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issue Finding a suitable
parking place along the city roads, government offices or near shopping
centres is the foremost concern of a commuter. Even if one finds a parking
lot, it is mostly short of space and already full. It is also because of this
reason that many car park contractors have declared their own 'loose'
boundaries and pushed their limits beyond those defined by the City District
Government Lahore (CDGL). In many cases, these contractors use roadsides and
footpaths as well to accommodate vehicles. MOOD
STREET An
ordinary evening. I am sitting in front of the TV flicking mindlessly. The
phone rings. It's a friend, reminding it's that time of the month again. I
hang up and lo! I've found something to do. I go to my wardrobe and think of
what I can wear this time. "I don't have any nice clothes," I think
imagining all the girls and aunties who will be there with their solitaires
and Gucci and Maria B. I renew my search but in vain. I give up. 'O whatever!
I'll wear anything'. Town
Talk enterprise
With
terrorist threats looming large the world over and in Pakistan, security at
public places has been beefed up everywhere. The security situation at the
Lahore Railway Station remains at the mercy of the authorities and
half-hearted.
Car park contractors' limited liability has led to increase in their disputes with vehicle owners By Shahzada Irfan Ahmed Finding a suitable
parking place along the city roads, government offices or near shopping
centres is Another common trend
nowadays is that contractors allow people to park vehicles behind the already
parked ones. In such cases, they ask owners not to lock their vehicles and
hand over their keys to them so that they can move them freely if required.
Most of the people immediately hand over their vehicle's keys to the
attendants without realising the risk involved in such cases. There have been
many cases where people found valuables missing from their cars on their
return to the park or found them damaged because of careless handling by the
car park attendants. Waqas Chaudhry, a travel
agent, tells TNS that imported rims of his car wheels were stolen from a Waqas says the slip
issued by contractors often state that they would not be responsible in case
of damage or theft to a vehicle. "If that's the case, what do they charge
for? Shall I take off the rims and carry them wherever I go," he adds. Rahat Ali, a resident of
Rang Mahal, says the situation at D-point car parking plaza is even worse.
This plaza was constructed by Lahore Development Authority (LDA) at a cost of
around Rs170 million to resolve parking problems in the area. "People are
supposed to park their cars and motorcycles here. But the attendants allow
vendors to park their carts here just to earn easy money. Our cars get
scratches due to the movement of these carts but nobody cares," he says. Babar Ali, Inspector
Punjab Police, tells TNS that disputes between contractors of parking stands
and owners of vehicles are often referred to police stations. The first
priority in such cases is that the parties reach a compromise and amicably
agree on a certain compensation amount. Locals and representatives of disputed
parties are invited to participate in the meetings held in this respect. In
case there is no breakthrough, the concerned police station has no option but
to file a case and start investigations. He says cases of theft of valuables
from vehicles are mostly resolved on site whereas those related to theft of
vehicles definitely reach police stations. He says it's not an easy
task to reach a conclusion regarding the compensation amount. The owner of the
vehicle would quote a high price whereas the contractor would try to bring it
down to the bare minimum. But the best way is to get an idea of the stolen
vehicle's price from the open market. Babar tells TNS that the overriding
principle is that if a contractor is charging Rs5 or Rs10 for parking a
vehicle, he is bound to protect it or compensate the owner in case of theft or
loss. "If they have no liability, then why shall people pay them any
amount, however insignificant it is?" Arshad Zahid, District
Officer Public Facilities CDGL tells TNS that not all the parking lots in the
city are contracted out by CDGL. "We are responsible for renting out
parking spaces along 32 main roads whereas others are the responsibility of
respective town administrations," he says. Arshad says extreme care is
taken so that only the contractors with sound credentials are short-listed. It
is ensured that they have a spotless track record, he says adding: But if any
incident of theft or damage to a vehicle takes place, it's the concerned
police station that has to be approached. CDGL is not the dispute resolution
forum in such cases, he says. A contractor, who does
not want to disclose his name, says most such cases are frivolous and filed to
blackmail car park owners. He cites a case in which he did not allow a
high-ranking government officer to park his private car free of cost. What
followed, he says, was that the said officer got a parking slip from him and
on return claimed that the side mirrors of his car had been stolen. The case
was referred to the police station. "Though the official had no evidence
to prove his claim, the police sided with him and pressurised me to compensate
him. They also warned me never to confront a government official in
future," he adds. MOOD STREET Yes, me at a committee party By Sarah Sikandar An
ordinary evening. I am sitting in front of the TV flicking mindlessly. The
phone rings. It's a friend, reminding it's that time of the month again. I
hang up and lo! I've found something to do. I go to my wardrobe and think of
what I can wear this time. "I don't have any nice clothes," I think
imagining all the girls and aunties who will be there with their solitaires
and Gucci and Maria B. I renew my search but in vain. I give up. 'O whatever!
