BRADISTAN CALLING

THE ARTICLES AND LINKS

2009-06-28T05:55:00.009+06:00

Tribute to a more tolerant Pakistan and PIA.(circa. 1960s)

RE-DIRECTION TO PAK TEA HOUSE WEBSITE

Kashmir Broadcasting Corporation article

Links to related Websites in Bradford Yorkshire

http://twitter.com/bradistancallin

RE DIRECTION TO BRADISTAN CALLING-ARCHIVESalso see Social & Cultural Activities in bradistan

War on Terror in Tribal Areas:Radio Shariah and MTV Pakistan

2008-11-03T19:44:00.002+05:00

War on Terror(part3):
Radio Shariah and MTV Pakistan

In 1990s FM radios proclaiming shariah laws in vast areas of north western province andTribal border regions of Afghanistan became the law of the land. Moving the clock forward another decade , year 2001 same Taliban and their Saudi Arabian financer/mastermind sheikh Usama Bin Laden(UBL) –who had since turned against his mentors- opposed American foreign interference in Saudi Arabia after first gulf war ( the suffering of Palestine and threat of globalisation in religious and political conflicts of muslim countries)

Taliban and Bin laden converted Afghanistan Radio shariah and Jehadi CDs and DVD into global Islamist propaganda tool targeting the naïve 2nd generation Asians of racism hit Netherlands, Germany ,Denmark and UK. UBL got a larger willing and almost captive audience in disenfranchised Arab youth of poverty stricken back streets in Saudi Arabia, Yemen Libya, Syria and Jordan all tribal despotic Muslim statesThese conflicts and resulting political instability gave rise to political terrorism and al-Qaeda became a global terrorist outfit of loosely connected and controlled splinter cells.

one of these cells committed the biggest terrorist attacks on American soil in form of 9/11 aeroplanes exploding into world trade center New York and Pentagon. USA like a wounded tiger and hungry predator unleashed its full ferocity on Afghanistan, one of the poorest countries in the world.Pakistan still struggling with millions of refugees from first afghan war became a staging ground for second jehad against the jehadists themselves, also known as War on Terror.

This time the new military dictator parvez musharraf with American bestseller biography “In the Line of Fire”, unlike extremist Zia ul Haq, is a secularist Neo liberal whose early life was spent in Turkey and who professes his admiration for “militant Secularism” governance by constitutional Army of Turkish Republic.The fight against jehadis became point of convergence for American neo conservatives and Pakistan military junta headed by musharraf –after the betrayal of Taliban regime by Pakistani military intelligence dumping the notion of pan Islamic “strategic depth” partnership with ex jehadis- dollar started flowing for Pakistani military bureaucracy.

In addition to doctrine of “pre-emptive strike” another social engineering term “enlightened moderation” was coined to change the fabric of Pakistan society once again. Halliburton and Texan oil dollars lined the deep pockets of Pakistani generals and turn coat neo-liberal intellectuals.Pakistani expatriate returning to the safety of Pakistan due to witch-hunts against muslim community in America after 9/11,brought much needed foreign exchange for middle class consumerism boom.
Investment in real estate , western style supermarket and shopping malls increased thousands of percent, stocks and shares of a sleepy Karachi stock exchange market sky rocketed, private media channels with liberal song and dance sequences opened their doors , Young urban professionals dancing their hearts out at five star devils dens (according to the pious orthodox clan) near the former red light district of Lahore and karachi.

Pakistani elite and army generals got generous grants from USA for their (Un)Holy Services, dedicated Voice of America TV shows in urdu language propaganda for Pakistani masses , freedom(sugar coated as Your World) radio broadcasts for muslim lower middle and working class masses in Iraq ,Afghanistan, Iran and Pakistan.

Winning the “Hearts and Minds” of Pakistani university professors and students with generous study trips to USA for American Culture and History. Fulbright scholarships to students who are not half as bright academically.Technology savvy guys from Silicon Valley California opened outsourcing and software technology companies. Pakistan call centres calling the touchstones of American mortgage and cellular phone markets.

IMF, World Bank and American Corporations Investing in Pakistan financial sector to provide consumer retail credit and loans, credit cards and car finances exploded in market capitalisation. Indian professionals mixing freely with Pakistani counterparts in cross border tourism(not terrorism) which upto now was a Taboo.American Accent, McDonald’s and KFC , American Visa lottery Green Card and High skilled Software Engineer Jobs in silicon valley are the new status symbols.
The metropolis cities in Pakistan Karachi Lahore and Islamabad are fast becoming clones of American philosophy of “white Gold Burger”, sex before marriage and gay relationships in soap operas of TV entertainment are becoming acceptable in upper echelons of society. Economic and residential apartheid with gated communities of bahria and marina towns, American school system coupled with newest franchise of MTV Pakistan.

As one intellectual put it, probably very accurately, “Islamabad is a city thirteen miles away from Pakistan”.The gulf between the lower, middle, working classes and the upper class has increased enormously. Globalisation, anarchy, terrorism, extremism and enforced capitalism have hit Pakistan very hard. The social fabric of the traditional joint family structure which acted as social security safety net for poor is crumbing.

The divide between rich and poor is giving rise to conditions similar to latin American neo liberal economic policies of recession and currency inflations. Pakistan is fast transforming into an African failed state currently ranked 3rd most dangerous country .street crime and religious persecution by red mosque gang. Rape and killing of women and religious minorities are daily news and common place, which don’t raise any eyebrows any more.Mobile phone snatching ,ransom and hostage taking, target killing mafias and gangs are the hallmark of Pakistani youth culture Happy Birthday Mullah Diesel and MTV Pakistan with love from Radio Shariah

Part1:Holy United Kingdoms of Heaven Vs. Godless Evil Empire

We pick the story of Pakistan in 1979 under a brutal military dictatorship, like previous military dictatorship in 1958 and 1969 this one also had the full backing and patronage of American Republican and British Tory administration.

But the similarity ends there, in 1958 the liberal dictator Ayub Khan was a American yes man who went onto to write his biography aptly titled “Friends, not masters” its entirely upto historians to change the place of comma in the title to convey the right meaning.In 1969 the perpetually DRUNK Army Dictator Yahya Khan gained the notoriety as the “Butcher of Bengal” with Pakistani Army killing and raping the population of East Pakistan as a punishment for demanding independence for Bangladesh.

In 1979 it was the brutal execution of an elected prime minister and draconian islamisation of country by army dictator Zia ul Haq( after 6 years under populist Islamic socialist prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto), All under the watchful eye of United states of America, maggie Thatcher and American imperial viceroy the ambassador in Pakistan who decides the fate of commoners and government functionaries in fight against communism.

Latter day Terrorists Gulbadin Hikmatyar and Usama Bin Laden were the guests of Honour in Washington and London State Dinners hosted by Reagen and Thatcher, treated like rock star celebrities by American and British Embassies in Pakistan.

Zia Ul Haq the islamist dictator started islamisation of democratic institution of the country. Lynching , cutting of hands, rape law penalising only women victims Became part of Islamic shariat law introduced by dictatorial brand of Saudi Arabian waahabi jurisprudence injected into Pakistan’s body politic. Restriction on freedom of speech, cinema and TV became the norm, all political activity was banned while religious clerics were encouraged in all spheres of life.

Interpreting civil & criminal law ,lifestyle and choice of religion and marriage according to their own puritanical mindset.Parts of Pakistan became narcotics factories to supply chain the drug trade from golden crescent pakistan to europe supervised by military intelligence in order to finance crusader jihadis against communist Soviet Evil Empire.

Part2: God Bless America and Proud to be Pakistani

Russian Invasion of Afghanistan enabled military to recruit willing partners(the religious party cadre) for religious war against Godless soviet empire, all with the help from Reagan Administration. Arab youth armed with wahabi ideology and latest American arsenal flocked to Pakistan ,under the banner of office for jehad and service for martyrs’ families osama bin laden started recruiting second generation asian and arab immigrants from the streets of Dearborn Michigan ,new jersey, new York and Birmingham Luton and east end of London under full knowledge and logistical support of CIA and MI6.

Social and cultural conservatism and authoritarian lifestyle suited both the religious clerics as well as American and British conservatives, but it changed the social fabric of Pakistani society beyond recognition.A decade later war in Afghanistan ended soviets disintegrated and Islamist dictator zia ul haq exploded in a suspected bomb in his presidential plane Arnold Raphel was the 18th U.S. ambassador in Pakistan. He died in air crash near Bhawalpur with then Pakistani President Zia ul-Haq and Brigadier General Herbert M. Wassom, chief of the U.S. military group in Pakistan. on August 17, 1988 , leaving behind their inheritance in form of religious extremists and arab jehadist freedom fighters acclimatised to the tribal lifestyle of north west border regions of Afghanistan.These mujahideen -the freedom fighters for Amerian republican Ronald Reagan and Tory Margaret Thatcher-transformed into Taliban to fill in the power vacuum and give stability to a lawless failed state. But they started banning TV, burning schools, assassinating women doctors.some ex mujahideen became war lords trading narcotics opium and heroin, raping women and children getting covert support from Russia, India, Iran and even Pakistan.
(Go to Part3)

Letter from pakistan :Ramchand Pakistani (The Movie)

2008-10-24T17:21:00.005+06:00

I intend to write about the movie "ramchand Pakistani” and coming dates of Indian UK and American cinema release for "ramchand pakistani"there were many movies on border crossing between india and pakistan from bollywood (Border, Line of control and refugee sadly all depicting jingoistic Indian ultra Hindu fundamentalism of war years and propaganda) but ramchand is the first film discussing human relationships , pakistani identity with religion and cross border ties , CAN A HINDU BE A PAKISTANI? AND WHY WOULD INDIAN POLICE TORTURE A 8 YEAR OLD HINDU BOY? JUST BECAUSE HE IS A PAKISTANI!

Letter from Pakistan :

I get the sense that the young man who rightly wanted to express his views continues to do so from Bradford. I visited the Bradford University about 4 years ago in October in connection with an international conference on peace and conflict resolution. It was very cold in Bradford but a very pleasant experience.

Thank you also for your interest in the film "Ramchand Pakistani" which was principally filmed in Tharparkar and was adapted from actual events.
Thank you also for referring to the work of Baanhn Beli in the Tharparkar arid region. We are in our 23rd year of voluntary work and will soon be publishing our most recent report on some of our work in the past 2 decades. Baanhn beli works for uplift of all citizens of thar(where majority are untouchable Hindu castes) regardless of religion
When our film began its film Festival journey from the New York Tribeca Film Festival in April-My 2008, BBC World interviewed director Mehreen Jabbar, screened some scenes and described it as "a heart-felt film". Since then it has made good progress.

I presume you have visited the website at http://www.ramchandpakistani.com/.

You will be interested to know that The Times/BFI 52nd London International Film Festival has scheduled 2 screenings of our film i.e. on 18th October and 20th October at the National Film Theatre, London and the film has also been nominated for the Sunderland Trophy in the Festival.

http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/ramchand_pakistani

http://www.bfi.org.uk/lff/ramchand_pakistani_0

In advance of its possible theatrical release in the U.K., options for which are being explored.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/film/gallery/2008/oct/13/film-family-tree-ramchand-pakistani?picture=338542562

FILM:In the name of God

http://www.inthenameofgod.com/

Shoaib Mansoor’s film debut ‘in the name of God’ comes at a time when Pakistan is plagued by religious insecurities. The movie endeavors to portray the problems plaguing the Muslim world post 9/11.

If directed by any other individual, such a sensitive, introspective story could easily have metamorphosed into a mere show of finger-pointing. However, Shoaib Mansoor is intelligent enough to portray the gray, confused areas of an individual’s interpretation of religion, experienced enough to fairly depict both the religious and not-so-religious factions of Pakistan and perceptive enough to get his message across: that while religion in itself is good, it is often misused as a means to personal gain. Violence, persecution of women and lawlessness are all conveniently excused to have been done ‘in the name of God’.

The movie outlines the story of two brothers, Mansoor and Sarmad, played by Shan and Fawad Khan, ex-EP singer and model-actor, respectively. The movie starts off with the two brothers crooning to guitars while preparing for a concert. Their rehearsal is interrupted by a group of bearded men on motorcycles who destroy the concert stage with sticks. This scene sets the tone of the entire movie: meaningless violence, all in the name of religion.

Sarmad meets up with a Maulana Cleric, expertly played by Rasheed Naz, who begins to preach the rites of Islam to him. Steadily, Sarmad begins to change - much to his family’s consternation. He leaves music, grows a beard, takes off pictures from the walls of his house and tries to persuade his mother to wear Hijab.

Enters Mary, or Maryam, played by Iman Ali, the boys’ cousin who has grown up in London and now wants to marry her white boyfriend. Her father, though himself involved in a live-in relationship with a British woman, is appalled that his future grandchildren may not be Muslim. Meanwhile, Mansoor leaves to study music in Chicago where he falls in love with an American girl. While he is there, the catastrophe of September 11 takes place.

"In Gods Name" is fast-paced and riveting, focusing on a rural Afghan village in one scene, and the polished, urbanized life of Chicago in the other shot; and the boys’ concerned parents in their Lahore home in the third. The acting and dialogue delivery is much better than in any recent Pakistani movie. Iman Ali looks beautiful and heart-rending as the British girl victimized by her father’s double standards.Rasheed Naz gives a stellar performance as the preaching, jihadi maulvi. Naseeruddin Shah’s role in the film is small yet powerful, with unforgettable dialogue.

It is no doubt that ‘in the name of God’ addresses a controversial topic and will be subjected to harsh criticism. The conversation between Sarmad and his family when he quits music may antagonize a large faction of Pakistani society. The movie addresses issues that every Pakistani is aware of: infliction of force upon a woman to establish man’s supremacy over her because ‘women can never equal men’; the marriage between a Muslim and a non-Muslim and the problems associated with it and of course, the suspicions and torture inflicted upon Muslims after 9/11.

In the name of God is a cerebral film that attempts to make Muslims aware of how Islam is misconstrued in order to validate a number of ugly, inhuman crimes. It also tries to explain the dilemma plaguing the Muslim world to the West and that every Muslim is not a gun-wielding maniac.

Red Mosque on the Bradford Moor

2007-05-26T13:25:00.001+05:00

The Red Mosque on the Moor:
This Red mosque, actually a converted old Victorian church, built (originally) in Yorkshire stone is just like the inconspicuous buildings lining the Leeds road Bradford moor, an area famous for posh Asian restaurants competing with wimslow road Manchester for the title of curry capital of the north.
But I am talking about this “red mosque on Bradford moor” which looks like any other mosque in Bradford is no ordinary mosque, certainly not like the RED MOSQUE IN ISLAMABAD. The high security door, wired and reinforced windows are unlike the other mosques in Bradford. Not so long ago, actually just before 9/11 when usama bin laden had not attained his current cult celebrity status, some hot headed young Muslim (born again Tableeghi-read evangelical ) lads used to pump up the music while passing this “Red mosque” their car stereos deafening the street with anthems “ Islam’s hero number one, my leader usa-ma bin laden” just to annoy the gate keeper and the administration of the mosque, but other than that isolated incident this red mosque perfectly integrated into Bradford muslim community, no one can tell the difference between those who visit this “red mosque” or other mainstream mosques in Bradford.

The muslim community does not discriminate against those who worship at this Red mosque. Their common cultural, linguistic reference remains Pakistani Punjabi /mirpuri. their relations ,marriage ceremonies and eid celebrations remain focal point of the community.

Before one might be tempted to think that I am talking about “shia” sect, which is constantly in news in iraq and Pakistan, suffering the attacks perpetrated by “terrorist” clan of wahabi (loyalist Paramilitary of Saudi Royals) and Al qaeda operatives, I am not. its another story how supposedly sworn enemies namely bin laden construction crew and al saud clan with its kick backs of defence deals that stretch from Thatcher to blairite era, can cooperate in iraq and Pakistan to pursue the evil agenda of purifying the muslim world of “infidel” shias and Iranian influence.

Well in bradistan shia are not considered a minority they are part of the mainstream. Contrary to what BNP and NF websites propagate; bradistan is a culturally vibrant, ethnically diverse, and socially more integrated than some other cities of the UK.

