#planning process in pakistan

[rjzimmerman]

Excerpt from this Op-Ed from the New York Times:

At first glance, Xi Jinping seems to have lost the plot.

China’s president appears to be smothering the entrepreneurial dynamism that allowed his country to crawl out of poverty and become the factory of the world. He has brushed aside Deng Xiaoping’s maxim “To get rich is glorious” in favor of centralized planning and Communist-sounding slogans like “ecological civilization” and “new, quality productive forces,” which have prompted predictions of the end of China’s economic miracle.

But Mr. Xi is, in fact, making a decades-long bet that China can dominate the global transition to green energy, with his one-party state acting as the driving force in a way that free markets cannot or will not. His ultimate goal is not just to address one of humanity’s most urgent problems — climate change — but also to position China as the global savior in the process.

It has already begun. In recent years, the transition away from fossil fuels has become Mr. Xi’s mantra and the common thread in China’s industrial policies. It’s yielding results: China is now the world’s leading manufacturer of climate-friendly technologies, such as solar panels, batteries and electric vehicles. Last year the energy transition was China’s single biggest driver of overall investment and economic growth, making it the first large economy to achieve that.

This raises an important question for the United States and all of humanity: Is Mr. Xi right? Is a state-directed system like China’s better positioned to solve a generational crisis like climate change, or is a decentralized market approach — i.e., the American way — the answer?

How this plays out could have serious implications for American power and influence.

Look at what happened in the early 20th century, when fascism posed a global threat. America entered the fight late, but with its industrial power — the arsenal of democracy — it emerged on top. Whoever unlocks the door inherits the kingdom, and the United States set about building a new architecture of trade and international relations. The era of American dominance began.

Climate change is, similarly, a global problem, one that threatens our species and the world’s biodiversity. Where do Brazil, Pakistan, Indonesia and other large developing nations that are already grappling with the effects of climate change find their solutions? It will be in technologies that offer an affordable path to decarbonization, and so far, it’s China that is providing most of the solar panels, electric cars and more. China’s exports, increasingly led by green technology, are booming, and much of the growth involves exports to developing countries.

From the American neoliberal economic viewpoint, a state-led push like this might seem illegitimate or even unfair. The state, with its subsidies and political directives, is making decisions that are better left to the markets, the thinking goes.

But China’s leaders have their own calculations, which prioritize stability decades from now over shareholder returns today. Chinese history is littered with dynasties that fell because of famines, floods or failures to adapt to new realities. The Chinese Communist Party’s centrally planned system values constant struggle for its own sake, and today’s struggle is against climate change. China received a frightening reminder of this in 2022, when vast areas of the country baked for weeks under a record heat wave that dried up rivers, withered crops and was blamed for several heatstroke deaths.

[somethingusefulfromflorida]

World War Z is one of my favorite novels, but every time I reread it I am reminded of how painfully American it is. Very "third-way centrist," very "Democratic Liberal during the Bush years," very "I believe in America, we're the best country on Earth, let us show you the light." it is vehemently anticommunist, and plays the "both sides" card by having a character whose family suffered under Pinochet claim that imperialism and white hegemony are ghosts from a bygone era that developing nations need to get over; "far-left is just as bad as far-right, why can't we all just get along?"

A lot of the stories are interesting, and I want to do an in depth analysis of the timeline of the Great Panic someday, but this is a book that suggests Colin Fucking Powell would have been a great bastion of democracy and freedom, so I can't take any of the politics seriously anymore.

Iran becoming a nuclear nation and going to war with Pakistan

A Chinese civil war splits the PLA and dissolves the PRC, but not a single word is spoken about the multiple separatist movements in the United States after they were abandoned by the federal government for YEARS in zombieland (only that they were "given the option to be readmitted peacefully" when the feds came marching back)

Floridians turning Cuba into a "capitalist utopia" and Fidel Castro taking credit for the subsequent Cuban Evolution

Nelson Mandela personally signing off on an Apartheid-era plan to abandon half the country as human bait

The whole situation between Israel and Palestine (that is a can of worms I am neither qualified nor willing to dissect here)

Hollywood military propaganda gives people the will to live

The British royal family "shielding the soul" of the UK under the burden of their godlike mandate?!? (gag me with a fucking spoon...)

This book would be VERY different if it were written today. Published in 2006, it was obsessed with the Cold War but barely glossed over the War on Terror with one reference to "Gulf War 2" (Iraq) and a handful of references to a low-intensity "brushfire war" (Afghanistan) that ended in American victory by 2008, although a Pyrrhic one. I do not remember nor can I even imagine a time when ANYTHING within this book could be considered plausible outside the deepest fears and/or wettest dreams of the most diehard 'Mericans.

The more I get into it, the worst is sounds. I think I like the idea of the book more than the book itself now.

The prologue ends with a hint at an eventual sequel. The narrator says that a lot of people consider it too early to write a history book about a war that only just ended (and in fact is still being fought in some northern countries), and that it will take a few generations for people to fully process what happened. "Perhaps decades from now, someone will take up the task of recording the recollections of the much older, much wiser survivors." That is a book I would like to read; a retelling of WWZ with far less hero worship and characters who don't all sound like a 30-something American SNL writer.

[duxbelisarius]

Dune At Home: The First Dornish War, Part One

This is a project I've had on the backburner ever since I finished my Military Analysis of the Dance. I mentioned in my analysis of the Velaryon Blockade that I plan to rewrite the Dance series at some point, in light of the research and further reading I've done into the subject of pre-modern warfare. One can look at this new series focused on the First Dornish War as essentially a trial run for the rewrite, but my reasons for analyzing this war in particular go far beyond that.

The First Dornish War was the largest conflict fought by the Seven Kingdoms following unification, while its outcome cast a long shadow over the history of Westeros and the Targaryen Dynasty. There's Rhaenys' death and the affect it has on her family, the recurrent desire of future monarchs to conquer Dorne and succeed where Aegon failed, to say nothing of the way in which the events of the war have influenced and continue to influence the plot of the main ASOIAF books. While F&B only devotes 10 pages to the war as compared to the 200 taken up by the Dance, the importance of the First Dornish War far exceeds it's limited coverage, and we can probably expect to learn more about it in TWOW, ADOS, and the Aegon's Conquest series planned by HBO. This more than justifies analyzing the First Dornish War and the extent to which it is consistent with George's own worldbuilding and what we know about Medieval and Early Modern war.

This first part of the series will assess the Dornish worldbuilding, what information we have about its people, geography, environment and society as a whole. The purpose of doing this is to establish a baseline of what we can know or reasonably infer about Dorne from what the books tell us, which can then be compared to how Dorne is portrayed in F&B during the First Dornish War. I also recommend checking out the Dornish installments of the Politics of the Seven Kingdoms series written by the late Steven Attewell of Race for the Iron Throne; if you want a second opinion or more detail, his series is absolutely worth your while!

Atlas of Ice and Fire estimates that Dorne's size is approximately 328 472 square miles, using a similar process to TWOIAF editor Elio Garcia; this makes Dorne slightly smaller than Pakistan (340 509 square miles) and slightly larger than the former French Indochina (Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia, c.290 000 square miles). Atlas estimates a population of c.3 million in Dorne at the time of the ASOIAF series with his calculations again using methods similar to Elio, but the population may easily be lesser or greater than these extrapolations. Unfortunately the demographics of Planetos are a mess at best, and Dorne's population and that of the Seven Kingdoms should in theory be much smaller at the time of the First Dornish War.

ADWD's map of the south and TWOIAF's map of Dorne identify 16 and 17 populated locations in Dorne respectively, excluding Ghaston Grey, the Tower of Joy, Vulture's Roost and the Water Gardens. 7 of these settlements are located in the Red Mountains, aka the Dornish Marches: Starfall, High Hermitage, Blackmont, Skyreach, Kingsgrave, Wyl and Yronwood. Dorne is divided into eastern and western halves south of the mountains, with the eastern half beginning in the hills around the source of the Vaith and Scourge rivers and extending to the Broken Arm, and Dorne's western half comprising mostly desert save for the sulfurous Brimstone River. The aforementioned maps show only two settlements in western Dorne, Sandstone and Hellholt, while the remaining 7-8 settlements are located in Eastern Dorne: Vaith, Salt Shore, Lemonwood, Sunspear, Ghost Hill, Godsgrace, The Tor and Planky Town. All of the settlements in eastern Dorne are located directly beside the Vaith, Scourge and Greenblood Rivers or to the north of them, save for Salt Shore on Dorne's southern coast.

