Introduction

Dengue is the most widespread mosquito-borne infection in human beings, which in recent years has become a major international public health concern. It is usually found in tropical and sub-tropical regions around the world, particularly in urban and semi-urban areas. Over the last 15 years, we have witnessed a dramatic increase in the global incidence of dengue and its severe manifestations such as dengue hemorrhagic fever (DHF) and dengue shock syndrome (DSS). Almost 95% of Dengue cases are amongst children under the age of 15 years. Without proper management, Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever case fatality rates can exceed 20%, however, with modern intensive supportive therapy these rates can be reduced to less than 1%.

Transmission

Dengue viruses are transmitted to humans through the bite(s) of infective female Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes, which generally acquire the virus while feeding on the blood of an infected person. After incubation for 8-10 days, an infected mosquito is capable, during probing and blood feeding, of transmitting the virus, to susceptible individuals for the rest of its life. Infected female mosquitoes may also transmit the virus to their offspring by transovarial (via the eggs) transmission.

Humans are the main amplifying host of the virus, although studies have shown that in some parts of the world monkeys may become infected and perhaps serve as a source of virus for uninfected mosquitoes. The virus circulates in the blood of infected humans for 2-7 days, at approximately the same time as they have fever Aedes Aegypti mosquitoes may acquire the virus when they feed on an individual during this period.

Prevention and control measures

Presently, the only method of controlling or preventing DF and DHF is to combat the vector mosquitoes. Aedes Aegypti breeds primarily in man-made containers like earthenware jars, metal drums and concrete cisterns used for domestic water storage, as well as discarded plastic food containers, used automobile tyres and other items that collect rainwater.

Vector control is implemented using environmental management and chemical methods. Proper solid waste disposal and improved water storage practices, including covering containers to prevent access by egg laying female mosquitoes, are encouraged through community-based programmes. 

The application of appropriate insecticides to larval habitats, particularly those used by the households, such as water storage vessels can prevent mosquito breeding for several weeks therefore these insecticides must be used periodically. The use of family size insecticide treated nets (ITNs) is also recommended. General insecticide spraying targeting mosquito breeding habitats need to be carried out to kill adult mosquitoes using portable or truck-mounted machines.

Guidelines for the families of affected persons

Keep body temperature below 39^oC. Give the patient paracetamol (not more than four times in 24 hours) according to the dose prescribed below:

Age

Dose (tablet 250 mg)

Mg/dose

< 1 year

¼ tablet

60 

1-4 years

½ tablet

60-120 

5 and above

1 tablet

240 

·         Do not give the patient Aspirin or Ibuprofen

·         Give large amounts of fluids (water, soups, milk and juices) along with thepatient’s normal diet

·         The patient should rest

·         Immediately consult your physician if any of the following manifestationsappear: Red spots or points on the skin; bleeding from the nose or gums; frequent vomiting; vomiting with blood; black stools; sleepiness; constantcrying; abdominal pain; excessive thirst (dry mouth); pale, cold or clammy skin; or difficulty in breathing.

Characteristics

Dengue fever is a severe, flu-like illness that affects infants, young children and adults, but seldom causes death. The clinical features of dengue fever vary according to the age of the patient. Infants and young children may have a non-specific febrile illness with rash. Older children and adults may have either a mild febrile syndrome or the classical incapacitating disease with abrupt onset and high fever, severe headache, pain behind the eyes, muscle and joint pains, and rash.

Dengue hemorrhagic fever is a potentially deadly complication that is characterized by high fever, hemorrhagic phenomena, often with enlargement of the liver and in severe cases, circulatory failure. The illness commonly begins with a sudden rise in temperature accompanied by facial flush and other non-specific constitutional symptoms of dengue fever. The fever usually continues for two to seven days and can be as high as 40-41°C, possibly with febrile convulsions and hemorrhagic phenomena.

In moderate DHF cases, all signs and symptoms abate after the fever subsides. In severe cases, the patient’s condition may suddenly deteriorate after a few days of fever when the temperature drops, followed by signs of circulatory failure, and the patient may rapidly go into a critical state of shock and die within 12-24 hours, or quickly recover following appropriate volume replacement therapy.

Immunization

At the present time, no vaccination is available against Dengue Fever or Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever.

