افسوس اس قوم پر۔۔۔

• 

   

  افسوس اس قوم پر۔۔۔

  
  

  میرے دوستو اور ہم سفرو

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو یقین سے بھری لیکن مذہب سے خالی ہو

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو ایسا کپڑا پہنے جسے اس نے خود بنا نہ ہو…

  جو ایسی روٹی کھائے جسے اس نے اگایا نہ ہو

  ایسی شراب پیےجو اس کے اپنے انگوروں سے کشید نہ کی گئی ہو

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو دادا گیر کو ہیرو سمجھے

  اور جو چمکیلے فاتح کو سخی گردانے

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو خواب میں کسی جذبے سے نفرت کرے

  لیکن جاگتے میں اسی کی پرستش کرے

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو اپنی آواز بلند کرے

  صرف اس وقت جب وہ جنازے کے ہم قدم ہو

  ڈینگ صرف اپنے کھنڈروں میں مارے

  اور اس وقت تک بغاوت نہ کرے

  جب تک اس کی گردن مقتل کے تختے پر نہ ہو

  افسوس اس قوم پر جس کی رہبر لومڑی ہو

  جس کا فلسفی مداری ہو

  جس کا فن پیوندکاری اور نقالی ہو

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو ہر نئے حکمران کا استقبال ڈھول تاشے سے کرے

  اور رخصت گالم گلوچ سے

  اور وہی ڈھول تاشے ایک نئے حاکم کے لیے بجانا شروع کر دے

  افسوس اس قوم پر جس کے مدبر برسوں کے بوجھ تک دب گئے ہوں

  اور جس کے سورما ابھی تک پنگھوڑے میں ہوں

  افسوس اس قوم پر جو ٹکڑوں میں بٹی ہوئی ہو

  اور ہر ٹکڑا اپنے آپ کو قوم کہتا ہو

  شاعر : خلیل جبران

Amazing Sukkur Barrage History

Sukkur Barrage is a barrage on the River Indus near the city of Sukkur in the Sindh province of Pakistan.

History

The Barrage was built during the British Raj from 1923 to 1932 and named Lloyd Barrage. Constructed under the overall direction of Sir Charlton Harrison, CIE, it was opened by the Viceroy of India, Lord Willingdon. The scheme had been launched by the Governor of Bombay, Sir George Ambrose Lloyd (later known as Lord Lloyd) for whom it was named.^[2]

  Functioning

Sukkur Barrage is used to control water flow in the River Indus for irrigation and flood control purposes.

The barrage enables water to flow through what was originally a network of canals 6,166 miles (9,923 km) long, feeding the largest irrigation system in the world, with more than 5 million acres (20,000 km²) of irrigated land.

The retaining wall has 66 spans each 60 feet (18 m) wide. Each span has a gate weighing 50 tons.

  Wildlife

Indus River dolphins are occasionally seen upstream of the barrage.

Lahore Canal

rickshaw on the Lahore ‘nehr’ or canal

Lahore Canal (Urdu/Punjabi: لاﻫﻮر ﻧﻬﺮ) begins at the Bambawali-Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal that runs through the east of the city of Lahore, Punjab, Pakistan. The 37 miles (60 km) long waterway built by the Mughals and upgraded by the British in 1861) is an important part of the city’s cultural heritage.^[1]

The canal, aside from its importance in irrigation purposes, forms the centre of a unique linear park that serves as one of the longest public green belts and popular recreational destination spots.^[2] The average depth of the Canal is 5 feet (1.5 m) and it is bounded by roads on either side called the Canal Bank Road.^[3] On local and national festivals, the canal is illuminated with lights and decor.

Construction

The Bambawali Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal at the east of the city of Lahore was already constructed in Mughal Era of the Indian Subcontinent, however, during the British Raj, the British sliced the Bambawali Ravi-Bedian (BRB) Canal and extended it on the west side (city of Lahore) till the town of Raiwind, located in south of Lahore.^[4]

The idea to extend the canal may have possibly emerged because an irrigation system was felt necessary after a disastrous famine hit the Subcontinent in 1837-38 in which nearly ten million (one crore) rupees was spent on relief works, resulting in considerable loss of revenue to the British East India Company.

Culture and arts

 

The canal is an important part of Lahore’s culture. During summers, its very sight is a relief to the Lahoris. In those hot, simmering days hundreds of people come to swim. They eat watermelons and generally have good time in the canal. Young boys make the crowd but in the evenings one sees a good number of families sitting on the banks, the women with their feet in the water.

On local, national and religious festivals, such as Jashn-e-Baharan (the welcoming of spring), Basant, Eid, Pakistan’s Independence Day and Pakistan Day the canal is illuminated with lights and different types of decor are laid out into the water – relevant to the festival. Many companies like OMORÉ have also used the canal as a great way to promote their brand.^[5][6]

  

The Changa Manga

The Changa Manga is a planted forest and a wildlife park in Kasur District, Punjab, Pakistan.

Etymology

The name “Changa Manga” comes from the old story of two brother thieves, Changa and Manga, who used to hide in thick forests, along with their loots. Over the passage of time the stories have been molded into adventures that every child in that area is told, with added morals.

  Forestry

The forest is entered from a road from off the N-5 Highway near Bhai PheruAnd Chunian . The forest covers an area of 48.6 square kilometres (12,000 acres)^[1] and is one of the largest man-made forests on the planet. The planting and irrigation of the land took place in the 19th century under the British Raj due to the need for timber for the Indian Railways network. The most common species of trees are Dalbergia sissoo (sheesham), Acacia nilotica (kikar), both members of the Fabaceae native to the Indian subcontinent, white mulberry (Morus alba), popular in cultivation throughout South Asia, or Eucalyptus and Populus species.^[2]

  Wildlife park

The wildlife park in Changa Manga covers an area of 40 acres (16 ha) and was built in 2008. The park is home to species of hog deer, Indian peafowl, jackal, mouflon, nilgai and wild boar.^[3] Changa Manga Wildlife Park is one of the three wildlife parks located in Lahore District, other two Jallo Wildlife Park and Lahore Zoo Safari, also called Woodland Wildlife Park.

  Conservation

  Breeding center

Changa Manga also serves as a wildlife breeding center.

  Vulture center

Changa Manga plantation is also an important place for restocking projects of Asiatic vultures in Pakistan. A Gyps Vulture Restoration Program was started in 2006 by WWF-Pakistan to conserve and breed endangered species of Gyps, especially Gyps bengalensis.^[4] The project is currently managed by Uzma Khan.

  Recreation

Parts of the forest have now been developed into a recreation park with a railroad that gives the visitor a 5-kilometre (3.1 mi) ride on a miniature train through the forest. Other attractions include a water turbine, a waterfall, a children’s play area, and a lake called ‘Lunar Lake’, where boating is possible. Changa Manga Tourist Resort is situated 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Lahore city. The Tourist Development Corporation of Pakistan (TDCP) arranges picnic trips to Changa Manga throughout the year.^[5]

 Deforestation

The world’s largest artificial forest is being heavily logged, and so far more than 60 percent of Changa Manga Wildlife Park has been deforested.^[6]