Pak Tea House » Archive
A Realist with a Heart: Remembering Raj Kapoor
By Mohammad Taqi چناں قحط سالے شد اندر دمشق کہ یاراں فراموش کردند عشق ( سعدی شیرازی ) Saadi of Shiraz wrote with great dismay that “the famine in Damascus is so bad that friends have forgotten how to love”. Something much worse has befallen our city, Peshawar. It is difficult, if not impossible, to talk about music, art, films or love when the terror reigns supreme and war has ravished the city and its citizens alike. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Arts and Crafts, Cinema, culture, drama, Heritage, History, India, Media, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Peshawar, Photos
Is the Check in the Mail?
The Confessions of a Groveling Pakistani Native Orientalist By PERVEZ HOODBHOY CounterPunch 14 Dec 2009 Here ye, Counterpunch readers! The victory of Native Orientalists – the ones which the late Edward Said had warned us about – is nearly complete in Pakistan. It has been led by “the minions of Western embassies and Western-financed NGOs” and includes the likes of “Ahmad Rashid, Pervez Hoodbhoy, Najam Sethi, Khaled Ahmad, Irfan Hussain, Husain Haqqani, and P.J.Mir”. Thus declares Mohammad Shahid Alam, a professor of Pakistani origin who teaches at Northeastern University in Boston, Massachussetts. [CounterPunch, 2 Dec 2009] … Read entire article »
A military coup in Pakistan?
Restive generals represent the backers of the Taliban and al-Qaeda – bad news for the war next door By Tarek Fatah 09 Dec 2009 The Globe and Mail (Canada) A military coup is unfolding in Pakistan, but, this time, there is no rumbling of tanks on the streets of Islamabad. Instead, it seems the military is using a new strategy for regime change in Pakistan, one that will have adverse consequences for Western troops deployed in Afghanistan. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Army, Democracy, Pakistan, Taliban, USA, Zardari
What Remains
By Aisha Fayyazi Sarwari Every day I am asked the same question: Where do you want to go? Proceeded by a request to show identification. I reach out for my purse at the back seat of the car, open my wallet and pull out my Pakistani national ID. After it is scanned and my numbers are jotted down in a dog-eared journal, I can’t help but ask: Do you have to do this every day? You can see my car has a Government employee sticker for the secure area. Why do I have to go through a security check every day? The answer: Because the terrorists are part of us. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Communist Party Of Pakistan Moves Against Presidential Immunity
By Yasser Latif Hamdani This news story caught my attention The Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) on Monday challenged the immunity to president under Article 248 of the constitution, asking for the article to be struck down, as it “violates all teachings and injunctions of Islam”. The petition – filed by CPP Chairman Jamil Malik – also asks the court to hear the party’s view along with the ongoing NRO cases being heard by a 17-member larger bench, headed by Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The petitioner cited China as an example, saying the constitution of that country gave courts the right to summon any leader, including the president, to punish him/her if a crime was proven He asked the court to strike down and interpret Article 248 in its … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Our haunting demons
By Ardeshir Cowasjee | Dawn | 13 Dec, 2009 This title is taken from a Dec 5 New York Times column by Sabrina Tavernise discussing the national state of denial coupled with schizophrenia which makes it difficult for the world to come to terms with Pakistan. As for this present regime, it is not repressive, it is not a dictatorship, it is not a democracy. Well, what is it? A hotchpotch concocted out of a wickedly mutilated and ravaged constitution of which few can make sense. It is something that the United States, in its finite wisdom, decided suits its ultimate aim for control of this corner of the globe — as President Barack Obama more or less put it — at a cost affordable to the US and in place for as … Read entire article »
Filed under: Democracy, Justice, Law, Pakistan, Politics, state, USA
The New York Times – Getting Pakistan Wrong
By Wajiha Ahmed Huffington Post, December 11, 2009 In her December 5, 2009 New York Times article, reporter Sabrina Tavernise looks to history to explain why many Pakistanis are so critical of America. Unfortunately, Tavernise looks to the wrong history, focusing on Pakistan’s trauma after the partition with India. Instead, she should have focused on US support for successive Pakistani military dictatorships. No doubt, as Tavernise highlights, there are conspiracy theorists in Pakistan, and criticizing America can be a powerful tool to elicit populist support. However, Tavernise’s analysis ignores very real grievances regarding American interference in the country. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Democracy, FATA, Pakistan, USA
The Power Struggle
