Pak News Wire

Arizona prison teacher raped by inmate

Arizona prison teacher raped by inmate

An Arizona prison teacher who was brutally raped by an inmate is at the center of a legal controversy in which the state is accused of tryin...

Shreya Ghoshal ties the knot with longtime boyfriend Shiladitya

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833918/shreya-ghoshal-ties-the-knot-with-longtime-boyfriend-shiladitya/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833918-ghoshal-1423199529-735-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Indian playback singer Shreya Ghoshal tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend Shiladitya in a traditional wedding on Thursday. Shreya shared the news on <a href="https://www.facebook.com/shreyaghoshal/photos/a.10152074044476484.1073741825.11541726483/10153056510791484/?type=1&comment_id=10153056610086484&ref=notif&notif_t=comment_mention" target="_blank">her Facebook page</a> where she posted, “Married the love of my life yesterday night (5th feb) in a beautiful bengali traditional wedding in presence of our families and closest friends. Shiladitya and I both seek your good wishes in this exciting new phase of our lives.” Shreya, who began her Bollywood playback singing career with Devdas, is now an established leading female playback singer in Indian cinema. Congratulations to one of India’s best singers.

Shreya Ghoshal ties the knot with longtime boyfriend Shiladitya

Indian playback singer Shreya Ghoshal tied the knot with her longtime boyfriend Shiladitya in a traditional wedding on...

Hubble captures triple solar eclipse on Jupiter

Hubble captures triple solar eclipse on Jupiter

Snow Festival turns to the dark side

Snow Festival turns to the dark side

John Legend boycotts hotel over Sharia law

John Legend boycotts hotel over Sharia law

R&B star joins Hollywood boycott against Brunei-owned Beverly Hills Hotel.

Grand mufti: ISIS ‘far from Islam’

Grand mufti: ISIS ‘far from Islam’

The actions of the Islamic State are anything but Islamic, and Muslims must battle extremism to maintain the religion's message of mercy...

Appointment of superior judges: Bars oppose unchecked powers to MPs panel

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833863/appointment-of-superior-judges-bars-oppose-unchecked-powers-to-mps-panel/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833863-afeab-1423194520-327-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  The superior bars have expressed reservations over the proposal aimed at granting unchecked powers to the Parliamentary Committee for Judges’ Appointments. </div> After the establishment of military courts through 21st Amendment, the Parliamentary Committee on Judges’ Appointments has proposed another constitutional amendment to change the present procedure of judges’ appointments, which is seen as another setback for the superior judiciary. The top parliamentary body, which approves the nomination regarding the appointment of superior courts’ judges, has recommended the government to introduce the 22nd Amendment, wherein it is proposed that the decision of parliamentary committee will not be challenged in any court of law. However, the superior bars have expressed reservation over this proposal. Talking to The Express Tribune, lawyer Hamid Khan strongly opposed the proposed Amendment and termed it as ‘useless’. “The appointment of judges will get politicised if unchecked powers are assigned to the parliamentary committee.” He also objected to the formation of a committee to initiate the names for the appointment of high court judges. Pakistan Bar Council Vice Chairman Azam Nazir believes that the committee’s powers were encroached by the superior judiciary as it became ineffective; therefore, 22nd Amendment is the reaction of parliament. He criticised the superior judiciary for not amending the Judicial Commission’s rules on the demand of lawyers. “I personally believe politicians and judges should sit together for the appointment of judges as it happens in the United States and European countries,” said Tarar, adding that the supremacy of parliament cannot be overlooked. Supreme Court Bar Association president Fazl-e-Haq Abbasi expressed reservation over the parliamentary committee’s proposal and said the Supreme Court has the power to review the decision of every institution as the supervisory jurisdiction of the apex court cannot be abolished. Yasin Azad, PBC’s representative in JCP, also opposed the proposed amendment and said that the present system of judges’ appointment is strengthening gradually; therefore, it should be allowed to continue. Former SCBA president Kamran Murtaza said presently, the commission’s role is dominant in the judges’ appointment but this proposed amendment will give unchecked powers to parliamentary committee, adding that there should be a balance between both bodies in the process of judges’ appointment. Since August 2013, a three-member sub-committee headed by Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Farooq H Naek was consulting with bar representatives and retired judges to bring changes in the process of judges appointment. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015.

