Another gaffe by PTA

Different departments of the government, it seems, cannot stay out of controversy for long. The past week was rife with news about the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and its directive to all mobile companies to implement a system to censor messages. The idea was for the service providers to block all text messages which contained any obscene word. The whopping 1695 words which the PTA considered obscene were part of the list which was leaked online along with the directive.

The fall of Haqqani

Ambassador Husain Haqqani's resignation on Tuesday, amidst allegations of a secret memo seeking the US' help to avert a coup in return for a string of promises, may have helped temporarily control the whirlwind crises developing over the last few weeks in Pakistan. Yet by the looks of the political climate in the country, the scandal is far from over and may haunt the corridors of power till the next elections.

Murder of Hindu doctors

Eid-ul-Azha is an occasion of generosity and sacrifice. It is a day to commemorate Hazrat Ibrahim AS' unconditional obedience to Allah as he showed willingness to sacrifice his son in His name. This occasion serves as a reminder to all Muslims that Islam's spirit encapsulates the ideals of sharing one's blessings.

Another day of shame

From that fateful Sunday at Lords' on August 29 last year, when shocks jolted the entire cricket fraternity as the spot-fixing reports appeared in the now defunct News of the World, the four accused finally met their fate.

Going for the militants' jugular

During a recent press briefing in Islamabad, the Capital City Police Officer Malik Ahmed Raza Tahir claimed that they had important leads on the gang responsible for the kidnappings of Shahbaz Taseer and American national Warren Weinstein. CCPO Tahir also revealed that this group was planning on abducting the children of the affluent class for high ransom.

Dragging Pakistan Railways to oblivion

It is tragic to witness that one of the giants of public sector entities (PSEs), Pakistan Railways, is on the brink of demise owing to the mismanagement and corruption that have brought it to this critical juncture. However, some hope now appears on the horizon as the Supreme Court of Pakistan (SC) has taken up this matter.

The plight of lady health workers

Recent news reports highlighting ongoing protests by Lady Health Workers (LHWs) due to non-payment of salaries, as the government initiated the 106th Polio Drive, are bad news for all the stakeholders. Pakistan, unfortunately still fighting to eradicate the menace of polio, needs as many resources it can possibly gather to fight not only polio but all its plethora of public health-related issues.

Legislators' suspension

Transparency and accountability are cornerstones of any democracy. But it appears the current nascent democratic setup has yet to catch up on such ideals. Recently, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) suspended membership of 231 legislators of the National Assembly, Senate and provincial assemblies for not submitting the details of their assets and liabilities by the deadline as prescribed by the law.

Lights out for miners in Mastung

On Thursday, October 13, we were reminded yet again of the hazards attached to the coal mining industry in Pakistan. At least five people were killed and several injured due to a gas explosion in a coal mine in Mastung district of Balochistan.

Barbarism in the name of tradition

Not a week goes by without news of another young girl being married off to an older man as compensation for a family feud. Most recently, according to press reports, a panchayat in Vehari, Punjab, decided to give a five-year-old girl to a 40-year-old man as punishment for her father eloping with the man's sister. Ironically, the father had already left with the woman, and the girl and her mother, who was grieving her husband's infidelity, were left behind to bear the consequences.

The Ejaz Butt era is over

On Tuesday, 12 October 2011, cricket fans across Pakistan  heaved a sigh of relief as the circulating rumours about Ejaz Butt, chairperson of Pakistan Cricket Board, being given an extension were laid to rest. Butt’s three-year tenure had officially ended on 8 October and the official notice from the presidency confirmed that Butt would not be continuing his role at the PCB. He will be replaced by banker and industrialist Chaudhry Zaka Ashraf.

Overhauling the Anti-Terrorism Act

Ten years since Pakistan came in the grip of ever-increasing terrorism, the longstanding issue of amendments to the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997 is far from resolved. Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, last Tuesday, directed the Law and Interior ministries to go back to the drawing board and report back with a fresh proposal to amend the ATA.

