Category Archives: Current Issues

KP supports HEC devolution – by Yousaf Ali

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has dispelled the impression that it was against the devolution of the Higher Education Commission (HEC), saying a lobby has become active to create hurdles in the implementation of 18th Amendment by getting baseless reports published in the media.

Talking to The News, spokesman for the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and chairman Overseeing Committee on Devolution Mian Iftikhar Hussain said the HEC devolution was part of the 18th Amendment and its non-implementation would be tantamount to violating the constitution. …

U.S. Shifts to Seek Removal of Yemen’s Leader, an Ally

04/04/2011 iaojLeave a comment

By LAURA KASINOF and DAVID E. SANGER

SANA, Yemen — The United States, which long supported Yemen’s president, even in the face of recent widespread protests, has now quietly shifted positions and has concluded that he is unlikely to bring about the required reforms and must be eased out of office, according to American and Yemeni officials. …

Bengalies could defeated the Quad only because of the large numbers and they were 1000 miles away

03/04/2011 iaojLeave a comment

– Angry Baloch people — Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur

Only collaborators can present eulogies and excuses in return for the increasing number of dead bodies of educated Baloch youth being dumped daily ….

Pakistan on a shrink’s couch

03/04/2011 iaojLeave a comment

by Irfan Husain

Excerpt:

DIAGNOSING the mental health of a nation is just as tricky as diagnosing an individual with a personality disorder.

…. So much for the diagnosis. What`s the cure? The hallmark of an educated mind is the ability to analyse problems coolly and rationally. An emotional response is usually the wrong one. But our minds are conditioned by years of slogans and clichés, as well as historical baggage that is no longer relevant. The disconnect between reality and our twisted perceptions grows by the day. …

… So let`s open our eyes to reality and face the world as it really is, and not how our tortured dreams have made it out to be.

LETS SEE THIS TIME WHAT INSTRUCTIONS JUDICIARY GETS FROM SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT AND HOW THE JUDGES REACT ON THIS!?

02/04/2011 iaojLeave a comment

– Zardari signs plea to reopen Bhutto case

The former prime minister was sentenced to death by the Lahore High Court and the Supreme Court upheld the sentence in March 1979.

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari signed on Friday a reference which seeks to reopen the case of former prime minister and PPP founder Zulfikar Ali Bhutto who was hanged on April 4, 1979, in Rawalpindi.

The execution has been widely termed a ‘judicial murder’. …

They should apologize for Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder

01/04/2011 iaojLeave a comment

The military should apologize for Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder

By Shiraz Paracha

Excerpt:

Parrot writers and journalists in Pakistan always praise the position of a serving Army Chief. Those who have sold their souls tell us how great the military’s top brass is. It does not matter if it includes generals, who surrendered in Dhaka, and those who ran away from Kargil, or those who killed an elected Prime Minister and tore apart the constitution. Even military leaders accused of corruption, incompetence and misconduct are portrayed as heroes.

It is not surprising that we are told that the current Army Chief, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, is the only capable saviour of Pakistan. Analysts, anchorpersons and columnists, who pretend to be mouthpieces of the military, inform us that General Kayani is different than his predecessors.

Not very long ago, General Kayani was the right-hand man of General Parvez Musharraff. After Kayani became the Commander-in-Chief, General Musharraff received a guard of honour at the end of his illegal stay in the President House. The military is a state within the state in Pakistan. The sword of a military intervention still hangs over the civilian government as the power equilibrium continues to be in the military’s favour even under General Kayani.

Nonetheless, so far, General Kayani has acted wisely and he appears softer than the previous heads of the Pakistani military. The Armed Forces are supposed to defend a country but the Pakistan military has embarrassed Pakistan many times. The Armed Forces are a symbol of pride for the people of a country; in Pakistan the military has caused national discomfiture. Some Pakistani generals wanted to make history—they left with dark history. ….

