Tag Archives: Washington

India, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan, Politics

VIEW: Pak-Afghan relations —Agha H Amin

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Courtesy: Daily Times

I fail to understand how some of the country’s leading analysts can dub Afghanistan as being Pakistan’s backyard. Afghanistan is an independent state that boasts a great history. Seen in this context, how would Pakistanis feel if India tried to coin Pakistan as its backyard?

Since Pakistan’s foreign minister does not control a substantial part of Pakistan’s foreign policy — the part that concerns Afghanistan and India — Pakistan’s army chief, General Kayani is also visiting Washington for a Pak-US strategic dialogue.

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News, Pakistan, Politics, Sindh

SINDHIS IN PAK -USA STRATEGIC DIALOGUE

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– Zulfiqar Halepoto

…During current PAK -USA STRATEGIC DIALOGUE, a lot of important development issues are going to be discussed and it is a healthy news that on the invitation from US Secretary of State yesterday two Sindhis attended the reception on the occasion of the U.S.- Pakistan Strategic Dialogue, they were Ali Nawaz Memon and Sarfraz Memon.

The entire Pakistani delegation was present there. They got the opportunity to handshake and say hello to Hillary Clinton and they got the chance to talk and lobby with some very important US senators and congressman.

They had special chance to meet Pakistan based US diplomats. Sarfraz Memon had a unique opportunity to spend some time of discussion one on one with US Ambassador Anne Peterson. He briefed her about the current socio-economic and political developments taking place in Sindh. He conveyed to her the concern of Sindhis about Kerry Lugar Bill Assistance and Sindh’s share and that may be Sindhi job applicants are disqualified at very early stage , and lower level of sorting of candidates for the embassy jobs.

Second item he brought to her attention that the visa policy of US towards our Sindhi visitors, students and artists.

There is still a great need to follow the dialogue and see what good is coming for Sindh in near future.

Courtesy: e-lists, March 24, 2010

News, Pakistan, Politics

Zardari Is On ‘Shaky Ground’ – Senator McCain Says

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Washington: Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari is on shaky ground because of a loss of immunity that has been enacted by the Parliament….. “The Pakistanis are also nervous, as the Afghans are, as are other countries in region, about the president’s declaration that we would be leaving in the middle of 2011. That and the build-up of the Afghan army being  sufficient to take over responsibilities from us eventually are the two big problems that I saw on my visit,” McCain added.

Culture, Pakistan, Sindh, Sindhi

Sindhi Topee day in Washington

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by: Khalid Hashmani, McLean, Virginia

Several Washington Sindhis are meeting to observe the Sindhi Cultural Day called as ‘Sindhi Topi Day’ on Sunday (Dec. 6 – 1:00 PM) at the East West Grill restaurant in Arlington. All those who are interested in the protection and promotion of the Sindhi culture are welcome to join the meeting. The event is supported by the Forum for Justice and Democracy in Pakistan (FJDP) of Silverlining International and Sindhi Excellence Team (SET). The gathering will share Sindhi cultural experiences and stories about Sindhi literature, sites, and sounds. The gathering will also reaffirm the pledge to protect and promote Sindhi language and Sindhi culture.

Pakistan, Politics, Sindh, Sindhi

SAPAC Inaugural becomes Congressmen’s Town Hall Meeting and Sindhi Katchahry (Gathering)

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By Khalid Hashmani

Washington DC, September 16, 2009 – Sindhi American Political Action Committee (SAPAC) was inaugurated in Washington DC. This is a milestone step for the Sindhi American community that community hopes will help in restoring and preserving Sindhi Rights. The inaugural session was very well organized and in fact turned into a Congressmen’s Town Hall meeting and Sindhi Katchahry, which is a traditional village gathering where village elders and town folks share their hopes, concerns, and sorrows. The meeting was held at the Washington Court Hotel near the US Capitol Bulling. The moot was addressed by Congressman Gary Ackermann, Congressman Brad Sherman, Selig Harrison, and Marvin Weinbaum. The guests were welcomed by Dr. Maqbool Halepota and Munawar Laghari, President Director of SAPAC respectively. After formal addresses, a lively Town Hall meeting (Sindhi Katchahry) was held with Congressman Sherman and Sindhi participants. The meeting was admirably moderated by Leila Agha and Hanne Bursch.