Prevent mosquito bites

o    Dengue mosquitoes bite during the daytime - protect yourself from the bite

o    Wear full-sleeve clothes and long dresses to cover the limbs.

o    Use repellents–care should be taken in using repellents on very young children or the elderly

o    Use mosquito coils and electric vapour mats during the daytime to prevent mosquito bites

o    Use insecticide treated nets (ITNs) to protect young children, pregnant women, old people, in addition to others who may rest during the day.

o    Curtains (cloth or bamboo) can also be treated with insecticide and hung at windows or doorways, to repel or kill mosquitoes.

Prevent multiplication of mosquitoes (Vector Control)

Mosquitoes which spread Dengue live and breed in stagnant water in and around houses, and places where solid waste is dumped.

o    Drain out the water from desert/window air coolers when not in use, in addition to tanks, barrels, drums, and buckets.

o    Remove all objects containing water such as plant saucers from the house.

o    All stored water containers should be kept covered at all times.

o    Collect and destroy discarded containers in which water collects, such as bottles, plastic bags, tins, tyres, etc.

o    Efficient disposal of all solid waste/garbage.

Basic facts about Dengue and Dengue Hemorrhagic Fever

How does dengue spread? Dengue is spread through the bite of an infected Aedes Aegypti mosquito. The mosquito gets the virus by biting an infected person. The first symptoms of the disease occur about 5-7 days after the infected bite. There is no way to tell if a mosquito is carrying the Dengue virus. Therefore, people must protect themselves from all mosquito bites.

Where does this mosquito live? This mosquito rests indoors, in closets and other dark places. Outside, it rests where it is cool and shaded. The female mosquito lays her eggs in water containers in and around homes, schools and other areas in towns or villages. These eggs become adults in about 10 days.

Where does the mosquito breed? Dengue mosquitoes breed in stored, exposed, water collection systems. The favoured breeding places are: barrels, drums, jars, pots, buckets, flower vases, plant saucers, tanks, discarded bottles/tins, tyres, or water coolers, and other places where rainwater collects or is stored.

Here goes.

Pakistan had harbored Osama bin laden (whoever ISI or the army etc) for years as a just in case bargaining chip, say should the USA come after its nukes for some silly reason.

Then they saw an opportunity (don’t ask how).

They bargained with the US, offered to give them Laden saying they have found him.

In return the US would ensure and guarantee a Major time big Pakistani role in the post US Afghanistan of 2012.

This allows the US to easily get out of Afghanistan (they were gonna any way in 2012) but now that bin laden problem is part solved, its one less headache.

Pakistan this way gets to counter the Indian role in Afghanistan and can maintain its security better or whatever and counter that threat. ISI is already buddies with some of the taliban there.

And in the meanwhile it can continue acting stupid, ‘oh we didn’t know he was here … how Silly of us…’ , the reward is gonna come later.

Conspiracy theory end.

The future years will now set the record straight. Tick tock.

The Atta Abad landslide in Gilgit-Baltistan (Pakistan) in January 2010 had gone un-noticed and the kind of efforts in managing that disaster, had that disaster taken place in Lahore or Islamabad, were never put in that region. While the slow pace of work continued, the lake behind the landslide which was blocking the Hunza River continued to grow submerging numerous villages and endangering communities downstream should the dam breach.

In an effort to bring this disaster to the public’s top of mind and to try present a clearer picture (literally) of what had happened in the region, I made an appeal to the Google Earth team to help with some current satellite imagery of the disaster area, thinking that maybe images would jolt our government and disaster managers into taking swifter action and rally public support for relief activities in the area.

Those efforts yielded results, NASA released imagery, immediately followed by Google.

A friend of mine and I (we both are contributors to Google Map Maker) set out to make information about that disaster more transparent and publicly available. Meanwhile, a few international organizations started supporting our effort and helped us with the data they had collected.

The result is the Hunza Landslide Relief Support website which brings together maps, photos, locations of sunk villages, IDP camps, hospitals, bridges submerged or at risk and other related info from other organizations all in one place. You will be able to see what the size of this enormous lake really is and see the communities it has affected.

This note is an effort again to highlight the magnitude of this disaster and bring these forgotten peoples plight to our minds. Your few minutes spent on this site looking at the photos  (click the Panoramio link), videos, seeing how the lake grew (various links on the page) and submerged farmlands and houses and learning about the disaster and its effects in general, would be of great help.

