Harish Palaniappan's

Today's blog is about pakistan. Why? For many reasons.

Its a complexly built nation. Atleast thats how the rest of the world see it. It joins the league of muslim nations like Iran, Afganisthan, and Saudi Arabia. Pakistan does share the reputation that generally muslim nations have, on affairs related to Terrorism.

Being an Indian myself, I am more tempted to see pakistan as a threat rather than a neighbour of India. And as you might have heard of these problems India and Pakistan have on kashmir, on ethics of each other's core religious population and the likes, India politically would rate pakistan more on the Threat side than the Friend side of the scale.

With this writing, I am not trying to bridge any gaps between India and pakistan. Neither do I sympathise for the people of that country, because they dont need my sympathy.

Pakistan is a matured muslim country. Its people are a tolerant lot. Its economy slightly weaker than some of its neighbours. Its businesses are of comparable quality. Its technology leadership levels.. notable (for every now and then one of my friends or the other reminds me that the first computer virus was written in pakistan in those days).

Against popular belief, people of pakistan, are workable with, and make good pals.

Just because somebody is tolerant and because they arent able to do anything faster about the terrorist outfits operating from there, it doesnt mean they support terrorism.

Also, however these people are grouped, I don't think even a handful of them would support a motion of considering pakistanis alone the population of the world... ...while, there may be some countries where quite a lot of people openly say that they are the world.

Of Pakistani Software
Ah.. The world is smaller.. said somebody.. how true.. you wouldnt agree less if i said theres only one kind of people in this world who link and communicate together away from their country's politics, their religious beliefs, their agreements-disagreements, .. yep and that's people who use computers regularly.

Pakistan is working hard to make up its software majors big enough to compete the biggies of software. The pakistan software industry's representative body is P@sha.
Leading software companies include,
— Network Solutions (Netsol) (Founded in 1998 in Lahore). Listed in NASDAQ since June 2000
— Align Technologies (Founded in 1997, based in Lahore). Listed in NASDAQ since August 2000

Chief attraction: No Income tax on IT exports until the year 2015

Of Pakistan - People & Places
Maps- http://www.multimap.com/index/PK.htm
Tourist info- http://www.tourism.gov.pk/ Useful Links by bizbrowse
News- Dawn - Pakistani english newspaper

Pakistan Photos
Kenzemach pakistan photos - A very interesting link, especially 'Assorted photos' in this site.
Great mirror - photos
TrekEarth -Print quality photographs
PeterLanger - claims to have over 4000 photos of pakistan

This blog entry -Photo courtesy : TrekEarth PeterLanger