Breaking the impasse in Indo-Pak relations
By Saad Hafiz: The heavy baggage of history in Indo-Pak relations includes Partition, Kashmir, armed conflict and ongoing arms race, Bangladesh, Siachen, Kargil and Mumbai. Mostly shrill jingoism and xenophobic nationalism on both sides has historically overshadowed sane discourse or encouraged conflict resolution. The institutionalized machinery of hatred on either side of the border comprises politicians, generals and the media who can easily overwhelms any small efforts towards peace and co-existence. It seems that the people in both countries have been conditioned to hate and despise the other. Despite the mutual animosity, the two neighbours unable to change geography are destined to live together and are forced to continue their turbulent negotiations, interactions and engagements. What needs to change is the unchanged cycle of the relationship, particularly since the 1950s which has … Read entire article »
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A hope for friendship, a prayer for peace
By Chintan Girish Modi: I read this morning’s news with great delight. Soon as I signed into my Twitter account, two fabulous news items grabbed my attention. ‘Cabinet nod to easier visas for Pakistanis in some categories,’ (http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/nri/visa-and-immigration/cabinet-nod-to-easier-visas-for-pakistanis-in-some-categories/articleshow/12884360.cms) said The Economic Times. ‘A year on, India-Pakistan trade relations leapfrog,’ (http://www.business-standard.com/india/news/one-year-on-india-pakistan-trade-relations-leapfrog/472745/) announced The Business Standard. Wow! It was amazing to learn that friends from Pakistan will now find it easier to get multi-city, multiple-entry visas to India. Of course, it wasn’t an overnight development. There has been a build-up to this in the last few months. We have reached this place thanks to the efforts of numerous individuals and civil society groups (http://epaper.timesofindia.com/Repository/ml.asp?Ref=Q0FQLzIwMTIvMDQvMjIjQXIwMTAwMQ%3D%3D) who have held on steadfastly their deep faith in the power of peace and their hope for friendship between India … Read entire article »
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Break Up To Keep Together!
By Behzad Taimur: The 72nd anniversary of passage of the historic Lahore Resolution of 1940, which is widely credited with formalization of the idea of a “Pakistan”, as a separate state for Muslims of the Indian subcontinent, passed recently, and one must draw attention to its relevance today. Contrary to popular belief, the Lahore Resolution proposed formation of not one but several states for the Muslims, saying: “That the areas in which the Muslims are numerically in majority, as in the North-Western and Eastern zones of India should be grouped to constitute independent states in which the constituent units shall be autonomous and sovereign.” Today, when calls for more provinces are growing louder, it should be of pertinence to us to note that our founding fathers had proposed a number of states, and … Read entire article »
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A murder most most foul: How Master Abdul Qudoos was tortured and killed
By Usman Ahmad: Prior to anything else being said, let it be clearly stated that the recent murder of Master Abdul Qudoos at the hands of the police is not an ‘Ahmadi’ issue, but a human rights one. So before the trolls infect the comments section and begin to abuse the beliefs of Ahmadis with their obtuse invectives or hatch conspiracy theories that Pak Tea House is secretly run by ‘Qadianis’ who in turn are sponsored by Mossad/RAW/the CIA/MI5, they would do well to remember that if acts such as these are allowed to gain currency then all our civil and civic rights will be at stake. Institutions like the state, the judiciary, the police are created in society in order to protect and serve the people. But when these actors become … Read entire article »
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Islamabad Diary: Zardari is in jail since November 1996, says the PPP Website
By Shahzad Raza: President Zardari should better fire the PPP’s webmasters. Or he may think of luring those who manage the PTI’s web-desk. Why? Let me tell you. A google search of “Pakistan People’s Party” would display the top result, www.ppp.org.pk, which I believe is the official website of the ruling People’s Party. Hardly, any surfer has time or desire to call the PPP headquarters to reconfirm the web address. Anyways, the www.ppp.org.pk is a mixture of nothing – some haphazard and obsolete information. The website still finds Asif Ali Zardari in jail, and Ms Benazir Bhutto abroad in self-exile. “Benazir Bhutto is in forced exile these days and her husband Asif Ali Zardari is in jail since November, 1996 facing bravely a number of cases engineered by Sharif Govt. as process of victimization…,” it reads. Whoever manages the … Read entire article »
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Elections, Corruption and Institutional Failure in Pakistan
By Prof Farakh A Khan: Recently two bombs hit Pakistan. The first was of former Mehran Bank chief Younis Habib admitting dishing out money to IJI politicians in 1990 elections to wipe out PPP. Habib then gave money to PPP politicians in 1993 elections. All this was done at the behest of the army generals all in ‘national interest’. While with Habib Bank Limited Younis Habib was arrested on April 7, 1994 for misappropriating sale proceeds … Read entire article »
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Fallacies that befuddle the ‘educated’ Pakistani mind
by Abdul Majeed Wise people always say, Do not try to present complex matters in black and white terms as it will defeat the purpose. To quote Paul Valery: “That which is simple is always false; that which is not simple is always unusable”. Kala Kawa, a widely read blogger, recently wrote, “Something I Wrote On Pakistan Day”. In that particular blogpost, the blogger expressed his opinion about “confronting your own biases or assumptions” and “middle class … Read entire article »
Filed under: Al Qaeda, Conservation, Islam, Islamism, Pakistan, Politics, Society, Taliban, Terrorism, Women
Dismantling the barriers of hate
