Original Articles Archive
Roots of Western superiority complex – By Shiraz Paracha: Passengers of a Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight to London from Islamabad were forced to stay inside the aircraft at London Heathrow Airport on 8 August 2010 as the British Police and officials of the UK Boarder Agency made
Double Standard of Iftikhar Ch. et al – by Ali Asad: The Supreme Court has made public the verdict in petition filed by Kh. Haris against appointment of Mr. Irfan Qadir as Prosecutor General, NAB. The decision is in favour of the petitioner and Mr. Irfan Qadir has lost
Healing Pakistan – Solution presented in Newsweek – by Ahmed Iqbalabadi: At a time when fingers are being pointed towards either the inefficiency of Pakistan government in responding to the devastating floods or the general apathy of the world community in being forthcoming to help Pakistan one thing is for
Explosion at Shiite Protest Kills at Least 40 in Pakistan: ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — A blast ripped through a Shiite protest, the second such attack in three days, in the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta on Friday, killing at least 40 people and wounding 80, police and rescue officials said.
The denial of the lambs – by Anas Abbas: Cross Post : Accounterterror blog By Anas Abbas This Essay is in response to an article “The liberal lynch mob” written by Mahreen Aziz Khan published recently in The Express Tribune. It will not only focus on this article itself
Trust the IMF — by Farrukh Khan Pitafi: Terrible times require extreme measures but somehow Islamabad manages not to appreciate this reality. There is no harm in keeping one’s chin high and marching on in the hour of trouble. However, the gruesome realities of an unfortunate series
Triple Blasts in Youm-e-Ali (a.s.) Procession: Karbala attacked in Lahore – by Ch. Ahmad Khan: As the death toll from today’s gruesome attacks on a Shiite procession commemorating the martyrdom of Hazrat Ali, probably the most venerated muslim saint after the Holy Prophet rises, few if any are addressing the core issues that have
Al Huda — an insider’s view – by Habiba Younis: Al Huda — an insider’s view Source: Express Tribune Khaled Ahmed’s recent article “Daughters of Al Huda” (August 22) met a negative and spirited response by readers. In my opinion, as a former student, the reasoning in the article
‘Pakistan—Marvelous people, dangerous confusions’ – By Shiraz Paracha: It was a very hot and bright day in July when I entered the main hall of a newly built private hospital in Peshawar for a medical checkup. A wave of cool breeze touched my face as I opened
“What would you do, if someone’s gonna get shot” – by Faisal Raza: The games in ancient Rome are known as the bloodiest exhibition of public entertainment known to mankind when men, women and children flocked to coliseums to see blood thirsty fighters and gladiators killing the weaker among them, they even cheered them on and
Survey of flood-affected areas – by Ali Wahab: Source: Express Tribune DUBAI: Saudi Arabia is one of the richest countries in the world with an abundance of resources. Jeddah is the second largest city of the Kingdom with a population of more than 3.6 million residents. Moreover,
Ameer-ul-Mominin Ali: The first fighter against Islamism – by Shaheryar Ali: “The Qur’an is a book, covered, between two flaps, and it does not speak. It should therefore necessarily have an interpreter. Men alone can be such interpreters…..” (Imam Ali in Nehj ul Balaga) On the grounds of
Latest Lahore Incident, By Amjad Rashid: After the cruel incidence of Buttar village Sialkot, another instance has happened in Fruit Market Lahore some hours before. A man was alleged as thief in fruit market by some hawkers and middle men in fruit market and they
Siyaah Pattiyaan – by Ammar Kazmi: Ammar Kazmi is a good writer and always writes issue based articles…
Concentration of Media Ownership Is threatening the purpose of free press: In his essay on civil disobedience, Henry David Thoreau once said, “The rich man is always sold to the institution which makes him rich,”. The Mass Media, the collection of newspapers, magazines, and TV news programs that reach a
Coming Of Age – M Usama Kabbir & Humza Ikram: There was a time when the Frontier Province was the scene of fiery political rivalry between Z.A.Bhutto and Wali Khan whereas now the former ANP and PPP are coalition partners at the Center as well as the Province. There
China-Pakistan relationship and opacity of Western Media: Pakistan is always in the news for reasons not necessarily as important as it may seem. By considering Pakistan an ally to the US in “War on Terror”, it is assumed that Pakistan has been taken on lease
Same old formula – Divide the Party and Win the Elections – by Ahmed Iqbalabadi: The media of Pakistan, which until the bombardment of TV channels comprised mainly of newspapers, has a love-hate relationship with the Pakistan Peoples Party. When the party is not in power, it is hounded by the media yet agreeably
