New dimensions of counter-terrorism —Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi A major shift has taken place in the disposition of the Pakistan Army and the intelligence agencies towards the Pakistan-based Afghan Taliban in January-February 2010. Some of the well known Afghan Taliban leaders and TTP activists have been arrested in different cities, especially from Karachi Pakistan has gone a long way in countering terrorism over the last one year. Its civilian government and the military top brass are in harmony on dealing effectively with the Taliban and other groups that are directly challenging the writ of the Pakistani state. The army authorities have … Continue reading Pakistan has gone a long way in countering terrorism over the last one year.

Smokers’ Corner: Realpolitik Nadeem F. Paracha The recently concluded by-election in Rawalpindi’s NA-55 constituency, the interest and voter turnout it generated, was a healthy sign for the democratic process. It clearly reflected the fact that democracy is alive and kicking. Much has been said about the contest, but whereas the media’s focus remained on the main contestants — PML-N’s Shakeel Awan and former PML-N heavyweight, Shaikh Rasheed Ahmed — a look at the performances of some other contestants went missing. There were a total of 22 contestants in the constituency, a contest that was left wide open when the country’s … Continue reading Imran Khan needs to cease being a mullahs whore

The ultimate Asian ‘phone clones’ The weird and wonderful world of knock-off mobile phones can produce the occasional pleasant surprise By Hunter Skipworth The BlueBerry is such a good imitation of the BlackBerry Bold that it fooled thousands of people The SciPhone is almost indistinguishable from a genuine Apple iPhone China – famous for its knock-off versions of games consoles, software and electronic devices – is excelling itself with its latest array of imitation handsets. The huge success of the Apple iPhone, and our love affair with smartphones, means Chinese companies have seen an opportunity to make a fast buck. … Continue reading Pakistanis build better copied iPhones than Apple! Seriously! (I am ordering my iPad from Pakistan who else?)

Germans tell Greeks to rise earlier and work harder to avoid financial crisis A German tabloid has advised Greeks to adopt a more Germanic work ethic – by rising earlier and working harder – in order to solve the country’s financial crisis. telegraph.co.uk Newspaper claimed that Germany sends thousands of tourists and money aplenty to Greece Photo: Alamy On Thursday, two German politicians told their Greek counterparts that the country should sell off its assets – art, historic buildings and islands – before accepting international aid. George Papandreou, the Greek prime minister, was dispatched abroad, to seek the help of … Continue reading Germans tell Greeks ‘Get up off ze backzides ze lazy tozzers!’

Gean Hodsdon: OAP, 90, celebrates birthday by white water rafting down rapids A Scottish grandmother, Gean Hodsdon, celebrated her 90th birthday on Friday by white-water rafting, after her doctor refused to allow her to go skydiving. By Andrew Hough Published: 8:00AM GMT 06 Mar 2010 90-year-old Gean Hodsdon, centre, rafting on the River Tay in Perthshire Photo: SCOTIMAGE The daredevil grandmother, who has had two replacement knees, lives in a nursing home and normally walks with two sticks, embarked down the white-water river rapid in the icy River Tay. She paddled the River Tay at Aberfeldy, Perthshire on Friday, to … Continue reading On her 90th birthday – an Elder takes to WATER RAFTING 😀 (Love it!)

By Imtiaz Gul The Dawn.com The majority of Afghans seem united in suspecting Pakistan of playing. — File Photo World No school for almost half of Afghan children ACCESS TO EDUCATION No school for almost half of Afghan children The well-planned assaults around the City Centre shopping complex and the Safi Landmark hotel in Kabul on Feb 26 delivered yet another blow to the Pakistan-Afghanistan-India confidence-building process. This was the third attack on Indian interests — apparently — in Afghanistan during the past 20 months. Condoling the deaths of nine Indians that included members of a medical team serving at … Continue reading Challenges in Afghanistan and projecting a positive image of Pakistan

By Irfan Husain The dawn Both Pakistan and India have thus invested inordinate amounts of blood, treasure and political capital into Kashmir without a proper cost-benefit analysis. –Photo by AFP All states have core interests, and these generally revolve around security and prosperity. There are often trade-offs between these imperatives as a certain country might assign greater importance to one over another, depending on its threat assessment, as well as the importance its citizens and governing consensus place on their wellbeing. Examples abound, but let’s take two extreme ones: North Korea is militarised to the extent of keeping its people … Continue reading National interest and ideology – time to cut the strings from Mullahs and America?

Malik confirms death of top commanders The Dawn.com Interior Minister Rehman Malik. – (File Photo) ISLAMABAD: Interior Minister Rehman Malik confirmed on Saturday that Tehreek-e-Taliban leaders Maulvi Faqir Muhammad, Qari Ziaur Rehman and Fateh Muhammad were killed along with 30 other militants in the Mohmand Agency. The Taliban leaders were killed as helicopter gunship helicopters targeted their hideouts. Speaking to DawnNews, Malik said that other militants that are on the run will be captured and not spared. He added that there were clear indications of Indian involvement in militant activities in NWFP and the tribal areas. The accusation of Indian … Continue reading Top Takfiri Mullahs Dead!

By Anwar Iqbal The Dawn.com Maleeha Lodhi, Pakistan’s former ambassador to US, said that America’s ‘explicit recognition’ could be useful “only if stops such propaganda otherwise Pakistan is already a nuclear weapons state, with or without America’s recognition”. — File Photo WASHINGTON: The Obama administration has implicitly accepted Pakistan’s status as a declared nuclear weapons state, countering conspiracy theories that the United States is secretly plotting to seize the country’s nuclear assets, says a US media report. Another media report says that President Barack Obama plans to host talks between Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan … Continue reading US accepts Pakistan as a declared nuclear state

Worldwide research, interviewing key witnesses and discussing the subject with astronauts, military and intelligence specialists, pilots, politicians and scientists, has established Timothy Good as a leading authority on UFOs and the alien presence – the most highly classified subject on Earth. Timothy Good interview He became interested in the subject in 1955, when his passion for aviation and space led him to read a book by Major Donald Keyhoe describing UFO sightings by qualified observers such as military and civilian pilots. In 1961, after reading a book by Captain Edward Ruppelt, a U.S. Air Force intelligence officer, he began to … Continue reading Timothy Good – UFO Authority … … … —