Appointment of superior judges: Bars oppose unchecked powers to MPs panel

ISLAMABAD: The superior bars have expressed reservations over the proposal aimed at granting unchecked powers to the ...

Twins infiltrate Mexican cartel

Twins infiltrate Mexican cartel

CNN's Rafael Romo reports on two former drug trafficking brothers who turned government informants to infiltrate a powerful Mexican drug...

Brian Williams’ bad day

Brian Williams’ bad day

Having a bad day? Leave it to Twitter to make it worse.

Is Bode Miller’s career over?

Is Bode Miller’s career over?

Skier undergoes surgery after World Championships crash.

Teams announced for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833562/teams-announced-for-quaid-e-azam-gold-cup/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833562-Hockey-1423168830-695-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			KARACHI: The 10 participating teams of the Quaid-e-Azam <a id="_GPLITA_0"></a>Gold<img alt="" /> Cup hockey tournament, being held at the Pakistan Customs sports complex from February 7-15, have been announced by event director Hanif Khan. The teams that will take part are Pak Customs, PIA, NBP, SSGC, Railways, Police, Army, Pakistan Steel Mills, Sindh and Punjab, divided into three pools. Over the nine-day period, the tournament will hold 23 matches; the group stages will be played from February 7-12 while the semi-finals and final will be played on February 13 and February 15 respectively. Pakistan Customs’ Chief Collector Tariq Huda said that this event was first organised in 1955 and since then has been held only four times, with the last one being staged in 2010. He vowed that Pakistan Customs would make sure the Quaid-e-Azm <a id="_GPLITA_1"></a>Gold<img alt="" /> Cup is held on a regular basis. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EtribuneSports">Sports on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETribuneSports">@ETribuneSports</a> on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

Teams announced for Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup

KARACHI: The 10 participating teams of the Quaid-e-Azam Gold Cup hockey tournament, being held at the Pakistan Custo...

Aaron Hernandez jury’s field trip (Opinion)

Aaron Hernandez jury’s field trip (Opinion)

Making a return: Clarke continues to prove fitness

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833586/making-a-return-clarke-continues-to-prove-fitness/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833586-MichaelClarkeAFP-1423167473-705-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			BRISBANE: Australia captain Michael Clarke continued his push to prove his fitness ahead of the cricket World Cup by bowling two overs and making a handy 34 in a warm-up match against Bangladesh yesterday. The 33-year-old has until Australia’s second match of the tournament, against Bangladesh on Feb 21, to prove his fitness after undergoing surgery on a torn hamstring. He played a club game in Sydney at the weekend and then turned out for the Cricket Australia XI against the Bangladeshis at Allan Border Field in Brisbane. Clarke had expected to play just a limited part in the game, but bowled two overs of left-arm spin and fielded in the slips and on the boundary. His hamstring was well tested as he took a low catch in the slips to dismiss Bangladesh captain Shakibal Hasan and spent two hours in total on the field. He also returned to bat and made 34 from 36 balls, including six fours, and looked in no discomfort. “In my opinion, there’s still a gap between where I am now and playing an ODI for Australia,” Clarke, who will head to Adelaide today to join the rest of the Australian squad, told reporters. “But the fortunate thing is I’ve got plenty of time to close that gap. I’m trying to get fit and healthy as soon as possible, and then the experts will make those decisions.” Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/EtribuneSports">Sports on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETribuneSports">@ETribuneSports</a> on Twitter to stay informed and join in the conversation.

Making a return: Clarke continues to prove fitness

BRISBANE: Australia captain Michael Clarke continued his push to prove his fitness ahead of the cricket World Cup by ...

Bowling alley murder remains mystery

Bowling alley murder remains mystery

On an early February morning almost 25 years ago, a bleeding 12-year-old Melissa Repass somehow summoned the courage and wherewithal to call...

