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Our inane leader

January 28th, 2012 | Add a Comment

By Usmann Rana One of the rallying points in favor of the rise of Pakistani politician Imran Khan, apart from the utter disillusionment of the masses and corruption of both the major and leading parties, has been his charismatic personality. But Khan’s recent interview to NDTV’s Barkha Dutt, seemed to have lost that element and for once laid bare the stark contradictions between his own statements showing his inanity. For example, Khan believes, to quote him, ‘the age of martial law is over… Whatever happens I don’t see military takeover.’ Yes, Mr Khan it is. But the ‘military Raj’ has not ended, it has found new ways to penetrate back into the Pakistani society. To believe that … Read entire article »

City by the Sea: The future of Karachi’s Coastline

January 27th, 2012 | 1 Comment

This documentary explores alternatives to haphazard development along Karachi’s coastline in light of the basic principles of urban planning. The Urdu version is up here: … Read entire article »

International Commission of Jurists statement on Husain Haqqani

January 26th, 2012 | 7 Comments

INTERNATIONAL COMMISSION OF JURISTS Commission internationale de juristes – Comisión Internacional de Juristas ” Protecting and promoting human rights through the Rule of Law” PRESS RELEASE For immediate release – 25 January 2012 Former Pakistan Ambassador to the US faces threats to his life – ICJ Geneva, Switzerland – The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) today expressed its grave concern for the infringement of rights of Hussain Haqqani, former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States of America. Hussain Haqqani has been embroiled in a political and judicial conflict stemming from a leaked political memorandum that he was alleged to have authored, only a few days after al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by US military forces. “Hussain Haqqani faced a vicious media trial following … Read entire article »

Happy birthday, Bibi Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari!

January 26th, 2012 | 11 Comments

Happy birthday, Bibi Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari!

By Saria Benazir. “Benazir Lives”… I’ve always have heard this and possess an unyielding credence in these words. Nevertheless, as I turn up to gaze at the heavens in moments of obscurity, she is there to placate me and to grant me hope and direction. The instant, I see myself ripped by obstructions, she is there to give me valor and … Read entire article »

See No Evil

January 26th, 2012 | 1 Comment

By Ali Aftab Saeed: The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority blocks access to porn sites in Pakistan. The central theme of this piece is not porn per se, but the pros and cons of the decision to ban it. In principle of course, if we decide as a nation that we shouldn’t have porn only a click away, then we should have the right to ban it. What is unacceptable is for some agency to control the flow and content of information. Because when authorities decide the content people should have access to, it is usually not for the sake of providing quality information. The concern shown by people about the potential misuse of SOPA and PIPA is … Read entire article »

Outside in

January 25th, 2012 | 1 Comment

Outside in

Premature emancipation – The Shamsul Anwar affair By Shahbaz Ali Khan Shahbaz, a former Industry relations and PR professional, has spent the past 8 years experimenting with the frontiers of professional competence by insisting on not specializing in anything but thinking, communicating and writing.     Social media usage has changed people’s perception of what human experiences and contact means. Therefore, what was once … Read entire article »

Defending democracy

January 25th, 2012 | 8 Comments

Defending democracy

By Saad Hafiz: It seems at the first sign of cracks in a democratic setup in Pakistan, a battle cry goes out from media pundits, back-door politicians and professional pontificators alike to end or derail the democratic process. As the knives and bayonets are sharpened, headlines like “End the farce”, “Noose tightens” and “Government isolated” dominate in the media. Many affluent Pakistanis, … Read entire article »

Kindly Keep Your Cameras Away!!

January 24th, 2012 | 26 Comments

Kindly Keep Your Cameras Away!!

