Cyber Crime Bill (2016), A Slap on Democracy

A major Difference between Democracy and authoritarian rule is that the former offers liberties such as Freedom of speech, religion and press as an inherent right of the people in a country. Citizens are given the freedom to protest, discuss and criticize anything they are opposed to. They can raise their voice at any available platform , expressing their reservations about something or someone, and thus get their issues addressed by the government or any other entity in question.

The Cyber Crime Bill, 2016 goes against this very basic tenet on which the foundtion of Democracy rests. This electronics prevention bill, after about 55 amendments (47 proposed by the standing committee on Information Technology and Telecommunications and 8 proposed by opposition) to its structure finally got approved by the senate unanimously.

According to the proponents of the bill, it is a step in the right direction. This thought to some extent is true as a vacuum existed in terms of regulation of Cyber activities in Pakistan and efforts in one form or another were underway since 2002 to eliminate it. The bill which has been proposed and accepted, however, is quite controversial, with no clarity as to whose interests the bill will truly serve.

PROVISIONS OF THE BILL

• The bill entails 14 years of jail time and Rs. 5 million for cyber terrorism
• 7 years of imprisonment for anyone who campaigns against an innocent on the internet, hate speech and racism, direct or indirect involvement in Child pornography (accompanied with fines of about 5million Rupees), hacking, electronic fraud, terrorism and for raising funds for terror activities, etc. 

Let us ELABORATE this a bit.

• TERRORISM in this context might also include any such thing that can lead to or cause the downfall of the governmententailing a jail sentence of 14years with accompanied fines.

• A person or entity sharing something that can be deemed VULGUR is subject to criminal prosecution according to this bill. But the term VULGUR is too broad and can encompass a million things.

• Expressing views via memes, cartoons, blogs or any other social media platform on political issues and/or personalities can lead to heavy fines and imprisonment. 

• Propagating religious views and HATE SPEECH has also been banned but again what classifies as HATE SPEECH is debatable.

CRITICISM ON THE BILL

The bill has garnered huge criticism from many sectors of the society especially by activists, IT experts and media groups. This criticism, in addition to other reasons, can be attributed to the fact that the article 28 (1) gives the investigating officer the right to demand laptops, cell phones, etc., of an individual, intercept conversations, and so on, thus infringing upon the basic human right of privacy. This is in Contradiction to the constitution of Pakistan according to which no such law can be made that violates the fundamental rights of people, and privacy is one of those rights. The bill also Contradicts the right to Free Speech, thus violating another article of our constitution. These loopholes provide people the opportunity to misuse the bill to their advantage. The bill also strongly favors the government which alongwith the opposition parties is being criticized for having colluded to get the bill passed. As Unlike before, it is quite possible that anyone, who writes a comment against someone like Maryam Nawaz Shareec, e.g., on twitter or Facebook, be prosecuted for it. 

Social media and networks was increasingly becoming a platform where the young and the old alike had started to vent out their anger and frustration about different issues in the home country and abroad, on government and political personalities acting as feudal lords through online debates, comments, memes, etc., and to raise awareness in this way. This would no longer be possible.

PTA has been given the authority to ban anything they deem necessary. The qualifications of the personnel working at PTA comes into mind then as these people will be determining what stays and what gets banned. A Special Court for cyber crime investigation will also be set up where trials for the Cyber criminals will be held.

It is good that the bill caters to criminal offenses such as Cyber Stalking and Identity Theft which have escalated in recent years. Many fake accounts exist, many women are being blackmailed and this bill can put a stop to it. But these same provisions can be misused both by those at higher ranks and by the comman man. The proponents of the bill claim that safeguards exist but they have neither been defined nor discussed at any medium. 

It is undeniable that the the bill is a blatant slap on democracy as it violates many of the fundamental human rights. It is important to make the bill more People Centric rather than Government Centric before it can be enforced. Only then the people can and should accept it.

Source
http://pankajsuri.blogspot.com/2011/06/new-pillars-of-democracy.html

WEDDINGS AND HOW MUCH PEOPLE SPEND ON THEM

The gratification of wealth is not found in mere possession or in lavish expenditure, but in its wise application.