Getting back to original discussion about “Red mosque”, which belongs to a religious minority within ethnic minority? Ahmadiyya religious sect, who like the African American “nation of Islam” believe in their own messiah prophet, are being persecuted in their native Pakistan for their non-mainstream religious beliefs. Ahmediya community have found a safe haven in UK and bradistan, the fellow Pakistanis have welcomed them with open hearts despite religious differences. The community now runs a 24 hour satellite channel broadcasting their religious programmes world wide which even the Pakistani government cannot block off airwaves, local community leader Mr Bari Malik a former magistrate is a prominent Pakistani representative in local government and charities in Yorkshire.
While back home in Pakistan they fear prosecution in courts because of performing muslim prayer rituals or identifying themselves with muslim names. Punishments under the anti –ahmadiyya ordinance promulgated by military dictator general zia ul haq in 1984 range from 3 years(for Islamic ritual) to death penalty for blasphemy.

Although Ahmediya community themselves practice a ultra orthodox set of beliefs and believe in 19th century Punjabi- British civil servant turned messiah- folklore prophet, but at same time gave Pakistani nation some of the most renowned international celebrities, like the only nobel laureate that Pakistan produced Dr Abdul Salam who revolutionised the world of physics by discovering the “weak force theory”.

http://dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2007\06\27\story_27-6-2007_pg7_12
Dr Salam and many war heroes who sacrificed their lives for Pakistani defense forces and pakistan’s first foreign minister sir zafarullah khan and their legacies were officially Disowned by the state after enacting that draconian law of religious bigotry. surprise surprise the current “enlightened “ modernist Dictator Pervaiz musharraf could not find time even in past seven years to strike the draconian law off the statute books.

Its Ironical that the head of pro Taliban mma alliance in parliament and opposition leader in pakistan Mualana Fazal ur Rehman undergoing angioplasty after a heart attack insisted on being treated by one of the world’s best heart surgeons Dr Mubashar Ahmed – a Pakistani expatriate , a Ahmadi by religion. Fazal Ul rehman and his late father mufti mehmood were instrumental in forcing the state to declare Ahmadiyya as non muslim, sometimes its takes medical science to tear the layers of discrimination and bigotry , I hope Mualana at least sends a thank you note to his doctor after recovery.
Sometimes at summer melas lads weaving Pakistani flags and wearing their Burberry designer hooded tops chant “proud to be Bradistani”

MAY DAY: CLASH OF GLOBALISATIONS

2007-04-23T10:00:00.000+05:00

TODAY IS MAY DAY, INTERNATIONAL LABOUR DAY, ALL OVER THE WORLD THERE WILL BE PROTESTS AGAINST TYRANNY,FASCISM, CAPITALISM & IMPERIALISM

MAY DAY 2007: CLASH OF GLOBALISATIONS
Please stop giving sermons about peace, equality, prosperity and global village when for all intent and purpose these policies are aimed at killing, loot and plunder and If this is a futuristic version of colonialist greed (read white man burden) in modern India , sugar coated theories of “World is Flat”, we do not want it . Thanks but no Thanks.

Nowadays there is a lot of promotion of so called new ideas by a number of thinkers championing market economy, Trade liberalization and globalization,the internet age out sourcing, china sweat shop theories.

All these so called THINKERS (notably among them one former New York times reporter) are sympathetic to neo conservatism - although not as blatantly as Dick Cheney Klan- taking their inspiration and futuristic vision from a world where America will be the perpetual boss, and the evil Kingdoms of thy Lords (Fundamentalist Bush KKK and usa-ma bin laden) shall remain for ever.

The Gurus of Politics and industry quote these new czars of futurology, namely Mr Thomas L Friedman(NYT reporter) and Mr Alvin Toffler( the futurologist),
in their articles and speeches and policies as if these are the new testament gospel for the 21st century.

I can agree with jest of these predictions about the future of internet,global village and media, which no one can deny.
My argument is about the flaw in their theories, whether work from home or prosumer theory (Toffler) or World is Flat (Friedman), my issue is with the arrogance ( criminal negligence) in their assumptions about the world. They do not want understand (for that matter interpret) the dynamics of geo politics, strategic nature of information technology and its relation to the poverty in the third world.
World is flat is essentially a view from fortress America. The "haves” Americans and the way they look at “have nots” of third world. Unfortunately this mentality reflects in “highly intellectual” columns that Mr "well informed" Friedman(being the self claimed middle east analyst) writes about Middle East and Muslim world and his favourite subject “ the terrorists”, as according to him they(terrorist- read muslims) are hell bent on destroying his world and his life style.
These pseudo Intellectuals portray America and Israel as forces of construction and Arabs and Hezbollah as forces of destructive anti americanism. this is the same “US Vs. rest of the World” attitude that neo con philosophy is all about. Professor Samuel Huntington’s “Clash of Civilisation” is one such evil ideology being the bible for right wing white supremacists and their Governments.

Information Technology is transforming the lives, no doubt, but its effects and benefits are yet to reach farmers, peasants, urban poor, tribal and aborigines of our third world countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Australian pacific. The biggest problem is that Technology savvy multinational corporations want to keep this digital divide or technological apartheid between first and Third world, all their efforts and energies are spent-in form of copyrighting bio technology, patent DNA for crops and intellectual property for even the simple student & educational software for third world- on making it harder for the poor to bridge this divide.

Even in India, the blue eyed boy of technology outsourcing industry, the Sparkling clean High tech development centers of Microsoft and IBM with six figure sum salaries exist only in Bangalore, Hyderabad or Mumbai. These visions of future are million miles away from the common man/woman ,the workers and peasants,of India. information technology has changed little in his/her life.
No common man can even dream of getting education or employment for his kids in these Oasis of American consumerism bubble . BPO in india doesnot create a flatter world it only increases the gulf between rich and poor.Merely a modern version of 18th century workhouses or sweat shops.

I have observed the out sourcing industry at very close quarters, unfortunately American corporate greed can be seen at its worst ,with poor Human and employment rights for Indian IT executives (read data entry clerks), which Mr Friedman describes as "equal opportunities" for all, hardly ,let me say.

If this is a vision of colonialist greed for loot and plunder, sugar coated theories - white man burden in modern India- "world is flat" we do not want it, Thanks but no Thanks.
Frank fukayama still advocates -despite "end of history" egg on the face- enforced globalization through Military industrial complexes and multinational corporations in developing counties. I think the fizz has already gone out of the talk about his "change of heart" after the ebarrassing Iraq war fiasco and his flop theories of liberal democracies , with self correcting mechanism much like no-frost refrigerators, They may be a hit in home appliances but not in politics or geo strategics I am sorry.

Toffler or Friedman and many more like Senator Hillary Clinton are blissfully unaware of the miseries and hardships created in this world by American policies of stubbornness in Kyoto, WTO, Third World Agricultural exports and non tariff barriers against Fairer Trade. Giving subsidies to American farmers for producing low grade and high priced surplus agriculture products which kills any chance of survival for poor farmers in third world countries.

World Bank and IMF with Neo con Paul wolfowitz's blessing squeeze the last drop of blood from third world economies -the poorest of the poor suffer heavy indirect taxes on utilities and food items (two of the most basic things for survival)- in order to extract interest on loan and conditionalities are imposed by IMF the shylock in the name of development.

Mr Presidents & Premiers of G-8,Please stop giving sermons about peace, security,terrorism, equality, prosperity and global village when all for intent and purpose the policies are aimed at killing, loot and plunder.

THE RELUCTANT FUN DA MENTAL-IST

2007-04-18T17:41:00.000+05:00

WASHINGTON:
KHALID HASAN
http://dailytimes.com.pk

Pakistani novelist Mohsin Hamid’s new novel, his second, has hit the No 1 spot on the Barnes & Noble bestseller list. This, according to the New York Times, happened “virtually the moment it was published in this country.”
In an interview with the newspaper, Hamid, who comes from Lahore but lives in London, said that he may now be able to quit his job as a consultant with a branding firm in London. Asked if it is fair to describe the novel as a Muslim’s critique of American values, he replied, “That’s oversimplifying. The novel is a love song to America as much as it is a critique.”

Told by the interviewer that he did not find it “so loving” as it takes place on a single evening at a cafe in Lahore, as a charming, well-educated Pakistani in his 20s recounts his life story to an unnamed American stranger, who seems suspicious of him, Hamid replied, “The American is acting as if the Pakistani man is a Muslim fundamentalist because of how he looks - he has a beard.” The author in real life has a beard.
Told that the Pakistani narrator of the story also brings certain fears and preconceptions to their conversation and in an act of reverse ethnic profiling, he suspects the American to be an undercover agent who might arrest him, the author replied, “Yes. But he could be just as freaked out as the rest of us are in this world when we see an American with that kind of build and imagine he is a CIA agent. The novel is not supposed to have a correct answer. It’s a mirror. It really is just a conversation, and different people will read it in different ways.”

Asked by the interviewer if he, an American, could also be a CIA agent as their conversation, as in the novel, was taking place between an American listener and a Pakistani man with a beard, Hamid answered, “If you had short hair and a bulge in your jacket, I might assume you were.” When told that it was “unsettling” to learn that Hamid’s protagonist felt a rush of genuine pleasure when the World Trade towers were attacked, the author replied, “Some part of him has a desire to see America harmed. In much of the world, there is resentment toward America, and the notion that the superpower could be humiliated or humbled or damaged in this way is something that gives satisfaction.”
Asked if that was how he felt when the twin towers were attacked, Hamid replied, “No. I was devastated. A wall had suddenly come up between my American and Muslim worlds. The novel is my attempt to reconnect those divided worlds.”
When reminded that much like the narrator in ‘The Reluctant Fundamentalist,’ Mohsin Hamid grew up in and was educated at Princeton, he replied, “I was one of two or three Pakistanis in the class of ’93, and I didn’t feel homesick for a second. I took two writing workshops with , and I wrote the first draft of my first novel in a long-fiction workshop with , both of whom encouraged me.” He said in answer to another question that from Princeton, he had gone to the Harvard Law School but decided that he did not want to be a lawyer because “it bored the pants off of me”.

Reminded that the only one who speaks in the novel is the Pakistani, while the American is silenced, Hamid answered, “For me, in the world of media, particularly the American media, it’s almost always the other way around.”

When told that no one is silencing him as he goes on a book tour across America and his book has already sold 100,00 copies, the author replied, “But there are not many of us from the Muslim world who are getting heard over here. And the ones who are mostly seem to be speaking in grainy videos from caves.”

Guest Post : Remembering 10th April 1988, Mass Murder in Pakistan

2007-04-07T15:37:00.000+05:00

Mass murder in Rawalpind and Islamabad
Remembering Ojhri
by Tariq Mehmood
19 years ago, on the 10th April 1988 Ojhrii dump in Rawalpindi was blown up. This was a deliberate act of destruction. Hundreds upon hundreds of missiles rained down on Rawalpindi and Islamabad. Over 5000 people were killed. Many, many thousands more were injured.

I was working as a journalist for the Frontier Post and along with a colleague, Imran Munir, went into the camp, early the day after the explosion. Every now and again, a rocket or missile would take off, and land somewhere, causing yet more deaths and destruction.

All manner of rockets and shells were going off. People were sitting around shell shocked. The houses close to Ojhri were reduced to mere shells. I went into one house. A man in his late 20s was sitting amidst shattered glass and broken wood. He was rubbing his hands in the glass. Blood fr om his shredded hands was spreading across the floor. He had a little child’s shoe. He turned to us. I looked into his bloodshot eyes. He said, ‘this is where my son was martyred.’ Imran was about to take a photograph of him, but he lowered the camera. We could not snap him in this position. We stood there for a while, we wanted to lift him up but the man wanted to stay with the memory of his child. Out side his door I saw a dog. It stood in front of us. It was a healthy black and white mongrel. It must once have been a loved pet. I can still see the dogs eyes, filled with unspeakable terror, asking me why? Why? Why? I did not know what to say to the creature. I did not know what had happened. Had I known, I would have sat down and told the dog, that this is the way those that rule, hide one crime by committing another.

Some people I talked to said they saw a missile cut through a buffalo’s stomach. I have found some of my notes from that time. Many people said that the police just ran off, even from major traffic junctions and students took over the posts, directing traffic.

Era of Darkness

This was another dark period of military rule in Pakistan. A time when the military rulers danced to American tunes. This was not the era of ‘Enlightened Moderation’, but that of militant jihadism acceptable to the Americans. This was the era of General Zia’s Raj. This was a time when Pakistan was once again a ‘Front Line state’ and the West, particularly America and its allies were supporting the Mujahidin groups, and when of course Osama Bin Laden America’s most favourite freedom fighter was leading the Western inspired Jihad against the Soviets. Hundreds of millions of dollars were given to the Pakistani military to manage the Jihad in Afghanistan, and hundreds of millions of dollars was also spent on providing weapons and logistical support for the Mujahid groups through Pakistan. Who then were of course freedom fighters.

The weapons were sent mainly by American, but also, by other alleys of the US, including Britain. These where shipped to Karachi and from there taken North. They were stored in dumps all over country. One of the biggest central dumps was Ojhri. This dump was directly controlled by the ISI. It was an open secret that the ISI was not even answerable to the GHQ in Rawalpindi, but directly to General Zia himself.

Some people at the time said they thought the day of judgement had arrived.

I have found three eye witness accounts from that time. I only have their names and do not remember much more of them.

‘I was going towards Faizabad when I heard the explosion. There was a huge fire. Many people were running towards it, while the police were running away from it. Missiles started flying in every direction. I saw about 12 young men sheltering under a tree. Then they were all dead. The road going towards the CDA (Capital Development Authority) colony was littered with hands and feet of little children. Such great injustice. The world seemed to have died. Whilst the police ran off, students started directing traffic.’ Bagh Hussain.

‘It was raining missiles and bombs. Everyone was running for their lives. The area was full of explosions and screaming. What the bombs did not destroy the police took.’ Mohammad Ishaque.

‘Four thousand have died. It was like Qiamat. Even when all hell was let loose, when bombs were spread around liked chopped pieces of wood, these people (pointing to policemen) were robbing – such injustice.’

What the people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad did not know was that the reason their world was because someone was trying to cover up a simple fact. American stinger missiles which had been given for fighting in Afghanistan, had found their way into the hands of the Iranians. They were stored in Ojhri dump, and it was pretty obvious that those looking after the dump had sold them on to the Iranians, pocketing the money. A team of American navel investigators was in mid-flight, on its way to Ojhri to investigate. They had entered Pakistani airspace, when the dump was blown up.
Two days after the explosions at Ojhri, General Zia compared what happened to the disasters at Russia’s Chrenobyl and India’s Bhopal. He refused to admit that Ojhri was a transit dump where weapons were destined for Afghanistan. The deed was blamed on foreign agents. But General Zia and those close to him knew full well that this was a lie. This was an inside job.

The foreign Hand theory could not hold ground, as many Pakistani papers at the time questioned. Stinger missiles do not just go off, they had to be primed. Army ammunition dumps, are built in such a manner an explosion should not affect the other. But here were truckloads of the stuff over ground, and much more underground, all going off. By the time the Americans arrived, 5000 people were dead. What was incredible to believe at the time was that even General Zia would not let people know what sort of weapons were stored underground.

We went into the grounds of Ojhri and a senior Pakistan officer, whose rank and name I forget now, saw us. He was holding a small Quran in his hand. He was shaking with anger at what had happened. He explained that in the underground networks, there were so many unexploded munitions, and they had no idea how to defuse them. They were learning by trial and error. Each error cost the life of an army Jawan. Over 1000 died in this process alone.

In the shadow of the horror there was much confusion. Some people thought at the time that India had attacked. Some thought, including some in the military, that this was a cloak under which the US was going to knock out the nuclear plant at Kahota. For those who lost loved ones, 10th April 1988 will for ever be a burning horror. With the death of 17th February 2007 of two workers in Rawalpindi from unexploded munitions from Ojhri dump, the living are reminded about the callousness of the rulers who stored so much weapons in side a major city like Rawalpindi, and then those who colluded to blow it up.

