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The most comprehensive roundup of Pakistani blogs, bloggers and the Pakistan blogging community.
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Extensive coverage of Pakistani blogs, bloggers and the Pakistan blogging community.
22:03

زور ختم

From the Blog mypakistan - > زور ختم mypakistan.com — ہمارے بچپن کے زمانے میں ایک دوست دوسرے شہر سے ہمارے محلے میں منتقل ہوئے۔ ہم لوگ چھٹی والے دن فجر کی نماز کے بعد لمبی سیر کیلیے دریا کے بند پر چلے جایا کرتے تھے۔ کبھی کبھار جوش میں بند پر دوڑ کے مقبابلے ہوا کرنے اور کبھی کبھار کشتی بھی ہو جایا کرتی . Read Full PostComments

The Ultimate iPhone 4 Halloween Costume [Video]

From the Blog RedmondPie - > The Ultimate iPhone 4 Halloween Costume redmondpie.com — John Savio loves his iPhone 4 so much that he decided to make a dress out of it, just in time for the Halloween 2010 parties. . Read Full PostComments

WordPress for Nokia lands on Ovi Store with the Beta...

From the Blog geekword - > WordPress for Nokia lands on Ovi Store with the Beta... geekword.net — A moment to celebrate has arrived for WordPress bloggers owning a Nokia branded smartphone. An official WordPress for Nokia app has landed on the Ovi Store with the Beta tag attached to it. Using the app, you can: Compose and publish new blog posts. Edit existing posts. Manage... . Read Full PostComments

https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101303_1003.html 2980186611705021427 Pakistani Blog Posts
22:03

Saher Lodhi Keh Afsanay

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: Saher Lodhi Keh Afsanay - I have seen Saher Lodhi on television for many years now. There was a time he used to come on Indus Tv with his program Chai Time in which he called celebrities and took their interviews in an extremely decent manner. He was less showy, as we can say. Simple and covered most points and communicated good messages.  But success brings the worse in most people. I have listened to his radio shows and tv shows to understand why most people hate him so much. There are hate groups made for him. People hate his Shahrukh Khan accent. But I have also seen, that there is some particular class that loves him and who call him up on his radio shows religiously.  I will just pen down some of what I have heard him say and talk on his radio shows…I wish I could somehow put that accent here too. Saher Lodhi (Our Local SRK): Haan ji kia haal hai badshahooo, tussi kaise ho, chak day phatayyyyyyyyyyyyyChalo jee ajj mai soch raha hoo keh hum kia baat karayActually you know what, I think aaj mera mood kuch alag hee karnay ka haiJee haan, kia samjhay, chak de phattay Choray topic shopic, paojiii kuch music wuzik suntay hain, ganay shanay gatay hain, gappay shappay lagatay hainWhat do you say….Chak De Phatay Godddd inn puranay gano ki baat hee kuch aur haiI mean there is something about themI dono I dono I dono You know there is something about them – jo bilkul hee alag hai Yeh sunay sunay agli line…aahaaa kia baat haiUfff bas ab agla gana kuch aisaa hai, Amitabh ji ko yaad kartay hueeeMan, I just love old music.Un ki baat hee aur thi.  Man I just love Junaid bhai.Kia awazz hai inki. Seriously, seriously, no seriously, I mean Vital Signs tou my favorite band since forever.And yeah yeah Junoon too.Seriously I love Junaid bhai. Kia baat hai. Some day I will call Junaid Bhai on my show.Ahaahaa this man is just too good. I swear too good. Kyun Shahrukhhhhhhhhhhh aaj meri chai nahi laye tum.Yeh agli line tumhare liye hai  Oooohhh hamari cricket team nay bara kum score banayaPar koi baat nahi badshahooooooo dekhte jaoAbhi agli ball par chakka maray geOoohooo sirf ek run banaKoi gal nahiiiiiiiiiiiAb aglay pooray over mai 6 hee 6 banay geChak de Chak deMai keh raha hoo naaaaa You know guys, when I went to USAI used to walk very early in the morning to my universityWahan mujh se aksar logo nay kahan you resemble Shahrukh KhanI didn’t know keh woh kon haiPar yeh log mujhay kehtay thay Kher mai kisi Shahrukh Khan jaisa nahi Bhayee suna hai aaj kal Amitabh ji ko twitter pe koi tang kar rahaAb unhain pata laga hoga how celebrities and famous people like me feel hahahahKyun Amitabh ji??? Kiaa khayal hai ajj Hum Tum hojayeeeeI am telling you keh aaj ka Hum Tum kuch alag hee tarah ka hogaaaaaaaaaaSeriously don’t miss it ok Hum Tum: Saher ji talking both for girl and boy -Girl: Excuse me yeh kia haiBoy: What do you mean kia hai….table haiGirl: I know table tou hai par yeh papers kis keh liye haiBoy: Zahir hai table aap ki hai tou aap hee keh liye hoge Girl: Ufff God tum se tou baat karna hee fuzooooool hai. Jao mere liye coffee laoBoy: Ma’am coffee machine wahan hai, aaap khud hee leh ayay…self service you knowGirl: What the hell, tum mere dad ki company mai job kartay ho itni tameez nahi keh kis se kaise baat kartay hainBoy: Maa’m tameez tou hai, par coffee machine tak jana maire JD mai nahi haiGirl: God akhir tum khud ko samjahtay kia hoBoy: Acha khasa handsome larka aur kiaGirl: Tum jo hona bilkul hee idiot hoBoy: Par aapko iss idiot se baat karna pasand bhi tou haiGirl: What do you mean? Maine yeh kab kaha?Boy: Aap ne kab yeh nahi kaha Ma’am?Girl: What the hell, dekho apni hadd mai rahoBoy: Ma’am mai tou apni haddd mai hooo…par shayad aaapGirl: What do you mean? Huh ________________________________________________________________________________And this crap goes on forever…He talks like that for most of the days. Sometimes, he also acts in a very dramatic manner and gives speeches about how things are wrong in our country and at that point you may actually fall for his  nice character that the man thinks so deeply but then the next week you will see the same man making fun of scholars and the way they talk and walk.  . Read Full PostComments

Xbox Live getting a mandatory update come 1st November

From the Blog sizlopedia - > Xbox Live getting a mandatory update come 1st November sizlopedia.com — . Read Full PostComments

Mentioning 'K' during Obama's Kashmir trip to India

From the Blog rupeenews - > Mentioning 'K' during Obama's Kashmir trip to India rupeenews.com — President Obama's trip to Delhi is being disguised as an opportunity for US businesses to take advantage of the Bharati economy. Let us look at the reality. Bharat's GDP is smaller than the GDP of Benelux Countries. What Bharat's GDP is divided by one billion people it takes... . Read Full PostComments

ICC Did Favor on Pakistan By Punishing Salman and...

From the Blog pakspectator - > ICC Did Favor on Pakistan By Punishing Salman and... pakspectator.com — We should be thankful to the Michael Beloff that he retained the temporary ban on Pakistani... Read More at http://www.pakspectator.com . Read Full PostComments

Set Any Song As Ringtone or SMS Alert on iPhone with...

From the Blog RedmondPie - > Set Any Song As Ringtone or SMS Alert on iPhone with... redmondpie.com — AnyRing is a new app available on Cydia which enables you to set just about any song as your phone ringtone, or SMS alert on a jailbroken iPhone. You can even record your own sound and set it as your default ringtone alert. All you have to do is to simply drag and drop any . Read Full PostComments

Real Afghan peace talks can only begin after Saudia,...