I'll wear anything'. I am
there. All dressed up I look for my table. It's not hard to locate. Twenty
ladies with more than twenty maids. There they are. My committee members.
Yes! I am a part of the monthly committee, a significant part of Lahore's
social life. No matter where you go, at any time of the day, you cannot miss
it the committee party. If you still can't remember, think of the loudest
table in the restaurant you saw at your last night out with your friends.
Also the most colourful. They are
the ones you hope you are not given a table with. If you are, forget about a
conversation because you cannot pretend to ignore the juicy gossip at the
next table. Committee
parties hold a vital place in the lives of its members. Every member is
distinct in her own way. Ashee's husband is Income Tax commissioner. Faiza's
husband has two Mercs. Saba's world tours are the most interesting,
especially with her brandishing the assets she collects from all parts of the
world. Fauzia's daughter just got married -- to a millionaire's son mind you.
Never for once they let their 'special feature' slip from their companions'
minds. Then
there is the match-maker. She usually holds a central position in the
committee. She knows everyone and pretends to know even those she doesn't.
She never parts with her rishta catalogue that makes you believe that every
bachelor in Lahore has his/her name in it. The match-maker is very close to
all the members for she gets an invitation to all the households. Then
comes the juiciest part.. the gossips. Nobody wants to miss this one. It is
usually before the food is served and every one if nibbling on their crackers
making sure their lipsticks do not smudge. The unfortunate ones who miss this
part are preyed upon by the vicious gossip-mongers at the table. The Hassan
Sheharyar group tells how their designs have been copied by their friends.
How Lubna saw Tehmina's husband with his female colleague at Fredday's last
Saturday night. Every one tries to boast of the dinner they ate with the
Chief Minister's family. But they are completely overshadowed by the
president's 'relatives'. Political opinions are given. Musharraf supporters
argue for his 'enlightened moderation' while Nawaz 'league' assert his times
were better.but why they are totally clueless. The
venue of the committee is very important. It puts immense pressure on the
committee host to surpass the lavishness of the previous one. If someone gave
the party at her husband's farm house, the next host would start working on
it from that very moment. Even if she has to arrange it by asking someone
else's favour. Giving the party at your house and making them eat the local
bakery stuff is a committee party suicide. If you are taking the risk of
'home made party' you cannot afford to order food from anywhere less than
Kitchen Cuisine or Kaps. Never. Otherwise you are doomed for the rest of the
parties. Committee
parties are fun and they are the best way to vent anger at your in-laws and
relatives. They are also the best training ground for to-be-married girls.
Committee parties are our answer to ever increasing trend of therapies. Who
needs a shrink when you have aunties with handy suggestion about taming your
daughter-in-law. How you should keep an eye on you son who is bringing the
same girl home every time. None of my committee party visits go without an
attempt to look for one meaningful. Nothing. Life is hard as it is. Why not,
for a few moments, forget about exploring the meaning; shut your mind and
think about what to wear for the next committee party.
• Baba
Bulle Shah's Urs begins
on Sunday 26th till Tuesday 28th August 2007 • Jazz
Night at Peeru's Cafe -- a
fusion of Jazz and tabla on Sundays at 9pm for free. • A
concert of unheard melodies at
Government College University Lahore every Saturday at 01:30 PM •
Puppet Show for Children at Alhamra, The Mall
at 11a.m. •
Horse Race Shah Jamal - Shalimar Bagh at Shah Jamal every
Thursday 09:00 PM •
Puppet Shows for everyone at Peerus Cafe Every
Sunday03:00 PM •
Qawwali Music Session at Data Darbarevery Thursday
at 03:00 PM enterprise The art of our times Freelance web designing has grown to become a lucrative opportunity for many "I
know the tricks of the trade. I have taken proper training for graphic
proficiency and I don't think "Freelance
web designing is means of making easy money for me," said Jamal, a
physician by profession. "If
the people are willing to get their websites designed by freelancers rather
than big companies at the cost of quality then it is not the designer who is
to be blamed," comments Faiza associated with a Multinational company. On the
contrary, Hina, an ardent supporter of freelance web designing, believed that
after polishing one's skill it must be utilised. She told TNS that while
studying graphics at university she designed three websites of her classmates
as their final projects and charged heavy amounts of money from them.
