Oscar Tango

Pakistan Affairs: Allah Khair Karega to Allah Khair Karey - CARTOON

2011-03-05T01:30:00.005-05:00

I have decided to comment thru cartoons now. Either existing one or an old one or by adapting an existing or old one to highlight my say on Pakistan affairs. Here's the latest I installed on Pkonweb.com on March 4, 2011...

Nawab Raisani Drunk or Sick? Watch Video

2010-09-07T21:03:00.004-04:00

WATCH VIDEO: Balochistan Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Khan Raisani is seen making or recording a speech in which he says there is urgent need to revisit the 1973 Constitution.

The 2-minute video clip shows an incoherent Raisani struggling to speak, either because he was drunk or sick. The locale and date of the video recording is some where in Balochistan – Sept 7, 2010.

Before the Peoples Party elected CM could finish speaking, he is seen collapsing and guards around him reach out to prevent him from falling down. The camera is ordered to be shut down.

Nawab Raisani is on record having said that: A Degree is a degree whether it is genuine or fake doesn’t matter! WATCH the VIDEO and decide for yourself if Mr Raisani is actually drunk and can hardly speak or is sick and can’t speak. In either case Mr Raisani needs urgent help. Good Luck!

Altaf Ready to Return for Revolution

2010-09-06T12:41:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: Overseas Pakistanis are keenly watching one event after another consuming the elected coalition government in Islamabad and the four provinces. Just like the rest of the Pakistanis, these expats worry about their country of origin. Their remittances far exceed the value of assistance needed to tide over the flood crisis. In fact, it dwarfs the Kerry-Lugar-Berman aid. So why aren’t they mobilized?

From fake degrees, corruption, Sialkot lynching, Cricket scam to name a few– all these moral and political aberrations in our nation’s polity – have made an expat Pakistani slump on his rocking chair, biting his nails, preparing his one-liner response when he will be confronted with “What’s going on in Pakistan?” question.

There are talks of revolution amidst upheaval – the historical floods have not only washed away “everything” of the 20 million have-not’s, but even the Sindh Card, the Punjab Card, the Balochistan Card and the Pakhtunkhwa Card, according to Syed Mushahid Hussain, a respected politician with middle-class background.

The Mutahidda Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader Altaf Husain on Sunday renewed his call for revolution. He said he will lead the poor, the middle-class and the Pakistani youth to rescue the country from the clutches of feudal lords, corrupt politicians and plunderers of national wealth.

He was addressing a large gathering in Karachi over phone from London in connection with the campaign of MQM’s social welfare Khidmat-e-Khalq organization to provide relief to the flood-hit people in the country. KKF is said to have so far distributed aid worth Rs250 million, it has been reported. Jamaat Islami’s Al-Khidmat and Imran Khan’s Tehreek-i-Insaf are active too. So are PPP and PML-N.

Hussain said feudal lords and corrupt politicians had enriched themselves through various means including waiver of hefty bank loans over the last six decades, built factories and also acquired assets abroad.

He said his critics could not block the looming change. “A revolution is coming and it will be unstoppable,” urging citizens including people in the armed forces to support such a movement.

Hussain said when people of all provinces were ready for bringing about a revolution, he would ask the MQM Rabita Committee to remove restrictions to allow him to return to the country to join the mass struggle.

Altaf holds dual nationality, in other words he is an expat too, and has been refused Pakistani passport six times, he said in an interview on Geo last week. PML-N and ANP leaders have questioned his allegiance to Pakistan. Ch. Nisar of PMl-N in fact demanded the government ask the British Government why “its national” is “inciting” Pakistanis and the Pakistan Armed Forces.

That brings up the question each Pakistani expat holding dual nationality faces. Can he or should he participate in politics back home? Commentators are divided on this issue. Ultimately what led Altaf to leave Pakistan and become a British national may influence the masses’ verdict. History may judge him compassionately if his rhetoric becomes an agent of change for a better Pakistan.

Altaf’s revolutionary statement is already said to be drawing strong reactions from rivals, particularly the main opposition Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N). When Hussain first made a call last month for martial law-like steps against feudalism and corruption, the Punjab-based Nawaz party went on overdrive. His unlikely supporters included IMran Khan of PTI, Syed Mushahid Hussain of PMl-Q and the Pir Pagara from Sindh. Most recently, Mir Zafarullah Khan Jamali threw support behind change while appearing on Front Line on Saturday.

A war of words has been underway between the MQM, a partner in the Pakistan People’s Party-led ruling coalition in Islamabad and in the southern Sindh province, where MQM has wide electoral support in Karachi and other urban centers. Influx of IDPs from Sindh worries MQM, say some political commentators, as it would change the demography and the dynamics of Karachi, Sukkur and Hyderabad politics, they contend.

PML-N leaders accuse the MQM of seeking military intervention, which the latter denies. Meanwhile, PPP remains silent on the issue as its coalition-based government stands on the brink of collapse.

In his usual fiery style, Hussain refuted allegations against him and said the expenses for his stay in London were being borne by the party. “I have not accumulated any wealth and I do not own any properties or palaces like others,” he said.

He added that those who were worried with his statements about revolution would be more worried when they hear of his return.

“The government had not prepared an effective solution for the flood crisis,” said Altaf.

He also said that, those with influence breached the embankments and caused harm to the locals, and called upon the judiciary to take action against the people responsible for breaching the dykes (bundh) for personal benefits.

He told the office bearers of MQM not to make new clothes for themselves instead provide clothes to the children of flood-stricken people on this year’s upcoming Eid.

“I desire no presidency, premiership or any other seat of power for myself, all I want is that the downtrodden section of the society must get its rights,” Altaf Hussain reiterated.

Altaf suggested two weeks back that “patriotic generals” should step in to lead the country in such a crisis, a reminder that he could cause the government to collapse if he chose to pull out of the coalition.” PPP refuses to be drawn into the argument saying the matter should remain only a debate while they concentrate on flood relief efforts.

Pakistani officials, diplomats and aid workers warn that while civil unrest has so far been averted, the aftermath of the worst-ever flooding in Pakistan could destabilize the country in the months to come and aggravate the already deep regional, sectarian and class fissures, the New York Times reported today.

Reconstruct or Deconstruct Pakistan?

2010-08-31T11:48:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: Former CIA agent Duane Clarridge, who was indicted in 1991 in connection with the Iran-Contra affair, has reemerged in Pakistan.

According to website wsws.org, Clarridge is now running one of many Pentagon-funded private contractors operating in Pakistan to provide intelligence to the US military.

Only this time the feisty former intelligence officer, who left the agency more than 20 years ago, is back in the saddle as a private citizen in the ongoing covert war to “reconstruct or deconstruct” Pakistan. Pick your choice depending on which side of the philosophical plain of the so-called “war on terror” you are saddled on.

The Los Angeles Times reported, back in 2004 that the former intelligence operative joined forces with a group of conservative activists, shortly after his departure from the CIA.

That group used Ahmed Chalabi as a vehicle to overthrow Saddam Hussein in Iraq and replaced him with a pro-American head.

Clarridge has even been accused of forging the infamous Niger letter that led to the infamous series of lies to Congress known simply as weapons of mass destruction, wrote Jayne Lyn Stahl, in Online Journal. Stahl is a widely published poet, essayist, playwright, and screenwriter, member of PEN American Center, and PEN USA.

Fred Branfman reporting in AlterNet said about Clarridge: “Latin American Station Chief Duane “Dewey” Clarridge organized, trained, and operated local paramilitary and death squads throughout Central and Latin America that brutally tortured and murdered tens of thousand of civilians.”

According to published reports, documents declassified during Bill Clinton’s administration, show that covert operatives were placed inside Chile to destabilize Allende’s government, and prevent what was feared to be a Marxist takeover. Allende was replaced with Pinochet. Clarridge at that time was CIA’s Latin American Station Chief.

“I’ll bet you can’t count more than 200” who were killed under Pinochet during his notorious bloody coup, said Clarridge to an interviewer. “Sometimes, unfortunately, things have to be changed in an ugly way.” For simply “national security interests.”

While Clarridge retired, the CIA hasn’t, and is said to play a large part in destabilizing efforts in Pakistan and Iran, notes Stahl.

The private contractors in Pakistan helping US military Ops may now be taking commands from Duane “Dewey” Clarridge, Stahl observes.

President Obama as well know has not only continued, he has in fact expanded the murderous operations that were waged under the banner of the “war on terror” by the CIA and Pentagon during the Bush administration. The recent NY Times lengthy article, “A Secret Assault on Terrorism Widens on Two Continents”, details it all.

CIA’s drone missile attacks have been dramatically intensified against alleged insurgents inside areas of northwest Pakistan bordering Afghanistan. At least 700 Pakistani civilians were killed in these attacks during 2009. The number in 2010 is much higher. These strikes continue with impunity in the flood-ravaged country.

According to the article, the CIA and military operatives involved in Afghan Jihad war are directing or intimately involved in the present operations in AfPak (Afghanistan and Pakistan). It’s not just Clarridge and so many yet unknown operatives out there in and around Islamabad carrying out both overt and covert activities. Most seem to have experience in fighting a “faceless” war.

Assistant Secretary of Defense Michael Vickers, who oversees the Pentagon’s expanding Special Operation Command, was a senior CIA agent who helped direct its huge covert war to oust the Soviet-backed regime in Afghanistan in the 1980s.

The CIA as is generally known, helped arm and train not only the Afghan mujahedin, but also assisted the thousands of Islamist militants from the Middle East, North Africa and Asia who passed through Al Qaeda (the Base) to fight in Afghanistan.

Vickers, along with Defense Secretary (and former CIA head) Robert Gates, was one of several top officials appointed by Bush and kept in place by Obama.

So you have three important covert war players in the Afghan Jihad Theater now War Against Terror Theater: Clarridge, Vickers, Gates.
And the White House is benefiting from “a unique political landscape,” in Pakistan with support garnered from all major players – Peoples Party, ANP, MQM – including PML-Nawaz. The Kerry-Lugar-Berman – a bipartisan aid bill for Pakistan, and promises of more, bind these parties’ hopes and wishes together.

In a sign of things to come, according to the article, Obama last month appointed John Bennett to head the CIA’s National Clandestine Service, formerly known as the Directorate of Operations.

Among his previous assignments, Bennett headed the CIA’s Special Activities Division, which handles highly sensitive spying and paramilitary missions.

According to Newsweek, his last posting was as CIA station chief in Islamabad, where he was intimately involved in supervising drone missile strikes inside Pakistan.

Has all these led to destabilizing Pakistan? “Obama’s extension of the Afghan war into neighboring Pakistan, has not only undermined the government in Islamabad and triggered a dangerous civil war, but is destabilizing relations with India and throughout the Indian subcontinent, the article observes,” observes wsws.org in its news analysis.

“As the US aggressively pursues its interests through military means—overt and covert—its actions cut directly across the strategic interests of other major powers such as China, and threaten to provoke broader conflicts.”

Given the above developments and likely scenarios, Gen Kayani’s three-year extension in tenure, becomes not only significant but meaningful. Measures to preempt the right-wing popular Nawaz party and affiliates from coming even close to the corridors of power are already in the works. It is in nobody’s interest – whether they are the international players or the establishment to let this happen, said one observer.

Too much is at stake. It’s reconstruct Pakistan or deconstruct Pakistan.

It’s a regional issue, no longer a Pakistan, an Afghanistan, or for that matter a Pakistan-Afghanistan issue, said another observer.

Shall we then see some peaceful democratic change in the way Pakistan is being governed now?

My answer to that is probably a yes! How soon? Don’t know. Ask the croupier, the dice is already loaded!

To be continued…

Phoenix rising for Musharraf?

2010-08-26T18:56:00.002-04:00

NEW YORK, AUG 26, 2010: Today is Nawab Akbar Bugti assassination's fourth anniversary. Restive and now flood-ravaged Balochistan is on payyah jam. Fire, bullets and water engulf the Baloch - reminiscent of the cyclone Bhola in 1970 that devastated Bangladesh and pushed the angry eastern half of Pakistan over the edge - a year later to emerge as an independent nation. Baloch nationalists and Pervez Musharraf-bashers point fingers at him for Bugti killing. There has been no public probe nor can the nation expect one. They are not used to it. The system expects all to follow Lagey Raho Munna Bhai SOP!

Meanwhile, Musharraf is in the headlines. First he announced he won't come back this year. But his political party APML is quietly and discreetly operating in Pakistan. They intend to make Karachi and Islamabad their staging grounds I am told. Orangi Sector 7 and Rawalpindi - my source tells me. Then came the news that he is forming a foundation for flood relief. Today he called the family of the Sialkot brothers and condoled their deaths. He also strongly condemned the Sialkot police’s silent spectator role in the lynching of their sons. Did he introspect Bugti's killing today? If he ordered Bugti killing as Army chief then on military's unified command doctrine he may be responsible. If he did so as the President then on collective leadership doctrine he may have a legal argument in his defense. But the nation by and large feels he overplayed his hands on this onne also. Earlier it was the Lal Masjid. Whether the nation will overlook the matter if and when he returns is another matter. Baloch won't - specially if you have dishonored them.

Two years back I wrote a blog on Musharraf. It is still relevant. Here it is:

AUG 19, 2008: Musharraf has quit as President- typically in a commando style: resilient, sans apologies - defending his actions - highlighting his achievements - focusing on rivals' shortcomings and weaknesses - hoping that Pakistan will come out shining but in the same breathe alluding to ominous signs of impending external and internal threats.

His parting diatribes seem to be a borderline case of delusional-cum-polemical chicaneries - an understandable mental manifestation of someone who have been pushed to move his butt off the high altar where he has been sitting so long. If I had a buddy like Bush on my side always, I would probably be the same - may be even worse. Interestingly both have been delusional to the extreme.

