Dear Mukhlis Bhai,

Thanks for your email of 28th December, 2000 wherein you have expressed your 
keen desire to see the Punjabi Language flourshing to such an extent that
even the well-to-do people in the Society love their children to get their
education imparted from a Punjabi School where the standard of education
could be laudable and above all the standards of other Western-oriented
schools.  I cannot resist to fathom your inward spirit.

I have always of the view that we should never teach our children a language
other than Punjabi from the very start.  I reckon that a child who learns
his mother tongue i.e. Punjabi at our very outset is very strong in
pronunciation and dialect.  He can pronounce any language in its correct
format and accept.  No one in the world can pronounce any foreign language
as successfully as a Punjabi can do it.  A Punjabi has more adaptability
than any one else.  I have firm belief that you yourself shall agree with me
about this rationalization.

I have always likened Punjabi, but, unfortunately, the education standard
with our Punjab University has always been at its lowest ebb.  A PU Graduate
cannot read "Heer of Waris Shah".  He cannot read verbatim the Kalam of
Bullhey Shah.  I was rather disappointed to note that one piece of poetry of
Bullhey Shah was wrongly published by Internet by Urdu Point Com.  Punjabi
is a full-fledged language and has all its adaptabilities.  I have been able
to read Heer Waris Shah, Saif-ul-Malook by Mian Mohammed Bakhsh (once I was
able to visit his mizar as well) and other Punjabi writers.  I have certain
friends in Lahore who are devoted to Punjabi language. I may quote Saqi
Gujrati.  Lately, he was involved in envilling Punjabi Masaadir and working
out a Punjabi Dictionary.  Through him, I know a few other Punjab poets and
literary people belonging to the University Oriental College.  I shall make
it a point to mention about you during my next visit to them; and I shall
welcome to elicit any positive response so that your mission could be
further strengthened.  I am sure their help shall be enlisted with a
positive approach.

I found from the Pictures downloaded from your website that a few of them
were not labelled - leaving the thirst unquenched.  I shall appreciate  your
amendments in that respect.

I shall appreciate your little resume about yourself.  This will further
create a proper protocol between ourselves.

I may introduce myself to you.  My full name is Dr. Mirza Mohammad Akram
Asi.  I am a Law Graduate.  I am practising Homoeopathy at the moment.
Alhamdo Lillah I am getting my rizq from the profession.  I worked for UBL
for fourteen years and also a Saudi Bank for about 8 years.  I am now-a-days
dedicated to the uplift of Homoeopathy and to fight the intriguing illnesses
of Humanity through the administration of Homoeopathic medicines.  I have
been successful to a greater extent and shall wish you prayers for further
successes in the field.

My son who is in UK these days have been exhorting upon me to actively think
about permanent settlement in UK.  I don't think if a qualified Homoeopath
from Pakistan is able to practise Homoeopathy in UK.  I am further of the
view that some further studies shall be needed to earn that status.

I thank you once again for your Eid Greetings.  I reciprocate the sentiments
and wish you and your family (lovely  son Zubair) happiest Eid.  You must
have enjoyed its festivity.

I take this opportunity to wish you Happy New Year.  Although our new year
starts from Muharram, but, in our today's society we do have some precedence
to wish each other Happy New Year with the start of the Christian New Year.

I shall await your response in due course of time,

Sincerely yours,
Dr. M. Akram Asi
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

 
From Gulpreet Sing

Hello ! I'm delighted to go through your website. Its difficult to guess whether its from 
Indian Or Pakistani. You've given equal time to both. You've done very well ! Please keep 
it up. For any help about punjabi please ask me? I've created a Web Ring of Punjab and 
Punjabi related sites. Its at www.digitalmela.com/punjabi Send me your sites banner/logo 
i will include that. best wishes ! Gurpreet Singh Punjab India www.DIGITALmela.com  
The Global Online Fair ! www.oocities.org/gsbhamra.geo Cyber Home of Gurpreet Singh
Sheeren Masoud 

Chairperosn of Masoud Khadar Posh Trust Lahore
I have had a look at your site.......very good but a bit confusing to someone
who is not that computer/internet literate You must have read about Masud
Khaddarpost Trust....the ONLY Punjabi organization that has been set up for the
promotion of Punjabi language, literature and culture......It would be really
great if you could include information and a comprehensive write up about this
very well know and successful orgnaization in Pakistan.......if you need
information , please do not hesitate to contact me........I am the Chairperson
of the MKT.... best regards and Eid Mubarik. 