From the Blog rupeenews - > Real Afghan peace talks can only begin after Saudia,... rupeenews.com — Image via Wikipedia Saudi Arabia seen edging cautiously into Afghan talks Riyadh wants Afghans to show seriousness in talks first Doesn't want to put reputation at risk by backing a peace project that may not work RIYADH: Saudi Arabia is being drawn into efforts to reach a settlement... . Read Full PostComments

https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101303_1201.html 924107035065967261 Pakistani Blog Posts
22:03

10 No-Cost Strategies to Fight Depression

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: 10 No-Cost Strategies to Fight Depression - Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Believe it or not, but all of it helps. Anyone can fight depression. And yes if a person has moral support, this fight would be a lot easier. Make things easy for mentally ill patients. Just don't judge them or give them advice. If you can't understand an illness, it's okay. You can keep your mouth shut. Helping out 1 person & making sure that he/she doesn't commit suicide is, by all means, 100 % success. Anyway, these are 10 tips that could really help. Also go through the link…I just couldn't copy/paste everything over here. 1. Don’t blame yourself This is the simplest, cheapest, and most important thing you can do to beat depression. "You need to be able to own the reality that depression is a physical illness like heart disease, diabetes, and cancer," says Richard Raskin "You can't get over it by 'trying harder' or adjusting your attitude. It requires acceptance that you have a physical illness that requires attention, and that it makes no sense to blame yourself for it." 2. Talk about it It's not easy, but telling people about your depression is better than keeping it a secret. "Not everybody is going to understand and be supportive," says Raskin. "If you have a broken arm, or back pain, or a headache, everybody can relate to those, for everyone has experienced them. Not so with mental illness." But even if they don't entirely understand what you're going through, friends, family, and other confidants can provide emotional support, help you seek out treatment options, and serve as sounding boards. "Don't let yourself become isolated," says Raskin. "To the degree that you can reach out, reach out." 3. Get regular exercise It may be the last thing you feel like doing when you're depressed, but going for a run or hitting the gym can actually make you feel better. 4. Postpone major decisions Depression can affect your perceptions and judgment, so it's wise to put off big decisions about your relationships or career until you're feeling better. "One of the symptoms of depression is having a negative outlook on many things going on in your life," says Raskin. "This alters your judgment on almost everything, and you might not be aware of it. So to the extent possible, important decisions should be delayed." 5. Take care of your health 6. Maintain a daily routine Sticking to a regular routine as much as possible is important for people who are battling depression. 7. Eat a healthy diet 8. Avoid drugs and alcohol Although it can be tempting to drink or use drugs, don't do it. People who suffer from depression and anxiety often turn to alcohol and drugs to relieve their symptoms, but that strategy tends to be harmful in the long run. 9. Try to sleep well Depression and a lack of sleep often go hand-in-hand. Sleep problems such as insomnia are common in depression, and for many people a lack of sleep depresses mood. Much remains unknown about the connection between depression and sleep, and everyone has different sleep needs, but experts recommend that depressed people get enough sleep and maintain a regular sleep-wake schedule. 10. Don’t over schedule Feeling stressed and overwhelmed is a common trigger for depression symptoms. If you're struggling with depression, it's important not to over schedule your time and take on more than you can manage. If you have complicated tasks to perform at work or at home, break them up into manageable pieces. And remember: It's OK to slow down a bit. "Maybe you can't work at 100% capacity," Raskin says. "Maybe you can work at only 75% capacity. Still, that's an accomplishment." But, he adds, "if you really can't function, you have to be compassionate with yourself. You deserve a break; take a sick day, whatever you need." . Read Full PostComments

Facebook and Twitter to be Included in Curriculum for Student Detectives

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: Facebook and Twitter to be Included in Curriculum for Student Detectives - Oh my God, for once I feel I was a trend setter. I have worked very hard on my investigative skills with no formal training and so I know how significant it it in deriving the facts. I came across this post that now facebook and twitter are officially put on the curriculum for student detectives as it will help them solve many cases especially those including rape, molestation, sexual abuse, cyber bullying etc. This was an area that was not covered properly but through proper training in the future detectives would also focus on these networks thoroughly to find the truth and catch criminals. You can read the full report here… Full report . Read Full PostComments

The Conservatively Hip – By Ayesha Siddiqa

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: The Conservatively Hip – By Ayesha Siddiqa - Why are more youth, especially among the relatively affluent segments of society, embracing a greater religious identity and conservatism related to it? Why is it that we find an increasing number of young men and women among the upper-middle class and the upcoming middle class willing to dress conservatively? . Read Full PostComments

https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101303_31.html 5771983411032178939 Pakistani Blog Posts
22:03

No, I'm not mistaken

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: No, I'm not mistaken - "No, I'm not mistaken. I know you don't love me. But I'm going to fight for your love. There are some things in life that are worth fighting for to the end…You are worth it." Paulo Coelho "How ravished one could be without ever being touched." D. H. Lawrence (Lady Chatterley's Lover) "I don't regret the things I've done, I regret the things I didn't do when I had the chance." Unknown "When I die, bury me standing, because I've spent all my life on my knees." An ancient Gipsy saying "Some impulses are stronger than we are, have proved themselves so throughout the world’s history. Is it not rather our ideals of conduct, of Right and Wrong, our ethics, which are unnatural and monstrously distorted? Is society not suffering from a case of the evil eye which sees evil where there is none? Isn’t it our moral laws which force me into evasions like the one which you have just found fault with?" Eugene O' Neill "In the next place, when a woman is thus left desolate and void of counsel, she is just like a bag of money or a jewel dropped on the highway, which is a prey to the next corner; if a man of virtue and upright principles happens to find it, he will have it cried, and the owner may come to hear of it again; but how many times shall such a thing fall into hands that will make no scruple of seizing it for their own, to once that it shall come into good hands?" Daniel Defoe (Moll Flanders) . Read Full PostComments

Why Salman Khan is still single?

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: Why Salman Khan is still single? - Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Now this question has been answered by his father. “There’s a contradiction in Salman’s character. He gets attracted to women from his industry only… his co-stars become his love interests. Once a relationship is established, he starts looking for his mom in them. Now that is not possible,” Salim told trade analyst Komal Nahta on ETC’s show Bollywood Business. “A woman who has just started her career can’t be doing stuff like preparing meals, washing clothes, looking after kids and yet lead the hectic life of a movie star! This expectation can’t be met by a woman who has just started her film career…not even if she tries,” reasoned the 74-year-old According to Salim, Salman suffers heartbreaks because for most of his girls the prime motive is stardom. “I can’t say if Katrina is in Salman’s life… If a marriage decision stretches for so long, it usually does not happen. It means that the person is not 100 percent sure to get into it…that’s why the delay.” “Whenever girls have come into Salman’s life, they are looking to be a movie star. So settling down is the last thing on their minds. So the relationships reach a saturation point and then fizzle out.” Well Salman Khan, definitely, deserves the best & we hope he finds someone really nice some day. These actresses are big time bitches. They use him all the time & it's pretty strange that Sallu Bhai never learns anything. My observation is that guys always fall for bitches. They say they actually hate them, but they do love them. In fact if the bitch is a sycophant, they love her all the more. But my guy friends have been saying that they fall for sex, not bitches. I also read that BITCH stands for beautiful individual that creates hell. I tend to disagree. Most of the bitches are not even much to look at, besides being unintelligent & cheap. But guys really go for trash I suppose. And Salman Khan is not any different. His women accidentally happen to be beautiful as they are from the film industry. Anyhow, Salman is definitely irreplaceable & he's back in Dus Ka Dum on his own terms. He walked out of due to some dispute. . Read Full PostComments

I want the corruption to end

From the Blog The True Perspective: I want the corruption to end - Rehman Malik wants to root out corruption. Ironic. (Photo: Dawn.com) This coming from a man who was implicated in several corruption cases along with his Godfather Asif Zardari and spouse Benazir Bhutto. Sounds farcical doesn't it? But then that's the hallmark of our society. When people like Rehman Malik, who incidentally does not have the balls to face the charges he faces in court, send out verbal telecasts to his subordinates that they need to put their houses in order and end their corruption , I can bet they smile and shrug. I know I would. After all, how do you take a man known to be a cavalier seriously? Beats me. The issue does not lie with the statements, it lies with the intentions. Why does the government of Rehman Malik have to wait till the 7 th ? If they are so against corruption, why can't they launch an anti corruption operation right now? Why does Rehman Malik have to get in front of a mike and shout out to the world that he's coming after the corrupt? Wouldn't it be more prudent to launch a quiet exercise that tries to catch the perpetrators in the act? Now don't think that this is a conspiracy theory, and that I'm an agent of separatism in this country. What bothers me is that it is almost 3 years since the government took over and since then, we have only gone from bad to worse in terms of corruption . Why is it that every time the PPP government takes charge, there is an alarming rise in corruption, lawlessness, violence, poverty, unemployment and utter and complete mismanagement? And how can an allegedly corrupt man, who shies away from proving his innocence in court, lecture people on morality? Instead of owning up to their mistakes and misdemeanors, the powers that be want to throw even more muck in the eyes of this overly burdened nation; but facts will always be facts, and the truths will never be suppressed. The notion of Rehman Malik telling his subordinates to mend their ways or else face his ire is laughable at best. Then there is the issue of transparency and accountability associated with it. Only recently there were reports that the PPP wanted to bring in a so-called "anti-corruption" law, which would in fact have replaced the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) with a milder commission full of handpicked cronies of the government. This attitude does not augur well for the carte Blanche desires that the PPP wants us to believe are fact. Until this government can own up to its mistakes, and does something concrete to prove that it is sincere in its intentions, such claims like the one made by Rehman Malik will be treated with a lack of seriousness. It is high time the government actually did something about its credibility. The foreign governments' refusal to give aid, and finance legitimate projects in Pakistan are solely due to the inability of the government to unmask the corrupt hiding in its shadow. Not only that, but even those who are known to be mired in neck deep corruption are not apprehended and put behind bars. But I suppose that is too much to ask of a government whose boss is known internationally as Mr. Ten Percent. . Read Full PostComments

https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101303.html 234860441085712303 Pakistani Blog Posts
19:03

