This photo is a working telephone distribution box of an apartment complex in Karachi. At one end, the box is connected to the local telephone exchange and on other it makes individual connections to several homes.
I had initially chosen this photo for its photographic quality and subject but since then many random thoughts keep coming to my mind. We would love to hear what you think of this photo and what else does it remind you (i.e. tashbeehaat).
Adil Najam
Having to write regular posts of ATP can sometimes become a heavy burden. Not because of the workload. But because of the pain and hurt that can come with following the daily struggles for survival. Today, once again, too many did not survive those struggles.
The News reports from Karachi:
Death toll in the bomb blast in Quaidabad has risen up to eleven, while number of wounded to at least 40. Many labourers, who work in the Landhi industrial area, were stated to be among the victims. Two minors and a woman have been also counted among the dead. Twenty injured were shifted to Social Security Hospital, 40 at Jinnah Postgraduate Medical Centre (JPMC) hospital, while some others were moved to Steel Mills hospital.
Meanwhile, Rangers personnel were deployed at the JPMC hospital to avoid any law and order situation at the facility. Sindh police chief, Azhar Ali Farooqui, visited the crime scene. He claimed that the explosive device was planted in a motorcycle parked at the spot…
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ATP Editor’s Comment: It turns out that, in fact, the said line (husool-e-rizq-e-halal ibaadat hai) does still exist on the new note. Our thanks to the readers who were able to catch the oversight that we failed to. However, we have kept the post live partly because the discussion is itself interesting and partly because the issue of whether having such a line on the note makes any difference on people’s behavior on ‘rizq-e-halal’, is itself an interesting topic.
Original Post: For many years every banknote in Pakistan reminded its owners that to make an honest living was a form of piety in itself.
No one really paid heed. And those who did probably laughed it away as a joke. The State Bank of Pakistan has therefore decided to stop that nonsense once and for all. If you don’t believe what I am saying then believe your own eyes here:
The old currency notes at the back were all inscribed in Urdu:
husool-e-rizq-e-halal ibaadat hai
making an honest income is prayer
Dear Readers,
While All Things Pakistan has remained alive and online, it has been dormant since June 11, 2011 - when, on the blog's 5th anniversary, we decided that it was time to move on. We have been heartened by your messages and the fact that a steady traffic has continued to enjoy the archived content on ATP. While the blog itself will remain dormant, we are now beginning to add occasional (but infrequent) new material by the original authors of the blog, mostly to archive what they may now publish elsewhere. We will also be updating older posts to make sure that new readers who stumble onto this site still find it useful.
We hope you will continue to find ATP a useful venue to reflect upon and express your Pakistaniat. - Editors