Shereen Masoud   Email zatash@nexlinx.net.pk
Reply

Dear Madam Shereen Ji 

Thank you very much for your kind reply. I am glad that you have taken time to
have a look at Punjab Society's  website and had time to reply to my
email.  I have noted your comments and would be more than grateful for all
the info you can supply regarding your organisation, which I would be too happy
to  add to our site.  Furthermore, if you have any other material that
you think we all should > share, please let me have it.  The other thing
I am looking for is Punjabi Artists Art work to add to our  site, I hope
you will be able to assist us.  If there is any other thing you would like
us to do, please do not hesitate  to contact us.  I once again would
like to thank you and would look forward to your kind  information and
other relating material.  Rabb Rakha  

Ashraf  Mukhlis
Dear Mohammad Asharaf sahib, 

we have a huge resource base at our disposal because of the Trust and can give
you all the information you need about punjabi artists, poets, writers, singers,
role models etc. i will send you informaiton on the Trust after Eid. I visit
England very often and next time i am in London, I shall contact you. Eid
Mubarik, merry christmas and happy new year 

Shereen Masoud

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 


  

  From  Sabir Bhai Sahib

  Salam


  I think your webbsite is very interesting, but I
  have a problem , I cant read the Persion script. It would be a great idea if
  the articles were translated to English.


   


  Kind regards


  Sabir

  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  
From Brother Jagjit Sandhu  
  Email   jgsingh@yahoo.com 
  
Ashraf ji,

  I have interacted with you on Punjabi.net few times

  and this PunjabSociety webpage is really a great

  effort by you guys.  Give my regards to your team and

  everyone who is contributing.

  

  I am particularly interested in your efforts on the

  script issue.  I having studied only Gurmukhi and was

  never able to read any Pakistani Punjabi literature

  other than few translations.  First time I was

  suggested to learn reading Shahmukhi, it sounded very

  tough to me but when I started with some help form my

  father, it was not a big deal.  I already knew the

  language, it was learning the symbols(script) only to

  decode it.  Now I can read Shahmukhi Punjabi veryw ell

  and have finished few good books by Randhawa sahib and

  Iliyas Ghumman ji.  I am so glad I made the effort to

  learn reading Shahmukhi.  It has also incresed my

  attachment with my Punjabi brothers from Pakistan and

  is turnign me into an ardent supportor of Punjabi

  language movement which I am very thankful to people

  like you, Iliyas Ghumman ji and many others.

  

  Rabb tuhanu hor himmat davey te tusi Punjabi maaN boli

  di eissay taraN sewa kardey rahvo.

  

  My good wishes with you guys always.

  

  and I will make sure than I plan my time to meet you

  during my next visit to England.

  

  Jagjit Sandhu

  ______________________________________________________________________________________________
  
From Dr. Akram Aasi Sahib , Lahore Email whml@brain.net.pk 
  

    Dear Ashrafji,
  
  

     
  
  

    I have today been able to read the above named story written by Amin
    Malik. 
  
  

     
  
  

    I have also read the two prefaces, one by yourself and other by Mansha Yaad.
  
  

     
  
  

    The story dragged me to my own childhood and our night-plays during the
    moonlit nights. The story is a masterpiece and reminds one of the days since
    gone by.  Those who are born in the cities cannot imagine of the plays
    we used to play with a variety of players i.e. both males and females of
    different ages.  There used to be an innocent bondage amongst the
    participants and all of them enjoyed the moonlit nights and played various
    games of their own liking i.e. kabaddi, keekali, giddah, kolra chhappaki,
    lukkan meeti etc. etc..
  
