Original Articles Archive
Attack on Sheikh Rashid: the other side of the story: By Omar Khattab in Rawalpindi There is a lot of confusion in Rawalpindi and elsewhere in Pakistan about who would have wanted to kill Shiekh Rashid. This is what happened: Yesterday as he was coming out of his election
Independence of judiciary and military boots – by Bawa: عدلیہ کی آزادی اور فوجیوں کے بوٹ عدلیہ کی بحالی سے عدلیہ کی آزادی تک مصنف: باوا ایک طویل جدوجہد کے بعد اٹھارہ سو پینسٹھ میں امریکی آئین میں تیرھویں ترمیم کے ذریعے امریکہ میں غلامی کا خاتمہ کر
The case of missing persons: A national shame – by Sakib Ahmad: Va la-qad karramna banee Aadam (Al-Qur’an, 17/70) [Indeed, We have conferred dignity on the children of Adam] – but, alas, our secret agencies know not! Early last month, when the government’s defiance of the Supreme Court ruling on Musharraf’s
Farewell, Ajmal Khattak: September 15, 1925 – February 7, 2010 With the death of Ajmal Khattak, a renowned leftist-nationalist politician, poet and writer, another chapter in history has closed. Khattak was greatly influenced by Bacha Khan, the great Pakhtun nationalist leader and
Bottled water sector in Pakistan: What is needed to be done? – by Qudrat Ullah: In Pakistan, the unchecked and more than needed population explosion has heightened the need to ensure uninterrupted access to improved drinking-water supply, especially in mega cities like Karachi and Lahore where traces of multiple deadly rudiments including the human
The myth of Ghazwa-tul-Hind – by Ale Natiq: Ghazwa-tul-Hind: Pakistani flag hoisted at Red Fort, Delhi, India. This image was created and circulated by the Brasstacks.biz (ISI mouth-piece Zaid Hamid’s organization) team. Religion has quite frequently been used as an excuse for military motives. Talking specifically about
A critical analysis of Aafia Siddiqui’s case – by Anas Abbas: First published on: AA Counter Terror Aafia Siddiqui was finally convicted on 4rd February 2010 for trying to kill American soldiers in Afghanistan. She is now expected to face a maximum of 60 years in prison. Below is a
“Bonus season at the IMF” – Not institutions we destroyed: By Ahmad Nadeem Gehla Institutions of a state are always the first causality of dictatorship. Although dictatorships promote a feeling of ’stability’ which encourages the investor, the absence of institution soon takes away the fruits of stability. The house of cards built by
The cost of being a Muslim League worker – by Humza Ikram: Last week, Shahbaz Shairf finally announced that Nawaz Sharif will not contest the NA 123 election. The official reason given in this regard is that Nawaz Sharif wants to give chance to a party worker who struggled against the Musharaf regime
Secularism does not mean atheism or la-deeniat: Here are two excellent articles on this topic. The first one has been written by Anand Krishan in Indonesian context, and the second one by Munno Bhai in Pakistani context. Promoting faith-based secularism Anand Krishna Jakarta – 01/18/2010 When
Anatomy of presidential immunity issue – by Malik Muhammad Ashraf: The question of presidential immunity is the most controversial issue at the moment and the intellectuals, politicians and the media outlets are all engaged in guiding and misguiding the masses about the intent and the scope of article 248
A war that remains unreported: The Saudi Arabian war against the Houthis of Yemen: Here is an extensive archive on a war that remains either unreported or misreported in Pakistani and Western media. Ironically, it is a war in which four different players, namely Saudi Arabia, Ali Abdullah Saleh, Al Qaeda and the
This is what young Pakistanis are learning: Activists of the JuD hold aloft weapons during an anti-India protest rally in Lahore on Friday
A critical perspective on Geo News – by Usama Bhutto: Every one likes the concept of freedom of media. Yes media should be free but at the same time responsible. Jang group is one of the leading group of news papers in Pakistan. But some time they behave in
Iftikhar Chaudhry has eaten his bread – by Amjad Rashid: It is a fact that almost every human in this world, especially in Pakistan, thinks that: 1) He (or she) is the wisest person with heroic qualities; and 2) He (or she) is the most beautiful person. Although it
Aafia Siddiqui: An Objective Overview – by Anas Muhammad: President Asif Ali Zardari directed the government to provide legal assistance to Dr Aafia Siddiqui, after the jury found her guilty on all seven counts. The government of Pakistan has so far spent $2 million in defense of the
The cost of being a Shia in Pakistan: KARACHI: A motorcycle rigged with explosives rammed into a bus carrying Shias near the Nursery bridge in Karachi Friday, killing 12 people and wounding 40 in the second such attack in Pakistan’s financial capital in two months. “Twelve people
A brief, and incomplete, historical context to Zaid Hamidism – by Khawer A. Khan: First published on Khawer’s blog Here are some important events that we need to use to understand Hamidism. This is a work in progress. Im sharing it for feedback. 1903: “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”, a known forgery,
Quran and Peace – by Hamid Akhtar: Here is an excerpt from Hamid Akhtar’s speech in a Seminar titled “Quran and Peace” (held on 1 February 2010).
