July has always been an important month in my life. Consider the following:

• I got married on 15 July. This year it will be my 30th wedding anniversary. 30 years of a great marriage, great partnership with my wife, two beautiful kids, one great daughter in law, cant praise her enough and the above all the light of my life, my grand daughter
• My son was born on 12 July
• My son got married on 26 July
• My grand daughter was born on 30 July
• I joined GS on 2 July 1999. It will be

...

Was reading some poems I had posted in the poetry forum. Came across this one which is my favourite. kalam is by the famous Shakeel Badayunni. Touches my heart.

ay mohabbat tere anjaam pey ronaa aayaa
jaane kyon aaj tere naam pey ronaa aayaa

yun to har shaam ummidon mein guzar jaati thi
aaj kuchh baat hai jo shaam pe ronaa aayaa

kabhi taqdiir kaa maatam kabhi duniya kaa gila
manzil-e-ishq mein har gaam pey ronaa aayaa

jub huaa...

Going through old pics I came across this one of mine which brought back some memories. The year was 1965 and just after the 65 war. I was based in Lahore at the time. Having just gone through a war I was all patriotic and wanted to join Pakistan Air Force. A few other friends were also keen so we all sent in our applications. Come the interview day we got to the PAF recruitment centre and were waiting along with all others to be called. While we were waiting a guy appeared...

I had the weirdest phone call at my factory this morning. A Turkish Muslim guy who is a halal meat wholesaler was inquiring whether we sold halal pork. He wasn't joking either. Apparently he had been ringing all over UK trying to find halal pork.

Unfortunately I cannot fast due to my diabetic condition as I tend to get the hypo condition quite often. Hypo condition is when the sugar levels get low and you have to eat quickly to bring the level up or risk potentially very serious health problems. The other day I was among a gathering where most people were fasting and apart from few people I didn't know the rest. Suddenly I had a low sugar attack and I could not get out of the place fast enough to eat out of sight of these people. As I took...

I was standing at a newsagents looking thorugh the papers. Next to me was a white guy who was also reading a newspaper. Suddenly he started mumbling loud enough for all around him to hear. This is what he said:

• All Asians should be rounded up and shot through the head, they are all *******s
• Freeloaders, illeterates and good for nothing scums
• All of them are paedophiles who go around raping 10 year old girls

He was obviously trying to provoke me without directly addressing me. I suppose...

Love 'em or hate 'em they have their own unique style. During the 40 years that I have been following them they have given me a rollercoaster ride, never a dull moment when they are in action. One day they can beat the best in the world and the next they can lose to lowly rated Zimbabwe. That 's the beauty of the team, their unpredictability, their flair their sometimes steely determination and sometimes their meek surrender. Today they lost the series to England in England after 24 years. Disappointed...

Last week was a painful one. I lost a cousin who was suffering from cancer and was very close to me. It was a devastating blow. For five months she put up a brave fight but in the end lost her struggle with cancer last week. She was young and had her whole life in front of her yet fate snatched her away so cruelly from us. She was more like a daughter than cousin to me. I feel that a part of me died with her.

I was at a wedding today and was sharing the table with another family (husband, wife and their 3 kids). While eating lunch we started chatting with them and after a while I realised that I had met the women (wife) some 40 years ago in Faisalabad during the 1965 war. I stayed at their home for a week or so during the war. Unbelievable that after such a long period we bumped into each other so suddenly and never recognised each other till we got chatting.

Sometimes wonder who I am. Born in Kenya with family originally from Lahore, spent part of my youth in Kenya and Pakistan. Than on to UK, Iran, UK, Saudi and than back to UK. Spent most of my life in Saudi, only ten years in Pakistan, yet my strongest feelings are for Pakistan. I identify strongly with that country. Wonder why? Maybe something to do with my roots being from Lahore. None of my family was born or lived there and I hardly have any relatives there.