Pak Tea House » Archive
Love it or leave it
By: Dr Zehra Saqlain The deafening noise of horns & fast cars zoomed by me as i walk briskly towards gate no. 3. The Smell of early morning, slightly chilly breeze of october gave me goosebumps. The guy on the gate of the embassy checked my id & let me in. There i saw a long queue & thought only if i would’ve gulped my bed-tea rather than savoring it. Standing in that long que i wondered why … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
Emma Duncan on MQM (Excerpts)
Emma Duncan is the Deputy Editor of The Economist. She is the magazine’s chief reporter, writer and editor on climate change. She has also held several other posts on the paper, including Britain Editor and Asia Editor. In 1988-89, she wrote “Breaking the Curfew” (Michael Joseph), a book on politics, culture and society in the troubled state of Pakistan. Following are a few excerpts from her wonderful book on Pakistan regarding her view and experience about MQM “Karachi’s other new phenomenon is, in a way, more optimistic. The Mohajir Qaumi Movement believes that if it takes over government, everything will be all right. It sprang out of a students’ group in Karachi University after the Jamaat-i-Islami student wing, previously the preserve of Mohajirs, was taken over by Punjabis. The party started in earnest … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
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 »
Filed under: Politics
Kaleidoscope
Gunfight at The Not-OK Corral By Roxane Akhtar Roxane Akhtar has been writing for thirty years. She is a trained Yoga Instructor (Spain) and has a Diploma in Holistic Counseling (Australia). She has traveled extensively, including a five-year stay in Australia. Her passions are music, especially western rock music, writing, reading, dance, fantasy art and spectator sports (tennis and cricket). She presently lives in Karachi, where she writes, attempts to put together her first book and takes … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
Outside in
The 3 Lies By Shahbaz Ali Khan Shahbaz, a former Industry relations and PR professional, has spent the past 8 years experimenting with the frontiers of professional competence by insisting on not specializing in anything but thinking, communicating and writing. He tweets at @intensedesigns He rose to his feet, as he could take it no more. He needed to speak, to shout, to address them all and do it immediately. “My friends, please, I implore you, listen to me… I will … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
Pakistan: Women’s struggle for their rights
The contemporary socio-political and economic discourses in Pakistan are restrained strictly in the paradigm of patriarchy and capitalism. The slogan of change and revolution has been shouted out loud by some, but they are riding on the same old horses who have won in the past by the virtue of their venality to the mighty forces of status-quo, that is, the military establishment of Pakistan. There is not a single mainstream political party including PTI which questions larger socio-economic questions, i.e. patriarchy, capitalism etc. Change does not mean replacing old faces with new ones; in fact in the case of PTI they don’t even bother to bring new faces, they are so brazen that they have brought old faces with their new make-up artist. Those who have studied revolutionary movements … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
Satire: Two spies arrested in Lahore
By The Satirist Two American backpackers were arrested yesterday in Lahore on suspicion of being Indian spies. Neither the police nor the intelligence agencies have yet to confirm or deny the reports. According to a source who does not wish to be named, alarm bells were raised when one of the two men in question was heard to say “Holy cow that’s cheap” whilst dining out at a Chappal Kebab restaurant. “It was an incomprehensible error of judgment” he said, “how can you go to a kebab eatery and start extolling the sanctity of bovines. We knew from that moment that these boys were spies.” In other telling evidence both suspects were captured wearing crocodile skin shoes and in possession of wallets made from elephant hide. None of their belongings were leather products. “They … Read entire article »
Filed under: Opinion
The Jew is not my Enemy by Tarek Fatah (Excerpts-IV)
Anti-Semitism (hatred for Jewish people) is not a new or unique phenomenon for us Pakistanis. We love to hate the Jews and to blame all our ills on the ugly, hideous, nefarious designs of the Zionist Jews. After all, Jews control the world and it is only because of them that we Muslims are so far behind the rest of the world. It’s all a big conspiracy. Journalist and Political advocate Tarek Fatah described and analyzed … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
No taxation with representation
By Saad Hafiz: One is probably familiar with a inspirational slogan of The American Revolution: ‘No taxation without representation’, originating in the 1750s and 1760s, which meant that the British imposition of taxes on its American colonies was unacceptable without the expressed will of the people. In Pakistan an arguably perverse view of this American proclamation has been historically in the vogue; ‘No taxation with representation’ which means that rich Pakistanis including a significant percentage of national and provincial legislators, among others, do not pay taxes, forcing the government to rely primarily on foreign assistance to prop up finances. US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has said that Pakistan must tax its elite if it wants to continue receiving financial assistance: “This is one of my pet peeves; Countries that will not tax … Read entire article »
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 »
Filed under: Politics
Untangling myth from fiction: Mughal Emperor Aurangzeb’s Reign of Power
by Habib Siddiqui “It is difficult to untangle this historical mess without scrutinizing the accusations against Aurangzeb rationally. Fortunately, in recent years quite a few Hindu historians have come out in the open disputing those allegations.” In a polarized world that we live in (which is, sadly, getting ever more polarized now by every minute and hour), we have often assumed that what is good for “our” people had to be bad for the “other” people. A glaring example is the personality of Mughal emperor Aurangzeb, who ruled India for 50 years. Of all the Muslim rulers who ruled vast territories of India from 712 to 1857 C.E., probably no one generates as much controversy as Aurangzeb. He has been hailed as anyone from a “Saintly or Pauper Emperor” to one who … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Jew is not My Enemy by Tarek Fatah (Exceprts-III)
Anti-Semitism (hatred for Jewish people) is not a new or unique phenomenon for us Pakistanis. We love to hate the Jews and to blame all our ills on the ugly, hideous, nefarious designs of the Zionist Jews. After all, Jews control the world and it is only because of them that we Muslims are so far behind the rest of the world. It’s all a big conspiracy. Journalist and Political advocate Tarek Fatah described and analyzed … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
I am a Pakistani Indian……
Raza Habib Raja There is something about India as an idea which transcends the modern day political configurations. It is the idea of India as a huge mass of land which stretches from Baluchistan to present day Bangladesh. This idea of India is independent of any political configuration. In fact during the past thousands of years, this mass of land has very seldom been a unified political entity. And yet there is something which loosely unites the inhabitants despite their substantial religious and at times even ethno linguistic differences (after all let us not forget that more than 200 languages are spoken in India). There is something, perhaps difficult to articulate, which enables this huge stretch of land to be called India irrespective of various political shapes it has assumed over … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
Shivaji’s letter to Aurangzeb
I was forwarded this letter from Shiva Ji to Aurangzeb excerpted from chhatrapati Shivaji by Setu Madhavrao Pagadi . I am not certain of the historical veracity per se but this letter makes very interesting reading and should serve as a timeless reminder to our rulers as well. – YLH “To the Emperor Alamgir. This firm well-wisher Shivaji, deeply grateful for divine favour and your kindness as clear as daylight, begs to inform your Majesty as follows: “I returned … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
The Jew is Not My Enemy-by Tarek Fatah (Excerpts-II)
Anti-Semitism (hatred for Jewish people) is not a new or unique phenomenon for us Pakistanis. We love to hate the Jews and to blame all our ills on the ugly, hideous, nefarious designs of the Zionist Jews. After all, Jews control the world and it is only because of them that we Muslims are so far behind the rest of the world. It’s all a big conspiracy. Journalist and Political advocate Tarek Fatah described and analyzed … Read entire article »
Filed under: Uncategorized
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