VIEW: Sharifs’ controversy —Zeeshan Noel Christopher We must acknowledge that, contrary to the speech of Quaid-e-Azam on August 11, 1947, it is now clear that Muslims are still considered Muslims and Hindus are still treated as Hindus in this Islamic Republic of Pakistan “What is hidden in the heart leaps out of the tongue” was, perhaps, the most comprehensive and succinct reply from Mr Shahbaz Sharif’s opponents after his appeal to the Taliban a few days back. When the dead bodies of innocent people, who lost their lives in the recent bomb attacks, were being buried in Lahore and the … Continue reading What is hidden in the heart leaps out of the tongue

COMMENT:: Reasons behind the basant ban — I —Nasir Abbas Mirza Basant is democratic and egalitarian in concept and practice. It is uniquely Lahori; no city in the world could imitate or import it. If only for a few delightful days, it removed boundaries and barriers between social classes For decades the religious extremists in Punjab tried to ban basant but they just could not. They tried everything in the book: called it a Hindu festival, anti-Islam, waste of time, waste of money and what have you, but basant kept on growing in popularity and participation until such time that … Continue reading Pakistan needs to be proud of its cultural heritage.

development: Means to prevent hunger —Syed Mohammad Ali Pakistan is amongst the list of countries trying to lease its land to rich Gulf States to grow crops that will be exported, so as to attract more foreign investment, despite the fear of water depletion and increased food insecurity Access to adequate food is one of the most basic of human rights that still keeps eluding the development community as a whole, despite the billions of dollars spent every year to better the lives of deprived people around the world. While there is said to be enough food in the world … Continue reading Pakistan – leasing land to grow crops for Arab states

Indian couture Asia-bound, but eyeing west Indian models present creations of designer Niki Mahajan, at the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week Autumn Winter 2010 in New Delhi, India.–AP NEW DELHI: Demand for Indian couture has surged in the Middle East and East Asia in the last five years but the West remains out of bounds due to lack of exposure, designers and buyers said at India’s largest fashion event. Most Indian designers focus on a burgeoning market at home, where a rapidly growing middle class is consuming high fashion like never before, but a significant number are expanding abroad. “Buyers … Continue reading Indian and Pakistani fashion designers need to seek inspiration from their common heritage

Shoaib Malik to wed Sania Mirza dawn.com You will soon get some good news but it depends on my family. I expect to get married this year, Shoaib Malik said in a recent interview. –AP Photo/K.M.Chaudary Probe body recommends ban for Malik, Rana ISLAMABAD: Former Pakistan cricket captain Shoaib Malik is set to marry Indian tennis star Sania Mirza, a union of two of South Asia’s most well known sports personalities. The marriage is sure to attract attention because neighbouring Pakistan and India are longtime rivals, and have fought three wars since 1947. “The news of me marrying to Sania … Continue reading SM+SM=W (Shoaib Malik to wed Sania Mirza)

For the sake of the children Posted by Sana Saleem dawn.com Nearly two months after the death of Shazia Masih, the government is yet to take substantial steps towards protection of children’s rights in Pakistan. Shazia’s case first appeared after she was declared dead at Lahore’s Jinnah Hospital, suspected to have succumbed to torture by her employers. According to reports, she had  several marks of a sharp-edged weapon on her body, her right arm and a rib were fractured, her skull was damaged, and her nails had been plucked out. Despite the brutality, Shazia’s culprits were granted bail last month … Continue reading Pakistan must not replace the spoiled mullah with the spoiled lawyer

We must never forget Ziaul Haq By Kamran Shafi dawn.com “If there hadn’t been an NRO, Musharraf would still have been sitting at the top of the heap; the political parties would still have been out in the cold, and let alone being restored, the judges would still have been under house arrest.” — Photo by AP We are told that Ziaul Haq, yes the very same Ziaul Haq at whose door the responsibility of unleashing the demons responsible for most of our present travails can and should be placed, is to be excised from the nation’s history by his … Continue reading Never forget Ziaul Haq!

Who are the Christian militia ‘Hutaree’ and why was the FBI targeting them? http://hutaree.com/ This weekend, the FBI conducted a series of raids in Michigan, Ohio, and Indiana to detain members of a Christian militia group on criminal charges. So what does this group believe, and how do its members fit in with the larger radical right? The group in question calls itself the “Hutaree”; its website says the term translates as “Christian warrior.” And in keeping with that name, the material it has posted online reflects an outlook of violent religious confrontation. The Hutaree believe that acts of violence … Continue reading Canada to launch drone attacks on US Christian Terrorist bases?

Why do our paranoid, anti-fun police seem to think they run the country? Morality policing here is starting to rival Saudi. At protests and festivals, we need to reassert the right to gather in public spaces George Monbiot guardian.co.uk This Thursday a year will have passed since Ian Tomlinson died after a police assault at the G20 protests. No charges have been brought against the police; no one has been punished. Despite 300 official complaints about the policing of the protests on 1 April, and plenty of video and photographic evidence, no officer has faced serious disciplinary proceedings. Those who … Continue reading British Police becoming Talibanised!

March 29, 2010 by Kalsoom CNN: Image of a painting of Paradise allegedly used by militants to indoctrinate children. Below is my reaction piece to a Washington Post article on rehabilitating child militants in Pakistan. The article was first published on Foreign Policy’s AfPak Channel: On Sunday, the Washington Post covered the progress of a new boarding school established to rehabilitate and deradicalize former child militants in Swat Valley, Pakistan. The army-sponsored center currently houses 86 young boys who were either captured by the military or brought in by their families. According to the Post, “Some had been trained by … Continue reading Rehabilitating Pakistan’s Child Soldiers