well done, Ahsan Iqbal and PML-N: PML-N has decided to stand by the parliament rather than supporting the undemocratic judiciary that has already formed a five-member bench to review the 18th amendment petitions. The only way that democracy can survive in Pakistan is for the
What basic structure doctrine – by Feisal Naqvi: Source Monsoon Frog (and also Dawn) The 18th Amendment is less than a few days old and already it is under attack. Several petitions have been filed challenging the new provisions regarding the appointment of judges and more are
Autopsy of an assassination – Irfan Hussain: Source Dawn IN the mid-1990s, when there was an upsurge in the bloody infighting between the MQM and its breakaway Haqiqi faction, the head of the Intelligence Bureau in Karachi told me that if the ISI were to just
Indictment by the United Nations – Zafar Hilaly: Karachi: The UN report on Benazir Bhutto’s assassination does nothing for some but a lot for others. It’s old hat, a waste of money, say the former. But to the latter it is perhaps the single most devastating indictment
Naming the Establishment – Nirupama Subramanian: Source The Hindu: The U.N. report on Benazir Bhutto’s killing wades directly into the controversial subject of civilian-military relations in Pakistan. Anyone who has been in Pakistan even briefly knows about the “establishment”. It comes up so often in
Rehman Malik’s U Turn: According to this report in Dawn Rehman Malik has removed Hamid Gul from the Exit Control List saying that he “personally thinks that Hamid Gul was not involved in Benazir Bhutto’s murder”. Rehman Malik is already under suspicion himself
Crucial Damage Control – by I.A. Rehman: THE attempts being made to control the damage caused by the killing of more than 60 civilians in two bombing attacks in the Tirah valley can only be welcomed. But one hopes this is the beginning of a more
UN Report & Conspiracy Theories – Munizae Jahangir: Source Express Tribune Is it not strange that there are so many conspiracy theories around the murder of a leader who before she was killed clearly named those she suspected of being a threat to her security? Certainly the
Commenters expose Talat Hussain’s hypocrisy!: Recently Talat Hussain wrote a melodramatic article called “10 things I hate about foreign media and reporters”. It contained Talat Hussain’s usual hypernationalist rants against foreign journalists in Pakistan. Examples from his article: The incessant complaining. Living in outsized
Balochistan’s depressed Press – Baloch Hal Editorial: Source The Baloch Hal Daily Asaap. Abid Amin. Khuzdar Press Club. Malik Arif. All these tags lead to divergent but equally disheartening conclusions which narrate an abysmal state of the press freedom in Balochistan. These tags help us to
Amina Masood Janjua has changed her mind: Despite Justice Muhammad Sair Ali’s rhetoric on January that the missing persons case was more serious than the NRO, since the three member bench of the current Supreme Court was formed to decide the missing persons case we have
What the provinces gain – by IA Rehman: Source Dawn: The biggest beneficiaries of the 18th Amendment would be the federating units and this should be made known to the people of these units, otherwise the reform measures will not receive the kind of public support that
Shaukat Tarin talking about Mashal LNG Project: Another informative article on the issue by Munawar B. Ahmad: The Supreme Court’s suo moto hearing of the much sensationalised $1 billion scam alleged in the award of the LNG contract to GDF-Suez, may or may not determine if
Arrival of the Hazarawals – Syed Talat Hussain: Source Daily Times The ANP wants to champion the cause of the length and breadth of the NWFP, but does not want to set foot in the Hazara Division. Even after days of mayhem and police-driven murders, the party
سندھی زبان لازمی کیوں نہیں؟ ریاض سہیل: Source BBC Urdu سندھ ہائی کورٹ نے صوبائی حکومت سے معلوم کیا ہے کہ اڑتیس سال گذرنے کے باوجود سرکاری اور نجی تعلیمی اداروں میں سندھی زبان لازمی قرار دینے کے قانون پر عمل کیوں نہیں ہوسکا ہے۔ عدالت
Parliamentary Theocracy – By Yasser Latif Hamdani: Source Daily Times The 18th Amendment reintroduces the requirement for the prime minister of the country to be a Muslim. Pakistan’s slide down the slippery pole of religiosity is quite clear Frederick Douglass — the great 18th century American
Anti-Pakhtunkhwa protest claims seven lives in Abbottabad: Source The News ABBOTTABAD: Seven people were killed and over 100 sustained injuries on Monday when police used force to break up a protest here against the renaming of NWFP as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. The peaceful headquarters of Hazara division turned
Interview with Sherry Rehman: (photo source, Jang) Source Newsline Magazine “It is actually possible to find cross-party support for women’s issues now” – Sherry Rehman Q: Which government, in your view, has been the most woman-friendly in terms of gender-sensitive policies? State the
No more advice, please: Journalists and analysts are very fond of constantly giving advice to the PPP leadership. According to them, PPP leadership needs to embrace their advice in order to become the true voice of Pakistani liberals presumably so that members of
Historic Indeed – by Battar Sattar: Source The News The writer is a lawyer based in Islamabad. Our nation has grown accustomed to receiving even delightful news with suspicion, if not disbelief. But the 18th Constitutional Amendment that proposes significant changes to our Constitution and
ہاشمی، سعد رفیق کا ووٹ سب نے محسوس کیا: Source BBC مسلم لیگ نواز کے رہنما مخدوم جاوید ہاشمی اور خواجہ سعد رفیق کے اٹھارویں ترمیم کی ایک شق کے خلاف ووٹ کے بعد سیاسی حلقوں یہ بحث جاری ہے کہ اب پارٹی میں ان کا مقام کیا
SCBA, LHCBA lawyers ignoring the law: According to this news report, SCBA and LHCBA lawyers have declared in a joint press conference that they will challenge the 18th amendment on the grounds that it has destroyed the entire structure of the 1973 constitution. However this
Saad, Hashmi narrowly escape “N” show-cause notices – Shafiq Awan: Source: Daily Times LAHORE: Although politicians earned a good name through the 18th Amendment, the “democrats” among them closed the door for democracy within their parties as parliament passed the clause on intra-party polls unanimously, according to sources. PML-N