The 9 o’ clock fairy tale

From the Blog karachikhatmal - The 9 o’ clock fairy tale October 31st, 2010 when mushie chacha turned off the channels in november 2007, many journalists took to the streets. in karachi, one particular protest was shut down by the police, and the participants arrested. later, they would quote the experience when they spoke of being ‘hardened journalists’ who bore the brunt of ‘a repressive military regime as they fought for the freedom of speech while rocking out to rage against the machine.’  what most of them failed to mention was how their stay in jail for a few hours involved being brought over pizzas and cans of soft drinks as well as untold cartons of cigarettes. the point being, that sometimes things aren’t what they seem.  so when dawn.com had issues with my second consecutive blog because of things i was saying about their other employees, i decided to put it on my blog, which is only beholden to me. this doesn’t stand as an example of censorship or any such malarkey, for several reasons. the most important one being that in both cases, the references to dawn employees was not an indictment of them personally, nor was it a personal vendetta against two popular and well respected men. instead, it was an attempt to contextualise their words and actions. so, without further ado, here it is. Before disney took over the job, fairy tales were the realm of the spoken word. instead of animation, grandmothers, or audio cassettes, usually took upon the role of reading out elaborate tales of fantasy, adventure, bravery and magic. each tale was embellished with fascinating characters with pretty one-dimensional personalities.  the brave prince, the wronged princess, the devious churail, the friendly giant, the mischievous gnomes, vengeful pirates, bashful fairies, scheming sorcerers, generous djinns, 40 crafty thieves - you get the picture. for the story teller, the liberating aspect of this exercise was the ability to create a whole world, populate it with characters, and trust that the listener would take that on face value. there wasn’t any necessity to provide context. the evil king was evil because that’s what the story said - no one asked to hear about his human rights record, or his control over his kingdom’s sovereignty.  a few days ago, one of pakistan’s most respected journalists wrote a rather  curious article , in which he spent a long time dissecting the life and times of Angelina Jolie. the inquest resulted in a lot of wink-wink, nudge-nudge innuendo, and some outright tamachay on the wisdom and choices of Ms. Jolie.  now  several   blogs   took  apart this approach on the interwebs, and i’ll leave you to judge for yourself. but personally, the basic question that arises upon reading this column is why unleash this maelstrom of mense on the actress, who after all was working recently for flood relief victims in pakistan? a quick glance at the article reveals the answer. the article’s conclusion was related to ms. jolie’s complaints about the excesses of the Pakistani government. according to the scribe, this was how low the government’s stock had reached - that even a person with morals as allegedly dubious as Angelina bhabi looked down upon the rulers in islamabad. now, if we step back, and ignore the spicy gossip strewn all over this column, a more primeval reaction arises - ‘huh?’ what is the point of all this? well, pyare bacho, the point is that in order to provide context to a story, to an event, to any scrap of news, one has to create a narrative. a narrative requires certain characters, certain events and their consequences in order to provide a conclusion.  narratives help provide allegories, examples and advice on how to make sense of the world. to provide a beginning, middle and end. and the simpler the narrative, the flatter the characters, the more emphatic its message becomes. in pakistan, where we are saturated by news and nothing but news all the time, it appears that we have put our grandmothers to sleep and turned on the television for our fairy tales. and so each day, we stare agog at our screens, as wise men narrate epic tales of evil plotters, court room intrigue, daring heros, corrupt rulers, oppressed masses, wanton destruction, foreign hands and local bodies.  unfortunately, while our grandmothers would end the fairy tales when we started to fall asleep, the modern story tellers just don’t let up. and so if our attention begins to waver, they conjure up even more exoticised characters, whose benign actions become symbols of societal malaise. they start weaving together completely unrelated fantasies and present them as a cohesive whole. like the amorous, brazen queen of the heathen tribes of the west, who visited this fair kingdom, and even she, this insatiable devourer of men, was left ashamed by the excesses of the evil king and his supporters. i wonder who disney would get to play the role of the grand vizier? copy paste material

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https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101003_207.html 1004589864374147728 Pakistani Blog Posts
19:03

IntelliDial lets you make phone calls from your iPhone's...

From the Blog Geekword - > IntelliDial lets you make phone calls from your iPhone's... geekword.net — Have you ever felt the need to make a phone call to your desired contact right from your iPhone's lock screen without having to unlock the phone? Yes, we know Apple didn't provide for this productive enhancing feature. But hey why worry when we have Cydia, the heaven like place... . Read Full PostComments

Hate Mailers Galore

From the Blog sanasaleem - > Hate Mailers Galore sanasaleem.com — Hate mail is awesome.From those that would send you mail 'calling you names' to others who start with being your critics and end up calling you names, they are all a awesome & incredible bunch. Being a hate mailer is no easy task,you have to be dedicated to the cause, it... . Read Full PostComments

Azadi from Kashmiri/Dogra Raj Mubarak to Gilgit Baltistan

From the Blog pamirtimes - > Azadi from Kashmiri/Dogra Raj Mubarak to Gilgit Baltistan pamirtimes.wordpress.com — جوان ہیں عزم تو پھر ظلم کی بربادی باقی ہے اندھیری رات ہے اب تک، ابھی آزادی باقی ہے . Read Full PostComments

Distorted priorities?

From the Blog sanasaleem - > Distorted priorities? sanasaleem.com — How many of us remember the three-year-old girl who was kidnapped, raped and thrown in a sewer, or the 13-year-old boy from Korangi who was gang-raped on Eid-ul-Fitr last year, or the five-year-old girl who was raped, strangled and later recovered from a garbage dump at a ground... . Read Full PostComments

Three people injured in road related dispute

From the Blog Globenet - > Three people injured in road related dispute raziq1.blogspot.com — Kohat: 31-10-2010 Three people including a women were injured in Mian Khel bazaar of Kohat in firing incident on a road related dispute. According to police sources in Mian Khel bazaar of Kohat Muslim Khan resident of Hafizabad boarded in a rickshaw had opened fire with his... . Read Full PostComments

https://pakistanblogs.blogspot.com/2010/10/blogged-pages-3110101003_5352.html 6093337950366281409 Pakistani Blog Posts
19:03

