Democracy Archive
Sharifs unveil ‘Punjab Card’ to prolong zero-sum game – by Saeed Minhas: ISLAMABAD: With the Sharifs unveiling their ‘Punjab Card’, Maulana Diesel trying to get even with the government, ‘Bhai logs’ of Karachi going into a pensive mood and nationalists getting a hint coupled with the success of the Kiyani-Qureshi-led strategic
In view of Gujrat by-elections, PPP should jump out of PML-N’s catboat – by Shafiq Awan: Punjab’s ruling coalition earned nothing but embarrassment in the Gujrat by-elections. In fact the federal and Punjab governments – with all the resources and each other’s support – failed to wipe the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid out from the political
Back to square one – by Faizi Mughal: A political system usually has two choices, one option leads towards autocracy and other towards, rule by the people that is democracy. There could be no other third option. The entire civilized world believes that democracy is the best
March Events – by Wajid Shamsul Hassan: March is a landmark month for Pakistan. Notwithstanding the Shakespearean ides of March, it became a historical land mark for us as a nation when under the leadership of Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah Muslim representatives of from all over
Inside the constitutional package – by Rauf Klasra: Being the president won’t be fun any more; Minimum age for judges 45; president can’t impose emergency with impunity; PM to appoint services chiefs; judges validating coup to be tried for high treason ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari’s sweeping
Most bitter wounds in the history – by Amjad Rashid: Karbala is surely the hardest trial in human history. Seventy two noble souls refused to bow their heads before 1,20,000 beasts, and they kept humanity alive. SACRIFICE of the wealth, property, lives and homelands is the tradition of our
De facto versus de jure rulers of Pakistan – by Ardeshir Cowasjee: As far as the army chief is concerned he has to do nothing but wait and deal competently with the menace of militant extremism that stalks the land. The other day I had a conversation with a man less
Another deal – by Faizi Mughal: Mixing politics with judiciary is a murky but profitable business in Pakistan. In the name of rule of law and dispensation of justice, this business is flourishing by leaps and bounds. One important and advantageous aspect of this business
Zardari’s Courage – by Selig S. Harrison: In response to U.S. pressure, India and Pakistan recently conducted their first diplomatic dialogue since the Pakistan-based Islamist group Lashkar-e-Taiba staged its terrorist attack on Mumbai in November 2008. The discussions were acrimonious, and the blame game began almost
Mard-e-momin – by Ahsan Abbas Shah: President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday became the first president to donate all his body organs after signing a bill to enact a law to regulate transplant of human organs in the country. The president made the announcement of
Zardari: The first ever President to donate his whole body for the cause of organ transplantation: President Zardari signs human organs transplant bill President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday became the first President to donate all his body organs, after signing a landmark bill to regulate transplant of human organs in the country. The President
Why did General Kayani chair a meeting of key federal secretaries at the army headquarters?: Strange things happen in the Islamic (military) Republic of Pakistan. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, a meeting of federal secretaries was presided over by a military chief in a civilian set-up. Where are we heading to? Have
A perspective on Benazir Income Support Programme — by Syed Mohammad Ali: The politics of poverty alleviation The programme seeks to provide direct assistance, specifically to women. Thus, besides empowering them economically, it encourages them to seek national identity cards as a precondition to obtain disbursals, which it considers crucial for
The civil-military struggle within — by Sher Ali Khan: Changing the pattern of the civil-military relationship is a difficult task to achieve. Thus far the Pakistanis have gained some political space through their recent stand against the last dictator. This has not necessarily translated into governmental autonomy in
Dr Shahid Masood’s letter to Shaheen Sehbai – by Qais Anwar: مارچ کب ہو گا؟ میرے پیارے شاہین صہبائی میرا یہ خط جس وقت تمہاری نظروں سے گزرنے گا مارچ کی پندرہ تاریخ ہو چکی ہوگی ، مطلب یہ کھ آدھا مارچ گزر گیا ہو گا بغیر کسی مارچ کے.
