Articles Comments

Pak Tea House » Benazir Bhutto

Neo 'Iron curtain' and the loud marching steps.

The Neo ‘Iron Curtain’ and the loud marching steps of  televangelistas. Bradistan Calling The latest cultural trend is the sensational rise of televangelist channels in U.K, using tactics which can only be described as ‘emotional and religious blackmail’ and premium rate phone charges to raise funds from devotees, most of these are Nigerian Pentecostal ‘Witchdoctor’  (faith healer potions and exorcisms) TV channels operating from London. Generally the term ‘televangelist’ refers to American evangelical splinter churches propagating to solicit donations for converting poor Africans. This concoction of ideologies is being beamed back to Africa and Asia through satellite. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Activism, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, culture, Democracy, dynasties, Elections, Europe, FATA, Heritage, History, human rights, Identity, Images, India, Islam, Islamabad, Islamism, journalism, Kashmir, Labour, Languages, Media, men, minorities, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Palestine-israel, Partition, Politics, poverty, Religion, Rights, Society, south asia, Sufism, Taliban, Terrorism, Travel, Urdu, USA, violence, war, Women, youth

Will we need to close the door to Pakistan's dispossessed?

Our leaders are losing sleep over the Taliban’s advance and what that could spell for Britain Nick Cohen The Observer I would like to welcome Zahid Abdullah to Britain. He is a Pakistani student of English literature, rather than the snarling prose of the theocrats who threaten his country, and suffered the keenest blow a lover of books can take when he lost his sight. Undeterred, Abdullah divided his spare time between producing talking books for the blind and supporting the Centre for Peace and Development Initiatives, a pressure group that campaigns for the classic liberal causes of human rights, freedom of information and freedom from “barbaric acts of terrorism”. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Activism, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, ancient civilisations, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, Colonialism, culture, Democracy, Economy, Education, Europe, History, human rights, Identity, India, Islam, Islamabad, Islamism, journalism, Kashmir, Labour, Media, minorities, movements, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Politics, poverty, Religion, Rights, Society, south asia, Sufism, Taliban, Terrorism, Travel, violence, war, Women, youth

ICH BIN EIN TAMIL AND PASHTUN

We are all Tamil and Pashtun today: BRADISTAN CALLING Ich  bin ein Tamil and Pustun. We are all Tamil and Pashtun today, back in 1960s American President J.F Kennedy chanted for the freedom of Berliners. We should show our humanitarian solidarity with the civilian victims of terrorism in Tamil and Pashtun areas. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Activism, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, Colonialism, culture, Democracy, dynasties, Economy, Europe, FATA, History, human rights, Identity, Imperialism, India, Islam, Islamabad, Jinnah, journalism, Kashmir, land, Languages, Left, minorities, movements, North-West Frontier Province, Northern Areas, Pakistan, Parliament, Partition, Peshawar, Politics, poverty, Punjabi, quetta, Religion, Rights, south asia, Sufism, Taliban, Terrorism, USA, violence, war, Women, youth

Remembering Ojhri Camp 1988

Mass murder in Rawalpind and Islamabad By Tariq Mehmood First Published in Bradistan Calling 21 years ago, on the 10th April 1988 Ojhrii dump in Rawalpindi was blown up. This was a deliberate act of destruction. Hundreds upon hundreds of missiles rained down on Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Over 5000 people were killed. Many, many thousands more were injured. I was working as a journalist for the Frontier Post and along with a colleague, Imran Munir, went into the camp, early the day after the explosion. Every now and again, a rocket or missile would take off, and land somewhere, causing yet more deaths and destruction. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, Colonialism, Europe, FATA, History, human rights, Imperialism, India, Iran, Islam, Islamabad, Islamism, journalism, Justice, Kashmir, Labour, Left, Media, minorities, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Politics, poverty, Punjabi, Religion, Rights, Society, south asia, Taliban, Terrorism, USA, violence, war, World

A SENTENCE FOR DEATH

A SENTENCE FOR DEATH

A poem by HUR A noose let loose before dawn. Blood in vain leaps to the finish. Sun rises with shame. A neck hangs long on our tomorrow. Spirit vacates legend occupies. Death O’ Death search the killer. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, poetry, Politics

Will India Accept Zardari’s Olive Branch?

President Zardari’s Peace formula for india and Pakistan The PAKISTANI GOVERNMENT under President Zardari started peace initiatives with India taking tentative steps to liberalise Trade and tourism with India. Zardari send delegations comprising of Civil society SAFMA,PIPFPD and HRCP members for back-channel diplomacy with India after 26/11 terrorist attacks.  Zardari’s live webcast (his firstever) with english speaking Internet users in India and coining terms like “we are all half Indian/half Pakistani” was very optimistic. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Activism, Benazir Bhutto, Citizens, culture, Dance, Democracy, dynasties, Heritage, History, Identity, Islam, Islamism, magazines, Media, minorities, Pakistan, Politics, south asia, Travel, UAE, USA

Book Review: Premier Gillani’s Urdu Memoirs

by Bradistan Published biographies on the book shelves while the writer is still in  Political office is a risky strategy. In case of Obama it paid huge dividends financially and politically and in case of Musharraf it caused embarrassment and innuendos. Premier Gillani’s book is like the gossip from an old friend who has attained position of authority and pays you a surprise visit. I revisited the idea of writing this review after the imposition of governor rule in Punjab and disqualification of Sharif bothers known to be personal friends of Premier Gillani and political rivals of President Zardari. Now Premier Gillani is again flying too close to the wind for reports of his alleged differences with his party chairman, fellow ex-prisoner and current President of Pakistan Mr Asif Ali Zardari. The Background of the … Read entire article »

Filed under: Activism, Army, Benazir Bhutto, Books, Democracy, dynasties, India, Islam, Islamabad, journalism, Media, New Writers, Politics, south asia, Taliban, Terrorism, Urdu

Whither the PPP?