These dispositions reflect what we know about the settlement patterns of Dorne's past from TWOIAF: the majority of the First Men settled in the Greenblood valley or the Red Mountains, with the Daynes, Fowlers and Yronwoods settling in the latter area and the Wades, Shells and many more settling by the former. Only the unnamed Lords of the Wells ventured into the western deserts, and these were a minority. Only with the arrival of the Andals do we know of named houses settling in the west, House Uller and Qorgyle, while the Martells, Allyrions, Jordaynes, Santagars and Vaiths settled in the east along the northern coast and in the river valleys. When the Rhoynar arrived in Dorne and finally settled they mainly stayed in the east near the coast and the river valleys, further cementing the Red Mountains and eastern Dorne as the most populous areas of the country.

The distribution of Dorne's population is also consistent with the information we have about it's geography and climate. George's inspirations for Dorne in this regard were Spain and Palestine, and Morocco also fits the bill, being regions where summers are hot and dry and winters are cool and wet. These areas also have the bulk of their population situated along the coast and in the major river valleys, which is again consistent with George's worldbuilding. More than three-quarters of the land south of the Red Mountains is arid wasteland according to TWOIAF, with the bulk of this land being flat save for the hills at the source of the Greenblood and it's tributaries, and a small mountain range between The Tor and Ghost Hill on Dorne's northern coast. Dorne's southern coast is some 400 leagues/c.1200 miles long according to Rodrick Harlaw, and is largely barren outside of Salt Shore with few sources of fresh water for passing ships to utilize.

It should also come as no surprise that Dorne's population distribution coincides with those areas with an abundance of fresh water, for consumption and agricultural purposes. Eastern Dorne is mostly scrubland with hard, rocky soil that relies heavily upon the Greenblood for irrigation; alongside the Brimstone and Torrentine, the Greenblood is the only river which does not dry up during any season. Potential sources of fresh water in the Red Mountains include the Torrentine and Wyl Rivers as well as an unnamed river that ends near Yronwood, alongside groundwater from wells and rain/meltwater collected from streams, springs and cisterns. Due to the Brimstone being sulfurous, fresh water in western Dorne comes primarily from wells, watering holes and oases.

The result of Dorne's varied geography, climate and population distribution a history of political division and the emergence of Dornish subcultures following Nymeria's wars. The Rhoynar arrived in Dorne less than 700 years before Aegon's Conquest, following the destruction of the Rhoynar Principalities by the Valyrian Freehold, prior to which the First Men and Andals had warred with each other and their Reacher and Stormlord neighbours for millenia. Nymeria and her people spent more than four years in the area of the Summer Sea before arriving in Dorne and allying with Mors Martell, and it took more than a decade to unify the Dornish lands. Four Dornish subcultures emerged in the centuries after the Rhoynar settled, known to us from the ASOIAF books and TWOIAF as the Stoney, Sandy and Salty Dornish, and the Orphans of the Greenblood.

The Orphans have a small population that lives on poleboats in the Greenblood valley and near Planky Town, and retain the language and gods of the Rhoynar, while the Salty Dornish live along the coast and retain some Rhoynar customs but have adopted the common tongue and the Faith of the Seven. The Sandy Dornish live in the deserts and the river valleys, and are closer to the Rhoynar than the Stony Dornish who live in the Red Mountains, some of whom may still practice male-preference primogeniture as opposed to absolute primogeniture. Internal divisions ensured conflict too place within Dorne even after unification, with Nymeria facing two rebellions during her 27 year reign according to TWOIAF. The Yronwoods rebelled several times in the centuries before Aegon's Conquest and supported 3 of the 5 Blackfyre rebellions; following the death of Nymeria's grandson Mors II, his successors the Red Princes (2 of 3 were female) faced further rebellions and sought to suppress the Rhoynar language, driving the Orphans to speak their mother tongue in secret only.

Other aspects of Dorne's worldbuilding will be discussed in greater detail in subsequent installments, but for now I believe this is a solid baseline for us to use. Similar to my analysis of the Velaryon Blockade, I'm going to offer my potential fix-its or improvements now as opposed to saving them all for a conclusion like I did with the Dance series. I think this is process is better based on the feedback I received for the Dance, as its better to highlight those aspects that still work and what areas can be made better as opposed to just listing off flaws ad nauseum. Although not perfect, I think that Dorne's worldbuilding is a step up from how the rest of the Seven Kingdoms are portrayed, being on par with the North and Iron Islands in terms of the information we're given about their socities and their cultural diversity. With the exception of the Vale and Riverlands to some extent, Westeros between the Neck and the Dornish Marches tends to blend together; for example, we have little indication of any differences in Westerlands culture between the coast and the Western Hills, or the mining communities and peasant farmers, despite having three major POVs from the Westerlands (Jaime, Cersei, Tyrion).

Dorne's cultural diversity is significant as there should be a greater variety of cultures and languages in Westeros just based on the great distances and different terrain, even among the First Men and Andals. That being said, there is one quibble I have concerning the four Dornish subcultures, specifically the 'Stony' and 'Sandy Dornish.' Rhoynar culture had a strong affinity with water due to their original home in the Rhoyne valley and use of water magic; TWOIAF also states that those who settled in Dorne preferred to live by the sea which had been their home during their wanderings, hence the 'Salty Dornish' culture. It doesn't really follow that the 'Sandy Dornish' should be more like the Rhoynar than the 'Stony' based on this information; if anything the reverse should be the case based on geography and settlement patterns.

Access to the sea is greater in the Red Mountains than the western desert thanks to the mouth of the Torrentine and the western coast of the Sea of Dorne, whereas Dorne's southern coast is mostly uninhabitable. The greater abundance of fertile land and fresh water in the mountains would better accommodate Rhoynar refugees than the more scarce resources of the western deserts; despite TWOIAF's references to water witches making "dry streams flow and deserts bloom," the majority of Dorne's population remains concentrated in the east and the Red Mountains, suggesting these were just legends or that water magic did not significantly improve the habitability of western Dorne.

The way the 'Sandy Dornish' and their culture are described is also contradictory; despite references to their living in the river valleys as well as the deserts, TWOIAF makes it clear that outside the valleys, "men live in different fashion" and describes the 'Sandy' way of life as centered around wells and oasis which support life in the desert. We also know that five of the six kings that Nymeria exiled to the wall were from the Red Mountains: Yorick Yronwood, Vorian Dayne, Garrison Fowler, Benedict Blackmont and Albin Manwoody, with Lucifer Dryland of Hellgate being the outlier. Largescale Rhoynar settlement in the marches should have been a priority for Nymeria in light of the opposition she faced from the lords of the Red Mountains, both to repopulate an area that had seen heavy fighting and ensure that the border of Dorne was settled with people that were personally loyal to her and had arranged marriages with the local houses.

The 'Stony Dornish' should be closer to the Rhoynar than the 'Sandy' on this basis alone, and this could have had interesting implications for the story and worldbuilding. Given the significant presence of the Andals in the western deserts, it would have been interesting to see how this remoteness affected the local development and practice of the Faith of the Seven. Ellaria Sand is a bastard of House Uller who are one of the Andal houses that settled in the desert, though we only get glimpses of her in ASOS, AFFC and ADWD; by having the 'Sandy Dornish' be more distinct, we could have seen how her houses' Andal roots affected her character if at all. Perhaps she would be closer to Tyene Sand due to her training to be a Septa, and Tyene could even instruct Oberyn and Ellaria's four daughters in the Faith? In fact this raises a broader criticism of the Dornish worldbuilding, being how the practice of the Faith in Dorne differs from the rest of the Seven Kingdoms. TWOIAF mentions that the more liberal sexual morays of the Rhoynar clashed with the teachings of the Faith, but is the Dornish Faith deemed schismatic? Were there any conflicts with the Faith hierarchy? This is a subject that would be worth exploring since the in-universe author of TWOIAF, Maester Yandel, insists that the Andals learned ironworking from the Rhoynar and that there were relations between the two peoples prior to the Andal migrations. Did Rhoynar beliefs affect the development of the Faith in Essos and vice-versa, and did this have any affect on the adopting of the Faith by the Rhoynar that settled in Dorne?

