Author Archive
The NFC Award – Aik Lohar Ki: Here are a few op-eds on the historical NFC Award, a landmark achievement of the democratic government in Pakistan. The op-eds are by: Dr Ashfaque Khan, Nazir Naji and Saleem Safi.
Chief Justice of Punjabi Taliban Khawaja Muhammad Sharif of Lahore High Court blocks deportation of terror suspects to the USA: Chief Just of Lahore High Court Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, an ex-employee and loyalist of Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif of PML-N, and a secret member of Jamaat-e-Islami and Hizbut-Tahrir, has once again shown his true colours. Not unlike certain other
“The Politicians’ Corruption Card” and the Supporters of Taliban: Here is an op-ed by Zamarrud Naqvi on this topic:
Book Review: Punjabi Taliban: In the following article, Hamid Akhtar offers a review of Mujahid Hussain’s book “Punjabi Taliban”. The book reveals the linkages between the ISI, Sipah-e-Sahaba and certain pro-PML-N politicians and religious leaders in Punjab. The book also reveals how jihadi
Remembering Sohail Qalandar – by Muhammad Amir Khakwani and Latif Chaudhry: Muhammad Amir Hashim Khakwani remembers Sohail Qalandar in the following article:
Anti-Americanism – by Talat Masood: Monday, December 14, 2009 Anti-Americanism continues to rise unabated in Pakistan. It is not confined to fringe elements alone but is spreading in the mainstream. A few recently retired military officers and politicians have gone as far as accusing
Blackwater in Pakistan? A clandestine affair: Blackwater Worldwide, now known as Xe Services, has been in the news for many months now. It is a private military security firm, also serving as one of the private security contractors used by the US State Department. Recently
The 7th NFC Award – a step towards attaining fiscal federalism in Pakistan – Guest post by Qudrat Ullah: Amid the daily reports of truculent Taliban’s interminable terrorism, explosions and deaths, coupled with a gasping economy with little respite for the indigent hoi polloi of the society, the unanimous approval of 7th National Finance Commission Award in Lahore
National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA): A wise step by the people’s government: Pakistan creates Counter Terrorism Authority Sat, 12 Dec 2009 The move comes days after series of terror attacks in all major Pakistani cities that had left hundreds of people dead. The Pakistani government has established an agency called National
Speculative stories and the PPP – by Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi: The increased role of the intelligence agencies, especially the ISI and the MI, in the political domain from the mid-1980s onwards caused distortions in politics and made it easy to float speculative reports about civilian political leaders An interesting
$1.5 billion per year – by Dr Farrukh Saleem: Sunday, December 13, 2009 Has the government of Pakistan made a plan as to how it will spend $1.5 billion that will be coming our way courtesy the Treasury Building, 1500 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC? Has any of
In the name of religion – by Ghazi Salahuddin: Sunday, December 13, 2009 This insane surge in terror bombings early this week is bound to prey on our minds. Yes, the instinctive response is likely to be that of utter dejection. Still, the situation calls for some soul-searching.
Why is Imran Khan’s idea of dialogue with Taliban not workable? by Muhammad Amir Khakwani: Here is an op-ed by Muhammad Amir Hashim Khakwani describing the impracticality of a dialogue with the sectarian groups infested Pakistani (Punjabi) Taliban.
NRO for Balochistan – by Asadullah Ghalib: Asadullah Ghalib welcomes the PPP government’s national reconciliation (NRO) for Balochi rights fighters.
Renowned journalist Sohail Qalandar passes away: Sohail Qalandar, one of the very few courageous, anti-Taliban and anti-terrorism voices in Pakistani journalism, is no longer with us.
Anti-Asif Zardari malice exposed – by Fasihur Rehman: Saturday, December 12, 2009 Is democracy all about a plethora of documents whose authenticity remains doubtful for more than 13 years now, on many counts and in the backdrop of the PML-N Quaid’s own statement that the accountability process
How teenagers were lured by Taliban. Security forces discover jannat and porn in South Waziristan.: MAKIN (South Waziristan): A soldier guards a damaged training centre of militants in the once stronghold of the Taliban.—AFP How teenagers were lured by Taliban Saturday, 12 Dec, 2009 PESHAWAR: An artificial paradise (Jannat) established by terrorists for brainwashing
Spurting savagery – by Babar Sattar: One form of such denial produced by a misplaced sense of patriotism is the assertion that perpetrators of such depraved attacks cannot be Pakistanis and the increasing spate of terror attacks has to be the handiwork of our foreign
Mirza Sarwar, an associate of Professor Ahmad Rafique Akhtar, martyred by Taliban – by Haroon-ur-Rasheed: Mirza Sarwar was a driver and close associate of a famous religious scholar Professor Ahmad Rafique Akhtar. Originally from Gujar Khan, Sarwar was killed in Friday’s suicide attack by Taliban in Parade Lane Mosque in Rawalpindi, which claimed at
Enemies of Quaid-e-Azam, saviours of Pakistan? – by Asadullah Ghalib: Asadullah Ghalib offers an historical perspective on those elements in Pakistani establishment, politics and media (e.g. Munawar Hassan, Hameed Gul, Ansar Abbasi) who have been, at various points in history, consistently conspiring against the state and the nation of
Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry disappoints Dr Shahid Masood, Shaheen Sehbai and other democracy haters. “We won’t let system derail”: CJP: ISLAMABAD: The government filed a petition in the Supreme Court on Thursday, contending that any decision on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) outside the scope of what the challengers had sought could destabilise the democratic system. After remaining silent
Mehdi Shah of PPP elected Gilgit-Baltistan Chief Minister. A great day for democracy in Gilgit Baltistan.: SKARDU: Syed Mehdi Shah has been elected unopposed the first Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan in session of the regional assembly. Mehdi Shah is also regional president of Pakistan People’s Party. Wazir Baig of PPP has been elect speaker and
Sherlock Holmes and the minus-one mystery — by Samiullah Khan: They seemed to have hated Benazir before Zardari and their previous generation hated Bhutto. They spread scandals about him all the time and never miss an opportunity to blackguard him. They feel he wiggled out of the long list
Establishment – by Harris Khalique: To me, the ‘establishment’ is also a way of thinking. Its agenda is undoubtedly set by a significant segment of senior civil and military bureaucracy, not all of them, in cahoots with a certain kind of conservative, right-wing politicians.