One of the fallouts of Ojhri was that the military dictatorship of General Zia had lost all credibility in the eyes of peoples of Pakistan, in particular the residents of Rawalpindi and Islamabad. General Zia’s regime had become a liability; it could not long be trusted by its foreign masters.

The people of Rawalpindi and Islamabad deserve a full account of who did what in Ojhri. All internal reports should now be published. The citizens of Rawalpindi and especially those who lost their loved ones in the Ojhri disaster deserve a permanent memorial to this crime against humanity. Let us hope the present General’s “Moderate Enlightenment” to acknowledge Ojhri as a crime against humanity and publish a full and frank account of the how and why it happened and promise a memorial to honour the dead.
I used to live with Feica in Peshawar, and he made a cartoon of General Zia’s wife, sitting on a donkey, laden with diamonds, on the way to London. General Saab was very upset and his office let us know of his displeasure. But perhaps General Zia should have listened to the whispers of his masters and the screaming of the streets, and left. In true Pakistani style, General Zia Saab was deaf to the demands of the people to go and did not see how much his masters were also irked by him. As we know, he came and went with a bang.

From rural Punjab to outback Australia —Guest Post by Razi Azmi

2007-04-01T12:57:00.000+05:00

Nearly all the cameleers were from the western parts of British India (present-day Pakistan), most being Punjabis, the rest Pathan (Afghans), Baloch and others. However, the appellation Afghan was stuck to them and has stayed ever since
One of the great train journeys of the world is the famous ‘Ghan’, which runs from Adelaide in the south of the Australian continent to Darwin in the north. It is a journey of 2979 kilometers across some of the most inhospitable terrains in the world.
The word Ghan is derived from Afghan, and is a tribute to the camel drivers who helped with the transportation of goods and the development of the overland telegraph line between Adelaide and Darwin in the 19th century.

The first cameleers arrived in the 1860s and remained a part of the Australian rural landscape for over 60 years, until the railway track to Alice Springs was laid in 1929 (it was extended to Darwin in 2004). Their numbers are estimated to have been three thousand. Most were unmarried; others had left their wives and families behind. Some married aboriginal women. They lived in settlements called ‘ghantowns’, complete with halal butcher, imam and mosque.

Nearly all the cameleers were from the western parts of British India (present-day Pakistan), most being Punjabis, the rest Pathan (Afghans), Baloch and others. However, the appellation Afghan was stuck to them and has stayed ever since, although it is a misnomer insofar as it attributes the cameleers’ origin to Afghanistan.
The fate of one white woman of extraordinary grit, Winifred Steger, became intertwined with that of the cameleers, first as the wife of Ali Ackba Nuby (Ali Akbar Nabi) and then of Karum Bux (Karam Bakhsh), both Punjabi Muslims from near Lahore.
Winifred was a prolific writer. Her best-known is a fascinating book titled Life with Ali (first published in 1969 as Always Bells). Here the author mixed fact and fiction and embellished her account. Fascinated by Winifred’s life and writings, Hilarie Lindsay wrote The Washerwoman’s Dream; The Extraordinary Life of Winfired Stegar 1882-1981 (Simon & Schuster, 2002). After meticulous research, including interviews with Winifred and some of her children, Lindsay was able to sift fact from fiction. Here’s the life of Winifred as it emerges from the two books.
Born in 1882, Winifred Stegar (nee Oaten) had migrated with her father to Australia when she was not quite ten, leaving behind her mother. Virtually abandoned by her father, who suffered from depression, Winifred fell in love with a German immigrant, Charles Steger, married him, and had four children over nine years. But he was rough, rude, drunken and violent. When Winifred left him, she was forced to leave her children behind.
For seven years Winifred worked in a hotel-cum-bar run by a kind English lady. After the latter returned to England, she found work in a hotel in Mungallala in Queensland. On 10 March 1915, she noted in her diary: “There’s a hawker who calls here...an Indian. His name is Ali. He comes into the kitchen and I make him a cup of tea. He’s one of three brothers...His older brother came here in 1884 and stayed for 18 years and then he went back to India and Ali came to take his place. He’s been here for thirteen years. He drives a horse and cart and hawks things around”.
The next day she wrote: “Ali came in again today. He has the most beautiful brown eyes and white teeth. He calls me mem-sahib and treats me with respect.... He speaks English but with an accent...in a tilting tone. He talked about his home in India and his little mother and his brothers and sisters. I had tears in my eyes listening to him. He doesn’t go into the bar with the other men. I watch him sometimes from my bedroom window. He is a Moslem. He prays, kneeling and prostrating himself on the ground. He always comes to the tap in the yard to wash himself first. Sometimes he wears a turban and baggy pants and a waistcoat. He looks different from the drovers... Some of them don’t like him and call him ‘that bloody Afghan’”.
Six months went by. One day Ali walked into the kitchen. “Come,” he said, holding out his hand. “Come with me and be my wife”. He took her to a room he called home, where they had a wedding with only Allah as witness. “First we must bathe and then ask Allah to bless our union.” He stood beside her and with his arms raised above his head called, “Allahu Akbar”. Ali then thanked Allah “for giving me this woman”.
Lindsay notes that “for the first time in her life [Winifred] felt herself truly loved. ...Suddenly, she was afraid. She knew that if she ever lost him it would be more than she could bear. ‘Allah,’ she whispered. ‘Keep my Ali safe’”.
Soon they had a son, Yousef Deen, followed by another, Rhamat (Rahmat), and a daughter, Pansy. Ali decided to go where the real money lay, in the camel caravans. He settled in Oodnadatta in South Australia, the terminus for the railway and the starting point of the camel trains, which set off when the fortnightly train arrived from Adelaide. For a start, Ali became a cameleer’s “companion driver”. “Some days later,” Winifred recounts, “the camel train moved out, and I went too. Ali was in charge of twenty loaded camels with a native or two [aborigines] to help.”
“We never traveled on a Friday, the camel men had five sessions of prayer that day.... The rule prescribed prayer five times a day for other days as well, but when on trek it was reduced to three — at sunrise, sunset, and noon. Ali never stinted when asked for any charitable purpose, he spoke ill of no one, tolerant to all other religions and strong in his own.”
“It was a rough life, walking in the sun, heat, and blinding dust, but I did not let it worry me”, Winifred recalls. “We were young, happy and in love, each morning was a new, happy day. I was overjoyed to be with him; I had eaten my fill of lonely years before I met him, so I thrived on this rough, romantic life”.

One day a letter arrived from India. Ali’s parents wanted him home to settle a land dispute. He had lucrative contracts to fulfill but, he told Winifred, “it is my duty as a son. I must go to my mother”. Ali left, promising to return soon, “before our camels return.” With a heavy heart, Winifred bid him goodbye.

Weeks turned into months and there was no news of Ali. Worried, Winifred caught a train to Adelaide, a thousand kilometers away, hoping to get some news at the mosque there. Ali, the imam told her, had died with many others when cholera struck his village. Her happy life had been cut short.

Later she asked the imam about inheritance. “You are not one of us,” he replied. “You do not know the Islamic code. You have no claim on your husband’s estate because there is no record of your marriage.” “How will we live?” Winifred asked. “I will find you another husband’” the imam assured her.

With Ali no more, Winifred mustered the courage to return to Oodnadatta to carry on the trade as before, only to find that all their camels had been stolen by the other cameleers. Ali’s wife and children had been left in the lurch by his erstwhile friends.
The writer may be contacted at
raziazmi@hotmail.com

Article first appeared on Daily Times, 08/03/2007

http://dailytimes.com.pk

WAR OF HORRORS: 4th Year of DEATH and DESTRUCTION

2007-03-22T10:43:00.001+05:00

Obituary: Tony Blair , 1953-2003

Journey To Hell : Tony Vlad Blair , The Duke of Dracula
Date of Birth 6th May 1953
Date of Death: 20th March 2003
After Life Drinking blood of Iraqi Women and children, shias and sunnis are his favourite delicacies.
Date of Cremation : 27 June 2007
All are requested to attend or watch the ceremony from Commons ,Houses of Parliament crematorium.
The Poltergeist will be dispatched to eternal hell fire by the recitation of gospel and holy scripture by Rt Rev Dil Nawaz The Archbishop of Girlington & Manningham Church of Pakistan (Anglican communion)
May God Give Peace to Iraq and UK after the DEPARTED EVIL

WAR OF HORRORS:

Iraq Invasion: 20th March 2003
4 years Ago in the early hours of 20/03/2003 , all hell broke loose on Iraq

The Dance of Counts of Dracula( G WBush and DICK cheney) Continue to This day.

Official Deaths

65,000 (independent researchers and University academicians Quote 650,000 at Least).

US Invading Army Deaths

3,220

Iraqi Refugees and Displaced

3.7 million

Iraqis Who see a future in Iraq

18%

Number of WMDS Founds
0 (ZERO)

was it Saddam,democracy,weapons of Mass Destruction or Lust for Halliburton Oil Contracts.
Iraq as we knew it is no more. Mesopotimia and babylon the craddle of civilisations is torn apart, the country is a dead corpse limping.
Hundreds of Lives wasted everyday needlessly, dozens of rapes taking place at hands of american and sectarian mercenaries. billions of dollars looted and plundered by american contractors

It all began on that fateful day four years ago,when US president George Bush gave the order to invade Iraq,overthrow Saddam regime and install A BLOODY AMERICAN DEMOCRACY(hypocracy)

BUSH, BLIAR, CHENEY,RUMSFIELD,POWELL, ANACONDA RICE

MAY YOU ALL BURN IN HELL. ETERNALLY FOR YOUR CRIMES AGAINST HUMANITY.

Obituary: Great Englishman dies an Honarary Pakistani

2007-03-19T09:05:00.000+05:00

R.I.P Bob, for millions of pakistani cricket fans he was what john Peel was to the music lovers.
Born in india just after partition, his heart was always with people of sub continent, he gave his heart and soul to pakistani cricket,one of the most respected coaches in pakistani history, He did some really great work for raising funds and visiting people affected by october 2005 Earthquake in Pakistan,playing cricket with children in tent village of muzzaffarabad visiting Injured children in hospital. Joking and laughing with cancer patient children at imran khan cancer hospital
http://www.shaukatkhanum.org.pk/
we love you BOB, probably you did not want to leave pakistan, you died our HERO.

following article taken from
http://pakistaniat.com

Robert (Bob) Andrew Woolmer, most recently the Head Coach for the Pakistan cricket team died of a massive heart attack in Jamaica earlier today. He was born on May 14, 1948, in Kanpur India, played 19 tests and 6 one day internationals for England and was amongst the first in a generation of ’super coaches’ in international cricket.

Statement by the LEGITIMATE CHIEF JUSTICE OF PAKISTAN

2007-03-14T11:13:00.000+05:00

Musharraf facing a Lawyers' revolt against military bureaucracy
Picture :

sitting from left to Right

Mr Abdul Latif Afridi President High Court Bar Association, Lord Chief Justice Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry, Mr Ahtizaz Ahsan Barrister & Ex Law Minister of Pakistan peoples Party.

gentleman nearest to the frame in not identifiable

Text of chief justice’s statement to SJC
Daily Times, March 14, 2007

ISLAMABAD: Following is the full text of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhamamd Chuadhry’s reply to the charges against him brought before the Supreme Judicial Council.

“Reference before the Supreme Judicial Council (constituted against the provisions of Article 209 of the Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan) (Application for obtaining copies of documents/evidence and raising objection on the constitutionality of the SJC)

The above noted reference came up for hearing on March 9, 2007 after 6pm in indecent haste, as is evident from news published in daily Nawa-i-Waqt dated March 10, 2007, where it has been published that the chief justices of Lahore and Karachi were brought to Islamabad in a special flight.

The SJC, on having gone through the record, passed an order detrimental against my interest and against the interests of the institution whereby I have been restrained to work as a Supreme Court judge and chief justice of Pakistan. Such powers are not available at all to a fact finding inquiry commission/council as such powers are available to courts and my understanding of the Constitution under Article 209 is that no such powers are available to the council as it is not in exercise the power of the court.Be that as it may, by passing the restraining order, the council, as well as the earlier order notified in notification no 529/(2)/2007 issued by the president of Pakistan, which is equally contrary to the Constitution, I have suffered as under:

[I have been] detained for all intents and purposes with my family members including my infant child of seven years from the evening of March 9, 2007, up till now. My official residence is besieged by heavy contingents comprising police and members of other agencies, for which there is no justification.
The vehicles which were in my use have been taken away by means of a lifter, out of which one has been brought back by a lifter without its keys.

The Supreme Court staff attached with me is reportedly missing and has been kept at an unknown place. I believe that they have been detained just to fabricate evidence against me. I have also learned reliably that my chamber was sealed and reportedly files lying there have been removed and some of them have been handed over to the ISI under the supervision of the newly appointed registrar. Such an act is contrary to all norms and practices. I, being the CJP, am entitled to occupy my chamber along with my staff.
On account of deployment of heavy contingents I am not allowed to go outside, nor are my family members allowed to do so. Similarly, no one is allowed to meet me freely, in as much as my colleagues have no access to me and whenever they want to visit me they have to wait at the gate for a considerable period during which permission is sought from high ups. Example of Justice Raja Fayyaz Ahmed can be quoted as on one occasion he had to go back without meeting me. Similar treatment was offered to Justice (r) Munir A Sheikh.

My children are not allowed to go to school, college and university. I am not getting facility of telephones, cable and DSL. Similarly, I along with my family members have been deprived of basic amenities of life, i.e., medicines and doctors, etc.No panel of lawyers is available to discuss the legal and factual issues involved in this reference. This fact I have already highlighted in the notice received on March 10, 2007.

By noting the above agencies which are being suffered by me I do not want to seek any relief from the council except that an unconstitutional order dated March 9, 2007, passed by the council, has persuaded me to show distrust on the formation of the council because of the manner in which I have been dealt with. I do not expect a fair inquiry, particularly for the following reasons with reference to the chairman and two other members.

Justice Javed Iqbal:

He has been appointed as acting chief justice contrary to Article 180 of the Constitution of the Islamic republic of Pakistan, which provides that the acting chief justice can be appointed when the office of the chief justice of Pakistan is vacant or the chief justice of Pakistan is absent or is unable to perform the functions of his office due to any other cause. The cause could be that the chief justice is incapable of properly performing the duties of his office by a reason of physical or mental incapacity, which is not the case over here. Therefore, he should not have taken the oath of the office of the acting chief justice, not withstanding that whosoever has issued his notification.

As per the mandate of Article 209 of the Constitution, if a reference is to be heard against the chief justice of Pakistan, the judge of the Supreme Court who is next in seniority would head the council but without being appointed as acting chief justice.

Justice Rana Bhagwandas is admittedly the senior most judge, therefore, on account of his temporary absence from the country up to March 22, 2007, there was no urgency to convene the meeting of the SJC at night/after office hours and by ensuring presence of two chief justices by making arrangements for a ‘special plane’. Such actions on his part speak volumes as it has been reported in international ‘The News’, an extract of which is appended here as annex-B.

Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar: He administered oath to Justice Javed Iqbal on March 9, 2007, for the office of acting chief justice, disqualifying himself from being a judge of the Supreme Court knowing well that the office of the chief justice is not vacant as he is not incapable of performing his duties physically or mentally.A reference/complaint is pending against him before the SJC in respect of financial misappropriation in the Shah Latif Bhatai University Khairpur along with the vice chancellor of the university. The reference is lying in the SJC record which was in the custody of Doctor Faqir Hussain.

Justice Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry: More than one reference of misconduct, etc, are pending against him before the SJC. The chairman is fully aware about it as files are lying in his custody for the purpose of scrutiny, therefore he cannot sit as a member of the council. His inclusion is based on malafides because the chairman, knowing about these facts, may have not notified him as member of council.He has developed strong hostilities against me which is known to everyone on account of my not accepting his recommendations of advocates and judicial officers for elevation as judges of the Lahore High Court.His elevation to judge of the Supreme Court was opposed by me in August 2005 for a very important reason, which cannot be disclosed here. However, this letter is available in the record, which may be looked into, and if it has been misplaced/tampered, as reportedly all files from my chambers have been removed, the copy of the same may be requisitioned from the concerned office.