We're going to cover more issues with the worldbuilding of Dorne once we start discussing the First Dornish War itself, but for now these are the extent of my issues as concerns the foundational worldbuilding. I believe George did a solid job of constructing it despite some flaws, and that greater issues mainly arise when trying to square this portrayal of Dorne with what we're shown in the Dornish Wars.

[vague-humanoid]

US Deploys Troops to Give Israel’s Genocide a Boost

On The Freedom Side LIVE, Thursday, 10/17  at 3pm ET/12pm PT, Eugene and Rania are joined by special guests:

Mike Prysner - War veteran, Host of Eyes Left Podcast and producer for The Empire Files joins the show to give insight into the Pentagon’s plans to deploy a THAAD advanced anti-missile defense system to Israel along with 100 US soldiers to operate it – the first time the US has deployed boots on the ground since the start of the Gaza genocide. Prysner will discuss how the move signifies preparations for US involvement in a wider regional war.

Zoe Alexandra - Journalist and Editor of Peoples Dispatch joins the show to discuss the latest attempts by the Colombian right-wing to overthrow Gustavo Petro’s democratically-elected government through an unconstitutional investigation into his 2022 campaign finances. Several world leaders have called this a lawfare coup. Zoe will discuss the mass mobilizations taking place to defend Colombia’s democratic process.

Giorgio Cafiero - CEO of Gulf State Analytics, a Washington, DC-based geopolitical risk consultancy, joins the show to discuss how the reactionary Gulf States are responding to Israel’s dangerous escalations to provoke a full-scale regional war in the Middle East.

Lawrence Grandpre - The Director of Research at Leaders of a Beautiful Struggle will discuss Kamala Harris’s recently unveiled ‘opportunity agenda for Black men.’ Grandpre explains why the superficial attempts from the Harris-Walz campaign to win the Black vote – while doing nothing to address Kamala’s abysmal track record incarcerating Black people – will only fall short.

Junaid S. Ahmad – Professor of Law, Religion, and Global Politics and Director of the Center for the Study of Islam and Decolonization in Islamabad, Pakistan joins the show to discuss the mass protests that swept Pakistan following Israel’s assassination of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Ahmad explains how the resistance in the Middle East has helped to revitalize the mass action against Pakistan’s US-backed military regime.

#breakthroughnews

[pardy-dardy]

BtWoD: The Garou Nation; We All Saw It Coming Pt. 1

so. in the BtWoD continuity, the Garou Nation fell sometime in the early 2000s thanks to internal conflict, dissatisfaction with leadership, the death of Jonas Albrecht, and the ever-increasing reports of return of the Fera (despite the War of Rage seemingly having been a win). this is a little taste for what's to come in that regard :) an introduction, from the perspective of our Corax pal Electrum Wire, to the first 6 Tribes of Garou that now exist. OC under the cut!

“The Garou Nation; We All Saw It Coming,”  a report by Electrum Wire, Beat Auspice, House Frugilex. Part 1 of 2.

Things have mostly settled since the collapse of the Garou Nation in 200X. New Tribes have been formed, alliances and allegiances are beginning to show, and honestly, it’s been a hoot to keep up to date with how things’ve gone in the past couple years. This report is to function as a benchmark, analyzing the political landscape of the Garou as of the year 201X. As per usual, only primary sources are used here— since this hasn’t been a priority, some of the sources p/Tribe have been a couple years apart from one another. I’ll be sure to note when certain quotes are more outdated than others.

The Acolytes of Polaris Figures that these non-white Garou Tribes would feel sidelined enough to team up. The Acolytes are made up of the frmr. Silent Striders + Stargazers Tribes, and claim their territory to be North Africa + West Asia (and even into Pakistan, but some are disputing whether that was ever in their ancestors’ range to begin with). A majority of the individuals we interviewed claimed that they weren’t ever really part of the Nation to begin with, so this new arrangement doesn’t change much.

We’ve got decent contact with them these days, since they’re looking more to build than tear down. Their wolf-kin are damn near extinct in the wild, and they’ve got enough of a brain to start making compromises for the sake of survival. They tend to trade in insight and secrets, and I’ve experienced first-hand how desperate they are. Some of the deals they’ve taken just for the sake of establishing a line? It’d make the Elders cry.

Additionally, we’ve got word from our pals in the Beast Courts that they’re looking to join up. The Hakken have always been sympathetic, after all. Who knows, as of the publishing of this report they very well could’ve made the alliance formal.

Coyote’s Council This one’s a fun one. After the Garou Nation crumbled, Patron Spirit Coyote went out recruiting from all of the Garou in North America who had native blood in them. Most of them were frmr. Ghost Council + mixed Bone Gnawers, but who knows how many other ex-Tribes were mixed in. Nowadays, they take orders from Patron Coyote, and they’re publicly working with the Nuwisha to the end of their shared master.

Has this made them more fun? Yes and no. They’re still Garou, and we all know how they can get when they’re the butt of a joke. But a bunch of them have embraced their inner coyote, and have turned into a well-oiled guerilla force in the process. Some of the reports coming out of the US’ interior sound like the plot to a rejected Tom & Jerry episode, if I’m being honest.

Strangely, they can’t be found outside of the North American continent. With the efficacy they’re showing, you’d think that Patron Coyote would want to start stretching his paws. But, nope. As of the publishing of this report, the only other place Coyote’s Council is found is in the Umbra, but that much should be obvious.

And, of course, they’re cagey as hell when it comes to their plans. Don’t trust a damn thing they’re feeding you unless you’ve got a prior arrangement, or have them under a Geas or something. 

Fangs of the High North Before this section begins, a preface; Canada is off-limits. The Fangs of the High North are in the process of skirmishing with colonizing Garou (in addition to their usual activities of destroying Pentex infrastructure where they can), and the place is dangerous to the Corax. We’ve been told on multiple occasions that if we’re not there to actively help, we’re to stay the fuck away. While I’m not an advisor, I can say for certain that it scared the shit out of me, and that I can’t say I’d encourage anyone else to head there, not even for migratory purposes.

So, yeah! The Fangs are another neo-Tribe native to North America, and are primarily made up of frmr. Gale Stalkers, Red Talons, and sympathetic Get of Fenris. Now that the Nation is out of their way, they’ve been looking to take back their land by force. Can’t say I blame them. They’ve been on the warpath ever since, and considering how many other native Fera are joining the effort, I’m of the opinion that there’s a good chance they’ll give those bastards the boot.

Let’s just hope that none of the occupiers get desperate enough to turn to Malfeas for help. As of the time of publishing, there’ve been no reports of unusual Wyrmtaint coming from some of our American kin, so keep your feathers crossed!

Get of Fenris Okay. The Get has (to nobody’s surprise) become the dominant Garou Tribe in the European Continent, has made significant progress in recruiting pissed off Americans from the North and South continents, and has found incredible success in changing literally nothing about their viking/berserker philosophy. In fact, the crumbling of the Garou Nation was a GOOD THING for their leadership, as they now are unbound by any bureaucracy. We’re all very familiar with these details by now.

One thing I want to put to bed before you birdbrains start freaking out is this— THE GET ARE NOT NAZIS. The Get have a longstanding tradition (that HAS BEEN WELL CATALOGUED BY THE CORAX, LEARN TO VISIT THE LIBRARY) of forcing their cubs to shed all former ties to their human lives if they’re born Homid, including any kind of racist beliefs they might hold. ANY Get found participating in upholding any form of hierarchy OTHER than “might makes right” is immediately liable to being ganked by their peers until the racism leaves their bodies. I’ve literally seen it happen. And yeah, there was a faction of them back in WW2, but we all had some dead branches to trim from our kin back then.