A woman of substance

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: A woman of substance - When advocates of the Supreme Court cast their votes on Wednesday to elect the president of the Supreme Court Bar Association and other office-bearers, almost all the concerned citizens of this country held their breath – and waited in suspense for the final count. There was this frenzied, live coverage by the news channels and as initial results started to trickle out, 'breaking news' flashes popped up like fireworks on the screen. But this excitement in the mass media, for once, was fairly justified, considering the issues and the personalities that were involved. It had a bearing on the juridical as well as political evolution of our polity in the wake of the lawyers' and the civil society's long and bitter struggle for an independent judiciary and justice. Now, it is crucial, though not easy, to understand why Asma Jahangir's victory is a vindication of that long campaign. Irrespective of how lines were drawn in this keenly contested election and who was supporting which candidate, the most important point is that the winner, as president of the SCBA, is a person of proven integrity and a distinguished campaigner for human rights and democratic values in the country. Another important factor here is that Asma's triumph certifies the emergence of an emphatically liberal voice in our national affairs at a time when so many of us feel dispirited by the apparently dominant forces of orthodoxy and bigotry. This should in itself be cause for some celebration. Let this message go forth from Pakistan to the world at large that in its existential struggle for survival, this country is not bereft of a firm potential for enlightenment and forward-thinking. Now, before I proceed any further, I should clearly state that I have had a long association with Asma, with reference to the activities of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Hence, I am writing this piece about a close and valued friend. It would be correct to say that I am partial to her. My journalistic ethics demand this admission. At the same time, I can say that I have had the benefit of knowing her well and of bearing witness to the positions she had taken during so many critical moments that we have lived through in our recent past. What impresses me most is that she has the courage of her convictions and adheres steadfastly to certain principles and values. Incidentally, this should also be a valid reason for some people to stand in her way and contest her views, though the smear campaign against her was a mark of utter disgrace on the part of her detractors. Having said this, let me revert to the theme that I wish to underline in this column. Surrounded by all shades of chicanery and expediency in our public life, we seem to be in desperate need for individuals in leadership positions who have personal integrity, moral courage and intellectual vigour. If such individuals are unable to come to the fore, our strivings as a nation may not come to fruition. Consider, for instance, the focus this week on the Corruption Perceptions Index, released by Transparency International. On that index, Pakistan figures as the 34th most corrupt country out of 178 countries that were evaluated. The news, actually, is that we have slipped eight places from last year's rank. While it is largely a matter of perception and we can quarrel about the measures adopted by Transparency International, the conclusion that our government, in its financial dealings, is becoming more corrupt is widely accepted. It has at least not devoted any concerted attention to checking corrupt and unlawful practices at different levels of governance. Without mentioning the many stories of corruption in Pakistan's state machinery, as evidenced by a number of investigative reports in the media, we can say that our present rulers are not anxious to improve their performance in accordance with accepted institutional and moral precepts. Just imagine the difference it would make if these leaders were more sincere and morally upright in their official conduct. Even the size of the federal cabinet has not been touched by the devastating floods that struck us three long months ago. In passing, just look at Bangladesh. It was perceived as the most corrupt country by Transparency International in 2001 and 2002 and, also, in 2003. This year, it is ranked at 43, nine places above Pakistan. India? If our rank is 34 from the bottom, India is placed at 91, though it was four places above last year. In addition to some other attributes, leadership certainly plays a central role in all strategies for social change. We must recognise the importance of leadership and a distinct sense of direction to keep pace with the rest of the world in an age that primarily stands for democratic and liberal values, emancipation of women and social justice. Can Pakistan move in that direction, with the baggage that it carries? Asma's success gives us hope that it might. As for the issues that were invested in the SCBA election campaign, the general mood was remarkably at variance with the tempo and tenor of the historic lawyers' movement for the restoration of the Supreme Court judges. But the overall situation has changed. This is not the time when a line can be drawn to neatly separate rival factions. The politics of the lawyers as well as the perception of the role that an independent judiciary and judicial activism can play has changed. Perhaps there is some misconception about what the lawyers or their elected office-bearers can or should do in the context of the tensions that have arisen or are perceived between national institutions. However, the bottom line is the dispensation of justice for the common citizens of this country and an improvement in the working of the justice system itself. To that extent, Asma and other leaders of lawyers will have to be judged on how they discharge their responsibilities. She has vowed to "serve the cause of justice with integrity and to the best of my ability". Still, the judges and the lawyers and their leaders must function within their prescribed domains and not remain in the headlines all the time. The media will also have to be more careful in picking its themes and adopting a rational approach in their discussion. Come to think of it, we are all on trial and the chief prosecutor is always our conscience. As Tom Paine said, "these are times that try men's souls". And he had added: "The summer soldier and the sunshine patriot will, in this crisis, shrink from the service of their country but he that stands by it now deserves the love and thanks of man and woman". . Read Full PostComments

Great rats to fly with

From the Blog buzzvines - > Great rats to fly with buzzvines.com — read more . Read Full PostComments

Working late hours

From the Blog buzzvines - > Working late hours buzzvines.com — Working late hours read more . Read Full PostComments

Top 3 FREE All in one Video Converters For All Video...

From the Blog tips-o-tricks - > Top 3 FREE All in one Video Converters For All Video... tips-o-tricks.blogspot.com — If you are one of those video collectors who're are always busy in downloading videos then you must know the importance of video formats and their conversions. There are dozens of video formats which are developed to supports different devices and have different quality levels.... . Read Full PostComments

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Elusive hearts and minds

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: Elusive hearts and minds - IT is a well-known fact that America's relations with Pakistan are double-edged at every level. Washington tries to strengthen the strategic partnership through dialogue, then lets Nato forces in 'hot pursuit' of militants cross the Pakistani border; showers aid on the military, yet cuts funding to units suspected of violating human rights; demands that the Pakistan Army target militants in North Waziristan, even while asking our politicians and generals to help negotiate with the Afghan Taliban. It is not surprising, then, that the US remains double-minded about its policies on how best to engage with the Pakistani people. Although we have been led to believe that every American (at least those on Capitol Hill) is out to win our hearts and minds, there are many who increasingly question the US government's obsession with making Pakistanis like their country. The need for such questioning is clear. Washington sees bilateral foreign assistance as a way to sway public opinion and foster stability by earning the trust of elusive hearts and minds. But while the US has given Pakistan over $18bn in military and civilian aid since 2001, only 17 per cent of Pakistanis view the US favourably, according to a Pew Research Centre survey from June. These contradictory statistics suggest that the harder the US tries to improve its image by doling out bucketfuls of aid, the more suspicious of its motives Pakistanis become. To their credit, some US policymakers are well aware of this conundrum, and are beginning to re-evaluate the logic of expecting aid to buy love (to be clear: US officials are not rethinking giving aid to Pakistan; rather, they are reconsidering their own expectations of what impact assistance will have on the Pakistani public). They argue that it would be more productive to stop worrying about incorrigible Pakistani hearts and minds, and instead focus on strengthening Pakistan's economy and public institutions for the sake of long-term stability and progress. The jury is by no means out on this subject. During October's strategic dialogue, US special envoy Richard Holbrooke spoke in support of major, visible aid projects such as bridges that could win back the appreciation of the Pakistani people. He argued that US developmental aid is more effective when it simultaneously seeks to alter public opinion because local support helps politicians implement projects more successfully. A new study by the World Bank's Jishnu Das and Pomona College's Tahir Andrabi titled In Aid We Trust: Hearts and Minds and the Pakistan Earthquake of 2005 reiterates that humanitarian aid can win local favour. The study shows that those Pakistanis who interacted with aid workers after the 2005 earthquake retained positive impressions and high levels of trust in westerners four years after that calamity. In light of such findings, US government officials conclude that the failure lies in public diplomacy rather than aid policies. Holbrooke recently admitted that the US is not accustomed to dealing with Pakistan's newly empowered public institutions and freewheeling media. He thinks his government needs to work harder to explain its developmental goals to the Pakistani people, and the hearts and minds will come a-running. This logic probably prompted the recent announcement of 125 US-funded journalism internships as well as dozens of public administration internships for members of Pakistan's information ministry. But scepticism is rife. For example, the Centre for Global Development, a Washington-based think tank, responded to the Das-Andrabi study by highlighting the distinction between trust in individual westerners and trust in the US government and its policies — the former does not necessarily translate into the latter. Andrew Wilder, a fellow at Tufts University's Feinstein International Centre, also argues that aid can be counter-productive by generating grievances among receiving publics about delivery, distribution and implementation. He might just be on to something. Despite Washington's magnanimity, a Pew survey in July found that over 50 per cent of Pakistanis believe the US gives little or no assistance here. Clearly, there is a disconnect between big dollar figures in news headlines and individual Pakistanis' experiences of not directly benefiting from aid packages. If Pakistanis come to think of the US as an entity that breaks promises, its approval ratings could sink even further. As the debate rages about the ability of aid to win hearts and minds, the US should clarify why Pakistani public opinion matters. Is this just an egotistical concern, whereby the US cannot abide by the fact that there are some people who, despite receiving its billions, continue to hate its guts? Or is this a genuine security concern that plays directly into America's stated goal for this region (to guarantee that Pakistan and Afghanistan are not used as launching pads for attacks against the US) and presumes that people are more likely to bomb those they hate? In the latter case, US policies face a difficult challenge. Developmental aid may just succeed in winning over average Pakistanis in coming years. But average souls pose fewer threats to US security. The danger is increasingly coming in the form of Faisal Shahzad and Farooque Ahmed, another Pakistani-born US citizen who was arrested this week for plotting to bomb Metro stations in Washington DC. These Pakistanis are acutely aware of Washington's schizophrenic policies in Pakistan that couple developmental aid and drone attacks. They are not likely to be won over by a sack of rice or a maternity ward. They are more interested in seeing the US alter its foreign policy with regard to drone attacks, relations with India, the conflicts in Kashmir and Palestine, and more. If it is Pakistanis like these the US aims to entice, it should focus less on winning hearts and minds and more on changing its policies. . Read Full PostComments