I may point out that we are not even on talking terms with each other. He himself disconnected all relations including the working one.He is otherwise interested in the positive result of the inquiry sent by the president on the advice of the prime minister because one his brothers is a minister in the cabinet of the prime minister and he has been expressing his views in favour of the reference and against me on TV channels (reportedly).Therefore, I have serious objections to his being a member of the council for the above reasons and I do not have expectations of a fair inquiry from him. Thus his name should be excluded from the panel in the interest of justice and fair play.

In view of the above objections I am of the opinion that the SJC is incapable of holding an inquiry against me.Without prejudice to the above, I reserve my right to raise any other objection at the time of submitting my reply to the charge sheet because so far no documents have been supplied to me, nor have I any facility to consult my panel of lawyers because no one has been allowed to accompany me. Therefore, I may be supplied a précis of oral evidence and documentary evidence.I will be submitting a list of documents in support of my defence which shall be summoned by the SJC as I have no access.

Public inquiry
The contents of the notice indicates an in-camera inquiry but I am of the opinion that the charges against me are not sustainable, being unfounded. Therefore, to vindicate my honour, I would prefer a public inquiry, so the whole world may know the nature of the allegations, and I am confident that I will be exonerated of the charges if a fair inquiry is allowed. As for as rule 13 on conducting inquiries is concerned, it pertains to an inquiry of which a direct complaint has been received by the SJC and powers are to be exercised by the council under Article 209 (5), but in my opinion, for the reference received from the president of Pakistan, the SJC can follow any other procedure including a public inquiry.

The necessity of a public inquiry is also called for because the reference is based in letter and spirit on an open letter written by Naeem Bokhari which has already been publicised widely. Therefore, there should not be any objection/observation in holding a public inquiry. As a question of my and the institution’s prestige is involved, therefore I volunteer for an open inquiry so the public of this country may have more respect and confidence in the institution of the higher judiciary.

Thus for the above reasons the council may be reconstituted accordingly, excluding the members in respect of whom objections have been raised here, and to negate the impression nationwide and to save the country’s image internationally that this is a one-sided, biased, dummy and command performance.

The copies of requisite document be supplied to me along with the SJC.A panel of the lawyers ready to defend me and the judicial system of this nation is present outside the court building since they are not being allowed to enter in the court premises, against all norms and ethics, as well as the principle of access to justice and justice for all. Therefore, lawyers should be allowed inside to argue these. At the end I say that the order dated March 9, 2007, restraining me from functioning as a judge of the Supreme Court and the chief justice of Pakistan be recalled, being contrary to the provisions of the constitution.

courtesy & supplied from original source by
http://www.watandost.blogspot.com/

2007-02-28T11:50:00.000+05:00

Celebrity Journalists Vs Angry Young Londonistanis:

Sometimes truth and compromise cannot be accommodated within a single sentence no matter how hard one tries. In US there is a syndrome known as celebrity journalism, Journalistic showbiz personalities always looking for media spot for right or wrong reasons, this problem is slowly but surely creeping into UK.
In celebrity journalist clan top priority are the pay cheques and bank balances, but this makes the truth and the professional integrity a lesser priority. People like “world is flat”( china India slave sweat shop theory) bandwagon, knowledge gurus (Mr. Copra selling spirituality in a disposable bottle), champions of selling successful business model of WTO free market neo liberalism to people of Africa and India , but capitalism leads to consumerism into an end product which is hegemonic imperialism.
These wizards selling their magic potions fly their executive jets, globe trotting del boys ,on lecture tours charging millions, are what Robert fisk correctly describes as “ parasites of American power structure” dependent on FCO and American state department for next inspired leak or half balked neo con theories on globalization , salivating for multinational corporations gifts and bribes.
Ground realities are not what Thomas Freidman wants us to believe about outsourcing heavens like India and china. Project American century and American enterprise institute are doomed much like the GW Bush Iraq policy.

My take on Gautum Malkani’s best Seller “Londonistani”

The following men are not like the American Cow boys above; I get my inspirations and hope from these rebels from londonistan. But what separates(sorts) these men from the Del boys (addicted to Malcolm glazier phenomenon) belonging to Sun “does not shine” and Fox and Fly TV and Messer’s “Tory-graph”?
The Hall of Fame of Cutting edge Rebellion against Imperialism.

Tariq Ali
Intellectual, writer and activist is a stateless statesman from his “street fighting years” needless to write anything about Tariq as he is not only a philosopher and but household name for the poor of Africa Asia and Latin America

Robert Fisk

when asked what motivates him to write and expose the lies and deceit of born again religious elite disguised as republican GOP and new labour he said the search for truth, no matter who utters it.
Unlike the news briefs of official policies sanitized through the filters of discriminatory standards based on race, religion and corporate evangelism “Jesus Loves Big Mac and Halliburton”.
.

Abdul Bari Atwan:
He is outspoken critic of Bush Administration and its policy boss American Israeli public Affairs Committee; Angry yet sophisticated British Palestinian editor who experienced Zionist atrocities first hand in refugee camps as a teenager.
His sense of truth and freedom of speech comes from injustices done to his people and denial of the right of independent state and self determination for Palestinian by British, USA and its parasitic satellite state of Israel, yet he is not bitter or paranoid his British identity because UK gave him what he calls home, freedom of speech, safety and security.
It is the Israeli government who is running scared because he is exposing their blatant lies, they refuse to appear on the same TV show because they cannot win the argument and debate.

Hanif Kureishi:

Not a journalist , but a playwright and intellectual , now he calls himself a “grumpy old man” he is never far from controversy ,always paddling fresh and futuristic ideas in his writings and has strong feel of the pulse of the times we live in.
He is completely at ease with his Pakistani heritage and his British identity. Racism, social taboos and multi layered internal and external conflicts are power of his pen, as they say pen is mightier than sword
his works like“my beautiful launderette” and “my son is a fanatic” are the social indicator of British culture and society we live in.
Famous Quote “we should never think that a thing like racism ever ends, it simply moves to another place or another group of people”
Very true Hanif, republican KKK foreign policy just shifts from one set of circumstances to another, it finds new victims from Uzbekistan and Pakistan, Iraq to Iran. We need to kill this monster, not just lock it up in cupboards.

Aki Nawaz Qureshi “angry young man”
another inspiration for my writing is this innovative musician and activist fighting racism, Islam phobia and injustice head on through his “Rhythm and beats” although his documentaries and DIY cook book music genre are termed irreverence bordering treason against queen and country and glorifying terrorism among the Pakistani and Muslim youth of Britain, But its merely exposing the truth about the sentiments of equality, discrimination ,integration and assimilation. For Muslim youth the British society sometimes seems highly stratified and categorized pigeon holes and an invisible glass ceiling. The establishment expects some strait jacketed role models in the next generation of “perpetual” mill workers and taxi drivers. Next stop from pudsey round about call centre is Suicide bomber beeston.
It is not possible, NO SIR NO MADAM, Absolutely not.

Me, myself and the Conversations with rebels
a struggling Pakistani journalist wannabe writer who motivates me to write ? Answer all these LONDONISTANIS , These guys write the truth ,no matter what the cost, my pride is my father trade unionist factory worker dreaming and fighting for the dawn and day of social justice, equality and opportunities for all on our planet ,not just EU and fortress America.

Sometimes truth and compromise cannot be accommodated within a single sentence no matter how hard one tries.In US there is a syndrome known as celebrity journalism, these showbiz personalities always looking for media spot for right or wrong reasons, the problem is creeping into UK.

Words of Robert Fisk

I can hold my head high with pride when Robert fisk Talks about Pakistani journalism being one of the best in the world and I Quote Robert fisk “its an odd thing to say, but I find the Pakistani press very interesting. I was in Pakistan before I went to Afghanistan in 2001; I remember thinking I was actually learning a lot more from reading Pakistani newspapers than from The New York Times, Indian papers too, only India has this long history of democracy, whereas Pakistan has a long history of military dictatorship. What I am surprised at is that it’s not that Pakistani papers are so good, but that western newspapers are so bad. Why is it that in Australia and new Zealand there is hardly a paper worth reading? Or in America.
I think the problem is …..the mentality: why bother to upset people by writing this? Journalism becomes a job like working in a bank or supermarket.
I find that more and more young journalists…are more and more frustrated that they are made to wear the straitjacket all the time. Paper editors would say –don’t you think you should change these words?”

Pakistan under siege

2007-02-10T19:51:00.000+05:00

Update 15th April 2007 Karachi Pakistan

Pakistan under siege
also see this book of similar title-
not by same author.

http://www.dukandar.com/paksiege.html

Dil Nawaz

Past week has rattled nerves and heightened fears for personal safety and security of family, despite being located in most militarized part of Pakistani Army GHQ city of Rawalpindi. A stone throw away from Departure lounge of Islamabad international airport where a suicide bomber tried to throw hand grenades on passengers.
Proximity to army installations is more of a curse than a sense of safety.
Six members of Pakistan Peoples Party (only credible mass representative party with any genuine democratic and anti establishment credentials left despite two stints in power ) were killed by the Pakistan Muslim League hit men of neo Liberal "made in Citi bank USA" imported prime minister shuakat aziz , in the electoral constituency from where he was elected to become the premier on the wishes of "enlightened" dictator pervaiz musharaf. The Town of Attock is 40 miles from Rawalpindi. Its not a coincidence that murdered activist of secular Peoples Party all belonged to minority Shia sect. As a citizen with some sense of conscience and morality I could not bear the Agenda being pursued by "war of Terror" dictator Buddy of GW bush, I felt it would be criminal to remain a silent spectator in struggle against the neo liberal agendas in Pakistan and the push is coming to shove
Musharraf’s appeasement and compromises with the clerics in North west frontier and balochistan after the betrayal of Taliban in USA’s war on Terror has come back to haunt him , he cannot bury his head in sand and think "all is ok". Post 9/11 election victories in border provinces for Islamist parties provided them with finance and safe havens to spread death and destruction to the other parts of Pakistan.
The NGOs which I covered in my report on earth quake relief activities bear the brunt of attacks by militants encouraged by MMA government in NWFP last week there was shooting at save the children office in remote battagram district severely hit by quake and just yesterday bomb blast at office of Red Cross in provincial capital Peshawar.
In a related development girls from a madrassah (financed by islamist alliance)in capital Islamabad have occupied a children library protesting against demolition of a illegally constructed mosque, there were announcement from the loud speakers of the mosque warning government of suicide attacks (the airport attack happened couple days after that) if it tries to forcefully vacate the children’s library.
These girls holding Holy Qurans in one hand and heavy batons in the other are holding thousands of residents of nearby Lal Quarters ( a residential colony of mostly Christian cleaners and sanitary workers of government departments) virtually hostage.
The social workers, activists and journalists in Pakistan are trapped between the devil and deep sea because both the right wing islamist Taliban sympathizers and government Intelligence Agencies resort to encounter shooting and abductions and these abducted political workers and journalists are often brought back in body bags.
What’s happening in Pakistan is a low intensity conflict, NWFP and balochistan are in grip of full scale insurgency and it is quickly spreading to northern Punjab cities like rawalpindi, Islamabad. Religious killings of minorities like Ahmadis, Christians and even shia muslims donot raise any eye brows and reported like normal statistics in newspapers.

week ending 25th February saw killing of Women social Welfare minister Ms Zilla Huma Usman Killed by a Fanatic opposing the rights of women in islam, closure of Co-educational schools in NWFP after threats of suicide bombs and acid attacks on teachers " PREACHING" "WESTERN CIVILISATION" in these centres of sin- according to local clerics- these centres of sins are owned by none other than Mr Khurshid Kasuri -the Foregion Minister of Pakistan.
my youngest Sibling is a student at one of these unfortunate educational institutions, preparing for his GCSEs next Year.

The Brutalisation of Pakistani North West and Northern Punjab is Complete, this cancerous violence is spreading fast to Metropolitan cities like Lahore,pindi, Islamabad and Gujranwala where Woman minister was killed is only few miles away from Muredke the Head Quarters of Lashkar -Taiba (Jammat Dawah) - a terrorist cum preaching cum charity entity- promoting Taliban and Saudi doctrine of Wahabiism in Pakistan.

I am not very optimistic about the future survival of state of Pakistan as a religious ideological entity like Zionist Israel ,may be a new direction like Jinnah 's 11 August 1947 speech promising equality for all citizen irrespective of faith is the solution, but who will do the honours of implementing this new vision of pakistan.

American neo cons have already planned a balkanization of middle east and Pakistan detailed in Armed Forces defense journal The feeling among the middle class academia and intelligentsia is that of sitting ducks thanks to Front line state of War on terror, most wealthy and computer wiz kids are queuing up in front of Visa sections of Canada and Australia but 99% of the population does not have the luxury of emigration, their circumstances and patriotism keeps them grounded, genuine democracy participation and economic development is their only hope but musharaf and his buddy GW Bush do not intend to vacate presidential palaces anytime soon, ayman al zuwahairi and Usa-ma bin laden are comfortably sitting in safe houses with broadcast and communication facilities

President Propaganda,and Mr Murdoch

2007-02-03T10:17:00.000+05:00

http://aljazeera.net/english
Al Jazeera english is on air and I am totally addicted to it, ever since it switch on its digital signal I have switched off my daily staple of BBC, Sky news of which was getting boring Stupid celebrity news repetition of Britney spears dietary habits or Paris Hilton’s Bedroom gossips, Anna Nicole smiths promiscuous gossip, attractive only to lowest common denominator, but all this is not news, mere bulls and bears in celebrity stock trade chatter to increase or decrease pay cheques or bank Balances, I want to know about joys and sorrows of the real world, which I live and breathe in.

Al Jazeera English put it bluntly “setting the news Agenda” , The sister entity aljazeera Arabic is famous for breaking news and exclusives news stories, and an irreverent viewpoint on War on terror , issues in muslim world, a voice for silent majorities suffering the dictatorships in middle east American administration calls al jazeera “mouth piece of the terrorist” with videos of usama bin laden and beheading of American soldiers in Iraq ,American jets bombed Al Jazeera Bureau office in Baghdad and killed Journalist tareq Ayuob probably to silence the voice of “free journalism” and “freedom of Expression” , regardless of its reputation another perspective which is closest to the Al Jazeera Philosophy is looking at global news from a non- white ( Asian, African Latin American ) eyes.
Ever since the advent of Commerical satellite broadcasts , global audience has been continuously fed news and analysis from CNN and Mr Rupert Murdoch News corporations Fox (American continent),Sky(UK & Europe),Star (Asia) which control the leverage in public opinion and formation and assistance government propagandas and pro xenophobia Nazi (Europe ) and Zionist (Middle east ) agendas,
Al Jazeera’s Entry ( Gate crashing) in English language Global channels elite club has set alarm bells ringing in Washington media tycoon circle, which quickly responded by denying access to any cable or Satellite TV frequency over north America.
video streaming internet broadcasts are available at the moment
http://aljazeera.net/english

It will take some time to detoxify the airwaves of the poison of economic apartheid and racial and religious hatred across Europe, America and Mr Murdoch’s own (not native as he is not aborigines) Australia, yet the multi billionaire and his heir son remain hopelessly in spell of a theocratic racist ideologoly known as zionism,their Patriotic loyalty to tiny religious(last bastion of apartheid) state of Israel rather than Australia or any other democratic country.
soon to be aired programme BBC , confirms my suspicions about the cosy relationship betweem Mr Bliar and Mr Murdoch
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/factual/pip/tor8v/

any way Al Jazeera is Far from" Jihad TV" that zionist mokingly call it, its multi ethnic multi religious team of anchors
(including Jewish )who are fimilar faces and household names in Europe and america ,probably disillusioned from the big news corporations suffocating environment and glass ceiling & favouritism , are trying to fit into daily schedules of global TV audience with a mix of intellectual debate, news analysis as well as western style travel documentaries, fashion and lifestyle shows, film reviews with a different take on things, an alternative view point.