(Miguel de Cervantes)

Marriage is a big business in which some lose and some gain. The ever escalating competition as to who spends how much on his/her wedding, despite being a huge strain on the pockets of parents, is becoming a never ending tradition.

Almost all the females and some males develop some kind of fantacy about how their wedding would be like, the dresses they will wear, the food that will be served, the venue they will choose for the ceremony, the number and kind of people they will invite, and so on. This is something that costs huge sums of money and they kids demand that their parents or whoever is sponsoring the entire thing, spare no expense, without even slightly considering the burdons they are placing on the sponsor. 

Initially it were the social pressures, the fear of people talking down upon the family, the demands from the in laws of the daughter who is to be wedded, the need to uphold family honor and to maintain a good social standing. Parents tried to save money for the marriages of their daughters and tried to spend as much as they could to make the ceremonies as lavish as their incomes would afford. The daughter mostly supported the parents and tried to cut down her expenses as much as she possibly could to facilitate them.

Now, however, things seem to be a bit changed. In addition to the society putting pressure on the family members, the girl, does not sit quiet and has a list of demands of her own. Her dress for Barat, e.g. must be Designer wear and should at no cost be below 1Lac Rupee (this amount too is quite low considering the present scenario), the venue should be the best wedding hall available in the city or even in some cases beyond the walls of the city, no matter what the cost be. She also demands a huge stream of functions from a week long of Dholki's (with separate dresses for each day) to Mayoon, Mehndi, Nikah, Baraat, Waleema, Maklawa and has a long list of guests that must be in attendance during all these events. 

The Dowry is a separate story altogether. A huge sum of money has to be saved for this purpose as well. Besides the inappropriate demands of the in laws, the girl in question herself prepares a humongous list of items that she 'MIGHT' need after her marriage.

The funny thing is that most of the dowry items on this list stay locked in a storage cupboard and keep getting old and useless. The same goes for the wedding dresses of the bride which can almost never be worn again for the fear of looking ridiculous in such heavy dresses. These dresses get worn out and colors fade. With the person the clothes age too and no one even remembers neither cares about what the bride wore on her wedding. 

Islam, the ultimate religion, teaches us simplicity. It wants us to be moderate in our spendings, in our outlook towards life and the way in which we carry out our daily activities. Only Nikah and Walima are the two ceremonies that need to be carried out according to the teachings of the religion and that too in the simplest manner possible. 

A marriage no doubt is a big day in the life of any person and it should be celebrated with joy but by cutting off a few unnecessary festivities and spending a bit less saves not just the family member from huge financial burdens but the same amount can be invested in something positive. 

• The couple can save it for their future
• Some of it can be used to help the poor and the needy
• The couple can use the same amount to go on a trip and visit someplace
• The amount can be saved for the education of their children
• It can be used to buy a house or to make some other beneficial investment
• The parents can just keep their hard earned money with themselves and spend it at their own pace to fulfill their own dreams and desires.

David Henry Thoreau rightly pointed out,

That man is richest whose pleasures are the Cheapest

The next generation, which is better educated, instead of burdening their parents and pressuring everyone else in the society to carry out with the same nuisance by setting ridiculous trends, should try to eliminate this menace from the society. Our youth should try and set an example for others by celebrating their marriages by spending less. They should themselves engage in Philanthropy and teach others to help those in need instead of wasting money on ludicrous pursuits. Truly, real happiness lies in the purity of their relation and the compromises the newly weds are willing to make for a better future for themselves and for the generations to come. 

Review: Bundu Khan, A Meaty Food Journey

No matter where you live or what you do, Spice and Meat are two things that us Desi's can not ignore. Sometimes the craving is so bad that you would jump at any invitation that offers even the slightest prospects of some spicy food with meat.

Bundu Khan has always been a favorite among the Pakistanis with its unique flavors, mouth watering Behari Kababs and Nanns, no one would refuse an offer to eat out when the venue is Bundu Khan.

Imagine my surprise when i found a branch of Bundu Khan in USA, with the name Bundu Khan Kabab House, wedged between two shops, with the name written in bright red. I could feel good vibes emanating from the restaurant mixed with a spicy aroma. I had to go in and eat there. 

