What is ZAR GRIFTH !

Zar Grifth is an URDU language word. Urdu is spoken in Pakistan and India, and in a few other places around the world.

Hindi in India, and Urdu share a great deal of repository of a common vocabulary. Urdu, by itself is a Turkish word, which means ARMY. As the Urdu originally developed as a common platform of communications among the people living in old India, and the fact that it has words from many languages (Persian, Sanskirith, Arabic, Turkish, English, to name a few), the name URDU is very appropriate.

Zar Grifth means, Shackles of Money (and Greed, if you will).

So, what is this bLog for?

This is to introduce a book written in Urdu, about Saudi Arabia. It is being published in Pakistan, in Urdu first, on Saturday, August 14, 2004. Later it would be translated in to English, and other languages. But for English speaking readers, Chapter Summaries would be added to this web page to give them a taste of the book.

It is registered with the National Library of Pakistan, Islamabad. Its International Standard Book Number for cataloging data is: ISBN 969-8831-00-2. It is also copyrighted through the Registrar of Copyrights, Central Office, Karachi.

Zar Grifth is a lighthearted, hilarious, and at times serious, history of life and times of Pakistanis in Saudi Arabia, over the past quarter century.

The book is studded with a number of sketches and cartoons, and a few pictures.

It has 26 chapters, that throw a good light on the History, Culture, Way of life, Tourism, Pilgrimages, Politics, Commerce, and takes you through the reading trip as if you are seeing a movie, and experience the life as the writer did.

This book is for now available in Pakistan only. Its introductory price is Rs. 299, plus postage.

See the Title Page with this log. You can order this book by writing an eMail to:

hashims@gmail.com
hashim.syed@paktribune.com

Keep watching this space for more announcements.

Thank you for visiting this cyberspace.

Mohammad Bin Qasim