Imran Khan puts Taliban terrorists on the same pedestal as the state. Mediation? No, thanks!: Imran Khan says that he is ready to mediate between terrorists and the government. [This stance is not much different from Imran Khan’s ideological father Mullah Munawar Hassan how claims that Taliban are our brothers.] By saying this, he
A requiem for freedom – By Ayesha Siddiqa: Religion must be reinterpreted, not to make it acceptable to the rest of the world but to breathe life into the Muslim world itself…. Such people, who subscribe to the ideology of Hameed Gul — Pakistan’s indigenous version of
The Abbasid Baghdad, Pakistan, Taliban and Supreme Court: In the following op-eds, Ayaz Khan and Nazir Naji suggest that Pakistan’s gravest problem today is Talibanic terrorism; a situation similar to the Abbasid Baghdad surrounded by the Mongol army, when scholars and politicians in that unfortunate city were
A corrupted debate – by I.A. Rehman: An open, democratic government is still the best polity even if its leaders are less austere and less capable than non-political experts or praetorian guards.
The myths, the madness, and the media – by Nadeem F. Paracha: Among other things, Nadeem Paracha also mentions Hamid Mir’s onslaught against Let Us Build Pakistan in the following article: After talking of the dangerously concocted narratives peddled by the state, government, and religious parties of Pakistan that I mentioned
Pakistan at the crossroads – Guest post by Qudrat Ullah: No other nation in the world has so badly faced the consequences of 9/11 as did Pakistan. In fact, Pakistan is the only victim of this complex imbroglio which has hitherto incurred cumulative losses of more than 38 billion
US Friendship Factor – Guest post by Aal e Hashmat: A press release no: 512 / 2009-ISPR dated 4th December 2009 reads as under: ‘In a highly tragic incident 36 innocent people including 17 children, 10 civilian, 9 Army personnel embraced shahadat when terrorists attacked a mosque in Parade
Voyage to Collective Suicide – Guest post by Bahadar Ali Khan: In Pakistan, people are dying, women are being butchered, children are being slaughtered by ruthless murderers and survivors are trying to figure out who is behind these attacks and blasts? A vast majority believes this is US-sponsored, India funded
‘EC refused to move against Benazir, Zardari despite pressure’: The NAB had urged the Election Commission in 2005 to take action against the former prime minister and her spouse for allegedly providing false information about their assets.
Let’s fight against Zia-ul-Haq’s children: Taliban terrorists and their supporters: Latif Chaudhry’s op-ed in daily Express and Nazir Naji’s op-ed in daily Jang:
AHRC Statement: Corruption cases against Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals are the test of an independent judiciary: FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE – AHRC-STM-241-2009 December 8, 2009 – A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission PAKISTAN: Corruption cases against Generals, Air Marshals and Admirals are the test of an independent judiciary Successive governments and courts are conspicuously
Shaheen Sehbai vs Roedad Khan (Ex – Civil Serpent) – Guest post by Aamir Mughal: Mr Shaheen Sehbai, the Group Editor, The News International (Jang Group of Newspapers) had written in the year 2000 that “Every one in the present morally, intellectually and financially depleted Pakistan –the print media and its well-entrenched “gurus” among
Taliban / Sipah-e-Sahaba attack ISI office in Multan. 12 killed including women and children.: Bomb Attack on Pakistani Security Agency, 12 Dead By REUTERS / GEO TV Published: December 8, 2009 MULTAN, Pakistan (Reuters) – A bomb attack on a Pakistani security agency office in the southeastern city of Multan on Tuesday killed
Supreme Court stops Dr Shahid Masood (Geo TV) from discussing NRO in TV talk-shows: Perhaps in view of the consistent lopsided and propaganda oriented discussions on the NRO by Dr Shahid Masood (Geo TV), Chief Justice stopped media to refrain from
Takfiri Taliban and their supporters in PTUJ plan to incite a Pakistan-India war: The Takfiri Taliban and their affiliate jihadi and sectarian groups are planning to instigate a war between Pakistan and India. Their real aim to divert the military operation in FATA to the borders with India. In this way, terrorists
Thank you, Allama Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri, for bold fatwa against Takfiri Khariji terrorists: Qadri terms terror attacks unIslamic Related post: Takfiri Deobandis are the biggest threat to Pakistan and Islam – by Zaid Hamid FOUNDER and patron-in-chief of Tehrik Minhajul Quran Dr Tahirul Qadri has termed suicide attacks and bomb blasts in