While running for the presidentship, Bush couldn't name the new leader of Pakistan, i.e. Gen. Musharraf. But after Sept. 11, things changed overnight - whether for the good or for the worse only history will tell.

Musharraf became the most crucial but ultimately the most frustrating ally of the U.S and Bush's personally. In the process, however Musharraf became a "personal friend" of George Bush - the latter often called him his 'buddy'.

Ironically, U.S. has "no permanent friends nor permanent enemies". So is it about Musharraf and USA. The region has become so murky that even the strongest Chlorox can't clean it up. Stains will remain for ever. Welcome to the club, Commando! He once said, he never blinked - because he had "cat's 9 lives".

Interestingly though, he is not yet fully depreciated politically (my personal opinion), even age wise and "nuisance value" wise. He has of course proved that he is neither a Ayub Khan nor a Yahya, nor a Bhutto! And, he has already proved he is not a Zia either!

He ended up getting the farewell guard of honor, has a President's security details, is lodged in Army Chief's house, shall remain in the country, can speak to the media, etc. and says will issue a White Paper on the dire strait of the economy.

As I watched his unapologetic monologue on the TV, my mind tried to visualize him on the day after. And I saw him out there, kicking and throwing dust all around.

Possibly a comeback kid one day? In some form or the other?

We got to wait to see if that will happen for at least a year or so, since there appears to be a two-year restriction on government officials from entering politics. Meanwhile he will maintain sophisticated connect with the media and the people using 'surprise' as a Commando's greatest weapon!

Muttahida, PML(Q), PML(F), etc...any or all may want him in one way or another. He has the potential to unite or divide the MQMs, provide alternate leadership to the Muhajirs in Karachi, has the knack to attempt to create a Punjab-Karachi constituency for himself - provided the establishment, including Uncle Sam, supports him and wants that to happen. Full of surprises Pakistan politics is.

Since the war on terror will go on....Musharraf, a known ally, offers alternate leadership. The U.S. has spent a lot on him. He is an "asset" by all definitions, some say. Meanwhile take a break Commando. Go golfing!

Note: Here is the link to the original blog written in Aug 2008: http://isalim.blogspot.com/2008/08/phoenix-rising-for-musharraf.html

PS: It's all about blood, sweat and tears & Pakistan. It's still in the making - both its ideological and physical boundaries. Meanwhile, here is a poem I wrote way back in 1973 after the fall of Dhaka:

REFUSAL

Oozing out
To travel in time
And growing so large
Till earth appeared;

Affectionately, cajolingly
A cell sucked breaths within
As love’s elixir
Seeped into her
Till it took no more.

Then he came to cry
That world inside
Could where he belong.

He also peeped and
Pageantries in air saw;

But heavenly flowers
Were they whence
Oozing out he'd seen.

So he ceased to cry, to peep
And crept cajolingly back into
His mother’s mound…

As cradle stood and
Lantern trimmed its
Cotton wick availingly

Sialkot brothers' killing: A Bushra Zaidi in the making?

2010-08-21T11:01:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: On Aug 15, dozens of people publicly beat to death two young brothers, Hafiz Mughees, 15, and Hafiz Muneeb, 19. Present on the “occasion” were the Sialkot District Police Officer Waqar Chauhan and eight policemen. These crime-stoppers watched crime committed literally on their watch. Instead of watching out for crime being committed, these immoral state employees watched the brutal act of lynching taking place in front of their own trained and watchful eyes. They could have stopped – even resisted, called for backup, reinforcement, etc. But they were silent spectators, like watching a favorite mohalla pastime being played out in a galli. In fact, news reports said the SHO allegedly masterminded the killing of the brothers. He has fled away and is still at large.

The bodies of the Hafiz brothers were later hanged upside down on the chowk. Some reports said the locale was the exterior of 1122 rescue office. Phew! what a way to rescue – or be rescued! Allah Khair Karey!
Mob frenzy, gang mentality, gladiator philosophy –all of these jellied and spurted out like toothpaste and cleansed their demented souls. Souls of all those who volunteered to witness the gory incident – on a day after the 63rd birth anniversary of Pakistan.

It’s an irony that lawlessness danced in concert with immorality on a day of fasting. It’s the holy month of Ramadan when even the sinful slow down. How many of those who watched the lynching were fasting that day? Did they break their fast with it or after it?

“What message have you given to the world about Pakistan,” the Chief Justice asked DPO Chauhan and said: “Nowhere in a civilized society such an incident takes place in the presence of police.”

What about the message sent up who watched all of it and whose first language is silence?

“Not only it was the duty of police to stop those who were beating the two brothers, but the people in the mob should also have shown moral courage by preventing the beating,” the chief justice said.

The DPO told the court that FIR against 12 people has been lodged on charges of murder of the two young men while SHO has been taken into custody. Why wasn’t this done on the same day? Why didn’t the Punjab IG take notice of it? Where were the local politicians? PML-N, PML-Q, PPP, PTI? What about the Punjab administration? The system failed!

Will the arrest of the 12 police officers bring back the soul of the two brothers? One is said to be a Hafiz Quran, other one I am not sure. Both were crazy about cricket I am told. Khawaja Asif (PML-N) told Shahid Masood he knew the family well and over three generations. Did he contact them the day this incident happened or did he wait to jump into action once the news hit the roof and became a “public issue” to be milked for political mileage?

Today is the sixth day of the horrible incident. While the Dapper Dan chief executive of the country chose to remain silent, the delusional but Teflon President came out from his bunker (on the sixth day) to strongly condemn the killing and called for report, inquiry, etc. into the gruesome incident. What is he going to do after that? Stack it along with Benazir Bhutto murder report?

It is a defining moment for the introduction of rule of law in Pakistan. Now or never! Only the youth can push this matter through though. They just sacrificed two of their own. If the death of Bushra Zaidi could be the defining moment for politics in Karachi, so can the death of these two brothers be for the advent of rule of law in Pakistan. The rest will swirl into place like the unwinding of a warped wire of a telephone headset. Go for it. Pakistan is still wired – not cordless!

The Show Must Go on Despite Flood & Fasting!

2010-08-20T17:27:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: Neither the flood nor the fasting will stop the Pakistani pageant in Toronto. The show must go on!

The beauty pageant, with swimsuit portion and all, involving expatriate Pakistanis, is on this Friday after Iftar, despite three weeks of massive flooding that has plunged 20 million into chaos in an already fragile country.

The month of Ramadan kicked off last week. Austerity, abstinence are the hallmark of this Islamic practice.

But Pakistani-Canadian pageant president Sonia Ahmed told The Toronto Star the pageant represents hope for the country she once belonged to. The show must go on. Most Pakistani-Canadians maintain dual nationality, enjoy such activities but not in Ramadan, commented Huma - a Pakistani Canadian living in Toronto.

It would be impossible, we imagine, to cancel or change the pageant at this point. Seven women of Pakistani origin from Norway, the U.K., the U.S. and Canada are already in Toronto, preparing for the glitzy evening at the Pearson Convention Center, published reports said. The winner will represent Pakistan at international pageants, the paper said.

“People have paychecks depending on this event,” Sonia told The Toronto Star. “My heart goes out to the victims. Every Pakistani has certain ways of dealing with culture and tradition, and my duty is to make sure my country has a positive image through the world.”

Yahya Qureshi, from Markham, said if people want to have a pageant, they should be sensitive.

“It doesn’t look nice when our own are doing glamorous things, which are not warranted in this situation,” he said. “But if they have made pre-plans, and have their own unfortunate situation that they cannot cancel, that is different.”

“There should have been an attempt to at least postpone it,” said Naomi Zaman, who won the crown in 2005. “We should focus more instead on raising funds. I’m hoping there will be some type of fund-raising going on at the pageant.”

Zaman won’t be attending, it has emerged. She’s recording a song and video, and plans to donate proceeds to a number of “disasters around the world, especially flood victims,” the Toronto Star reported.

Khalid Usman, a member of the Canadian Friends of Pakistan, said organizers should be more considerate.

“They should understand people are suffering, anywhere you are celebrating does not make sense,” he said.

This is not the first time the eight-year-old pageant has been criticized. In the pageant’s early years, members of the Pakistani community complained about the nature of the event.

This year, the pageant falls in the holy month of Ramadan. Organizers said the show begins after the fast (Iftar) on Friday.

But “Religion is not going to stop us,” Ahmed told the paper. “We’re doing it for the Pakistani community.”

Sonia told TS said she received many applications from women in Pakistan, but there are no contestants from the flood-ravaged country because the visa process is too complicated.

Her pageant in 2006 produced Mariyah Moten as "Miss Pakistan Tourism 2006". DesPardes titled her Pakistan's Miss Bikini. Moten draped in Pakistan's crescent and star flag and her interview on DesPardes became a hit among Pakistanis (and desis) on the internet!

Read:
Pakistan's First Miss Bikini!

Her photo: http://www.despardes.com/Albums/hottie/20060724.htm

In April, 2008 DesPardes interviewed 2007's Miss Pakistan World and asked Mahleej Sarkari if she would like to date Musharraf. Her answer was a quick yes! Sarkari became another hit on the internet and the chanachoor circuit!

Read Sarkari's story:

http://misspakistanworldofficial.blogspot.com/2008/04/musharraf-is-hunk-despardescom.html

Two youths tortured to death in public in Sialkot (Video)

2010-08-20T17:20:00.001-04:00

Was it robbery, a dispute over cricket, or an old enmity? Regardless of the reason, it was medieval justice delivered by the vigilantes on the watch of the crime stoppers themselves. What a shame that such a height of lawlessness was reached in the birth town of Allama Iqbal - poet philosopher who talked about "Khudi (self) and dreamed of Pakistan for the Muslims of the sub-continent.

Published and TV reports said two brothers were lynched and then their bodies hanged upside down in a public square in Sialkot while police watched.

The Express Tribune published picture of the lynching today. See photo:

Geo was reportedly the first to break the news. Its airing of the video footage (see below) in connection with the death of these two teenage brothers prompted the Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry to take suo moto notice of the crime today.

Geo News reported that DPO Sialkot Waqar Chauhan, who reportedly witnessed the crime, was summoned by the Supreme Court of Pakistan. The Lahore High Court also took suo moto notice of the unfortunate incident of vigilantism.

According to reports, dozens of people beat the two young brothers to death with batons in public in Sialkot in front of eight police officials and a gathering. DPO Sialkot Waqar Chauhan was also present during the incident, it has emerged.

At least eight police officials kept watching the two young brothers being tortured to death blindly but no one intervened including the law enforcing officers present at the scene, video footage showed.

The two brothers died of baton charges. Their dead bodies were then hanged in upside down position at a chowkee.

Deputy Commissioner Sialkot said that the charged mob killed the two brothers for injuring four people in a dispute during a cricket match.

The uncle of the two teenagers said his nephews were tortured for two hours. He said the police has admitted that his sons were lynched due to an enmity. He was talking to the media outside the Supreme Court building.

Express Tribune reported that the two brothers, 18-year-old Moiz Butt and 16-year-old Muneeb Butt, were beaten to death by a mob after an alleged theft and murder in Sialkot on August 16.

Conflicting reports suggested that the victims had been involved in a robbery and murder that took place on Sunday, ET report said.

“Later the police have admitted the teenagers had no criminal record, and that they had been killed due to enmity.”

Fourteen policemen, including an SHO, have been suspended and further investigations are underway.

Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry summoned Secretary Establishment for action against the police. He said brutal killings in presence of police was the height of lawlessness.

The Supreme Court ordered the establishment division to suspend DPO Sialkot for failing to stop the merciless lynching of the two teenage brothers.

WATCH VIDEO:

Pakistan Americans in Boston mobilize for Pakistan floods (Video)

2010-08-17T11:52:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: New England based Pakistani-Americans have quickly mobilized to help push the Pakistan flood relief efforts a notch up - in their own small way.

It's a humanitarian disaster of staggering proportions - the worst flood in its history, said New England Comcast News Network (NECN).

According to published reports, Pakistani American in Boston raised $50,000 over the weekend, but billions are needed to aid those affected by flood-ravaged Pakistan. The United Nations has appealed for $460 million in aid for immediate relief with billions needed over the years to reconstruct the affected areas - a vast swath of 1000 longitudinal miles stretching from the Swat Valley in the north to the Indus plains in southern Sindh.

So far about 20 million people have been affected. It is said to be the worst floods in Pakistan's recorded history, and around 2, 000 are reported dead. More than 6 million children are affected the most - 3.5 million of them are at risk of flood diseases. A case of cholera has also been reported.

Dr. Khalil Khatri, a dermatologist in Boston, and member Association of Pakistan Physicians said, "it is the common man who has suffered the most," but the "news has not traveled out so easily to the American public and the international community, said Oxfam America representative.

Tahir Chaudhry, former president of the Pakistani Association of Greater Boston said he realizes that the country "has a bad rap" right now due to its politics and involvement in the Afghan war, but the flood has affected the common people who have nothing to do with the political situation.

WATCH VIDEO:

Pakistan-Bangladesh rail link being re-established - after 39 yrs

2010-08-17T10:32:00.000-04:00

NEW YORK: Bangladesh and Pakistan may re-establish rail links through India, 39 years after their separation and by Indian standard, 63 years after the subcontinent was divided.

“We would like to have transit and be connected to all South Asian nations, including Pakistan,” Bangladesh foreign minister Dipu Moni told Kolkata-based newspaper The Telegraph.

Islamabad has already said it wants the rail link revived, the paper added.