Does it excuse their behavior? Abso-fucking-lutely not. But if you want to start pointing fingers at real Nazis, we’ve got dossiers your Pack can to be assigned to. Put your activism to real work, kids.

Grave Howlers They still refuse to talk to us. All of them. Not a single one gives us more than a passing sentence. All we have to go on are rumours and hearsay from other Tribes.

If you’ve heard the name “middle brother” thrown around by the American natives, take it with a grain of salt. If you’ve heard people talk about the blue runes on their fur, remember that anyone with Scottish heritage can put on woad. If you’ve heard people speaking protective rituals under their breath when they come near— eh, maybe follow their lead.

The Grave Howlers stink of Wyrmtaint, are horribly scarred from head to toe, and spend much of their time avoiding all Garou other than the Black Spiral Dancers. All reported conflicts between them and the other Tribes have been started by the latter, indicating that they’re up to something.

And just as a reminder to anyone thinking of looking into them, all of the Packs who’ve come back from their assignments refuse to talk or write about what happened. All of them. 100%. So if you’re down to gain some forbidden knowledge that’ll make the Elders pissed off, be my guest.

Hakken We’ve had a rapport with them for centuries now thanks to our kin in the Beast Courts, and nothing’s really changed over there. They were already separated geographically and politically— the shattering of the Nation did nothing to change that. So, uh. Yeah, nothing to report I guess. Other than that they might be helping the Acolytes join the Beast Courts. I think I speak for everyone when I say that it’s a relief to hear that at least one faction of Garou isn’t either blowing up, blowing someone else up, or angling to blow up.

[sunmontuewrites]

Monday Monday!

I feel quite lucky in that I enjoy my work, and the people I work with. Coming to work isn't a depressing thing. Would I rather be writing fanfic? Yes, of course. However I am having positive effects on the peoples lives that I work with, and that gives me a lot of satisfaction.

(New Doctoral Assistant arrived today from Pakistan and because my new processes are FINALLY in place his onboarding was smooth, his IT equipment was waiting for him on Friday, he's got everything he needs, we look efficient and like we know what we're doing. STARK difference to what was happening six months ago.)

Work emails under 40, 35, 30, 25, 20, 15, 10, 5

Morning routine / evening routine

Breakfast / Lunch / Dinner

Another morning coffee

2 loads of washing

Drop kids off at school

Space audit info into spreadsheet

Space audit on two more rooms

Social activities planned + email

Tidy away 100+ files

Pick kids up from school

Moisturise

Write 1k, 2k, 3k

Hockey game

[beardedmrbean]

Two bomb explosions near candidates' offices in the Pakistani province of Balochistan killed at least 28 people and wounded dozens on the eve of general elections, officials said.

The first blast killed 16 people in Pishin district, north of Quetta city.

A second explosion left 12 people dead in Qila Saifullah to the east. There was no immediate claim for the attacks.

The vote has been marred by violence and claims of poll-rigging. Former PM Imran Khan is barred from contesting.

Police are still trying to determine the cause of the two blasts.

Resource-rich Balochistan - Pakistan's largest, and poorest, province - has a history of violence. It has seen a decades-long struggle for greater autonomy by various groups, some of them armed. Islamist militants, including the Pakistani Taliban (TTP), operate along the border with Afghanistan.

The bomb in Pishin, a town about 100km (62 miles) south-east of the Afghan border, went off in front of an independent candidate's party office. The provincial authorities said 25 people were also wounded.

Images on social media showed cars and motorbikes blown apart by the force of the explosion. Officials told the BBC the candidate was meeting his polling agent at the time.

The second blast targeted the election office of the JUI-F party. A senior police official told AFP news agency it took place in the main bazaar of Qila Saifullah, about 190km (120 miles) east of Quetta.

Twenty people were wounded in the incident and the number of casualties in the two attacks could rise, officials said.

There have been violent incidents in both Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provinces in the week before Thursday's vote, and the violence in Pishin and Qila Saifullah was not unexpected.

In mid-January, Baloch Liberation Army-Azad (BLA) insurgents released a pamphlet after claiming responsibility for bombing an election training office. The pamphlet urged people to boycott the elections. Soon after, reports of hand grenade attacks on political party offices were reported from various cities in the province.

Many voters in Balochistan feel neglected by the country's political parties, given the province has so few seats in parliament. They often feel candidates are foisted on them, with few if any links to Balochistan.

And many feel the vote is unfair. "It is a selection," numerous people told BBC Urdu in the city of Turbat last month.

Following Wednesday's attacks, the Balochistan government said Thursday's vote would proceed as planned.

"Rest assured, we will not allow terrorists to undermine or sabotage this crucial democratic process," provincial information minister Jan Achakzai posted on X, formerly Twitter.

More than 128 million voters are eligible to cast ballots in the election. In Pakistan's first-past-the-post system, 266 of 336 National Assembly seats are directly elected.

But many people are questioning the credibility of the vote as Khan and his party, the PTI, have been sidelined.

The PTI won the largest number of seats in the last general election but Khan was jailed on corruption charges last year and disqualified from running for public office. Last week he was convicted in three other cases and faces years in prison - he says all the charges are politically motivated.

The authorities deny carrying out a crackdown, but many PTI leaders are behind bars, in hiding or have defected. Thousands of the party's supporters were rounded up after protests - at times violent - when Khan was taken into custody last year.

PTI candidates are having to run as independents following the electoral commission's decision to strip the party of its cricket bat symbol. Electoral symbols are vital in helping voters mark their ballots in a country with high rates of illiteracy.

The man tipped to win Thursday's election is three-time former PM Nawaz Sharif, who himself was behind bars at the last election. Analysts say it appears he has done a deal with the military to facilitate his return to politics.

A high turnout will be key to the PTI's chances, many analysts say. How to tackle, and who to blame for, the country's economic crisis will be high in voters' minds. Results must be announced within 14 days of the election.

[shamangus]

Summary: Events in India’s life, inspired by the speech, ‘A Tryst With Destiny.’

India = Bharat

Pakistan = Faiz

Bangladesh or Bengal = Padma

Sri Lanka = Aadhya

Disclaimers:

I am not a history expert, nor will I ever claim to be. Everything written here is of my own research, if I made any mistakes please feel free to inform me!

I am also not Indian, or a Hindu Nationalist. I am not trying to demonize Pakistan in any way, if you feel that I am, please contact me privately and we can work together to fix it.

Warnings: Descriptions of violence and sickness.

Long years ago, we made a tryst with destiny, and now the time comes when we shall redeem our pledge, not wholly or in full measure, but very substantially."

November 2nd, 1858.

Bharat stood before Britain, his hands tied behind his back; Padma stood behind him, her head also bowed.

They were in jail in New Delhi. Honestly, Bharat was surprised Britain had not shot him dead and then dragged him here.

Britain glared, but his gaze was not very threatening. "Padma." Padma's head quickly snapped up, "yes, sir?" she quietly asked. "Leave us alone in privacy. Wait for me outside."

Padma looked at Britain, then back at Bharat, then quickly left.

She was only gone for a second before Britain reeled back his fist and punched Bharat in the face; Bharat stumbled back and fell to the floor, and Britain glowered at him from above.

"You really thought you could beat me?" Britain taunted, kicking him in the stomach for emphasis. "Your glory-filled empire days are over; your independence is not coming soon, so do not hold your breath."

Bharat managed to sit up and spit on Britain's feet. "I've been alive for almost 4,000 years. I've seen empires as great as yours crumble to dust. And I am in full confidence that yours will be among them."

Britain's pale face burned with anger, and he again kicked Bharat. "You will be sent to the Andaman Islands and serve your sentence there until I declare it over." He kicked India again to prove his dominance and then left the room with a slam.

"At the stroke of the midnight hour, when the world sleeps, India will awake to life and freedom. A moment comes, which comes but rarely in history, when we step out from the old to the new, when an age ends, and when the soul of a nation, long suppressed, finds utterance."

