Guest-Post by Jay
A poem by Faiz Ahmed Faiz, one of the most famous poets of the last century. During the dictatorship of General Zia-ul-Haq, he was arrested and taken to the police station in front of the public. In this context, he wrote ‘Aaj Bazaar Mein’.
This one is for Karachi.
Continue reading ‘Guest Post; Aaj Bazaar Mein’
The current political situation is quite interesting and probably the most dynamic it has been in years.
On the one hand you have the PPP and its leader Ms Bhutto who is desperate to do a deal with General Musharraf (who is even more desperate to do a deal with almost anyone), so that all cases against her are dropped and she is allowed to become the PM for a third-term.
On the other hand you have Nawaz Sharif who is adamant not to do any deal with Gen Musharraf, however, he does not seem to have the kind of votes in Parliament anyway that would make him worthy of a deal. Currently, he holds the moral high ground, but I feel it is not out of choice, but by default.
Then there is the Q-League, which is full of eccentric and interesting characters. You have one of the wittiest and most engaging of speakers in Sheikh Rasheed. A complete opposite is Chaudhry Shujaat who is indecipherable.
Continue reading ‘Musharraf-BB talks stall’
I don’t believe much in horoscopes. This is not the place to discuss them otherwise I would have gone about my criticism of horoscopes. However, at the very least one can read a horoscope as a source of entertainment. Two astrologers differ on what 
awaits General Musharraf in the next two years. To be honest the kind of prediction they’ve made almost all political commentators have been doing so for the last year.
Anyway, its funny to read about Saturn, Jupiter and the moon and how they determine what’s going to happen to Gen Musharraf in the next few months .
The demands laid out in the news report below give you a fair indication of the ruling class’s mentality. Ms Bhutto is very clever to emphasize on the uniform issue and the President’s election from new assemblies. There are however, certain demands which are highlighted in bold that are not being given much importance by the media which is focusing solely on Gen. Musharraf. We must not forget that here is a ‘leader’ who wants:
‘indemnity to governments which ruled between 1988 and 2000…removal of the law which bars people held guilty in absentia from contesting elections, lifting of the ban on prime ministers to contest for the third time…’
All I can sense here is a selfish desire to rule without the rule of law of applying to her. It seems like the Constitution is in no way an impediment to her. If she can contest the elections for a third time then why can’t Gen. Musharraf run for elections in uniform from the present assemblies? After all, both situations require a couple of constitutional amendments?
I don’t know why but it seems like the media is playing its part in playing down all this.
The SC has ruled in Sharif brothers’ favour and that means that we will be seeing them come back soon. The Government has already hinted that they may have to face corruption cases which have been reopened. However, this stands out as another historic judicial victory against a military ruler.
The bench could easily have enforced the undertaking which had been signed by the Sharifs without any public censure, with its popularity being at an all-time high right now. Instead the judges took the view that it is the brothers’ Fundamental Right under the Constitution to return to their country. Additionally, when a government lawyer stated that such rights could be denied as the state was in a state of emergency since 1998 the Attorney-General had to apologise and backtrack. One of the biggest failings of this government has been the quality of legal advice and representation that they have sought. Once again the legal aids let the government down and present an undertaking which, according to me, was not good enough to keep the Sharif’s out. An undertaking which contravenes a person’s Fundamental Rights is generally ultra vires.
Things are getting more interesting now and the forthcoming elections would be something to watch out for.
Most of you would already be aware of this incident. However, I would like to bring your attention to my post on when fire broke out in PNSC building the last time.
Ironically, the KPT has approval to build the Rs. 20 billion KPT Tower Complex, which will be 1,947 ft. high (a patriotic gesture). If it was completed today it would be the tallest building in the world. However, on the other hand, neither KPT nor anyone else has the ability to fight an eleven storey fire. One would hope they use fire-resistant materials in the building and have proper fire-safety procedures in place, but even then the city would need better fire-fighting facilities for the future. The KPT (which generously spends on fountains and underpasses) should consider spending some of that money on fire-fighting facilities. These tall buildings could become very dangerous otherwise.
Luckily, this time around as well the incident took place on a Sunday (conspiracy theorists are already citing this as more than a mere coincidence) which is why not many people were inside the building at the time. However, these tall buildings without safety procedures and equipment are already very dangerous. I hope the relevant authorities stop pointing fingers at each other and do something about it before something terrible happens.
By Shaukat Qadir (Daily Times)
While there are still dark clouds on the horizon that show no signs of dispersing, there are rays of light shining through. I have not yet lost hope; but then, friends talk of me as an inveterate optimist
This being the running topic, let me also jump on the bandwagon. So what’s the score?
The population has tripled which means the number of people living below the poverty level has increased. Religious tolerance has decreased by leaps and bounds while social inequalities have grown to enormous proportions. While the wealthy have increased in number, the gap between the rich and the poor has increased. The vast majority of our population still has no access to potable water, health care or schooling, and at least one province has become so alienated that it commemorated the 60th birthday as a ‘black day’. But there’s more.
Continue reading ‘Sixty years on…’
Attorney-General Justice Qayyum is handling the government’s case against the return of the Sharif brothers. The real irony is that AG Malik Qayyum was the man who was the lead counsel for Mian Shahbaz Sharif in his 2004 case where the Supreme Court had passed a verdict allowing him to return. Today, AG Qayyum argues:
that he had seen the agreement under which the Sharif brothers preferred exile. “The agreement contains signatures of the two brothers and is valid for 10 years. It would be produced before the Supreme Court most probably on the next day of hearing,” he added. (DAWN Newspaper)
However, Nawaz Sharif denies any deal and says:
that the agreement under which he went into exile had been signed with the Saudi government, and not with Gen Musharraf. A private TV channel quoted Mr Sharif as saying that he had not entered into any agreement with Gen Musharraf, and challenged the government that if it had any such agreement it should make it public. (DAWN Newspaper)
Nevertheless, since the government has not made this evidence of a deal between Musharraf and the Sharif’s public the CJ asks:
“Paragraphs 15 and 28 clearly indicate that both Nawaz Sharif and Shahbaz Sharif are citizens of Pakistan and can come back any time. We have failed to understand why are petitioners not availing the benefit out of the judgment when all the executive authorities are bound to obey it.”
Too bad for Nawaz Sharif as a court has ruled that cases of corruption against him be reopened as reported by a BBC News story.
Continue reading ‘Cases of corruption to be reopened against Nawaz Sharif’
“Few individuals significantly alter the course of history. Fewer still modify the map of the world. Hardly anyone can be credited with creating a nation-state. Mohammad Ali Jinnah did all three.” Stanley Wolpert
Usually, on Independence Day, speeches are made and principles venerated. Then, the day ends and it’s another year of business as usual. This does not happen simply in Pakistan on 14th August, but in India on the 15th as well, and many other countries too. But we should not use the ubiquitous nature of lip service to exonerate ourselves from this blatant hypocrisy, where we honour Jinnah but throw his principles away.
How shall I compare thee to the Promised Land?
A dream unfulfilled, a desire unquenched,
Yours is a concept gone badly out of hand,
Soiled by murderous enmities deep entrenched.
Are you the successor to the Caliphate,
Bringing salvation to your constituents-
Or are you just another secular state?
Too often have our hopes been viciously bent.
Who is the king of your sublime destiny,
What do you profess is your vital essence?
Are we to anticipate some harmony,
Or just more ineffectual effervescence?
You are an enigmatic wish scarce defined,
Thy foreboding future yet to be divined.