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India, Kashmir, Pakistan, Politics

“The People of Kashmir are the Masters of their own Destiny”: G. M. Mir

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Washington, D.C. April 19, 2009. “The people of Kashmir are the masters of their destiny, ” said Mr. Ghulam Mohammad Mir, former President of Jammu Kashmir Plebiscite Front at a reception given in his honor by the Kashmiri American Council/Kashmir Center, Washington, D.C.

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Pakistan, Politics

Could carrot to Pakistan bite U.S.? Democrat: Aid could backfire if they feel they’re being bought

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Courtesy: Chicago Tribune
By Julian E. Barnes, Washington Bureau
2 April 2009
WASHINGTON- A senior Democratic senator raised questions Wednesday about the Obama administration’s plans to prod the Pakistan government to take more aggressive action against extremists by increasing foreign aid to Islamabad.

Continue reading Could carrot to Pakistan bite U.S.? Democrat: Aid could backfire if they feel they’re being bought →

Economy

Higher tax on rich

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Obama’s bold budget dicards Bush ideology in bid to lift economy

U.S. President Barack Obama blamed current economic woes on “an era of profound irresponsiblity.”
– ANDREW TAYLOR
ASSOCIATED PRESS
WASHINGTON- U.S. President Barack Obama charted a dramatic course for the United States with a bold but contenttious budge proposing higher taxes for the wealthy and the first steps toward guaranted health care for all Americans.
The budget was accompained by an astonishing $1.75 trillion federal deficit that would be nearly four times the highest in history. In a veiled jibe at George W. Bush’s eight- year presidency, Obama attributed the current economic maelstrom to “an era of profound irresponsibilty that engulfed both private and public institutions from some of our largest companies’ executive suites to the seats of power in Washington, D.C.”

Denouncing what he called the “dishonest accounting” of recent federal budgets, Obama unveiled his own $ 36 trillion blueprint for next year, a proposal tha would transfer walth from rich taxpayers to the middle class and the poor….

Culture, Pakistan, Personalities, Politics, Sindh, Sindhi

Jeay Sindh Leader Bashir Qureshi appeals World to help liberate Sindh

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Bashir Qureshi

(Editor’s Note: Bashir Qureshi is a Sindhi nationalist leader, he heads his own faction of Jeay Sindh Quami Mahaz (Long Live Sindh National Front) based on ideology of late G.M. Syed who called for independence of Sindh from Pakistan in 1970s. G.M. Syed was founder of movement for independent  Sindh into a separate country he called “Sindhudesh”, that means land of Sindh. Qureshi lives in Karachi, originally hails from a small city of Larkano district called Rato Dero. He became prominent when he was student leader in early 1980s at Tando Jam University, where he was studying. It is not confirmed that he completed his graduation from there or not because he was frequently arrested and remained in jail for several years.)

On January 5th, 2009  Syed’s birth day was observed in his ancestral native village called Sann.
Few passages of speech made by Bashir Khan Qureshi, Chairman JSQM are taken from Sindhi newspaper “Awami Awaz” (means voice of people) are given below;

“G.M. Syed is an ideological leader not only of Sindh but of globe, Syed considered Pakistan’s creation precarious not only for people of this country but for world at large”. This reality is now established universally that Pakistan’s existence is precarious not only to region but world at large.

We consider meaning of Pakistan as Punjabistan. Madeleine Albright, the former U.S. Foreign Secretary of State/Minister, said openly that “Pakistan is a Migraine for the world”. International Community committed error by not accepting G.M. Syed’s advice, and now this same mistake should not be repeated again, to get rid of religious extremism, international community should support Sindhis, Bashir Qureshi said.
“We Sindhis, though are stronger than Balochistan in terms of ideology but in fighting and resistance Balochs are far ahead than us. We demand end to operation in Balochistan and fully support independence of Balochistan, and further demand freedom and independence of all nations who have separate existence, he (Bashir Qureshi) said“

The Birth Anniversary of G.M. Syed was attended by some five thousands men & women on January 5, coverage of the event widely reported on January 6th 2009.

Background: At present there are four major groups/parties following into the political footsteps of late Jeay Sindh group led by Bashir Qureshi called JSQM is considered to be successor of G.M. Syed’s movement and most popular among its Jeay Sindh’s workers.