February 28th, 1948

Bharat watched the 1st battalion of the Somerset Light infantry march through Bombay from his balcony with a smile.

After this battalion left, India would finally be free of the British Army, a process more than 200 years in the making.

As he watched the battalion pass by, he remembered the 39th Foot, the first British army regiment stationed in India, and how much he loathed their presence. India's opinion hasn't changed since then.

Bharat knew Britain would try to hold on to the crumbling remnants of his empire, but as he watched the setting sun, he knew the British Empire had ended.

"It is fitting that at this solemn moment, we take the pledge of dedication to the service of India and her people and to the still larger cause of humanity."

December 30th, 1906.

Bharat sat alone in Calcutta, he knew Faiz and Padma were in Dacca, and he had an inkling of their plans.

He had told Faiz it was a bad idea to take Padma on a journey like that with her declining health. But he hadn't listened.

Faiz had been particularly aggressive these past days, ranting about a new policy Bharat didn't like.

The two-nation policy, it had been dubbed. It supported the idea that upon Independence, the British Raj be split into two nations. One for Muslims and another for Hindus.

The whole idea sounded absurd to Bharat; it would just divide people further, and what about Muslims living outside of the territories that Faiz had suggested becoming the Muslim state? What would become of them, or the Hindus living in what would theoretically be in the Muslim State?

Faiz's whole plan was utterly ridiculous, and when Independence came, he hoped that Britain would be sensible enough to not divide them like this.

"At the dawn of history, India started on her unending quest."

1921, No specific date

It was a warm summer's night when Faiz had come to him with the question.

"What do you remember about…being born?"

Bharat raised an eyebrow, "now, why would you want to know about that?" Bharat questioned.

"I just wanted to know, I guess…" Faiz answered nervously.

Bharat chuckled; he knew why Faiz was asking these questions. Ruins of a civilization called the Indus Valley Civilization had just been discovered in Punjab; perhaps he wanted to see how that Civilization could be related to him.

Bharat cleared his throat and prepared for a long story.

"I don't remember a lot about being born. I was born in the Northeast; I just felt like being born. Suddenly the world just started; I'm unsure how to explain it. I followed a river to Civilization, and the local villagers took me in."

Faiz frowned, "so, no cool story about your birth." Bharat shook his head, "I'm sure you can ask Padma; maybe she has a better answer."

"and trackless centuries are filled with her striving and the grandeur of her success."

Sometime between the 4th century and 5th century AD.

India = Bhadra

Bangladesh = Amrapali

Bhadra went over the mathematics again to ensure he was getting it right. At that very moment, Amrapali decided to stick her head in.

"What are you doing?" Amrapali asked, looking over Bhadra's shoulder. Bhadra didn't even get to answer because Amrapali then groaned.

"Math again!?" Amrapali complained. Unlike Bhadra, mathematics didn't interest her at all. Instead, she devoted her days to plays and art.

"When are you going to do something fun?" Amrapali questioned, pulling on Bhadra's arm.

Bhadra laughed, "So you want to do something fun?"

Amrapali nodded, and Bhadra gestured to the board in front of them. "What about we play some chaturanga then?"

"and her failures. Through good and ill fortune alike, she has never lost sight of that quest or forgotten the ideals which gave her strength. We end today a period of ill fortune, and India discovers herself again."

August 16th, 1946

Bharat ran through the streets of Calcutta, looking for Faiz. The violence had escalated unimaginably, and Padma was right in the center.

Dead bodies in the streets, and business owners were forced to flee. Bharat had to find Faiz and stop this, but he had no clue where to find Faiz in the first place. He could be anywhere.

When he finally found Faiz, to say he was angry was an understatement.

"What have you done?" Bharat questioned.

Faiz scoffed, "What have I done? I didn't do anything!" Bharat gestured to the damage around them, "What is this then? Your dumb league incited the violence; what does 'direct action' mean?"

Faiz shook his head, "I don't know where you're getting your information from. The Muslim League is only standing their ground!"

Suddenly screams came from down the street, and a truck loaded with men holding iron bars and lathis drove past them. At first, Bharat thought the truck would keep going, but then the truck abruptly stopped.

The men trickled out of the truck and started running towards them, screaming.

Bharat looked at Faiz, "I think that's a sign for us to run."

"Freedom and power bring responsibility. The responsibility rests upon this assembly, a sovereign body representing the sovereign people of India. Before the birth of freedom, we have endured all the pains of labor, and our hearts are heavy with the memory of this sorrow. Some of those pains continue even now. Nevertheless, the past is over, and the future beckons to us now."

Sometime in 1950.

Bharat finished packing the final box; the British Raj house was finally empty. Bharat had meant to move out of this house for a couple of months; the memories associated with this house were just too much.

There was just one thing left, the giant painting on the wall. Britain had commissioned this shortly after Queen Victoria was crowned Empress of India.

Britain stood tall and proud in the center, surrounding Bharat, Pakistan, and Padma. None of them were smiling except Padma, who smiled even when she wasn't supposed to.

Bharat couldn't decide whether to get rid of or keep it; it was something about nostalgia.

But there was something Bharat hadn't considered; Pakistan was gone. His own country now, a country that hated his guts.

Bharat knew that he could keep his personal relationships separate from a county's, but keeping a good relationship with Pakistan would be impossible.

Bharat took the portrait off the wall. It was time to let go of the past.

"That future is not one of ease or resting but of incessant striving so that we may fulfill the pledges we have so often taken and the one we shall take today. The service of India means the benefit of the millions who suffer. It means the ending of poverty and ignorance and disease and inequality of opportunity.

The ambition of the greatest man of our generation has been to wipe every tear from every eye.

That may be beyond us, but as long as there are tears and suffering, so long our work will not be over."

1943

Bharat finished reading the letter, his hopes thoroughly diminished. According to the letter by Aadhya, Padma's condition had severely worsened. The Bengal Famine was wrecking her, even as she lay in New Delhi. Aadhya doubted that she would make it past partition.

Faiz quickly noticed Bharat's emotional change. "What happened?" Faiz asked. Bharat sighed, "Padma's condition worsened. Aadhya thinks she won't make it past partition."

Faiz frowned, "Padma is much stronger than she looks; she'll be fine." Bharat snorted, "You overestimate how strong Padma is. You know how weak she was post-1905."

Bharat crumbled up the paper and threw it on the ground; he would have to write back to Aadhya later. He wished he could be there, but Britain would throw a fit if he left the front lines. Bharat prayed that Faiz was right, he knew Padma was strong, but the last few decades had put quite a strain on her.

"And so we have to labor and to work, and work hard, to give reality to our dreams. Those dreams are for India, but they are also for the world, for all the nations and peoples are too closely knit together today for anyone of them to imagine that they can live apart.

Peace has been said to be indivisible; so is freedom, so is prosperity now, and so is disaster in this one world that can no longer be split into isolated fragments.

To the people of India, whose representatives we are, we make an appeal to join us with faith and confidence in this great adventure. This is no time for petty and destructive criticism, no time for ill will or blaming others. We have to build the noble mansion of free India where all her children may dwell.

The appointed day has come - the day appointed by destiny - and India stands forth again, after long slumber and struggle, awake, vital, free and independent. The past clings on to us still in some measure, and we have to do much before we redeem the pledges we have so often taken. Yet the turning point is the past, and history begins anew for us, the history which we shall live and act and others will write about."

January 26th, 1950.

It was done. The Constitution of India was finally completed, passed, adopted, and put into force. It took 2 years, 11 months and 18 days, and 6.4 million rupees. But all that mattered now was that the new country had a constitution, they had gone the last three years of Independence without one, and Bharat worried that every day without one would lead to India's destruction.

The number of people living within Bharat's border scared him but filled him with awe. 359 million people of different cultures and religions now resided within his country.

He would have to work with all of the personifications to make sure that they didn't fight amongst each other and that they all got the rights given to them under the Indian constitution.

The new constitution didn't guarantee that India would stay together; at any time, something could happen, but it gave the country more legitimacy and made it a little more stable. Which was all Bharat could care about.

Bharat had no idea what would lay before him in the future, what would happen. All he hoped was that India would stay together through all of it.