…. At the same time, the Supreme Court of Pakistan and the Lahore High Court must reverse the decision of Bhutto’s judicial murder and seek an apology from the people of Pakistan. The Supreme Court is guilty of gross injustice. The Bhutto case is a stain on the institution of judiciary. Bhutto’s blood will stay fresh in the courtrooms until justice is done and Bhutto’s dignity is returned to him by the Court. The integrity and respect of the Supreme Court of Pakistan will never be restored without declaring Bhutto innocent and calling him Pakistan’s national hero.

Also the Supreme Court should formally admit that judges who were instrumental in providing legal cover to martial laws and dictators were actually traitors. The Court should give a similar verdict about generals who imposed military coups and derailed Pakistan. …

To read full article : LET US BUILD PAKISTAN

Current Issues, Pakistan, Politics

Judiciary vs PPP : Situation Getting Worse

30/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Government Judiciary Row—No Signs Of Rapprochement. Situation Getting Worse

By Aijaz Ahmed

The contempt notices to PPP Sindh leaders, Taj Haider and Sharjeel Memon by Supreme Court of Pakistan are indicative of future scenario in which the ongoing tussle between the government and the judiciary is gradually being turned into a bout between the PPP as a political party and the Judiciary as an institution. Thus the future and intensity of the row will be decided with Supreme Court’s treatment to the reference the government is sending to SC to reopen Bhutto case to seek apex court’s verdict on the case that the PPP termed judicial murder of its founder. …

What do Pakistan’s Punjabis know about Balochistan? It seems Nothing!

29/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

The BBC Urdu Service goes to Lahore, Pakistan and asks ordinary Punjabis what they know about the country’s largest province, Baluchistan. It seems nothing at all.

To watch the video : BBC

Balochistan, Current Issues, Human Rights, Life, News, Politics

Balochistan Index

28/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

PAKISTAN: Five more disappeared persons are extrajudicially killed in Balochistan

Name of victims: 1. Mr. Hameed Shaheen, son of Haji Ghous Baksh, former chairman of Baloch Student Organization (BSO Azad), resident of Muslimabad of Sariab Quetta, Balochistan.

2. Mr. Fareed Baloch, Student of Balochistan University of Engineering and Technology Khuzdar, zonal president of Baloch Student Organization (BSO Azad).

3. Mr. Arif Noor, son of Noor Muhammad Baloch, was an employee as 16 grade officer in Gwadar Development Authority (GDA)

4: Mr. Saleh Muhammad, son of Nuroz Khan, resident of Balochistan

5. Mr. Muhammad Nawaz Marri, resident of Balochistan

Names of alleged perpetrators: Law enforcement agencies

Date of incident: 2011, Place of incident: Quetta, Khuzdar, Windar, Balochistan

Current Issues, Pakistan, Politics, Punjab

Pakistan remains a military-dominated rentier state

27/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Failed state or Weimar Republic?

Pakistan remains a military-dominated rentier state, still committed to American and Gulf Arab alliances

By Omar Ali

A friend recently wrote to me that Pakistan reminded him of the Weimar republic; an anarchic and poorly managed democracy with some real freedoms and an explosion of artistic creativity, but also with a dangerous fascist ideology attracting more and more adherents as people tire of economic hardship and social disorder and yearn for a savior. Others (much more numerous than the single friend who suggested the Weimar comparison) insist that Pakistan is a failed state. So which is it? Is Pakistan the Weimar republic of the day or is it a failed state?

Continue reading Pakistan remains a military-dominated rentier state →

Balochistan, Current Issues, Human Rights, Pakistan, Politics

When small men cast long shadows – Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur

27/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Excerpt:

…. “Every dead body that ‘mysteriously’ turns up in Balochistan after ‘mysteriously’ going missing — the last count was 13,000 dead — is another nail in the coffin of any peace and stability in the province. It will not be long before we will be burying the soul of the largest province in this country. Short-sighted hated policies, cruel treatment, what comes close to an illegal occupying force in uniform and the consequent hate-fuelled sentiments of the Baloch people have turned one more part of Pakistan against the centre. Enough with the rhetoric and the cosmetic promises; Balochistan needs a determined political solution, otherwise we can, literally, kiss it goodbye.”

