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E-zine for the youth
www.jawanpakistan.org
With Allama Iqbal's ambitious sitaron pey kamand as its premise, this e-newsletter, is a good effort to harness the energies of our youth. The newsletter is a recent addition to the ever-burgeoning ranks of desi Web endeavors and a good one too. An online counterpart of an NGO, 'Naujawan Organization', working towards the same goals, i.e. intellectual growth, independence and creativity, this site functions on a voluntary basis and such, the effort is quite laudable. The articles range from environmental concerns to political participation of the youth in the affairs of this country, from dress code issues to globalization and its implications and social behavior patterns. Writers are welcome to contribute on a variety of topics, on a voluntary basis again.
The site design is clutter free, no nonsense, with minimal embellishments and heavy graphics. If a forum for free dissemination of ideas and views is what this site had aimed at, it is well within reach.
Content: 5 | Design: 4 | Links: 5 | Overall: 5
- Tribute to a visionary
www.hakim-said.com.pk
Hakim Mohammed Said, founder of Hamdard laboratories and the Hamdard University, had many facets to his personality. Apart from being a noted physician, he was also a writer, author of many books, an academic and a visionary. This online tribute is a project of the Idara-e-Said, established to preserve his works. The site is quite rich in its content, with a detailed biography, a listing of books and journals he had written, contributed to or edited. Since he was so famous amongst the kids, because of his monthly Hamdard Naunehal, the quotes and images gallery should be popular as well. Video clippings are also a part of this tribute site, with a Hakim Said quiz and newsletter.
Content: 5 | Design: 4 | Links: 5 | Overall: 4
- Ode to the future
www.ishraki.com
This Flash-laden site immediately transports you to another planet, perhaps Mars, gauging from the intensity of its use of the color red. Its tagline says Mind Expanding Journeys and the duration of stay at this site does seem lengthy, even if confusing. A bit of an avid fan of Star Trek? There are View Ports and navigation ports for browsing. Ishraki, basically is a Web development and content creation firm, working on Net-based education, with custom made education packages ranging from kindergarten kids to senior citizens. Even if you don't want to solicit their services, this site, with the amount of work gone into its conceptualization and execution, is worth a visit.
Content: 4 | Design: 4 | Links: 4 | Overall: 3
- Iqbaliyat
www.ravingsart.com
2002 was designated as the year of Allama Muhammad Iqbal. That it took one whole year to permeate through the government circles to the masses is another story. This site is the handiwork of an amateur artist, M. Noor, who was inspired by the great works of the bard and took to the canvas to paint his perceptions of Iqbal's poetry. The gallery houses pictures painted till now, along with English translations of Iqbal's work. The credits for the translation, though, are not given and one is left wondering of the veracity of the claims. And most importantly, if the site was meant to pay homage to Iqbal as a poet, it should have included original work as well, along side the translation and the picture so that a visitor could judge for himself if Iqbal has been treated justly. The site itself is easy to browse through and has a user-friendly interface.
Content: 3 | Design: 4 | Links: 4 | Overall: 3
- Cyber Commune
pakistanimaritime.netfirms.com/
This online forum has been set up for the maritime community of Pakistan, and that seems to be its sole objective, without any thought given to the design element. That doesn't however diminish its importance as a platform for the seafaring community to congregate online. The site has a database categorized according to the various departments on a ship, deck, engineering, catering, etc. The discussion forum is there for those interested to share and post their views and adventures on the high seas. The 'eGroup' is a mailing list of all the members and a 'Site Ring' makes it easier to scour for Pakistan maritime-related sites on the Web. A free classifieds section and a photo gallery add the sites usefulness.
Content: 3 | Design: 2 | Links: 4 | Overall: 2
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