This effort was noticed and supported by the people at Google.org and Google gave our site some coverage on their official blog here :)

Oh, and since Telenor’s network has EDGE internet in and around the Hunza valley, one of their USB EDGE sticks (courtesy of their CSR) is helping with the gathering and dissemination of daily updates from the region.

Take a look, here’s the site: Hunza Landslide Relief Support

Before every one freaks out totally, caution is required. But unless you freak out you wont be prepared either…

Yes, be prepared, be very very prepared, but it appears the typhoon/cyclone will not strike Sindh/Karachi with full force and not till Saturday. Situation may change, i am talking about what i have seen from the links below.

Rain induced flooding is the real concern here, being blown away by the cyclone will be a lesser concern since it would have toned back down to just a ‘storm’ by the time it reaches Karachi and environs.

Storms estimated path and other related info can be found at these sites. The “KARACHI WILL BE HIT” slogans are a bit old ( a day old) now as the cyclone had continued on it north-western path longer than anticipated. It will be hitting Oman with full force instead and then lose most of its power.

Good resources here for those who want to track the storm.

Links:
1. http://www.hurricanezone.net/
2. http://www.usno.navy.mil/
3. http://www.nrlmry.navy.mil/tc_pages/tc_home.html
(this link has an associated KML which you can use to watch the storm progress on google earth, pretty good thing with hourly satellite image updates by various satellites)
4. http://tropicalcyclones.blogspot.com/
5. http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/tracking/na201003_flashtool.html?extraprod=flashtool&MR=1
(wunderground’s Flash Tracker is good)

Lastly our own Pak Met:
http://pakmet.com.pk/mon&tc/Tcyclone.pdf

PS. Text on the map such as 04/18Z means, 4th June, 1800hrs Zulu Time or UTC (=GMT). You can calculate Pakistan time by adding 5hrs to the Zulu time.

This expected time is for storm center to be at the given spot. The FRONTS leading the storm will probably bring a change of weather with strong winds and rain and all that which has i hear already started happening in parts of Sindh, but that wont be the real storm itself, which will catch up later. So expect things to happen BEFORE the Zulu time as well!

And Heres a hope and a prayer that we are spared.

BTW I’m not a meteorologist so consume above information with caution and watch out for local news.

In other news, HUNZA, www.local.com.pk/hunza

A reward for coming back

By: Khalid Hayat Jamaldini, Fulbright Scholar 2006-08

When will the Balochs stop being victims of the Pakistani paramilitary forces?

Torture and kidnap of Balochs in Balochistan by the Pakistani law enforcement, especially the paramilitary forces, has become very common practice since the last few years. They kidnap us, arrest us on false charges, torture us, brutally murder us and then throw us away. Many of us are still missing. The reasons behind these incidents are because we are Baloch by ethnic and we are continuously demanding for our rights and identity. This mistreatment happens to Baloch at all level; rich and poor educated and uneducated.

On April 8, 2010 I also had to go through the torture process by the paramilitary forces in Quetta, capital of Balochistan.  It happened when I left my hometown, Noshki, about 120km from Quetta. When we entered Quetta, the time was about 09.00 pm, and the van was stopped a couple of times by the paramilitary. Each time the same questions were asked: where is the van coming from and what’s in your bag? Each time the driver and passengers told them that we came from Noshki, and I had to tell them my bag carried “one laptop and two pairs of cloths”. 

After the van dropped us off at its final destination, I had to catch a riskhaw (a three wheel taxi) to go to the place where I was supposed to spend the night. On the way, I was again stopped several times and the same questions were asked and my reply was the same. And I was asked to get off from the rickshaw and open my bag to prove that I was telling the truth. I really got sick and tired of zipping and unzipping the bag. Therefore, I left my bag opened. Moreover, their rude behavior towards me was torturing, annoying and made me nervous. And I feel that I have entered a different or an occupied territory. 

When I was almost reaching my destination, I was again stopped by the forces, and had to suffer the same process. This time I told them: This is what I have in my bag and you can check it but I am not going to open it for you. You are welcome to do it yourself.  The solider did not like my words and started to shout at me while threatened to punish in a way that I have never thought of. I responded and asked him to let me speak to his officer as I found his behavior offensive.