Just like the exterior, the interior was simple with rows of plain dark brown tables, plain looking walls that were painted in brown color with a couple of wall hangings and wall mount fans here and there. The interior was dull to say the least. At the front of the dining hall, there was a similarly painted order counter where an old Pakistani man was busy taking orders from the customers.

Bundu Khan, Texas (USA)

Almost everyone in the restaurant, from the staff to the large number of people dining there, was Desi, Pakistanis and Indians. It was good to see so many people from my country at one place, all speaking Urdu and enjoying the Desi food and environment. Because of the dull interior, however, i was skeptical of the food at first, even though the large number of people that had come to dine their stated otherwise. I had to take my chances.

I finally placed my order at the counter and waited for them to bring the Behari kababs, Badshahi Haleem, roasted chicken and Lachcha parathas at my table. The smells coming from the kitchen at the back were divine. My tummy was grumbling. I drank the delicious Mango milkshake i had ordered while i waited and observed my surroundings. The Lachcha paratha and Behari kababs are believed to be one of their specialities and this proved correct once i tasted my food.

Bundu Khan Kabab House

If you are against oily food or parathas with too much grease on them, the Lachcha parathas are not for you. You can order their delicious Tandoori Naans or Plain Tandoori rotis that are equally yummy.  The combination of Lachcha paratha and Badshahi Haleem is divine. The meat, chicken and kababs were cooked with an amazing blend of spices. I kept on ordering more parathas and took what little i could not finish there back home with me.

I was surprised at the amount of food i had consumed and the vigir with which i had consumed it. I guess a place such as Bundu Khan can do that to you, prompting you to eat till you have no more room and motivating you to cone back for more.

Behari Kabab

The rates are reasonable too and they offer a variety of Daals with the Achaari Mash ki Daal being my personal favorite for people who do not want to eat meat. 

I for one will definitely be visiting this place again to indulge myself in their amazing flavors and aromas and for once get the feeling of being at home. 

Quinceañera (Mexican Sweet 15) (15th Birthday)

Quinceañera (pronounced as Kin sia niaira) is an old mexican tradition that probably has its roots in the Debutante balls that announced the coming of age and entrance of females into the society in the United Kingdom and United States in earlier times. 

This event is celebrated with as pomp and joy as possible, with parents lavishly spending on everything from the dress, the tiara on the girl's head to the party theme and decor. Their utmost try is to make this event as special for their daughter as possible. 

Even though this day was celebrated as a kind of coming of age party of their daughter by the parents in earlier times, the trends have changed now. Quinceañera has now merely become a Mexican tradition, which parents are obliged to perform. This becomes even more important when the couple has just one daughter. Mexican people tend to look down upon those families who fail to celebrate their daughter's big day.

I, during one of my travel adventures, accidentally got invited to a girl's Quinceañera. I have to admit that it was one hell of a party. It enlightened me not just about Mexican traditions and culture but also on the importance that they give to their families. I was asked to dress in a formal attire. It was my first time attending such a party and i had no idea as to what i should expect but my experience was a pleasant one. 

Sweet 15 cake

On reaching the party, i was greeted by the parents first and then the girl in question, who was dressed in a huge green gown, at the entrance of the ballroom. Her gown was beautiful, with beaded pearls and roses, it draped past her torso and made her look extremely elegant. The ballroom was big and brightly lit, with green and white curtains hung on the walls, chairs with greens bows on them, tables with brown and green gift bags. Everything about the party seemed to revolve around this specific theme, from the green and silver dress of the birthday girl to the huge white and green birthday cake, everything seemed extremely well coordinated. Even all the guys at the party were wearing suits with matching ties and shirts. Someone had put great effort into organizing the entire thing. Apart from me and my friends, about 200 other people, mostly close relatives of the girl and her friends were present at the party. 

Party Decor

A lavish bufett was set up for the guests, who were invited to eat. After the guests had filled their plates and were settled on their tables, the birthday girl and her cousins surprised us with an amazing dance performance. It started with a waltz on a very melodious spanish song and the tone but later they started dancing on songs with more fast music. It was
highly entertaining. They had all practiced a lot and it showed the love the cousins had for their sister for they bad obviously put a lot of effort into learning those dance moves. 

