The Lal Masjid crisis, which has proven to be quite a thorn in Musharraf’s side for the past six months, finally took an ugly turn today morning.
Even though the media channels are having yet another field day and declaring this a blot on Pakistan’s reputation (frankly I think its just another one in a whole patch of blots), the real story is still a bit hazy.
However, what has been confirmed is that students at the Lal Masjid opened fire on the Ranger’s posts set up near the mosque, primarily due to the fear of a Government operation. This resulted in retaliation from the Rangers and local Police in the form of tear-gas and firing as well.
Continue reading ‘Lal Masjid Crisis Boils Over’
Aitzaz Ahsan was a somewhat well-known PPP member and a not so well-known lawyer. As his party’s popularity, and subsequently his own, was gradually declining in the eyes of the public, he decided to try his hand at a different occupation.
This new hobby has resulted in a complete reversal of fortune for Aitzaz! He is appearing on at least one news channel everyday in either a political discussion, a government roast, a legal debate, a cross-dresser’s drawing room, and even in sappy “Good Morning-lets meet the family” talk shows. We can safely say that he is now a well-known face in Pakistan. The following article neatly and rather amusingly captures the U-turn his popularity has taken (pun intended!).
Continue reading ‘Driven!’
So my younger cousin Dani cannot play cricket anymore. Why? Because he’s been told not to. Apparently, he can’t have a ‘public meeting’ of more than 4-5 people and invariably a game of cricket requires many more, even if played on the streets.
The Sindh Government has, under Section 144 Cr.P.C. (Criminal Procedure Code), imposed a ban on carrying weapons, processions, public rallies, public meetings, at any place except weddings and funeral gatherings for 30 days, throughout the province with immediate effect. Hmm.
Continue reading ‘Why Dani can’t play cricket anymore?’
Guest post by Karachi
As the sun rose in my Karachi yesterday, so the curtain was raised on the day of much anticipated, expertly choreographed blood shed many had predicted. That it was all so properly scripted made it all the more shocking, then disgusting, and then of course dreadfully sad.
Continue reading ‘12/05/07: Karachi set up for bloodshed’
Ok so here is an update on my previous post. This is a long one, but I’ve tried to summarise several news reports at the beginning before pasting them in full. Read the next couple of paragraphs if you would like a summary of what’s been happening.
1. Summary
My source, who has contacted Dr Sultana and others at QAU, states:
- The assailant has been transferred to Adiala jail i.e. he did NOT get bail.
- Dr Sultana filed the FIR as an individual, not the QAU as an institution. This means that Dr Sultana is now even more vulnerable with regards to her personal safety, especially as numerous “relatives” of the perpetrator are coming over and begging Dr Sultana for forgiveness and a retraction of her FIR — at least one of whom has been identified/ recognized as a member of an unnamed “agency”.
Here is a summary of the newspaper reports posted below:
- Most newspapers have reported this incident truthfully, giving an honest account of the attacker’s motives. However, the Daily Times report has given it a love angle and turned it into an estranged lover’s story. There is enough to suggest that that’s untrue and that Dr Sultana was attacked because she was not wearing a hijab.
- Students of Lal Masjid have acquired wireless communication sets for fast communication with permission from the Islamabad Frequency Allocation Board (IFAB). This is a couple of weeks after the government started ‘Operation Lal Deen’ against these students. The IFAB have also allocated these students a separate frequency. 25 students have been given these wireless sets and assigned different areas to track the movement of law enforcement agencies.
- The Islamabad City Magistrate says he can do nothing about it, even if they are being used against the government, if the sets have been acquired legally with the permission of IFAB.
Continue reading ‘Update (May 11 2007): Female teacher assaulted at QAU; Lal Masjid goes wireless’
Over the past few months, I have decided to stay quiet and simply observe the ugly political scene developing in Pakistan. As it was in the mid-90’s, I have begun to lose faith that there is any chance of stability for Pakistan…at least in my lifetime.
But then sometimes you are forced to witness an event after which you simply cannot stay quiet…you have to stand up and speak out against all the wrong that you see. That is what we try to do here at Micropakistan-hoping that perhaps our debate and discussions will lead to solutions to the mess that we are currently in.
I was on my way to the Institute in the Institute’s bus to give an exam…an Institute safely (or unsafely) within the confines of Karachi University. While stationary at a traffic signal, I lifted my head to see two youths not part of the Institute clamber onto the bus and reveal a gun to the driver.
Continue reading ‘No Matter Who Wins…We Lose!’
Attached below is an email from Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy. He tells the story of how a female teacher at Quaid-e-Azam University (QAU) was assaulted a couple of days ago. Too many things have been pointing in the same direction recently. First you had the murder of Zil-e-Huma Usman, then the Jamia Hafsa episode (which hasn’t really ended), to the Lal Masjid fatwa against Tourism Minister Nilofer Bakhtiar which eventually led to her resignation as PML(Q) Women Wing’s President, and finally the government accepting all Lal Masjid demands (including enforcing Sharia in the country).
Continue reading ‘Female teacher assaulted at Quaid-e-Azam University’
Some interesting facts and figures from a DAWN news report:
As the seminaries continue their attempt to impose and spread their perversion of Islam, the nation faces yet another obstacle. For those who are unaware of Jamia Hafsa and its dangerous antics, the following video clips have been put up:
A glimpse from within the madrassa:
Continue reading ‘Jamia Hafsa, Aunty Shamim and recent protests in the capital’
In regards to my rejoinder, I wonder what the chances of it being a self-fulfilling prophecy are? I feel the timing of this news is impeccable:
Seminaries plan ‘Islamic revolution’
By Inamullah Khattak (DAWN)
ISLAMABAD, April 2: Two religious seminaries, Jamia Faridia and Jamia Hafsa, are adamant to enforce “Shariat” in Islamabad and across the country and said they will announce their movement in the Lal Masjid on Friday.
They warned the government of serious consequences if it tried to create hurdles in implementing the “Islamic law”.
“We will start our Islamic revolution in Islamabad on Friday by launching a crackdown on CDs, DVDs and other secular activities in the G-6 sector. The exercise will be extended to the NWFP and other areas at later stages. We have full support of madressahs in various cities,” Jamia Faridia and Jamia Hafsa in-charge Maulana Abdul Aziz told Dawn on Monday.
“Ten thousand students of the two seminaries are ready to sacrifice their lives for Shariat and we are determined to enforce the Islamic law in Islamabad in order to make it example for people,” said Maulana Aziz, elder brother of Ghazi Abdul Rashid. Continue reading ‘10,000 plan to start an Islamic revolution in Islamabad’