"It is a fateful moment for us in India, Asia, and the world. A new star rises, the star of freedom in the east, a new hope comes into being, a vision long cherished materializes. May the star never set, and that hope will never be betrayed!"

September 25th, 1949

Bharat smiled as he watched the crowds gather in anticipation of the elephant's arrival. It was India's first big diplomacy move, and he was happy it was coming to fruition.

"Are you ready to see the elephant?" Bharat asked Kiku. Kiku had always been a prominent ally of his, even with the whole Anglo-Japanese thing that had gone down. "I am excited to see the elephant. Thank you, India-san, for the elephant. Indira is bringing hope to Japanese children everywhere."

Bharat couldn't take that statement to heart due to mainly America's occupation of Japan. Everything that Kiku was saying was likely scripted by America himself. Bharat knew this because this had happened to him many times under Britain's rule. Kiku was also in a terrible state, his skin scarred and charred, and he was left standing with a cane.

Cheers erupted as the elephant finally embarked off the ship. Bharat and Kiku made their way to the front of the crowd. "She's majestic," Bharat sighed; he had always held a deep respect for elephants, the way their presence commanded some respect. Kiku nodded along with him, "They really are."

"We rejoice in that freedom, even though clouds surround us, and many of our people are sorrow-stricken and complex problems encompass us. But freedom brings responsibilities and burdens, and we have to face them in the spirit of a free and disciplined people.

On this day, our first thoughts go to the architect of this freedom, the father of our nation, who, embodying the old spirit of India, held aloft the torch of freedom and lighted up the darkness that surrounded us.

We have often been unworthy followers of his and have strayed from his message, but not only we but succeeding generations will remember this message and bear the imprint in their hearts of this great son of India, magnificent in his faith and strength and courage and humility. We shall never allow that torch of freedom to be blown out, however high the wind or stormy the tempest."

February 2nd, 1948.

When Bharat had heard of Mahatma Gandhi's death, he had gone into a state of shock. At first, Bharat had assumed that Gandhi had died of natural causes, a heart attack maybe. But when he learned that he was assassinated, Bharat was shocked.

Now as he walked the five miles of Gandhi's funeral procession, Bharat was left in a state of confusion. He knew Gandhi would not live forever, but to have his life cut short like this was undeniably cruel. All because he didn't support violence against Muslims.

Now Bharat knew that all the violence of the partition was useless and never should have happened. Religious extremity had led to his death, and Bharat was determined to ensure that the same religious extremity would lead to his own country's death.

"Our following thoughts must be of the unknown volunteers and soldiers of freedom who, without praise or reward, have served India even unto death.

We also think of our brothers and sisters who have been cut off from us by political boundaries and who unhappily cannot share at present in the freedom that has come. They are of us and will remain of us whatever may happen, and we shall be sharers in their good and ill fortune alike."

1990's

Loud screams of 'India Zindabad' color the air orange, green, and white. Bharat knew that Faiz was on the other side of the border, watching the same ceremony he was in.

The national enthusiasm and patriotism were almost too much for Bharat, and he could feel his competition flaring up.

The guards wore their khaki uniforms while wearing frilly red headdresses that even India thought were a little too expensive.

The whole show went on for 20 minutes, with each of the guards showing off. They met in the middle for a blink-and-you-miss-it handshake, and that was that.

India knew this ceremony was supposed to connect, but it only inspired his competition with Pakistan.

"The future beckons to us. Whither do we go, and what shall be our endeavor? To bring freedom and opportunity to the common man, to the peasants and workers of India; to fight and end poverty and ignorance and disease; to build up a prosperous, democratic, and progressive nation; and to create social, economic, and political institutions which will ensure justice and fullness of life to every man and woman.

We have hard work ahead. There is no resting for any one of us till we redeem our pledge in full, till we make all the people of India what destiny intended them to be.

We are citizens of a great country on the verge of bold advances, and we must live up to that high standard. To whatever religion we may belong, all of us are equally the children of India with equal rights, privileges, and obligations. We cannot encourage communalism or narrow-mindedness, for no nation can be great whose people are narrow in thought or in action."

March 2022

India rechecked the gdp reports again; he knew his economy had massively grown. But this, this achievement of irony, was a little too unbelievable.

It was true India had taken over Britain, becoming the fifth-largest economy in the world.

With a cheer, Bharat threw up the papers in the air, how he would pay to see England's current state.

India would have to bide his patience until he saw England again to brag about it. Still, he would have to make his birthday party much more glamorous to showcase his new position in the world economy.

"To the nations and peoples of the world, we send greetings and pledge ourselves to cooperate with them in furthering peace, freedom, and democracy. And to India, our much-loved motherland, the ancient, the eternal, and the ever-new, we pay our reverent homage, and we bind ourselves afresh to her service. Jai Hind [Victory to India]."

This is part of my historical hetalia series about any historical event from any part of the world. The next one will be about Japan!

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🔻Pakistan: Youm-e-Ali procession to be held to commemorate martyrdom of Imam Ali

🔷Youm-e-Ali will be observed today Tuesday with devotion and respect in commemoration of the martyrdom of Imam Ali, peace be upon him. According to sources, a large procession will be taken out in connection with the day for which a tight security plan has been devised; with approximately 2,700 police personnel deployed to maintain security.…

https://shiawaves.com/english/news/92100-pakistan-youm-e-ali-procession-to-be-held-to-commemorate-martyrdom-of-imam-ali/

[dr-jan-baloch]

London، 8 January 2025: (Press Release) – The President of the Free Balochistan Movement, Hyrbyair Marri, stated in his recent statement that ever since Iran occupied part of Baloch territory, it has continuously tried to divide the Baloch land and displace the Baloch people under the guise of various political and administrative reforms.

The Baloch leader added that this process has not been limited to any specific Iranian government. Rather, regardless of who has been in power—be it during the so-called democratic regimes, the era of Reza Shah Pahlavi, or the current religious extremist regime—dividing Baloch national strength and land has always been a top priority. All Iranian rulers, regardless of their political stance, have consistently sought to crush the Baloch national liberation movement and the spirit of freedom among the Baloch people.

Hyrbyair Marri further said that despite Iran’s efforts to weaken the Baloch national power, turn the Baloch into a minority in their own homeland through demographic engineering, and impose increasing repression, the passion for the liberation of every inch of their homeland remains alive and strong in the hearts of the Baloch people.

He emphasized that occupiers are always haunted by the fear that one day the occupied nations will rise to reclaim their freedom and land. Therefore, throughout history, occupiers have used excessive force, enforced mass relocations, created new settlements, and imposed administrative divisions to weaken the collective strength of the occupied nations. This is precisely what Iran is attempting to do in Balochistan to consolidate its occupation, but the Baloch people are not only aware of these schemes but are also politically resisting them.

Marri stressed the need to counter the Iranian and Pakistani conspiracies aimed at dividing Baloch territory and weakening the collective strength of the Baloch people through intellectual and conscious efforts. He called on every Baloch political activist to be fully aware of how, over the past centuries, the united Baloch land has been divided under various administrative pretexts. He also highlighted the importance of documenting the exploitation of Baloch national resources, both mineral and maritime, by Iran and Pakistan, using statistical data and evidence.

He revealed that Iran is planning to move its capital from Tehran to the coastal city of Chahbahar in Balochistan, as part of its strategy to strengthen its hold on the region by creating multiple administrative divisions and undermining the Baloch national liberation movement. A recent statement by Iranian government spokesperson Fatemeh Mohajerani, reiterating plans to move the capital southward, indicates that Iran is very close to implementing this plan.

The head of the Free Balochistan Movement pointed out that the Iranian state aims to settle large numbers of non-Baloch people in coastal areas of Balochistan to further reduce the Baloch population to a minority. To economically sustain this plan, Iran has proposed establishing around 27 economic zones, 14 of which are being considered along the coastal belt of Balochistan near the Baloch Sea. However, Marri asserted that the Baloch nation will thwart all such malicious plans and will ensure the attainment of its freedom from both Iran and Pakistan.

