Pak Tea House » Archive
Debating 'decency'
By: ISM KHAN The decision of taking action against people ‘misusing’ technology is a controversial step and bound to draw criticism on the grounds of being violation of freedom of speech. Just as one was about to forget the government’s decision, one came across a nice article in today’s New York Times. The article shares how “obscenity became art” through a court ruling in 1959. … Read entire article »
Origins of war and its political evolution in history (Part I)
By Feroze R Khan The origins of war are as old as the story of human civilization itself. Warfare, throughout the ages, has mutated and it makes no sense to define the nature of war itself. The nature of waris ambiguous and sly towards any attempts at categorization. From the wars of the early humans fought over the issues of primordial hunting-gathering tribes to the wars of the states, warfare is more discernable by its application of a systemic violence. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Water: India Still Blackmailing Pakistan
Sajjad Shaukat India leaves no stone unturned in blackmailing Pakistan by manipulating any crisis or dispute either it is of permanent or temporary nature. For example, by showing self-fabricated evidence, full of loopholes, India has broken all the previous record in blackmailing Pakistan in the aftermath of the November 26 Mumbai carnage. Although New Delhi has re-started dialogue with Islamabad, yet it has still been insisting on the latter to show progress over the culprits of Mumbai terror-events as pre-condition to talk on other issues of the composite dialogue. On the other hand, Pakistan’s rulers have been repeatedly emphasizing Indian leadership to produce solid information in this regard. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Pakistan's Power Crisis : Zardari rises to the Challenge
Bilal Qureshi It seems that President Zardari has finally had enough about the power shortage in the country. He has decided to directly get involved in the struggle to have the crisis of power cuts and loadshedding (load means electric load on the grids and shedding means of course to lessen the burden on the system that provides electricity) under control. The government has tried everything so far, but the demand (for electricity grew faster then anyone could have imagined or expected) has surprised everyone. Now, it is time to really think outside the box and the federal government has decided to tackle this issue once and for all. This was the good news. The bad news is that nothing would yield result any time soon because power (electricity) generating and … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Lessons for Karachi sex workers
By Arman Sabir Zeba Raman is a 28-year-old Pakistani sex worker. Born into the profession in Karachi’s red light district of Napier Road, she plies her trade all over the city. I did not know that precautionary measures should be taken during sex Nadia, sex worker She is celebrating the launch of an initiative to promote health awareness among sex workers. “We are now revealed to society,” says Ms Raman. But prostitution remains illegal and anathema to many … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
The Supreme Court has Summoned Musharraf
The Supreme Court of Pakistan has summoned General Musharraf to explain why he dismissed the court and imposed “emergency” rule in 2007. One can only wonder what the good general will say but one thing is for sure, the Army will probably not be forthcoming in allowing its former chief to be dragged into court. The next few weeks are going to be interesting. Pakistan’s Supreme Court today ordered former military ruler Pervez Musharraf to appear before it next week to explain why he imposed emergency rule in 2007 and sacked about 60 judges. … Read entire article »
Filed under: lawyers movement, Pakistan
Pride and the Pakistani Diaspora
By Ali Eteraz The Pakistani diaspora is significant, around 7 million people, and contributed almost US$8 billion into the economy last year. It is composed by and large of people who only retain a connection to Pakistan via their families. Once the recipients of the remittances pass away, or as is more often the case, themselves leave Pakistan, the financial connection is severed. At this point, the Pakistani migrant takes his place in the new country, even if it means being a second-class citizen. If he is in the West, he usually defines himself as a ‘Muslim’ or ‘South Asian’ or sometimes even an ‘Indian.’ He then ceases to have a meaningful relationship with Pakistan. This depressing state of affairs is due to the identity struggle within Pakistan itself. Pakistanis abroad … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
A Concise History of Student Politics in Pakistan
By NFP Student politics in Pakistan has had a history of mixed shades. Though extremely tumultuous, it is also a history of rich democratic traditions. Before student unions were banned by the Zia-ul-Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges. Student parties that participated in these elections played an important role in looking after vital academic, cultural and political interests of the students. Event though student electoral activity was revived again soon after the first Benazir Bhutto government took over in 1989, it was banned once more by the first Nawaz Sharif government in 1992, citing growing cases of violence in universities and colleges. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Should Pakistan recognize Israel?