Brutality is the hallmark of small men with large influence. History has never seen or heard of a brutish sage. This is the debilitating cost of being governed by ‘small men’ and therein lies the bane of the rule of small men who cast long shadows. They neutralise virtues and allow vice to prevail and prosper. Their disconnect from reality curtails every opportunity for reform and progress. Woe betide the people ruled by small men.

To read full article : Daily Times

Current Issues, News, Pakistan, Politics, Sindh

How can a court that cannot stand criticism of its actions, that cannot respect the right of people to demonstrate against its rulings or be the guardian of people’s rights? Arrogant judges, acting like Gora (Brown) Sahibs of British Raj!

27/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

PPP leaders face contempt charges – By Qaiser Zulfiqar

ISLAMABAD: The apex court on Saturday served contempt of court notices to two ruling Pakistan Peoples Party members Taj Haider and Sharjeel Inam Memon, also a provincial legislator, for calling a strike and using contemptuous language against the superior judiciary for invalidating the appointment of former NAB chairman Justice (retd) Deedar Hussain Shah and summoned them on April 1. …

Let peace win at Mohali

26/03/2011 iaoj1 Comment

By Shahid Nadeem

Pakistani cricket fans are on their way to Chandigarh to cheer their team in the mother of all matches taking place at the Punjab Cricket Association stadium in Mohali.

Among them are Pakistani peace activists who will be joined by their Indian counterparts to promote peace. Pakistani cricket fans would have crossed the border without obtaining no objection certificates from Rehman Malik and by passing the Indian government’s newly introduced stringent visa policy. While stepping over the imaginary border line, they will surely notice the well-built, tough-looking border security jawans from both sides, who behind their thick, oiled moustaches, may be hiding their desire to join the cricket caravan. Back home, people will be taking half day off, even if the government doesn’t announce it. The tyre-burning mobs may suspend their ‘noble’ campaign and Karachi’s target-killers may give themselves a much-needed break for the day. Cricketing hero-turned-playboy-turned-The Avenger, has already instructed his Tehrik-i-Dharna brigade to schedule the anti-Nato sit-in well after the World Cup final. …

via – Siasat.pk – Read more : The Express Tribune

Current Issues, International, News, Politics

Please show respect to the millions of people in Arab countries who have risen against dictatorships. It is an insult to them if you consider their movements US-inspired-instigated

26/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Unrest in Syria: What you need to know

By Zachary Roth

The uprising in Libya, which provoked military intervention by the United States and its allies to avert a brutal government crackdown, has dominated this week’s headlines. But meanwhile, there’s new unrest in yet another Middle Eastern nation–one with perhaps greater strategic implications for the United States.

Could the regime of Syrian president Bashar al-Assad be set to go the way of the dictatorships in Egypt and Tunisia, which were toppled last month by massive popular protests? And what would that mean for the U.S.?

Here’s a rundown on the current situation in Syria:

What exactly has been happening on the ground?

Mass protests against the government have been going on since last week, and on Wednesday, demonstrators in the southern city of Dara’a were killed by al-Assad’s security forces while taking refuge in a mosque. The number of casualties hasn’t been confirmed, but some witnesses have put it as high as 100.

The deaths prompted even bigger anti-government demonstrations in Dara’a yesterday, and today the protests spread to the capital city of Damascus, where people called out: “Dara’a is Syria” and “We will sacrifice ourselves for Syria.” In response, supporters of the president chanted back: “God, Syria, and Bashar, that’s all.” ….

Peace and Cricket : India, Pakistan to review rivalry

26/03/2011 iaoj1 Comment

The language of the discussion is in urdu/ Hindi.