In conclusion, Hyrbyair Marri called on other oppressed nations under Iranian occupation, including the Kurds, Ahwazis, and Turkmens, to collaborate with the Baloch people on common grounds to achieve their mutual interests. He pointed out that occupying powers often unite to formulate oppressive policies aimed at maintaining their control. Therefore, it is crucial for the oppressed nations in the region to consolidate their strength against Iran to achieve effective success in their struggle for liberation.

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High-Quality Ready Made Concrete for Residential and Commercial Use in Karachi

The construction industry in Karachi is thriving, with a growing demand for efficient, durable, and cost-effective building materials. Among these, Ready Made Concrete Karachi has emerged as a popular choice for both residential and commercial projects. It offers unparalleled convenience, consistency, and quality, making it an essential component of modern construction. In this article, we will explore the benefits of ready-made concrete, its applications, and why Allied Materials is a trusted name in providing this vital building material in Karachi.

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Ready-made concrete, also known as ready-mix concrete, is a pre-prepared mixture of cement, aggregates, water, and other additives. It is manufactured in a controlled environment at batching plants and delivered to construction sites in a ready-to-use form. This eliminates the need for on-site mixing, ensuring uniform quality and reducing wastage.

The Growing Popularity of Ready Made Concrete in Karachi

Karachi, being Pakistan’s largest city, has a diverse range of construction projects, from residential complexes to commercial high-rises. The increasing urbanization and infrastructure development have driven the demand for reliable building materials. Here’s why Ready Made Concrete Karachi is gaining traction:

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Large-scale infrastructure projects in Karachi are driving the demand for high-quality ready-made concrete.

Conclusion

Ready-made concrete has revolutionized the construction industry in Karachi, offering a blend of quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness. For both residential and commercial projects, it provides the perfect solution to meet the demands of modern construction. When looking for a reliable supplier, trust Allied Materials for premium Ready Made Concrete Karachi services. With their expertise, advanced technology, and commitment to quality, they are the ideal partner for your construction needs.

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What Services Do Freight Forwarding Companies in Afghanistan Provide?

Freight forwarding companies play a crucial role in global trade, ensuring that goods move seamlessly across borders and reach their destinations efficiently. In Afghanistan, these companies provide essential services tailored to the unique logistical and geographical challenges of the region. Here's an overview of the services offered by Freight Forwarding Companies in Afghanistan and their importance in supporting businesses and the economy.

1. Transportation and Logistics Coordination

Freight forwarding companies specialize in organizing and managing the transportation of goods. They coordinate with multiple carriers, including trucks, trains, and air freight, to ensure that cargo moves efficiently through domestic and international routes. Given Afghanistan's landlocked position, these companies often arrange cross-border transportation to and from neighboring countries like Pakistan, Iran, and Central Asia.

2. Customs Clearance and Documentation

Navigating customs regulations can be a daunting task, especially in a country with complex trade policies. Freight forwarding companies in Afghanistan provide expert customs clearance services, ensuring that all necessary documentation is prepared and submitted correctly. This includes handling permits, export and import licenses, and compliance with local regulations, reducing the risk of delays or fines.

3. Warehousing and Storage

Freight forwarding companies often offer warehousing solutions to store goods securely before shipment or after arrival. These warehouses are equipped to handle various types of cargo, including perishable goods, heavy machinery, and raw materials. Temperature-controlled storage and inventory management services are also available to meet diverse business needs.

4. Cargo Insurance

Protecting goods in transit is essential, especially in regions where infrastructure and security challenges can increase the risk of damage or loss. Freight forwarding companies in Afghanistan provide cargo insurance options to safeguard shipments. This ensures peace of mind for businesses, knowing that their goods are financially protected in case of unforeseen events.

5. Project Cargo Handling

Afghanistan's economy often relies on large-scale development projects, such as infrastructure building and energy development. Freight forwarders offer specialized project cargo handling services to transport oversized or heavy items like construction machinery, turbines, and industrial equipment. These services require meticulous planning and execution to manage the complexities of moving such cargo.

6. Multimodal Transportation

Given Afghanistan's challenging terrain and limited direct access to seaports, multimodal transportation is a common solution. Freight forwarders integrate various modes of transport—such as road, rail, and air—to optimize cost and efficiency. This approach ensures seamless connectivity to international markets.

7. Supply Chain Management

Freight forwarding companies act as strategic partners for businesses, offering end-to-end supply chain management services. They monitor and manage the entire logistics process, from procurement to final delivery, ensuring that businesses can focus on their core operations without worrying about logistical complexities.

8. Air Freight Services

With Afghanistan's mountainous terrain making overland routes difficult, air freight becomes a critical option for transporting high-value or time-sensitive goods. Freight forwarders offer air cargo solutions, leveraging major airports like Hamid Karzai International Airport in Kabul to connect businesses to global markets quickly.

9. Cross-Border Trade Facilitation

Afghanistan's location makes it a key transit point for goods moving between South Asia, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Freight forwarding companies facilitate cross-border trade by managing transit procedures, ensuring compliance with international trade agreements, and reducing potential bottlenecks at border checkpoints.

10. Specialized Services

Some freight forwarders in Afghanistan cater to niche markets, such as hazardous materials transportation, humanitarian aid logistics, and cold-chain solutions for pharmaceuticals and food products. These specialized services address the unique demands of specific industries and projects.

Conclusion

Freight Forwarding Companies in Afghanistan provide a wide range of services that are essential for businesses operating in the region. From transportation and customs clearance to supply chain management and specialized logistics, these companies ensure that goods move smoothly and efficiently. By addressing the challenges of Afghanistan’s geography and infrastructure, they play a vital role in facilitating trade and contributing to the country's economic development. Whether you’re a local business or an international enterprise, partnering with a reliable freight forwarder is key to navigating the complexities of global trade.

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With compliments from, The Directorate General Public Relations,

Government of the Punjab, Lahore Ph. 99201390.

No.1303/Zafar/Umer

HANDOUT(A)

CM Maryam Nawaz Sharif Lays Foundation for Improvement in Eduction Sector in Punjab

Lahore, December 30:

Golden end of year 2024, Chief Minister Punjab Maryam Nawaz Sharif has laid the foundation for improvement in education sector. She undertook record projects for the improvement of Education Department as soon as she assumed her office. In 2024, she launched Honhar Scholarship program, the first public school reorganization, higher education internship, Chief Minister School Nutrition, Lahore Kindergarten School along with provision of buses for the girls' colleges in every tehsil. Back-to-school campaign was started for enrolment in the schools, new classrooms were built in government schools, Science and IT laboratories were established.

She sought a plan for artificial intelligence education in elementary classes on the Chinese model. For the first time in Punjab, education officers were appointed on merit after conducting their tests and interviews in the divisions, districts and tehsils. Steps were taken to establish a single authority for curriculum development, teacher training and other matters. Re-establishment of the School Education Council, laptop scheme, solarized charging stations in colleges and universities, new universities, green school program will be launched soon. It was agreed to hold a school hockey league and Pakistan's biggest "School Olympics" in Punjab, along with the introduction of a "Theme of the Month" in government schools.

By fulfilling the promise of providing transport facilities to girls' colleges, The Chief Minister gave buses to 19 out of 76 girls' colleges in the first phase. ‘Public Schools Reorganization Program’ was launched, which saved Rs. 40 billion and created employment opportunities for 70,000 youth. It was decided to establish 5,000 new classrooms in PSRP schools of Punjab. Through outsourcing of schools, increased the number of students in schools by several hundred percent. A pilot project of satellite internet was started in DPS Model Town. The biggest higher education internship program in the history of Punjab was also started. 7354 college teacher interns were recruited in government colleges of Punjab. Each college teacher intern is being given Rs. 50,000 per month for six months.

For the first time in the history of Punjab, a project to provide tetra pack milk to children in government schools was started. The program was started by providing tetra pack milk packs to more than four lakh students in 3527 schools of Dera Ghazi Khan, Rajanpur and Muzaffargarh. Prizes worth lakhs of rupees were given to the position holders of the education boards and the government will pay all the educational expenses of the position holders.