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19:03

Converting crisis into opportunity

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: Converting crisis into opportunity - ADDING to the snappy 'politics is the art of the possible,' American labour organiser, writer and columnist Oscar Ameringer elaborated: "Politics is the gentle art of getting votes from the poor and campaign funds from the rich, by promising to protect each from the other". Since 1947, the politicians of Pakistan have steadily developed this nifty art into a science. While the poor grow poorer, the Human Development Index falls, income disparities increase, the environment degrades, and 25-plus per cent exist below the poverty line, politicians, mainly feudals supported by other feudals, and urban industrialists/developers thrive. Can we utilise the present crisis to reverse this trend for the benefit of the have-nots of this country? The 2010 floods have bared the poverty, backwardness and non-access to social facilities existing in rural Sindh. While most of us have vaguely heard of the inequities heaped on the peasantry by feudal lords and landowners, hundreds of city dwellers who interacted with IDPs over the past two months have witnessed the results first-hand. Shehri, the environmental NGO, held a seminar recently on 'Land Management & Resettlement in the Post-Flood Scenario', and my friend and advisor Roland deSouza of Shehri reported back to me. PPP-Z's Taj Haider, the Sindh government's coordinator for the flood relief programme, announced that one million plots of 80-100 square yards are to be established around eight towns in Sindh (Karachi, Thatta, Hyderabad, Kotri, Mirpurkhas, Larkana, Shaheed-Benazirabad, Sukkur) to resettle displaced families in 'centralised villages' near population centres, with access to industrial jobs, schools (70-80 per cent of IDP children have never seen one), health units, interconnecting roads and other social facilities. This will supplement the Watan cards, granting Rs20,000 in the first phase and Rs80,000 in the next. He said that 35 per cent of agricultural output came from the floodplain areas and that 45 per cent of IDPs would have to return to farming livelihoods. No obstructions and encroachments will be allowed in the riverine area to restrict the flow of water (what is to happen to the housing encroachments near Sukkur, Hyderabad, etc?). Now, with a current provincial population of some 45 million (half in the urban areas), the move of one million rural households (say six million people) to the urban fabric of Sindh would make a significant transformation in the demographics and vote-banks of the cities and towns where the MQM has held sway for decades. Wooing depressed rural citizens with an innovative land-reform bill introduced earlier this month (a more palatable alternative to last month's threat to forcefully occupy properties), the MQM could be worried as to how the future will affect their power structure. Director-General of the Provincial Disaster Management Authority, Sualeh Farooqui, provided pertinent data: some 400 dead, seven million affected, 1.8 million in relief camps (50 per cent now repatriated), 0.8 million houses damaged, Rs464bn losses, many areas to remain under floodwater for a further three to six months, women/children most vulnerable with endemic malnutrition, but so far no cholera epidemic (it took nine months to emerge in Haiti), and so forth. He admitted that the government has weak institutions, inadequate resources, and fragile legal regimes in Sindh's rural towns. So, we must ask, how will this rocky government begin to cope with physical planning for land resettlement? With the uncertainties of events generated by climate change, 'Disaster Risk Reduction' (a systematic approach to identifying, assessing and reducing the risks of disaster) strategies need to be learnt, assimilated and implemented. Dr Noman Ahmed of NED University and Babar Mumtaz of the UN-Habitat programme were upbeat about the opportunity the disaster creates to improve the lot of a large section of the populace: "As with the 2005 earthquake, the central ambition must be to 'Build Back Better' so that the outcome of the reconstruction is not just a replacement or reinstatement of what the floods have washed away, but that every opportunity is taken to improve upon and make good the deficiencies before the disaster. 'Building Back Better' refers not just to the houses and other physical structures and infrastructure, but the totality of the living environment: communities, social infrastructure and safety nets; it means enhancing livelihoods and reducing vulnerability, increasing opportunities and reducing constraints, increasing inclusiveness and reducing bias." With the government we have, and the post-earthquake experience, it is extremely difficult to envisage any ambition being achieved — we can only hope. Yesterday, this newspaper printed urban expert Arif Hasan's excellent article, 'A town under water', detailing and expanding on what needs to be done to rehabilitate small flood-affected towns. This should be mandatory reading for Chief Minister Qaim Ali Shah and his 18-member Sindh Rehabilitation and Reconstruction Council that was notified on Oct 27 and met the next day. They will read that "post-disaster reconstruction in many countries has led to the creation of a better physical, social and governance environment…". Can our warring politicos in Sindh rise above their selfish and inward-looking games? Can they contemplate and then act with the aim of "enhancing livelihoods and reducing vulnerability, increasing opportunities and reducing constraints" for the poor of their province? Can these short-sighted politicians reverse the perception of Charles de Gaulle of France that "In order to become the master, the politician poses as the servant…." and actually become the public servants of a deprived and powerless citizenry? This is an opportunity to get back onto the rails — it may not occur again. Note: On the complicated matter of responsibility for the bund breaches, a judicial commission was formed last month comprising Justices Ghulam Nabi Soomro and Zahid Qurban Alvi. The issue and composition of the commission is being challenged in the high court by various Sindhi nationalist parties. . Read Full PostComments

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19:03

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: View from US: - Back in the day when Americans made science-fiction-style movies like China Syndrome, we were titillated by the American hold on earth. It was the master of all it surveyed and could afford to make fun of anyone it wished. Few knew that China would one day invade the US giant shopping malls to take its revenge by driving the Americans bananas with their 'how to' directions. What a novel way at getting back? Even the poor American kids got lost in translation. A 7-year-old sits to build a truck with his lego and guess what, he yells out to his mother: "Mom, where does this piece fit?" The mother instead of enjoying her Sunday tries to solve the puzzle but without any luck. By that time the kid has lost interest. I often wonder how Americans manage – from toothpicks to iPods – with goods that proudly proclaim 'Made in China.' America doesn't like making things. It only sells; even outsources its businesses. America is like a second-hand car salesman pushing sub-standard stuff our way. I once bought a desk. The price was marked down. Lugging the huge boxes upstairs to my apartment, I began the arduous task of assembling. Opening the boxes was a challenge. Cuts, gashes and bloody hands later, I began my assembly. The daffy directions drove me up the wall; the naughty screws, nuts and bolts refused to comply with the miserable illustrations contained on a scrappy bit of paper before me. Days of frustration were spent setting up the table. Finally, when it was up and standing, a strip of scotch tape happened to stick out. Mindlessly I pulled it out and with it was ripped the thin veneer of paper from the surface leaving behind an ugly cardboard patch! Serves me right for buying a cheap table, I said to myself. Apart from taking control of clothes, toys, furniture, electric goods…just about anything Americans own, the Chinese plan taking over the food production of the world. They have bid for Potash Corporation which gives almost half of the world its supply of fertiliser. Americans are now getting queasy about China dominating their daily intake of food. But let's not forget that 97 per cent of the world's supply of rare earths, minerals that play an essential role in many high-technology products, including military equipment are in China! "There is oil in the Middle East; there is rare earth in China," Deng Xiaoping, the chief architect of China's economic makeover said way back in 1992. Last winter I went to Cape Canaveral in Florida to see the spot where the US sent its first humans to the moon on July 20, 1969. We saw the NASA computers – clunky machines – that had actually controlled Apollo 11's flight path from its launch to landing on the moon and back to earth. We watched the re-runs of the original recordings of the take off from Kennedy Centre and heard Neil Armstrong's famous words: "That's one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind." There were thousands of visitors that day…but two ethnicities stood out: Chinese and Indian families with their young ones. Indeed, 20 years from now, these young ones will be leading the world as one believes that the next two superpowers are China and India. I'm in touch with Asad Wyne, 23, who lives in Karachi. He's just returned from China. He wonders why Pakistanis "whine" about the direction their country is heading in and why don't they do something about it? But reality has hit him after being in Beijing for two months: "Eastern Asia is now a 100 years ahead of us, with the Indians at least 30 years ahead and the West a couple of centuries more." Where has Pakistan gone wrong and why? "The Chinese have a stable government and they have a direction. Despite many failures over the past 200 years; horrible human rights abuses; this nation doesn't whine, it doesn't allow its history to become an obstruction in development," says Asad. "And they accept their history, every child there knows what happened in China and how China has emerged today. They embrace the humiliation they faced in the past. But at the same time they guard their heritage and never allow it to be vandalised. The best example is that of the Forbidden City in Beijing where their emperors lived. Pakistanis on the other hand change their history, manipulate it, even destroy it in the name of Islam!" Asad is presently studying chartered accountancy in Karachi, and got interested in the socio-economic conditions prevalent in Pakistan today. "What I see is we're no different from the so-called 'rogue nations', like North Korea or Myanmar, and my visit to China just affirmed my biggest fear." His advice to our leaders is to stop visiting China for photo-op sessions. Instead they should take along a team of engineers and planners to learn from the Chinese. As for himself, Asad is learning Chinese. . Read Full PostComments