There is a market for factual news reports, not senitised through subtle policy guidelines from government. these are other wise known as “self censorship” practiced by prudent journalists, but not people like myself. Al Jazeera inspires me to write and provides facts to cover a story better and with “every angle”

Al Jazeera gives a different perspective on news and people in power. Its sister concern in Arabic has a track record of credibility and English channel has gained unprecedented access and trust. In otherwise closed societies like North Korea and Iran and trouble spots like Darfur , Zimbabwe and southern Thailand locals trust al jazeera to tell their stories to the rest of the world.
It reports from vibrant and successful anti imperialist latin American quarters like cuba and Venezuela shunned by likes of CNN and Sky ,

While Fox ,BBC , DW refuse to cover dangerous areas, al jazeera bridges the communication gap talking to people in Taliban controlled areas in Afghanistan and Insurgency hit neighborhoods in Iraq and live coverage of Israeli attacks on unarmed Palestinians, showing events that normally do not get attention of average European news reporter.

All western governments and especially profit monitoring committee of Mr Murdoch news corporation are watching these broadcasts with horror and disappointment is growing in the neo con and evangelical media damage limitation Task forces
Hopefully this first drops of rain in the barren land of media will open the flood gates of free flow of information to the global public opinion

Tariq Ali' s " The Leopard and the Fox"-a Pakistani Tragedy

2007-01-24T11:45:00.000+05:00

Like Agusto Pinochet and American interference in chile, CIA, Ronald Regan General Zia Ul Haq and Afghan Jehadis played a dangerous game with the destiny of Pakistan.
Tariq Ali’s Book “The Leopard and the Fox- a Pakistani Tragedy” sheds light on role of Thatcher Government and BBC in extending a lifeline to Brutal Dictator General Zia Ul Haq, Is the Blair Government following the same Path of Destruction?

Click on the multimedia link to see the interview

http://www.bbc.co.uk/urdu/pakistan/story/2007/01/070116_tariq_ali_book.shtml

I was born in the year when Popular leader prime minister Zulfikar Bhutto was hanged by military dictator Zia in a military Coup, same year Russian forces occupied Afghanistan, later in life these two events helped explain a lot of politics for me, like most of Pakistanis born in dictatorship my childhood was being fearful of zia and yet fascinated by his proclamations of his brand of Islamisation, which turned out to be nightmarish for large population of poor masses (hangings, lynching and stoning to death), but the islamisation did not effect the military and land lord elite of country.

Pakistan, the country of many contrasts, is a multiethnic multicultural country, different provinces speaking different languages and cultures and lifestyles from tribal to feudal from urban ghettos to posh modern localities.

Up to 1960s Bengalis were the majority population with east Bengal called the eastern Pakistan, Most of the political parties in East were left leaning like NAP- whose leader was a Muslim cleric but also a life long socialist, political parties like Muslim league of west (current) Pakistan were pro American depending heavily on their feudal structure and American assistance for their power, this authoritarian rule and military operation resulted in independence of Bangladesh.

Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto belonged to feudal sindhi family, whose father was the prime minister of princely state of Jonagarh in undivided British India, a proverbial silver spoon upbringing and education at Eton ,Oxford and Berkeley , on his return became the youngest and most talented federal minister under Field Marshal Ayub Khan’s military regime, but he challenged the dictator, resigned and led a popular uprising against military dictatorship, military misadventure followed and Pakistan lost its eastern wing to Indian aggression(read war of independence ) which became independent country Bangladesh.
Like every surrender army handed over the power of the remaining West Pakistan to the man of the moment (with90% votes) Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto with his slogan “Islam is our religion and Socialism is our economy” started rebuilding Pakistan, Land reforms; labour reforms education reforms were initiated. Bhutto signed peace treaty with India and Bangladesh and freed 95 thousand Pakistani Prisoners of war from Indian jails.
Most significantly he coined the idea of Muslim Socialism and in 1974 hosted a grand summit of Islamic countries with economic and political ties among the Islamic countries improving and gulf countries using oil embargo as a political tool, alarm bells started ringing in Washington DC.
Bhutto signed economic treaties with Soviet Union and China for infrastructural projects like Steel Mills, Heavy Mechanical Complex and Karakorum high way. But Bhutto’s biggest crime in American eyes was “Islamic Bomb” the desire to acquire nuclear technology by a Muslim country. In 1976 after French backed out of reprocessing plant for power generation. Henry Kissinger then American secretary of state threaten Bhutto that “we will make an example for Muslim leaders so that nobody dare to disobey us”
1970s under the liberal prime minister zulfiqar ali Bhutto were also a time of celebrating the cultural diversity of remaining Pakistani tribes languages and cultures with song dance and a thriving film industry. by the end of his term in office social, religious conservatives were up in arms against his policies, they wanted to bring Islamic khalafa system of governance, the unrest helped General Zia ul Haq and army seize power and try and kill elected prime minister in a trail smelling of vendetta , Dictator Zia needed a power base or political constituency, he found willing partners in religious clerics, harsh religious interpretation doctrines and punishments were forced in constitution through presidential power of the military ruler.
Russian invasion of Afghanistan
Bhutto was overthrown by a military dictator with help and funds from CIA in1977, a case was fabricated against him and was hanged on 4 April 1979.
The War in Afghanistan saw the flow of dollars to jehadis and chief among them was general zia ul haq who overthrew Bhutto, his draconian “islamisation” was the model that Taliban later followed in Afghanistan. Sectarian killings, Drugs, Kalashnikovs and private militias became law of the land
who can forget those dark days when secret police use to visit people and confiscate books on politics and history of Pakistan. these books were publically burnt as being rebellious to the government(dictatorship) of Pakistan. Mention of Bhutto’s name was enough to land someone in jail.I was a 5- 6 yr old then, i still remember nightmares of police and CID knocking at our doors at night or early dawn, because my father was a trade union leader demanding rights for workers. who can forget colony textile mills in multan where police and army fired on peaceful striking workers and killed dozens demanding their rights, the workers were enclosed within factory walls and police snipers were standing on roof tops just like the 1919 jallian wallah bagh massacre the only difference is that general Dyer was imperialist Englishman, while general Zia and his troops killed their fellow pakistani
Journalists stopped writing because newspapers would not publish what they wanted to say. Now as I have grown older, I have learnt about the demonstrations we participated in and the brutalities that came with that participation.
Many people left for England (because of various reasons) at that time and all books were hidden in attics, if there was a dark period in Pakistan history of brain drain and erosion of knowledge it was Zia’s regime.
US and British Administrations Played their part in Brutalisation of Pakistan, Talibanisation that we see today in large parts of the country and Afghanistan

You Bloody PA#! and Jolly Goody

2007-01-21T15:36:00.000+05:00

You Bloody PA#! And Jolly Goody
Dil Nawaz
BB House racism and bullying patronized by public service broadcaster is disgraceful, what happened in BB house can not be allowed to be aired in any open democratic and modern society, the question is does UK fulfills the criteria of such societies?

With or without the diplomatc row between UK and India the future economic superpower (where wannabe PM Gordon Brown is on a charm offensive)
The racism ,bullying and vendetta being carried on the BB against Bollywood superstar Shilpa shetty is a true reflection of things to come for british ethnic minorities.

Shilpa is a superstar a peace ambassador and a graceful lady in her own right, while house mates Jade goody(up to no good) and Daniella are wannabe celebrities, who will go to lowest of the tricks to get few second of notoriety and few column inches in tabloid press.
Jade goody ,oh god ,some of us still remember her drunken strip tease ,with her donner kebab in a disgusting close up, what a ugly sight certainly not for the faint hearted and only suitable for witching hour and must add bitching gossip.
That sums up the jade goody of modern little Britain, celebrity of youth culture of BNP council estate thugry dog eats dog mentality. But the discussion here is not about Daniela or jade.
THE BIG ISSUE
What happened has blown the lid off the stiff upper lip, etiquette of the dinner table, gossip is in full swing people have got more on the telly then race relations commission can handle, thankfully car phone warehouse has pulled the plug .
Trevor Philips or Tony Blair can try to deal with this “Hot Potato”. New labour race record is plummeting, they can only hope and pray that they can brush this row under the carpet and close the Pandora box of this mirror showing the racism of real Britain.
Asylum phobia, Xenophobia and Islam phobia which was in the incubator of rightwing politics has fully grown into a monster nourished and fed by lies and deceit of BNP and NF criminality and fully protected by hypocrisies of Tories and new labour, which miserably failed to tackle drugs unemployment,sliding education standards and ghettoisation of north of England into council estates which have become “no go” areas for coloured people.

The biggest casuality of this drama is the prestigious and savell row suited booted Hindu Council of Britian, sikh federation ( running around with shame of being called you bloody IND#@$)
Same millionaire Lads commissioned a survey ,arguing that Hindus and Sikhs donot want to be identified as asian or being categorized with those musy PA#!S,saying “we are not the terrorists that muslims(Asians) have become,
That Hindu and Sikhs are more loyal to the KING than these uneducated ,no good musy(no offence to MCB and Sir Iqbal Sugar- ani)
CASH FOR HONOURS ANYONE, MR MITTAL, MR HINDUJA?

Unfortunately these media gimmicks failed to divide the community on religious grounds, and did not break any ice with racist thugs either, in policy of appeasement(remember chamberlain and Hitler).
THE DOG TRIBE in the north west of England and east end of London in their nightly raids on ethnic minorities (coloured people) donot care.
NF and BNP donot ask for British ID card before launching a vicious GBH attack on a lone walker in a dark lane .
NF BNP donot care if they are Hindu , muslim or Sikhs african or jamaican ,they are all PA#!,(fact of life for dozens of communities living in constant fear)

The first person killed in revenge attack after 9/11 was balbir sodi a turbaned sikh( uncanny resemblance to that terrorist usa-ma Bin Laden), Balbir was killed in cold blood by ku klux klan in Arizona his family is still waiting for justice, contrary to what muslim council,hindu council or sikh federation want us to believe, KKK donot issue apology letter saying sorry for killing a non muslim by mistake.
Fascists donot pick and chose religions for attacks.

Elitists millionaire Hindus (council) should wake up and smell the morning coffee.

The Peace Tourism

2007-01-18T15:35:00.001+05:00

The Peace Tourism

Given that Government of Pakistan is concentrating on cultural exchanges, peace cricket tours with India, festivals at shiv mandir in katas raj and kali mandir in hinglaj balouchistan, in addition to opening up of religious tourism for NRIs from europe and America. It’s high time that all indians are allowed free access to Pakistani destinations

http://www.tourism.gov.pk

Government has decided to celebrate 2007 as visit Pakistan year.Regardless of the debate that whether all stakeholders especially overseas Pakistanis and tour operators were taken into confidence and whether there is any discussion with western governments namely USA,UK and Europeans to ease the negative travel advisories regarding Pakistan.
The worsing law and order in tribal belt of Pushtoon & Baloch Areas and "made in Taliban tag" on world media, has already scared off most of the westerns

but initiative presents a rare opportunity in becoming a beacon of light for peace
Malaysia celebrating its 50th independence anniversary has already started a vigorous TV campaign for a visit Malaysia year 2007,

Indian tourism is already running a highly successful “incredible India” campaign

In Pakistan government initiatives, we have learned through previous experiences, are most of the time riddled with red tape of bureaucracy ,half hearted ,half baked and ill conceived,

but nevertheless it’s a start, keeping our fingers crossed that it will be a success.

Tourism today is one of the biggest industries in the world; it brings employment, opportunities and equality to otherwise less developed areas.

Pakistan is the best kept secret of the Tourism Industry. Its Northern areas, its festivals, its cultural and religious tourism to name a few.INDUS VALLEY & Ghandhara Buddhist CivilisationBasant festival, Performing Arts festival, Truck Art, Chicken Tikka massala cuisine, Buddhist ,Hindu & Sikh Places of pilgrimage , the K-2 and Raka poshi of Pakistan

"Tourism for Peace" Discussion is about how ordinary Pakistanis and indians , and forums like SAFMA, PIPFPDplay a part in defining what is meant by “ Peace Tourism” and brand Pakistan in terms of culture and Tourism Potential of peace initiative between people of India and Pakistan

Given that Government of Pakistan is concentrating on cultural exchanges, peace cricket tours with India, festivals at shiv mandir in katas raj and kali mandir in hinglaj balouchistan, in addition to opening up of religious tourism for NRI (Non Resident Indians) from europe and America. It’s high time that all indians are allowed free access to Pakistani destinations
Indians are not scared of terrorism threats that world media projects about pakistan, they know better, majority of Pakistan is a tranquil destination and peaceful and friendly people nostalgic and reminiscent about communal harmony in pre partition days
Entry visas at arrival for the business, family and Package tourist will the first right step in normalizing the hiccups in peace process and increasing people to people contacts
Millions of Indians will be eager to cross the Wagha Border for a day trip to savour the culinary delights of LAHOREI FOOD STREET and BASANT & other Punjabi FESTIVALS,
this nostalgia and the bond of friendship was shown in Indian cricket tour of Pakistan when thousands of passionate indian cricket fans turned pakistan tour into a festive mood and places like peshawar (birth place of Dalip Kumar and Raj Kapoor and family home of Shah rukh Khan) welcomed Indians with open hearts

Everyone has their own ideas on Pakistani identity ,secular ,religious, urban rural , working ,middle class and elite. PAKISTAN IS A MULTI CULTURAL, MULTI LINGUAL, MULTI RELIGIOUS SOCIETYour “unity in diversity” and "peace for Friendship" are the right slogan for “visit Pakistan 2007” discussion.We would like like to explore avenues of participation and promotion by readers Contributors for Brand Pakistan and how Pakistan tourism can become a permanent spot on indian tourism map.most of the Indians still have family historical links to festivals, cities ,food culture music and Art of Pakistan ,hopefully we can make it a year long exercise updated at regular intervals.

Institutions like the national flag carrier (PIA) already flying to delhi and mumbai can become a calling card for Pakistani tourism and hospitality by increasing cities in flies to in india, private airlines from india and pakistan can share the frequencies in domestic network, the shipping industry in both countries has already joined hands in promoting trade and tourism.

State run Pakistan TV world and global Channels, through their reach in India & Middle East can be the ambassador for brand Pakistan, major Pakistani satellite channels like Indus group, ARY, Geo and Jang Group, AAJ TV are already collabrating with indian film and media industry to bridge the gaps between two enstranged siblings.

The Aim is to bring back the Pakistani and Indians together; foreigners will definitely follow in their footsteps

http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Z06tK89Ks0w

Social Justice and The Capitalist Manifesto " White Gold Burger"

2007-01-10T17:13:00.000+05:00

Be Afraid, be very very afraid of future and progress. I talked about a Template of Terrorism being copycat all over the world with franchises available with little investment. But there is terrorism greater than physical terror, its called psychological warfare.

Integration, immigration, terrorism, alienation, democracy, extremist, fundamentalism have all become easy labels to stick on our friends or foes, depending if you are a right wing American fundamentalist Christian (read Church of Great Satan GW Bush), or Muslim fundamentalist, but these labels mean little in true sense and have lost their worth by shifting of goal posts in international law and human rights by superpower USA.

I talked about these many a times so instead I would want to talk about “White Gold Burger”, I know it reminds one of a song with similar title but I would like to split it in three to elaborate the point I am trying to make White , Gold & burger. That probably sums up the political, economic and social dispensation of our world.

White (Caucasians & Zionists) elite middle aged men control the politics and economics of our world from G-8, NATO,EU, OPEC, and UN to USA (the biggest democratic farce under Neo Con Administration), needless to say that aforementioned bodies are more or less in Subservience to latter i.e. USA under Neo Cons( Cons that are looting and plundering and corrupting) destroying every credible international and domestic institution which can offer any resistance to their Long-term objectives of new American Century
(May be Establishment of a Nazi-Zionist Fourth Reich with Capital at a ranch in Crawford Texas).