Last month, while allowing Afghan trucks transit to India, Pakistan had refused to grant Indians passage to Kabul, saying this would have to wait till Delhi gave it transit to Dhaka, the paper reported.

Top Indian railway officials have said they were willing to allow a Lahore-Delhi-Dhaka service — initially with goods trains and later, if politics allowed, with passenger trains.

Bangladesh until now had not been inclined towards any rail link with Pakistan. Till the 1965 Indo-Pak war, goods trains used to travel between Lahore and Dhaka though.

Moni, who at 53 is Bangladesh’s second-youngest foreign minister, reflects new thinking in Bangladesh that wants to put the past behind and become part of a new fertile “green crescent” in which connectivity may be the panacea of all evils if Thomas Bernett is to be believed.

“We are in favor of the Asian Highway connectivity plans.… We want all countries on board in that project,” the young minister said.

The Asian Highway is a co-operative project among countries in Asia and Europe, supported by the UN and global banks such as the Asian Development Bank. It seeks to link countries in Asia, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, China and Japan, with Europe through a 7,000km trans-continental highway and railway system.

The gaps in the railway and highway networks lie mostly in Pakistan, Bangladesh and Myanmar. If these can be filled, the “green crescent” can be harnessed, says one South Asian observer.

Rumblings of change of guard in Islamabad

2010-08-15T09:47:00.002-04:00

NEW YORK: Fears that President Zardari and his PPP-led coalition government in the center could be overthrown – possibly through an intervention or approval by the army – have grown as the two-and-a-half-years old civilian setup struggles to cope with the flood crisis. Hoarding, rising prices with the advent of Ramadan, ethnic killings in Karachi and Balochistan have added to the political government's woes.

Najam Sethi, editor of the weekly Friday Times, told The Guardian: "The powers that be, that is the military and bureaucratic establishment, are mulling the formation of a national government, with or without the PPP [the ruling Pakistan People's party]."

I know this is definitely being discussed. There is a perception in the army that you need good governance to get out of the economic crisis and there is no good governance," he added.

Sethi's comments cannot be dismissed easily given his proximity to the power players both in the political arena and in the establishment.

Other analysts say a military coup is unlikely because the army's priority is fighting the Taliban insurgency, and taking over during a disaster makes no sense, the influential British paper added.

Sethi said, "though only the courts could legally dismiss Zardari, but as the present government is one reliant on coalition partners, behind-the-scenes military pressure on those partners could bring it down," ANI reported.

These partners include MQM of Karachi and ANP of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, who will remain beneficiaries no matter what the change of guard comprises of.

The influential Texas-based STRATFOR - a strategic forecasting company popular among the intelligence community has observed that the rising social unrest down the line due to the flood crisis could create a political situation in which the Zardari government may be unable to complete its term, which ends in 2013.

"Should the civilian government prove incapable of managing the overall situation, will the military be forced to step in and take a more active role in governing the country? The government — especially President Asif Ali Zardari, who is also the de facto chief of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party — is, rightly or wrongly, extremely unpopular. Zardari’s decision to take a week-long trip to Europe while the floods were hitting the country has only worsened the situation. Rising social unrest down the line could create a political situation in which the government may be unable to complete its term, which ends in 2013.

"These are obviously worst-case scenarios, but ones that cannot be dismissed. Even if the floods had not happened, the security, economic, and socio-political circumstances in Pakistan demanded close observation. The floods have increased this importance, especially since U.S. President Barack Obama’s entire war strategy involves stabilizing Pakistan."

Do all the above observations by Sethi and Stratfor point to A) a military take-over or B) a national government or C) a new coalition government?

The military is of course knee-deep in security issues. Only a national government or a new popular political government (through the parliament) would suit the stake-holders who are aplenty just as they were in 1977.

President Asif Ali Zardari may already have thrown in the towel with his irrational - almost incoherent acts. Will his (now) one-day visit to Russia be the last foreign trip he undertakes? Only a Mamoo or the coffee-cup reader can predict that. They however came close to predicting in May (on Meray Mutabiq) that they see changes beyond July.

Allah Khair Karey!

Karachi: Targeted killings, bloodbath and beyond..

2010-08-03T09:50:00.003-04:00

NEW YORK, USA: Pakistan’s financial capital which is also its southernmost port city – Karachi – with a massive population of almost 20 million, has witnessed a sudden spike in violence, spate of targeted killings, arson, loot, during the last 24 hours particularly. The latest downward spiral in the law and order in the city is unprecedented – almost orchestrated – according to some Karachi observers.

MQM – which is the political party that controls the nerve of the metropolis was rattled by the targeted killing of one of its top loyalists – MPA Raza Haider – a staunch worker for the last 26 years, who belonged to the Shia community. Being a MQM leader, an Urdu-speaking, and a Shia is a mix bag of bad lucks in violent Karachi. Anti-MQM forces are aplenty, in a city whose peace means peace in Pakistan – but where the battle for its turf control has seen more than 800 deaths since January, according to published reports. Just in July, if the present count is updated, it will exceed 100.

Since 6pm Monday evening when Raza Haider and his body guard were gunned down in Nazimabad, more than 50 people have been body-bagged, with dozens of vehicles, push-carts, and khokas (roadside restaurants) set ablaze – reminiscent of what happened in December 2007 (Bhutto murder)and in December 2009 (attack on Shia procession).

Each of these gory incident was hijacked by those whose objectives were beyond protests and demonstrations. So it is this time it seems.

The mob has torched dozens of vehicles, petrol pumps and shops as situation remained tense and normal life has stood still in the metropolis.

Several petrol pumps were also set on fire and the roads wear a deserted look. Aerial firing was also reported across the city.

In Liaquatabad, Karachi, miscreants set on fire a Geo News staff van. Several vehicles were also set on fire in several cities of interior Sindh.

A complete strike is being observed in Hyderabad and Sukkur, over the killing of the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) MPA. Karachi is already payyah jammed (wheel jam strike).

All educational institutions in the metropolis remained closed today and examinations have been postponed.

The government has blamed the Taliban and the banned militant group Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) for the killing of the lawmaker. Twenty people have been arrested in connection with the violence, federal Interior Minister Rehman Malik told the Senate on Tuesday.

Some analysts said the violence could ultimately affect the economy. Karachi is home to the country’s main port, the central bank and the stock exchange, which has so far seen thin trade and closed an hour early today because of the violence.

“This obviously raises concern and anxiety, and if these things continue, Pakistan’s economy gets undermined,” said Hasan-Askari Rizvi, a political and security analyst, to a news agency.

“It is a pathetic situation and exposes the helplessness of the government to perform its basic duty towards its citizens,” said Rizvi.

Police and officials said that they also found evidence suggesting that militants had planned a suicide attack during Haider’s funeral, scheduled for later on Tuesday.

“On the basis of evidence available at the moment, it (the killing of Haider) was carried out by the Tehrik-e-Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba,” Malik told reporters in Islamabad.

The MQM, a coalition partner in the federal as well as the provincial Sindh government, renewed calls for a crackdown on militants after the killing of its lawmaker.

“For the past 3 to 4 years we have been pointing out and giving evidence about the presence of Taliban and extremists in Karachi,” said Wasay Jalil, a spokesman for the MQM.

“We were ridiculed at that time. But now everyone is admitting that the Taliban and the SSP are here.”

GANGS, MAFIAS

On Tuesday, a day after the killing, Karachi was tense as police and paramilitary troops patrolled deserted streets.

Hyderabad, the second largest city of the province, was also largely deserted as were other towns after the MQM called for three days of mourning.

“This could be the last nail in the coffin and could be disastrous for the stock market because as it is, volume has been below average and this may lead to foreign investors exiting the market,” said Sajid Bhanji, a director at brokerage Arif Habib Ltd, of Haider’s killing and the ensuring violence.

Karachi has a long history of ethnic, religious and sectarian violence. It was a main target of al Qaeda-linked militants after the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks on the United States, when Pakistan joined the US-led campaign against militancy, and foreigners were attacked in the city several times.

“All political forces in Karachi have their armed groups,” Rizvi said. “And then there are a lot of other groups – criminal, sectarian, drug mafia.”

Including last night’s death toll, officials say at least 193 people have been killed in targeted attacks since the start of the year, although analysts and political parties say the number is likely much higher.

Mohajirs, the descendants of Urdu-speakers who migrated from India after the creation of Pakistan in 1947, are the biggest community and dominate the city’s administration through the MQM.

It is also home to the largest concentration of ethnic Pashtuns outside the northwest.

Government officials also say criminals, including drug lords competing for turf in the city’s teeming neighborhoods, take advantage of the tension, complicating the police’s difficulties. So does the land mafia who have influence on all parties.

What lies beyond Karachi’s targeted killings and bloodbath is almost impossible to predict at the moment. “Whether it will lead to limited army control of the city or a civil-military administration is difficult to predict,” said one observer. Meanwhile both sectarian and ethnic forces appear to have made Pakistan’s largest city – its financial hub – their bed, bath and beyond!

Why Kayani to remain Pak army chief until 2013

2010-07-25T17:44:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK, USA: Army chief Gen Ashfaq Pervez Kayani has been given another full-term (3 years) extension of service. Instead of retiring in November this year, he will now hopefully walk into sunset in November 2013 – almost right after the next elections are held.

Gen. Kayani had been averse to accepting any tenure extension, published reports have said. However, former COAS Gen (R) Waheed Kakar was said to have played an important role in convincing him to accept the extension in the larger national interest and that of the armed forces institution in particular.

Some observers feel the range of forces behind Kayani’s incumbency is as vast as the vested interests of war on terror and in the “re-making of Pakistan” as a “progressive, liberal, secularist society.”

The announcement of Kayani’s extension was made by none other than Prime Minister Gilani himself. Gilani’s public announcement was one of the shortest on TV in Pakistan’s history. In his two-and-a-half-minute burp, Gilani said that owing to the ongoing military operations against militants, it was important to maintain continuity in the military leadership.

The army chief will now become the first to enjoy the longest ever tenure, notwithstanding those who extended their own tenures in the like of Gen Ayub, Gen Zia, Gen Musharraf.

According to some of these observers, the move heralds the potential of long-term consequences on the country’s political and military landscape including present and future civil-military relationship. Two dynamics are inter-playing: The civil-military relations as envisaged in the Kerry-Lugar Bill and the one as planned by the establishment itself for the long haul.

According to reports, the decision was earlier planned to be announced by July 18. However, it was deferred till the visit of US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. A poker-faced Clinton said in Islamabad last week that the United States did not and would not comment on Pakistan’s internal matter, when asked about Kayani’s extension. But Pakistan watchers smiled at that. Hillary did however stress that the United States would like democratic setup to continue!

Kayani positioned himself in the overall war against terror’s dispensation with his entry, thanks to Gen Musharraf, as DG ISI. His more than cursory involvement in Musharraf team’s negotiations with Benazir Bhutto, of which he was an integral part, is well known.

When Musharraf in November 2007 gave up his army chief role, he pinned that badge on Kayani. Elections were thereafter held making PPP win enough seats to form a secular government in the center. While Bhutto met untimely death, Musharraf was forced to quit – and in a twist of fate, Zardari and Kayani became new power players representing either side of the divide – or shall we say – from the same side in the great game!

Once a military assistant to the late prime minister Benazir Bhutto as well as a trusted protege of her rival Musharraf, Kayani has been recognised as a chameleon in surviving Pakistan’s treacherous political waters, AFP reported.

Today, a more relaxed and cheerful Gilani praised Kayani for his “commitment to democracy”, recalling that the military chief had termed “democracy inevitable” for peace and development in Pakistan. Read “progressive, liberal, secular forces” in place of “democracy”. The PM also quipped that all four major power balls – the army chief, the PM (himself), the President and the Chef Justice will remain in their seat until 2013!

Kayani has thus come out in the open as the key force in the power structure. He was then and is now, and will remain so in future also, until a mixed bag of nationalistic-secularist-progressive force emerges in the country. Such an ideological boundary for Pakistan may not make all the stake-holders happy though; but then in every successful negotiations – one party is always the grim reaper. Who is or who are the grim reapers – only time can tell. All that can be conjectured right now is that no matter who took the insurance from whom – the underwriter is the same!

Our subcontinental divide!

2010-04-20T18:49:00.001-04:00

NEW YORK, USA: I recently came across some interesting facts regarding the pay scales and the fringe benefits enjoyed by each member of our National Assembly.

According to a popular blog ATP (All Things Pakistan):

A Pakistani MNA’s salary and perks details are as follows:

** Monthly Salary Rs. 120,000 to 200,000
** Expense for Constitution per month: Rs.100,000
** Office expenditure per month: Rs.140,000
** Traveling concession: Rs. 8 per km
(For a visit to ISLAMABAD & return: 6000 km = Rs.48,000)
** Daily BETA during Assembly meets: Rs.500
** Traveling in first class (A/C) train all over PAKISTAN: Free and unlimited
** Charge for Business Class in flights with wife or P.A.: Free for 40 trips/ year
** Rent for Govt hostel any where: Free
** Electricity perks at home: Free up to 50,000 units
** Local phone facility: Free up to 1,70,000 calls

On the basis of the above, the total monthly expense for each MNA: Rs. 26,66,666 (26 lakhs+)

The total expense for a MNA per year comes out to be Rs.32,000,000 (3 crore 20 lakh rupees)

Keep in mind that these numbers are only the official estimates. You can imagine for yourself the unofficial sums easily acquired by a man in such a position.

Our trip to canada

2009-10-01T18:25:00.000-04:00

At this moment we are passing throgh pennsylvania.

We are five hourrs behind our schedule owing to some f++k up. I am afraid we would further get delayed as chief irshad salim missed the exit while gazing at the woman trucker on his left. It started to rain now.

