July 31

legislative prep for next session

administrative tasks in office long over due

new summer interns first briefing

express tv on anthem

verdict against president musharraf Nov 3 actions by SC

 

july 30

Fatimah jinnah birthday today… what an icon!about 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry

My sub cttee coastal meetings are being blocked by ministry. I have jst raised hell on that n have chairman on my side!about 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I have raised follow up on cng bus scam that I raised sum time back. Report from md ernercon missingabout 6 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I have asked ministry to update us on their budget issues that we tried to help them out wth. Follow up on last meetin.about 6 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I made point of how agenda setting for these meetins need to b in tangent wth envtal crisis in which beautification is not hugeabout 6 hours ago from TwitterBerry

We r discussing beautification of isb! I rest my case!!about 6 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Made it. In the envt cttee meeting. 3 resolutions on kutchi abadi around isbabout 6 hours ago from TwitterBerry

No time for lunch wth cttee. Rushing back to isb for envirtt cttee meetin for which I am late. Important agenda items as to how we r blockedabout 8 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I have recommended chinese investors to get priority in terms of reviving this sick industry.about 9 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Why was tip not privatized along with ptcl. Question being asked.about 9 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Minimum wage not being executed despite our recommendations n PM commitmtnt last year. Sub cttee wil decide how to revive this sick industryabout 9 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Meeting started in haripur on TIP. Same issues. Same answers. No progress since last meeting. Tip drowing like an elephantabout 10 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Off to haripur wth info tech cttee of national assembly for telephone industries of pakistan investigation!about 12 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Meeting wth party prez. Going to senate session wth himabout 13 hours ago from TwitterBerry

 

July 28

Tree top thai  rainforest jungle adventure with son. trekking up waterfalls. Absailing. I have never seen or crossed such high trees on cable slides and high bridges before.

 

July 27

hotsprings enroute golden triangle country.

Went for a 7 hour ride to see laos myanmar and thailand at the golden triangle

incredible concepts of 3 countries meeting at a triangle as small as a football pitch-
many such triangles back home too- but not much of a tourist point- famous for other things right now.

saw two temples- one over 700 yrs old and the other 12 yrs old- magical

 

july 26

Started day wth elephant camp – watching the elephants play football dance wth one leg . Elephants taking baths in rivers. And finally taking a ride on the elephant thru the jungle. Bamboo rafting thru the river. Ox riding thru the jungle. Buffet lunch. Snake farm and show. Shopping. Dinner cultural show wth north thai food and dances. Bottomline. Tourism industry well developed and despite recession thriving.

 

July 25

Woke up to a beautiful postcard perfect pataya scene – room with a view!

left wth the EPG to see pataya from hillside-

beach where some of them parasailed

goodbye to the epg group- what a great bunch of intellectuals!

check out from hotel

outlet mall

drive to bangkok – airport

flight to chiang mai- jungles of thailand

vacation has officially started

check in at hotel

the first msg i get from home is— gilgit baltistan cabinet dissolved

a politican can never be on vacation- sorting out press release etc! whilst roaming thru the night market in city centre 

the ppp led govt has acted unconstitutionally and prematurely dissolved pml gb cabinet- they have dissolved local govt in rest of country- its a sign of pre poll rigging for GB elections- and a sign of nervousness – of lack of control- of governance failures- pml cabinet in gb should not have been dissolved. we condemn it.

 

July 25-29

vacation in thailand – first vacation in 2 years!

 

July 24

Visit to a local hospital to see FP and RH in action in pataya thailand-masks on our faces we lsitened to tehir expereicnes- tehir success stories

back in the hotel for a series of presentations for the EPG by experts Dr Sania Nishtar, Dr Yasmeen Qazi, Dr tariq Hassan, Dr Saeed Shafqat.

Developed an action plan for legislation during these 5 hours- very important brainstorming and exchange of ideas where it is clear that i will be leading this effort in parliament and the other experts in their field will be leading it in their areas of expertise- we have been chosen because we have no expertise in this subject. superb group of intellectuals-

gave inetrview on express on phone on LG in the middle of this!

i have to admit that all along i had no interest in this subject but now i have realized how important it is for my mission of a just developed moderate pakistan. i will now champion it thru some progressive legislation which will set the awareness campaign going too.

it is evening and before our final gala dinner tonight i am drafting the legislation whilst its fresh in my mind sitting in the business centre. very productive 2 days. eye opening for me- we had left this subject to our parliamentary experts but frankly in parliament we havnt had much of a movement on this.

will put the draft up for you to comment on so we can have some meaningful debate rather than opposite!

 

July 23

Arrived in thailand this morning- Bangkok-

in the Asian Institite of Technology-

conference organized by LEAD-

am part of the EGP – Eminent Group of People- reproductive health is the subject-

am with a diverse group of intellectuals-

should be productive and should lead to useful legislation that i will hopefully propose.

 

 

Meeting with larger group cohort and Eminent Person Group- where larger group which was from lodhran and khairpur- a young energetic group of leaders- very impressive-they gave presentations of their citizen group findings on family planning and reproductive health in their two districts

lunch with EPG and AIT President- inetresting conversation on how great Dr Atta was- inetrnationally his work is well respected but current govt indulges in unnec criticsm- inetersting 

discussion on gender ratio being higher for men in these villages and the need for girl child sensitization. how coercive methods are not inetrnationally acceptabvle liek our population minister saying that peopel having more than two children should be taxed.

about how dmg group people dont believe in LG being destroyed- this is a good sign.

about how iran has good success story about pre marriage counselling certificate being compulsory before nikkah.

after lunch we moved to pataya by road- interesting catch up conversations enroute.

reached pataya – beautiful beach resort-

dinner where cohort interaction esp made dinner very memorable.

coffee in pataya with EPG

 

july 22

Tea wth newspaper editor. Its my routine reality check.about 2 hours ago from TwitterBerry

First free trade agreement wth usa then correct bilateral investment treaty. Certainly not current draft. My msg to isb chamber n pak us busabout 3 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Met wth gb pml workers and guided them on how to strengthen party in gbabout 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Sent letter to local govt secy to allocate rs 15 million of mine for thatta roadsabout 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Meeting wth thatta mna. I have sent notice to chief secy sindh on gorabari flood gates being non existent thus floods n people sufferingabout 5 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I demanded that cttee request for minister IT be upheld by PMabout 7 hours ago from TwitterBerry

I on behalf of myself n anusha again protested against peco ordinance being against hour and vowed to continue protest till victoryabout 7 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Cttee endorsed sacked employee ptcl plea and gave support for their just cause against being terminatedabout 7 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Members asking pta chairman why action has not been taken against ptcl for charging for un connected calls after 5 bellsabout 7 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Ptcl refuses to come and present to cttee and we cttee members have taken strong notice of this and will pursue this for parliament’s supremabout 8 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Sitting in info tech national assembly standing cttee. Made my dissent on peco ordinance again and then reprimanded ptcl for nt cumin todayabout 8 hours ago from TwitterBerry

Morning meeting wth party prez. Agenda setting for next few days. Met some party workers who are always a pleasure to talk to.about 9 hours ago from TwitterBerry

In a rare show of unity…that’s what the media says this morning about the bill. That’s great since people’s issues come first.about 10 hours ago from TwitterBerry