Gold, if the previous paragraph was an eye opener for any diehard pacifists or peaceniks, who might still be optimistic about future survival of human race, wait until I elaborate Cons Modus operandi to control World Economies and that’s gold not exactly bullion but the greed that corporations controlled by this group of men espouse, gold is black gold (crude oil & petroleum, energy and technology infrastructure), paper gold( dollar , euro Loans and debts given by World Bank and IMF to the poorest Countries of this World with crippling interest rates and conditionality) and White Gold ( drug trafficking enforced selectively to gain control on Politics and monetary resources of a country ,Afghanistan is a prime example, and medicine and pharmaceutical companies by letting millions die of Aids in Africa to increase profits) and last but not the least Green Gold ( Agriculture Subsidies for first world ,trade barriers for Third World farmers and Pollution and carbon emission from first world suffocating rest of the Globe).

Burger, it’s the hearts and minds of six billion inhabitants of our global village.
Psychologically making us submissive and compliant to rules of the great game. Before you accuse me of being a conspiracy theorist, let me explain, the advent of Mc Donald’s Burger King franchises in the farthest corners of globe ,outsourcing bubble, coke and Pepsi and starbucks, Las Vegas style super casinos, American education and Hollywood and American TV soaps & news promoting standard set of values ,behavior and culture to all corners of globe so the end result would be highly programmable robot sapiens (not humans) behaving and thinking what a super state entity dictates . A social and economic apartheid, which will be permanent. Be Afraid, be very very afraid of what is being dumped on us labeled as future and progress.
its only White Gold Burger

Article :The lessons of South Africa — Desmond Tutu

2007-01-08T17:00:00.000+05:00

Ordinary South Africans also can be proud of themselves, for it was truly their self-discipline, simple decency, and ability to forgive that prevented a bloodbath. In their example is a model for other troubled parts of the world to follow.
South Africa is now beginning to contemplate the retirement of Thabo Mbeki, its second president since the end of the apartheid era. So this is a particularly opportune moment to look back and assess our achievements, note our failures, and perhaps see what elements in our transition to democracy may be applied elsewhere.
This is an exercise we in South Africa are not accustomed to undertaking, for as a people we tend to sell ourselves short. We seem to take for granted remarkable achievements and do not give ourselves enough credit. As a result, we tend to see an invisible cloud behind every ray of sunshine; we seem to think that our achievements have meaning only for ourselves.

The wider world has still not fully appreciated South Africa’s reasonably peaceful transition from repression to democracy. They and we remember the first days of that transfer of power to the black majority, when most people believed we would be overwhelmed by a ghastly racial bloodbath.
It was a desperate time, brief but seared in our memories, when indiscriminate killings on trains, in taxis, and on buses were common, a time of massacres at regular intervals — Sebokeng, Thokoza, Bisho, Boipatong, and the killing fields of KwaZulu Natal, owing to the bloody rivalry between the African National Congress and the ethnic Zulu Inkatha Freedom Party.

There were many occasions when South Africa’s fate appeared touch and go. But catastrophe was avoided. Instead, the world marvelled — indeed, was awed — by the spectacle of long lines of South Africans of every race snaking their way slowly to polling booths on April 27, 1994.
Of course, part of the success of South Africa’s transition success was due to a miracle: the moral colossus that is Nelson Mandela, whose calm and sagacity, and his status as an icon of forgiveness, compassion, magnanimity and reconciliation, make us the envy of every nation on earth. We were blessed that it was he who guided our state through its rebirth. And we must also thank F. W. de Klerk, the last ruler of the dying apartheid regime, who exhibited moral courage by setting in motion our liberating revolution.
But ordinary South Africans also can be proud of themselves, for it was truly their self-discipline, simple decency, and ability to forgive that prevented a bloodbath. In their example is a model for other troubled parts of the world to follow.
We, especially white South Africans, have tended to be dismissive of our Truth and Reconciliation Commission, which allowed those who had committed great crimes under apartheid to confess their acts openly and thus avoid prosecution. Truth, not punishment, was to bring about healing. Almost everywhere in the world, the TRC is regarded highly and considered a benchmark against which other efforts to move from dictatorship to democracy must be judged.

Yes, the TRC was flawed — so are all human enterprises. But it was a remarkable institution, for many had thought that the advent of a black-led government would signal the onset of an orgy of revenge and retribution against whites for all the degradations that black South Africans had suffered from colonial times to the apartheid era.

Instead, the world gaped at the nobility of spirit displayed each and every day before the TRC, as victims of gruesome atrocities forgave their tormentors — and even embraced them on occasion. All South Africans were traumatised by apartheid. The TRC helped to open festering wounds, cleanse them, and pour balm on them to help in healing all of South Africa’s people.

It is easy to take the TRC’s work for granted, until one looks at the Middle East and the chaos of Iraq, where revenge, reprisal, and retaliation are fueling a ghastly, inexorable cycle of violence. Likewise, South Africa was spared the horrors of genocide, as in Rwanda, and the endless conflict that has gripped Sri Lanka, Burundi, Sudan, the Ivory Coast, and many other countries. The harsh truths put before our people by the Truth and Reconciliation Commission drew the poisons from our politics. That is a lesson that other damaged countries can and must benefit from.

The lesson of South Africa’s transition is that no divided country has a future if it insists on going forward without truth and forgiveness. Russia’s transition to democracy began at almost the same time as ours. The Berlin Wall fell in November 1989. Nelson Mandela was released in February 1990. But what is happening in Russia today — rampant organised crime, the conflict with Chechnya, and carnage like the theatre hostage disaster and the Beslan school catastrophe — makes South Africa’s transition to democracy look like a Sunday school picnic. By avoiding the truth of the Soviet past, Russians have stored up trouble for the future.

A crime can never be buried. Political crimes never fade. We have not forgotten what was done to ordinary black people in the name of apartheid. Indeed, by launching the Truth and Reconciliation Commission, we know far more about the full horrors of that era than we would had we sought to prosecute people, or tried simply to move on. Literally, the truth has set us free to be at peace with ourselves. Remembrance and forgiveness have allowed our remembered nightmares to be consigned to the past. It is my deepest hope that Iraqis and other peoples haunted by the past can find a way to live in peace with peace of mind. —DT- PS

Archbishop Desmond Tutu is a winner of the Nobel Prize for Peace- Article reproduced courtesy Daily Times
http://dailytimes.com.pk

Guest Post: This is Bradistan

2006-12-24T09:26:00.000+05:00

Cam Diary: Nabeel Park, Bradfordistan
Sir CamHerein was a mighty fusion of cultures: Eastern, Western, English, Pakistani, Indian, African, Arab and others — a potpourri of sounds, smells, and sights

Peel Park in Bradford was the venue for Europe’s largest mela last weekend. The mela is also the largest free event in Yorkshire. Bradford, which is famous for its large Pakistani community, is often called ‘mini Pakistan’ or ‘Bradfordistan’. Little wonder, then, that this community has popularised the word mela and that the city is now home to this internationally renowned festival.

“A wonderful showcase for local and international artists,” is how Bradford’s Mayor described the event. A ‘celebration of Bradford at its best’, said the organisers of the mela. ‘Marvellous Mela’, said my daughter as we sauntered in the sprawling grounds of Peel Park. Up and down the hills we went, like in the musical The Sound of Music. But here the sounds were Asian.

And the smells were, well, Bradfordelicious! “Hmm, lovely kebab. A can of Qiblah cola as well, please.” The mela market, fun fair and local community stalls seemed to stretch on endlessly. The atmosphere of the place was hardly that of a northern England city

Herein was a mighty fusion of cultures: Eastern, Western, English, Pakistani, Indian, African, Arab and others — a potpourri of sounds, smells, and sights. A mullah next to a punk, the mini-skirted Yorkshire lass alongside a hijab-wearing Mirpuri girl, the Zulu warriors dancing with bhangra rappers, and ‘Arab Sheikh Kebab’ embracing ‘Indian Onion Bhaji’. Theplace was Bradfordelightful!

“Are Junoon performing here?” someone asked me. Don’t be daft mate! Junoon were in London, at that Rhythms of Indus function at the Royal Albert Hall. You know, the one attended by General Musharraf (Dil Nawaz article on Musharraf is titled Mein Kempf) during his trip to England last week. Among the top names appearing at the Bradford mela this year were Apache Indian (remember the hit “Boomshackalak”?), bhangra man Malkit Singh, soul singer Lemar of Fame Academy, and Asian comedian Jeff Mirza.

Fun>Da>Mental (FDM), the radical ‘global chaos’ or world music group, were on stage collaborating with the Mighty Zulu Nation of South Africa. It was an electrifying fusion of Afro-Asian beats, of qawwali, rap, punk and Bollywood. It’s a wonder how calm and friendly people like Aki Nawaz and Dave Watts of FDM transform into highly charged beings on the stage. They certainly perform with feeling, bursting with energy.

Aki, or Haq Nawaz Qureshi, is a Bradford lad — a second generation Pakistani. He established Nation Records in 1988 and formed FDM in 1991 as a means to enable greater cultural interactions, to experiment in world music, as well as to provide a platform for addressing political issues and raise a voice against racism and injustice. At the mela, for instance, he criticised Blair’s support for the invasion and occupation of Iraq and dedicated one tune to ‘the women of Bosnia’.

An integral part of FDM’s work is collaboration with other artistes. “When we collaborate with anyone,” said Aki when I interviewed him, “we try to maintain the integrity of the original qawwali, Zulu singers or whoever. It’s not about FDM taking the limelight. We once did live collaborations with Aziz Mian. Aziz Mian was my dad’s hero and suddenly I was on stage with him! It was really difficult, but interesting”. FDM’s collaboration with the Mighty Zulu Nation at the mela worked really well. Chief Aki and his team-mates have a knack for concocting some delicious global music dishes.

When I was a kid in nearby Huddersfield, my father would often to take us on the half-hour drive to Bradford for a meal at a Pakistani restaurant. A trip to Bradford’s Lumb Lane used to be an exciting affair for the family. As a Bradford lad, did Aki, too, remember Lumb Lane (most of the Pakistani area there has since been demolished)? His reply was, “Yes. We used to go there every Sunday morning on our bikes for halva purree!”

I’m sure Dr Salman Ahmad of Lahore also knows a thing or two about halva purree. In fact, the Lahoris know a lot about eating. To my amazement, Salman was at the mela. On stage. “Ladies and gentlemen... Junoon!” But Junoon were not listed in the programme. Perhaps the person who had enquired about them was right after all.
There was a big roar of welcome. Yes, here in Bradford was ‘South Asia’s biggest rock band SIC-the views expressed about junoon are author's- Dil Nawaz disagrees on the musical or political stance(opportunism) of Junoon. On stage were the three members of Junoon: guitarists Salman and Brian rooted on the right and left side of the stage, and singer Ali prancing about in the centre. They opened up with an instrumental version of Pakistan’s national anthem, and then launched into their popular tunes, such as Jazba Junoon and Sayonee. The youthful crowd went mad: ‘sayoneeee’ they chanted, waving Pakistani flags, raising arms, doing bhangra.

All in all, a fantastically enjoyable mela, and a great day for the family. On the way out I noticed a statue of a prominent local man in the park. It was Mr Peel himself, the man after whom the park was named. On closer inspection I saw that someone had changed the ‘P’ of ‘Peel’ to a ‘B’ and added ‘N’ and ‘A’ to it so that it now read ‘Nabeel’(Bilal & Laila Khalid and MohammedAli)-Dil Nawaz. Nabeel Park, Bradfordistan: “I woz ‘ere, June 21, 2003”!— Sir Cam, Cambridge, England

Hijab is the New Black

2006-11-29T19:32:00.000+05:00

Hijab is the New Black
Dil nawaz

Muslim Bashing is the new black in aesthetic sense. its become fashionable to put the blame on imaginary bogey women “Muslim Girls threatening culture merely by wearing their head scarves and Hijab” Surprisingly enough there is no mention of real gangs of National Front and BNP thugs terrorising whole communities in North West.

Millions of years have passed since the extinction of reptiles called Dinosaurs, may be just before their extinction they also exhibited similar predatory habits, destroying every animal tree and plant which came in their path. Mr Jack straw & his breed of Politicians Ruth kelly, john Reid are sounding much like the BNP and Nick griffin, all these aforementioned reptiles are facing a extinction at the hand of cycle of history, the days of scaremongering and hatemongering are numbered .these politician are hell bent on destroying the last remaining pieces of integrity and decency left in British politics

Mr Jack straw fearing defeat in next elections is on a charm offence to lure the BNP vote bank and councillors in his local area by issuing statements which have fascism written on all over the page. These statements only tarnish the harmony and stability of already fragile communities suffering from segregation, unemployment and crime. In political failures and failed economic policies there is always blame game. Unfortunately nowadays Muslim community is being used as soft target by politicians to cover up their own blunders

In Britain three major political parties are almost identical in their policies on health education ,employment, crime, social inclusion and Immigration.None of the policies in their manifestos are working, yet it’s the same policies that Labour, Tories and Lib Dems insist on following and hope that these will lead to election victory, while the people know that whether Blair Brown or Cameron it’s a game of musical chairs and merely replacing one Public school educated elitist middle aged white man with another, who will be even more isolated and protected from views of general public.
General populace in UK still lives the utopia of tripartite politics, the gap between the elite political leadership and common people is enormous. The elite leaders like Blair, Cameron and mark oaten(rent boy) seem to be in a cocoon of space ships, speak a language and have a mannerism so alien to commoners ,very far away from reality.I happen to be a foreigner or more precisely “Muslim”. UK or Blair and Co cannot deal with these”” inverted commas community, and do little to integrate them in society, their half baked half hearted hypocritical measures alienate more and more foreigners in our midst .Islam is the second religion in UK, yet British establishment cannot speak intelligently to 2 million plus Muslims it calls us all “muslim community”, as if there was one monolithic block of people, stereo typed and boxed in labels modern liberal or orthodox. Etc. UK is on cross roads on economic fronts, it needs cheap labour and immigrants to fuel future growth, but each attempt it makes is copying xenophobic racist neo con lobbyists of Republican Party and Bush & Co USA. Tony Blair is a lame duck frightened of change. Society is divided in two distinct classes rich and forgotten living in council estates and majority of poor nighbour hoods of coloured people , falling house prices , lack of jobs and opportunities if you are on wrong side of divide, xenophobia, racism and islamphobia becoming more acceptable and norm in the society. That’s the country of broken dreams , disillusionments, liberty and freedom, terrorism stately or otherwise what is our future bliar.brown, Cameron and oaten…..and Blood sucking Dracula nick griffin

Muslim Bashing is the new black in aesthetic sense. its become fashionable to put the blame on imaginary bogey women “Muslim Girls threatening culture by their head scarves and Hijab” Surprisingly enough there is no mention of real gangs of National Front and BNP thugs terrorising whole communities in North West. Its debatable that there is any such thing left in the society called great British tradition of tolerance, freedom of expression and religion

Blair Administration has out lived its utility in the eyes of electorate and the major world powers, as its blunders have made the world more dangerous then it was prior to it be it 9/11 or Iraq or Palestinian fiasco or 7/7 labelling muslim fascism for a failed foreign policy , two of the most powerful regimes (namely UK & USA ) are in state of paralysis for the remainder of their terms in office, surely Neo Cons and Neo Labour has done a lot of damage to the image, diplomacy and influence which used to be a hallmark of the Anglo American alliance, which might take a few decades to repair at the world stage. Meanwhile the other European, Asian and Latin American powers are trying to deal with this mess intelligently (not very successfully though), while the people of world are living the nightmare of Dracula’s Tony Blair and GW Bush.