Senior citizens' rights

The International Day of Older Persons was observed on Saturday, October 1st, by over 10 million aging citizens in Pakistan. Yet as the day was marked with the usual seminars, aging Pakistanis were still unsure whether they'll be given their due rights or not since currently there is no legislative arrangement ensuring their rights and providing concessions.

Justice for Salman Taseer

The verdict is in. Almost nine months after the assassination of former Governor Salmaan Taseer, an Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) has awarded former Police Commando Mumtaz Qadri, his self-confessed killer, the death penalty on two counts of murder and terrorism.

Wake-up call on road safety

For more than 30 families, the date September 26th will forever be etched in their minds as the parents' worst nightmare came true. A bus full of young students and a few faculty members from a private school in Faisalabad catapulted out of control when its brakes failed. The crash, which happened at the Kallar Kahar salt mines on M2 motorway, took the lives of at least 37 people, including more than 30 children, teachers, the vice principal, the bus driver and the conductor.

Guilty as charged

Pakistan's cricket continues in its topsy-turvy ways as two instances of good news were offset with one long-expected confession. Merely days after Pakistan whipped the Zimbabwe cricket team in the ODI series, the news of Aleem Dar's hat-trick of David Shepherd Trophy for Umpire of the Year award at the ICC Awards ceremony sent a wave of positivity among the cricketing fraternity in the country.

'Export' of heritage

A recent incident involving sale of a fasting Buddha statue at the prestigious Christie's fine arts auction house in the UK has brought focus on the illegal artefacts export from Pakistan. As reported by newspapers, a Unesco employee noticed a Christie's advertisement for the sale of this Gandhara relic, believed to be excavated from Pakistan in the early 1980s.

Carnage in Mastung

The spate of sectarian violence, continuing in Balochistan for over a decade, has recently increased in frequency of attacks and their intensity. A most brutal example of this was seen on Tuesday, when unidentified gunmen intercepted a bus near Mastung, which was carrying Hazara Shia men to Iran on a pilgrimage. Operating in a most ruthless and calculated manner, the assailants told the pilgrims to disembark, identified them through their identity cards, segregated the Hazaras and mercilessly gunned them down.

PIA: safety lapses

Year 2011, thus far, has turned out to be quite a nightmare for the national carrier. Bad news has followed the state-run airline like a plague. Whereas earlier this year stories circulated about union politics and passenger inconvenience vis-a-vis flight delays, the current round of news can cause grave consequences for the unsuspecting passengers who choose to fly PIA.

Bridging the trust gap

In what seems like an alarmingly oft-repeated scenario, the doctors at Sobhraj Maternity Hospital were assaulted by attendants of a patient who had just delivered a stillborn child. According to various media reports, the relatives of the lady, after attending the baby's funeral, came back to the hospital and physically attacked the women doctors on duty.

Punjab government’s populist vision

Multiple stories, published in various newspapers, about Punjab government’s much-touted yellow cab scheme cast dark shadows on its success. According to latest reports, the provincial government has once again lowered the criteria for eligibility of applicants for the scheme. The decision was reportedly made after it was discovered that most of the applicants did not meet the current criteria. The government has now waived the requirement of having a valid driving license for one year prior to applying for a Public Service Vehicle (PSV) license.

Channelling the power of sports

Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and the tribal agencies of Fata have become a regular feature of daily news for all the wrong reasons. Crumbling under massive militancy, good news from the region are far and few. With such a gloomy scenario, the announcement that 50 sports academies will be established in Fata and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa by Malik Saad Memorial Sports Trust, in collaboration with the provincial government and USAID, is much welcomed.

Jail reforms: need of the hour

According to a recent news report, inmates at the Karachi women's prison are now learning the art of yoga as part of their daily routine. The project was initiated almost two years ago. Women prisoners have gradually shown interest and credited it with providing a calming influence in their lives while they remain confined behind the bars. This is not the only innovative initiative undergoing in the cells.

More provinces: tread this path carefully

Former Federal Minister Senator Raza Rabbani has urged Pakistan People's Party Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari to be more cautious in his decision to pursue a demand for another province carved out of Punjab. At a time when the debate for new provinces has gained momentum, Rabbani's advice to President Zardari is sound and reflects the senator's decades of political experience.