Courtesy: Aaj News TV ( Aaj Ki Baat – 26th March 2011 – Shahid Ameen & Sohail Warraich)

via – Siasat.pk – You Tube

Current Issues, Human Rights, News, Pakistan, Sindh, Sindhi

Malnutrition levels in Sindh reached 21% to 23%, according to the WFP. That is above African standards. The emergency standard is 15%

26/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Pakistan ‘crop shortage’ warning

By M Ilyas Khan, BBC News, Islamabad

Lowering wheat prices would create food shortages in Pakistan and encourage smuggling, officials say, responding to criticism from the UN.

On Wednesday the UN’s food relief agency said the government set prices too high and malnutrition was rising.

But an official at Pakistan’s food ministry told the BBC farmers would simply switch to more lucrative crops if wheat prices went down.

Devastating floods across Pakistan in 2010 damaged acres of arable land.

Although crop yields in 2011 are projected to be healthy, prices are too high for an impoverished population, the director of the UN’s World Food Programme told journalists on the sidelines of humanitarian meetings in Geneva on Wednesday.

“The crop outlook is not bad but the food security situation remains difficult because prices remain so high,” Wolfgang Herbinger said.

Smuggling risk

Malnutrition levels in the southern province of Sindh had reached 21% to 23%, according to the WFP.

“That is well above African standards. The emergency standard is 15%,” Mr Herbinger said. …

Nuclear CAN means catastrophe, especially in corruption prone countries like India and Pakistan

25/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

Nuclear power as the “shark attacks” of energy

I was at a coffee shop recently and a SWPL couple (woman had dreads to boot!) a number of tables away were reading a newspaper, and the husband expressed worry about the Fukushima disaster. The wife responded that “now other people will understand how dangerous nuclear power is,” with a sage nod. They then launched into twenty minutes of loud righteous gibberish about chemicals (I had a hard time making sense of it, despite the fact that I learned a lot about chemicals in the past due to my biochemistry background). Because they’d irritated me I was curious and I tailed them as they left. Naturally they had driven to get coffee in a S.U.V. of some sort (albeit, a modestly sized one which looked like it was more outfitted for the outdoors’ activities common in the Pacific Northwest; they’d probably done their cost vs. benefit about those chemicals!).

In terms of radiation fears, I suspect that if more people just automatically knew …

‘Flood-hit women abandoned by govt, relief agencies

24/03/2011 iaoj1 Comment

SINDH: KARACHI – The worst victims of the last year’s flood have been the women of the province as the government and other relief agencies did not give them priority while their issues still remain largely unaddressed.

This was pointed out by speakers at a dialogue held on women rights hosted by women wing of Sindhi Association of North America. SANA vice-president Noor Nisa Ghanghro presided over the session, which was attended by a large number of political and women rights’ activists.

The speakers emphasised that all poverty-alleviation programmes must address the gender poverty issue while particularly focusing on rural women

Expressing grave concern over a recent report from the flood-hit areas of Sindh that over a million rural women were suffering from blood anaemia, they demanded that the authorities concerned should take the issue seriously and immediately help the womenfolk of the province. …

Obama’s White House: on-the-fly zone – Dr Mohammad Taqi

23/03/2011 iaojLeave a comment

The US and the allies may call the military campaign what they want but the no-fly zone, for all practical purposes, is an act of war and the fact of the matter is that Qaddafi himself is the endpoint in this war that cannot be circumvented

Geostrategic planning and global leadership has been likened by the old grandmasters of US foreign policy to a grand chessboard, where the strategy is contemplated several moves in advance, with an eye on the endgame. But the knee-jerk responses of Barack Obama’s administration to the rapidly unravelling situation in the Middle East and North Africa give an impression that he and his team are playing chequers, albeit in a manner as erratic as Colonel Muammar Qaddafi, if not more. From dithering on the US role in Egypt to weeks of waffling about Libya before actually jumping on the no-fly zone bandwagon, it seems like the White House is literally an on-the-fly zone, making up policy as it goes along.