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19:03

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: Smokers' Corner: - Death, destruction, chaos, pain, tears, fear. I can go on and on. People are asking what has happened to our beloved Islamic republic. Well, the answers are obvious. The answers are quivering and screaming right underneath our noses. Take the example of the devastating floods the beloved country has been facing. But before I launch into analysing the issue let me make a humble appeal to all my Muslim brothers and sisters. Let's join hands, unite, merge and gather outside the most significant and historically relevant landmarks of the county — the Lal Masjid and the Kahuta Nuclear Plant — and raise our hands and scream at the top of our voices, 'Oh, Lord, forgive our sins. Forgive us and deliver us from all these calamities that our enemies have unleashed upon us. We know these calamities are your azaab on a shameless, slavish and corrupt leadership. Rid this land of these devils. These agents of destruction and corruption and consumption and dysfunction and eruption'. Now, dear Muslim brothers and sisters, I would like to address all those hypocrites who have been going on and on calling freedom fighters like the Taliban 'terrorists'. These so-called liberals whom we all know are clearly on the payroll of various enemy agencies, are always quick to call Taliban terrorists but why are they quiet when these floods have killed so many of our poor, helpless, innocent (Muslim) brothers and sisters? Why aren't they calling these floods an act of terrorism as well? These merciless floods have no morals, no religion, no ethics. I have done what no TV channel or newspaper or NGO is willing to do. My team and I conducted a series of interviews with these dastardly floods. And as they roared across the country creating havoc, they told us, 'our mission is to wash out Pakistan and Islam'. I dived into the Indus, and warned it that it is being infiltrated by terrorist floods unleashed by our enemies in India and Afghanistan, but my pleas and warnings too were swept away. Dear Muslim Pakistani brothers and sisters, open your eyes and see the truth; open your ears and hear the facts; open your noses and smell the coffee. After creating hell through infidel agents of death, whom we so naively call Taliban, our enemies have now let loose these highly trained and paid floods. I have solid proof that these deadly floods were created and given training in Kabul and New Delhi by RAW and the CIA. I also want to share with you another startling fact: Never have our rivers looked so red during flooding. What does that tell you? Simple, dear colleagues. The Russian KGB has joined the proceedings as well. If you listen carefully to the sound of the raging waters in our rivers these days, you can clearly hear it singing not only bhajans and hymns, but Godless and atheistic, communist claptrap as well. The following is what I want to ask our rulers: Why isn't the government declaring the floods as terrorists? Why is the government accepting flood relief from India? How can Pakistani Muslims ever get themselves to consume water and food delivered by Hindus? Isn't it better that the victims drown or starve to death rather than accept such impure aid? What a shame! It is now clear that only our gallant army can run this country. It successfully wiped out the infidel agents of India, Israel and the United States from Swat; it should be given a free hand to fight these Godless floods too. Why isn't the government allowing the armed forces to use fighter jets and tanks against these floods? I predict that it will only take a week for our brave forces to wipe out these floods if they are allowed to bomb some strategic areas of the mighty Indus. I have been warning that many parts of the river Indus running across Sindh in particular were always more venerable to infiltration by enemy and terrorist floods. That is due to the presence of the blind dolphins there, especially near the Sukkur barrage. Dear colleagues, let me tell you, these merciless dolphins paid by the enemy western agencies like the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) are not blind at all. It's an elaborate hoax. Kill them! . Read Full PostComments

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19:03

'White' authority in Pakistani media – by Mazhar Arif

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: 'White' authority in Pakistani media – by Mazhar Arif - Most of the decision-makers in North American news and entertainment media are White. Media ownership is mainly concentrated in the hands of White males; White journalists dominate the mainstream media; and White people hold most creative positions in the entertainment media as actors, writers and directors. All these factors contribute to the prevalence of "Whiteness" . Read Full PostComments

Lack of an alternative — I

From the Blog PkColumnist.com: Lack of an alternative — I - Wherever you go, you can hear the buzz about the need for a political alternative in Pakistan. The two facts of Pakistan's politics are that though the military is not an alternative, political parties have not really risen beyond patronage politics. And that there is a shortage of a visionary leadership and a vision for the state and its society. Leave aside the claim regarding the main political parties constantly struggling to survive the sword of a possible military takeover; the reality is that most lack the ability to take the country anywhere. Just to cite the example of Karachi which is in the middle of another cycle of bloodshed. As the fight goes on amongst different parties and stakeholders for the control of the only genuine cosmopolitan and commercial capital of the state, battle lines are drawn on ethnic lines. For an average Karachi dweller, it is disappointing to see that parties such as the ANP, MQM, PPP and PML-N have not really managed to cut across ethnic lines and connect different communities. While not all muhajirs are part of the MQM, the party is essentially all-muhajir. The same applies for the ANP and the PPP. As for the PML-N, the problem is that its leadership does not even bother to go and establish itself in Karachi. Perhaps the party wants to eventually outsource Karachi to its political allies, such as Pir Pagara and others. This sorry state of affairs does not suggest that the military leadership has better vision. The GHQ continues to use the same old colonial tactics of divide and rule. The upshot is that there seems to be no political alternative on the horizon. The issue with Imran Khan is that, despite his commitment to getting rid of corruption, he has not real vision for Pakistan. The state of political homosexuality hurts him. He is neither a liberal nor a conservative. So why are we in such a condition? It is probably due to the death of politics, which is about a higher art of negotiating power and resources on the basis of a vision. In so many years, we have been psyched to believe that politics is bad. It is not a game for nice people to play. Furthermore, we are told that politics is only a game to be played by the educated. Between the two military regimes – those of Ziaul Haq and Pervez Musharraf – society was gradually de-politicised . Zia's clamping down on students unions and trade unions deprived the country of two major nurseries for producing political workers and leaders. The political system, which emerged from Zia's martial law, was characterised by more personalised control. The PPP, which comprised several schools of thought including the liberal-left, the Islamic-left and the traditional status-quo, emerged as a party controlled centrally by Benazir Bhutto. The choice was between pragmatism and political idealism . Our obsession with pragmatism has helped party structures to survive without their real spirit. PPP's ideological demise was hurtful for the country, as the party was really the first organised political movement of Pakistan and was connected with the people. The Muslim League belonged to another generation. The lack of a political alternative is also due to the death of the Left as an ideology. The PPP itself was a product of the ideological richness that existed during the 1960s and resulted in what comrade Lal Khan has described in his book as the 1968-69 revolution. A combination of factors such as the close linkage of left ideology with the Soviet Union, the demise of the Soviet state and the ascendency of capitalism and neo-liberal ideology created conditions in which politics cannot stay alive. Many of my friends, who at one time belonged to the Left, almost believe that Left politics is just about opposing the US. The Taliban and other militants are an alternative which will one day kill the capitalist state. The problem is that the victory of the religious right and their partners will also doom the region, as then oppression will seem to have God's sanction. Sadly, we are in an ideological and intellectual muddle which will pull us down even further. The ideological right is also neo-liberal. Without conceptual clarity, we won't produce alternatives. . Read Full PostComments

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16:03

Muttahida Muslim League (MML) website for Registration,...

From the Blog pakspectator - > Muttahida Muslim League (MML) website for Registration,... pakspectator.com — The Muttahida Muslim League (MML), which has been formed after the merger of four Leagues is... Read More at http://www.pakspectator.com . Read Full PostComments

Why Aafia Trial Should be Dismissed As a Mistrial

From the Blog uni-aza - > Why Aafia Trial Should be Dismissed As a Mistrial uni-aza.blogspot.com — By Yvonne Ridley Throughout her trial in New York Dr. Aafia Siddiqui tried in vain to sack her legal team as is the right of any defendant in any court in the world today. Her suspicions they were not working in her best interests were almost certainly confirmed when she was... . Read Full PostComments

Volunteers' work

From the Blog sajshirazi - > Volunteers' work sajshirazi.blogspot.com — Mr Dauth from German Embassy and guests with Prof Dr Norbert Pintsch and Thikedar Mr Iqbalon Mud Housing Project from Appropriate Technology in Green Acre, Peerzada Cultural Complex,... . Read Full PostComments

Unlock iPhone 3G -3GS Baseband 05.14.02 on iOS 4.1...

