VIEW: Marriage by choice —Mashal Sahir In our community, people who tie the knot according to their will are considered to have gone against their family’s honour. The union is seen as an act of disrespect towards the elders ‘Marriage’ is a very simple and clear concept. By definition, it is a voluntary union of two people that binds them together for a lifetime. How does this straightforward notion raise so many issues in our society? Recently, the Punjab government added eight new clauses to the nikahnama. The administration made it obligatory for the parents/guardians of both the bride and … Continue reading Marriage by choice

COMMENT: An unfettered media —Aliya Anjum In Pakistan, after the draconian control of the Zia years, a free media is a new phenomenon and, as of now, this unfettered media is threatening to become a bull in a china shop In the Hollywood flick ‘Spiderman’, the protagonist receives an advice from his uncle: “With great power comes great responsibility.” The Press Freedom Index (PFI) of 2009 prepared by Reporters without Borders has ranked Denmark at the top spot, which is not surprising given the international outrage that followed its sacrilegious cartoons. The freedom of the media is a double-edged sword … Continue reading In Pakistan a free media is a new phenomenon

DEVELOPMENT: International reluctance to aid Pakistan —Syed Mohammad Ali Speculations concerning the misuse of aid remain a serious concern, which may explain the reluctance of international donors to be more generous. There are signs of suspicions within the US too The overall circumstances in Pakistan are far from rosy. Besides lingering structural problems and persistent mismanagement, the current global economic downturn and the war against terror are all taking their toll on every sphere of our national life. The situation is being made worse still by the inability of pledged international help for Pakistan to fully materialise. Economic growth has … Continue reading Speculations concerning the misuse of aid remain a serious concern

VIEW: Societal homeostasis —Tammy Swofford Anti-blasphemy legislation may wear a cloak of piety but the law of unintended consequences produces the tense situations that exist on the ground in Pakistan today. A governmental stamp of approval against blasphemy opens the door for vigilantism Seated across from me was a professional acquaintance, Dr Yusuf Z Kavakci, a council member of the Fiqh Council of North America. Having sought out an eatery with a halal certificate to meet the dietary requirement of my Muslim counterpart, I had chosen a small Moroccan grill near an area mosque. The menu was not disappointing. Greek … Continue reading Anti-blasphemy legislation may wear a cloak of piety

Rags to riches movie fame for homeless man who became ‘China’s sexiest tramp’ By Carol Driver The extraordinary life story of a Chinese homeless man who shot to fame after his photo was posted on the internet is to be made into a movie. Cheng Guorong became an unlikely sex symbol after he was forced on to the streets when he was fired from his job and robbed of his savings. The 34-year-old was snapped by an amateur photographer as he wandered the streets, begging for food and rummaging in bins for cigarette butts last year. Tramp chic: Cheng Guorong, … Continue reading Cheng Guorong – China’s sexiest tramp

Stop Lahore’s Talibanisation By Raza RumiJuly 19, 2010 The writer is consulting editor, The Friday Times (raza.rumi@tribune.com.pk) The worst has happened. Data Darbar, which defined the contours of peaceful Islam for a millennium, has been desecrated in Lahore. Its markets have been attacked and its minorities live in fear after the Ahmadi massacre. Last year, the petrified traders of Lahore’s Hall Road burnt objectionable CDs after receiving threats from extremists. A year later, low-intensity blasts took place in the crowded Hall Road — a market for electronics and kosher and non-kosher DVDs. This week, two internet cafes were targeted in … Continue reading Lahore’s Talibanisation

By Farzana VerseyJuly 19, 2010 The writer is an Indian author and columnist (farzana.versey@tribune.com.pk) It is hypocritical to say that any depiction of Osama bin Laden will lead to a spate of suicide attacks and not use a similar standard to judge the censorship of murals delineating the works of Russian artist-novelist Fyodor Dostoevsky. The Moscow metro station that was to be named after him got into trouble because there was fear that the illustrations with scenes from his books would become a “mecca for suicides”. Pravda, Russia’s mouthpiece, wondered whether such images should be displayed after the March terrorist … Continue reading Laden vs Dostoevsky