Rebuttal to Dr. Taqi’s “Balochistan’s Ho Chi Minh Moment”
By Yasser Latif Hamdani It seems that there is a section within Pakistan’s intelligentsia that equates liberalism with unquestioning loyalty to Baloch separatism. In other words it does not matter if you believe in a separation of church and state, equal rights for women and minorities and other things that would be considered the touchstones of liberalism in most countries of the world – if you do not believe in the righteousness of the cause of Baloch nationalism you cannot be considered a liberal. A corollary of this argument is that a true liberal is by definition anti-Pakistan! A true liberal – according to this definition- is necessarily pro-ethno-nationalism and pro-India. Any deviation from this sanctioned liberalism means you are a product of Pakistan Studies. Consider for example the views of Dr. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Al Qaeda, baluchistan, Citizens, Colonialism, Constitution, Islamabad, Law, Left, Liberal Democratic Pakistan, liberal Pakistan, Marxism, minorities
Benazir Bhutto and Her Politics: A Critical Evaluation
By Raza Habib Raja I remember that once Nadeem Farooq Paracha wrote that in Pakistan Bhuttos are hated in their lives by the affluent middle class and media (which is mostly the expressive medium of the same class) and then sanctified once they have met a tragic end. In lives they are branded as corrupt and only after death, and that too tragic death, has it been possible for the mainstream media to actually reflect back on them with some appreciation. Of course for the supporters any criticism on her personality, particularly after her death, is equivalent to blasphemy. Cult of personality which has become somewhat of a rarity in the West is an integral part of the political culture here. Such personality cults form around Political leaders, particularly famous ones, in … Read entire article »
Filed under: Anniversery, Benazir Bhutto, Left, Liberal Democratic Pakistan, Uncategorized
The Fight for Pakistan's Future: Violently Reflected on Campus
The New York Times, Published April 20, 2010 By SABRINA TAVERNISE; Waqar Gillani contributed reporting. April 21 (New York Times) — LAHORE, Pakistan – The professor was working in his office here on the campus of Pakistan’s largest university this month when members of an Islamic student group battered open the door, beat him with metal rods and bashed him over the head with a giant flower pot. Iftikhar Baloch, an environmental science professor, had expelled members of the group for violent behavior. The retribution left him bloodied and nearly unconscious, and it united his fellow professors, who protested with a nearly three-week strike that ended Monday. The attack and the anger it provoked have drawn attention to the student group, Islami Jamiat Talaba, whose morals police have for years terrorized this graceful, century-old … Read entire article »
Filed under: human rights, Islam, Left, liberal Pakistan, Politics, psychology, Punjab, youth
New Left or no Left?
Posted by Raza Rumi Haider Nizamani’s excellent piece published by Dawn on March 18, 2010, deserves spotlight at PTH. We hope that the readers would respond to it and a debate can be initiated on this critical issue. Unlike the rest of mainstream media, DAWN has attempted to give some space to the otherwise neglected debate. MR Muhammad Ali Siddiqi writing in the March 3 issue of Dawn (Pakistan’s New Left) has commented on the potential success … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Left, Liberal Democratic Pakistan, movements, Pakistan
An Article On Tahira Mazhar Ali
I recently came across this brilliant feature by Shehar Bano Khan on Tahira Mazhar Ali – Tariq Ali’s mother and Sir Sikandar Hayat Khan’s daughter. It is a very interesting account coming from the daughter of one of the most influential politicians of Punjab. Her association with the Communist Party, her meetings with Nehru and Jinnah and her recollection of partition makes her part of our collective heritage. Published 5 years ago in Dawn, we are reproducing it here for the benefit of our readers. -YLH She is blunt to a fault. Her brusqueness has not lost its sharp edge with time, neither has her witticism surrendered to old age. At 80, Tahira Mazhar Ali’s vivacity, her political ripostes, and her tirades against capitalism define her originality. … Read entire article »
Zardari signs 2 laws aimed at protecting working class