The cost of oil drilling

On a planet primarily covered by water, marine life and polar ice caps are essential to maintaining our fragile ecological balance. However, unchecked and unregulated industrialisation has started tipping the balance against us. Deep-sea oil exploration is yet another industry, which has greatly damaged the native ecology. Latest reports of an underwater oil pipeline rupture in UK's North Sea has again raised the debate on the cost we are paying for offshore drilling.

[Bottled] Water Woes

In a society where the health or well-being of ordinary people comes only as an afterthought, it is no surprise that the basic of all necessities, drinking water, poses a grave risk to consumers. This reality was highlighted by the Pakistan Council of Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) in its quarterly report.

Mental healthcare

The launch of a local community-based mental healthcare initiative in Karachi has been a source of sorely needed good news from the city. The project, appropriately titled "Shamil" (inclusive), will initially start its operation in Korangi, and focus on providing information on mental healthcare via lady health workers, who will move from door to door and identify patients in middle and lower income communities.

Cue the curtain on Pakistani minorities

On 28 May 2010, two Ahmadi “places of worship” were attacked simultaneously during Friday prayers in Lahore. As the siege went on for hours, news channels across the board were strewn with live footage from the scene of attack. For the first time in Pakistani history, Ahmadi community, and the persecution they had faced since the time they were declared non-Muslim in 1974, started being discussed openly on television. Sane people watched the drama unfold amidst increasing horror. In the middle of all this mayhem, a friend at a news channel overheard a colleague begrudgingly say “its live television, so we can’t do anything about it. But we will make sure the issue dies by tomorrow.”

An ailing doctor awaits justice

While New Delhi witnessed the new foreign minister of Pakistan, Hina Rabbani Khar, making a joint declaration with her Indian counterpart S M Krishna on efforts to reduce tension between the nuclear-armed neighbours in this volatile region, one man still awaits the attention of the higher ups for his long-awaited homecoming.

Calm before the storm

As the monsoon season is building up in intensity, apprehensions for a repeat of the catastrophic flood which drowned the country last year are increasing with every rain drop. It doesn't help either when a report released by Oxfam to mark one year since the devastating deluge occurred, highlights the gross inadequacies of the government to tackle the emergency this year.

Dark side of the moon (sighting)

With the start of the holy month of Ramazan merely days away, the perennial controversy regarding moon sighting is again rearing its ugly, embarrassing head. Every year the country goes through the melodrama where Ulema from Peshawar and adjoining areas declare the moon sighted a day or two before rest of the country. It is even more distressing that this situation arises only during two most revered Islamic months, Ramazan and Shawwal for Eid-ul-Fitr.

Fight against polio just got tougher

In counter-terrorism efforts, risking health and security of civilians should be marked as a red line, which must never be crossed. However, according to a report published in the UK-based newspaper The Guardian, some startling allegations were made against the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) of the US regarding using a vaccine campaign as a front for its covert operation in Abbottabad.

Vigilante (in)justice?

In a country where governance is at its lowest ebb and justice nowhere in sight, rising cases of citizens taking law into their own hands show the intensity of pent up aggression within the people. Recent reports from Faisalabad reveal the registering of an FIR by Sargodha Road Police against 100 people for attacking police officials who tried to rescue two robbery suspects that a mob was beating on Sunday.

Freedom for all religions

In a country founded on the idea of providing religious freedoms against oppression faced in pre-partition India, it is tragic to note the cruel twist of fate where a minority community is prohibited to perform their religious rituals. Unfortunately, however, this is exactly what happened with the Sikh community in Lahore last week, citing a most insensitive excuse.

Weaponization of Pakistan

“Weaponisation” as a negative concept was something to which I was completely unfamiliar while growing up. Though I spent most of my childhood in Lahore, my rural, agricultural background meant arms had always been a regular presence in my life. I had learnt to fire, load/unload and clean them as a child. It was an unquestionable truth in my environment that guns were integral to our protection and our status. Though in hindsight, I find it ironic that I was taught to handle weapons but I was never allowed to own them because of my gender.