Dil Nawaz is a freelance Journalist and writes on international relations and social justice, FDM is not responsible for views expressed in Bradistan Calling
Columnist can be contacted on
http://dilnawazinqalabi.blogspot.com

Report on Social and Economic Issues in Quake Hit Areas of Pakistan

2006-10-07T10:30:00.000+05:00

Report on Long term Social and Economic issues in Quake Hit Areas
Facts & observations
Email: muslim_policy@yahoo.co.uk
Date: 22-january-2006 ,04-October-2006
Presentation to: Workers Education Research and Welfare Society of Pakistan

Background:
On the morning of 8th October, 2005 an earthquake of an intensity of 7.6 on the Richter scale struck the whole country, specifically northern districts of NWFP, Federal Capital and Azad Kashmir. The devastation was also caused on the other side of the border in Kashmir valley. The most affected districts reportedly are Abbotabad, Mensehra, Batagram in Hazara division and Shangla in Swat. Similarly Muzafarabad, Bagh and Rawalakot in Azad Kahsmir and federal capital were also hit badly by series of tremors. The epicentre of the earthquake was in the Hindu Kush Range somewhere between Mansehra and Muzaffarabad in the North nearly 100 kms of Islamabad. Nearly 90 thousand died, mostly children and women, hundreds of thousands are with serious or minor injuries, while approximately 3.5 million have lost their homes and property Most of these villages were also badly affected with the heavy snowfall and raining during December- January of this year making it one of the worst natural diaster in the world in terms of complexity and united nations said its more dangerous than Tsunami and Berlin airlift of post second world war.
Due to landslide and bad weather, most of the access routes to the remoter areas are blocked and inaccessible. Due to rain and hailstorm, the temperatures will continue to fall in the coming days and weeks, particularly in upper hilly areas of Mazafarabad and Bagh in AJK and in Hazara and Shangla, which may complicate and delay rapid relief efforts.

I am from political & Charity (trade union /socialist workers Party /peace activist) background worked actively for homeless in quake area District Rawalakot and District Bagh Azad Kashmir and Balakot NWFP, with volunteer teams headed by friends Mr Raja Sohail (Businessman from Birmingham), Mr Sardar Abid Hussain(Ex Chairman Pearl Valley Development Authority Rawalakot) and Mr Syed akhtar(Dubai based Businessman but resident of district Bagh) local businessmen & Philanthropists, who lost own business/house & some relatives in the disaster and Professor Muhammed Tariq former professor of English (now destroyed Balakot College),volunteer activists also helping victims in local area with money & food Our first efforts in Balakot Area(Professor Tariq & Team) were the emergency response to a grave danger of hunger starvation and immediate Tent shelter problem. Urgency of the situation changed with access & roads improving. , Imran Khan & Edhi welfare volunteers from Punjab & karachi were among first to reach Balakot, and with supplies of food/drinking water and warm clothes and blankets kept many families survive the two days of rains immediately after earthquake. Balakot( a city wiped out as if Hiroshima)

Eid gift distribution 5 November Districts Bagh & Rawalakot (vast scale destruction in rural areas): monetary issues for the local people were most important as most have lost their property, livelihood, cattle and belongings There was a lot of personal local & UK collection from our friends & family.
In form of monetary help especially for women Kids in far flung areas, I personally coordinated the plan to efficiently distribute the much needed cash three volunteers from Rawalpindi and one person from local area helped identify the needy families in villages in Rawalakot & Bagh areas.
Keeping in view previous knowledge (Raja Sohail Birmingham ) went to villages to support victims, and see their needs in terms of money, rather than queue for money which some political/social organizations are adopting to get publicity, money was delivered at door steps in concealed brown envelopes with 500,1000 rupees notes in denominations.

Muzzaffarabad(60-70% damage to Down Town and suburban villages)
19 & 20 November (Imran Khan Charity -UK)
The main purpose of visit was to visit the villages east bank of river neelum valley, to assess the Damage and loss in property and long term issues of social and economic need, none of volunteers or workers have ventured out towards the mountain tops which are not impossible to track, our team only took 3 hours to walk to the top of Mai Dhani(local name of the mountain) rocks have turned to cement coloured powder sand which increase the breathing problems and there are continuous landslides blocking ghori pateka road east bank of river neelum near cheela bhandi area . we visited different settlements upto a height of 3000ft..
The biggest problem for these families was drinking water, food supplies and using a make shift rope bridge to transport food & people across the mai dhani area for approx 900 families there was a water supply pipe line bringing spring water to houses, the quake damaged the pipes, at the moment women had to walk almost 3 miles to get to river bank to get unclean water. After our survey of area the problem was solved through fixing pipes there was a stock available and plumbers were sent to do the job with equipment.
The broken bridge has created a food & traveling problem for the area, inflatable boat temporary supplied by army is not a viable solution because of petrol & maintenance issues it cannot serve the needs of area, it will only cost about 2 thousand UK pounds to construct the proper bridge.
18 December (panja sahib) Shamlee District Battagram NWFP
500 families of Pushto/Punjabi speaking native Sikhs (religious minority in Pakistan), have been displaced from shamlee as the whole village was devastated, these women & children have been repatriated to Two holiest sites for Sikh religion Panja sahib & nankana sahib. Men folk have mostly returned to village to look after cattle & homes and start rebuilding, while the families are being looked after in relief camps located in vacant hostels for Sikh pilgrims from UK, Canada, America and India, the purpose of the visit was to talk to victims of disaster about their economic well being and look at the arrangement made by Pakistan government & Khalsa Aid UK (sikh Charity)

1-2 January muzzafarabad city
5-8 January District Bagh & rawalakot
12-15 January Balakot ,Ghari Habibullah, Dhani area Muzzaffarabad
18 January Balakot
Along with Syed Akhtar and professor Tariq made follow up visit of districts of AJK and Balakot,

Imran Khan Relief Fund
Imran khan (Ex cricketer, social worker and philanthropist of Pakistan) has established 10 sites of shelter villages in snow areas of Bagh ,2 in Dhani area muzzaffarabad and 2 tent villages in less cold Mansehra Area
Each site Consisting of 25 houses made from GI steel sheets, these resemble triangular shape tent structure, basic structure is made with strong iron pipes with steel sheet roof & walls with wooden doors, these are quake proof and cold proof with 6/7 member family staying in one. the administration of the shelter village is done by 5 member committee of elders of resident families, responsible for food distribution, health and hygiene and children welfare and education, this a good example of participatory inclusion of community these structures can be used in summer for reconstruction of houses each shelter accommodation costs about Rs 35000 or 350 UK pounds as they are being seriously overlooked for winterised tents & iron and steel sheets shelter resources IKRF does not get any foreign NGO or UN donor help and especially due to non availability of iron sheets or highly inflated prices in open market their estimates have increased by Rs 10000 which originally was Rs25000
While government estimates Rs 200000 or 2000 UK pounds for a shelter home

EDHI Welfare Foundation:
A well known relief and rescue charity organisation (initially started as free service substitute for St John’s Ambulance absence after partition of country) in Pakistan working for more than 50 years, Sattar Edhi termed as Father Teresa , Lord of gutters and Saint of Pakistan has devoted 60 years of his life to helping needy & destitute, his organization has experience of working in 14 major earthquakes of the world since 1973, his abhorrence for bureaucratic structure in NGO and wasteful expenditure, strings attached to foreign Aid helped him devise a grass root network with self help and income generation for slum dwellers. His one family one shelter scheme is costing Rs 12,000 or 120 UK pounds.
Economic Survey:
In carrying out all the relief and rehabilitation activity, most important factor was to devise a litmus test for economic indicators for the future well being of the people in the earth quake zone. I assessed the Economic situation and its fallout on interaction between stakeholders (People, Local Administration, Army, Government, NGOs, Foreign Donors) with two basic analytical techniques namely SWOT (strengths, weakness, opportunity, threats) and PEST (political, socio-economic, cultural and technological challenges)
Observations & recommendations of the survey and studies:
Short to medium term rescue and relief:The army and other military organizations from around the world are in full flow, Nato are helping to reconstruct some roads and Cuban medical teams were hectically busy helping all, NGOs were essentially getting the run around by some locals but nevertheless work has been done. Criticism is rife but in the overall picture is that as long as people were been helped by whatever means then so be it, that’s what counts. The scale of the disaster would test any country irrespective of wealth and power and Pakistan and its people had taken it upon itself to attempt the best they could, under the difficult circumstances.

Food supplies

Organization praised by people for their help & support are Pakistan army Turkish army, Spanish & Italian army Imran Khan volunteers are very active getting supplies, NGO goal in Bagh (malloot area), toilet facilities with Oxfam signs are on road sides, Edhi foundation and Islamic charities from UK and religious outfits are doing good job.

Medical Aid

American & British Chinooks helicopters flying supplies & patients & lots of doctors from up & down Pakistan in field hospitals in mansehra and Abbottabad two major towns near quake Zone.
Many teams of Cuban doctors and relief workers are in the area. but Cuban are only capable of setting up field hospitals and medicines.
Reconstruction of roads and Bridges
The only organized team of engineers and Construction workers in Rawalakot and Bagh is Pakistan/Spanish army. Unfortunately its resources are overstretched and not sufficient to size of destruction, Nato forces in Arja area are not concentrating on relief, they are busy building roads and bridges before 29 January 2006, the planned date for their departure from Pakistan
Self Help and Community spirit of People of Pakistan:
The people were grateful to the ordinary Pakistani for the amount of help and love they had shown them after the earthquake Pakistanis had arrived in their own transport with goods to aid the victims even quicker than the authorities and agencies put together, not just to camps but in many of the difficult places to get to. Encountering massive traffic jams from the endless streams of trucks arriving with goods and shelters albeit through treacherous mountain passes, there seemed no alternative routes
Pakistanis were termed as the greatest Heroes of this tragedy by Kashmiris themselves every village every street was grateful to the ordinary Pakistanis and Pakistan army to mobilize a gigantic relief effort before outside world realized the gravity of the situation, about 200000 volunteers, doctors paramedics, engineers, relief and rescue workers, truck drivers from Pakistan spent the whole month of Ramadan and after in the Quake area
Peoples courage bravery & sense of brotherhood, has many times brought tears of pride & admiration in eyes, their self respect & resilience although they do not hold any worldly possessions, people lose everything yet help others who are even less fortunate than others

Livelihood Issues:
People have lost their shops, offices, businesses, jobs which has created a ripple effect in the society, I have met professors in balakot, medical students, Bank officers, grade18 officers from bagh to a local meter reader from muzaffarabad who have lost every thing are living like refugees, yet given a chance wanting to go back and do something, I interviewed Mr Sheikh Rasheed(local farmer and fruit grower) of Chakaar & Sardar Abid of Rawalakot who lost their businesses yet helping others.

Livelihood experts could do well by listening to local needs Craftsman and handicrafts
Businesses people, indigence products, which can be revived quickly with micro credit Finance committees of women in villages
Government sponsored support of Rs 25000 for rebuilding house is not enough and it has not reached every one and there seem to be no transparent way of distribution.

Joblessness:
It is also related to long term livelihood issues of the survivors, before October 8 most of the areas were dependent on foreign remittances sent by family members working in Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman where stringent labour laws prevent greater labour mobility & flexibility, most will not return to their Jobs abroad. most male family members work in different parts of Pakistan as daily wage labourers. These two categories have become jobless due to deaths in the family, looking after kids and issues of extended families. None of the cultivatable land has been used in farming wheat or other subsistence crops after the earthquake. Any local relief, reconstruction and rubble cleanup labour jobs have been taken by non-local afghan labourers from Rawalpindi & Peshawer afghan refugee camps

Economic Dependency:
It is heartbreaking to see orphans 6/7 year olds asking for money on road sides, these kids are our future. There is a general attitude in some sections of society to use this as professional begging (I hate to use this word for the situation) opportunity , we saw families in unaffected murree kohala area make temporary sitting place to keep kids on the roadside for day time to gain benefit yet disappear before sunset , these things can ruin the future well being of Kashmiri people. What they need is not hand outs but practical help to rebuild their lives & livelihoods, self help and assistance is the key to rehabilitation
Family as an Economic unit:
Issues of cultural & social sensitivity are not being addressed as discussed above, households where male head of the family has died, women have problem in claiming inheritance and relief compensation for rebuilding. Other issues would be long-term employment, livelihood of families headed by women, property disputes as women are rarely mentioned in property documents
Long term Impact on children
Many women and children had died as many of the men folk were away working in big cities and they returned after making journeys, normally a few hours, but two days on the mountain passes, to find that they lost a wife, a daughter, a son or a whole family. They are places, which are still not visited. Whole families have been wiped out and even villages totally drowned by the earth,
Schools with children lying beneath the ruins were the hardest to absorb- books and shoes lay across the ground. I interviewed a young girl who spoke good English as she stood on a building which overlooked the river and spoke of what she saw and how she managed to get home on that fateful day from school but she had a smile and a strength that I would find hard to acquire

Mental trauma & handicapped and long term health and social issues

after effects of Earthquake has caused a big health problems for families, especially kids are scared of building and structures and people traumatized are wondering around aimlessly, disorientated and incoherent memories with fears of disaster coming back. There are hundred thousands of walking wounded, and kids with flies & germs over their wounds. Skin diseases & itching scabies and rashes are almost 90% in kids due to bedding and clothing hygiene problems recent snows and two spells of inclement weather after new year sub zero temperatures are making living in tents impossible specially people in 4 ft snow in maloot area and Ganges peak area of deerkot, children are suffering of pneumonia and chest infections, cough and in danger of serious causalities. those who lost arms and legs have been permanently disabled, dependent on others for rest of their lives.

Children and women trafficking for bonded Labour and sex trade:
This was a major issue in early days of panic & confusion after quake as fears of repeat of mistakes of tsunami survivors were fresh in people’s minds. Army & government had a major clamp down on identities of relatives claiming sick & injured women and children from Hospitals. Strict checking of private cars passing through quake areas
Organizational weaknesses
Faith based organization:
Although Islamic parties were very effective in their grass root implementation rescue efforts, people praised them for swift action heading teams of ordinary Pakistani volunteers to track and supply food and relief items to far flung areas, their main focus is now turning to publicity, recruitment and consolidation of bases in quake areas
As for Christian NGOs from America, religious and missionary propaganda literature was found in many Boxes of Food Aid
Political parties: these are just a show of strength in towns with leaders photo opportunities. Ordinary tents inhabitable due to cold weather inscribed with party political slogan to show mere presence in the area
UN institutions are the worst culprits in distribution fiascos, food being distributed in kohala area not affected by earth quake and just dumped on the road side maloot area people had to carry it few miles along road, UN food distribution are never without problem & mayhem, “survival of the fittest”. The drivers taking aid did not know the area & roads resulting in accidents.

Lack of Community participation in rehabilitation: listening to people & observing working of foreign NGOs. Rather then local staff for coordination and implementation French, Dutch and European agencies & NGOs are heavily reliant on afghan staff for local operations due to their earlier engagement in Afghanistan, 90% of these are only conversant in English & Dari (Persian) limited knowledge of Urdu no knowledge of local area or language and often not enough sensitivity to local (highly conservative religious) customs & tradition for example lack of privacy for women in tent villages and frequent visitation by these foreign delegations to gather information which locals do not feel comfortable with. The notion of “Big cars and fat paychecks and corruption” is rampant in locals. There is a huge cultural & language barrier between locals & staff members this difference of culture & background is not very visible to European bosses in NGO, which hinders the smooth working & results in wastage & pilferages like tents being given to officials as gifts. Truck loads of UN/ICRC goods being discovered from Government ministers’ personal warehouses
Economic Impact of Aid distribution:
Aid distribution without long Term planning is a result of lack the vision & technical knowledge e.g Shelter are being created by organization at lower road side with tin sheets (H11 refugee camp Islamabad one example) when people can live in tents as the winter is not bad at lower ground, these shelters can be effective life savers at snow areas, tents do not sustain snow fall.
. For example Pakistan Army erected a ropes bridge in village Mai Dhandi but due to technical incompetence the bridge gave way killing three people who were crossing Army moved out of the area soon afterward, there was no sustained planning for food supplies for example There was a food supply rather a photo opportunity for one day from UN world food program, they took the pictures & they never came back.
Contracts commission and Kickbacks:
Corruption is considered part of normal life in Pakistan On the basis of employment within these foreign NGOs procurement & purchasing has totally being monopolized by Afghan/ Pakistani companies related to these individuals with insider information, no accountabilities & checks in place for purchasing & distributing staffs other than their own honesty rather than generating a economic activity in local area and creating jobs for local unemployed and skilled in quake hit areas, lavish offices & luxury cars of these contractors have suddenly sprung up in quake hit areas & Islamabad. While local people complain of being not given jobs just aid and no involvement in relief work e.g unloading of relief goods. Non-resident afghan refugees especially in Balakot creating resentment in locals have taken local labourer works

Price inflation & substandard materials
I can quote two examples of substandard water proof plastic sheets procured for tents, and GI tin sheets for shelters at inferior quality Rs 350/sheet being supplied at more than Rs 500/sheet, it will not withstand the weather in winter. Food price inflation is 500% in some areas
Diaster Situation One Year On:

I wrote in an article on 22nd of February 2006,Quote - “Long term economic planning in disaster area is necessary to cope with challenges which lay ahead and some Relief organizations lack vision in implementation and Technical knowledge and local knowledge to be effective. Army is good in logistics and rescue but long term aid they will need local knowledge and volunteer support. The need is to prioritize & strategize the situation with local & volunteer support at every level. Otherwise we will be creating a long-term problem. The biggest flaw is the disparity in food & medical supplies, some people have more than their fair share of aid, others none at all There is a need to guarantee fully transparent & fully accountable distribution of resources, Social issues relating to education and employment will also complicate matters once the winter is over, immediate danger of cold and starvation subsides there will be a need of advice from locals themselves in livelihood, dependency, economic impact of breakup of the family structure which considered a social safety net for poorest of poor in a third world country like Pakistan.”-Unquote
I was skeptical of the centrally planned military bureaucracy which was even hindering the work of self funded UN missions and Foreign and Local NGOs, an earthquake reconstruction and rehabilitation Authority (ERRA) was established, with retired army personnel as staff rather than local unemployed, like any other bureaucratic fiasco Unfortunately my worst fears were proved right.

with headlines regularly appearing in local newspapers making grim reading.

