ANALYSIS: Old saga: dangerous new dimensions —Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur Settlers’ deaths in Balochistan evoke widespread condemnation but there is deafening silence at Baloch deaths. Silence is equated with condoning the crimes and encourages perpetrators to more barbarism The old saga of missing persons in Balochistan has recently assumed dangerous new dimensions. A new and more gruesome chapter of atrocities has been opened. Baloch from all walks of life — picked up by the agencies — turn up dead, shot point-blank. Then these black deeds are claimed by fictitious organisations going by the name of Sipah-e-Shuhada-e-Balochistan, etc. How do persons … Continue reading Old saga: dangerous new dimensions

By Ahmad Hassan dawn.com A flood survivor collects fire wood from the debris of his destroyed home in the flood affected area of Nowshera. -AFP Photo National Muzaffargarh city cleared for resettlement Muzaffargarh city cleared for resettlement ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and PML-N chief Mian Nawaz Sharif agreed on Saturday to set up a ‘credible national body comprising men of integrity’ to ensure transparency in the collection, management and distribution of relief funds among the flood-affected. Mr Sharif said it was gratifying for him that Mr Gilani had accepted his proposal regarding the commission. Mr Gilani hinted at … Continue reading Gilani accepts Nawaz proposal on relief panel

By Ali K Chishti Imagine if al Qaeda and the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) train a team of suicide bombers in FATA and send them to the US and all the European capitals to carry out a series of suicide bombings and 26/11-style fidai attacks? A logical question countering the argument would be: who will provide the logistics and visas? Well, there is no need for one, now: thanks to dozens of fake and stolen European passports readily available in Pakistan. A European passport not only insures you visa free entry to the EU countries but a visa on arrival for … Continue reading Fake EU passport trade a boon for terrorists

Michal Harari Backgrounder_SonsofIraq.pdf Click here to download Backgrounder: Uncertain Future for the Sons of Iraq THE AWAKENING In 2007, after experiencing large losses and increased violence in Iraq, the U.S. adopted a new counterinsurgency strategy that included a troop increase as well as a new emphasis on cooperation with the Iraqi population. Coalition forces succeeded in co-opting tribal leaders, alienated by al-Qaeda’s extremist ideology and brutal tactics, and “turned formerly passive supporters as well as some former insurgents into active supporters of the counterinsurgency effort.” They convinced tribal leaders to recruit young men, mostly Sunni-Arabs, and created volunteer security forces … Continue reading Uncertain Future for the Sons of Iraq

HIZB-I-ISLAMI GULBUDDIN (HIG) Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG) <!– April 21, 2009 –> Overview Hizb-i-Islami Gulbuddin (HIG), led by Gulbuddin Hekmatyar, is an insurgent group active in Afghanistan. It is a splinter group of one of the prominent , and the most radical of the seven mujahedeen factions fighting the Soviets in the 1980s. Hekmatyar , a favorite of the CIA and Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) Directorate, received the greatest portion of foreign assistance to the mujahedeen.1 Hekmatyar trained Afghan and foreign guerilla fighters in the refugee camps of Shamshatoo and Jalozai in Pakistan’s Northwest Frontier Province (NWFP) and also ran numerous … Continue reading HIZB-I-ISLAMI GULBUDDIN

Obama Speaks Out On Mosque Controversy: “Our Commitment To Religious Freedom Must Be Unshakeable” by: Faiz Shakir  |  Think Progress | Report (Photo: Imran Ali / Flickr) Tonight, President Obama hosted an iftaar dinner at the White House — a feast marking the culmination of a day of fasting for practicing Muslims during the current Islamic calendar month of Ramadan. At remarks delivered at the dinner, Obama spoke out on the controversy surrounding the construction of a new Islamic center near the Ground Zero site, firmly siding in favor of the project: Obama: Let me be clear: as a citizen, and as … Continue reading Obama Speaks Out On NY Mosque

All in the name of religion More and more Muslims are now being booked under the blasphemy law Aristotle said, “The rule of law is better than the rule of any individual.” It’s a good thing that he did not live to see the way laws are made in Pakistan, set in place too frequently by individuals for selfish reasons. Case in point: the blasphemy law When General Ziaul Haq started tweaking the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) in 1982, he introduced Section 295-B, which made desecrating the Holy Quran or making a derogatory remark about it punishable by life imprisonment. … Continue reading The Blasphemy of The Blasphemy Law

True stories of celebrity tantrums Dealing with celebrities can mean handling attitude problems and managing unreasonable requests The best part about being a journalist is meeting celebrities of whom one has been a great fan. However, at times staying in touch with celebrities can be a miserable job. Celebrities can live up to your worst nightmare of stereo-typical narcissistic social-climbing artificial materialistic horror – and they can do it in spike heels. As a free-lance writer for several English language magazines I have gone through some bitter experiences. Interviewing a celebrity (with fangs!) A. Khan is a singer and song-writer who I have had the misfortune of … Continue reading Celebrity tantrums