When he did not return immediately, I went to look for him to sort out the problem so that I could leave. When I found him, I overheard him tell his officer not to release me as he wanted to teach me a lesson; that I was trying to be smart. By now I knew things were going to get messy. They were not allowing me to leave and making me wait long hours became a mental torture to me; and I was forced to stand at the road side.  So I asked to see their senior officer. They told he would arrive soon and that they have decided what to do with me. I was mentally prepared to face the consequences of my action and I recalled all that I have heard from other Balochs who had been brutally treated; their stories are true.

A few minutes later, the major arrived in a red Toyota four-wheel pickup, with gunmen, followed by a one-door pickup full of armed men. The latter welcomed the major, after which they called for me. The major, who looks like a ‘practising Muslim” with long beard, greeted me and asked for my name. His name was Asim, according to his nametag. I started the conversation in English, where he told me that his men had lodged a complained against me.

I replied “Major, it is good that they have someone to listen to them. To whom and where should I complain about their rude behaviors that I faced since I entered this city”.

We went further and discussed what the issue was. I told him that I was carrying my laptop and clothes in this bag that I have zipped and unzipped it several times since I have entered the city.

I said: “I have just told your solider the same and if he wanted to check he is welcomed but I am not going to open it for him because I am tired”.

“He has taken my words as an insult because he is in uniform,” I told the major.

The major said that his men were standing there for civilian’s security and they were called by the provincial government. I replied “We appreciate what you people are doing but it does not mean that you have to get on our nerves. We also get tired of being disrespected in the name of security”.

Furthermore, I told him that I have not seen any improvement in the situation despite an increase of torture cases against us.  Asked again for my Identity card to double check and asked me where I work. I replied I was jobless, just came to the city to buy some stuff and will return home tomorrow; and that was a fact.

 His people started to search my bag and within a second or two without opening the other pockets they showed Asim a piece of marijuana rapped in a plastic. Well, I was already prepared to face all this when they were discussing among themselves about teaching me a lesson. After showing it to the major, he asked if indeed I was carrying the drug.

 I replied “I am really sorry to say that you haven’t heard a single word that I have been telling you. Let me repeat it for you: this bag has been unzipped several times at different check posts and this time I did not protest nor show them the bag. But I asked them to do it themselves. I said I was not going to open it for them”.

I added “At the other posts, no one found such stuff in my bag although they searched every part of it, but at this post they found this piece of rubbish in my bag without opening and searching every pocket of it. And for your information, I have never smoked in my life and nor I am a drug addict or a dealer carrying a couple of grams marijuana to make an earning”.

 I continued telling the major this was really childish, that I had heard all this before and seen it in the movies, and that it was good that I was seeing it in real life. For awhile, I thought the major has realized that his men had chosen the wrong tactic to take revenge on me.

When he asked his men why they did this to me, they replied that they were prepared to swear on the Holy Quran that they have not kept the marijuana. This sentence of theirs upset me a lot and I lost my temper.

I told them “Look at yourselves you bastards with long beards on your faces; you want to prove that you are practicing Muslims but in reality you are worse than the Satan (devil).You guys are ready to swear on the Holy Book. Do you ever know the importance of the Quran”?

The major interrupted and tried to calm me down by telling me that I am “an educated person” and such language did not suit me. I told him that I am being rewarded already for being a highly educated person in this society.

“For almost two hours you guys have kept me on hold and mentally tortured me and tried to prove that I am a drug dealer,” I told him.

People started to gather around but the paramilitary forces moved them away and prohibited them from crowding the area. Now I was completely mentally prepared to go in the depth of it to find out till what extend these so called “life saver or protector” of this country will do with me.

The major asked for my closed friends contact numbers which I refused to give because I did not want to get them involved in this trouble. I gave him my elder brother’s contact number. I told the major that he was not in the city so do not worry him. He dialed my brother’s number and moved ahead. After a minute or so, my brother called me saying that someone by the name of Asim had called him and said that “Khalid had an accident and he is suffering from serious head injuries”. 

I could feel the fear in his voice and that he was trying to find out if everything was okay with me. I told him the whole story and he asked me why this guy told him a lie. I went to Asim to find out and this time his gunmen did not allow me to go near him but still I persisted and asked him why he lied to my brother?

Asim asked me if I wanted him to tell my elder brother the truth – which I had been caught carrying illegal drugs. Now I felt the change of tone in his voice, which made me aware that I was talking to a “MAJOR”.

 I told him that this may be a truth that was created by his people but not for my brother.

“If you do not know who I am, my brother and my people know me and my family very well. They will not believe your nonsense story,” I added.