From the Blog ijafri - > Unlock iPhone 3G -3GS Baseband 05.14.02 on iOS 4.1... ijafri.com — Dev-Team to Release ultrasn0w Unlock for iOS 4.2 baseband 05.14.02 in November. MuscleNerd posted a reply on his Twitter account in a reply to one of his followers, who asked him when the unlock for iOS 4.2 would come and in the reply MuscleNerd replied: MuscleNerd: @simplysaru... . Read Full PostComments

Comedy? Politics? Crowd at 'Sanity' rally sees both

From the Blog StateOfPakistan - > Comedy? Politics? Crowd at 'Sanity' rally sees both yousufnazar.com — Stewart and Colbert avoid partisan pitches Los Angeles Times October 31, 2010 Reporting from Washington A high-spirited crowd numbering in the tens of thousands swamped the National Mall on Saturday, overwhelming the city's public transportation system as people flocked to what... . Read Full PostComments

Monday, November 1st.

From the Blog maryamreza - Monday, November 1st. October 31st, 2010 So. Tomorrow we start the real work. We go to special education schools and work with the kids there. ACTUAL work. Not just tests and interviews but therapy sessions. We don’t even know HOW to apply the incredibly complicated therapies =/ Frankly, this is scaring the shit out of me. I know, I know. I’m not supposed to say that. I’m just afraid I a) Won’t be able to help them or b) Might (God forbid) hurt them even worse. I really, really hope I get the hang of it soon. Because this isn’t about passing and failing your semester. This is about some child’s entire life and the effect you’ll leave on it. Or I’ll leave on it. I don’t know how to explain exactly what I need to say and I know I sound stupid. Just pray for the best. Okay? Thanks. Here I Am.

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Living On The Edge 2010 – Episode 3 (28th Oct 2010)

From the Blog MastiKorner: Living On The Edge 2010 – Episode 3 (28th Oct 2010) - MOUNTAIN DEW LIVING ON THE EDGE LAHORE AUDITIONS Host: Waqar Zaka Online Media Partner & coverage: MK – Production For All Episode Click Here Play Below Video To Watch Friendship With Us On Facebook. Click Here Related posts: Living On The Edge 2010 – Episodes Living On The Edge Season 2010 – Episode 1 & 2 LIVING ON THE EDGE Waqar Zaka Den Auditions Episode 3 (28 Jan 2010) Ary Digital . Read Full PostComments

Thriving on your own charity

From the Blog Change-Dignity-Prosperity: Thriving on your own charity - …a flood rehab donation reminder! Rehabilitation is underway in the flood-hit regions of Pakistan. Key players in this reconstruction include numerous NGO,s working strenuously in the field. Billions have been collected by them through charity given by Pakistanis alone, though efforts of international community indeed is well appreciated. However, considering a catastrophe of biblical scale, . Read Full PostComments

Pakistan's national hobby

From the Blog That's Wrong!: Sodomy: Pakistan's national hobby - Sodomy has been Pakistan's national hobby. It's rampant in this Islamic Republic of Pakistan. It's being practised in madrassas. Many of my friends, who are madrassa graduate, narrate the gruesome details of the sodomy episode repeated regularly in madrassas. Most of the time young boys are subjected to sexual abuse by their madrassa teachers. Three boys have been accused of committing sodomy with a 15-year-old boy in a hostel associated with Islamabad Institute of Medical Sciencce, according to the media reports. Two weeks ago, an NGO report revealed that 1,216 children had been sexually abused in the first half of this year as compared to 968 recorded cases in the corresponding period last year. This is the first reported case in which a gang, whose members are age fellows of the victim, has committed sodomy. Many such cases go un-reported due to shame and other social stigmas associated with sodomy. My dad did a murder trial in which the father (accused) of a boy (aged 12) killed a person in the village. My dad represented the accused. The accused's son went in to the fields to defecate. When the boy was sitting on the ground after removing his shalwar (trouser), the deceased came at the spot and trid to commit sodomy. The boy was lucky. He fled from the scene, leaving his shalwar there and coming all the way to his home. He narrated the whole incidnet to his father. His father took out his handgun and murdered the person who tried to sodomise his son. The father was given death sentence by the trial court, however the high court converted his death sentencce into life sentence recently. Sitting in the court room, while my dad was arguing the case before Lahore High Court Chief Justice Khawaja Muhammad Sharif, I was thinking about the boy's father in the jail and the boy in the village. The father has given his son social protection and courage to roam in the village streets without a honour. I am sure the sodomy in that village must have stopped after that incident. But few are courageous enough to make the issue public. Many vicitms and their families sulk for the rest of their lives. I am also aware of some cases wherein the act of sodomy was filmed for future blackmailing. The video clip would be circulated in surrounding villages within the couple of hours of the sodomy. The victim in one such case brought the case in the court. The accused were punished for life. The victim went to England afterwards. Laws in Pakistan are very strict about sodomy, but they are unable to give confidence to victims or their families to approach courts. In the area adjoining Jhelum cantonment. A young boy was sodomised by two people who were in their mid-twenties. They took the boy from his house on the pretext of playing cricket with him and sodomised him in a deserted walled-property. The boy's father came to our chamber and narrated the whole episode to me and my father. He was poor and we offered him our services for free. He was very nervous and would visit us daily. Despite all our assurances, he was reluctanct to go to the court. He opted for an out-of-court-settlement with the accused. He told us that his own family elders were pressing him to give up the case. He let the accused go scot-free without even claiming come monetary compensation. I gave him the toll-free number of a non-government organisation who helps rehabiliatate sodomy victims, but I am sure he would not have called it. The irony is that the poor boy is still living in the same area where the culprits with grins on their faces cross him daily in the streets. . Read Full PostComments

Nawaz Sharif's Misaq-e-Pakistan – by Imtiaz Alam

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: Nawaz Sharif's Misaq-e-Pakistan – by Imtiaz Alam - Mian Nawaz Sharif has been baffling both his fans and critics with his conduct as an opposition leader, which is quite untypical of a popular Pakistani leader aspiring to be at the top again. While acquiring such a political maturity, democratic resilience and farsightedness, Mr Sharif has perhaps learnt more lessons from his formatives years . Read Full PostComments

Be More Adsense Compliant with New Adsense Checklist...

From the Blog digitalounge - > Be More Adsense Compliant with New Adsense Checklist... activr.com — Advertisements Google Adsense earning program for publishers is one of a innovative programs available on web where you get help to get most out your content. It helps you earn with your site as easy as you can ever image. Google has always shown their keen interest in introducing... . Read Full PostComments

Here's how you can get the App Store rejected iDOS...

From the Blog geekword - > Here's how you can get the App Store rejected iDOS... geekword.net — You may have heard about iDOS, the 99 cent app that made an appearance on the App Store and was later removed from the App Store. What if we told you that you can still get the DOSbox based open source DOS emulator on your iDevice? Yes, you guessed the source, its none other... . Read Full PostComments

Where I Disagree With Some Prominent Liberals of our...

From the Blog pakteahouse - > Where I Disagree With Some Prominent Liberals of our... pakteahouse.wordpress.com — Raza Habib Raja As a philosophy liberalism is more inward looking and hence does not try to shift blame on the outside forces. By its orientation, it also does not have an overly negative assumption about human nature and consequently is not obsessed with crime and punishment.... . Read Full PostComments

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13:03

Heritage Under Threat

From the Blog Newsline: Heritage Under Threat - Flood waters combined with government neglect have caused damage to centuries-old heritage sites. The extent of the damage, however, is yet to be determined. . Read Full PostComments

Relevance of the Bolshevik Revolution — by Dr. Lal Khan

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: Relevance of the Bolshevik Revolution — by Dr. Lal Khan - As the ferocious crisis of Pakistani capitalism pillages and devastates society, there are frantic cries of 'revolution' by mainly right-wing politicians and intellectuals. It reflects their utter desperation and an impotent rage at the historical failure of their system to run society. Yet they mention the French Revolution and "a bloody revolution". Their intention is . Read Full PostComments

Little is expected of Barack Obama's visit to India

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: Little is expected of Barack Obama's visit to India - Little is expected of Barack Obama's visit to India The Economist Oct 28th 2010 | delhi BARACK OBAMA is expected to arrive in India next week in time for Diwali, the subcontinent's festival of light. In Delhi and Mumbai a machinegun racket of firecrackers and joyful whooping will enliven the night, and Mr Obama should . Read Full PostComments

New species of fish found in one of the deepest places on Earth

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: New species of fish found in one of the deepest places on Earth - Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 st1:*{behavior:url(#ieooui) } /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} A new species has been discovered in a part of the ocean previously thought to be entirely free of fish. The findings, in one of the deepest places on the planet, were made by a team of marine biologists from the University of Aberdeen and experts from Japan and New Zealand. The University of Aberdeen said these latest discoveries helped shed new light on life in the depths of the Earth. The discovery could mean that there are thousands more unknown fish in hidden depths in the world’s ocean. Dr Jamieson said: ‘What we found was that indeed there was another unique species of snailfish living at 7,000 metres – entirely new to science – which had never been caught or seen before. Dr Toyonobu Fujii, a deep-sea fish expert from Aberdeen University, added: ‘How deep fish can live has long been an intriguing question and the results from this expedition has provided deeper insight into our understanding of the global distribution of fish in the oceans.’ . Read Full PostComments

Critical articles are welcome

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: Critical articles are welcome - Recently there have been a number of critical views expressed regarding LUBP's editorial policy and alleged intolerance of criticism of the PPP. Nothing could be further from the truth. This blog is dedicated to the principle of freedom of speech and welcomes contributions from all sides of the political spectrum as well as rebuttals of . Read Full PostComments

You're not doing it right, baby!

