Author Archive
RIP Professor Saba Dashtiyari: This is a very symbolic exchange between Professor Saba Dashtiyari and a woman who was so angered by the contents of the professor’s speech that she actually went in front of the stage and ordered him to stop speaking.
J’accuse – by Hani Shukrullah: This article was written by an Egyptian journalist Hani Shukrullah in the aftermath of the bombing of a Coptic Church in Alexandria which killed 21 Coptic Christians, but it’s equally applicable to the sorry treatment of Pakistan’s religious minorities
A Rebuttal to Dr. Safdar Mehmood’s article “Did Jinnah Aspire to a Secular Pakistan” – by Naveed Ali: Naveed Ali has contributed the following rebuttal to Dr. Safdar Mehmood’s article “Did Jinnah Aspire to a Secular Pakistan” which you can read here I again strongly condemn the notion used by Dr. Mehmood that these are atheists or
Channelling Naseerullah Babar: One of the strangest facts of the present day is that if there is one thing that non-PPP voters from Punjab still appreciate about Benazir’s second term in office, it is the use of Naseerullah Babar against the MQM.
Am’n Ki Woh Devi: A Tribute to Benazir Bhutto – by Shoaib Mir: On Benazir’s 3rd Death Anniversary By Shoaib Mir Larrti rahi woh umr bhar Awam ke leay Amn ki woh devi Char subon ki zanjeer Shahadat ko jis pe fakhr Tha zindagi ko naaz Beti woh Zulfikar ki Ghareeb ki
A question for Pakistanis in favour of “reconciliation” with the Afghan Taliban: In recent months, as Western despair over the Afghanistan war has increased, there has been a chorus of voices suggesting reconciliation of the Taliban leadership is the only path to end the Afghan war. It is quite natural that
An interview of Benazir Bhutto in November 2001: This is a transcription of an interview given by Benazir Bhutto to Vir Sanghvi on a trip to India in 2001. We are publishing this interview because of the remarkably candid statements made by Benazir Bhutto regarding the military’s
An Ode to the Defenders of Adeyzai – translated by Imran Khan: Related posts :- Adezai Qaumi Lashkar by Behzad Taimur Adezai lashkar ends cooperation with the government by Farhat Taj Paying the Price by Manzoor Ali Cross-posted from I Opyne The Lashkar at Adeyzai has thwarted the march of the
LUBP Interview with Kamran Shafi: Related article: LUBP Exclusive: A critical interview with Nadeem F. Paracha LUBP is pleased to publish an exclusive interview with Kamran Shafi, one of the boldest voices in Pakistani media particularly because of his courage to write against the
New LUBP Poll and poll results: Please vote in our new poll, submitted by Saad Mansoor (the poll will also be available in our sidebar for the next few weeks) LUBP Poll What should Pakistan do if Khadim ul Harimain Al sharifain Shah Abdullah asks
Kayani dictates talking points to “free media”: Also read: General Kayani explains his position on WikiLeaks via Haroon-ur-Rashid This is a fascinating report in Dawn about a briefing given by a “top military official” to “editors, anchors, and columnists” on Sunday. The top military official gave
A Lesson in media manipulation – by Eqbal Alavi: Today’s US diplomatic cables leak by Wikileaks, called Cablegate has set off a global diplomatic crises with various countries feeling the heat for remarks and allegations in the leaked messages. While none of the 2, 200 emerging from the
The death of Lala Hameed Baloch: a case study of a state sponsored murder: Baloch journalist Lala Hameed Baloch, (whose real name was Abdul Hameed Hayatan) was born in 1985, was involved in Baloch nationalist politics, and was a journalist for Daily Karachi and Tawar and played a role in establishing Gwadar press
Manufacturing Consent: The greatest factor in promoting and sustaining state-fascism is not any act of violence but simply this – the systematic and studied ignorance maintained by the mainstream intelligentsia on the state’s gravest atrocities. In today’s world, it doesn’t take
Great struggle wins at last – by H.A. Khan: The Burmese military authorities have released the pro-democracy leader, Aung San Suu Kyi, from house arrest. Appearing outside her home in Rangoon, Ms Suu Kyi told thousands of jubilant supporters they had to “work in unison” to achieve their
Federal government selling Balochistan land to Arab Sheikhs: There have been several reports in recent days of the federal government using its influence to get thousands of acres of coastal land in Balochistan sold to Arab Sheikhs from the UAE. According to the speaker of the Balochistan
Abandoned Patriots – by Imran Khan: Cross-posted from his blog It is a fact that most Taliban are Pakhtuns, but to many that fact alone is reason enough to declare them as representatives of Pakhtuns at large. Many theories that have been doing the rounds
Pictures of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto – compiled by Shahid Saeed: Cross-posted from his blog It would be an understatement to say that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto has admirers as passionate as the people who hate them. He divides opinion like no other politician in our country and the marks he
On “do more” – by Omar Ali: I had a facebook exchange after the news. A senior journalist in Pakistan had complained that we are suffering in the war on terror and the US is asking us to “do more” without realizing how hard things are.
