annual monsoon rain and glacial melt-water. Severe flooding has caused hundreds of deaths and left countless poeple homeless in the Khyber Pakhtoon Khwah (formerly NWFP) province. We’re likely to see more damage in the coming days as the flood waters hit the Punjab province and then the Sindh, before emptying into the sea.

A smaller flood hit us in Islamabad on Wednesday cut off most parts of the capital from each other. Though the water receded soon afterwards, it left debris on many roads and even in many homes. It also damaged one of the main power grids (the one in my sector) and caused an outage that lasted for two whole days. I better put my alternative energy plans in motion to avoid another such incident.

The raging torrent that is River Jhelum today

The sad fact is that we experience severe dry spells every year. The monsoons come every year and the waters rise to catastrophic levels almost every other year. Yet we can’t help but fall victim to this recurring nightmare while those in power use it as an opportunity to acquire foreign aid instead of investing in infrastructure. The aid is a fraction of the actual amount by the time it reaches those in need of it, if it ever gets there.

Most plans for the development of reservoirs, flood barriers and dams are shelved due to staunch opposition from powerful people who stand to lose their piece of the pie. Same goes for electricity generation and so many of the other problems we face today. If only we could put national interests before those of the chosen few.

Too bad for the match, but at least we’ll get a relief from the horribly stifling weather we’ve been having recently. Night temperatures have been in the high 30s (around the 98 degrees Fahrenheit mark), while humidity is high enough to keep your hands all clammy.

Guess I’ll need to find another venue. Oh, and I’m cheering for Spain tonight.

Anyway, the interface looks a little slicker, and there must be some hidden features I’ve yet to try out, but there’s nothing really really cool about it. Besides the new default theme off course. That’s pretty nice, as you can see here. Still, not worth skipping the blog posts.

Remind me to post more regularly please.

The Cruze is quite an impressive car with a new design and a very cool, sporty interior. However, the high price tag in Pakistan is bound to be a hurdle for most people. At least I probably won’t be upgrading anytime soon.

More info on it here.

Would love to come up with a Python WordPress, but just don’t have the time to work on something that big. For now, I’m moving to WordPress and a really simple theme. Hopefully, there won’t be too many issues to sort out. All previous posts will still remain available as static content.

Good to  be back.