More to follow.

Love;...faiz
Trailing on. Highway on or way to buffalo, enroute to toronto.

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Pak Academics Conspicuously Absent at Intl Forum - Are We on a Regress Path?

2009-09-29T15:37:00.003-04:00

ISEC-5 Conference at Las Vegas held during Sep 22 thru Sept 27

I attended the 5th International Conference on Structural Engineering and Construction (aka: ISEC-5) during 22 thru 27 Sept 2009 in Las Vegas.
This international Conference was hosted by University of Nevada at Las Vegas.

I also presented my research paper entitled, "Precast Ferrocement Barrel Shell Planks as Low Cost Roofs" in the afternoon session of 24th Sept-09.

The Conference per se was represented by the professional engineers, researchers and the academics from over 33 countries and over 170 research
papers were presented.

Being a Pakistani professional civil & structural engineer living and working in Riyadh-Saudi Arabia, I therefore am very proud to have represented both
Saudi Arabia and Pakistan at this august international forum. However, it was very sad to notice that the Pakistani professional engineers both from
the industry and the academics were conspicuously absent at this international forum. On the other hand I could see an active participation from a large
number of Indian professional engineers, researchers and the academics both from within the United States and outside - that is from India itself. Even
several Bangladeshi delegates were also seen at this forum.Some from the Arab countries that is from Egypt and Syria had also participated.

The question that immediately then came to my mind and am still very perturbed at this was as to why Pakistani professional engineers, researchers and
the academics remain so conspicuously absent in such international forums? I think this is too serious to be ignored as it leaves a very bad impression
on both Pakistan and the Pakistani engineers, researchers and the academics.

It is also very important to mention here that this is not the first occasion where I had observed such a conspicuous absence of the Pakistani engineers,
researchers and the academics. I regret to mention here that on similar international forums I have observed the same thing. To substantiate here I must
mention that I was not able find a single Pakistani, either coming from within the United States or from Pakistan, at the 5th International Conference on
Case Histories in Geotechnical Engineering (aka: 5icchge) which was hosted by University of Missouri at Rolla in New York during 13 thru 16 April 2004.
On that occasion too I had proudly represented bot Pakistan and Saudi Arabia and had two papers to present.

In my opinion, these are not lone incidents. I hate to say here that I see a pattern - a pattern of regression. We see Pakistan and Pakistanis regressing
instead of progressing. While our neighbors and all others are continuously marching ahead and progressing in all fields, we unfortunately seem to regressing
- and regressing fast in all fronts actually. The professional engineers, researchers and the academics also seem to find themselves trapped under that
regressing influence.

I must say this trend of regression must be confronted otherwise very soon Pakistan and the Pakistanis would find themselves forgotten by the international
community and we would continue to remain in the news related to the terrorism activities alone.

Syed Faiz Ahmad; MEngg, MASCE (member: International Executive Committee - ISEC-6 in Zurich in 2011)
(aka: Faiz Al-Najdi)
Chief Structural Engineer
Saudi Oger Ltd
Riyadh-Saudi Arabia
Now reporting from: New York
29 Sept-09

Annual DesPardes Geek Get Together

2009-09-19T20:57:00.001-04:00

Syed Faiz Alnajdi - DesPardes and PKonweb's Middle East Buraeu chif who is stationed in Riyadh visits New York for the annual DP and PK Geek's get together meet. He'll be visiting NY, NJ, Las Vegas, Virginia and Toronto.
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Zardari did become President as part of deal

2009-09-16T15:09:00.013-04:00

SEP 16 - Gen (R) Musharraf's lawyer Fowad Choudhry, appearing on Islamabad Tonight talkshow today, disclosed that the ex-president Gen (R) Musharraf and Mark Lyall Grant (British Director Political Affairs) play game of bridge together. Grant's actual title is: Director-General, Political, Foreign and Commonwealth Office. He has been UK ambassador to Pakistan also.

Watch Fowad on Islamabad Tonight - Sep 16 episode: ISLAMABAD TONIGHT with Nadeem Malik: SEP 16

Lyall is said to have been the chief negotiator between assaassinated PPP chairperson Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto and the thenPresident Gen (R) Musharraf. Thereafter, arrived in Pakistan in October 2007. The infamous deal is called 'NRO deal'.

Lyall was also said to have been the key player in negotiating the safe exit deal for his bridge partner Musharraf and then PPP Co-Chiarperson Zardari. Musharraf quit in August 2008.

Musharraf's departure let Zardari get himself elected in his place as the new President. He called it 'revenge of democracy' and echoed 'reconciliation' as PPP's new political catchphrase.

Lyall is also said to have been one of the key players in the stoppage of March 16's famous Long March which followed the restoration of Chief Justice Iftikhar.

Mark Lyall keeps visiting Lahore and has met Sharif brothers each time he has been in Pakistan while US envoys meet Zardari. Lyall last met Sharif on August 12.

Both Western powers appear to have their individual roles cut out for themselves. USA engages Zardari et al and UK engages Sharifs et al. Cool setup!

Musharraf enjoys the protection of these powerful allies – some outside the country like Saudia, UAE not to name USA and UK and couple of more.

During a visit to Pakistan last month, Lyall Grant, issued a statement denying press reports that he had been "meddling" in Musharraf's future. But that's for public consumption.

Last week the king of Saudi Arabia, Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, sent a private jet to London to collect Musharraf and bring him to the kingdom for a three-day visit. The unspoken message, Pakistani analysts say, was clear: don't mess with Musharraf.

Musharraf's trip followed Sharif's trip and meeting with the King. While Musharraf's meeting lasted around three hours on one-on-one basis without aides, while reports say Sharif's sitting lasted an hour only and was with aides. Hmmm....

Meanwhile, Jehangir Badr who is Secy Gen of PPP and is also a senator was sitting at the table along with journalists including Asma Chaudhry of Dunya TV when President Zardari sitting among them disclosed the safe exit deal of Musharraf with international guarantors and stakeholders.

Jehangir Badr confirmed on September 15 episode of In Session by Asma that Zardari did discuss about the deal and some of its details. According to Asma, Zardari was willing to discuss the deal more, but other journalists started asking him questions on other issues.

Watch Asma Chaudhry program in detail:IN SESSION WITH Asma Chaudhry on Dunya: SEP 15

Hussain Haqqani issued 360 discretationary visas to US individuals

2009-09-14T17:00:00.009-04:00

Note: Amb Haqqani issued 360 discretionary visas in one month and not 630 as claimed by Dr Shaireen Mazari. Please note this correction.

Sep 14: One must watch September 14 episode of Islamabad Tonight by Nadeem Malik on AAJ TV - a popular Pakistani private TV Channel owned by owners of the Business Recorder newspaper.

Firstly, for the first time if I can recall, former Senator Enver Baig (PPP) openly said today's said talk show today that "there was lack of leadership qualities"... (read Zardari - his party head)...that "honestly speaking ---there's a big vacuum ever since Benazir Bhutto was assassinated"......"people at the helm of affairs are inexperienced"..."we have given away more than neccessary". etc. I wonder why he has now vented on the media his "strong views" (to be polite) on Zardari's leadership, etc. Nothing's gonna change any way, unless...hmmm...you never know....but too much is at stake here...I better keep my views to myself.

Enver Baig belongs to that small group of old PPP Benazir loyalists who have been sidelined by Zardari. This group includes such stalwarts like Raza Rabbani, Sherry Rehman, Dr Safdar Abbasi, Naheed Khan, Taj Haider, Nafees Siddiqui, to name only a few.

Dr. Shireen Mazari, who recently became the Editor of The Nation, disclosed on today's talk show that there is a tussle going on between the security agencies, the foreign office on one side and the Pakistan embassy in USA (read Hussain Haqqani) on the other side.

Shireen said Haqqani last month issued 630 discretionary visas to US individuals including Craig Davis of Blackwater who was deported from Pakistan. Haqqani also reissued visa to a journalist Nicholas (last name not known) without approval of the foreign office and the intelligence agencies, Mazari added.

Mazari also disclosed that the figure of 1000 US marines coming to Islamabad was first divulged by the foreign office themselves - later on they (FO) backtracked their statement under 'presurr' when there was uproar in the media and the public reacted strongly.

Watch today's Islamabad Tonight talk show on pkonweb.com: http://pkonweb.com/2009/09/15/islamabad-tonight-with-nadeem-malik-sep-14/

It's interesting!

Salim Ejaz as New York City Comptroller

2009-09-06T16:34:00.004-04:00

By Mohammad Anwar
NY Muslim Examiner

"I recently found out that Mr. Salim Ejaz is running for the New York City Comptroller’s position. Salim Ejaz as you can probably tell by the name is a Muslim. He is the first Muslim to run for the post. Being a Muslim is not his only qualification. According to his website, he is the only CPA running and has 40 years of financial expertise. Salim has also worked for a division of General Mills, a Fortune 100 company as Audit Manager/Director. He has worked as the Director Audit for Nassau County.

During his service as Direct Audit for Nassau County he exposed waste and losses of over $600 million according to his website. His audit of the legal department which handled lawsuits for property tax claims revealed losses of $430 million in a period of 4 years. He also exposed the gross incompetence in the Assessment Review Commission, where the mismanagement was causing a loss of $70 million per year. His audit of health insurance agreement exposed fraud by a Deputy County Executive which caused a colossal loss of $100 million. Salim’s efforts helped in prevent the future losses of millions of dollars.

According to his website his agenda is to eliminate waste and abuse, cut taxes, improve fiscal controls and abolish cronyism. We can definitely use some one that can help with these things. The elections will be held on Tuesday, September 15, 2009 in all 5 boroughs of New York City. There are over 800,000 Muslims that live in New York City but there hasn’t been any representation of them in City Hall. I have always encouraged Muslims to get involved in their communities and local governments. It’s great to see some people are already doing their part. There are two ways you can help Salim get elected:

If you live in New York city and are registered to vote you can vote for him on September 15th.

You can donate to his campaign or volunteer. For more information please call him at 646-784-1741.

Please go out, vote and get your voices heard. Your comments are appreciated. Please subscribe to stay in touch with what’s going on in the Islamic community in New York. (Source: Muslim Examiner)

Sal Ejaz website: http://salejaz.zshopnet.com/

Related PKonweb.com articles:
http://pkonweb.com/2009/09/02/salim-ejaz-nyc/

Related Dawn.com article: A Pakistani runs for public office in NYC
http://www.dawn.com/wps/wcm/connect/dawn-content-library/dawn/news/world/02-a-pakistani-runs-for-public-office-in-NYC-01

Musharraf is in the hot seat but will he be prosecuted?

2009-08-11T00:57:00.009-04:00

An Islamabad session court judge has directed police officials to file an FIR (First Information Report - meaning registering a criminal case against someone) against former President Gen (R) Pervez Musharraf for detaining seven of the superior court judges and their families in their houses after proclaiming emergency on Nov 3, 2007.

The seven judges including the Chief Justice had passed a verdict against the emergency and instructed all judges not to take fresh oath from the General.

According to DAWN, the case had not been registered till late in the evening, but a senior police officer told the paper that it would ‘definitely be done within a few hours’.

Sources told the newspaper that an emergency meeting was called in the interior ministry, which was attended by senior officers of the interior and law ministries and officers of police and their legal branch. Details of the meeting remain unknown but it is yet another bushfire the ousted General now faces in a span of less than a month.

On July 31 the Supreme Court ruled against his emergency of Nov 3, 2007 making all steps taken by him thereafter illegal and unconstitutional. In the absence of his indemnity by the previous parliament or from the existing parliament, defending his emergency acts is a steep hill to climb for the ex-general.

In the presence of a strong independent media now (ironically it was him to created it), a strong and popular public support for his nemesis Nawaz Sharif and a somewhat a neutral army chief of staff, it is likely that Musharraf may be forced to have his day in court. What transpires is any body's guess.

Some observers strongly feel that the military won't let its ex-chief go through the humiliation. A similar attempt of army humiliation by then PM Nawaz Sharif in 1999 had triggered a mutiny by a catorie of Generals led by Gen Mehmood, Gen Usmani et al culminating in a coup that overthrew the civilian strongman and brought Gen Musharraf into power on October 12, 1999.

Chief of Army Staff Musharraf had been ordered retired while he was on his way back from Sri Lanka and replaced by Sharif's handpicked Gen Zia uddin - then ISI chief and reportedly a relative. The Generals did not like it and rebelled against Musharraf''s replacement. The Triple One Brigade did the rest.

Sources told Dawn that a case would be registered against the former president under section 344 of the Pakistan Penal Code which says:

‘Whoever wrongfully confines any person for ten days or more, shall be punished with imprisonment of either description for a term, which may extend to three years, and shall also be liable to fine.’

If security czar Rehman Malik is to believed, an extradition treaty is in the works between UK and the Pakistan government which, if implemented soon, may force the British government to force Gen (R) Musharraf go back to Pakistan and face the criminal charges.

If the agreement is "delayed for some reasons" or there is deliberate foot-dragging, legally then it won't be easy to make the retired General come back and face the charges but the British government may find it politically incorrect to let Musharraf continue to stay put in UK. He may then be nudged to cross the Atlantic or take up the Saudi offer for a well-cushioned self-exile in the kingdom.

The court order against the ex-President was passed by additional District and Sessions judge Mohammad Akmal Khan in response to petitions filed by advocate Aslam Ghuman about five months ago.

The judge in his short order observed that the respondent (Mr Musharraf) was liable to be tried under various legal and criminal provisions.

The court has already adjourned the case for twelve times in a span of five months and further adjournment over the issue was denied, he added.