The dance had only just finished when we got another surprise, a Meriachi band. This was the first time i had seen or heard them play and i was deeply impressed. They played for about an hour after which the cake was cut and served to the guests, party favors were distributed to all the guests. I myself got a very cute box filled with keychains and chocolates. 

Meriachi Band

Afterwards the lights were turned off, voofers were on and the music loud, everyone jumped onto the dancefloor. It was amazing. By 12 at midnight everyone was tired and we were ready to head home.

All in all, the Quinceañera was a magnificently arranged party that perfectly upholded the Mexican traditions and which i am delighted to be a part of.

Qandeel Baloch and Questions raised by her Death

Qandeel Baloch, being dubbed as the Kim Kardashian of Pakistan has been one of the most notorious and talked about female celebrities in Pakistan this year. 

Since people decided to keep her in the news even after her untimely demise (a wish that she might have had herself), i decided to jump the bandwagon and write something about the bold and exotic (as far as Pakistan is concerned) woman. 

Qandeel Baloch gained immense popularity after her video, which was dedicated to Shahid Afridi, went viral prior to the highly anticipated India Pakistan cricket match. I was deeply amused at the way she had tried to motivate the then Captain of the Pakistani team to win the match against India. Another similar video came out after Shahid Afridi and his team lost the match. Qandeel Baloch appeared to have been bawling her eyes out at the turn out of the event, claiming that Shahid Afridi had rendered her insulted. It did not just stop there. A Series of events followed and plenty of extremely entertaining videos were released by her after these. Last of these included selfies and videos with the Pakistani cleric Mufti Abdul Qavi, which resulted in the so called cleric's very justified expulsion from the Ruet-e-hilal committee. I believe that in her own twisted way she exposed a person who had been claiming to be extremely pious, imposing fatwas that suited his desires and criticizing others as he pleased. She did us all a great service. Since then Qandeel Baloch had been claiming to have been receiving death threats and was planning on shifting abroad.

Source:
https://www.facebook.com/OfficialQandeelBaloch/

Before that could happen, out of the blue, i read the headlines that she has been murdered by one of her 'honorable' brothers in the name of honor. Claiming that she was ruining the family name etcetera, her brother felt obliged to kill the woman. This story is clouded by mysteries.

Qandeel Baloch, because of the controversial nature of her murder, is once again the most talked about person these days. Those who had been laughing at and condemning her earlier are now praising her for her boldness and feel deeply saddened by her death. Some extreme segments of the Pakistani society are of the opinion that she deserved it and others are asking for justice.

No one knows if we will ever find out as to what actually happened, justifying the murder in the name of honor by a person who himself might have been involved in who knows what is an insult to the word 'Honor' itself. Every year hundreds of women get brutally killed for this reason alone and the criminals freely roam about claiming to have satisfied the bad repute brought upon their family name by the woman in particular.
The police and the government are under obligation to deal with  the case of Honor killing (Karo kari) as a regular murder crime. The accused is to be tried as per the rules that apply to any other murderer. In 2004 and 2010 legislative changes were made that included seven years of prison or in extreme cases, a death penalty for those who murdered in the name of honor. Another announcement made involved trying these cases in the Anti-terrorism court. The 1999 Diyat and Qisas ordinance, however, grants some leverage to the perpetuators of honor killings in this regard and the government despite numerous cases fails to eliminate the loophole and put a full stop to the heinous act.
This revolt on social and other forms of media against the injustice brought upon women and, to a small extent, the men will soon die down as is the tradition in Pakistan. People raise hue and cry for a day, discuss and argue over it (as if sitting in their drawing rooms and arguing on the matter will bring about the change that is so desperately needed in the country) and suddenly forget the matter altogether and move on.
The need of the hour is to educate people in the areas where Honor killings are repeatedly used as an excuse by people to satisfy some personal agenda. Women empowerment alone is no solution as can be seen in the case of Qandeel Baloch's murder. Strict laws that provide no escape to the accused must be imposed by the government. NGOs and schools in villages and other areas must educate people in this regard right from the beginning. Parents need to be taught so that they can educate their children regarding such issues and thus prevent this menace from polluting the minds of our next generation.