By Ghazala Akbar Midway between the cities of Lahore in Pakistan and Amritsar in India each about 25 km away is the village called Wagah. It stands on an ancient pathway that stretches from Kabul in the North West to Calcutta in the North East and beyond to Shonargaon in Bangladesh. Known variously in history as Uttara Patha, Sadaq – e -Azam or the Grand Trunk road, it was until very recently, the only road link … Read entire article »
Filed under: Citizens, culture, Democracy, India, Pakistan, Politics, secular Pakistan, Society
Cripps Mission and the Muslim League
Excerpts from Wali Khan’s ‘Facts are Facts’ contributed by Rashed Aurakzai When the Congress resigned from eight provinces, pursuant to Section 93, the Governor’s rule was established. Jinnah requested the Viceroy to appoint political, unofficial advisers in each one of these eight provinces. This meant that the Muslim League would assume an advisory role in each one of the provinces vacated by the Congress Government. According to Jinnah’s proposal, “Hindu provinces” should also have been handed over to the Muslim League. Not only did the League have no official status in any of these provinces, it had never won a single election! Therefore, by making this demand, Jinnah finally incurred the displeasure of the British. The Viceroy wrote on 10 July 1940: I hope that Jinnah will not continue to press his extravagant claim. … Read entire article »
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Profile: Zaid Hamid
by Abdul Majeed Biography Zaid Hamid was born in Karachi on March 14, 1964. His father, Col. Zaman Hamid (Retd), served in the Pakistan Army. Zaid spent his early life in Karachi. He received a Bachelor of Engineering (BE) degree in Computer Systems Engineering from NED University, Karachi in 1980′s. According to the brochure published by BrassTacks, available on the website www.zaidhamid.pk. Zaid Hamid rose to the fore when he started a program named Brass Tacks on a TV channel, discussing … Read entire article »
Filed under: Democracy, History, Islam, Pakistan, Politics, Society, Terrorism
Will Imran Khan need Jinnah on extremists?
By Amaar Ahmad Imran Khan’s stock has arisen in the past few months with his surging tsunami. But before this tsunami translates into any electoral success, it is imperative to try to put sense into Khan’s political philosophy. His philanthropy – establishing a cancer hospital and a university – is a great contribution on its own. However, his charitable effort may eventually be of no avail to Pakistan if Khan’s appeasement of fanatics remains unchecked. Khan sahib could recall that in 1921, Muslims of India were in the grip of frenzy under the Khilafat Movement to restore the Turkish Caliph. Under the leadership of Gandhi and Ali brothers, thousands of Muslims abandoned their properties and vocations for Afghanistan because of the senseless mixing of politics and religion. The few Muslim leaders who opposed this madness included Jinnah who derided this as a “false religious … Read entire article »
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Islamabad Diary: Not-so-white pigeons of Zardari-Gilani dovecote
By Shahzad Raza: What Kenzo Tange designed decades ago, the white-marbled architecture at Constitution Avenue has been sending shockwaves to the men next door. Someone says it’s like a wild hungry cat prowling in Zardari-Gilani dovecote. Having already his wings clipped, the not-so-white pigeon named BA may be the first prey. Since things got wary the Constitutional Avenue looks more like famous Broadway, but with real characters and real events. The performances are normally considered spontaneous and unscripted. But who can rule out if fax machines receive late-night or 11th hour handwritten messages on whitepapers from ‘unknown’ numbers. Clutters aside, let me give you an interesting eyewitness account of last Thursday (March 8). When former banker YH was spilling beans inside the court room, a bunch of black-coat jiyalas escorted BA to his bullet-proof … Read entire article »
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The forces of darkness will not give up easily but neither will we.
Bilawal Vows to Defend Minorities on Bhatti Anniversary Karachi: The Chairperson of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that the party will continue to stand by Pakistan’s religious minorities and support them against bigotry in the tradition of Shaheed Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. In a statement marking the first anniversary of the assassination of PPP leader Shahbaz Bhatti, a member of the Christian community, the PPP Chairperson paid tribute to Shahbaz Bhatti’s dedication to Pakistani democracy and the ideal of a more tolerant and inclusive Pakistan. “Pakistan was conceived as a homeland for Mulsims where all religious and ethnic groups would live in peace and harmony. It is a tragedy that Quaid-e-Azam’s ideal of a pluralist nation have been distorted under dictatorship to spread an ideology of hate. It is this … Read entire article »
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The Curious Case of Difa e Pakistan Council
Difa-e-Pakistan is an Urdu word meaning Defense of Pakistan. Difa-e-Pakistan Council means a council willing to/responsible for defending Pakistan. The semantics dictate that the said council should comprise of representatives of the armed forces, the para-military forces, domestic law enforcement agencies, defense ministry and foreign ministry. In fact, the esteemed council that has come to the fore recently consists of none of the above. In the words of the journalist Ejaz Haider, it’s a “circus”. Much … Read entire article »
Filed under: Democracy, Islam, Pakistan, Politics, Society, Taliban, Terrorism, Uncategorized
Pak-US relations and the politics of absence
By S Farwa Zahra: After much media attention, US secretary Hilary Clinton and Pakistan’s foreign minister Hina Rabbani Khar finally had a “dialogue” in London over Pak-US relations. From news reports, it seems that Ms. Clinton really had a lot to say, but what was our foreign minister doing the whole time? What is striking about all news reports surrounding this meeting is the fact that while there are a number of statements from Clinton and other US officials, we don’t hear Khar speaking. There is not even a single quote from her. It only took me a few clicks over different news reports to find out what could have turned a bilateral “dialogue” into a US monologue. The sources for all these stories were western news agencies like Reuters and AFP. I … Read entire article »
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