Demonstrations in Balakot against delay in relocation from dangerous city (lack of any action on part of government)
Kidnapp of women & children from relief camps(continues to this day)

Lack of funds for reconstruction (despite US$ 6.5 Billion grants & loans)

ERRA officials and army demanding bribes for Compensation cheques to be handed over to survivors.

ERRA chairman accused of personal embezzlement of funds.

UN expressing concerns over allocation and distribution of funds.

Government of Norway, writing off a bad debt given for Education in effected areas.

UK accusing British Muslim charities of using funds for terrorism (although denied later).

USA banning Jammat ud Dawa relief activities on pretext of its affiliation with lakhar taiba,

Jammat ud Dawa & Jamat Islami banning women social workers (both local and foreigners) working in earth quake area.

India accusing Pakistan of cross border terrorism after Mumbai blasts after reactivation of camps of religious outfits.

Locals accusing Government of rigging the Legislative assembly election to engineer land slide victory for right wing Muslim conference (a satellite party of Military government in Pakistan), MMA (alliance of hardliner religious parties, trying to cash in their relief work activities) and MQM (non local ethnic outfit of Karachi based Urdu speaking mohajirs (immigrants from India)

Its evident that military government which championed relief work as its success story, has yet again miserably failed the survivors of the earthquake, but more worrying is the fact that this failure of the government also means alienation of local population from ideology of “Kashmir is integral part of Pakistan” and the failure will not help the long term peace and stability of Kashmir, Pakistan and India, the peace process and the development of South Asia as a whole.

Special Gratitute To following Friends for their invaluable Support

Haq Nawaz Qureshi- Nation Records UK
Raja Sohail-Birmingham & Dixy Fried Chicken Pakistan
Professor Muhammed Tariq & his colleagues in Balakot
Syed Akhtar & Imran Khan Team
Ikhlaq and Imran Khan UK Team
Abdul Sattar Edhi
Medicines Sans Frontiers-Belgium
Shaista Aziz- Oxfam UK
Ummah Welfare Trust- Balakot & Bradford UK
Love and respect to all our hosts in Bagh,Arja(especially the kids) and Balakot

Oxfam Press Release – According to international aid organization Oxfam, more than 1.8 million persons face a second winter in makeshift shelters and tents. In a report entitled Keeping Recovery on Course it pointed out that “the scale of the catastrophe, difficult mountainous terrain, poor infrastructure, extreme weather conditions, problems with disseminating public information, as well as gaps in support for some vulnerable groups, have hindered the pace of reconstruction. As a result, many are still at risk with snow already falling in one of the highest regions in the world.” The report, quoting Pakistani authorities, says that “only 17 per cent of the 450,000 affected households have begun building permanent homes. Oxfam estimates at least 80 per cent of the remaining families, equivalent to 1.8 million people, are still living in temporary shelters with the rest staying with friends and relatives. Over 40,000 people are known to be in tents in official camps. Thousands of others are believed to be in unofficial camps and tents close to their home villages.”Says Farhana Faruqi Stocker from Oxfam International, “With snow already falling, this winter seems to have arrived early. Besides materials that will strengthen their homes against the harsh conditions, people in temporary shelter in rural and mountain areas need sustained access to safe heating and other essential items… When we see that one year after Hurricane Katrina, the world’s richest nation – the US – is still struggling with the reconstruction of the areas affected, it is no surprise that Pakistan has faced difficulties in the recovery across a much more difficult terrain.” It is matter of concern that there is still no government support for rural survivors who lost their land during the earthquake to rebuild their lives.

Bradistan Calling:Mein Kemp & “in the line of fire”

2006-10-02T10:48:00.000+05:00

Mein Kemp & “in the line of fire”
Musharraf is the new best friend of right wing American and British elite, who dutifully obeys their agenda for a new middle east and muslim world, even if that means balkanization on basis of oil ,nature resources ,ethnic and sectarian division within current sovereign Muslim states. This agenda will shape the “new American Century”

The military dictator of Pakistan, general pervaz Musharraf is courting controversy nowadays with his memoirs “ In the line of Fire” , which is probably the first autobiography written by a dictator still in power since Mein Kemp by Adolf Hitler.
And the similarities do not just end there. Actually for hundreds of political activists and journalists killed and missing in action since musharraf started war on terror (read democracy in Pakistan), not to mention hundreds of al qaeda terrorists killed or hand over to USA for millions of dollars of cash prizes which general unashamedly admits receiving from white house, a more appropriate title would have been “In front of Firing Squads”.

The supposed strong Man of the muslim country , which is the seventh declared nuclear state in the world , showed his cowardice by claiming that America threaten to “ Bomb Pakistan back to stone age” before attack on Taliban. Apparently this compelled the saviour of the muslim ummah to become a trusted terrier of GW Bush to hunt al qaeda out of their fox holes.
Transparency International puts him in most corrupt dictators /leaders of the world, the economy which was championed as an emerging market –with help of hand outs from American coffers off course- is indicating a signs which are more common in sub Saharan Africa and its corrupt despots than the south East Asian tigers.

Musharraff is quick to make a peace deal with talibans in waziristan, but on other hand killed popular leader and political opponent Akbar bugti during the military operation in balochistan. If someone like private tv channel ARY digital criticizes his cronies and his government’s corruption, he sends his police to raid and switch their satellite transmission, hundreds of journalists have lost their lives in operation war on terror.
Inflation is sky rocketing, budget deficit out of control and food, medicine, education prices are in hyper inflation. The biggest news headlines in Pakistani newspapers are the daily suicides of urban poor who cannot survive in crippling poverty and decide to end their own lives along with poisoning their own family to a peaceful death, poverty gap is increasing but musharraf does not want world to see this ugly face of his rule and government.

Musharraf is the new best friend of right wing American and British elite, who dutifully obeys their agenda for a new middle east and muslim world, even if that means balkanization on basis of oil ,nature resources ,ethnic and sectarian division within current sovereign Muslim states. This agenda along with detailed maps was provided in American armed forces journal
http://www.armedforcesjournal.com/2006/06/1833899

The so called “enlighten moderation” of General Musharraf, who claims to be progressive-according to his own book “Casanova” as well”- and defender of human (read only Soldiers) rights in Pakistan, is strange bed fellows in shape of a mullah military alliance in two provinces of pakistan and friendly lollipop opposition of clerics who want to bring Islamic revolution while riding their limousines . Musharraf caved in to his friends the mullahs on proposed amendment to draconian hudood laws which even punish the rape victims by stoning to death as it is termed adultery in shariah law of Pakistan. last year’s visit to USA General is on record saying in a tv interview “ Pakistani women( while asked about Dr Shazia case and Mukhtar Mai gang rape cases) get themselves raped to get human rights sympathy and visa to America and Europe” Shame on your Enlightened views general.

“Buy The Book” is the new slogan by GW Bush (and Neo Cons and Zionists), who wanted to praise and reward his “poodle” Musharraf during the press briefing covered by International media. While mushrraf sounded and behaved like obedient servant giving GW Bush Pakistani military Annual performance report on war of terrorism.
The Windfall is expected to be in tens of millions of dollars according to the publishers, this was “the biggest publicity stunt” ever pulled off by a publisher for a forth coming book, it is expected to be best seller in USA & UK. The private book promotion tour was arranged as an official visit to USA and 60 or so ministers (cronies) enjoying luxuries on hard earned Taxes of poor Pakistani citizens.
while Right wing Evangelists want people to “ Buy The Book”. I would strongly advise to “Burn the Book”. Musharraf and his book is a slur on integrity and honour of a proud nation, because musharraf has shown himself to be a person who is a modern day “Judas” willing to sell his soul to devil for few pennies.

Dil Nawaz is a Freelance Journalist who writes on international relations and social justice, columnist can be contacted on

dilnawazinqalabi.blogspot.com

Rebellion against American Doctrine of " Clash of Civilisation"

2006-09-26T10:58:00.000+05:00

Rebellion against American “clash of civilizations”
Dil Nawaz
We need systematic attempt to institutionally challenge the view propagated by Washington neo-conservatives that the West is engaged in a life-and-death struggle with militant ( and even mainstream ) Islam ,Arab media and Islamic groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas. A so called war between judo-Christendom and an imaginary Islamic kingdom. Samuel Huntington‘s evil prophecy about our future in clash of civilizations, negating almost thousand years of history and taking the world back to dark days of crusades is the new bible for western elite.

New World Order & New American Century
New World Order term was used by George Bush Sr after first Gulf War in 1991, which centered on a uni polar world with America as mega super power and its dependence on gulf’s oil reserves , this policy and policy coined by neo conservatives in 1995 named as project “new American century” whereby the single objective of united states of America’s policy is to ensure hegemony in vital economic zones of the world by hook or by crook in 21st century, end of cold war policy of American expansionism and occupation of Arab oil fields and continuous support of colonial power Israel has resulted in a lot of resentment in third world specially Muslims and Arab world ,with armed resistance and terrorist groups like al Qaeda emerging to challenge American interests in areas of conflict. 9/11 was a watershed it gave America a wild card to loot and plunders, seek and destroy, kill and occupy any piece of foreign territory it deem fit for take over or potential threat doctrine of colonial greed disguised as pre emptive strike of the great knight crusader Mr. George Bush Jr Ever since the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks on the United States, right-wing officials and lobbyists in that country, several of them close to Israel, have sought to demonise Islam and portray it as a deadly threat to Western societies.
These views were embraced at the highest level in America, and to some extent in Britain as well, where the notion took hold that, for the West to be secure, militant Muslim groups had to be destroyed and Muslim societies had to be reformed, if necessary by force.
The decision to wage war in Iraq followed, as did President George W Bush’s “war on terror”, a global manhunt in pursuit of anyone suspected of sympathy for the cause of militant Islam.
The same attitude inspires the current US campaign of seeking to impose “democracy” on the Arab world in order to “defeat terror”. It is widely recognised that the conflict between the United States and a world-wide Islamic insurgency has become the most explosive issue in the world today.
The Middle East arena has become the epicentre of the world crisis. But Across Europe, not only in Holland but also in Denmark, Germany and France and even terror conscious UK , there is evidence that the integration of Muslim immigrants has not always been successful and has led to severe tensions, sharpened by Israel’s brutal repression of the Palestinians and by the war in Iraq.
Because it was waged on the basis of lies and false premises, the Iraq war has aroused tremendous controversy in many parts of the world – including inside the intelligence and diplomatic services of Britain and the United States.
Senior Muslim figures have written open letters sharply criticising the Middle East policies of Blair governments.
we must denounce the “climate of fear” promoted by Washington neo-conservatives.
Rebelling against official Western orthodoxy that perceives Islamism as a hostile ideology, civil society set themselves the ambitious task of promoting a “new engagement” with Islam based on dialogue, mutual respect and tolerance.
Coordinating negotiations and mediation between all the parties, establishing valuable personal contacts.“We need to demonstrate,that there is an alternative relationship between the West and Islam other than one defined by laying waste of Fallujah and Gaza”. Anti Zionist is not same as Anti Semitism and, if we link religion to terrorism with condemnation of “Muslim Terrorism” we should at same time condemn “Zionist Terrorism” and White Christian Supremacist Para-militaries in America
The worsening estrangement between the West and Islam is a source of grave concern.
· It has brought suffering to Muslims in many parts of the world and has also damaged Western societies by severe restrictions on civil liberties.
· Muslim values pose no threat to Western societies. In fact, Muslims overwhelmingly share a desire for free elections, popular participation and effective, non-corrupt government. Hamas and Hizbollah case in point
· Caught in their ideological straitjacket, Western governments cannot remedy the situation. Ordinary people must act and speak out for themselves in support of dialogue and of a 'listening' between peoples.
· A basic belief is the need to recognise the "Other" and change the ways in which the West engages with the Muslim world.
· With this in mind, we plan undertaking a study of the various currents in political Islam and plans to share its findings with Western policy-makers and the public.
· A more controversial aspect of informal approach is what it describes as the need to stimulate a rigorous understanding in the West of the causes and varied nature of 'armed political action' by Islamic groups and to distinguish this from what is usually labelled as ‘terrorism'.
· believes it is a fundamental mistake to label Hezbollah and Hamas as terrorist organisations, and seek to isolate them – as the European Union has done under American and Israeli pressure. . its aims to the Arab media and will hold meetings with representatives of Islamic groups, such as Hezbollah and Hamas.

· On the contrary, arguement that it is essential to bring these groups into the political process and, in the Palestinian case, to include them in the leadership of the national movement.
· swimming against the current is never easy. The coming years will demonstrate whether civil society can convince the public, the press and policy-makers that a new Western perception of Islam is not only possible but urgently need.

We need a civil society organization, Non denominational, religious secular partnership of cross section of community, which can act like “Think Tank”.
As a start of discussion on the onslaught by Christian fundamentalist neo cons, in form of “clash of civilizations” following topics the list is by no means exhaustive, research and proposals for other relevant issues
Western media analysis
Post 9/11 divide between Muslim & westerns Countries
Clash of ignorance( although neo-cons call it clash of civilizations)
distribution of resources in Muslim Countries
Emergence of New tools and technology of information
Writer contributes freelance to different forums on international relations and social justice, columnist can be contacted on email: muslim_Policy@yahoo.co.uk

http://dilnawazinqalabi.blogspot.com

9/11- Brand Al Qaeda and Neo Cons

2006-09-11T10:24:00.000+05:00

BRADISTAN CALLING

/11 - Day of remembrance & resistance
09.11.06
on this fateful day, about 3,000 were killed in america by a terrorist atrocity, all civilian most unaware that this act of revenge was aimed at their own murderous government. Terrorists were sucessful in killing thousands,bringing down the symbols of american power and invincibility. USA superpower became vulnerable and got the sympathies of all the world. but in the aftermath the Terrorism unleashed by America and its war on terror has killed hundreds of thousands innocent civilians in Iraq, Afghanistan, Palestine, Labenon,Indonesia,India ,Pakistan,Kashmir,madrid and London.If a verdict is passed on these crimes against humanity , Bush Administration will be declared guilty. as response to 9/11 terrorist atrocities gave the greenlight to bush neo cons to purpetrate Suffering and destruction on innocent millions living already in poverty of third world created by american capitalismMy Thoughts and Prayers are with millions who suffered on 9/11 and as result of state terrorism on 9/11, God Bless American People & victims of terrorism all over the worldand may the Bushy Neo Cons & Mr Usama Bin Laden Burn in Hell