Honoured: PML-N leader gets Japanese award

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833709/honoured-pml-n-leader-gets-japanese-award/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833709-Newsinbriefx-1423172549-895-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>LAHORE:  The Government of Japan conferred a Japan National Award to politician Muhammad Mehdi on Wednesday in recognition of his services to extend political and cultural cooperation between Pakistan and Japan. </div> An event in this regard was organised at the residence of the Ambassador of Japan. Mehdi is a Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz stalwart. Speaking at the event, Mehdi said he felt honoured to have received the award. He said Pakistan and Japan had been on the same page during the Korean War and Cold War. “The laborious efforts and determination of the citizens of Japan had helped it rise and become a modern industrial nation,” he said. Japanese Ambassador Hiroshi Inomata said that Muhammad Mehdi was most deserving of the honour. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015.

Honoured: PML-N leader gets Japanese award

LAHORE: The Government of Japan conferred a Japan National Award to politician Muhammad Mehdi on Wednesday in recogni...

A sniper’s view: ‘When you are bred to kill, you know’

A sniper’s view: ‘When you are bred to kill, you know’

As a proud Army mother, Kelly Copeland cannot bear to see "American Sniper," even though it now rates as the biggest grossing war ...

LG polls: ECP wants tentative dates from Punjab, Sindh

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833803/lg-polls-ecp-wants-tentative-dates-from-punjab-sindh/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833803-electioncommissionofpakistan-1423178390-673-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  Perturbed by dilly-dallying tactics of the two provinces, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has summoned local government secretaries of Punjab and Sindh on Friday (today) to ask them for a tentative date for holding Local Government (LG) polls. </div> The ECP is in a fix over possible schedule of the LG polls for the two provinces which it has to submit before the Supreme Court (SC) on February 12. The SC on January 8 had asked the ECP to submit schedule of LG polls for Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Punjab and Sindh in the next hearing which it fixed for February 12. The ECP is confident that it can issue schedule for the LG polls in K-P by end of March and polls in the province can be held by end of May or in early June this year. However, Punjab and Sindh are lagging behind and need to complete the pre-requisites. The delimitations they had carried out in 2013 were scrapped by the superior courts after complaints of anomalies in the exercise. The courts had directed that the ECP should demarcate the boundaries of the LG constituencies through a fresh delimitation exercise.   This is pending since then as the two provinces have yet to hand over fully the maps and data to the ECP. After the January 8 directives of the SC, the ECP sent these provinces letters to complete the process within one month. It also asked them to appoint focal persons with whom the ECP remains in touch to get the required documents. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015.

LG polls: ECP wants tentative dates from Punjab, Sindh

ISLAMABAD: Perturbed by dilly-dallying tactics of the two provinces, the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) has su...

Show of support: ‘Our position on Kashmir dispute will not change’

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833717/show-of-support-our-position-on-kashmir-dispute-will-not-change/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833717-image-1423171972-852-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>DERA GHAZI KHAN / FAISALABAD:  Thousands of people across the province took out rallies on Thursday to mark Kashmir Day. </div> In Faisalabad, special prayers were held at nearly all mosques in the city. In some areas, Quran khawani was held for those who had died during their struggle for Kashmir’s independence. Various religious and political organisations including the Sunni Tehreek, Jamaat-i-Islami, Shabab Milli, Al-Khidmat Foundation, Jamiat-i-Ahle Hadith and Sunni Ittehad Council organised rallies, seminars, meetings and conferences to mark Kashmir Day. Participants of the rallies carried banners and placards inscribed with slogans expressing solidarity with Kashmiris. Several educational institutions held declamation contests on the Kashmir dispute. Faisalabad Arts Council organised a theatrical performance called Aakhri Dam Tak. It depicted the commitment and determination of Kashmiris in the face of Indian tyranny in Kashmir. Jamaat-i-Islami activists made a human chain at Chiniot Bazaar Chowk. Hundreds of people joined the human chain and chanted slogans against India. Jamiat Ahle Hadith provincial ameer Qari Muhammad Hanif Bhatti said Kashmiri people had shed enough blood for nearly seven decades to attain freedom. “Their sacrifice will not go waste,” he said. He said India should avoid further bloodshed in Kashmir. In Dera Ghazi Khan, the arts council organised a function to pay tribute to those who had lost their lives in the struggle for independence of Kashmir. Addressing the function, DCO Nadeemur Rehman said that Kashmir was Pakistan’s jugular vein. “Pakistanis must not back an inch from their position on Kashmir,” he said. He said people of the country were united against Indian atrocities in Kashmir. “We should celebrate Kashmir Day in such a way that the dream of hundreds of thousands of Kashmiris is materialised,” he said.  He thanked people for coming out in large numbers to show solidarity with Kashmir. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015.