Do's and Don'ts of Pregnancy!

Unlike what most of us are lead to believe through movies and serials, pregnancy is not that much fun. You get,

Hungry

Nauseous

Hungry 

Nauseous again

You vomit

Andddd the cycle continues...

But don't fret. That mostly ends after your first trimester.

If you happen to be a slim person, you need to make sure you are not underweight as soon as you start planning to get pregnant. This is important because vomiting and lack of appetite leads most women to lose considerable weight which in some cases proves to be dangerous for both you and your adorable baby.

I was underweight but lucky for me i did not vomit as much. Even though i hated the smell of almost all food items, i managed keep what i ate inside me and thus only lost a few pounds. Thus our first must DO item in pregnancy is,

• To ensure that you are not underweight. 

• Another important thing to note is your HB (hemoglobin) and Calcium level. Iron, Calcium and Folic acid are the most vital ingredients needed for the proper growth of your baby. 

• Have your blood test taken in order to get a complete picture of what stuff you are deficient in and what are the things that need some controlling on your end.

• Go see a doctor preferably a gynecologist and get Prenatal vitamins/supplements.
  

• More important than supplements is taking a balanced diet comprising of Proteins, Calcium, Iron, Minerals (Magnesium, Potassium, Zinc, etc) which you can find in everyday food items such as Spinach, lettuce, Parsley (green vegetables), beans, meat, fruit, eggs and of course milk.

• Make sure that the dairy products, milk and cheese are pasteurized and eggs are properly cooked. Half fried eggs or other kinds with a running yolk are not safe as they might contain bacteria which is damaging for your growing baby. In case of fish, avoid eating the types that contain high amounts of Murcery in them. 

• Excess of everything is bad and so a balance is important. Overeating is not advised either. Bring pregnant does not mean you eat like a hyaena :p Gain weight steadily. 
  

• Develop a routine of talking 15-20 min of walk daily in order to prepare your body for labor and also to keep you fit.

• Ensure that your blood pressure is within limits by regularly having it checked. In case of high or low BP, you must consult your doctor and take precautionary measures as it may lead to complications at the time of birth of the baby.

• Talk to your baby. They say it helps the baby recognize your voice and helps you in developing a bond with the adorable little thing growing in your belly.

• Download an app like 'What to expect' into your phone or tablet and keep a track of what changes happen to your body and your baby on a weekly basis as the pregnancy progresses. It will make it easier for you to go through difficult situations if you know what's in store.

• You don't have to give up looking cute just because your tummy is growing bigger. There are a variety of dresses available in the market which you can wear with ease during your pregnancy and still look as pretty as a picture. 

I think this is it for now. I am past my second trimester and have first hand experience with all this stuff. If you have any questions or anything you would like to add, please do comment. Waiting to hear from you all :D 

Best of luck to all those pregnant ladies out there. Cheers!

KEEPING A SECRET

IT HAS ALWAYS SEEMED THAT A FEAR OF JUDGMENT IS THE MARK OF GUILT AND THE BURDEN OF INSECURITY 

(Criss Jami)

You did something you cannot tell anyone! Yes YOU!!! And your nerves and all that secrecy is making it difficult to hide it from the people who know you too well. The desperate attempts at keeping it a secret are turning you into an introvert, are leaving you traumatized and throwing you into a deep dark pit where you feel you are all alone.

The more you try to keep your deed hidden, the more threatening it will become for your life as Gail Saltz, a renowned psychiatrist, has explained that keeping something hidden starts making the person anxious as he/she is constantly fighting an inner battle. The person has raised levels of stress which leads to several problems ultimately causing depression.

Disclosure of your secret might put you to shame and you may be hesitant of confiding in someone as many people have first handedly experienced the truth behind the quote by Ben Franklin,

THREE CAN KEEP A SECRET IF TWO OF THEM ARE DEAD

Obviously you are scared but all the secrecy eventually starts weighing on you. Your relationships with people get affected and you get shrunk into your own little shell. You become distant and lonely, lose self-confidence and go through a phase of slow and silent destruction of your personality.

In order to avoid these health and social hazards, all over the world neuroscientists and psychiatrists now encourage people to try and share their secrets instead of keeping them bottled up inside them. They lay increased stress on the need to confess to someone. 