From the Blog Speak Your Mind!!!: You're not doing it right, baby! - Normal 0 false false false MicrosoftInternetExplorer4 /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:”Table Normal”; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-parent:”"; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:.0001pt; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:10.0pt; font-family:”Times New Roman”; mso-ansi-language:#0400; mso-fareast-language:#0400; mso-bidi-language:#0400;} Mallika Sherawat made lots of promises about Hisss, which turned out to be a big time disaster. We were given false hopes & nothing was delivered. Of course this lady knows how to make witty statements, but it's about time she should give attention to her acting skills. She has disappointed us. People who wasted 4 hours on her make-up were pathetic, to say the least. She looked quite fake when she turned into a snake. I think everyone involved in that movie worked half-heartedly. The director is the real culprit. She could have made people act. She could have worked on the script. She did nothing of the sort. Mallika Sherwat ought to learn that there is more to life than shedding clothes & surprising people. Since everything has been brutally exploited, she should concentrate on her acting. The next on my list is Mr. Sahir Lodhi. He hasn't done anything lately other than the fact that he can't help imitating SRK 24/7. Maybe he has some identity crisis. Now coming to the question: what do I have against him? He made fun of literary people along with a bunch of nuts few days ago. Those who have seen the clip may know that he went beyond the boundary. He added a new dimension to the word smug. I don't mean to sound like those artist log, but Literature is not for everyone. You have to have a little open mind to comprehend lots of things that can be beyond your brain cells. I had the misfortune to watch the new song of Komal Rizvi. It's the sight more than eyes could bear. I think she's trying to prove something. Over all, she looks quite cheap. Her dance moves are suggestive, & of course cheap. In fact, she looks a lot like one of my chipkoo acquaintances. You don't even feel like listening to the song. Moreover, people who badly need to work out don't do anything about it. And is there no one to tell them, 'you're not doing it right, baby'? Kareena has been fasting & praying for the long life of Saif. I think it only happened for a day, but in return Saif gave her a diamond necklace (I'm sure all her fans know that she loves diamonds). How very materialistic! And what kind of news is this? You may pray & fast for your lover, but the world doesn't need to know. Nevertheless, this is one unique couple & Kareena happens to be the 1 st woman in love. That is invariably the case whenever she falls for anyone. She's always the 1 st woman to be in love. Ashmit Patel is getting very cozy with Veena Malik in Bigg Boss & they are saying that Sara will have issues with Veena now. Dolly jee is quite an entertainer. Anyway, Veena Malik has done a good job. And then the best thing about Bigg Boss 4 is Salman Khan. Whenever I look at him, I forget everything. . Read Full PostComments

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13:03

Trust deficit emerges into newly MML

From the Blog Let us build Pakistan: Trust deficit emerges into newly MML - Related Articles: Nawaz Sharif's alliance with Musharraf League: Where are the principles now? IJI style game plan IJI style game plan: phase two One day after the formation of the Muttahida Muslim League alliance, a group from within voiced its concerns over the nomination for the head of the steering committee. The move for the . Read Full PostComments

Lest We Forget

From the Blog All Things Pakistan: Pakistan's Great Flood: Lest We Forget - Adil Najam The flood waters may have receded from media headlines and also from many of the affected areas, but it will be a long while before the impacts of the Great Flood recede from the lives of those who were devastated by it. Lest we forget , here are two pictures, both taken today: Saturday, October 30, 2010, in Jacobabad, Sindh . “> Much more 'juicy' news may be attracting our attentions, but the needs today as as great as before. and in some ways are even greater as those whose lives were devastated try to rebuild those lives – one brick, one wall, one sapling, one bag of seeds at a time . As the 20 million Pakistanis affected return to their homes, they fight disease, dismay and a total disarray of what used to be their lives. Seeds have to be planted so that the next year is also not a washout. Houses have to be rebuilt. Trauma has to be tackled. Children have to be sent back to schools. The schools themselves have to be rebuilt. The world had not really paid much attention as the devastation unfolded. It is paying even less attention today. All the more reason that those who are paying attention be thanked and supported. There are important lessons to be learnt and even more important actions to be taken. To those of our friends abroad whose humanity has been moved enough for them to join in this time of need, we must express our gratitude. But let us never forget that the greatest responsibility lies with us ourselves. After all, ghar tou aakhir appna hai : WPvideo 1.10 . Read Full PostComments

Narayan Krishnan: India's Real Hero

From the Blog chowrangi - > Narayan Krishnan: India's Real Hero chowrangi.com — India's heroes comprise of cricketers, filmstars, and for some, the rich businessmen of India. In all fairness, these people work very hard and have made the country proud. However, what have they done for the poor? How much charity do they do? The questions arise because they... . Read Full PostComments

How to do tabbed browsing on Internet Explorer for...

From the Blog geekword - > How to do tabbed browsing on Internet Explorer for... geekword.net — Tabbed browsing is one important feature that every mobile browser should have let alone desktop browsers. So what's the verdict on the Internet Explorer for Microsoft's Glance and Go experience offering Windows Phone 7? Yup, Microsoft's mobile browser does support tabbed browsing.... . Read Full PostComments

Common man's plea

From the Blog sajshirazi - > Common man's plea sajshirazi.blogspot.com — Photo Dawn . Read Full PostComments

Bahria Town Phase 8 Rawalpindi Form and Balloting

From the Blog pakspectator - > Bahria Town Phase 8 Rawalpindi Form and Balloting pakspectator.com — Bahria Town is the force turning the vision of Pakistan into reality. Bahria Town's 20,000 direct... Read More at http://www.pakspectator.com . Read Full PostComments

Banned White iPhone 4 Promo

From the Blog SawjTechBlog - > Banned White iPhone 4 Promo tech.ratedsawj.com — "The camera? Really? You can't release the white iPhone 4 because of the camera? Are you f**kin kiddin me?" "You know what they say about the iPhone 4? Once you go black, you never go back! Cuz you don't have that option." "If you waited for the white iPhone, you're an idiot.... . Read Full PostComments

"Communication Skills" Training by Nizar Noorali Bhulani

From the Blog PakHrUpDates - > "Communication Skills" Training by Nizar Noorali Bhulani pakhr.blogspot.com — Date: Wednesday, 3rd November 2010 Venue: Hotel Regent Plaza Karachi. Time: 0900 to 1700 hrs Investment: Rs.4,500 per participant (include lunch, tea, course material, certificates, networking opportunities) Communication skills are an essential element every employee and manager... . Read Full PostComments

"Successful Supervision" One day Training by Saira...

From the Blog PakHrUpDates - > "Successful Supervision" One day Training by Saira... pakhr.blogspot.com — Date: 23 November 09:00 - 17:00 Location Ramada Plaza, Karachi Facilitator: Saira Kabeer Introduction: The central role of every supervisor is to develop a motivated and committed team which gets results. One of the key figures in every successful team is the team supervisor.... . Read Full PostComments

Meet Nadir Khan, the Cobbler from Bajaur

From the Blog pakteahouse - > Meet Nadir Khan, the Cobbler from Bajaur pakteahouse.wordpress.com — by Aasem Bakhshi Nadir Khan, the cobbler from Bajaur who sits at the corner of my street, carries the kind of iconic baggage usually associated with cobblers from Sufi folklore and mystic literature. His character inspires me, his sensibilities vex me and his paradoxes keep... . Read Full PostComments

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