Pak Tea House » People's Pakistan
Two videos: Kafir factory and Jinnah’s secularism
We are posting two video clips which are relevant to the debates that PTH encourages. In the first clip, Mohmmad Hanif, the author of “The case of exploding mangoes” speaks about the “kafir factory” which mullahs have turned Pakistan into. In the second clip, Meraj Khan launches into a passionate defense of Jinnah’s secularism. The notable thing about the speeches is that they were held publicly in Karachi on the death anniversary of Quaid-i-Azam. It … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan, Uncategorized
Itinerary Ear-Cleaners
By Jürgen Wasim Frembgen: Notes on a Marginal Profession in Urban Muslim Punjab. It was not until the 1990s, when during sojourns in larger cities of Pakistan and North India I became aware of traditional medical practitioners who wandered the streets in search of clients to remove earwax. It proved difficult to satisfy my professional curiosity through ethnographic observation and conversation as these extraordinary looking men, wearing red headgear with iron sticks tucked under it, seemed to vanish as fast as they materialized all of a sudden at a street corner. Sometimes I could only catch a glimpse of such an ear-cleaner while passing by in a speeding rickshaw. Finally, in November 1999, I had my first chance to talk to one of them who was attending to a customer in front of the Tarannum Cinema in Lahore’s infamous Hira Mandi area. This became the starting point … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan, Uncategorized
PM’s conviction: Is Supreme Court acting ultra vires its scope?
By Yasser Latif Hamdani The constitution of Pakistan envisages a trichotomy of powers i.e. federal, legislative and judicial powers. Each of these three branches are distinct and derive their powers from the Constitution. The Supreme Court of Pakistan is a creature of the Constitution. It derives its original jurisdiction in terms of disputes between provincial governments and federal government from Article 184 (1) and 184 (2) which judgments have to be declaratory in nature. Article 184(3) vests the Supreme Court with jurisdiction to decide questions of fundamental public importance. The Appellate and Advisory Jurisdictions are derived from 185 and 186. The Supreme Court and the High Courts have the power of judicial review i.e. to review legislative functions and see if these are in accordance with the constitution. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Constitution, Judiciary, Pak Tea House, People's Pakistan
Why Pakistanis and Some Western Liberals Need to Rethink about Drone Attacks
By Raza Habib Raja The latest news about war in Afghanistan, which is making headlines, is the suspension of US military aid to Pakistan. Among other things, the rationale given by the US administration is the refusal of Pakistan’s military to allow further use of Shamsi Airbase for launching of drone attacks. Drone attacks have recently attracted a lot of controversy and are vehemently opposed in Pakistan by the nationalist circles. The sentiments against drones are not restricted to “loss of sovereignty” but are also supplemented by continuous reminders about loss of innocent lives. And yes, the critics are not just restricted to ultranationalists in Pakistan but also include some western liberals who construe drone attacks as a symbol of traditional American hegemony. In fact drone attacks have actually “united” apparently … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan
On Nationality
By Kiran Rizvi “Where do you come from?” people often ask me in the US. It makes for an excellent question to break the ice in a meeting or at a party, or maybe they are curious to find out my roots so they can pass an ‘educated’ judgment on my demeanor. Even people from Pakistan and India ask me the same question; I guess they want to know which part of the subcontinent I belong to. It has always been hard for me to answer this question. The idea of nationality intrigues me; what makes a geographical area on earth, one’s ‘homeland’? My mother often talks to me about the small village in India where she was born. She often recounts her trip to the village orchard where she used to … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan, USA
Epidemic: Laziness & Impatience
There is a strange paradox in Pakistan. How do we manage to keep an equilibrium in productivity while being so lazy? We need to pick up the slack. People in the West are often amazed at how hard working average people from our parts are. That theory always brings a sheepish smile to my face. Little do they know of the real sons of Pakistan and our reluctance to hard work. Epitome of our generation … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan
After Osama: Time To Get Our Act Together
By D. Asghar Some learn from their mistakes, others only learn to deny their mistakes. We tend to belong in the latter category. When the neighbors used to point fingers at us and accuse us for harboring terrorist, we used to rebut, deny and refute. Our simple comeback was, “good old malicious Bharti propaganda.” We released many hard core and well known terrorists, due to “lack of evidence.” Our political leaders and security establishment categorically denied any information on any “high value” and most wanted targets at many occasions. Amazingly, some very well known names in the global terrorist networks, such as Libbi, Zubaida, and Khalid Sheikh Muhammad were found within our territories. … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan
“Measuring”Pakistani Nationhood
By Niaz Murtaza, Ph.D. Why do some states enjoy peace while others are ravaged by strife? An analysis of their strength of nationhood provides insights into this puzzle. Nations and states are distinct concepts. Nations are large religious, ethnic or other identity-based groups concentrated highly exclusively in a region, usually with a history of some autonomy. States are geographical units recognized as sovereign internationally. Ideally, states should be built around nations to enhance cohesion. However, colonization often locked several nations within one state and divided one nation across several states. Thus, the strength of states’ nationhood varies considerably depending on innate and experiential factors. Innately, the lower the number of identity groups internally, the smaller the identity group overlaps externally and the larger the physical barriers with neighbors the stronger is nationhood. … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan
Of National Identity and Religion
As the cricket World Cup continues in India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, one cannot but lament having missed the opportunity to watch a third World Cup in Pakistan. Those like me who watched the 1987 semi-final and 1996 final in Lahore and later an extraordinary India-Pakistan series in 2004 now watch with a heavy heart as India, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh display their beautiful cultures and countries while all the world knows about Pakistan is that it is an extremist haven where differences of opinion are settled through bullets, usually 27 or so, aimed at silencing all differing points of view. … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan, Politics
Pakistan Bashing: Our Favourite Pastime
By D. Asghar You get a few Pakistani families gathered for lunch or dinner, here in the US and there you have it. A perfect afternoon or evening in ruins, as someone will take a seemingly straight forward discussion to a unabashed, full scale, Pakistan bashing rampage. You have your usual start from the current political situation, or any event at hand and soon you will notice the discussion turning into a major heated debate on the Pakistan Resolution and the major blemishes committed by the founding fathers. No one is denying that a debate is necessary on almost any and everything to enhance understanding and resolve the discourse. But the constructive criticism often turns into ludicrous and base less rhetoric. This speaks a lot about our decaying mental state, where some of … Read entire article »
Filed under: People's Pakistan
Its The Efficiency Stupid!