He ordered his gunmen to take me to the police station and launch an FIR (First Investigation Report). I responded by saying it was a mistake for me to think he was an educated person.

“You are worse than your gunmen. You have proved to me that you are bias, Balochistan is an occupied state by Pakistan and you guys have sworn to torture the innocent Balochs in the name of security,” I said.

Now I had to face the knocking of his solider. All of them wanted to take part in beating me and to prove to their boss how loyal they are to him. They wanted to handcuff me but I did not allow them. They dragged me to their pickup and moved to the police station to launch the FIR. I entered into the room before them. When the officer on duty saw me spotting a French cut, carrying a laptop bag on my shoulder and wearing neat clothes, he stood up to welcome me and to find out how he can help.  When he found the paramilitary guys behind me, he changed his mind because he realized that they have brought in another victim and he cannot interfere in their work. If ordered, he has to do what they asked him to although they are from different departments. In the FIR they wanted to mention that drugs were found on me; that I have abused Pakistan; I have misbehaved with the officers in uniforms and snatched the tags on their shoulders, which they did themselves to prove me guilty. There were a lot of other allegations.

 I realized that they thought I may be a doctor by profession when I heard them telling the officer on duty that this guy does not know what type of doctors we are. He will soon find out after the FIR was launched and he was admitted to the orthopedic ward of the hospital.

Suddenly a friend of mine, a lawyer by profession entered the room and saw me sitting on the bench. We were both surprised to see each other because the last time we met was in a farewell party arranged by all my friends before I left for States for my Masters under the Fulbright Scholarship in 2006. He was there to release his client and when he saw the paramilitary forces he just kept silent for a few seconds and said to me in Balochi (language) “Khalid, I just pray for the day to come soon when we are no longer their victims”.

He requested the senior police officer, who had earlier entered the room and prepared pen and paper without listening to me, not to launch the FIR. My friend told me he would handle everything and I have only to listen to him. In our culture when we authorize someone, we are bound to follow the decision he makes.  After an argument which lasted for an hour or more in a separate room between my friend and the paramilitary forces, my friend requested me to apologize to them.  One of them later demanded that I should bend down on my knees and beg for forgiveness and then only they will accept my apology. Another session continued to remove this demand.

 He told me that as a friend, he did not want to embarrass me in front of them.  He said he knew all the “dirty games” they played with the Balochs, which was why he did not want to hand me over me to them; not at any cost; not because of the physical or mental torture I was suppose to go through but just because he did not want to lose another Baloch. 

Later, I said to one of the lower ranking officers named Aslam, who spotted a trim mustache and long beard: I just want to about you guys who go along with your major; you are pretending to be practicing Muslims by your outer looks but are you ready to swear on the Holy Quran that you have not  kept the marijuana in the bag?

In response he gave me a wicked smile. My friend dropped me at home at around 02.00am and asked me to forget the incident. It would not be easy for me to forget it because I will see this happening every day and whenever I see someone being insulted at the roadside by these people it will remind me of the episode.

I do not want to be bias like Major Asim. But the questions will always occur in my mind

Why are they the only ones who could feel insulted, not us?

Why did the major lie to my brother?

Why did the major support his people despite knowing that they had kept the drug?

And why did not the major play a neutral role in this whole incident?

When I studied in America, never have I blamed the Americans for treating me as a third class citizen, but in reality we, the Balochs are treated as a third class citizens on our own land. I have travelled around the world including United States and United Kingdom but I have never been treated in such a disrespectful manner, neither at the immigration nor by their citizens. I have travelled to different cities of states and not a single day I was stopped by any law enforcement agency to prove my identity nor have I been asked to check my bag. While in Washington DC when carrying out my research, I had to cross the Senate, Supreme Court and Capitol Hill buildings in order to get to the Congress Library but not even a single day have I been stopped  but in my own land I have being asked ten times in one single hour to prove my identity.

I have been analyzing Balochistan’s situation very closely and it seems to me that the Pakistani forces do not care whether we are educated or illiterate. All they want to do is prove to us that they are more powerful than us, and that our territory has been occupied by them.

It seems, we cannot ask for our rights and seek justice for our people because we are their slaves. If we do, it means that we are insulting them, and this is something they simply cannot bear. Kidnapping, torturing and murdering of innocent Balochs have proven that the gun is more powerful than knowledge or education; they will continue to control us with the power of guns. For them, every single Baloch who fights for his rights is considered to be an Indian agent, and must be dealt with urgently.

