Democracy Archive
Benazir, a never-ending struggle – by Maleeha Manzoor: Have heard from ancestors that: once who bereaves, never comes back! But there are some meritorious people who pass away just in the eyes of world but leave behind a never-ending life – The martyr of democracy “Shaheed Mohtarma
The AHRC appreciates the Prime Minister’s resolve to place the army under civilian rule: President Asif Ali Zardari’s return to Pakistan from Dubai, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani’s comments on the floor of national assembly and the conclusions & recommendations by the PPP core committee reveal Pakistan Peoples Party resolve to take on
Wapasi -by Nazir Qaiser: اردو اور پنجابی کے معروف منفرد تیکھے لہجے اور بلند آہنگ شاعر اور ادیب نذیر قیصر روزنامہ مشرق کیلئے روزانہ قطعہ لِکھ رہے ہیں۔ ہم آج کا قطعہ قارئین کی خِدمت میں کراس پوسٹ کر رہے ہیں صفِ جمہور
AHRC appeal: DG ISI Gen Shuja Pasha must be prosecuted for hatching conspiracy against democracy: ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME Related post: Jang Group must refrain from harassing Ali Dayan Hasan of Human Rights Watch Urgent Appeal Case: AHRC-UAC-248-2011 Send an Appeal Letter PAKISTAN: The head of the ISI must be
To call Zardari or Gilani dictators is to insult the very word dictator – by Ayaz Amir: Death wish of the Pakistani political class Did our founding fathers have any idea of the kind of country they were creating? A country where conspiracies would never cease and stability would never come. Sixty-four years, going on sixty-five,
ICG Report: Radical parties threaten Pakistan’s fragile democracy: Religious intolerance, sectarian violence and radical Islamic parties threaten to undermine the democratic reforms on which Pakistan’s stability depends. Islamic Parties in Pakistan , the latest International Crisis Group report, examines the internal workings, policies and agendas of these
The Express Tribune Editorial: Is the ‘Get Zardari’ campaign democratic?: President Asif Ali Zardari got sick and had to go to the UAE to get medically looked after. The media began to talk most blatantly about his ‘exit’ from Pakistan without realising what it would look like to anyone
Ch. Nisar’s resignation sets a bad precedent for democracy: Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan resignation as chairman Public Accounts Committee(PAC) is the biggest blow to democracy came at the hands of the Ziaist forces, it further exposed Sharif Brother’s impatience to hold on to power and the worst decision
An open letter to Nawaz Sharif — by Gul Bukhari: Because you have firsthand experience of how democracy and the people’s will is thwarted and corroded, you must be cognizant of the role you must play at this crucial time, as you have done in the service of the
Kaptaan’s double face: A critical view on Imran Khan’s interview with Karan Thapar: The new puppet show was set in motion on Pakistan’s political screen in Lahore when diverse affiliates of Pakistan’s security establishment both from right wing and fake liberals gathered at the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s Lahore rally and showed their full support
Parliamentary sovereignty: PCNC refuses to attend GHQ briefing: The Parliamentary Committee on National Security (PCNS)refused to get briefing on the current law and order and state of Pakistan-US relations and post withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan situation from the top strategic institution at GHQ. It’s a
Military must surrender control of foreign policy – by Shiraz Paracha: Recent arbitration by the Saudi intelligence agency in the ongoing ‘CIA-ISI war’ is yet another proof that Pakistan is in a dangerous mess created by the military’s illegitimate control over the country’s foreign policy. Before it is too late,
Where is the beacon of freedom?: With its brutal and bloody crackdown on the peaceful demonstrators of the “Occupy Wall Street” movement, the New York police demonstrated that the United States doesn’t deserve to call itself a “beacon of freedom” and cradle of democracy anymore.
