Ramadan Kareem and Happy Independence Day :)

The holy month of Ramadan is upon us. A month to ask forgiveness and to do as many good deeds as we can as it is a very rewarding month.

This would be my second Ramadan away from home. Last year I was in Mianwali for about 15 days of Ramadan and this year I am not even in the same country. I know that I will badly miss ammi kay haath kay aloo kay pakoray, fruit chaats, podeenay ki chutney and see-wai-yaan (mouth starts watering :P) but what to do. Maybe this year,for a change, I will lose weight in Ramadan (yeah right! :P)

May I request everyone to take care of their health, keep their anger in check and pray for me during the month of Ramadan :)

Moving on to Independence Day (it really was a nice movie & I think Will Smith acted well in it :P, kidding). It does not quite seem like the month that marks our Independence Day over here. There aren't any stalls beside the road selling flags and badges. Houses aren't decorated with Pakistani flags, no jhandiyaan on the electricity poles [Infact, there aren't any electricity poles here!! and yet the electricity situation is excellent] I brought a shirt from Pakistan with me specially for 14 August. It has Pakistan's flag on it. [Well.. it also says celebrate Independence with KFC, I got it from KFC last year when I ordered a large zinger combo WOW meal (mouth starts watering again) in August 2009 :P]

Pakistan is going through very trying times these days. The flood has already claimed 1500 lives and God knows how much more destruction it will bring. Apart from that, there recently were killings in Karachi and I think around 80 people were killed in that. Also, there are the power cuts, inflation and shortage of stuff as Ramadan nears. This one thing I could never understand. I've heard that most countries lower prices when their religious festivals come near but Pakistan always seems to increase the prices whenever Ramadan arrives :(

Therefore, may I request all of you to take some time out and pray for our beloved country Pakistan. In Pakistan, we are all Pakistanis but you realize what it means to be a Pakistani, when you leave Pakistan. You realize the things that you have always taken for granted when you are in your own country.

As they say, "Ask not what you country has done for you [Ask what's for lunch :P], Ask what you have done for your country". So let us be good Muslims and good patriots in this month and become better as time passes. I am sure that one day you will be telling your kids stories about how you lived with no electricity, water and still loved Pakistan (and your kids will ask you "what is electricity??" :P )

That's it for today. Keep smiling and keep blogging people.

Ramadan mubarak to all of you :)

Pakistan Zindabad!! :)

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