  

     
  
  

    He writes the scenes in a very lucid and masterly manner and depicts the
    inner feelings of the characters with great care.  Does the story
    belong to him in reality or is he a master of observation and narration. Lot
    of Punjabi words contained in the story, I have read after a long long
    time.  The Punjabi we speak these days is admixture of Urdu, Punjabi
    and even English. Even an illiterate woman would love to ask for a
    "plate" and not "rukkabi".  Hundreds of
    English words have found a place in our culture and our women use them
    without knowing that they belong to an alien language.   He writes
    the classical Punjabi and uses the words with their perfect meanings and in
    an abrupt manner and it seems that he has not to ponder over them, and their
    usage seems to be quite spontaneous. He is also master of using the
    metaphors.
  
  

     
  
  

    The fonts used in the story and that of Mansha Yaad's foreword made reading
    of the text a little difficult. Some of the words were jumbled up and
    impeded the reader's speed and with it the fluency of the text was also
    marred. I request you to use a proper font while typing the text so that
    this difficulty is overcome.  I think font of your foreword was bold
    enough as it made the reading quite easy. 
  
  

     
  
  

    I didn't find Mai JeevaN in Goongi Treih.  She might be character
    of a different story.  What is the name of that story? I might like to
    read it too.
  
  

     
  
  

    Let me offer you my tributes to yourself (Ashraf Mukhlis Bhai).  The
    effect and impact that was made on my mind by reading your preface of Goongi
    Treih, was not carried further in its totality with the reading of the story
    itself.  The reason being that you wrote the foreword by keeping in
    mind Amin Malik's various stories, whereas I read only one.  The power
    in your writing too is very dominating and indicative of your love for
    Punjabi literature and the soil of the Punjab.  Has this love of yours
    been inherited by your children too?  If so, there should not be any
    regrets for your living in UK - far from your own culture and rich soil of
    Punjab. 
  
  

     
  
  

    Dr. Sheila Bliesath from Toronto, Canada is in correspondence with
    me.  We are trying to set up a Homoeo Clinic in Canada and also a
    website shall be floated to aid the ailing humanity there. I shall be
    providing her my Advisory Service while sitting in my own clinic in Lahore.
    When the website is on, I shall let you know to inform your friends in UK
    too.  However, if any friend of your needs my help to fight any disease
    with Homoeopathic medicines, I shall be only too pleased to assist
    him.  He has to email me entire sign and symptoms of the
    disease.  I shall recommend a medicine and it shall be purchased from
    the market; used according to my instructions and proper benefits reaped. I
    know that Homoeo treatment is very costly in UK.  Physicians charge
    exorbitant fees.
  
  

     
  
  

    I find that Ilyas Ghumman's office is very rarely manned to respond to the
    incoming telephone calls. I had been trying to contact his office yesterday
    too, but all in vain.  Then I spoke to him on his residence
    number.  I will, this afternoon, be visiting their stall of books
    (which is arranged every Sunday) near Pak Tea House on the Mall.  I
    shall try to extract as much information as possible (about your books) from
    the incharge of the Stall.  Whatever comes to light, shall be conveyed
    to you.
  
  

      
  
  

    Sincerely yours,
  
  

    Dr. M. Akram Asi

    ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________
  
  
Dear Sir

  I really appreciate your struggle to live the punjabi languge.

  

  Sincerely

  Muhammad Asif Rashid

  Bsc Telecommunication Engineering

  CCNA,MCP,CMTD

  Manager IT Projects

  Nexlinx Datacom   

  Email emar@nexlinx.net.pk

  _______________________________________________________________________________________________

Janab Ashraf Saab,



Good to hear from you again.  I am sorry for not being in contact but life

and things keep getting in the way.



We have almost made a font that will allow us to type in Word 2000. Only

keyboard left to sort out.  After that we are going to work on making

Shahmukhi to Gurmukhy and vice versa.  We have tried basic experiments and

have been successful.  Will let you know.



I have a children's book coming out in jan 2001 - Nas Gidrah Nas.  It is

being illustrated at the moment.



Will contact you nearer the time.