By Farrukh Khan Pitafi Israeli citizens were among the victims of the ruthless butchery of the Mumbai attacks. Israel could have very conveniently succumbed to the Indian warmongering against Pakistan. Yet it did not. The Israeli government was really cautious and restrained in blaming any country for this open genocide. A few days after the attacks the Israeli Ambassador to New Delhi Mark Sofar made some very keen observations. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
The Tide has Turned!
NFP There is now a clear consensus developing in society at large not only against extremism, but also against whoever attempts to still explain it as a noble cause in the service of Islam and Pakistan. The eruption of anti-government riots and protest rallies in Iran recently has taken even the most astute political observers by surprise. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Government designates 8/11 as "Pakistan Minorities' Day"
We at PTH hail this as a very positive development and hopes to see more such endeavors from the sitting government. Much more important than always parroting “Quaid-e-Azam Quaid-e-Azam” is to put in practice Mr. Jinnah’s liberal vision for Pakistan. Well done PPP. Jinnah’s Pakistan Zindabad! -YLH Minorities day will be observed across the country on August 11 to highlight the vision of founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Mahomed Ali Jinnah’s vision of a progressive, enlightened and moderate Pakistan. This was decided by the leadership of religious minorities at a national consultation on the problems facing the minorities in the country held under the aegis of the Ministry of Minorities here on Monday. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Jinnah, minorities, Pakistan
On Trotsky
By Vladmir Lenin The old participants in the Marxist movement in Russia know Trotsky very well, and there is no need to discuss him for their benefit. But the younger generation of workers do not know him, and it is therefore necessary to discuss him, for he is typical of all the five groups abroad, which, in fact, are also vacillating between the liquidators and the Party. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Left
A Pakistani columnist finds a home in the south of South Asia
Mayank Austen Soofi A rare newspaper columnist from the subcontinent who doesn’t betray that widespread subcontinental pettiness while writing about Pakistan and India has found a new nest in the south of the subcontinent. In July, 2008, Mr Irfan Husain, an ex-civil servant, a gourmand, a bibliophile, and also a columnist with Dawn and Daily Times, finished building Thalassa, a snug family cottage, on a remote beach in Sri Lanka. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
The Problem with Hizb-ut-Tahrir
By Taimur Rahman Hizb-ut-Tahrir (HT) claims to be a pan-Islamist sunni organization. It proposes that the enforcement of Khilafah over the world is a solution to the miseries that afflict mankind. Let us examine the political and economic views of Hizb ul Tehreer. If the politics of the HT is to be put a nutshell, they are reactionaries that want to take Muslim societies back a couple of hundred years. Here are their reactionary views: … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
14 years for Text Messages against the President
We at PTH have been Zardari supporters and have stood by his government in its war against terrorism and against instability. It is therefore disappointing for us, his ardent supporters in face of the kind of criticism that is out there, to see the PPP government doing the exact opposite of what its manifesto and liberal ideology holds up. -YLH ISLAMABAD: It would seem that in Pakistan, there is nothing you need to watch out for more than making a joke about President Asif Ali Zardari by Zardari has been a subject of criticism since he became president. (TOI Photo) SMS (Short Messaging Service). If you mistakenly, or just for fun, share with a friend one of the hundreds of derisory jokes about the leader floating around electronically, you could get a 14-year prison … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
PTH biweekly Cartoon
Picture of the Week
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Sunrise at the Arabian Sea, Charna Island
24 Dec 2011
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