Other groups are JSQM-Areesar Group and Jeay Sindh Mahaz-Junejo Group, the fourth group is led by Syed’s own family called Sindh United Party (SUP), it is led by G.M. Syed’s grandson Syed Jalal Shah, who is a former member of Sindh Assembly and Deputy Speaker & acting speaker of Sindh provincial assembly. SUP has moved from demanding separation of Sindh to provincial autonomy of Sindh while remaining into Pakistan’s framework. Where as other three groups still demand independence of Sindh.

Culture, Pakistan, Punjab, Sindh

Munhji Dil Moen-Jo-Daro- Aror Jo Massat- Qurban Ali Kangle Jo Rooh

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By Khalid Hashmani

Washington DC — The Pakistani community of the greater Washington DC area once again witnessed a unique event aimed at bringing two founding nations of Pakistan, Sindhis and Punjabis, to better understand each other. The occasion was the formal introduction of “Amar Kahanian”, translation of several short stories of great Sindhi writer Amaar Jalil published by Dr. Manzur Ejaz from Fairfax, Virginia, USA. The function was held in Fairfax, Virginia on Saturday, 24th November and attended by several members of Sindhis, Punjabis, and other Pakistanis.

In addition to reading of beautiful story “Arror Da Massat” (Aror Jo Massat), Dr. Ejaz gave a short briefing on the activities and programs of “Wichaar” that includes a very impressive Web site and publishing books in Punjabi. He said that Sindh and Punjab have from time immemorial lived side by side and shared a wealth of common culture and literature. Lately, for some right and wrong reasons, the two communities are moving away from each other. He expressed his belief that renewing cultural and literary relationship has great potential for eliminating many misunderstandings. He added that the great Sindhi and Punjabi poets from 12th to 18th centuries, Sachal Sarmast, Buleh Shah, Shah Abdul Latif, Wasris shah, and others shortened many cultural gaps between the two communities and it is time again to renew those links again. Dr. Ejaz, who himself has a mastery of both Punjabi and Sindhi languages, explained the plans of “Wichaar” to further this objective. He said, Wichaar web site has been frequently translation of Sindhi articles into Punjab and vice versa and has become very popular with those who are interested in Punjabi and Sindhi literature. On the publication side, the first book “Amaar Kahanian” was published last last and another Sindhi book that will contain Punjabi translation of short stories by Nasim Kharal is under preparation. The second phase will include translation of two Punjabi books into Sindhis. He said that one of the challenges that “Wichaar” faces is lack of volunteer translators and computer linguist computer experts and any help provided to Wichaar in those contexts will be a great boost to increase the opportunities for literary exchange between Sindhi and Punjabi communities.

During Question-and- answer session, a proposal was made that it will bring Sindhi and Punjabi communities much closer if instead of using Gur-Mukhi or Shah-Mukhi (Persian) scripts, it makes much greater sense to adapt the Sindhi script in Punjabi literature. Another member of audience said that the Sindhi script is a rich script and just like rich array of sounds in Sindhi language, it coves all sounds of the Punjabi language. The Sindhi script has been existence for more than a century and has been the language of the court system and government of Sindh for many years. This step will be a great boost to national integration in Pakistan and help in creating a true national language as Siraiki, Balochi, Pushto, and Urdu too can easily be adapted to the Sindhi script.

The “Amaar Kahanian” book contains the following 11 stories:

Punjabi Name — Sindhi Name

Aror Da Massat — Aror Jo Massat

Tarikh Da Kafan — Tarikh Jo Kafan

Addam Di Maa — Adam Ji Maa

Ik Doar Da Matam — Hik Doar Jo Matam

Mera Dil Moen-Jo-Daro — Munhjo Dil Moen-Jo-Daro

Eis Jaal Which — Hin Jaaria Mei

Qurban Ali Kangle Di Rooh — Qarban Ali Kangle Ji Rooh

Dil Di Dunya — Dil Ji Dunya

Mera Putar Menhdi — Munhjo Puta Menhdi

Barnes Street Da Ghundaa – Barness Street Jo Ghundo

Dharti Di Dhoar, Asman De Tare — Dahrti Ji Doar, Asman Ja Sitara

Visit http://www.wichaar.com to learn more about the mission and objectives of Wichaar Publishers.

May 10, 2010