Keeping the army in check – by Irfan Hussain: Routine administrative issues like the grant of an extension in the service of the ISI chief becomes headline news. This preoccupation reflects the central role the army has come to occupy in Pakistan. As the major political player, it
Towards women’s empowerment – by Farahnaz Ispahani: The touchstone of the morality of a nation or a society is the way it treats its women. Women are a vital segment of any society. Without their unhindered participation in all spheres of national life, no nation can
Bank Loans Write-Off: A comparison of PPP, PML-N and General Musharraf: According to statistics by the State Bank of Pakistan, there are glaring differences in terms of fiscal irregularities between elected governments and military governments in Pakistan. Government of General Pervez Musharraf appears to be most corrupt followed by the
President Zardari signs historic Women’s Rights Bill: Thanks: New Pakistan The Americans do not have a monopoly on freedom and protection for women. This is the message from yesterday’s historic event in Islamabad where President Zardari signed the Protection Against Harassment of Women at Workplace Billensuring equal
Let us impose democracy…again – by Nadeem Khan: Dear people of Pakistan, We hereby now announce to have national holidays for four consecutive days (starting from Wednesday, so that you may plan the vacations for 5 days including the adjoining Sunday). To make your vacations more enjoying
PPP and the working class: President Zardari has signed the Services Tribunal (Amendment) Bill 2010, repealed the Removal from Service (Special Power) Ordinance 2000 and Section 2A of the Services Tribunal Act 1973, a controversial clause that deprived redress to employees as they were
Promoting senior army officers without consulting the government: State within a state? – by Ayesha Siddiqa: The fact that Gen Kayani has the powers to promote senior officers without consulting the government is far too important to be brushed aside as a minor procedural issue. –Photo by APP It is amusing to note that there
NA-55, Democracy’s last chortle – by Qudrat Ulla: The recently concluded NA-55 by-elections in the heart of Rawalpindi were highly capricious in many ways- it was the finale political Armageddon of the shrewd Sheikh of Potohar in which he tried to play all his tricks but to
Claims to uphold democracy and constitution – by Abdulkhaliq Azaad: In the name of justice, a few institutions and political factions are proclaiming themselves to be the upholders of constitutional continuity and democracy for some years now. Apparently, they are blowing trumpets against dictatorships, army’s political interference and are
In order to save Cheif Justice Iftikhar, Nawaz League forces PPP to abandon the Charter of Democracy: As per the Charter, all PCO judges should be kicked out including the Islamofascist Chaudhry Iftikhar Appointment of judges: PPP, PML-N say goodbye to CoD By Amir Wasim and Ahmad Hassan Wednesday, 03 Mar, 2010 ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan People’s
Pakistani generals’ oath at the Kakul Academy and the bloody civilians – by Kamran Shafi: The ‘happening place’ “PAKISTAN is the most happening place in the world where there is never a dull moment.” So pronounced the Commando to a “packed audience” at Chatham House in London, to much laughter and mirth. ‘Happening place’
In Pakistan we are fighting for our lives – by Asif Ali Zardari: In Pakistan we are fighting for our lives We will defeat the terrorists. Our security is backed up by democracy and a strong economy By Asif Ali Zardari Thanks: The Guardian 1 March 2010 When I was elected president
Secularism triumphs? Bangladesh Supreme Court sets an example – by Farooq Sulehria: Secularism triumphs? The Supreme Court of Bangladesh, on January 3, not only bucked an apparently prevalent trend in the Muslim world, but also dismissed a stereotype: Islam’s incompatibility with secular democracy. By ordering a ban on the abuse of
Evaluating democracy – by Ghazia Aslam and Wasim Q. Malik: Thanks: Dawn.com, Monday, 01 Mar, 2010 Advocates of democracy claim that it protects property rights, promoting an environment of collective growth. – File photo A passionate debate comparing and contrasting the performance of Pakistan’s democratic and dictatorial regimes has
Asif Zardari – A burden on PPP or a really indispensable leader? – by Nadeem Khan: Asif Zardari – A burden on PPP or a really indispensable leader? A dilemma for PPP loyalists PPP workers and loyalists cannot make moves or comment against Zardari as now by fault (not default) he is heading the party.
Strategy to demonize civilian government? – by Anas Abbas: One of the main aims of Pakistan Army and its pro Taliban media sympathizers is to launch campaigns against the civilian government structure in order to justify its controversial interference. The strategy employed here to achieve this objective by
Q&A with an ordinary Pakistani – by Nadeem Khan: It has been an honor to have today a simple and honest, I bet, Pakistani with us. Let’s hear him and try to understand the conditions, situations, turmoil, achievements, developments of this unique great nation, now very popular in
The rightward march of Pakistan under the leadership of PML-N – by Nadeem Paracha: The active emergence of a revamped PML-N supplemented by an alarmist new electronic media can be detected as a more vocal arrival of the New Right in Pakistan. The rightward march By Nadeem F. Paracha Saturday, 27 Feb, 2010
Has the Charter of Democracy become irrelevant? — by Mohammad Jamil: How can one put highly professional military personnel, dealing with sensitive information, under non-professionals who are not competent enough to do the job? Politics is said to be the art of the possible and some say it is the
The battle of the ‘commons’ and (de)militarizing the Sri Lankan society: This rather long article about presidential elections in Sri Lanka was published in the South Asia Citizens Web (SACW). It seems relevant to the political stuggle for democratization of Pakistan. Sri Lanka had a long fight against organized terrorism,
Reassessing the lawyers’ movement — by Ayesha Ijaz Khan: The judiciary must pick its battles carefully and avoid the type of crescendo that would altogether remove its focus from its primary function of delivering justice. It must be mindful that unless people begin to feel the results of
The shameful role of Geo TV in Rawalpindi by-poll: Our fellow bloggers at Cafe Pyala have recently exposed the shameful role of Geo TV and Hamid Mir in the recent by-elections in NA-55. Nadeem Paracha too has written an article on this topic, an excerpt from which is
Voters in NA-55 mistakenly gave vote to ‘Lion’ thinking it was Imran Khan? A sneak peek into PTI Forum: Related article: Imran Khan will sweep next elections – by Abdul Nishapuri Here is an overview of unofficial results of NA-55 by-elections announced by the returning officer: 1) 63888 Shakeel Awan (PML-N) 2) 42530 Sheikh Rasheed (AML) 3) 5020
Did Tareen resign because of the Army’s demand for more money in the forthcoming budget?: Omar Khattab in Islamabad Islamabad is afloat with rumors that the federal minister of finance Shaukat Tareen resign from his post because he did not agree with the Army high command to curb the every-increasing Army budget. Last year,