Whither the PPP?

In all the angst that is turning up in the chattering and protesting classes in Pakistan, one question is coming up pretty often: whatever happened to the PPP? Others express a complete disdain for it. And I don’t want to sound naive; the PPP and its founders and others since have done much to deserve all the reactions they get: both positive and negative. But too often today, too many people talk only of Zardari. Or, if they want … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, movements, Pakistan, Politics

Remembering Bibi

by Raza Rumi It was only yesterday that we were mourning for the loss of an icon of our times. The much loved, and passionately hated Benazir Bhutto whose tragic murder in broad daylight was the greatest metaphor of what Pakistan has turned into: a jungle of history, ethnicity and extremism. Little wonder that Bhutto’s worst enemies cried and lamented the loss of a federal politician whose life and times were as unique as her name. The populist slogan – charon soobon ki zanjeer (the chain of the four provinces, literally) could not have been truer than the most tested of axioms. As if her death were not enough, the state response was even more brutal. Why did she participate in public rallies? On that fateful day of December 27, 2007, … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Democracy, dynasties, Media, Pakistan, Politics, public policy, Sindh, south asia, state, Terrorism, violence

With or without Bhutto

With or without Bhutto

by Hafsa Zaneb “Her death has been the worst political blow to us during this war against terror” Almost a year back we witnessed one unforgettable sequel of national tragedies. Bhutto escaped death very thinly, where many less fortunate ones could not. Almost two months later, away from the London Xmas sales and hype, I was with a friend in Surrey. While browsing through the TV channels, a scene of absolute chaos made her stop at a … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Politics, Society

Judge Asif from today

Judge Asif from today

Masood Sharif Khan (NEWS) Having known Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto since 1987 I am proud of the fact that this exceptionally outstanding leader had chosen me to be the Director General, Intelligence Bureau (DG IB) in her government. I thus worked under her direct command. The unbearably tragic assassination of a leader as brilliant, brave and incomparable as her brought an untimely end to a very vibrant and purposeful life devoted to an unending effort to … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Democracy, Elections, Pakistan, Politics, state

The Zardari conundrum

by Raza Rumi ( published in the NEWS) By all statistical estimates and anecdotal evidence, Pakistan’s middleclass has grown during the last decade. The visible manifestation of this historically significant trend was the spontaneous outrage at the dismissal of the chief justice in 2007 and the robust movement that followed. However, the other side of this sociological transformation has been the capture of the “opinion” in Pakistan by the overdriven urban middleclass segment now backed and voiced through a powerful and not always responsible electronic media. Amid the torrential attacks and doomsday predictions on Asif Zardari’s candidature for presidency, a few reasoned voices have attempted to remind the country that fortification of a fractured democratic process requires civilian ascendancy. No, say our wise ones. They are enraged at the corruption tales, and … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Democracy, Elections, Media, Pakistan, Politics

Goodbye Shahzadi – the controversial book

Goodbye Shahzadi – the controversial book

Raza Rumi We are posting two reviews of the new book on Benazir Bhutto authored by Shyam Bhatia. The first is a critical, crisp impression of M.A. Soofi; and the other is by the legendary Khushwant Singh who discusses wider issues such as corruption comparisons between India and Pakistan and apparently believes whatever Bhatia has written despite the condemnation from late Bhutto’s spokesperson. Enjoy! Mayank Austen Soofi: An Indian journalist’s sleazy biography of Benazir Bhutto. Petty games people play. … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Books, History, India, journalism, Pakistan, Politics

Happy birthday, Bibi

Happy birthday, Bibi

by Naheed Khan There is not a single moment when I do not think of you. Then again, dearest Bibi, I realise I am not the only one who feels such emotions and your presence. For anyone who cares for Pakistan – and for peace at large – she means much. Bibi resides in the hearts of not just the democracy-loving Pakistani but also those whose lives she touched in myriad ways. On June 21, 1953, a little … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, Pakistan, Politics, Women

Patti Smith's Tribute to Benazir Bhutto

Patti Smith's Tribute to Benazir Bhutto

by Shaheryar Ali “My Politics is mingled with poetry and Romance” “I have learned politics from Rivers” Zulfikar Ali Bhutto I am daughter of Indus, I am daughter of Taxila, I am an heir of this 5000 years old civilization Benazir Bhutto “Mein Baghi hoon, Mein Baghi hoon”, “I am a Rebel” Benazir Bhutto [reciting a poem to millions who came to greet her at Lahore in 86] Bhuttos were strange people, they became myths in their lives, like the Nehrus, Allendes, Nasirs, Arafats, they … Read entire article »

Filed under: Benazir Bhutto, culture, Democracy, dynasties, History, Music, Pakistan, Politics