Monthly Archive:: November 2010
Time to repeal the blasphemy law -by Nasim Zehra: In June 2008, Asiya Bibi, a Pakistani farm worker and mother of five, fetched water for others working on the farm. Many refused the water because Asiya was Christian. The situation got ugly. Reports indicate Asiya was harassed because
Asma Jahangir awarded UN prize for promoting human rights: UNITED NATIONS: One of Pakistan’s leading human rights defenders, Asma Jahangir, was Tuesday named as this year’s winner of a UN award that recognizes outstanding individual contribution to promoting a culture of human rights around the world. The Director-General
Case of bogus science – By Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy: Related article: khuda ka zikr kare zikre amreeka na kare? – by Zalaan COMSTECH is the Organisation of Islamic Countries’ highest scientific body. It has received millions of dollars from OIC countries, including Pakistan. Comstech’s magnificent headquarters are located
Strategic grandeur – by Raza Rumi: As if Pakistan’s domestic woes were not troubling, the unravelling of the US strategy and its implications are eluding even the best of strategists. Mind you, Pakistan is a place every third person is a ‘strategy’ expert and the term
Shia population of Kurram agency: Between the military and militants — by Farhat Taj: Related article: Finally, ISI openly blockades Shias in Kurram to enforce their subservience to Taliban With the Haqqanis moved to the safety of Kurram, a military operation will begin in North Waziristan that will kill innocent civilians and also
Transparency International Pakistan Chairman’s son resigns after charges of corruption: TIP chairman’s son resigns from PNSC board membership Fear of being caught red-handed led Transparency International Pakistan (TIP) Chairman Syed Adil Gilani’s son Sohrab Adil Gilani to resign from his position as a board member of the Pakistan National
Jinnah’s Eid message to Pakistan on 18 August 1947: Here is a text of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhamma Ali Jinnah’s message to the nation on the first Eid in Pakistan – on 18 August 1947. This is our first Eid immediately following in the heralding of
The divorce of religion and politics —by Dr Manzur Ejaz: Sufis were witnessing the misuse of religion by qazis and other ‘pillars’ of religious institutions. They were aware of the corruption, nepotism and injustice being practiced in the name of Islam. Therefore, to save the spirituality of religion, they
Pakistan sinking in a sea of debt – by Shaukat Masood Zafar: During the previous couple of years, Pakistan’s economy is constantly falling into the debt trap, consisting of both domestic and foreign loans, causing financial hardship, joblessness, decrease in personal income and high cost of living for a common man,
Taxation, politics and buzurgwar Nawaz Sharif – by Ali Raja: If you ever happen to visit Punjab and intend to communicate, I just might be able to give you a valuable piece of advice. Whenever you see an elderly fellow, with a crooked back, walking with a stick, do
The Call Centre Odyssey from Islamabad – by Dil Nawaz: Mirpur city of Kashmir, situated 80 miles south east of Islamabad, is often called the ‘eastern most city of United Kingdom’ due to big population of British Kashmiris(Pakistanis or just Muslims, whatever they want to be known as). Jars
PML-N leader and supporters bulldoze a Church: Lahore: Hundreds of Christians protestors block Raiwind-Lahore Road when staged protest in front of Chief Minister Punjab Farmhouse in Raiwind on bulldozing a Church was bulldozed by an influential Muslim[leagues] to grab Church land on November 15,
Money Talks: Jang group to beg American support: Guess who was spotted on November 9 in Washington D.C. at a reception for American and Pakistani media personnel thrown by US AfPak ambassador Richard Holbrooke‘s media assistant Ashley Bommer? Mir Ibrahim Rehman, scion of the house of Jang
No contradiction when it comes to Gen. Kiyani – by Adnan Farooq: One expression of hegemony that in Antonio Gramsci’s view sustains rulers in power, is self-censorship practiced by mainstream media professionals. Here is a case in point: Noted Geo-anchorperson and Jang-columnist, Hamid Mir, in his column last week (November 04)
The kryptonite of life – by Nadir Pashtun: The history of the humankind is an incessant clash of opposite and divergent forces and currents of will. This plentitude of wills, with varied sources, forms and consequences have provided the impetus and stimulus for the continued evolution and
Remembrance Sunday: From allies to terrorists? – by Jahan Mahmood: In Britain’s hour of need, when she faced the might of the German Army, it was not America that came to her aid but the fighting men of the Indian subcontinent. They came from Bangladesh, India and Pakistan and