"Not only for my work but also to keep it a secret from the
instructor!" Be it
renowned contributors in print or radio jockeys or web developers in
electronic media, freelance web designing has become almost a phenomenon.
Gone are the days when a man was satisfied with a single job; now people
prefer multiple job opportunities. Where the World Wide Web has become a new
dimension of information gathering, similarly it has grown to become a
lucrative opportunity for many. Even the educational institutions all across
Lahore have made 'graphic designing' their USP (Universal Selling point). No
matter what the forte of the institution, web related courses top the list in
the admission prospectuses. The softwares usually taught in web design
programmes are: CorelDraw, Corel Photo-Paint, Adobe Photoshop, Adobe Page
Maker and Macromedia Dream weaver, whereas Java Applet, Macromedia Flash and
Adobe Premiere are helpful in adding video clips on the website. Freelance
web designers also called 'blue lighting' have an aura of mystery attached to
them. Who The
freelancers do not operate in an open market. They work through social
networking; they usually give their portfolios to a close friend or a family
member who would then get work for them. While
working with a software house, the customer has to put up with the entire
calculation that comprises the total number of employees plus working hours
along with the pay scales of each employee per day (till the project is
completed, which might take 15 to 30 days). And not to forget the profit
margin, the average total cost per day is approximately Rs.8000. On the other
hand, a freelancer's costs are comparatively low as he/she is working
individually on the project. When
working with a company the procedural agreement also becomes a hassle for the
clients, 50 per cent advance has to be given, a timeline is set and a
contract is signed. "One has to take no such pains with a freelancer, he
keeps an email communication with his clients," says Omar, an owner of a
factory who hired a freelancer to design his factory's website. Sohail
Hashmi the Business Development Manager of 4D Technologies disagrees with
this attitude of the people. "The biggest downside of the freelancer is
his availability, you can never reach out to them. They give you limited
information about themselves and you have to do with that much," he
said. He further shared his own experience by telling TNS that he once
approached a freelancer for web designing, the deal of the entire website was
struck at Rs. 50,000 with Sohail paying Rs. 25,000 in advance. "Ten days
passed and there was no news of the designer, his cell phone was switched off
and there was no other contact of his, he ran away with the money." The fact
is that freelance designers have no guarantors as in a software house. They
work on their own free will and their rates keep evolving due to which they
are able to manipulate their customers. When asked from software house owners
about the recommended changes that a client proposes they said that usually
the company makes complimentary revisions without charging extra money. Mohd
Ilyas negates this notion outrightly saying: "A freelancer does not
charge any extra money for revising the design. In fact the company owners
never make changes even if the client is unhappy with the design because they
are bound by a contract." When
asked about the quality difference in the designing by freelancers and
professionals, the majority of freelancers opined that their web designs
match market standards. "Elen Mon Wayne, a famous Oprah singer from West
Wales, got her website designed by me. Wayne had seen my portfolio she knew
my reasonable rates and it suited her," claimed Madiha, a student of
graphics. She said that while earning the craft she has designed websites
getting handsome amounts out of them. In
Lahore's web designing market, people want extraordinary work in less money.
Maintaining a website has become essential in all fields today. People get
their websites made in as low as Rs 5000-6000 and for this, students or
professionals who have got formal education are the most viable. By
freelancing they can easily make extra income. Team
expertise, however, cannot be undermined because when a team works on a
project there is the aspect of specialisation such as, animation schemes and
the sound mixing that would be handled by experts. All that many clients want
is a 'contact us' link on the website no matter what the aesthetics of the
design are. This trend has especially taken a leap in the last few years
knowing how youngsters are graduating in bulks from universities and
colleges. It gives them an opportunity to explore new dimensions of the
market.