Post-deluge efforts in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – by Idrees Kamal: The monsoon flood has badly devastated the entire Pakistan in general and the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA in particular. These remarks were made by Arshad Haroon, regional Head of SPO and member of Network for Humanitarian Assistance
Another Martial Law? – by Omar Ali: Pakistan is in the grip of one of its periodic eruptions of speculation about impending martial law, or at least, it looks like that on TV. For weeks, the largest news channel in the country has been shamelessly promoting
Talibanisation of the heart — by Dr. Abbas Zaidi: Dr. Abbas Zaidi has shared this intellectual piece with us for LUBP. A slightly edited version is published in Dailytimes today, we have posted it earlier from the newspaper, Now we are replacing it with the complete, unedited and
Think of the Mothers – by Sana Ali: All images of flood victims are heartbreaking. But it is the faces of the mothers that keep me awake at night. I see the women of my mother country and I instinctively think of my own mom. My mother
Between Kalabagh and a hard place – by Shehrbano Taseer: The politicization of the August 2010 floods in Pakistan leaves a bad taste in one’s mouth. More disturbing than seeing the witch-hunt carried out by hysterical journalists has been watching some politicians capitalize on the crisis to score cheap
Method in Madness – by Sindhyar Talpur: In an ideal world, a catastrophe that hits a country right down the middle is a sobering and binding event. The state quickly springs into action, with a two tier response-safeguard followed by rehabilitation. In case of a flood,
“French like Revolution” Are you sure, Sir? – by Suleman Akhtar: Revolution in thoughts or revelation from stars, I’m not sure what prompted QET Altaf Hussain to articulate a French like revolution idea, intertwining it with Military coup in the same breath. I switched television channel as if his name
Lynching of two brothers in Sialkot – Where was the conscience of onlookers? By Ahmed Iqbalabadi: I was terrified when I saw disturbing pictures of an unruly mob beating two boys with sticks, killing them, hanging their bodies with poles and then parading their bodies in the back of a tractor trolley around the industrialized,
Terrible Flooding in Pakistan and media is still playing politics: 13.8 million people in Pakistan are affected by the worst flood in a century. More than 1,600 are dead and many more unaccounted for. Entire villages and towns have been consumed by rising water levels, and hundreds of thousands
Pakistan’s Future: It’s choice–not chance – by Bilal Qureshi: For my mental health, I never watch Pakistani television, be it state run or the so-called ‘private’ channels. And if I am forced for whatever reason to put up with it for an hour or so, it is, and
Why the unfolding disaster in Pakistan should concern you -by Robert Reich: The human tragedy unfolding in Pakistan right now demands our full attention. Flooding there has already stranded 20 million people, more than 10 percent of the population. A fifth of the nation is underwater. More than 3.5 million children
Tragedy does not discriminate and neither should relief agencies- by Shehrbano Taseer: It is in times of pitiful tragedy that I have witnessed great humanity. I grew up watching my saintlike mother dutifully rush to anyone’s side in their times of adversity. She accompanied her friend to Shaukat Khanum for her radiation
Pakistani Media: Of floods, facts and fiction!! – by Saad Mansoor: Related article: What Pakistan did right in response to the massive floods in 2010 – by C. Christine Fair The floods that wreaked havoc in the country were of Biblical proportions, however, they compare nothing to the propaganda unleashed
Importance of a robust peoples’ movement in Punjab against the Punjabi Ruling Elite – by Asim Jaan: I wrote this in response to the recent heinous killings of Punjabis travelling on a bus near Sibbi in particular and the general racial hatred being carried out in Pakistan. I strongly condemn the killing, not only this incident but all
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
Pakistan Floods: What Ashu Lal says! -by Jehangir Hafsi: Author’s Note: This is what Ashu Lal, a poet from Siraiki area of Pakistan, comments about the recent devastation caused by the floods in his area. I liked Ashu Lal’s talk so much that after watching his emotional interview
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
Socho! President Zardari Must Attend the Sochi Summit-by Sana Ali: Diplomats and development experts have long anticipated the upcoming Sochi Summit. The recent politicization of President Zardari’s foreign trips threatens to derail this vital meeting of the Presidents of Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan and Russia where comprehensive projects are on
Syeda Shehla Raza’s facebook status-shame to yellow journalism: Syeda Shehla Raza deputy speaker Sindh assembly posted her current facebook status as saying: “My visit to RAZZK ABAD camp I saw a unike incidence the repoter of GEO arranged a man who according to his directions gave a statement that