Socrates of our time – by Suleman Akhtar: "Hundreds of thousands common men have been slaughtered at this embellished altar of oligarchic state policy and still being annihilated. They are Socrates of our time who have no idea if state policy descends from sky or germinates from
The Abbas brothers: A depressing tale – by TLW: More than a year earlier, Maj. Gen. Athar Abbas had been appointed as the military’s spokesman. With several brothers prominent in the media—his brother, Mazhar Abbas, headed the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists for several years and was a
The flood tax and our responsibilities – by Amjad Rashid: Government of Pakistan has imposed a new tax on the behalf of flood victims and there is not a good reaction in public for this new tax. Pakistan is a poor country where majority is lower middle class &
Umeed mari naheen, shaheed ho gai – by Faraz Hashmi: امید مری نہیں ’شہید‘ ہو گئی برما کی جمہوریت پسند راہنما ایک طویل حراست کے بعد اپنی پارٹی کے ہیڈکوارٹر پہنچیں تو عوام کے ایک بہت بڑے ہجوم نے ان کی گاڑی کو گھیرے میں لے لیا۔ پینسٹھ سالہ
‘I’m not free until the people are free’ – Suu Kyi: As overjoyed crowds celebrated the release of Aung San Suu Kyi yesterday, their leader gave a message that tempered their jubilation with a call to action. For the woman who has made so many personal sacrifices for the sake
Political stability must for economic growth: Gilani: * PM appreciates duty-free access for 75 Pakistani products to EU markets * US trade markets next target for Pakistan By Hussain Kashif LAHORE: The national economy cannot strengthen without political stability, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani said on
Pakistan seeks $50bn foreign debt waiver -by Khaleeq Kiani: ISLAMABAD: As federal and provincial economic teams assured the international community on Sunday of their resolve to introduce wide-ranging taxation measures, including Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) and taxes on agriculture and real estate, Interior Minister Rahman Malik made
Freedom from fear – by Aung Sang Suu Kyi: Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, an icon of democracy, Nobel Peace Prize laureate and leader of the fight against military dictatorship in Burma (Myanmar), was released after seven and a half years of house arrest. She has been detained
Now the whole world demands: repeal Pakistan’s blasphemy law: The whole world is deeply shocked and concerned over Asia Bibi’s death sentence for blasphemy, issued by a local court in Pakistan. Concerned citizens and human rights activists say the case of Asia Bibi – the first woman to
Western information contradicts facts – by Shiraz Paracha: Five years ago, when hurricane Katrina hit New Orleans in the United States, the rich and affluent people of the city escaped in big cars, leaving behind hundreds and thousands of mostly poor African Americans to drown and die.
PTH’s blogger Raza Rumi renders apology to LUBP: Note: We welcome Raza Rumi’s reconciliatory post which he has written on behalf of the Pak Tea House (PTH) blog in which he apologized for the abuses hurled at LUBP by Yasser Latif Hamdani. Below is a copy of
Extremist Deobandis (Taliban) kill ANP Senior Vice President Jilani Khan Achakzai: QUETTA: The activists of the ANP, the Pakhtunkhwa Milli Awami Party, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Ideology and Jamaat-e-Islami on Saturday took out a protest rally in Chaman to condemn the death of ANP Senior Vice President Jilani Khan Achakzai. The incident triggered
New Light on the Accuracy of the CIA’s Predator Drone Campaign in Pakistan – By Matthew Fricker, Avery Plaw and Brian Glyn Williams: Widely-cited reports of the inaccuracy and disproportionality of civilian to militant deaths in the CIA’s ongoing Predator drone campaign against the Taliban and al-Qaeda in Pakistan are grossly misleading. The most detailed database compiled to date, assembled by the
International politics and Pakistan’s billi brigade – by Ali Raja: Urdu is doubtlessly one of the most attractive languages across the globe. With the variety, mobility and depth that Urdu language holds it can easily be classified as a growing language. Along with being an official language of Pakistan,
Reforms in economy: now or never – by Shaukat Masood Zafar: No state can exist without taxation. Pakistan is running on empty pockets and is under extreme pressures, internal and external. The state does not have the economic resources to provide even essential services to the masses, leading to disaffection,
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
Who will save Pakistani prosecutors from the joint wrath of Takfiri Deobandis?: Pakistani prosecutors decline cases against militants 13 November 2010 By Awais Saleem, IANS Source Islamabad: Public prosecutors in Pakistan have refused to proceed with cases involving suspected militants on the pretext that the banned terror outfits are threatening them
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