Tariq

Email  tariq@tuls.org.uk 

_______________________________________________________________________________________________

A disputed book by Dr. Ishrat Husain 



by Dr. Manzur Ejaz   Email mejaz@CapAccess.org

Ali Zafar, a World Bank employee, claims that Pakistan: An Elitist

Economy in the Making as his publication on his resume circulated in the

World Bank. However, this book published by Oxford University Press,

London, 1999 is apparently authored by Dr. Ishrat Husain , presently

serving as the Governor of State Bank of Pakistan. Mr. Ali Zafar's

contributions are acknowledged but his name does not appear as a

co-author. On the contrary, Mr. Zafar's resume gives an impression that

Dr. Husain was a second co-author instead of the primary author. The

actual author of the book and other pertinent questions have been raised

about financial arrangements and contents of this book.

Reliable sources at the World Bank claim that other than the

first and the last chapter, the book was written by Mr. Ali Zafar who has

been whining about having been cheated of a co-authorship. According to

one of our sources, this is the worst kept secret because Mr. Zafar has

been going all around the Bank to convince his potential employers about

his authorship of the book. His own resume and his responses confirmed this.

According to available information, Dr. Husain, then a high

official at the World Bank, took a huge grant from the National Bank of

Pakistan when Mr. M. B. Abbasi was its president. Mr. Abbasi, was kicked

out from the National Bank because of various allegations but the grant

for Dr. Husain continued. The exact amount of the grant remains unknown

like other such financial dealings in Pakistan. Mr. Ali Zafar, with an

M.A. degree from the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, was hired to

conduct research for the book and prepare the draft. Mr. Zafar's salary

for more than a year was paid, partially, from the grant money.

When Mr. Zafar ended up writing most of the book, he demanded a

co-authorship. He was denied this privilege because of the agreement he

had with Dr. Husain. Mr. Zafar resented this because he thought he had

written the bulk of the book. Nonetheless, he could not challenge Dr.

Husain legally because of the contract he had signed. Further, Mr. Zafar,

a young man, wanted to make a headway in the World Bank and Dr. Husain's

displeasure could have been fatal for his career. Therefore, he grumbled

within the World Bank circles and did not publicize his story.

Nonetheless, most of the Pakistanis in the World Bank seem to give him

credit for this book.

It is very unusual for a Pakistani World Bank official to seek a

financial grant (and in foreign currency) from a national bank of

Pakistan for writing a book. Other World Bank officials, who have

authored several books, have denied of having received any such grant

from Pakistani financial institutions. Pakistan's banking sector's

financial difficulties are a well known public fact. Therefore, for a

patriotic Pakistani economist, already  getting an astronomical salary

from the World Bank, it is not moral or logical to accept such a grant.

If the amount of the grant was very small, Dr. Husain could have paid it

from his deep pocket. On the other hand, if the grant money was huge then

he should have avoided to plunder the Pakistani exchequer. Receiving such

a grant does not seem right from any angle.

The contents of the book do not justify the financial burden

placed on the National Bank of Pakistan. Other than its borrowed title

from Hamza Alavi's conceptual framework of an elitist state, the book

does not even come close to explaining the emergence of the economy of an

elitist state' like Pakistan. As a matter of fact the book does not

present any theoretical framework or show any technical sophistication to

justify the title of the book. The book is a

simple narration of statistical trends in different sectors of the

Pakistani economy taken randomly from different sources.

Most of the chapters of this book are mere narrations of data

sets tabulated by Pakistani economists, the World Bank and the IMF.

However, the data sets used are comprised of disjoined times series

picked up from different sources. No effort has been made to standardize

the data in a historical order. Sometimes, the data used in this book

becomes inconsistent and self-contradictory. Some economists like Sohail

Malik et ell have successfully attempted to present a consistent

historical data in a book titled Performance of Pakistan's Economy

1947-1993.'  If the purpose of the book written by Dr. Husain (or by Mr.

Ali Zafar) was to write a historical expose of Pakistan's economy, as is

claimed  in the preface, construction of a consistent and standardized

time series was essential. This book fails on this account.