With
terrorist threats looming large the world over and in Pakistan, security at
public places has been beefed up everywhere. The security situation at the
Lahore Railway Station remains at the mercy of the authorities and
half-hearted. Thousands
of people flock to the Lahore Railway Station daily; a majority of them
travel on a daily The
claims of the railway authorities are unveiled when an individual is given a
hassle free entry into the premises of the Lahore station. Huge contingents
of police, high security at the walk through gates, and proper checking of
all people entering the station are mere claims from the Pakistan railway
authorities. In fact the platform ticket that is compulsory for people to get
hold of before entering the platform area is only applicable for people who
either have some civic sense or are simpletons. Others who are seen without a
platform ticket on the platforms enter through the exit gates without being
checked. Similarly the bomb disposal squad and the police personnel who have
been assigned the duty to check every single person and their luggage are
seen to be busy cracking jokes and spending leisure time on duty without
paying any heed to the passenger who cross into the platform area. When
these on-duty officers were questioned they defended themselves by saying how
can they check a thousand people at the same time? They further added that
inadequate facilities and a low number of staff ends up in a chaotic
situation which can't be efficiently handled by meagre resources. On the
subject of security, a senior officer said that we eye only suspicious
people. "If a person is carrying something that could lead towards an
untoward incident he could be recognised among a million other people." When the
IG of railways police was approached with these questions he said, "Yes
I agree that we don't have the adequate number of staff but the real thing is
how perfectly can we operate with the existing staff." On a question
about the security measures taken in the Lahore Railway Station he said:
"We have started installing CCTVs (cameras) within the station which
will be become operational soon. As far as checking each and every individual
who seeks entry into the railway station is concerned, it is a hard task. In
our society it is taken up as an insult if some one is being questioned by
the police or is being checked. That's why we are in search of people who we
think are suspicious." The
people on the platforms generally said that this irresponsible approach of
the railway police officials was indeed dangerous. Mohammad Tariq who usually
travels through train said: "The railway police should do their job
properly but this does not mean that we shouldn't help ourselves and stay in
our dream world." Judging
by the past, anti-state elements have usually targeted public places to
pressurise the government. Lahore's Railway Station where rusty metal
detectors rarely work, security personnel spend leisure time on duty, and
lack of discipline is the order of the day, may prove to be a target for
terrorists. Proper walk through gates with detectors, sealing of all entry
points from where people have an easy access to the station, and a high alert
24/7 on the station are easy methods of avoiding terrorist activities.
QUESTION TOP 10 Lahori
phrases 1.
Kee ho rya ai? 2.
Hor kee haal ai? 3.
Kee farq painda ai? 4.
Miti pao 5.
Fair kidon aao gay 6.
Gaddi keri rakhi ai? 7.
Aithay ee rehnday o? 8.
Mulaqat honi chaidee ai 9.
Magharon lai 10.
Tahanun kitay vekhaya ai To enlist by popular vote the 'top ten' for next week,
send in your emails on 'Next
week's question: Top ten rumours'.
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the foremost concern of a commuter. Even if one finds a parking
lot, it is mostly short of space and already full. It is also because of this
reason that many car park contractors have declared their own 'loose'
boundaries and pushed their limits beyond those defined by the City District
Government Lahore (CDGL). In many cases, these contractors use roadsides and
footpaths as well to accommodate vehicles.
parking lot. "I raised immense hue and cry but no one was ready to accept
what I was saying. Every body asked me to bring some evidence or excuse the
poor attendant who could lose his job if I insisted for compensation," he
says. 
that such skill should be wasted," said
Fawad a freelance website designer who works as a cashier.
exactly are they? How do they function in the market?What is their
target audience? And most importantly what do they look like? By the look of
things it seems that a man dressed in a black suit with dark glasses fits the
bill of our freelancer. Muhammad Ilyas, ERP (Executive Enterprise Resource)
of Total Parco and a freelance designer says: "The market rates of web
designing are so high that it becomes difficult for the client to meet the
requirements of the market." 
basis from nearby villages and cities to Lahore through
trains in search of a better livelihood. Similarly many people use this mode
to travel to far flung areas within Pakistan. According to an estimate, a
hundred thousand people come to the Lahore station daily and a four-fold
increase is seen in these figures on public holidays and Eids. With such a
huge crowd, the station lags in security. 