As the western intervention in Libya entered its fourth day, it appears that President Obama may have allowed himself and the US to get sucked into a very messy situation in yet another Muslim country. Mr Obama had stated a couple of weeks ago that Qaddafi must “step down from power and leave”. Just when the Tomahawk missiles were being unleashed on Libya, Vice Admiral William E Gortney said at the Pentagon that Qaddafi himself is not a target, but his safety could not be guaranteed. Speaking on Sunday morning talk shows, Admiral Mike Mullen took the line that the Libyan dictator must “make decisions regarding his future in the country” but reiterated that the goal of the attacks was not to oust him. Taken at face value, these comments appear somewhat innocuous and are designed to placate the war-weary American public but they also reflect the confusion and bickering within the various factions of the Obama administration. …

Khwaja Asif on Pakistan Army

28/10/2010 iaojLeave a comment

Khwaja Asif shows Ainay Ka Doosra Rukh!

Khawaja Asif of PML-N revolts against Army Feudalism in a fascinating budget 2006/7 speech in National Assembly. Legislators shall respect such leaders so others can follow the EXAMPLE. The language of speech is urdu (Hindi).

YouTube Link- Link1, Link2

``In books I have traveled, not only to other worlds, but into my own. I learned who I was and who I wanted to be, what I might aspire to, and what I might dare to dream about my world and myself. But I felt that I, too, existed much of the time in a different dimension from everyone else I knew. There was waking, and there was sleeping. And then there were books, a kind of parallel universe in which anything might happen and frequently did, a universe in which I might be a newcomer but was never really a stranger. My real, true world. My perfect island.`` -(ANNA QUINDLEN)
In the past I have been jack of all trades- Now my activity is bloging. My off time after my office/job/ is spent mostly with my family [wife & two children (son & daughter). I believe in positive mental attitude and dedication. I am living in Canada and my destiny is hope. "
... and the Truth will set you free." - John 8:32
Editor-Moderator, IAOJ

Name of Excellence in alternative & borderless journalism.Together we stitch the world & make a difference. Leading today for tomorrow. Sindh lives here

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Category Archives: Current Issues

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa supports HEC devolution

U.S. Shifts to Seek Removal of Yemen’s Leader, an Ally

Bengalies could defeated the Quad only because of the large numbers and they were 1000 miles away

Pakistan on a shrink’s couch

LETS SEE THIS TIME WHAT INSTRUCTIONS JUDICIARY GETS FROM SECURITY ESTABLISHMENT AND HOW THE JUDGES REACT ON THIS!?

They should apologize for Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder

Judiciary vs PPP : Situation Getting Worse

What do Pakistan’s Punjabis know about Balochistan? It seems Nothing!

Balochistan Index

When small men cast long shadows – Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur

How can a court that cannot stand criticism of its actions, that cannot respect the right of people to demonstrate against its rulings or be the guardian of people’s rights? Arrogant judges, acting like Gora (Brown) Sahibs of British Raj!

Let peace win at Mohali

Please show respect to the millions of people in Arab countries who have risen against dictatorships. It is an insult to them if you consider their movements US-inspired-instigated

Peace and Cricket : India, Pakistan to review rivalry

Malnutrition levels in Sindh reached 21% to 23%, according to the WFP. That is above African standards. The emergency standard is 15%

Nuclear CAN means catastrophe, especially in corruption prone countries like India and Pakistan

‘Flood-hit women abandoned by govt, relief agencies

Obama’s White House: on-the-fly zone – Dr Mohammad Taqi

Khwaja Asif on Pakistan Army

Name of Excellence in alternative & borderless journalism.Together we stitch the world & make a difference. Leading today for tomorrow. Sindh lives here