“The government’s job is not only to maintain a good balance sheet but also work for the welfare of the people,” Zardari Staff Reporter Daily Times March 06, 2010 President says govt has handed over 10% shares of state-owned entities to employees for free KARACHI: President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday signed two laws passed by parliament to repeal the Removal from Services (Special Powers) Ordinance, 2000 and amend the Services Tribunal Act. The president signed the bills at a ceremony held at the Sindh chief minister’s house. According to an official statement, Zardari said the government would preserve the rights of the working class while ensuring a conducive environment for business, setting the stage for another phase of prosperity and development in Pakistan. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Democracy, Economy, Egalitarian Pakistan, Labour, Law, Left, Marxism, Pakistan, Rights, Zardari
Ajmal Khattak – The End Of An Era
Pakistan and Pakhtunkhwa lost one of its most illustrious sons last week. One may not agree with his politics always but no one can deny that he cast a very long shadow on Pakistani politics. Here we explore his legacy. – YLH Dawn wrote: With the death on Sunday of veteran politician and renowned Pushto writer Ajmal Khattak, the country has lost one of its most committed political workers and prolific Pushto writers. A vocal advocate of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Left, Pakistan
Music vs. Militancy
Cross Post from Dawn Blogs By Salman Siddiqui on January 21, 2010 Even though Pakistan is bleeding from terrorism and suicide bombings, no mainstream , pop music artist has come close to condemning or questioning the spread of militancy through music and lyrics. A recent video from The New York Times highlighted this issue, showing how pop acts such as Ali Azmat and Noori were keeping quiet on the subjects of terror, religious extremism, and the Taliban, while railing against America through their songs. In this context, 25-year-old Daniyal Noorani‘s debut effort ‘Finding Heaven,’ which was released on YouTube a few days ago, is encouraging. The daring single takes the Taliban and religious extremists head on, creating quite a buzz online. Dawn.com speaks with Noorani to find out what prompted him to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Blogging, culture, Left, Liberal Democratic Pakistan, Media, Music, Pakistan, video
LAL Theater Performs "Machine" In Lahore
(As a tribute to Late Jyoti Basu we are posting this brilliant performance by Lal Theater in Lahore- YLH) [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MsqmnUgBk4] ‘Machine’ of Jana Natya Manch (Janam – Safdar Hashmi’s group). [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HJVpt8X1KRU] … Read entire article »
Filed under: Left, Marxism, People's Pakistan
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 »
Smokers’ Corner: Beards: a trim history
By Nadeem F. Paracha Sunday, 04 Oct, 2009 (Courtesy Dawn)—Illustration by Abro In his biography, Mirror to the Blind, Abdul Sattar Edhi complains how he detests being called a ‘maulana’. ‘Mine was never a religious beard,’ he says. ‘It was always a revolutionary beard,’ he explains – perhaps inspired by Karl Marx, whom Edhi identifies as an inspiration during his youth. In the book he is quoted as saying that hardly any man in Pakistan used to have a … Read entire article »
From Russia with Love: Main Ney Russia Mee kya Dekha
Bradistan Calling When Pakistan came into existence in 1947, Russia was known as the Godless Empire of Union of Soviet Socialist Republics under brutal dictator Joseph Stalin. This inherent difference in ideologies resulted in tensions from the very start, but the refusal of the first prime minister of Pakistan to accept the cordial invitation of the Soviet leadership to visit USSR started the full scale Cold War. The rest, as they say, is history. Pakistan decided to accept the invitation of United States of America (the head of ‘Free’ Capitalist and Godly world).Pakistan joined anti-communist military pacts and gave its logistic support for Korean War in 1950s.Despite the unwavering loyalty of Pakistani military and landlord elite, USA refused to provide military assistance and spare parts during 1965 Kashmir war with India. The … Read entire article »
Filed under: Activism, Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, baluchistan, Citizens, culture, Economy, Education, Europe, FATA, History, human rights, Identity, Imperialism, India, Islam, journalism, Labour, Left, magazines, Media, minorities, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, Peshawar, Politics, Punjabi, quetta, Religion, Sindh, south asia, Taliban, Terrorism, Urdu, USA, youth, Zardari
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