As a result of a research by Tom Frijjins, it was found in a comparative study that the people who confessed about or shared the burden of their secret with someone felt immensely better than those who held onto the secret. Confessions from different people state the kind of depressed state their secrets led them into and how relieved they felt after confiding into someone whom they did not know.

So if you are uncomfortable in talking to someone you know because of the perceived negative consequences, how about talking to a total stranger, no strings attached? It will surely relieve you of that nagging feeling occupying your mind 24/7 and give you that sense of serenity that you are so deprived of. 

Visit to Amerigo's Grille (An exotic food adventure)

Things happen in life that you had never imagined happening, ever. Take my example for instance. I had never thought that i would be visiting USA and that too for a pretty long duration. Even fifteen days after my arrival to Houston, i feel as if my initial shock has not worn off. It still feels a little strange and sometimes even lonely, away from home and family, in a country where life is too fast paced and everyone has his plate full. People are busy doing their own thing and can hardly make time for others.

With a lack of cheap public transport facility, a person with no car actually might find it very difficult to rome about the city. Your options get limited as to where you can and can not go. I am currently facing that problem.

Anyhow, i somehow got the chance to visit this posh Italian Restaurant called the Amerigo's Grille. If it were entirely up to me i would not have chosen to dine at this place.  Even if by accident i somehow would have gotten there, i would have run straight home after taking a look at the Menu card. Since i got here under different circumstances, i did not get such a chance. It was not that bad though. I just happen to be a fairly cautious person, always opting for the safer option.

I was greeted by a gorgeous blonde, all smiles, standing there by the door in her black dress (Poor thing! All that smiling must have hurt her jaws :p). I was accompanied by friends who got busy discussing our seating arrangements with the manager while my eyes suddenly caught sight of a bowl filled with colorful candies neatly placed in a bowl at the counter. Oh i wanted one so bad but etiquette demanded restraint on my part and so i controlled myself from running to where the yummy treats lay. Sigh!

Moving on to the important stuff, the interior of the restaurant was impressive. From the white brick walls to the chandeliers and the paintings hung on the walls, everything was pretty well coordinated. The main dining area was slightly raised to give a view of the entire restaurant to the people sitting there. We got seated by the window that gave us a pleasant view of the patio, with a tiny fountain, outside the restaurant. I wish i had taken more pictures of the interior and exterior of the restaurant.

We were greeted by a server as soon as we got seated. He had a super weird accent which i found difficult to understand. He seemed to me like a Russian guy. To his credit though, he was well groomed and sophisticated. He put the Menu cards in front of us and left in order to give us some 'time' to think. On opening the Menu, i was at a loss. What do i eat? Crabs? Beef (Not Halal)? Weird fish? Lobsters and shrimps? NAH! Even though i am a meat person, I felt like i was the biggest vegetarian on this planet. Alas! After i got over my initial dejection, i decided to go for something that felt safe, like a fish. So i ordered Snapper Del Amore that had angel fried fish in it. Meanwhile i ate some yummy freshly baked bread with butter. We in addition had ordered salads, pasta, asparagus, and other similar stuff. Each one to their own. The food arrived. At last. I was super scared to try it at first and literally kept staring at it for 20 sec. Finally on being nudged by a friend i decided to open my mouth and feed myself that attractive/weird looking thing in the plate.

I have to say that it was delicious. The crunch of fried fish together with the sauce and tomatoes felt great on my taste buds. I was glad i had chosen this dish. They had made it both delicious and aesthetically pleasing. Afterwards i ordered chocolate cake, which i regret to this date because it had no bread in it. Just plain bitter chocolate. Since they
charge so much, the cake should have tasted good. In comparison to the cake i ate at the Cheescake Factory, this one was BAD. I thus have mixed views about the food but i left the grille as a happy customer, mostly because of the serene environment, good staff behavior and of course because of the successful risk that i took in eating the Snapper Del Amore.

But i would recommend the restaurant to those who wish to have business meetings and dinners in a posh and sophisticated setting, not for a casual outing with friends. Here's a link to their website showing detailed Menu if you are interested, http://amerigos.com/dinner
Happy Dining!