Show of support: ‘Our position on Kashmir dispute will not change’

DERA GHAZI KHAN / FAISALABAD: Thousands of people across the province took out rallies on Thursday to mark Kashmir Da...

Broken trust: Three lady health workers held in illegal adoption case

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833679/broken-trust-three-lady-health-workers-held-in-illegal-adoption-case/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833679-LadyhealthworkersPHOTONAEEMGHOURIEXPRESS-1423174285-558-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  The case of an alleged illegal adoption ring took a new turn on Thursday as the police arrested three women, said to be lady health workers, from Peshawar and Mardan for their alleged involvement in the case. </div> A senior police official told The Express Tribune that all three women were lady health workers and were arrested on a tip-off from the alleged ringleaders, who were arrested earlier. The official said the health workers had easy access to most localities, which “may have allowed them to help the suspects survey the areas”. He added that reuniting the children, at least some of whom are believed to have been stolen, with the parents would be a real success for the police. He said new information has surfaced and raids would be conducted in different cities to arrest the remaining members of the ring. The official added that the women would be brought to the capital after obtaining transitory remand from local courts. Earlier, the police said that a resident of Lahore, Asif Qureshi, came to know that a Facebook page “BabyAdoptDropOrg” was involved in the business. Through his sources, Qureshi contacted Shahzad Ali Zeb and he agreed to sell an eight-day-old babyfor Rs300,000. Qureshi became suspicious due to the demand for cash and later found that Zeb, his mother and wife were allegedly stealing newborn babies from hospitals and selling them. The suspects used an NGO called “Madad Welfare Organisation” as a cover for their illegal activities, a police official said. It has an office in Sector G-10, but the authenticity and legal status of the organisation has yet to be confirmed. Qureshi had lodged a case against the suspects at Ramna Police Station, saying that the suspects, Zeb and his mother Tahira Gul, who is president of the NGO, stole newborns from hospitals and sold them for hundreds of thousands of rupees. During initial interrogation, the police said that the suspects confessed to stealing babies from various hospitals in Islamabad, Rawalpindi and Peshawar and selling them. The suspects said they had formed the NGO and newborn babies were supplied by women who would steal them from hospitals, said the police. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015.

Broken trust: Three lady health workers held in illegal adoption case

ISLAMABAD: The case of an alleged illegal adoption ring took a new turn on Thursday as the police arrested three wome...

AFCON tie halted due to crowd trouble

AFCON tie halted due to crowd trouble

Thursday's Africa Cup of Nations semifinal was brought to a halt minutes from time after Ghana supporters were forced out of their seats...