Gandhi’s legacy – by Bhikhu Parekh: Cross posted from Mahatma Gandhi information website I am most grateful to the staff of the Centre of South Asian Studies of the School of Oriental and African Studies for doing me the honour of inviting me to deliver
New LUBP Poll: who do you think is responsible for suicide bombings in Pakistan?: LUBP Poll Who do you think is responsible for suicide bombings in Pakistan? Taliban: told you not to support America RAW and CIA agents (Taliban are innocent) Pakistani Agencies No clue! View Results With thanks to Saad Mansoor for
Critical articles are welcome: Recently there have been a number of critical views expressed regarding LUBP’s editorial policy and alleged intolerance of criticism of the PPP. Nothing could be further from the truth. This blog is dedicated to the principle of freedom of
ZAB never said idhar hum udhar tum: these words were concocted by by Abbas Ather – Contributed by Eqbal Alavi: http: //youtu.be/GAy-n-rBfOw Nailing urban legends by Khalid Hasan: Another urban legend that has also refused to die is Bhutto declaring at Karachi in a throwaway line directed at Shaikh Mujibur Rehman, “Udhar tum, idhar hum.” For the tenth time,
Rigging Pakistan Elections: Justice Delayed is Justice Denied – by Aamir Mughal: LUBP presents a collection of articles and video clips compiled by Aamir Mughal, one of LUBP’s most valued readers and researcher on the subject of election rigging in Pakistan. Intense U.S. pressure has forced Musharraf to resign from the
Brutal extrajudicial killings by the Pakistan army – where is the media?: A very brutal video has recently been circulated on the internet. Taken by a cell phone camera it shows soldiers in Pakistan army uniform brutally killing a number of teenaged boys by first shooting them in a firing squad
An act of barbarity: kidnapping and torture of Umar Cheema – by Aamir Mughal: This act of madness committed against Mr Umar Cheema [Senior Correspondent of The News International/Jang Group] should be condemned in the strongest possible words. Difference of Opinion doesn’t give permission to commit such acts of barbarity. In my humble
National Disaster Management Commission or a politically motivated parallel body? – by Aley: Background Pakistan is exposed to a multifaceted hazard situation, a perilous combination of geographical and socio-political factors. Physically it is exposed to vulnerabilities ranging from earthquakes, floods, droughts, cyclones, landslides etc. The physical milieu is entwined with an awful
CRCP press release on formation of flood relief commission: This was forwarded to us by our reader Aley Islamabad: Consumer Rights Commission of Pakistan (CRCP) expresses serious concerns on the announced formation of an independent commission to oversee relief and rehabilitation operations in the flood-hit areas. The formation
The Role of the Media – by Sindhyar Talpur: In United Kingdom, right leaning newspaper, daily Telegraph ran the news about diversion of aid from Earthquake Reconstruction and Rehabilitation Authority (ERRA). They quoted an anonymous internal source, and the events mentioned were from 2-3 years ago. The local
TTP commander Qari Hussain threatens Karachi with suicide attacks: Source allvoices By Arif YousafzaiPESHAWAR August 7, 2010: The banned Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), has warned Muthahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) and Awami National Party (ANP) to stop hatching conspiracies against the innocent Pakhtoon living in Karachi, who are falling prey
An appeal from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa – by Zubair Torwali: The situation in upper Swat, Swat Kohistan (Bahrain, Mankiyal, Kalam, Utror) is alarming as the people have now run out of food and medicine but the mainstream media in Pakistan takes it granted whosoever tells them that that much
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s last interview – by Khalid Hasan: Source Khalid Hasan’s website The last formal interview given to a journalist by Zulfikar Ali Bhutto took place on 10th August, 1977, just over a month after his overthrow and 33 days before his arrest, imprisonment, trial and execution
Pakistan’s rulers or Western puppets – by Yousuf Nazar: Asif Zardari’s callous and indifferent attitude to his country’s woes has reached ”Neroic” proportions surpassing even the worst reputation of Yahya Khan during 1971. He appearance in a designer suit and pink tie with David Cameron served to reinforce
Disastrous Response – by Imran Khan: First published in The News Global warming is causing increasing alarm because the rising global temperatures have the power to alter monsoon rain patterns. The recent floods that engulfed northern Pakistan have, in a way, not just affirmed the
ISI disinformation campaign and its willing partners in the media: Following David Cameron’s statements in New Delhi last week, there were media reports that the DG ISI had cancelled his upcoming trip to the UK. The DG ISI was applauded for his patriotism. Here is just a small sample
Imran Khan: a Taliban Goebbels? – by Dr. Muhammad Taqi: Published in Daily Times “The lowest form of popular culture — lack of information, misinformation, disinformation, and a contempt for the truth or the reality of most people’s lives — has overrun real journalism. Today, ordinary Americans are being
Help the poor victims of floods in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan – by Aamir Mughal: Apart from any kind of Political Difference “Human Life” is sacred! Today it was somebody else tomorrow it could be me. The life is long and completes its circle. Pakistani Intelligentsia should offer a Collective Funeral Prayers on Decency,
Prem Chand We Are Ashamed – by Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi: Cross-posted from his blog There have been very few times when I have not found the right words to express my grief, sorrow, anger or passion for something and today is one of those days as today I write
Floods in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kill hundreds: From BBC The BBC’s Aleem Maqbool says whole villages have been washed away Over 300 people have been killed in floods triggered by heavy monsoon rains in northern Pakistan, officials say. The Edhi Foundation – a privately run aid
After Habib Jalib – by Alia Amirali: Published in The Baloch Hal By Alia Amirali When I was asked to do a write-up on ‘Balochistan after Habib Jalib’s assassination’, I found cynicism bubbling up inside of me. Balochistan appears in the media only after death and