By Syed Saleem Shahzad ISLAMABAD – Pakistan has once again come up with a big fish for the United States with the arrest in the southern port city of a senior al-Qaeda operative. Although there is some confusion as to the identity of the man, the arrest again underscores the importance of Pakistan in the US’s struggle in Afghanistan. On Sunday evening, Pakistan’s security agencies leaked a report of the arrest of al-Qaeda operative Abu Yahya Azzam, but later information began circulating that the man was in fact another al-Qaeda operative, Adam Gadahn, an American-born convert to Islam whose Muslim … Continue reading Pakistan delivers but doubts remain

By Charles McDermid SULI, Iraqi Kurdistan – At about the same moment on Sunday when United States President Barack Obama was in the White House Rose Garden praising a relatively peaceful voting day in Iraq, revelers in this northern city were blasting handguns and Kalashnikovs into the sky, often from speeding vehicles, in their own show of happiness for a day that will be a defining event for the nation, and Obama. Earlier in Baghdad, Apache and Blackhawk helicopter gunships hovered over the city as residents braved a morning of deadly terrorist attacks to take part in the country’s second … Continue reading Now the hard part for Iraq – and the US

By Stephen Blank For over a decade, Iran, Pakistan and India (IPI) have taken pains at negotiating a major pipeline deal whereby Iran would send natural gas from its territory to the region. Yet geopolitical and commercial issues have repeatedly prevented the deal’s fruition despite Tehran’s growing need to diversify gas sales to Asian markets and Asian countries desire to find a stable, reliable source of gas supplies. In recent years, India’s participation in this project has become more uncertain, which is partly responsible for the long delay that the project has suffered. Iran’s repeated attempts to raise the price … Continue reading China hangs fire on Iran-Pakistan pipeline and watches the Mullahs carefully

The Dawn Pakistani volunteers search for blast victims in the rubble of destroyed law enforcement building after a car bomb attack in Lahore on March 8, 2010. – AFP Media Gallery Terrorists target market in Lahore Terrorists target market in Lahore LAHORE: A spokesman for the Pakistani Taliban’s main umbrella faction, Tehreek-e-Taliban, claimed the group was responsible Monday for a suicide blast that killed 12 people in Lahore. “We claim responsibility for the Lahore blast. We will continue such attacks in future,” Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) spokesman Azam Tariq told two AFP reporters in telephone calls from an undisclosed location. “The … Continue reading FIA building collapses after blast in Lahore

Posted by Nadeem F. Paracha Another bomb attack in Lahore. What to expect from the PMLN government in the Punjab? Lip service condemning terrorism, of course. But, as usual, keeping in mind the Punjab government’s past record, the condemnation will be general and vague. Even as the PPP-led coalition government in Islamabad will not hesitate to take names – they’ll point to the Taliban or the many sectarian organisations working as Al Qaeda’s foot soldiers – it is expected that the Punjab government under the PMLN will not. Determining which forces are hell-bent on mutilating the country is not rocket … Continue reading Wake up, Punjab and fight the mullahs or they will destroy you next!

J-X / J-XX / XXJ J-12 / J-13 / J-14 / J-20 (Jianjiji – Fighter aircraft) There is general agreement in the open literature that China is working on some type of stealthy fighter attack aircraft, and that this program has been underway since the turn of the century. There is very little agreement beyond these basic points. Available treatments of this subject in print and online seem to represent little more than a confusing jumble of informed speculation, wild guesstimates, and active disinformation. The Chinse government is under no obligation to set the record straight, and indeed has every … Continue reading Chinese Stealth Fighter better than the F22 Lightning?

Two’s company: In fashion By S.M. Shahid Dawn.com “When did FASHION become such a great thing for mankind? It’s certainly not a part of nature or instinct. Animals do not indulge in fashion; they have no fascination for clothes, footwear, jewellery or makeup. Even apes who are closely related to us, do not indulge in such wasteful diversions. But, frankly, what exactly is FASHION?” In one breath Babboo had asked too many questions. “The dictionary describes fashion as ‘the make or cut of a thing: form or pattern: vogue: a prevailing custom,” I replied. “And what must you do to … Continue reading Animals do not indulge in fashion; they have no fascination for clothes, footwear, jewellery or makeup.

No Spinzone: Interview with history By Anjum Niaz Dawn.com A historic and crucial meeting in Moscow 1972, with Secretary-General Brezhnev and Foreign Minister Gromyko. Seated next to ZAB is Foreign Secretary Aziz Ahmad and Ambassador Marker —File Photo Paris was like a femme fatale. Ambassador Jamsheed Marker loved being in the company of artists, writers, fashion designers and intellectuals. He counts conductor Zubin Mehta and actor Omar Sharif among his good friends. But one sad incident clearly stays in his memory of those bucolic days; the untimely death of Shahnawaz Bhutto. Marker sketches the details of the tragedy as though … Continue reading Ambassador Jamsheed Marker loved being in the company of artists, writers, fashion designers and intellectuals.

Salarzai tribal elders declare former Jamaat Islami MNA ‘enemy of people’ Salarzais declare former Jamaat MNA ‘enemy of people’ Sunday, March 07, 2010 Ban entry of Haroon Rashid into Bajaur our correspondent KHAR: Notables and elders of Salarzai tribe Saturday declared the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) leader and former parliamentarian Sahibzada Haroon Rasheed as enemy of the people and banned his entry to Bajaur Agency. The tribal elders also demanded of the government to take stern action against the former MNA and some of his relatives reportedly involved in subversive and militant activities in Bajaur. Addressing a press conference at Raghagan in … Continue reading Pakistani Pasthun Elders declare JI Mullah Terrorist! BRAVE! PAKISTAN ZINDABAD!