In addition, the book presents very generalized trends without

explaining the reasons behind the change. For example, discussing the

growth of agricultural sector, the author(s)  points out that the growth

rate in agriculture was lower in 1950 and higher in 1960. However, no

satisfactory explanation is given as to why agriculture was not growing

at a desirable rate during the 50s. It even fails to mention the most

obvious factor of water shortage created by India through control over

rivers. This book lacks explanation of trends or causes of changes

in Pakistan's economy.

Not only does the book not explain the basic trends, it

conveniently ignores essential facts like the impact of defense

expenditures on the economy or over ever expanding deficits. Avoidance of

this topic is so extreme that the term defense' does not appear in the

index of the book. It is obvious that the entire book is written to

placate (or not to anger) the most powerful

institution in the country. One can say, that this book was written as

part of a design to get to the

position where Dr. Husain is today. It is obvious that a  scholarly

discussion of Pakistan's economy was the least consideration taken when

writing this book.

No one can stop people from writing such simplistic, mediocre

and  non-scholarly books about Pakistan. However, to write such a book by

taking a grant from the National Bank of Pakistan and employing someone

else to write the bulk of the narrations is not morally justified. It

shows how much integrity our much touted kosher technocratic classes

have. They do not tire denigrating the politicians for greed and

corruption but they do not fair better in their own spheres. Therefore,

the accountability process should be extended to evaluate the practices

of our so-called technocrats also. This is important because Dr. Husain,

holding the most important post of Governor of State Bank of Pakistan, is

supposed to have a much higher moral integrity than an MNA from Sahiwal.

_____________________________________________________________________________________________ 


  Janab Mohtram Ashraf Ji,


   


  Assalaamu Alaykum: Tusi sochday hovo gaey kay
  Anwar tohanu bhull ghia aey. Ji haan mein wahadah keeta si k mein kuchh arz
  karaan ga. Lo phir mein janab di khidmat which haazer karn lugga jay.


   


  Merian tay janab badshahow kahanian nay jehrhian
  sher ban jandhian nay.


   


  Eh mein aapani marhooma maan di yaad which kafi
  arsa pelhay likhia si. Jerha radio tay ik musharay which v mein barhay shauq
  day naal parhia si. Ajj tohadi khidmat which haazer ker ditta ay.


   


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - mein jamia
  toon khushian manayaan 


  Thandaan day which meray uttay    - 
  toon ghoot ghoot dityaan rizzayaan


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Toon manu c
  seenay naal laandi


  Sukkay paasay manu pa kay   - 
  Gillay paasay c toon saunw jaandi


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Toon manoo
  panghoorhay which c


                                                                                                    
  paandhi


  Saara saara din meray kool to beh kay - Meray
  panghoorhay noon c hillandhi


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Toon wandhay
  maroonday juddoon


                                                                                      
  pehr mein putya


  Chumm chumm manu toon seenay naal laya -Juddoon
  Kooghu c mera tootya


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Toon manu
  chhill k daindi sehn


                                                                                                   
  gunnay


  Chohngay kadd paroonthay sein aggay rakhdi -
  Naalay bharr di sehn lassi


                                                                                              
  day chhannay


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Toon sehn sub
  maanwan tun changgi


  Zinda sehn toon manu daivaine donwawaan - Meray
  tay i nein c kaddi tanggi


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Meri kismat
  howie koohrhi


  Ooss mitthy neend nu yaad karaan mein - Juddoon
  daindhi sehn mitthy lori.


  Maan ni maan mein eh dus na pawaan - Anwar
  Pardaise which kallay da Kalla


  Chawaan passeoon dookh manu maarun - Jeevaine
  gaind noo maray ballah.


   


  Lao Janab! Pehli daffa tohaadi website tay eh
  toohfa dain di koshash keety aey. Omeed karna waan k tohanu eh nazam passand
  Aaey ghee.


   


  Mehrbaani kar kay telephone tay dus dia jay.


   


  Tohadi Mehrbani.    RABB RAAKHHA.
  Rabb tohanoo Maan Booli di khidmat karan di taufeeque daiway. AAMIN.


   


  Khaksar


   


  Anwar Khokhar.   Email  M.A.Khokhar@btinternet.com 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 


 

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