Raza Habib Raja Right now I am feeling like holding a video camera which can live telecast to the entire country and follow Ms Maya Khan constantly. Not only that I would like to give nasty spins to her even “harmless” routine conversations with men (such as the grocery store keeper) and project these as sinful affairs. The feeling of being … Read entire article »

An Australian takes issue over skewed article on Pakistan by Time Magazine

January 24th, 2012 | 102 Comments

The Editor, Time Magazine Dear Editor,  I recently returned from a charitable trip to Pakistan, whereby I visited both Karachi and Islamabad. I spoke with several universities, key businesses, prominent business leaders and several religious people from all generations….On the day I returned to the office, someone had placed your magazine (January 16, 2012), on my desk. I read with interest your article on Karachi and the city in doom. For a person to have just returned from the very same place that your magazine described was somewhat bizarre, so I read with great detail your writer (Andrew Marshall’s) account. Let me begin by saying that I often flick through your magazine and find the articles of great … Read entire article »

Everything is More Fun in Pakistan!

January 21st, 2012 | 9 Comments

Everything is More Fun in Pakistan!

“This is just a off shoot of the new “More Fun in Philippines” campaign by the Philippines tourism board. Clearly I’ve just used random pictures I found off the net and not really promoted tourism to Pak in most of them. Now if only I had a good camera… and any photography skills we could actually turn this into something … Read entire article »

Target killings in Gilgit-Baltistan

January 21st, 2012 | 68 Comments

By Dr. Zaeem Zia Pakistan in my opinion is a bundle of strange contradictions. We always beat the drums and propagate tyranny of Indian and Israeli forces for what is happening in Kashmir and Palestine and yet are criminally negligent of things which are happening on our own soil. Gilgit-Baltistan is my home town and  is strategically located in an important region and lies right in the middle of four nuclear powers, India, China, Pakistan, and Tajikistan. There used to be a time when it was a tourist heaven but now it has turned into a hell on earth. Peace and fraternity was our identity, but random killings are a routine tradition in Gilgit now. Our ancestors were once famous for brotherhood, and now the progeny has turned into worst enemies based on sectarian issues. The question arises, as … Read entire article »

The Lavish Wedding in Dubai…

January 20th, 2012 | 26 Comments

The Lavish Wedding in Dubai…

Jang group is the largest media group in the country and in recent times its power has only increased. Its electronic arm, GEO TV, is one of the most influential television stations in Pakistan and is known to promote populist narratives according to which politicians are corrupt and operate with no accountability. Lifestyles of politicians is often targeted and any “exuberance” … Read entire article »

Future of Pakistan’s Western Frontier

January 20th, 2012 | 27 Comments

Future of Pakistan’s Western Frontier

Prof Farakh A Khan’s exclusive contribution for PTH The aggressors have called people of what are now Fata and of Khyber-Pakhtunkhawa different names at different times of history labelled as terrorists or freedom fighters. The ten-year war has taken toll of the American purse and its fighters. On the other hand the Afghan people are constantly suffering. The Americans are openly … Read entire article »

“Blaming politicians alone for tarnishing democracy is actually less than half the story”- Benazir Bhutto’s interview to Herald (2000)

January 19th, 2012 | 21 Comments

“Blaming politicians alone for tarnishing democracy is actually less than half the story”- Benazir Bhutto’s interview to Herald (2000)

“Tomorrow they may decide to kill me because I know too much. But I want this on record so that one day, 10 years from now, 20 years from now, somebody goes back and says: What was happening in Quaid-e-Azam’s Pakistan?” Nearly twelve years ago monthly Herald published this interview of Benazir Bhutto (taken by Ali Dayan Hasan). This is perhaps … Read entire article »

General Delusion Gul

January 19th, 2012 | 22 Comments

By Taha Kehar Political acumen is a valuable asset which requires a sound understanding of current affairs and the rare ability to steer clear of false philosophy. But not everyone realises its benefits. In an interview with Khushnood Ali Khan in 2008, Lieutenant-General Hamid Gul revealed that political acumen can be clouded by delusions of Taliban grandeur and US atrocity. Some moot points presented in the interview include: a)    The claim that Lashkar-e-Islam’s Amir Haji Mangal Bagh is ‘popular among the people’. While Gul does substantiate this belief, there is sufficient evidence to the contrary which he fails to account for. For instance, it cannot be assumed that the popularity of a leader corresponds with the fairness of his policies. After … Read entire article »

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