Chronic abuse of power goes unchecked

The recent television footage of Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) MNA Anjum Aqeel escaping police custody with the help of dozens of his supporters has once again brought forth the haughty mindset of our political representatives, which allows them to feel entitled, untouchable and beyond the law of the land. 

A curse it definitely is

Planet Earth, already short on resources and reeling from regular calamities across its latitude and longitude, is expected to be inhabited by over 7 billion people this year. This overwhelming number was highlighted repeatedly on the occasion of World Population Day 2011 observed on 11th July. What could have been a huge pool of human resources, lack of resources means that Pakistan's 6th rank on the list of most populous nation is more of a curse than a blessing.

Battling the drug menace

The recently observed International Day against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking on 26 June (Sunday), and the release of the UN World Drug Report 2011 again highlighted the menace of drug abuse. The facts revealed in the UN report magnify the staggering nature of the problem Pakistan faces in terms of drug trafficking and usage.

Saving Pakistan’s progeny

Children are the biggest victims of war and conflict in terms of the lost opportunity they represent for the future. This was proven again when the news surfaced of a nine-year-old girl, Sohana Javed, who was abducted from Peshawar and forced into becoming a possible suicide bomber in Lower Dir. Initial reports reveal remarkable presence of mind on Sohana’s part when, seeing an opportunity, she ran away from her captors and sought help from the Frontier Corps personnel at a nearby check-post—the alleged target of her attack. This incident has revealed a possible shift in the strategy of the terrorist groups who, till now, had relied primarily on men and teenage boys to carry out their attacks. It has also highlighted the lengths to which the militants will resort in carrying out their agenda with no regard of the universal and Islamic principle of safeguarding children from acts of war.

No country for women

Numbers have an innate ability to enhance the significance of facts and perceptions and highlight the gravity of matter. In a recent survey conducted by the Thomson Reuters to investigate the plight of women across the world, the results were staggering. Contrarily to common assumption, South Asia had to bear the ignominy of being home to three of the top five countries which are most dangerous for women.

Changing narratives of animated films

A couple of weeks ago, a friend sent me the most awesome trailers of an animated movie I have seen to date. Kung Fu Panda 2 was set to release in a few days. After watching the trailers over and over again, I wistfully remarked, “don’t you wish Po was real?” The reply was a swift, matter-of-fact, “Yes. I believe that’s because there is a bit of Po in all of us.”

The Kharotabad Debacle

The Kharotabad incident, which resulted in the killing of five Chechens by the security forces, has become a case-study of paramilitary brutality, intimidation and cover-ups. Numerous reports over the past month have revealed the extent to which the security forces go to cover up their illegal actions and ineptness.

Prevention is better than cure

With the release of the Flood Inquiry Commission's detailed report, submitted to the Supreme Court, it has become evident the malaise of corruption, negligence and failure to perform tasks responsibly led to the breach of the Tori Dyke during the last year's devastating floods. Though the report states that the breach was not intentional, but it cost the loss of more than 850 billion rupees, besides a loss of one additional Rabi crop in Jaffarabad district of Balochistan.

Battle of the airwaves

It seems that not an entire month can pass by without Pemra coming in news for issuing notices. This time, on Friday, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) issued notices to four private television channels alleging that they were "being irresponsible and provoking anti-national sentiments" with their coverage following the attacks on PNS Mehran air base.

Saleem Shahzad—another voice silenced

Tuesday, May 31^st, 2011, was yet another black day for journalism and free speech in Pakistan. Syed Saleem Shahzad, bureau chief of Asia Times online and a fine investigative reporter, paid the highest cost for his unwavering commitment to his profession—his life. Two days after he had been abducted from Islamabad, Saleem Shahzad was found dead near Mandi Bahauddin.

The day I became an “Ahmadi”

28 May 2010.

I was about to eat lunch in my office’s conference room with two friends. A colleague walked in asking if I knew there had been an attack on the Ahmadi mosque in Garhi Shahu. I checked my phone but there was no sms or missed call. I told him he must be mistaken but got up anyway to turn on the television; as I was walking out of the room, he mentioned that the Model Town mosque had been attacked too. 