The plaintiff requested the court to direct Islamabad police to register the case against the ex-President after the office of Senior Superintendent of Police did not record his complaint. Then the judge ordered the additional station house officer (SHO) of the secretariat police station (who was present in court) to register a case against the former president.

The plaintiff's petition says that Gen (R) Musharraf illegally imposed Provisional Constitution Order on Nov 3, 2007, and detained Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry and 60 other judges of superior judiciary along with their families after they had refused to take oath under the PCO.

The petition seeks the trial of Musharraf and others who played a role in implementing the PCO.

A large number of former and present parliamentarians, bureaucrats and police officials were also likely to be named in the case, sources told Dawn.

Musharraf can sing too.

2009-08-10T17:51:00.005-04:00

Gen (R) Musharraf is a multi-talented ex-army man for sure.

Heard he plays the Tabla well, but I just viewed a video clip showing his musical picadilloes. All he needs now is to show his talent to play the piano and or the harmonium and he will definitely become a one-man band like his one-man army qualities!

He sang along with Ustad Hamid Ali Khan a popular ghazal. Dunya TV which ran the clip today, claims it did it "exclusively". Here is the detail news and the video clip as well:

http://pkonweb.com/2009/08/11/musharraf-sings/

JEXCA NA Reunion

2009-08-01T21:19:00.000-04:00

A kathak dance by Kareena daughter of Abhijit Bhai
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JEXCA NA REUNION

2009-08-01T21:15:00.000-04:00

Ex-President Golam Kabir at the reunion
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IMG00230.jpg

2009-08-01T17:17:00.000-04:00

Informal meeting of attendees of JEXCA NA being conducted in the ball room. Everybody is remenescing old days
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JEXCA NA Reunion 2009

2009-08-01T17:03:00.001-04:00

Mr Farooq Jan President of of JEXCA NA gives a smile good for a flouride toothpaste advertisement. He is from 3rd intake Khyber House.
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JEXCA NA Reunion 2009

2009-08-01T16:55:00.001-04:00

Attending JEXCA NA Reunion in Pennsylvania. Last time it was held in Virgina and first intake ex-cadet Qamrul Hasan had organized it. It went well .This time it is being organized by Farooq Jan of third intake, excadet 157. He is also the elected President of the JEXCA NA org. So far the reunion is going smooth and well. Was able to log in at the hotel using WIFI.
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Individual nabbed from cyber cafe for SMS to Rehman Malik

2009-07-19T15:04:00.005-04:00

JULY 19, 3:25 PM NY Time

One of our team members based in Pakistan reported today that a highly influential leader of a student political organization, was picked up by plainclothes policemen from a Cyber Cafe in Okara for having sent text messages (SMS) to Rehman Malik slandering him and the government for Cyber Crime Law against MMS, Emails, etc.

The individual kept shouting at the Cyber Cafe that he was being picked up for directly text messaging to Malik.

The incident took place Sunday late evening around 9pm Pakistan Standard Time.

Our team member was witness to the arrest of this individual who while being pushed into the police van kept slandering Rehman Malik and accused President Zardari of being complicit in the assassination of Benazir Bhutto.

According to our reporter, witnesses at the scene were of the opinion that the political individual may have been the President of the Okara PSF but independent verification of this information has not been possible yet.

The arrested individual was taken to the Police Station and it is expected that he will emain in police custody.

More information to follow as we monitor the developments..

No light at the end of tunnel in Afghanistan.

2009-07-18T00:50:00.003-04:00

JULY 17- Bob Woodward of Watergate fame appeared on Wolf Blitzer's Situation Room this afternoon. He has recently returned from Afghanistan and possibly Pakistan too.

Told Blitzer that the US commanders in Afghanistan are deeply worried. It's a primitive country- big difference between Afghanistan and Iraq. Said Iraq had oil money to fund the war against the militants. In Afghanistan there are no such situation. "Every body is growing poppy there. And if you try to stop that the local populace turns against you," Woodward quoted one of the US commanders as telling him.

Woodward said the commanders want to make sure that Obama's new policy is implemented right - that both military and economic steps are simultaneously taken. Woodwrd says "it is Obama's war now and there is no light at the end of the tunnel. On Blitzer's query if US will succed, Woodward said he wont bet on it. Said Zardari doesnt know much about governing. "He's a businessman, not naturally a politician. His only credential is that he is Bhutto's husband.

Michael Jackson likely to be buried in Muslim Tradition

2009-07-15T13:04:00.003-04:00

JULY 15 - Various international news sources are reporting that it is revealed in the last will of Michael Jackson that he wanted to be buried according to Muslim traditions, since he had converted to Islam some time back. Some say he converted in November 2007.

Jackson’s family is considering to arrange the Muslim funeral and burial tradition as was desired by him. His family says they truly respect Jacko’s will and his new faith.

His funeral is due to be carried out on Friday, according to reports.

Meanwhile speculations are rife that Jacko died of drug overdose and that his doctor is involved in the whole scenario.

Also read: What Michael Jackson's cook knows: http://www.despardes.com/chanachoor/2009/20090714.html

SAJA Convention

2009-07-11T19:29:00.000-04:00

Attending SAJA Dinner in NYC with Fashion Editor Aysha Ibtasam and Mr Salim Ejaz who is contesting election in Democratic Primary asComptroller for NYC
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Having haircut at Robert Stephan Hair Design in North Brunswick

2009-07-11T11:18:00.000-04:00

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Random Thoughts.

2009-07-02T23:38:00.003-04:00

July 2 - Mushtaq Minhas on his July 2nd episode of Bolta Pakistan had an interesting response to a caller's (from USA) observation that diesel in USA cost Rs37 or 47 per liter while in Pakistan it was costing more than double - may be four times I do not recall the exact figure he quoted.

Mushtaq's response to the caller: USA had a vast fuel reserve. It also gets cheaper fuel from its negihbors like Canada and Latin America.

If having vast (untapped) reserve of oil and being close to the exporters of oil to it is a valid rationale, then bottled water in USA should be almost free!

After all USA is surrounded on all sides by oceans from where water supply can be FREE. It also has a vast reserve of underground water.

Ironically however, bottled water in USA costs $4 or more a gallon - double of fuel. Gas (I mean petrol) costs between $2 and $2.50 a gallon only and that even now. It was cheaper before. What is the real rationale?

US establishment has insured that the component of fuel cost as part of the production costs of anything and everything in USA is always bare minimal. How?

My two cents: By insuring majority fuel imports (directly or indirectly) are from such countries, for instance, like Saudia, where oil is not a national wealth, therefore not subject to price increases to fund public lifestyle growth. Trickel down economy is unknown. The kingdom thus can arbitrarily decide how much to sell for and how much to produce.

As for Latin America, the countries have deliberately been forced to remain economically at a level where cost of producing oil does not increase. Labor is cheap! Sans institutions, prices are fixed arbitrarily too.

Chaos Order II- You reap what you sow!

2009-06-23T20:56:00.020-04:00

JUN 23 - Pakistan ki cricket team nay 20 over per mubni world cup match Sri Lankan team kay khilaf jeet kar bohut hi maqbooliat haasil ki. Bohut khushi ki baat hai aur har Pakistani koh bohut khush hona bhi chahiyeh.

Qaum koh bohut arsey keh baad aik khushi ki khabar mili hai. Allah khair karey.

Aakhri dafa aisi achhi khabar May 1998 mey mili thi jab qaum ney India key khilaf jawabi nuclear tests kar key sabit kar dya tha keh Pakistan apney dushman kay khilaf zaroorat parney per nehley per dehla bhi karna janta hai.

Nawaz Sharif choon keh uss daur keh Wazeer-e-Azam thay is liyeh us kamiyabi keh mubarkbad ke haqdaar baney aur baney chaltey aa rahey hain. Kyun ji?

Poori qaum ney iss baar Pakistan team ki jeet per jashn manaya aur poorey mulk mein iss khabar ka khushi khushi istiqbaal kya gaya.

Sadar Zardari sahib ney jeetney wali cricket team keh har fard koh 5 lakh rupeye deney kah ailaan bhi kya. Saath hi saath Wazeer e Azam Gilani sahib ney apni siyasi haisiyat kay mutabiq team ko khaney per daawat bhi dih hai.

Gilani sahib ney cricket team membaran ko koi paisey deney ya na naa deneh ka faislah kya hai keh nahin hamein iska ilm nahin hai. Na koi aisi khabar shaya huwi hai ab tak.

Such baat tau yeh hai kay mujhey itni khushi nahi huwi is jeet per jaisa keh pehley kay jeeton per hoti thi.

Baat darasal yeh hai keh agar koi swimmer darya cross karney ki saal ha saal training le aur paisey le laikin sirf aik chota sah taalaab cross karney ki hi salahiyat show karey tau kya humein uskay performance per khush hona chahiyeh? Woh alag baat hai keh qaum ka expectations level itna gir chuka ho keh itni khushi hi kaafi hai.

Meri nazar mein 20 over per mubni match jeetna aik naalaa cross karney keh mutaradif hai. Baat tub hogi jab Test Match jita jaye. Yah phir 50 overs wala match jita jaye.

Performance time aur standards koh lower kar ke teemein apni salahiyaton ka meyar qaum say accept nahi kara sakti hain. Isi tarah jaisey kisi aik BATTLE koh jeet kar WAR koh jeetney ka haq nahin jataya ja sakta. Woh alag baat hai keh koi karigar Tajmahal bananey ki salahiyat bhool jaye. Is soorut mein usko practice karaney keh liyeh Tajmahal ki jagha koi maqbara bananey ka theka de dya jaye tau koi mazaheqa nahin. Is maqbarey koh bananey mein us karigar koh mubarak baad wusool karney ki zaroorat nahin hai. Agar woh aisa karta hai toh ghalat baat hai.

Pakistan mein bohut saarey standards gir gaye hain. Values bhi narrow down ho gaye hain. Siyasi nizam, judiciary nizam aur iqtisadi nizam ki adam maujoodgi ki wajah sey goals and objectives bhi majmuee taur per low ho gaye hain. Jab keh dunya aagey barhti ja rahi hai jis tarah internet barhta ja raha hai.

Kya hamari asli jeet yani kamiyabi 20 overs ke match ke level ki hi hai ya phir 5-days international test match keh level ki hai? Zara aap khud sochein is baath koh.

Kya shortcuts le kar hi hum kamayab ho saktey hain? Kya rules of games change kar ke hi hum asli kamayabi ke humkinar ho saktey hain?

Taareekh ney apna standard khud muqqarrar kya huwa hai. Taareekh ney na tau koi short cut accept kya hai na hi koi short cut koh recorgnize kya hai.

Taareekh short cut lenay wali qaumon yah teemon yah shakhsiyat koh yaad bhi nahi rakhti.

In fact, hiqarat ki nigah seh dekhti hai.

Hamarey South Asia mein teen log hain yani Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Shaikh Mujibur Rehman aur Indira Gandhi jinhon nay short cuts liye. Kuchh dinoh keh liyeh woh maqbool huweh aur unki qaumon neh khushiyan manayeein. Us keh baad ka haal hum sub koh maaloom hai.

Mera khayal hai keh agar qaum isi tarah chhoti khushiyan seh faizyab ho sakti hai tau hamen chahiyeh keh siyasat daanon koh bhi TEAM20 ki tarah aik chhota sa ilaqa hukoomat karney keh liyeh deh dein.

Jub chhotay ilaqay per hukoomat karney mein kamiyab ho jayein tau T20 team ki kamiyabi ki tarha hum bhi in siyasat danoh koh mubarak baad de kar mulk ki badi team mein accept kar saktey hain. Is baat mein koi mazaeqa nahin.

Practice makes perfect!

Darya Darya Hai Aur Sahil Sahil Hai

2009-06-21T18:59:00.023-04:00

Kehtey hain keh Darya Darya hota hai aur Sahil Sahil hota hai. Na Darya Sahil ban sakta hai aur na hi Sahil Darya .

Agar Darya Sahil ko chhoo lay toh kehtey hain keh Sailab aa jaya karta hai aur agar Sahil Darya mein utar jaye tau Qehat aa jaya karta hai.

Baat bhi kisi had tak sahi hai. Har cheez ko apna hi role ada karna chahiyeh warna garbar ghutala ho jata hai! Ha Ha Ha!

Kal, Saturday Jun 20, 2009 koh mein ney kuch ex-NEDians ki Barbecue party attend ki. New Jersey keh aik haseen picnic spot Spruce Run Reservoir mein arrange kya gya tha. Har saal isi muqaam per kya jata hai. In Ex-NEDians key liyeh yeh picnic ka ihtmimam Arshad Rizvi Sahib kya kartey hain. Hamesha sey. Eid milan party bhi woh hi arrange kartey hain. Is saal bhi karengey, unho ney bataya.

Kaayee saalhon keh baad mein ney yeh decide kya keh mein chunkeh aik Ex-NEDian bhi hoon is liyeh mujhey bhi is picnic mein shamil hona chahiyeh. Mein ney phir is dafa is picnic koh attend kiya. Bohut hi mazaah aya. Kayee sarey puraney doston seh aur siyasi saathiyon sey mulaqatein huween.

Picnic keh hi doran barish bhi shurooh ho gayee. Log bhookey thay. Iss liye barish kay bawajood barbecue karney per lagey rahey. Dilchasp manzar tha. Tasveerein lin mein ney. Chand yahan paish kar raho hoon. Aik tasvir toh mein ney apney website pkonweb.com aur phir despardes.com key photo sections per bhi lagaye hain.

Mujhey raha nahi gaya jis tarha logh barbecue karney mein masroof thay.

Kehney ka matlab yeh hai keh agar koi shakhs ya kuch log yeh baat tae kar layn keh mujhe yah hamen yeh kaam zaroor karna hai ya hona hai tau aandhi aye yah toofan, woh kaam kum o baish har soorat mein mukammal ho jata hai. Aur woh kaam waqayee ho gaya. Is picnic mein!

