Shamshad Ahmad Sixty-two years down the road after our independence, where do we stand as a nation and as a member of the comity of nations? Are we living in “a democratic and progressive” Pakistan as envisioned by its founder? Can we genuinely claim to be “upholders” of fundamental values of freedom, democracy and human dignity? Have we been able to make Pakistan a bastion of inner strength, political stability, economic self-reliance, social cohesion and national unity that our leaders, over the years, have been show-casing to their people as their destiny? These are painful questions, and answers to these … Continue reading Before it’s too late – Embrace Democracy and progress or Mullahism and the stoneage

RAWALPINDI: Mohammed Zafar Iqbal used to cash in on his beautiful face and graceful moves, dancing bedecked in midnight blue veils and dresses for clients who sought his perceived closeness to God. But like most of Pakistan’s eunuch and transsexual community – mocked, pitied and shunned by society – his life has mostly been marred by hardship and suffering, peaking seven years ago when he was brutally attacked. A jealous admirer, furious at being spurned by a hijra, as eunuchs are know in Pakistan, threw acid in his face. That man, Shabir, was once his best friend. “I loved him … Continue reading Pakistan’s eunuchs face life of begging, prostitution

By Mahir Ali Tony Blair mentioned no regrets. Not the slightest twinge over the several hundred thousand Iraqi deaths in the past seven years. Not a skerrick of remorse over the young British lives at the altar of his nation’s ‘special relationship’ with the US. –Photo by Reuters No, he wasn’t facing the final curtain, but Tony Blair did, after a fashion, state his case, of which he claimed to be certain. Yes, he did it his way (or, to be more precise, George W. Bush’s way); and yes, often enough he bit off more than he could chew, and … Continue reading The words of one who kneels?

Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan’s (L) message of peace, which won him a Nobel prize nomination in 1985, is still vital both in the conflicted areas where he spent most of his life, and in the West where it can help explode stereotypes about the Muslim world. –Courtesy Internet KABUL: Badshah Khan was so close to Mahatma Gandhi they shared reading glasses, inspiring jokes about their shared vision, but unlike his friend, the Pashtun champion of non-violent struggle has been almost forgotten by his people. Now Canadian filmmaker Teri McLuhan hopes to drag the man dubbed “Frontier Gandhi”, and his role … Continue reading ‘Frontier Gandhi’ brings Pashtun peace icon to life

Posted by Sana Saleem  Nationalism is best understood in contrast to patriotism. Patriotism is simply love for one’s country, whereas nationalism is the sense that one’s nation is the best, often because it is more sacred than other nations. For the past few months, ‘Wake Up Pakistan’ – a campaign targeting this country’s youth – has been making waves both in the mainstream and social media. The campaign aims to bring about an ideological revolution in Pakistan: Pakistan today is in the eyes of the world, what we do and what we don’t will decide the future of Pakistan and … Continue reading Our source of national pride?

By Rafia Zakaria The irony of Dr Aafia’s allegations against Jewish jurors is exacerbated further when one considers the fact that Jewish American activists and lawyers have been at the forefront of ensuring that those imprisoned in Guantanamo and other terrorism suspects are produced in courts of law. –File During the process of jury selection for her trial for attempted murder in New York, Dr Aafia Siddiqui alleged that she could not get a fair trial because she felt “everyone here is” a Jew. She said she would “boycott” the trial unless the Jews on the jury were removed. Because … Continue reading The ‘other’ Jewish lobby

Continue reading Cute Pussycat!

Whether or not Lennon did regret his associations with the radical left, I still remember his beliefs – and his voice – fondly Tariq Ali guardian.co.uk, Radical and chic: John Lennon and Yoko Ono and with black power leader Michael X at his house in Holloway, 4 February 1970. Photograph: Getty  Maurice Hindle’s comments (‘Response’, The Guardian, 2 February,) raise some interesting questions regarding John Lennon‘s politics. For the record, it might be useful to point out that it was Lennon who rang and wanted a conversation, a year after the 1969 exchange on the Beatle’s album Revolution in the … Continue reading John Lennon’s power for the people