Al-Zulfikar: The unsaid history Posted by Nadeem F. Paracha Pakistan is infamous for having a history cramped with assorted Islamist and sectarian organisations that have been unleashing havoc on its people and the state for over a decade. But long before violent terror groups like Sipah-e-Shaba, Lashkar-e-Taiba, Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, and the Tehrik-e-Taliban-Pakistan started using unprecedented violence and coercion to turn their idea of a mythical Sunni Islamic utopia into reality, there was Al-Zulfikar, – a leftwing terror group formed by the sons of former Pakistani prime minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, and the brothers of late Benazir Bhutto. The son rises Al-Zulfikar … Continue reading Murtaza Bhutto

Decoding Islamabad By Cyril Almeida dawn.com Nothing is simple in Islamabad. There are wheels within wheels. —Online My New Year’s resolution was to keep a diary. Four months into the new year, I’m already regretting I didn’t get around to filling it up. Not with my own thoughts — self-reflection is a pursuit I leave to the brave — but with the thoughts of others. Or more precisely, their predictions. In the business of politics here, everyone has predictions. Often certain facts are assumed before the predictions kick in. I’ll explain. Everyone knows that Zardari will be forced out of … Continue reading Pakistani whispers

The sudden hero By Nadeem F. Paracha dawn.com Supporters of Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari shout slogans during a pro-Zardari rally in Lahore. – AFP (File Photo) Pakistan SCBA, LHCBA may challenge 18th Amendment bill SCBA, LHCBA may challenge 18th Amendment bill The historic passage of the 18th Amendment Bill in the current National Assembly is rightly being paired with the country’s first ‘Constitutional revolution’ i.e. the making and passage of the 1973 Constitution during the government of the country’s first elected Prime Minister, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The 1973 Constitution was an outcome of a widespread consensus struck between the … Continue reading Zardari – The sudden hero?

Room for optimism By Mohsin Hamid dawn.com Despite the desperate suffering, Pakistan is also something of a miracle. —AP/File Photo World ‘Pak army must give up its ambivalence’ WRITER’S THOUGHTS ‘Pak army must give up its ambivalence’ EVER since returning to live in Pakistan a few months ago, I’ve been struck by the pervasive negativity of views here about our country. Whether in conversation, on television, or in the newspaper, what I hear and read often tends to boil down to the same message: our country is going down the drain. But I’m not convinced that it is. I don’t … Continue reading Room for optimism in Pakistan

Reliving Polynesian history through an epic sea voyage dawn.com Boat builders from Salthouse Boat Buildier on the North Shore of Auckland putting the finishing touches on a traditional Poylnesian canoe before an official launch. The four double-hulled canoes — 22 metres (72 feet) long with twin 13-metre masts – will sail 4,000 kilometres (2,485 miles) to French Polynesia, reversing the route believed taken by taken by New Zealand’s first settlers. –AFP Photo Sport Match-fixer Cairns not for IPL: Modi Match-fixer Cairns not for IPL: Modi WELLINGTON: A fleet of traditionally-designed Polynesian voyaging canoes will leave New Zealand next week for … Continue reading Polynesian history through an epic sea voyage

VIEW: The importance of local intelligence —Gulmina Bilal Ahmad The local population, particularly in the tribal areas, has started cooperating with the agencies to offer information regarding the whereabouts of the militants. Gone are the days, fortunately, when the local population would give protection to the militants The monster struck again. The city of Peshawar was struck again by violence and terror. As horrified as the whole nation was whilst viewing the media footage of the three blasts, one could not help but think, when will it all end? Soon after, the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) claimed responsibility for this ghastly … Continue reading The importance of local intelligence

HUM HINDUSTANI: The two crusaders —J Sri Raman Swamy and Thackeray are past masters at political lynching, though Thackeray’s followers may get physical about it as well. And both continue with their series of crusades, regardless of either results or reactions The dissimilarities between Bal Thackeray and Subramanian Swamy are many and manifest. There is, however, no mistaking their striking similarity as practitioners of the politics of dementia. The main dissimilarity consists in the fact that the Shiv Sena chief enjoys a nationwide notoriety, while very few know of Swamy as the Führer of the Janata Party. Even fewer are … Continue reading The bad rash of Hindu Mullahs!

VIEW: Us, the libertines —Reem Wasay Liberalism, in essence, is a disentanglement from the central components of ideologies that must be reversed so as to integrate ourselves within the global intention In the dangerously disoriented day and age that is today, our glaringly ignorant libertines seem to have fallen off the bandwagon of ‘get-with-it enlightenment’ to become misguided messiahs for what can only be termed a sadly lost cause. Every glossy, time-out rag and two-cent publication will tell you that Pakistan’s neo-radicals are none other than the freewheeling fashion week firewalkers, predominant amongst most of our event-cum-party pages. Whilst most … Continue reading Going global without the mullahs!

Comment: Together making a greater mess —Zafar Hilaly While we have no right to object to greater Indian influence in Afghanistan, what we justifiably find intolerable is the use that India makes of its hold over Karzai to belittle Pakistan, fund Baloch insurgents who enjoy a safe haven in Afghanistan and create for our military the awful prospect of a two-front threat George W Bush will soon be penning his memoirs. The chapter on Afghanistan should not take long. Five Latin words would suffice, namely, veni (I came), vidi (I saw), vincit (I prevailed) and hesitat (I dithered). And if … Continue reading Indian Games, American Pickle, Pakistan do more!

A prescription for meditation Research shows Transcendental Meditation, despite its celebrity baggage, can be an effective way of fighting depression Ed Halliwell guardian.co.uk, Thursday 8 April 2010 14.30 BST Article history Magical mystery tour: the Beatles, among devotees at a transcendental meditation course in Bangor, North Wales, given by the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, 1967. Photograph: Hulton Archive/Getty For the second time this year, news that meditation techniques can be an effective treatment for depression has received widespread media coverage. In January, the Mental Health Foundation recommended expanding the provision of mindfulness-based cognitive therapy for everyone at risk of depressive relapse … Continue reading Meditation is good for you