Barbecue was done rain or sunshine, come what may!

Azm ki baat hai aur hausley ki zaroorat hoti hai. Baaqi har cheez khud ba khud apni jagha dhoond hi leta hai.

Logon ney baarish keh bawajood barbecue chicken tikkey, bun kabab, hot dogs aur deegar items barey mazey ley ley kar banaye aur phir khaye.

Tae yeh huwa hai keh August 8 koh hum sub phir milengey.

Dekhteh hain aisa hota hai keh nahin - koi wajha nahin kay aisa naa ho. Kyun kay naa tau yahan koi load shedding hoti hai na koi pahia jaam. Sirf mausam ka dar rehta hai laikin. Siyasi mausam ka nahin asal mausam ka. Triple one brigade ka bhi nahin na 'Aye Hamarey Hum Watanon! Ka aur naa hi us mashhoor jumley ka kay ji 'Mein bhoool gaya thaa'.

Ajeeb baat hai keh is dafa mujhey Pakistan kay do trips ki aik baat bohut zyada yaad aayee.

Logon ka har waqt kehna: Aao Baith Kay Baat Kar Letey Hain (ABKBKLH).

Is picnic mein aisa koi jumla sunney mein nahin aya. Kisi ney ABKBKLHing nahin ki.

Choon kay sub kum aur baish aik hi age group kay thay is liyeh ya toau cholesterol level, sugar ki position aur blood pressure ka haal poocha ja raha tha yaa phir naukri mein ya karobar mein kya ho raha hai woh poocha ja raha tha.

Uss kay baraks Karachi mein aisay hi group ki daawat mein caroron ka ghar bananey ki baatein ho rahi theen ya caroron ka ghar bana kar us ki baatein ho rahi theen.

Farq saaf zahir hai.

Wahan paisa lifestyle hai aur yahan lifestyle hi paisa hai. Kya khayal hai aap ka?

Was Maulana Naeemi Silenced?

2009-06-12T23:03:00.005-04:00

JUN 12 - Was Maulana Naeemi, a renowned Ahle Sunnat Barelvi anti-Taliban and anti-US cleric silenced?

The News reported today that only 48 hours before his death, while addressing “Save Pakistan Ulema Convention” in Lahore, Dr Naeemi warned that if Pakistan did not stop fighting the US war and plug the money and arms supply to the Taliban from the US, India and other countries, the country’s nuclear assets and integrity would be at stake.

Did he know too much that he needed to be silenced by the dark forces and the murky pinheads? Baitullah Mehsud's TTP (Tehrik-i-Taliban) claimed today the responsibility for the suicide bombing attack in Naeem's mosque-office after Juma prayers.

Maulana Naeemi suspected American and Indian hands behind the present Taliban insurgency and till his last breath was demanding exposing the elements responsible for directly supplying arms and money to the Taliban.

He has been a critic of the US presence in the region and opposed Gen Musharraf’s decision to shoulder the US war on terror in Afghanistan, and had to pay the price for his opposition by serving terms in prison.

Naeemi's attacker was clean-shaven, not bearded like many religious Pakistanis, reported the New York times citing the police and mosque officials who saw the attacker’s head after the blast. He appeared to be about 18 to 20 years old, the police said. They said the bomber was a resident of southern Punjab.

Naeemi followed a school of thought within Sunni Islam, the Barelvi, which is at odds with the more fundamentalist Deobandi school observed by the Taliban. In 2007, he and other clerics issued an edict against suicide bombing, saying that only the state can wage jihad, not individuals or groups such as the Taliban.

He had supported the military offensive in Swat and had termed Taliban a “stigma on Islam.” This month, he and other leading clerics led a rally in Lahore condemning the Taliban as “enemies of Islam and traitors.”

Chaos Order (Part 1) - Pakistaniat

2009-06-11T20:49:00.020-04:00

JUN 11 - Musharraf regime - dictatorship in nature - therefore isolated in form and substance, ended up due to lack of proper governance and public support. There may be many more reasons but I have mentioned here only the two that I felt needed to be mentioned. The results were any way disastrous as we all know.

As for the Zardari government - elected democratically though - lacks trust and credibility as many many may agree with me. Whether a Liberal or a Rightist, both have common feelings in this matter and somewhat a similar opinion on Zardari's reputation and capabilities. Some have even questioned his mental ability.

Zardari's leadership was born out of a ceaserian operation - an unborn politician was stem-celled to synthetically grow overnight into a leader-cum-deliverer for the Pakistanis. Whether he was a willing or an unwilling party to this fast-paced (some say scripted) development only history will tell and the historians will judge.

From Musharraf to Zardari, I feel, the net return on investment made by the nation has been a ZERO SUM GAME. Some may argue that the zero game encompasses all 62 years. I will agree but I do not want to take the clock backwards in my first part of musings. Another time, another day!

10 years (I am counting since 1999 when Gen Musharraf was parachuted by his colleagues onto the seat of power) the nation as a whole have grudgingly passed and we are still trekking to somewhere or no where, I don't know, do you?

The vision that we are going somewhere evokes fear of the unknown. The imagination of our destiny seems as elusive as the thought of the internet - that really a world wide web which seems to be growing and growing sucking all of us, body mind and soul, into its womb, at the same time exponentially multiplying in size and dimension, geometrically creating myriad numbers of parallel world out there. At the end of the way we have become atoms and molecules being gobbled by a big black hole.

I do not mean to scare any one but there is really it seems to me a scarry similarity in Pakistan's state of affairs and the internet. I will address this observation later.

We are now 62 years old but still discussing whether Jinnah, our nation's "only" father (The US has a set of fathers, they call them forefathers) meant Pakistan to be an Islamic (I mean Islam for governance and law) state or whether he wanted the nation to be for the Muslims (like Israel for Jews) but wished the governance of the state to be Western - where laws, statecraftship and governance are based on Greek, Roman and other ancient civilization's political and adminsitrative practices that predates Christian Bible.

The nation's biggest stake holder - the Awam - still awaits since September 11 2001 for some one or a group of leaders (like America's forefathers) to fix the bearing for our ship, define a definite course for it, so that the passengers of the ship and the ship itself can get out of the storm which has brewed in our lands - thanks to the clouds that gathered somewhere else but glided eastward in our direction.

Lack or absence or non-performance by weather pundits (read visionaries, thinkers, think-tanks, study groups, etc.) has brought us I feel to where we are now.

Our politicians and leaders, individually and collectively, are jumping around like chicken without heads - like fish out of water - like a bull in a China shop - like the Jungle ka Badshah who did what he could do best: If he was a tiger he became a leader out of strength (coup), and he ate others for breakfast, lunch and dinner. And, if he was a monkey, he became a leader out of sheer weight of numbers (democracy) and he therefore danced from one tree to another and ate whatever grew on those trees 24/7!

The role and performances of the Generals, Babus, Judges in nexus with tribal leaders did not allow anything else except for themselves. This matter has been a subject of study. Much have already been written and spoken about it.

Today, we still find ourselves in the eye of the storm, splashing the waters of the whirpool like an unwanted swimmer or more likely like a non-swimmer. The nation's psychology and the state's ship thus have both been damaged. This is the bad part.

Now the good part:

Within our damaged psychology, mind, body and bodypolitik, in our stem-cells, veins, blood, bones, flesh et all, there still remains our good DNAs, fresh stem-cells, good blood, living cells, working veins and active neurons that can be beaded together like a string of pearls and then harnessed, multiplied, worn, exhibited, touted, demonstrated, so we - the nation - as a whole can rise, elevate its self-esteem and create a trait, super goal, a super value- call it Pakistaniat - just as Americans say: It is "un-American" OR It is "American".

All things good out there are American! American has been created as an adjective. For example loving anmals is American. Loving life is too. Temper management is American too. Not touching each other is American too. Enjoying life is American too. Take all values - they are all American. Why not part of Pakistaniat? Why can't Pakistaniat become an adjective? It is simple but powerful. Stand on it and we may be able to move the world.

This is that strategic depth that we really need - not just a friendly Afghanistan on our Western border as our strategic depth. That is horizontal and only just one plane in the holistic dimension of existentialism.

Vertically, even if it is only by the word of our mouth, by single murmers if neccessary, we need to create out there a mammoth reverberation of a set of those values which are based on simple common sense and evoke ownership of the good parts and elements of our traditions, customs, and history.

We need to reclaim ownership of our two histories: Cultural and Religious. Combination of both by permutation, extrapolation and interpolation will create Pakistaniat.

This will automatically evolve into a powerful, a peaceful but a strong proud nation where religion as an issue or for that matter all other issues will only be a part of the whole called Pakistaniat and not Pakistaniat itself.

To be continued...

"Know Yourself" Maliha!

2009-06-07T15:12:00.006-04:00

Had lunch with my daughter Maliha this Sunday at Sahara Restaurant, in downtown New Brunswick, NJ. We visit this eatout frequently. The food is excellent - Mediterranean Cuisine with a Turkish twist. And the ambiance is cool, has an informal setup, very close to Rutgers University where my son is studying. Me and Maliha love the place.

The young and pretty girl waiter was from Turkey having come to USA to "learn English". Wonder if any Pakistani would ever get a visa to come to USA just to "learn English. Ha Ha Ha!

I guess you have to be like Turkey - to get there. Our establishment and "moderate politicians" are working on it though. While the establishment seems to be doing so unwillingly, the 'moderate politicians' have no choice but to be gung ho about it. It is a matter of their survival.

Even if we become another Turkey I doubt if we will still be able to come to the USA "just to learn English". I think you need to be 'kinda European' to get there. And frankly speaking we are not nor can we become one ever. It is but true that politics and "strategic interests' can create any kind of rule sets for an effective period. May be new rules will let Pakistanis come to USA just to learn English. Time will tell though.

By the way the girl, whose name is Gul, had something tattooed on her left arm that caught my imagination. I took its picutre and asked her what it meant. Gul said it meant "Know Yourself" in Spanish. I Blackberried it here even though Maliha made a face.

My daughter and me have a cultural "no fly zone" in between us. I am still draped in a Pakistani flag. And she is counting her beans, loves New York, won't move out anywhere else, but she is a pure ABCD, I mean an "American Born Confused Desi". I am very positive that she knows she is a ABCD, but she never talks about it with me though. Some day she may talk about it in her own style and manner. There is nothing wrong being an ABCD if you can make the best out of it. After all look at Obama. He got there, did it. Yes we all can too!

Love you Maliha!

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Chinese Cobbler at Brooklyn China Town

2009-06-03T15:59:00.004-04:00

A Chinese-American cobbler has his tools and gadgets setup on the sidewalk, waiting for a customer and as he sees me taking his picture, he smiles...

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Live Turtles at Brooklyn China Town

2009-06-03T15:51:00.003-04:00

Me and my friend Amin went to Brooklyn China Town (similar to Manhattan's China Town but smaller in size and traffic) to buy Tilapia and Shrimp. We have had enough of bihari kabab, barbecue chicken boti and tikka over the weekend and we felt we needed a break. At one of the fish stores I saw live Turtles. They were big but how do you cook and eat them?

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Pineapples...1971

2009-06-03T15:49:00.003-04:00

In one of the veggie and grocery stores at the Brooklyn China Town I came across Lichhies. Remembered Bangladesh and reminded me of those good old days when life was golden and so was sonar Bangladesh. I loved licchhies and pineapples. In fact having migrated to Pakistan in 1971, I wrote a poem reminiscing life and time in Bangladesh - then East Pakistan.

Here is one of the poems - my reflection on what was going on politically wrong there. I remember some of the events still stuck in my memory lane as BIG NUGGETS. Mujib's amazing power to rally the East Pakistanis. Bhutto's equally articulate opposition to Mujib's sudden rise to power and popularity and of course Yahya's images on TV and in newspapers as a half-drunk incompu who didn't know what he was doing.

The rest is history which still has not been really written.

Pineapples...1971

You! Take him away.
Take him away before I break his limbs;
He's shattered me,
Have sat for days waiting n chanting
'Pineapples for Sale'
but him...playing poccolo to impress
the foreigner's date;

Take him away!
Before I break his fate.

Live Frogs at Brooklyn China Town

2009-06-03T15:46:00.001-04:00

At a Chinese fish store in China Town in Brooklyn, NY, I saw live frogs for sale...They were stacked in a crate. They were big and the storekeeper said they were well fed and fresh!
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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T23:01:00.001-04:00

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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:32:00.001-04:00

A detail interview of Imtiaz Syed will be published and dessimated soon
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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:30:00.001-04:00

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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:27:00.001-04:00

Pakistani-American Imtiaz Syed who is a Democrat residing in New York City is a candidate for office of Public Advocate NY City. He has appealed to all registered Democrats to vote for him in the Primaries on Tues Sept 15. If he wins the Democrat Primaries he says it will gurantee his elections to the City Council where there are more than 48 Democrats out of 51. An accountant and. Attorney by profession he is proud to be contesting for a public position.
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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:17:00.001-04:00

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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:16:00.001-04:00

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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:15:00.001-04:00

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Imtiaz Syed - Democratic candidate for Public Advocate, NY

2009-05-31T22:05:00.001-04:00

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Mr Imtiaz Syed Dem Candidate for office of public. Advocate in New York city

2009-05-31T22:03:00.000-04:00

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Fund Raising dinner for Syed NY. Public advocate Dem Candidate

2009-05-31T21:59:00.000-04:00

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Fund Raising Dinner for NY Public Advocate Candidate Syed

2009-05-31T21:55:00.000-04:00

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Lahore Blast & Swat Situation

2009-05-28T01:01:00.002-04:00

It was expected. The Taliban and their comrades had to spread the dirt around. Punjab was closest and Lahore the choicest.

