VIEW: The Swat flogging video —Samar Minallah At a time when the entire country was under the threat of militants, I not only brought the attention of the country to this video but also condemned it at the risk of my own life. Much to the disappointment of many “professional conspirators”, the video was made by the Taliban and not by me A year has passed since we heard the screams of a girl from Swat and saw how she was flogged by the Taliban in open view of the public. The Taliban spokesman, Muslim Khan, admitted in clear terms … Continue reading Time to flog those who excuse the Mullahs!

VIEW: The business of aid —Andleeb Abbas The net effect of aid is more dependence and more deterioration of the economy in the client country, while the aid agency and its networked organisations become financial powerhouses In this recession-hit world, where the biggest and the mightiest of corporations have crumbled and fallen, the most flourishing business is the business of aid organisations. By definition, they flourish when economies perish. As we see weak economies like Pakistan, Afghanistan and many African economies suffering from political instability and economic fragility, the aid agencies are finding a haven of clients who become their … Continue reading The negative effect of aid

Can the CIA sabotage Iran’s nuclear project? Iran remains a difficult target for US spies, as Washington has not had an embassy in Tehran for 30 years. — File photo World Gates appeals to Saudis to back sanctions on Iran Gates appeals to Saudis to back sanctions on Iran WASHINGTON: The reported defection of an Iranian scientist to the United States has renewed speculation about a CIA plot to sabotage Iran’s nuclear program through covert action. But it remains unclear whether Shahram Amiri, the young physics researcher who reportedly joined forces with the US spy agency, represents an intelligence coup … Continue reading Can the CIA sabotage Iran’s nuclear project?

By Anjum Niaz Former premier Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. — Photo by White Star Today, 31-years ago, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was hanged. It reminds me of an email I received on another Sunday morning. It was from ‘Benazir’s brother.’ He had just finished reading my column on Benazir Bhutto’s second death anniversary. “ZAB was my best friend. I was to write his biography,” wrote the e-mailer. “His beloved daughter Benazir gave her life for the restoration of democracy. I was supposed to be killed with her when she arrived in Karachi. In our last meeting in New York we had agreed … Continue reading Biography with a twist

By Ali Nawaz Chowhan Former premier Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. — Photo by White Star Editorial Strange request Strange request Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto entered public life at the early age of 30, in 1958. In his book The Myth of Independence he writes about his views on foreign policy and the paramount objectives of Pakistan’s people. I was a student in those days and whenever I heard that he was to address the National Assembly, which was then housed in Rawalpindi’s Lalkurti, I would be in attendance. As a result of his disagreement over the Tashkent Declaration, Bhutto resigned in June … Continue reading A tribute to ZAB

Missing passports Dawn Editorial Applicants’ passports were to be sent to the UKBA ‘regional hub’ in Abu Dhabi for processing but confusion over the various permissions required to transfer large consignments of passports resulted in delays, concurrently, the high commission reported the loss of several passports. ICC works to ease visa problems for World Cup Just what is the United Kingdom doing to streamline the process of issuing visas to Pakistani applicants? Hardly anything it would seem. The United Kingdom Border Agency, which was established in 2008 and took over responsibility for visa services, suffered great embarrassment last year when … Continue reading United Kingdom Border Agency – Will it be declared a terrorist organisation soon?

De facto versus de jure – 3 By Ardeshir Cowasjee Ayub Khan. — File photo In the British army, upon which were modelled the armies of India and Pakistan, ‘field marshal’ was the highest military rank. A field marshal never retires — the rank is conferred for life. The British chief of the imperial staff was usually a field marshal as was the chief of the defence staff when that office was created, and certain members of the royal family are accorded the rank. Current practice since the 1990s is that no field marshals are routinely appointed in peacetime — … Continue reading Field Marshal Ayub Khan

Smokers’ Corner: The passion for Bhutto Nadeem F. Paracha The majority of Muslims in Pakistan are ensconced in the popular Barelvi creed of Islam that is the mainstay of Muslims in the subcontinent. It reassures the enshrinement of the traditional Sufism that prevailed due to a long period of interaction between Islam and the esoteric strains of Hinduism and other faiths of India. ‘Folk’ Islam became the dominating creed of the rural peasant, the urban proletariat and the semi-urban petty-bourgeoisie. It incorporated the anti-clergy elements of Sufism, and a more relaxed fiqh, fusing these with accommodating forms of worship and … Continue reading Time for Islam in Pakistan?

Countdown on for shuttle launch Discovery’s crew arrived in Florida on Thursday The US space agency (Nasa) has started the countdown clock ahead of Monday’s launch of the space shuttle Discovery. The shuttle is due to launch from Florida’s Kennedy Space Center at daybreak – around 0621 local time (1121 BST) on a 13-day mission. Discovery will haul equipment and supplies to the International Space Station (ISS) in a container called a multi-purpose logistics module (MPLM). The shuttle’s seven crew members arrived in Florida on Thursday. At a news briefing on Friday, Nasa test director Steve Payne said that all … Continue reading Monday’s launch of space shuttle Discovery CANCELLED?