The news hit me with a sheer, naked wave of panic. My brother goes there for prayers. Half of my family goes there on Friday.

Time to clean our house

In the aftermath of the attack on PNS Mehran Naval Base in Karachi, there are conflicting reports emerging about the attack itself and the operation. Initially the media reported that up to 15 terrorists attacked the naval base simultaneously from three different sides. However, after the operation ended, Interior Minister Rehman Malik declared that the base was attacked from one vulnerable area; in a surreal scenario, four to six militants apparently used a ladder and cut barbed wires to climb over the wall near Malir tributary. The next day, police officials, citing the initial case report, said there were up to 12 militants involved in the attacks. It will take a few days to establish what exactly happened at the naval base for those 17 hours. But the implications of this attack are already clear and, unfortunately, staggering.

Refusing American Aid

At face value, the idea of relying on one's own resources and renouncing foreign aid rings a patriotic bell. However this move must be looked at within the framework of practical implication and political mileage.

The Return of the IDPs

In March, the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government started the process of rehabilitating the internally displaced persons (IDPs) of Bajaur and Mohmand Agencies of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) living in Jalozai camp near Nowshera. More than 15,000 families from Fata have taken refuge in this camp. However, the government-sponsored rehabilitation drive has not seen much success so far as most of the IDPs have refused to return till their demands of security and financial assistance are met.

Education can cause some problems: Prime Minister Azad Kashmir

At a time when a state of education emergency has been declared in Pakistan, I present to you a statement (allegedly) by Prime Minister of Pakistan-administered Kashmir Sardar Attique Ahmed Khan. Alleged because I don't know the source or the date of publication. However, at face value, it seems fairly recent given the event at which the PM spoke. I'm just reproducing the image of the new story below with translation. (Thank you Abid Hussayn for sending it to me and helping with its translation.) 

Business Plan for Pakistan's Political Parties

Between the rule of General Zia and General Mushy, whenever a new government was elected, the most common feedback heard was, “corruption ki intiha ho gayee hai” (corruption has exceeded all limits). 

Now that all the major political parties have had their chance in the government, and have made their share of the money, I propose a siraat-e-mustaqeem for the smaller political parties—a business plan. The parties can brand and market their election symbols and earn revenue. Examples:

Vacation Woes in Sindh

EDITORIAL  (May 11, 2011) : The Steering Committee of Sindh Education Department has decided to delay the summer vacations by a month to July/August, as announced by provincial Minister for Education and Literacy, Sindh, Pir Mazharul Haq. The decision has been reportedly taken after the committee received suggestions from various quarters to include the month of Ramazan in the vacations. The schools are now set to reopen after Eid-ul-Fitr.

Alternate offense by the establishment

Amidst the slow reaction from our military , intelligence, government/foreign office, an alternate counter offense seems to be unfolding. Last night, Junaid Saleem on the programme Hasb-e-Haal asked the following questions about the "alleged" operation in Abbottabad. The relevant parts of the programme can be watched here (01:20 onwards) and here (07:00 to 07:30).

Jang group at it again

While searching for an authentic source of the press statement issued by the Vatican about the killing of Osama bin Laden, I came across this news story at AsiaNews.it. According to them: 

The Pakistani newspaper The News reported today on its website only part of the Vatican statement, saying: "The Vatican said that" Osama Bin Laden was gravely responsible for promoting division and hatred between peoples". No word on the Vatican’s call "not to rejoice" over the death of a man, or create opportunities for "further growth of hate". 

Three Cheers on Osama's Death?

Osama bin Laden, the most hunted man in modern history, is finally dead. Bin Laden, as repeated over and over again, was the most prominent face of Al Qaeda and the terrorism against the United States and its allies. The United States went into Afghanistan looking for him. For this reason, the news of his death was welcomed by most people. As the American news channels started airing the news while waiting for President Obama to speak to the world, groups of people started arriving in front of the white house in Washington D.C. and in New York.