development: Preventing child smuggling —Syed Mohammad Ali Research reveals that many underage girls continue going to the Gulf States from Pakistan to serve as ‘entertainers’. Agents help the families of these girls obtain fake birth certificates stating they are 20-years-old, when, in fact, they are four to five years younger than that During the past week, the Supreme Court held a hearing based on a suo motu notice of the problem of child smuggling and has directed the interior ministry to report back within a month why no action has been taken against those responsible. This show of judicial activism was … Continue reading Preventing child smuggling

view: The phantasmagoria called Muslim women —Ishtiaq Ahmed Whenever outmoded religious laws and practices stood in the way of progress, reformers started an internal critique and ended up recommending that the secular state, respectful of religion as a spiritual and moral code as well as of the human rights of individuals, alone can serve as the basis of a pluralist democracy The past few days have been filled with such dramatically contrasting news about the fortunes of Muslim women that one can call them a phantasmagoria. A phantasmagoria is a changing scene made up of many elements in which the changes … Continue reading The phantasmagoria called Muslim women

By Martin J Young HUA HIN, Thailand – Microsoft’s cash cow is set to get fatter this week as the software giant rolls out the latest version of its Office productivity suite. In years that Microsoft does not launch new operating systems, most of the company’s profits come from corporate licensing of Office, which primarily consists of the familiar applications of Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint and Access amongst other programs. Office 2010, which hit the shelves on Wednesday, is poised to set a precedence for the firm, which is eager to thwart rivals such as Google that are leading the … Continue reading Office 2010 in the clouds?

By Gareth Porter WASHINGTON – United States President Barack Obama and Afghan President Hamid Karzai sought to portray a united front on the issue of a political settlement with the Taliban in their joint press conference on Wednesday. But their comments underlined the deep rift that divides Karzai and Obama over the issue. Karzai obtained Obama’s approval for a peace jirga (council) scheduled for later this month – an event the Obama administration had earlier regarded with grave doubt because of Karzai’s apparent invitation to the Taliban to participate. On the broader question of reconciliation, however, Obama was clearly warning … Continue reading Obama, Karzai still at odds

By M K Bhadrakumar Russian diplomacy has been on a roll in recent months, the revival of ties with Ukraine being the most dramatic manifestation. But a string of successes, major and minor, sung and unsung, has been notched up below that high point – in Poland, Azerbaijan, Uzbekistan, Norway and Syria. Even with regard to Russia’s highly inflammable relations with Georgia, Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has opened a new front by trying to find people to talk to in Tbilisi, such as former parliament speaker Nino Burjanadze. Russian commentators freely admit that the improved climate for relations with the … Continue reading Russia opens a new pipeline of diplomacy

By Ramzy Baroud Clad in his usual attire of a colorful, striped robe, Afghan President Hamid Karzai appeared more like an emperor as he began his fourth day in Washington . Accompanying him on a somber visit to the Arlington National Cemetery were United States Defense Secretary Robert Gates, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen and top US (and North Atlantic Treaty Organization) commander in Afghanistan Stanley McChrystal – the very men responsible for the occupation of Karzai’s country. The clearly-rehearsed visit seemed set on giving the impression that the relationship between Karzai and these men … Continue reading Karzai kiss a prelude to Kandahar storm

By Syed Saleem Shahzad ISLAMABAD – The year 2009 was a second watershed in the Taliban-led struggle against foreign forces in Afghanistan as the resistance took the war, previously limited mainly to the south and western parts of the country, to north and eastern provinces. In 2006, the Taliban emerged for the first time as a coherent force since being toppled from power by the United States-led invasion in late 2001. As the battle ground has extended, new groups have joined in, fighting in the Taliban’s name alongside old-guard Taliban commanders. For the Western coalition, this sprawling growth of the … Continue reading Militant splits span AfPak border

Montaigne, philosopher of life, part 2: Learning not to be afraid Montaigne had a terrible fear of death – until his own near-death experience showed him there was no need to worry Sarah Bakewell guardian.co.uk, Montaigne, as a young man, had an excessive fear of death, and it made it almost impossible for him to enjoy living. This was partly the result of a fashion of the time, which stated – following some of the ancient philosophers – that the best way to be at ease about your own mortality was to think about it constantly. Dwell on your death … Continue reading Montaigne had a terrible fear of death – until his own near-death experience showed him there was no need to worry

1- WHAT IS LEADERSHIP? Leadership is the single most important determinant in organisational success. Good leadership leads to success; bad leadership leads to frustration and failure. One of the harbingers of doom is to place leadership authority in the wrong hands. All members, supporters, and sympathisers of the organisation are stakeholders who are concerned about success and failure of leadership. Leadership is a pre-condition for civilised existence. Any group of 3 or more must have a leader. Absence of recognised leadership means chaos to the detriment of all. Leadership is the process of influencing people and making them do certain … Continue reading Concept of Leadership in Islam