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.