It clicked in my mind that if a Major, with an obscure features can back his people who lie, an act which neither Islam nor education allows, then why should not we support our people who are fighting for the rights of the Baloch nation?

Why should not we pay the highest respect for the people who have lost their lives for this cause? Why should not we participate in demonstrations demanding for the whereabouts of the missing Baloch\s? And why should not we motivate the youth to fight for their rights? Because fighting for justice is what Islam and education teaches us.

I urge all Balochs sitting in parliament to wake up immediately and fight for the rights of Baloch instead of being a puppet of the Pakistani law enforcement agencies and its establishment.

Anyone remember the TV ad from the 80’s which went, “Tea time, tea time, Montgomery tea time…Any day, any time, Montgomery tea time, Good day,  good time, Montgomery tea time….”

This was a biscuits ads from that mid eighties era.

How come no one makers Anaar, انار, pomegranate ice cream in Pakistan?

I want to eat exotic Anaar Ice Cream!

Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Complaints against anything mobile or telecommunication related:
0800-55055

Get a new Land Line from PTCL

0800-80800 

1. Check the authenticity of any Computerised National ID Card (CNIC)

Send an SMS to ‘7000’ with the CNIC number in the text field.

You get a reply (in urdu) with the Citizen’s name and the name of the persons Father. Charges Rs. 10 +Tax, Courtesy NADRA.

If the details on the actual CNIC and the response don’t match then there is cause for concern!

2. Check the number of mobile phone connections registered in your name against your CNIC:

Send an SMS to ‘668’ with the CNIC number in the text field. Or you can go to the PTA SIM Information System website.

You get a reply (in English) listing the number of connection registered with EACH mobile operator in Pakistan against the particular CNIC number you sent (preferably your CNIC!) Charges Rs. 2+ Tax

Don’t be too surprised to find if your CNIC has numbers registered against it which you never knew about! To fix this go to the mobile operators service center/franchise and ask them to verify the number of connections against your name. Fill out a form to get blocked/shut down the numbers which don’t belong to you. This is important for your safety!

3. Check the Owner Name and CNIC against which your CURRENT SIM(S) is/are registered.

Send a blank SMS to ‘667’ from the mobile number the ownership of which you want to check.

In response you will get an SMS stating the Name anf the CNIC against which the number from which the SMS was sent is registered.This helps you verify if the number you are using is properly registered in your name.

This used to be a free service, not sure if it still is.

4. Verify Car/bike/vans/etc ownership/registration details for vehicles registered in Lahore and Punjab. (system working for Lahore vehicles so far)

Go to the website of the Motor Transport Management Information System (MTMIS).

Enter the car registration number (according to the format suggested on the site) and you will get the names of all previous owners along with father names and the city of residence. You will also get details on the cars registered Chassis and Engine numbers as well as the purchase price of the car when it was new and registered for the first time!

This is handy when purchasing used cars and processing change of ownership. You probably can also figure out which influential was flouting rules and displaying obnoxious and vanity ‘get-out-of-my-way’ M.N.A. / M.P.A. /EDITOR etc plates on his/her car!

Why again does Pakistan railways OWN land all over Pakistan? And then people keep encroaching on it. And it doesn’t fall under jurisdiction of the local authorities, i.e. local bodies cant really make railways follow the city guidelines for planning purposes.

Take so many railway crossings across Lahore. You have a nice road and then there is a bottle neck railway crossing, ancient and one car wide, and the powerless city planners cant even touch the crossing to make it conform to the roads needs?

Anyway, the sheer amount of land that the Railways has is mind boggling (need numbers here). Pity they dont know how to monetize it, billions(?) of rupees worth of land and property lying doing nothing! If you want to see, drive around the railways areas in Rawalpindi near Dhok Hassu on IJP road and the Moghalpura area in Lahore where major railways facilities lie.

The brilliant people of railways can neither put the land to good use nor are they able to provide quality services to their customers.

They also cant spell Corporate or Business.

Railways needs an audit of its land and the Govt. should recover all the land which Railways is putting to waste. Lean, mean business machine?

Pakistan Railways sadly is stuck in a time vortex, they need new blood and they need a damn strategy.

And someone rightly said, Hope is not a strategy.