Time to say good bye to strategic assets: The time has come for Pakistan to take decisive steps and needs to change policy on terrorism. Pakistani citizens who are paying taxes for human security: Health, education, protection and quality life need it now, just like any other
Politics of recognition -by Mushtaq Gaadi: OF all the claims for the creation of new provinces, that of the Seraiki demand has the most potentially constructive consequences for state, democracy and federalism in Pakistan. If and when a Seraiki province is carved out of Punjab
Building bridges between Pakistan and the United States? – by Shiraz Paracha: Let us assume that some American writers such as Rusty Walker are sincere in their desire to build bridges between Pakistan and the United States. It is a noble cause and Mr. Walker should be admired for his wish
When armies surrender – by Dr. Niaz Murtaza: This article is not a treatise on military tactics. It does not explain why and when armies throw in the towel on the battlefield. Rather, it analyzes the factors which force politically over-active militaries to ultimately surrender to civilian
Carving out new federating units for stronger federation: What is Federalism John Kincaid, Professor at Lafayette College in Pennsylvania and director of the College’s Meyner Center for the Study of State and Local Government gave a useful definition of federalism: Federalism is essentially a system of voluntary
Pakistan and the Search for Identity (Part 2) – by Rusty Walker: PART TWO Neither blindness nor ignorance corrupts people and governments. They soon realize where the path they have taken is leading them. But, there is an impulse within them, favored by their natures and reinforced by their habits
Reverting to the Quaid’s Pakistan – By Wajid Shamsul Hasan: There is every reason for over a million strong Pakistani Diaspora in UK and Pakistanis wherever to celebrate their country’s 64th Independence Day with great fervour and enthusiasm. It will be their fourth Independence Birth anniversary under a democratic
A Pakistani renaissance -By Mian Raza Rabbani: The 1973 Constitution given by Shaheed Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was democratic, federal and parliamentary. It had a vision of Federalism in terms of fiscal devolution, ownership of resources, participation in policy formation and collective decision making. This was a
De-legitimizing Islamic Fundamentalism – By Hammad Khan: “Hypocritical”. “Selfish”. “Oppressive” – these are just a few of the many negative words used to describe the US foreign policy in most of the Muslim-majority countries. According to the Pew Center’s survey of global attitudes, “most of the
Pakistan and the Search for Identity (Part 1) – by Rusty Walker: About the author: Rusty Walker is an Independent Political Analyst, educator, author, Vietnam veteran-era U.S. Air Force, from a military family, retired college professor, former Provost (Collins College, U.S.A.), artist, musician and family man. Rusty Walker is an ardent
Call for the senate reforms in Pakistan: All federations agree that federal system should be comprised of two houses of parliament; National Assembly, based on population; one citizen one vote, and other is the Senate based on territories of the states. The bicameral legislature is of
Scope of constitutional provisions and space for provincial autonomy: The Civic Education Network Pakistan organized a learning event; Constitutional Literacy Campaign, “Scope of Constitutional Provisions and Space for Provincial Autonomy” in Lahore on July 31, 2011. The 18th Amendment and the 7th National Finance Commission(NFC) Award have signficantly
Playing the bogus card of ‘sovereignty’ —by M Husain Sadar: The Saudis as well as their Gulf Arab cousins are arming the Taliban. This influx of foreign money and religious ideology is causing irreparable damage to the national identity and integrity as well as the centuries old cultural heritage
Malik Ishaq of LeJ-ASWJ: a most dangerous man – by Khaled Ahmed: The Supreme Court of Pakistan on July 15 released on bail Malik Ishaq, leader and founder of Al Qaeda-linked Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, on grounds of “lack of evidence.” The man had been facing a number of cases at the antiterrorism court
Why the military is the problem in Pakistan —by Fahd Ali: In some ways the military follows the same occupant/conqueror mindset that was followed before 1947 and the British concept of ‘us’ and ‘them’ is still followed — only now it has been replaced with the ‘civilian and non-civilian’ binary
EU Council conclusions on Pakistan: Summary: 18 July 2011, Brussels – Council of the European Union 3106th FOREIGN AFFAIRS Council meeting conclusions on Pakistan The Council adopted the following conclusions: 1. The EU reaffirms its commitment to building a strong long-term partnership with Pakistan,
Mirza’s Statement and Karachi Violence: Zulfiqar Mirza made comments that infuriated many Urdu-Speaking people, when he said many Urdu Speakers had come hungry and naked to Pakistan. He was speaking after rumours that MQM wanted a separate province of Urdu Speakers. The trouble started
What has America done for Pakistan?: By Harris Bin Munawar Osama bin Laden has been stolen, Raymond Davis exorcised, and the military’s ego has been hurt once again by men “dressed like characters from Star Wars”. “America is an unreliable ally,” the ISI chief is
Pakistan hesitates to eradicate U.S.-mapped militant camps: By Rowan Scarborough The U.S. has compiled a wide body of intelligence on the locations of militant training camps in Pakistan, but has been unable to persuade Islamabad to shut them down, current and former officials say. A former
CARTE BLANCHE: Defaming Pakistan —by Mehmal Sarfraz: It is said that a wounded animal is most dangerous. Our military is behaving like a wounded animal and trying to shut down all dissenting voices. The military operation in Balochistan is a clear example of how the army
U.S. is deferring millions in Pakistani Military aid: By ERIC SCHMITT and JANE PERLEZ WASHINGTON — The Obama administration is suspending and, in some cases, canceling hundreds of millions of dollars of aid to the Pakistani military, in a move to chasten Pakistan for expelling American military
Going ‘Dutt’ against America -by Khaled Ahmed: Today, most leaders say they would have stood up defiantly (dutt jata) in the face of the American request to join its war on terror. Former president Pervez Musharraf is being abominated for kowtowing to the Americans; and General
A tale of N-League somersaults -by Raja Riaz: Sharif brother’s recent move is aimed at toppling the democratic setup. The grand alliance in the offing, led by Sharifs of Punjab, is based on one-point agenda – getting rid of Asif Ali Zardari-led PPP administration, another change in
If you want to live like Bhutto, learn to die like him -by Saria Benazir: “Bhutto” is no longer the name of an individual or of a family, but it is the name of a birthright and is the crest of a crusade, which always elevated its influence against despotism and prejudice, against paucity
Asma Jahangir urges civilians to challenge army: Pakistan’s civilian leaders should capitalize on public anger with the military and try to ease its grip on power, a leading human rights activist and lawyer Asma Jahangir said. The army’s image has been dented by a number of
Politics of self-discredit -by Khaled Ahmed: President Zardari called Nawaz maulana, with multiple innuendos: that he was the illicit political offspring of General Zia, that he was a covert abettor of jihadi elements in Punjab, and that he was aligning with Jamaat Islami in the