The CM Punjab has increased the Honhaar Scholarship from Rs. 30,000 to Rs. 50,000. On the orders of the Chief Minister, one lakh e-bikes will also be given to students. After a three-stage recruitment process, the recruitment of CEOs, DEOs and Deputy DEOs of all District Education Authorities of Punjab was successfully completed on merit. On the personal interest and special instructions of the CM Punjab, the policy was made teacher-friendly by including hardship categories in the teacher transfer policy. The largest teacher rationalization process in the history of Punjab was started based on the number of students. By digitizing and making the procurement process of the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board transparent, billions of rupees are being saved and early provision of books for the next academic year is being ensured.

She said that Modern EdTech schools were established by the Punjab Education Foundation. A special campaign has been launched to ensure access to education for out-of-school children, in which selected tehsils are being marked as tehsils with zero out-of-school children in a phased manner. Vice Chancellors of Universities and Directors of Colleges across Punjab have been appointed on merit based on transparency. Google certification courses were successfully organized for 10,000 students in collaboration with the Higher Education Department and Google.

On the directions of CM Punjab, the Higher Education Department organized a special course for the students of government colleges to prepare them for the entrance examination to medical and engineering colleges. The Chief Minister said, “Every child of Punjab has the full right to get the best and modern knowledge. There will be no shortage of resources for children's education. Changes and improvements will be brought in the education system according to the requirements of the modern era.”

*****

[wecareivfsurrogacy]

Discover the Best IVF Treatment in Karachi: A Pathway to Parenthood

For couples facing the emotional and physical challenges of infertility, finding the right fertility treatment center can make all the difference. Karachi, a thriving metropolis, is home to some of the most advanced medical facilities in Pakistan. Among these, the Best IVF treatment in Karachi stands out as a beacon of hope, offering cutting-edge solutions and compassionate care for couples seeking to fulfill their dream of parenthood.

State-of-the-Art Technology

The IVF treatment facilities in Karachi are equipped with the latest advancements in reproductive medicine. From high-tech laboratories to advanced imaging systems, every aspect of the process is designed to maximize success rates. Procedures such as in-vitro fertilization (IVF), intracytoplasmic sperm injection (ICSI), and preimplantation genetic testing (PGT) are conducted with precision, ensuring optimal results for patients.

Expertise You Can Trust

The Best IVF treatment in Karachi is led by a team of highly skilled fertility specialists, embryologists, and support staff. These professionals bring years of experience and a deep understanding of complex infertility issues, providing comprehensive care tailored to each patient’s unique needs. Their commitment to staying updated with the latest advancements ensures that patients receive world-class treatment.

Personalized Care and Emotional Support

What truly sets Karachi’s IVF centers apart is their focus on personalized care. Each couple’s journey is unique, and treatment plans are meticulously crafted to address individual challenges. Beyond medical care, the centers offer emotional and psychological support, helping couples navigate the often stressful journey of fertility treatments.

Affordable Excellence

Karachi’s IVF centers provide high-quality fertility treatments at competitive prices, making them an attractive option for local and international patients. Transparent pricing and flexible payment options ensure that advanced reproductive care remains accessible to all.

Success Stories

The success rates at the Best IVF treatment centers in Karachi speak volumes about their expertise and dedication. Many couples who once struggled with infertility now celebrate the joy of parenthood, thanks to the advanced treatments and compassionate care they received.

Conclusion

Choosing the Best IVF treatment in Karachi is a step toward turning the dream of parenthood into reality. With state-of-the-art technology, experienced specialists, personalized care, and proven success, these centers provide a supportive and effective pathway to overcoming infertility. For couples ready to embark on this life-changing journey, Karachi offers hope, healing, and the promise of a brighter future.

[ubaidcheepa]

What Is a Cricket Team?

What Is a Cricket Team?

Cricket is more than just a game; it’s a passion shared by millions worldwide. At its core, a cricket team is a group of players united by strategy, skill, and teamwork to achieve victory on the field.

Overview of Cricket

Cricket team is a bat-and-ball game played between two teams, typically consisting of 11 players each. Originating in England, it has grown into a global phenomenon, with countries like India, Australia, and England being its torchbearers.

Structure of a Cricket Team

Each cricket team is carefully structured to ensure balance. It comprises batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders, and a wicketkeeper. Every role is crucial, and the team’s success depends on how well these roles are executed.

History of Cricket Teams

Cricket teams have evolved significantly since the sport’s inception in the 16th century.

Evolution of Cricket Teams Over the Years

From the amateur clubs of England to today’s professional squads, cricket teams have come a long way. The introduction of limited-overs cricket and T20 leagues has added a dynamic flair to the traditional format.

Famous Cricket Teams in History

Australia’s Dominance: With multiple World Cup victories, the Australian cricket team has often set the benchmark in the sport.

Rise of India as a Cricket Powerhouse: India’s victories in 1983 and 2011 ICC Cricket World Cups are monumental moments in cricket history.

How a Cricket Team Is Formed

The formation of a cricket team requires a blend of talent, strategy, and balance.

Selection Process

Players are chosen based on their performance in domestic leagues, fitness levels, and ability to handle pressure in international games.

Importance of Balance in Team Composition

Every cricket team needs a perfect mix of batsmen, bowlers, all-rounders, and a sharp wicketkeeper. For instance:

Batsmen and Bowlers: These are the backbone of any cricket team.

The Role of the All-Rounder: Players like Ben Stokes and Ravindra Jadeja bring unmatched versatility.

The Wicketkeeper’s Impact: A good wicketkeeper can turn the game around with exceptional glove work and quick reflexes.

Strategies Used by Cricket Teams

Success in cricket depends on executing strategies tailored to different game situations.

Fielding Strategies

Positioning fielders effectively can limit the opposition’s scoring opportunities.

Batting Line-Up Decisions

Choosing an aggressive or defensive batting line-up can make or break a team’s chances.

Bowling Techniques and Plans

Bowlers often plan their deliveries based on the batsman’s weaknesses, making bowling as much about mind games as physical skill.

Famous Cricket Captains and Their Leadership

Captains play a pivotal role in a cricket team’s success.

Inspiring Stories of Cricket Captains

MS Dhoni’s Calm Approach: Known for his cool-headed leadership, Dhoni has led India to multiple victories.

Imran Khan’s Leadership in Pakistan: Imran Khan inspired Pakistan to its first-ever World Cup victory in 1992.

Training and Fitness of a Cricket Team

Modern cricket demands peak physical and mental fitness.

Importance of Physical Fitness

From long hours of fielding to fast-paced T20 matches, players need to maintain high fitness levels.

Mental Strength and Focus

Cricket is as much about mental toughness as physical skill, especially during high-pressure games.

Popular International Cricket Teams

Teams in Test Cricket

Australia, England, and India dominate the longest format of the game.

Dominant Teams in One-Day Internationals (ODIs)

India and Australia have historically performed well in ODIs, thanks to their strong batting line-ups.

Top Performers in T20 Cricket

West Indies and England have excelled in T20 cricket with explosive players and aggressive strategies.

Impact of Fans on Cricket Teams

Cricket fans are the heartbeat of the game.

Role of Home Support

The energy from the home crowd can motivate teams to perform their best.

How Social Media Influences Players and Teams

Platforms like Twitter and Instagram allow fans to connect with players, adding a personal touch to the sport.

Challenges Faced by Cricket Teams

Cricket teams face various challenges, from injuries to managing expectations.

Injuries and Team Form

An injury to a key player can derail a team’s plans.

Pressure of Expectations

Teams from cricket-loving nations like India face immense pressure to win every match.

The Future of Cricket Teams

Impact of Technology on Cricket Teams

Technology, like the Decision Review System (DRS), has transformed how teams approach the game.

Rising Importance of T20 Leagues

T20 leagues like the IPL are shaping the future of cricket by nurturing young talent.

Conclusion: Why Cricket Teams Are the Heart of the Game

Cricket teams embody the spirit of the game, combining individual brilliance with collective effort. Whether it’s a nail-biting finish or a record-breaking performance, teams drive the passion and excitement that make cricket special.