By Ardeshir Cowasjee It is time that the sea around us is known as the Pakistan Sea: Ardeshir Cowasjee.—File photo This country is suffering manifold miseries, as it has for many a year, but now more than ever, mainly inflicted by the forces of nature ably aided by the incompetence and follies of mankind. That every nation has the government it deserves does not right now aptly apply to Pakistan since it has, to all intents and purposes, a non-government incapable of doing what it was elected and is paid to do. Amidst the massive loss of life from north … Continue reading Why not the Pakistan Sea?

COMMENT: Can the discount rate hike curb inflation? —Muhammad Aftab To foot the bill of reconstruction of flood destruction and continue the war against terror, the people have to pay taxes, which should be equitable Can the latest hike in discount rate curb inflation and help bridge the government’s yawning budgetary deficit? Highly doubtful. I say this while looking back at nearly two years of the operation of a failed tight monetary policy. But the hard fact is that the latest discount rate hike again hits business — already slowed by high interest rates and rising cost of doing business. … Continue reading Can the discount rate hike curb inflation?

Humans ‘subconsciously mimic other accents’, psychologists claim People who interact with a person with a different accent subconsciously mimic their twang because they want to “empathise” with their conversation partner, psychologists claim. telegraph.co.uk Spain and Netherlands fans at the World Cup Scientists found we mimic foreign accents. Photo: REUTERS American researchers have found human brains imitate the speech patterns of other people, even complete strangers, without meaning to. They say a humans want to “bond” with others, even when a voice cannot be heard or, somewhat embarrassingly, even if another person is a foreigner. Related Articles US accent best for … Continue reading Do you subconsciously mimic other accents?

Sleepless Knightsbridge residents protest over super car races outside Harrods For neighbours of Harrods it has always been a relief when the shutters come down and the thronging crowds of shoppers and tourists disperse for the evening. telegraph.co.uk A Bugatti Veyron in Knightsbridge Photo: Frantzesco Kangaris But now residents in Knightsbridge, west London, say their night-time peace is being shattered by the super-rich racing their sports cars through the streets. They claim residential roads surrounding the world-famous department store have become “like the starting grid of 24 Hours of Le Mans” since the Qatari royal family purchased it in May. … Continue reading My Arab brothers please stop racing in Knightsbridge!

Do not judge me on 15 seconds The writer is author of Rock & Roll Jihad: A Muslim Rock Star’s Revolution and is a member of the band Junoon salman.ahmad@tribune.com.pk I wonder why the same self-professed devout people who are offended by me do not react as zealously when it comes to saving Pakistan from the terrorists who are chopping off heads, whipping girls and destroying schools and our culture. The Taliban and al Qaeda are doing far more damage to Islam and Pakistan than a 15-second clip on It’s my country too on YouTube. Allama Iqbal spoke profoundly when … Continue reading Pious twits and Music

WikiLeaks: The Fazlur Rehman connection JUI-F leader Fazlur Rehman is implicated in the WikiLeaks reports as being responsible for spreading propaganda in Afghanistan. PHOTO: EPA Intelligence reports published on WikiLeaks point to the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) faction leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman as a figure involved in the Afghan insurgency. WikiLeaks – The role of JUI-F One report, filed on February 27, 2004, implicates Rehman even though his name and the party’s name are misspelled. Most of the reports on WikiLeaks are written in military jargon and names are spelled phonetically. The report alleges that Rehman was involved in funding propaganda … Continue reading PROOF: Mullah Fazlur Rehman is a TERRORIST

Is Oxbridge right for the likes of me? Too many students wrongly believe that Oxford and Cambridge are only interested in the posh and the rich Sara Abbasi guardian.co.uk, Saturday 7 August 2010 22.40 BST Article history Last month, the burden of writing my university application personal statement began to weigh on me. Feeling confused about which course to apply for, and which university I’d like to study at, I decided to speak to my teacher, who instantly said: “Apply for the Oxbridge universities.” This was flattering. I’m 17 and although I obtained high grades at GCSE, I found my … Continue reading Is Oxbridge for me?

Truthfulness in advertising? Who knows – it could just catch on Imagine a world in which marketing companies were honest about the products they were trying to sell David Mitchell The Observer, Sunday 8 August 2010 Article history Some time in the 1950s, in a Kellogg’s laboratory, some scientists eagerly gathered round a bowl. “They’re perfect!” the newest member of the team muttered. “Crispy yet indulgent, luxurious yet fun!” “Let’s just wait until we’ve added the milk,” replied an old hand. “They could still go the way of Malticles.” The others shuddered at the recollection of the research dollars that … Continue reading Truthfulness in advertising?

ANALYSIS: Redefine national security —Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi Political violence and terrorism are the most serious threats to Pakistan’s internal harmony and external role. These factors have created a more dangerous situation for national security than the threats coming from outside Pakistan. Further, these internal weaknesses expose Pakistan to external interference and intervention Pakistan is currently faced with natural and man-made disasters. The natural disaster is the flood and its related problems. The man-made disaster includes terrorism and street violence and killings whose latest victims are Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Karachi respectively. Both threaten the fabric of Pakistani state and society. … Continue reading Redefine national security

VIEW: Does Pakistan make sense? — I —Haider Nizamani State and nation alignment is an ideal that very few, if any, states in the world meet. As a result, when overly centralised states like Pakistan try to erase social and political differences within a diverse society like theirs, in the name of creating a ‘true Pakistani’, the project is bound to be challenged Pakistan will be turning 63 this month, but a question Ayesha Jalal posed 25 years ago has not lost its validity: how did a Pakistan come about that fits the interests of most Muslims so poorly? Professor … Continue reading Does Pakistan make sense?