So what else is new. Welcome to the year of the nonsense, year of the petrified!

Ever since we left an incoherent group of highly motivated Islamic Jihadist returnees from Afghan war on their own, the post-war syndrome took its toll understandably eventually. Now we reap the harvest as Hillary Clinton finally acknowledged the other day or two earlier than the start of the Operation Rahi Haq aka Rahi Rast which I was let's see if I remember on or about April 26.

Too late too little though.

The Pakistani nation neither politically nor morally supported the Afghan war nor did it know the repurcursions, implications, ramifications becuase it was leaderless, rudderless. The state and the establishment did it all in cahoots with the West but simply for a short-sighted tactical reason i.e. to gain time, have the money and the space to catch up with India's nuclear spin while the West looked the other way. There was no long term strategic rationale in Islamizing a battle for control of resources, etc. It is a candle that burnt both ways. A Samurai effort at par excellence...

Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-24T19:04:00.002-04:00

Ms Rana Kausar, Columnist and Short Story writer reading a Mother's Day related short piece at the Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-24T18:57:00.002-04:00

Ms Khalida Zahoor, writer, reading an article at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-24T00:17:00.003-04:00

Dr Sabiha Saba, poetess and writer, speaking at the end of the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-24T00:07:00.002-04:00

Batalvi ka geet gaya ja raha hai Maa per at Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at the Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T23:53:00.002-04:00

Wasif Hussain Wasif, poet and writer, speaking at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York.
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T23:52:00.002-04:00

Farhat Nadeem Humayun, local NY poet, reading a poem at Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T23:35:00.002-04:00

Ms Qania Ada, local NY poetess reading her poem at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T23:04:00.001-04:00

Mr Ejaz Bhatti, convenor and organizer compering the Mushaira held to celebrate Mother's Day at Kabab King Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY.
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T22:11:00.001-04:00

Dr Sabiha Saba chairing the Mushaira held to celebrate Mother's Day at Kabab King Restaurant in Jackson Heights in NY.
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T22:10:00.001-04:00

Another participant at the Mother's Day Mushaira held at Kabab King Restaurant in Jackson Heights, NY
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:55:00.001-04:00

A view of attendees at the Mother's Day Mushaira organized by Aqleem-e-Sukhn literary society at Kabab King Restaurant in Jackson Heights Restuarant, NY
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:54:00.001-04:00

Front view of the attendees at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King resturant in Jackson Heights, New York
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IMother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:53:00.001-04:00

Mr Shaikh Amin and Rana Kausar, editors DesPardes.com Urdu section listen to poetry recital at the at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King resturant in Jackson Heights, New York

2009-05-23T21:52:00.002-04:00

A front view of the attendees at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King resturant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:47:00.001-04:00

Attending Mother's Day related Mushaira and function for NY based several women writers and poetess including Rana Kausar who is Columnist and Consulting. Editor of DesPardes.com's Urdu section. There were more than 100 guests and around 10 to 12 participants of the recital. Ut went well. There was tea, snacks followed by Biryani dinner. A good show. Should be held more in NY and elsewhere.
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:43:00.001-04:00

A poetess recites her poem at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:40:00.001-04:00

Ms Rana Kausar, Columnist, Short-story writer and Consulting Editor of DesPArdes.com's Urdu section recites her poem at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:39:00.002-04:00

A lady poet and writer, speaking at the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York.
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Mother's Day Mushaira by Aqleem-e-Sukhn in NY

2009-05-23T21:34:00.001-04:00

Attending with amin Shaikh and Rana Kausar the Mother's day Mushaira held by Aqleem-e-Sukhn at Kabab King restaurant in Jackson Heights, New York.
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checking

2009-05-21T16:50:00.001-04:00

just checking

Saira Kay Bahaney

2009-05-19T23:30:00.005-04:00

Haanji
Abhi Saira ko email key zaryeh blog mein photo insert karna sikhaya. Laikin as usual Saira toh kaam chor hai toh is liyeh us ney is baath sey khush honey ki bajaye aur parishaan ho gayee hai. Abhi tak toh woh bahana bana leti thi keh light nahin hai is liyeh site update nahin huwa ya phir page bananey ka kaam ya typing karna finish nahin ho saka. Laikin aaj key baadh uska ab shayed bahana banana mushkil ho jaega. Dekhtey hain kya hota hai ji. Allah khair karega.

Photo I Liked

2009-05-19T22:56:00.003-04:00

I was visiting a consulting engieneer's office in Old Bridge, NJ. At the entrance to the building was this sign. At the bottom was a big ashtray to butt out cigarettes before you enter the 'no smoking' designated office building which is now a norm through out USA for public buildings, offices. etc. I saw the sign and I had to take its picture. Without looking at the ashtray it was an amusing one. Couldn't help clicking and here it is...

Sent via BlackBerry by AT&T

2009-05-19T21:26:00.002-04:00

Testing Mobile SMS blogging feature. It works. Sounds good and is cool. Now I can think global, be wired, and connected with the worldwide web. God Bless the Force!

Musings

2009-04-20T00:06:00.004-04:00

*** How can you have an 'independent judiciary' if u do not have 'rules and laws' established in the country in order to interpret them, act upon them and enforce them. In short 'rule of law' without existence of rules and laws is actually an empty slogan. A judiciary screaming to be 'independent' and yearning to enforce rules and laws is useless without the existence of RULES and LAWS. Therefore, an independent and proactive judiciary sans rules and laws is like having a bull in a Chinashop. All it will do is further judicial activism which can do wrong.

Rules and laws are made by legislative assemblies, by the elected representatives of the people. But with leaders and politicians who have vast vote banks in the form of loyal tribes, clans and communities, they perpetuate their personal agendas by using democracy to enter parliament - thus these people cannot afford to create any rules and laws. It will defang them. So they won't let rules and lwas be created or implemented.

Only non-tribal leaders and politicians - unfortunately a motley group in Pakistan now the middle class one's or supported by the middle class- can and will create rules and laws. It is their best defense for their livelihood, social and political survivals. Present example of such leaders across party line: Mushahid Hussain, Raza Rabbani, Aitzaz Ahsan, Imran Khan, to name a few.

Interestingly all of them are from the middle class, educated, non-tribal socially and mindset wise.

Zardari's T.G.I.F. in Manhattan

2008-09-28T17:32:00.004-04:00

If I were Zardari, I would probably do the same.

First "singled out" by Bhutto-haters, then made to overwork by friends and supporters alike, though emotionally charged with several runaway political successes now to his credit, Zardari has lately been blackened like a Red Snapper by the American media, "oystercized" by the not-so-friendly British media, stirred fry like green beans by critics home and abroad and sauteed like diced carrots by the Pakistanis both in the USA and back home.

No wonder then that he had all the good reasons on Friday to make a T.G.I.F. (Thank God It's Friday) out of it for himself.

Giving one of his his favorite polo swings to the highly regimented daily protocols and formalities created by his aides and cohorts who are dime a dozen these days, Zardari decided to stampede his way ala Turkish delight, gushing with passion as he walked into the pad of his favorite Geisha.

Every one trusted the organizers of the New York Iftar party Friday on the official version why the president - Palin's Pakistani admirer at the highest office, abruptly left after only few handshakes with the guests, leaving them in utter confusion whether to wait for him or to have dinner without him or to leave. He did not even deliver few words of thanks to the invited ones, even though his wonder boy - wheeler-dealer diplomatic wiz kid Ambassador Husain Haqqani had a rostrum and microphone ready for his boss' speech.

Guests were officially told that the president had left because he had been overwhelmed by the emotional welcome he had received by the audience and was almost choking.

Hmmm...

But only a select group of journalists was given the red meat by a senior embassy official himself.
The president left the Iftar party as swiftly as he had come, in order to rush to his favorite bar-cum-restaurant he had frequented while living in Manhattan during exile.

According to a review of the Geisha by the The Scene, "Well-heeled wait-listers squeeze into a narrow lounge where a young, international jet-set crowd sips cocktails on mod couches."
Gayot.com says, "Geisha seems like two venues on one site---a downstairs bar scene and an upstairs place to find some exciting cuisine.."

Some Pakistani scribes scrambled the Geisha and were shocked to see the President there.
Zardari spent his next four hours partying in a private room there hosted ostensibly by the Turkish Ambassador to the United Nations, according to a reliable source. Only five persons were seen at the party. Mr Zardari's many female acquaintances were seen gushing over him, according to the source.

Geisha is close to Bhutto's (now Zardari's) Mission Avenue two-bedroom million-dollar condominium located in the heart of the New York City where he lived convalescening from heart attack and spinal injury as he waited for lady luck to smile again. In the meanwhile he underwent therapy at Mt Sinai hospital.

The rest is history as we all know or claim to know!

Zaidi being flown to Missouri?

2008-09-19T11:58:00.002-04:00

Latest news is that on September 11, Nayyar Zaidi was officially served papers which orders him to undergo psychiatric evaluation.

According to his wife, Zaidi may be flown to Missouri where he will undergo monitoring and evaluation by a jail psychiatrist.

Based on the psychiatrist's evaluation, the court will then decide if Zaidi is A) capable of undergoing trial. B) if he should remain under psychiatric evaluation until he is capable of appearing in the court.

Under US law a judge may order that an accused be evaluated for mental and psychological fitness in order to undergo a trial. Same yardstick applies if the accused wishes to represent himself or herself.

Zaidi had requested the court that he be allowed to represent himself. But latest information is that he is seeking legal help and has also appealed to the jousnalistic and media organizations to assist him.

Zaidi To Be Evaluated By a Shrink; Trial Postponed

2008-08-30T15:57:00.004-04:00

Got a call from Nayyar Zaidi today from the Northeast Ohio Correctional Facility where he remains detained for alleged teen sex crime. It was a followup to his handwritten notes that were faxed to me yesterday by his wife Shaheen.

Zaidi said he has been told by the Federal Court judge that in order to determine if he can represent himself, he will have to undergo a competency test as well as a psychiatric test to determine his competency to stand trial.

The October 6 hearing has thus been postponed until the court determines if he is "fit to undergo trial".

Zaidi appeared before Judge Kathleen McDonald O’Mailly on Aug. 26 for a hearing following a motion he had moved requesting that he be allowed to represent himself as he said he had no confidence in the court-appointed defense lawyer, Craig Weintraub's ability to represent him satisfactorily.

He has refused to hire an attorney to plead his case, citing financial constraints.

The Federal judge told him that she would approve his request only after a competency test to determine if he was competent to represent himself. She also said his competency to stand trial would need to be determined first.

Zaidi said he is “alarmed” by the judge’s verdict because in case the psychiatric test he is administered finds him not competent to stand trial, he could be committed "for life" to a psychiatric detention facility until it is determined that he is fit to undergo trial. That could mean a lifetime, Zaidi said.

The competency test is part of the due process of U.S law for those individuals who wished to defend themselves in court.

Zaidi thinks it should not be meant for someone like himself, a highly educated man and one of Pakistan’s best known journalists and broadcasters who has been associated with the Jang Group of Publications for over 30 years.

It is possible that this latest development may suggest that the prosecution’s case against him– crossing state lines with the intention of committing a felony involving an underage female – is weak, said one observer.

Zaidi has written to his home state Virginia's Senator including some others as well as to Virginia Governor. He has also appealed for help from CPJ, ACLU, PFUJ and wishes that U.S. correspondents and U.S Senators be informed by the media about his predicament.

Nayyar Zaidi is Washington Correspondent or Washington Bureau Chief of Pakistan's Geo News TV (Geo Television Network), The News International (English newspaper) and Daily Jang (Urdu newspaper). He was arrested by the U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the state Police on Thursday, 20 March 2008 in Ohio, USA, on alleged teen sex crimes charges. Since he crossed state border, he has been charged with a Federal crime. He remains under detention in an Ohio jail since March 2008 pending court hearing. He has been refused bail, he said.

Phoenix Rising For Musharraf!

2008-08-19T15:57:00.004-04:00

Musharraf has quit as President- typically in a commando style: resilient, sans apologies - defending his actions - highlighting his achievements - focusing on rivals' shortcomings and weaknesses - hoping that Pakistan will come out shining but in the same breathe alluding to ominous signs of impending external and internal threats.

His parting diatribes seem to be a borderline case of delusional-cum-polemical chicaneries - an understandable mental manifestation of someone who have been pushed to move his butt off the high altar where he has been sitting so long. If I had a buddy like Bush on my side always, I would probably be the same - may be even worse. Interestingly both have been delusional to the extreme.

While running for the presidentship, Bush couldn't name the new leader of Pakistan, i.e. Gen. Musharraf. But after Sept. 11, things changed overnight - whether for the good or for the worse only history will tell.

Musharraf became the most crucial but ultimately the most frustrating ally of the U.S and Bush's personally. In the process, however Musharraf became a "personal friend" of George Bush - the latter often called him his 'buddy'.

Ironically, U.S. has "no permanent friends nor permanent enemies". So is it about Musharraf and USA. The region has become so murky that even the strongest Chlorox can't clean it up. Stains will remain for ever. Welcome to the club, Commando! He once said, he never blinked - because he had "cat's 9 lives".

Interestingly though, he is not yet fully depreciated politically (my personal opinion), even age wise and "nuisance value" wise. He has of course proved that he is neither a Ayub Khan nor a Yahya, nor a Bhutto! And, he has already proved he is not a Zia either!

He ended up getting the farewell guard of honor, has a President's security details, is lodged in Army Chief's house, shall remain in the country, can speak to the media, etc. and says will issue a White Paper on the dire strait of the economy.

