Archive for August, 2006
Heather’s book charts love of Pakistan
Saturday, August 26th, 2006
THE BLUEST lakes in the world, the Buddhas of Bamiyan and a drive across Asia in an old Morris van all feature in a book by a Bridgefoot woman.
Permit to the Punjab, by Heather Bolton, is now on sale across Pakistan. It gives details of her near 40-year love affair with the country and a lifetime of friendship with a Muslim family.
Heather met Farooq, a Pakistani, in London in 1968 and struck up an immediate friendship.
The pair then set out on an epic voyage across Europe and West Asia in their reconditioned van.
The book chronicles the sights and sounds along the way including a visit to the Buddha statues in Bamiyan, Afghanistan, since destroyed by the Taliban.
She describes how Farooq’s family took her to their hearts and how Pakistan and the world has changed in the years between her first trip and her last in 2003.
She said: “It was always my intention to write the book and I started it many times.
“I thought I had finished it in 1997, but after I recovered from an illness I visited Pakistan again in 2003 and decided I had to write about that final journey to bring it up-to-date.
“I enjoyed writing the book hugely and I would love to write more, but it is so difficult to find the time.â€
She gave the finished manuscript to Ajaz Anwar, a Lahore college professor, who approached publishers. The Oxford University Press agreed to publish it.
Heather added: “The book is a celebration of different worlds coming together in warmth and friendship, despite the contrast of culture, religion, the effect of wars and changing perceptions of Islam.
“Since my first visit, Pakistan has changed immensely, poverty is now more widespread and visible and pollution has increased massively.
“The government takes a difficult line because it is under pressure to be pro-Western, but that causes unrest with people there.
“In 1968 the world was a more optimistic place and it was easier to travel to these places. That has become much more difficult now.â€
Permit to the Punjab, which includes black and white photographs taken by Heather, is available at Cockermouth’s New Bookshop and online.
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Karachi-Dubai ferry link to boost tourism
Saturday, August 26th, 2006
Book Gulf Dream CruiseÂ
By Indo Asian News ServiceIslamabad, Aug 25 (IANS) A Karachi-Dubai ferry will link the ancient route to the Gulf region, but the focus now will be on foreign and local tourists looking for luxuryCompared to about two hours of flying undertaken by thousands who work in the Gulf region, a two-day cruise will cost a whopping $549.The maiden voyage is scheduled for Nov 2, the Dawn newspaper said. Captain (retd) Anwar Shah, Director General of Pakistan Ports and Shipping, told a TV channel that the government was encouraging private operators to run the ferry service.
‘We have already awarded licences to five operators and Gulf Dream Cruise will be the first to operate its cruise in November,’ he said.
The official said the service would be extended to other Gulf countries such as Bahrain, Oman and Qatar in the coming years.
Gulf Dream Cruise will run a weekly ferry service between Dubai and Karachi. The ship will take two days to travel between the two destinations and dock in Dubai for a day before taking a reverse course to Karachi. Passengers will be able to take a one-way trip as well, APP news agency reported.
‘The regular ferry for fast transfer of passengers between Karachi and Dubai is not feasible because of the cheap airfare between the two destinations.
Also, expatriates living in the UAE don’t want to spend days on the ship when they go on annual leave to their country,’ said Shah.
‘This is a unique idea with a lot of potential due to a big demand from foreign and Pakistani tourists who love to go on a cruise for a short distance, and Dubai is the most sought-after destination,’ Shah said.
Gulf Dream Cruise weighs 23,000 tonnes with a length of 196 metres. It has 540 rooms and can accommodate up to 1,250 passengers, besides 400 crewmembers.
‘The cruise will have all the facilities available on an international cruise liner, like restaurants, theatre, games, music and other entertainment facilities,’ he said.
Tour operators in Dubai have also welcomed the new service. ‘It will definitely give a boost to tourism between the two countries,’ said the administration and operations manager at Lama Tour, which receives tourist groups from Pakistan.
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Tejari enters Pakistan market with Hashoo
Thursday, August 10th, 2006
Dubai
Tejari, the UAE-based premier business-to-business online marketplace, today entered into a strategic partnership with the Hashoo Group, Pakistan’s leading business conglomerate.Hashoo is engaged in oil and gas exploration and production, hoteling, information technology, mining, ceramics, pharmaceuticals, travel and tourism and real estate businesses.
Tejari is a subsidiary of the Dubai World, one of the largest holding companies in the world focusing on development, hospitality, investment, commodities, marine services and ports and free zones.
As per the agreement, Hashoo Group will be the operator of Tejari Pakistan and will offer online procurement services to both government departments and the private business community in Pakistan.
Tejari Pakistan will enable all registered companies to find, compare and procure products and services needed for day-to-day running of their businesses. It will also allow companies to network and connect with the larger number of buyers and suppliers in Pakistan and the Middle East region.
Aimed at automating and streamlining the administration and procurement cycle, the e- procurement solutions will help companies in Pakistan identify and compare prices online, enhance transparency and lower costs associated with paper-based procurement processes.
Providing an impetus to the existing economic and trade ties between UAE and Pakistan, Tejari Pakistan signals the growth and adoption of e-commerce among the business community in one of Asia’s fast emerging nations.
Recent years have seen the two nations strengthen its bilateral trade agreements with a significant focus on investments in the telecommunications, technology and the construction sector. UAE is the largest investor in Pakistan with the country investing more than $5 billion in various projects in the country during 2004-06.
“The launch of Tejari Pakistan comes at a time where both the nations have paved a way for mutual co-operation and understanding in the business and political arena. With all the large scale investments in the public and private sector, Pakistan is growing at an accelerated rate and expanding across all business sectors. In order to meet these needs and demands of a growing nation, it essential that the business communities have access to online procurement of goods and services,†said Murtaza Hashwani, chief executive, Hashoo Group of companies, Pakistan. -TradeArabia News Service
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