Hope Persists? – by Nimer Ahmed: Denmark had hosted the 15th UN’s Climate Change Conference from 7th December till 18th December 2009. At Copenhagen 193 countries negotiated to strike a much-needed deal to save entire human civilization but failed to deliver the answers for climate
Nadeem F. Paracha vs Aamir Liaquat Hussain: Source: Pakistan Media Watch VS Though we typically focus on news talk shows and newspapers, it is not beyond the boundaries to also include some religious television shows. Obviously, this is not a blog about Religion Watch, and I
Yes, they have ruined us – by Sehar Tauqeer: 1. We, the 170 million Pakistanis, don’t know till when we will have to eat ‘fruits’ of these ‘ruiners of Pakistan’, the so called ‘Islamic Right Wing’ propaganda war machines, who Ayyaz Amir recently termed as Laptop Warriors, the pseudo Islamic Parties – Saleem Safi
MQM’s form of political protest is unjustified.: The fact remains that it is the right of the provincial government to decide what the local government system is in any province. It’s unfortunate that the local government system preferred by many PPP leaders would not be as
Badshah Khan: The unsung champion of federalism and democracy – by Nadir Ali Dirojay Pukhtunyar: The Pashtun homeland in the south and east of Afghanistan and the north-west of Pakistan has become synonymous with terrorism and violence. Certain quarters suggest that the Pashtun region and society is intrinsically violence driven. The Pashtuns have a
Pakistan Peoples Party and Importance of its Founding Documents – by H.A. Khan: The PPP was launched at its founding convention held in Lahore on November 30 – December 01, 1967. At the same meeting, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was elected as its Chairman. Among the express goals for which the party was
Laptop Warriors: After reading Ayaz Amir’s article and his use of the term “laptop warriors” (about Dr Shahid Masood, Ansar Abbasi etc), I googled the term and discovered this picture. Now Aitzaz Ahsan’s remarks have caused a major disappointment to them; he
Qari Hussain, the top trainer of suicide bombers of Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban: Qari Hussain, the chief instructor of suicide bombers (Ustad-e-Fidayeen) If the killing of Hakimullah Mehsud in a US drone attack is confirmed, it could set off a new power struggle within the Tehrik-eTaliban Pakistan, which may conclude with the
Some Balance Please: Thanks: Sohni Dhurti “The most important human endeavor is the striving for morality in our actions. Our inner balance and even our very existence depend on it. Only morality in our actions can give beauty and dignity to life.”
War is terror and a profitable business – by H.A. Khan: Renowned columnist Munno Bhai once asked in one of his columns that when ultimately countries have to sit at the negotiating table after wars, why do not they do this before the war to save thousands of lives. Nowadays
Pakistani media leading to chaos or consensus? – by Junaid Qaiser: Today, democracy and liberal development are interdependent with recognition by media. In an informed democracy, public reasoning based opinion is a vital aide for transparent governance. It is an age of advancement in communication technology where internet, push button
3 Shia pilgrims killed by Taliban / Sipah-e-Sahaba’s Quetta Shura: QUETTA, Pakistan — Gunmen in southwestern Pakistan opened fire on pilgrims bound for Iran on Friday, killing three Shiite Muslims and wounding seven others, in what police said was a sectarian attack. Four people riding two motorbikes sprayed bullets
Khalid Anwer and the NRO – by Aamir Mughal: Mr Khalid Anwer is an ’eminent’ lawyer, and according to his legal firm profile: “Khalid Anwer & Co. is a premier law firm having a total strength of eleven lawyers in Karachi and associate firms in Lahore and Islamabad.
On Maria B’s “Wake up Zaidistan” and PTV – by Red Ink: PTV is no shining example of stellar journalism. Its no BBC, heck its no where near even an American network. While legally speaking it is supposed to be a public channel, PTV has often functioned as little more than
Laptop Warriors: Ayaz Amir presents two pressing challenges to the Supreme Court of Pakistan: < strong>While disregarding pawns of ‘the anti-democracy establishment’ (e.g. Dr Shahid Masood and Ansar Abbasi and other members of the Pakistani Taliban Union of Journalists (PTUJ)) as “laptop warriors” and “media samurais — of whom there are not a
Islami Jamiat Talaba thrashes Insaaf Students at the Punjab University: 5 students injured in ‘IJT attack’ at Hailey College * Victims associated with rival student faction * Students protest insecurity at PU, demand action against assailants By Adnan Lodhi LAHORE: At least five Punjab University students were injured in
Judiciary, executive on collision course? – by Cyril Almeida and Saleem Safi: Here are two articles on this topic by Cyril Almeida and Saleem Safi. Legally speaking By Cyril Almeida Lawyers tend to complicate things. Ask them to describe the colour red and soon you’ll be hearing about ‘vermilion’, ‘burnt sienna’
Mesmerization of Pakistani politics – by Agha Haider Raza: Politics in Pakistan mesmerize me. Not only does one enjoy the daily dose of rhetoric that is spewed from the mouths of our beloved politicians, but the one track mind of those in and out of government baffles the mind.
Towards a new phase of irrigation sector reforms in Punjab- a case study of PIDA – by Qudrat Ullah: Keeping in view the changing patterns in water sector, growing needs of water utilization for food crops and the need to involve the farming community in the repairmen and maintenance of colossal irrigation infrastructure, the government of the Punjab
PPP’s commitment and contribution to free press – by Junaid Qaiser: Democracy and free media are co-related; democracy is impossible without a free (unbiased) media, and free media is impossible without democracy. Democracy and free media reinforce each other. Huge credit goes to Pakistan Peoples Party, which is the biggest