By Hossp With pressure mounting on the PPP government and President Zardari at the center of every new political/non political crisis, it appears that the house he built by patching together some crude deals is crumbling faster than a thatched cabin pulverized by a fierce typhoon. The alliance he cobbled together is strained by key defections on some vitally important issues and his party has no clue as to who would stand with the PPP in future battles. … Read entire article »
For Every Decent Human Being
By Bilal Qureshi Isn’t it time? For every decent human being, it is sickening to see people being butchered the way human beings are slaughtered in Pakistan these days. Human life has no respect or value for barbaric animals responsible for these bombings and suicide attacks. And if the news of bombings and killing was not enough, I was horrified to learn that Lahore’s commissioner (incorrectly) blames India for these attacks while Punjab’s law minister (correctly) believes that the thugs being smoked out from Swat and Wazirstan are actually behind these attacks to force the government to back down. Isn’t it time for Pakistan to get united? Isn’t it time stop obsessing about India? Isn’t it time to be realistic? … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, baluchistan, Democracy, History, Identity, India, Islamabad, journalism, Pakistan, Parliament, Politics, Terrorism, violence, Yusuf Raza Gillani, Zardari
Taking Over Pakistan
Pakistan as a security state By Irfan Husain | Dawn 12 Dec, 2009 Jawaharlal Nehru (left) and Ayub Khan in Karachi. PHOTO: THE HINDU PHOTO LIBRARY Over the years, many readers have asked me why Pakistan should fear an attack from India. They suggest that as we are under no threat from our eastern neighbour, our army could move more of its troops to the Afghan border where heavy fighting is going on, and where our embattled units … Read entire article »
Filed under: Army, Colonialism, Democracy, India, Islamism, Pakistan, Partition, south asia, state
Grow up Guys
Cross Post from Daily The Dawn December 10, 2009 By Cyril Almeida Afghanistan is so last week. What with the NRO hearings, suicide bombings, drone strikes, talk of the Quetta shura and Al Qaida’s safe havens there really is too much going on for anyone to think about Afghanistan right now. In any case, so much has been written and said about Afghanistan post-Obama’s speech that it is difficult to imagine anything new or original being added to the debate. Except, having digested much of what has been talked about here in Pakistan, there is a nagging feeling that the state has missed yet another chance. A chance if not for a fresh start, then to be creative or even add something positive to the mix. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Army, Democracy, Economy, India, Iran, Islam, Islamabad, Pakistan, quetta, Taliban, Terrorism, USA, war
Little Monsters
By Nadeem F Paracha Courtesy Dawn There is nothing new anymore about the suggestion that over a span of about 30 odd years, the Pakistani military and its establishmentarian allies in the intelligence agencies, the politicised clergy, conservative political parties and the media have, in the name of Islam and patriotism, given birth to a number of unrestrained demons which have now become full-fledged monsters threatening the very core of the state and society in Pakistan. … Read entire article »
Report documents widespread frustration, alienation of Pakistan’s youth
By Ali Ismail by WSWS 9 December 2009 A new report commissioned by the British Council reveals widespread dissatisfaction and frustration among Pakistani youth. Based on interviews with 1,500 18-29 year-olds from across Pakistan, the report also sheds light on the bleak socio-economic prospects facing the vast majority of young people due to unemployment and underemployment and the lack of basic public services, including quality schooling. The report warns that unless Pakistan drastically increases access to education and creates millions of new jobs for its young people, social and political upheavals are almost inevitable in coming years. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan
Poem: 1947 to 2009
In four minutes and few seconds, We will discuss, the progression Of our country, how we moved To depict this story of our demise How we killed ourselves, The notions of freedom and purpose All gone, from Jinnah to our present The country we fought so hard Now lies bare, in its awake, Who is to be blamed? They say “its establishment” And some say its “22 families” Some say it’s the politicians, And some the Army. All to be blamed Only the ones, who did not destroy The ones who pay with their lives Have always done so, The ones, the people of this nation For whom nothing exists No education, no infrastructure, No health and distribution of wealth Adopted we have ways of the traders From the days of the gold rush to The pirates of the west When will they learn? To redeem themselves and admit The old failures of the past, Learn from your … 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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