The VIP vice Anjum Niaz The writer is a freelance journalist with over twenty years of experience in national and international reporting Last Sunday on a PIA flight from Karachi to Islamabad, we had a VIP travel in the first-class cabin. When the flight landed in Islamabad, we were made to wait until the VIP was safely seated in his waiting Mercedes flying two flags – the Pakistan and perhaps the PPP flags. The wait for us was not long, but what was shocking was to see the car drive up to the apron, as close as it could get … Continue reading Is it shitting down with V.I.Ps in Pakistan?

Talat Farooq Several rallies and protests have been organised by various religious political parties and their supporters in the aftermath of the Aafia trial in New York, demanding her release and return to Pakistan. Members of some non-conservative educational institutions have also joined in this flurry of emotional outbursts. The media has highlighted her ordeal without debating the downside of her story in objective detail. A whole generation of Pakistanis, grown up in an environment that discourages critical analysis and dispassionate objectivity in its educational institutions, has more or less allowed their emotions to be exploited. The Aafia case is … Continue reading Daughter of god?

The seven wonders of the solar system We’re living in a new golden age of exploration where we can marvel at the icy oceans of distant moons – and value Earth’s rarity, says Brian Cox. By Brian Cox telegraph Prof Brian Cox witnessing the 2009 total solar eclipse in Varanasi, India Photo: BBC When we think of the golden age of space exploration, our minds turn back to those black and white images of Apollo astronauts, the beeps of Sputnik as it broadcast from space. Today, space seems something of an afterthought: only this month, the pressures of the recession … Continue reading LIFE on Jupiter’s frozen moon, Europa?

by Ishtiaq Ahmed There is a screaming silence from the custodians of Islam — the ulema — on the execution of Jaspal Singh, probably because he was not a Muslim. The Muslim masses have not taken to the streets in protest because they have been conditioned to protest only when something is perceived to be anti-Islam The barbaric, appalling beheading of Jaspal Singh — one of the three Sikhs who were taken hostage by the Taliban — has shocked decent, peace-loving people all over the world. Two versions are in circulation. One that their families failed to pay the huge … Continue reading A time to purify Islam by culling the political mullah?

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al Faisal made some very  interesting remarks during Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s visit to Saudi Arabia. He said that Pakistan is a “friendly country” and Saudi Arabia was “worried” about the rising tide of extremism there. One would like to remind Prince Faisal as to the role of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in fuelling religious extremism in Pakistan. Being the custodian of Islam’s holy places, Saudi Arabia has great reverence in all Muslim countries. Add to it petro-dollars and the ‘reverence’ increases manifold. Pakistan has been a close ally of the Saudis for a … Continue reading Saudi doublespeak!

A respected Islamic scholar will publish a seminal fatwa tomorrow that unequivocally condemns terrorism and warns suicide bombers that they will “go to hell” for their attacks. Pakistani-born Shaikh Dr Tahir ul-Qadri is launching his fatwa in London as part of a drive to combat the power of jihadist rhetoric on the web and provide English-speaking Muslims with an authoritative theological explanation detailing why terrorism is not permitted. Although numerous fatwas condemning terrorism have been released by scholars around the world since 9/11, Shaikh Dr Qadri’s 600-page ruling is both significant and unusual because it is one of the few … Continue reading Islamic scholar says suicide bombers will ‘go to hell’

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL—In an announcement highly anticipated by sex fans around the world, Tiger Woods told a small gathering of reporters, family, and lovers Friday that the most dominant fornicator on the planet would soon return to sex. “Not being able to get out there and have sex has really been tough on me,” Woods said. “I’ve missed it. I love fucking with all my heart.” Woods said that during his brief time away from sex, he couldn’t stop thinking about one day resuming his daily regimen of sexual intercourse with random women who look vaguely like his wife, … Continue reading Tiger Woods Announces Return To Sex

What to think about Microsoft’s browser ballot screen, which started to be rolled out today? Is it no big deal? Some suggest that people will see yet another dialogue box appear within Windows and simply ignore it. But I tend to agree with those that think this marks the moment where Microsoft’s dominance over the browser market is effectively over. I just spoke to a number of experts for their thoughts. But Sheri McLeish, an analyst at Forrester, the research firm, summed it up nicely. She told Tech Central: Honestly, I can’t see Microsoft digging out of this hole quickly. Their biggest challenge … Continue reading The browser ballot: the end of Microsoft’s dominance