By D. Asghar Our beloved Premier Gilani has issued an executive order to curtail the two day weekend to a one day weekend in the government offices. The move on the surface seems to be of well intentions and to increase and enhance productivity. This is also due to the fact that electricity is not a major issue in winters and hence the business of the government can be conducted in a more conducive and viable environment. The underlying issue here in my opinion is not the weather or number of days. The bigger issue is lack of proper metrics to measure productivity. In this day and age, where we are in the electronic age, very sadly a lot of public departments are still running on paper and antiquated filing system. If you … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan, People's Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gillani
SHAME: "Progressive" 18th Amendment Ends Forever The Possibility Of A Non-Muslim Prime Minister!
By Yasser Latif Hamdani I know the self styled “progressives” hate it when I bring up Pakistan’s founding father but here I am forced to do so again: Even now there are some States in existence where there are discriminations made and bars imposed against a particular class. Thank God, we are not starting in those days. We are starting in the days where there is no discrimination, no distinction between one community and another, no discrimination between one caste or creed and another. We are starting with this fundamental principle that we are all citizens and equal citizens of one State. - Mahomed Ali Jinnah, The Founder of Pakistan Sadly - Modern Pakistan is one of those states Jinnah warned against! If we started with this fundamental principle, well we have been moving backwards for over … Read entire article »
Filed under: Constitution, Democracy, Pakistan, People's Pakistan, Religion, secular Pakistan, Yusuf Raza Gillani
President Obama Congratulates Pakistanis And Diaspora On National Day, Praises Founder Of Pakistan
WASHINGTON, D.C. (BNO NEWS) – President Obama sent his congratulations to Pakistan on Monday, as it celebrates its national day. “Seventy years ago, Muhammad Ali Jinnah and those of the independence generation declared their dreams of self-determination and democracy. Today, the people of Pakistan are carrying on the great work of Quaid-e Azam.” “Here in the United States, our country is enriched by the many Pakistani Americans who excel as doctors, small business owners, students, members of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan, People's Pakistan, USA
Coming Full Circle
By Cyril Almeida From www.dawn.com, Published February 12, 2010 http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/the-newspaper/columnists/13+cyril-almeida-coming-full-circle-220-za-02 Our boys in uniform have a spring in their step again. Domestically, they have taken on two enemies and appear to be winning: the civilian government has been reduced to parroting the army’s line on security issues, while the TTP is a significantly degraded force. Regionally, they can barely suppress their grins. In a few short weeks, the Americans have gone from threatening a ‘Pakistan first’ option in the war against Al Qaeda and associated movements to desperately seeking someone in Islamabad, or more accurately Pindi, who can put them in touch with the Taliban’s so-called ‘reconcilable’ elements. It’s not quite a wave of triumphalism that is sweeping over the army but there definitely is a widely shared sense of validation. And that should worry … Read entire article »
Filed under: Afghanistan, Al Qaeda, Army, Democracy, Egalitarian Pakistan, FATA, India, Islamabad, North-West Frontier Province, Pakistan, People's Pakistan, Taliban, USA, war, Yusuf Raza Gillani, Zardari
Attention Madam Speaker Of The National Assembly Of Pakistan
I received this email and an appended letter to the honorable Speaker of the National Assembly of Pakistan, Dr. Fahmida Mirza. This is not being posted here for sectarian debate or any other kind of debate but for right of information- any attempts at introducing a theological debate on the issue shall be subject to automatic deletion. Surely the geniuses who believe that the second amendment to the constitution was justified should not have any problem bringing to … Read entire article »
Filed under: Liberal Democratic Pakistan, liberal Pakistan, minorities, Parliament, People's Pakistan, secular Pakistan
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