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Libya's 40 years of autocratic rule and Pakistan
Bilal Qureshi While flipping channels, I noticed the difference between the coverage on Pakistani channels and BBC and CNN. The local channels are reporting about the 40th anniversary of Libya’s so-called revolution. And of course, BBC and CNN were reporting about the elections in different parts of the world. I couldn’t help, but notice that Pakistan’s channels are glorifying Libya’s undemocratic, uncivilized and out of touch government that denies its people the right to vote, the right to chose or elect their government, the right to assemble and voice their opposition to any or all government policies. In addition, Pakistani channels are also presenting Libya’s ruler, who has been in power for 40 years, as a heroic figure. This made me sick. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
The Guns of August
By Ahmad Faruqui (courtesy DAWN) SOME of the writing about the Indo-Pakistan war of September 1965 borders on mythology. It is no surprise that generations of Pakistanis continue to believe that India was the aggressor and that one Pakistani soldier was equal to 10 Indian soldiers. A few have argued that the war began in August when Pakistan injected guerrillas into the vale of Kashmir to instigate a revolt and grab it before India achieved military dominance in the region. That was Operation Gibraltar. … Read entire article »
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Cash costs – Pakistan's Higher Education
Nature 461, 11-12 (3 September 2009) | doi:10.1038/461011b; Published online 2 September 2009 Cash costs Abstract Massive funding for Pakistan’s ailing universities holds many lessons for other developing nations. Eight years ago, a task force advising Pakistan’s former military ruler, General Pervez Musharraf, laid out a bold plan to revitalize the country’s moribund research system: initiate a fivefold increase in public funding for universities, with a special emphasis on science, technology and engineering. The proposal was a radical departure from conventional wisdom on the economics of developing nations, which favours incremental investments. Sudden surges of cash are held to be dangerous in poorer countries, which often lack the institutions or the calibre of people required to make the most of such a windfall, and the money can easily be wasted or fall prey to … Read entire article »
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Is there an end to Pakistan’s perpetual misery?
PTH is not a partisan blog-zine. Our regular contributor, Bilal Quershi has sent this article for publication. We do not take any position on the views expressed here. However, in the interest of democracy and promoting and protecting free speech in Pakistan, we are publishing it. PTH Admin Is there an end to Pakistan’s perpetual misery? Of course, there is no easy answer for this question. Moreover, it also depends on who is answering this untimely and rude question. If you ask the coalition partners running the government, you are likely to get a tough, but realistic answer. But who cares about tough love, honesty, or facts, or honesty? On the other hand, if you ask the PML (N), you might get figures (don’t worry, they won’t add up in the end!) … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
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