As I watched his unapologetic monologue on the TV, my mind tried to visualize him on the day after. And I saw him out there, kicking and throwing dust all around.

Possibly a comeback kid one day? In some form or the other?

We got to wait to see if that will happen for at least a year or so, since there appears to be a two-year restriction on government officials from entering politics. Meanwhile he will maintain sophisticated connect with the media and the people using 'surprise' as a Commando's greatest weapon!

Muttahida, PML(Q), PML(F), etc...any or all may want him in one way or another. He has the potential to unite or divide the MQMs, provide alternate leadership to the Muhajirs in Karachi, has the knack to attempt to create a Punjab-Karachi constituency for himself - provided the establishment, including Uncle Sam, supports him and wants that to happen. Full of surprises Pakistan politics is.

Since the war on terror will go on....Musharraf, a known ally, offers alternate leadership. The U.S. has spent a lot on him. He is an "asset" by all definitions, some say. Meanwhile take a break Commando. Go golfing!

Nayyar Zaidi Trial Set for Oct 6, 2008

2008-08-11T13:43:00.001-04:00

Renowned Jang/GEO Correspondent and Columnist Nayyar Zaidi's trial is scheduled for October 6, in Ohio, where he remains detained without bail since March 2008.

He was twice rejected bail, according to his spouse. But it is unclear why he was refused bail, and what the grounds were. My understanding is that on such matters it may be possible to obtain bail unless it is set so high that it cannot be obtained by the affected individual.

Another reason for bail refusal could be if the alleged crime is piggy-backed by another alleged crime which gives the prosecutor more strength to ask the Judge to reject the bail application.

Mr Zaidi, on August 5th, sent me thru his wife, a 14-page handwritten explanation on his incarceration and his defense. It is being made available on DesPardes.com website at: http://www.despardes.com/zaidi-papers-aug5.pdf

Since the matter is subjudice before the court, we need to be careful not to comment on any aspect of the case, specially on its merit.

In his handwritten note, Mr Zaidi says, "I was working on a story which was part of a bigger journalistic project, on the invasive nature of the internet and the political and social changes it is bringing. I was inspired by Marshall McLuhan's 1960 book :Understanding Media". He adds, "Sexual exploitation of minors is a big issue. I named the project, "PARENTS AS PREDATORS." After my arrest one minor case in Italy and one is Austria came out in news."..."But internet is fantasy land...nothing is authentic (not news but chats)...."

"As journalists we know that first-hand accounts are the most authoritative..It was natural for me to try to establish real-time contact with some one who claimed to be in a "Parent Predator". As you all know, I am. perhaps, the only (Pakistani) journalist whose name is well known is U.S. and Pakistan. There is a market in Pakistan for stories that do not start with, "Mr Boucher said..."

Mr Zaidi also claims in his faxed notes to me that he was the first journalist to break the story of CIA providing potable labs to Afghans (during the Afghan Jihad War) to make Heroin.

"U.S. ambassador to Pakistan, Arnold Raphael, was outraged that he told the State Department to terminate my 17-years contract with the Voice of America(VOA)," he added.

One newspaper report (Daily Times) has said that Mr Zaidi and his spouse refused embassy help on grounds that Mr Zaidi was an American citizen and was "not in jail". I know for sure he is in under detention, based on his and his spouses's phone calls to me during the last few weeks. I am not sure why there is still need to hide this critical fact. Why not let people know and possibly help?

Besides, Pakistani-Americans automatically enjoy dual nationality status. So what's the harm in reaching out for all available help if one is innocent?

Nayyar Zaidi in jail on "teen sex" charges?

2008-07-28T15:20:00.006-04:00

A friend of mine forwarded me today , a copy of an email apparently mass distributed by - The REPORT PRESS - Special Reports Media - USA- Chief Editor: Journalist SYED ADEEB.

The body of the text reads as follows:

Pakistani-American Journalist Nayyar Zaidi Still Locked Up in an Ohio Jail Since 20 March 2008.

(ReportPress.com) - Mr. Syed Haider K. Zaidi (pen name: Nayyar Zaidi)- Washington Correspondent or Washington Bureau Chief of Pakistan's Geo News TV (Geo Television Network), The News International (English newspaper) and Daily Jang (Urdu newspaper) - was arrested by the U.S.Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and the Police on Thursday, 20 March 2008 in Ohio, USA, on sex crimes charges. He is still locked up in an Ohio jail since March 2008.

Read the following five American media-press news reports about Pakistani-American journalist NayyarZaidi who lives in Woodbridge, Virginia, USA:

Publisher: THE INDEPENDENT - Massillon, Ohio, USA

Man Arrested for Trying to Meet Teen
By Staff Reports

JACKSON TOWNSHIP, Ohio, USA, 20 March 2008 (indeonline.com) -Authorities arrested a Virginia man Thursday accused of traveling toJackson Township to have sex with a 13-year-old girl.

Syed Haider Kar Zaidi, 64, of 12776 Captains Cove, Woodbridge, Va.,was taken into custody at 3 p.m. in a parking lot at 4220 BeldenVillage St. N.W., according to jail records. The arrest culminated atwo month investigation by local police and the FBI's Internet CrimesAgainst Children Task Force.

Jail records show Zaidi developed an online relationship with the girland arranged to meet her for sex in the Belden Village area. The girlZaidi was communicating with actually was an undercover officer.

Zaidi faces felony charges of attempted unlawful sex with a minor,attempted child endangering, attempted illegal use of a minor innudity-oriented material or performance and importuning. Zaidi was thetask force's 98th arrest.

Links:
http://www.indeonline.com/crime/x1012430497?view=print
http://www.indeonline.com/crime/x1059917866?view=print

More links to Zaidi story are embedded in the said email. Some of them are:

http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=404372
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=405064
http://www.cantonrep.com/index.php?ID=404447

All these links contain story related to Mr Zaidi and his arrest in Ohio in March 2008.

It is therefore clear that Mr Zaidi was not detained for any "national security" or "terrorism related" charges as some may have thought, perceived or believed to be, but was actually detained and arrested by local (Ohio) police and the FBI's Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force on charges of attempted unlawful sex with a minor,attempted child endangering, attempted illegal use of a minor innudity-oriented material or performance and importuning.

I am still waiting for a synopsis from Mr Zaidi who promised me to send when he called me up last week. The documents that he had sent me through his wife did not cover the above episode nor did Mr Zaidi mention it to me at all. These documents were apparently on "non related" matters.

That is why I was careful not to jump to any conclusions. And, when Mr Khalid Hasan of Daily Times requested for details, I sent him the following email:

Based on documents in my possession, he has been apparently detained under "National Security" matter(s) and has been charged with one or more than one offense/crime. His docuents do not clarify this matter. (Bold emphasis by me.)

The Federal case number is 08-CR-0197. Mr. Zaidi is a defendant in the said case. Mr Zaidi promised to send me a synopsis. I still await. Will let you know more details if and when I get them. The matter is subjudice before a Federal Judge. (Bold emphasis by me).

Nayyar Zaidi behind bars in USA!

2008-07-26T15:56:00.008-04:00

A few days back, wife of renowned Washington-based Pakistani journalist, Mr. Nayyar Zaidi, called me up and informed me that her spouse was in detention in Ohio since March 2008 and that she would like to send me some documents for review and publication on DesPardes.com. I therefore gave her my address and my Ferderal Express account number. The next day, I received a package which contained copies of correspondents Mr Zaidi had to the Depertment of Justice, FBI, etc., along with copies of his handwritten notes, observations and latest rejoinder to the Federal court judge.

Mr Zaidi has been living in Virginia, USA, for the last twenty odd years. He is a well renowned columnist of JANG Urdu and a political analyst/commentator for GEO TV, CNN, BBC Urdu and several other world media.

Mr. Zaidi called me up today from the Northeast Correctional Center in Youngstown, Ohio. Since our conversation was basically relevant to his detention and the papers he had arranged to send me through his wife Shaheen, I did not bother that our phone talk was being "recorded and monitored". It was a no-holds-barred-conversation but he took pain not to break rules.

Our conversation was obviously intense. This was the third time in my life that I had received a phone call from a person I knew who was behind bars and who wanted to reach out to someone outside for help. And, of all the people, when a respected Pakistani journalist-cum-columnist with a vast readership in Pakistan and elsewhere happened to be on the other end of the phone, things became different. Naturally, I offered my moral support and promised to break the news to the public on his behalf.

Without discussing with him the merits of the case and his detention, I showed my concern and promised to review the papers he had sent me.

Mr Zaidi said he had gone to Ohio to pursue his journalistic "obstruction of justice" research against those individuals who are being detained there from "all over the world". Unfortunately, he ended up being detained himself in the same facility, he said. He is awaiting trial now in which he is the defendent.

Mr Zaidi has claimed that he has been "targeted" by the FBI/DOJ and the "story" goes back to 1995 when he worked for the Pakistan Television. He was approcahed to work for the U.S. government, he said.

According to Mr Zaidi, he was visited by the Feds (FBI) sometime in 2003, and was asked, he claims, to "become an informant". But he refused.

He says he has a case against FBI/DOJ for "obstruction of justice" and wants only "due process of law" to happen.

I have asked him to writeup a synopsis of the events leading to his arrest. He promised he will send.

I then called the Press Attache of the Pakistan embassy in Washington. Mr Kiani, who happens to be the press attache, told me that he found out about Mr Zaidi's detention today only from the ambasaddor Mr. Hussain Haqaani who found out from Pakistan, he claimed.

According to Kiani, Mr. Haqqani is "concerned" about Mr. Zaidi's welfare.

Both, according to Kiani, were unaware that Mr Zaidi was in detention since the last three months.

Mr Kiani said he had been calling Mr Zaidi's residence but his wife would say that he was either overseas on an assignment or would give him "some kind of answer". Interesting!

Meanwhile, Mr Zaidi remains in detention on "national security matters", he said.

Another Spanner in BB Murder Probe

2008-07-22T19:23:00.005-04:00

Shahanshah Khalid aka Khalid Shahanshah was gunned down today in front of his house in Defense Society, Karachi, by some one or some people who wanted to see him dead.

He was one of Benazir's personal body guards. In fact, he was her chief security officer. After her death, Zardari made him his own personal body guard - also chief of Bilawal House Security. The deceased was also one of Zardari's close friends.

Supposedly, he was going to be a key witness in the UN probe. Some quarters suspect he was involved or knew too much. But this cannot be independently verified.

An Asia Times online story connected him with the Dawood Company (D-company).

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/South_Asia/EJ22Df07.html

Either Shahanshah's foes, albeit competitiors, took him out in order to settle old scores or he knew something - probably too much to become a threat to some one or to an organization. Therefpre, the need to be dumped!

Some say it was a turf battle. Others, that his killing is related to underground real estate affairs.

Shahanshah's buddy Munawwar Suharwardy was also taken out in a similar fashion. Munawwar was also Benazir's personal body guard. Both were Karachiites, Muhajirs. Both had intermittent clashes with the MQM hit squads. That does not mean MQM took these PPP Karachi Jiyalas out. Investigations into Munawwar's killing remain incomplete or complete but unpublicized.

Shahanshah's targeted killing has all the ingredients of a sinister plan. The government owned Suzuki used in the incident was conveniently recovered within hours of the incident, suggesting it may have been an immature attempt by the perpetrators to send the hounds in the wrong chase.

Too much is at stake for many in Karachi, both for the present and the future players. The elementary Sherlock Holmes formula of pointing finger towards the most beneficiary with the motive for killing Shahanshah may not hold true in this case. It is complex - a new "great game" may be in the offing to destabilize Karachi - thus Pakistan, some say.

Shahanshah's name also appears in Raja Anwar's book "The Terrorist Prince"on Murtaza Bhutto. It is a good reading.

By the way, I received an email yesterday that says the following about Murtaza Bhutto's murder case:

"Last night at a wedding a very senior government officer narrated to me a strange story.

He said that he has seen a Supreme Court document, which is a decision on the application of ASP Shahid Hayat who was one of the accused in the Murtaza Bhutto case. His application to the Court filed on July 6th stated that he was an accused in the murder of Murtaza Bhutto and was suspended for two years. Therefore besides claiming benefits for the missing years (he was paid his emoluments) he requested that his service may be extended beyond the age of retirement for two years also.

The Dogar Court under the unofficial direction of Mr Zardari has given the decision in favor of ASP Shahid Hayat on July 13th that is within 7 days of his application. My source says that the decision was given (not announced) with instructions that it should not be released to the media. He says he has read the decision which was brought to him by another officer who is going to plead his case along the same lines (basically loss of income…..not salary but all those under the counter benefits).

I have no way of confirming this yet but am circulating this with the request that people stretch their antennas and look for some confirmation from other sources."

Why Zardari was in Dubai

2008-07-18T23:58:00.000-04:00

NJ, USA; July 18, 2008 - Heard Benazir's youngest daughter Asifa attempted to slit her wrist in Dubai and of disciplinary problems within the Bhutto family.

Zardari who was in Dubai is said to have tried to handle the matter. Asifa was very close to Benazir and wanted to be active in politics. It's an open secret though. Benazir had talked to Asifa on phone on that fateful day she was assissinated. Benazir had asked Nahid Khan, her Political Secretary and long time aide to take Asifa along with ehr to political meetings and rallies. Nahid used to do so.

Benazir's only surviving sister Sanam Bhutto's kids have reportedly reached out to Murtaza's kids Fatima and Zulfikar Jr. and to Shahnawaz's daughter Saussi. Benazir's kids have also said to have connected with the rest of the third generation in more of a "family bonding" basis rather than on "political basis".

Zardari's hands are full it is said.