A study for all views

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833493/a-study-for-all-views/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833493-DrPervezTahirNew-1423152261-404-160x120.JPG" width="160" /> 			</a> 			The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has achieved a rare feat. It has produced a study which provides ammunition to those anti- as well as pro-privatisation. I have myself used it in these columns and elsewhere. My source was Dr Akhtar Hasan Khan’s excellent book <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/344255/divergent-views-privatisation-consensus-yet-to-be-reached/">The Impact of Privatisation in Pakistan</a>, published in 2012, who was resourceful enough to access this hard-to-get study. Done under the title of “Impact Analysis of the Privatisation in Pakistan” in 1998, it assessed the performance of units privatised in 1991-96 in a pre- and post-type of analysis. As reported by Dr Khan, out of the 79 units investigated, only 20 per cent performed better than before and 35 per cent performed worse than before. There was no change in the performance of 44 per cent of the units. This was damning evidence against the privatisation programme. In the case of public manufacturing enterprises, only a quarter of the units were doing better than before. At this level of performance, the argument that the state must not be in the manufacturing business seems like a joke. Regardless, the ADB recently signed a $ 20 million Public Sector Enterprise Reform Project to support, among other things, the government’s privatisation programme. This is not surprising as privatisation is an essential component of the neo-liberal agenda pursued by the multilateral financial institutions. The agenda is not necessarily informed or influenced by their research programmes, conducted as these are with a plethora of caveats and disclaimers. What is surprising, however, is that the latest project for assistance makes the case for privatisation by using the same 1998 study. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/67.jpg" /> As a matter of fact, the documentation prepared for the reform project pronounces the privatisation programme of the 1990s as a success story. In its issue of February 2, 2015, the pro-privatisation <a href="http://www.brecorder.com/br-research/44:miscellaneous/5138:was-90s-privatization-program-a-failure/">Business Recorder </a>has gleefully reproduced note 13 of the Report and Recommendation of the President of the ADB. As reported, the note claims: “An impact assessment of the last Pakistan privatisation programme concluded that it was a success.” The note claimed that 32 per cent of the units privatised performed better than before and 29 per cent performed worse than before. No change in performance was reported for the rest of the units. This report card is certainly better than the one reported by Dr Khan, though it still does not make a compelling case for privatisation. There is a major discrepancy in the two report cards, however. The note 13 bases its analysis on a total number of 95 privatised units, while Dr Khan’s universe consisted of 79 privatised units. Are the two studies different or different versions of the same study? The truth can only be established if the ADB puts the 1998 study as well as the documentation supporting the the latest assistance in the public domain. As part of the good governance agenda, multilateral financial institutions go to any length to force the right to information down the throat of a recipient. I wonder if there is anything called the international right to information! The Business Recorder requested the Pakistan office of the ADB to provide the said report, but without any success. Whether the headquarters in Manila would be more forthcoming, remains to be seen. In the meantime, we stand by the analysis of Dr Khan, who distinguished himself as a civil servant of impeccable integrity and as an economist who would never speak before ensuring that the facts are right. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

A study for all views

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has achieved a rare feat. It has produced a study which provides ammunition to those ...

Housing for the urban poor

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833519/housing-for-the-urban-poor/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833519-SyedMohammadAliNew-1423152516-224-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			To have an adequate shelter to house one’s family is a basic human need. However, for countless hardworking households across our country, access to adequate housing remains an elusive goal. This problem is particularly severe in our fast-growing urban areas. Ignoring the needs of low-income people, housing in larger cities and towns is currently being controlled by <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/826694/turf-wars-can-the-sindh-govt-take-action-against-the-land-mafia/">powerful interest groups</a>, which aim to create low-density housing colonies by encroaching upon surrounding agricultural areas, and in turn producing an uncontrolled, environmentally unsustainable and an automobile-dependent urban sprawl. The Woodrow Wilson Centre in Washington brought together a range of experts to focus on Pakistan’s rapid urbanisation challenges, including the need for adequate housing. It released a <a href="http://www.wilsoncenter.org/sites/default/files/PakistanUrbanization.SiddiquiPolicyBrief.pdf">policy brief</a>, which not only sheds light on existing low-cost housing needs, but also provides interesting insights to better address this problem. There is an approximate backlog of over 4.3 million housing units in the country, which is growing by an additional demand for 500,000 units per annum. There is an oversupply of homes available for those who can afford to pay more but a dearth of housing that is within the price reach of the urban poor. According to a 2012 survey in Lahore, 66 per cent of the urban population could afford to buy only one per cent of the available homes in the city. The situation in other major cities is no better. Although approximately 40 per cent of Pakistan’s urban population lives in sub-standard katchi abadis, the <a href="https://www.google.com.pk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0CB0QFjAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fpunjablaws.gov.pk%2Flaws%2F385.html&ei=XdTTVNiQMc_vat7QgYgK&usg=AFQjCNG0bDunVOVu72z7xep9ijamwlfUGg&sig2=NGsdlaSgTk5pOGP6ikKdCQ&bvm=bv.85464276,d.d2s">Katchi Abadis Improvement and Regularisation Programme</a> is also facing mammoth challenges. The government authorities concerned need to work much harder to better integrate katchi abadis, by linking them with available infrastructure, and making katchi abadi integration a priority in future urban development plans, which is not really happening. Successive governments have launched numerous schemes in the name of the poor. Most recently, the Sindh government has approved a proposed draft for the construction of around 200,000 low-cost housing units worth Rs300 billion in the province. However, even if this scheme is effectively implemented, it will still be a drop in the ocean compared with the actual requirement. Moreover, the experience of similar schemes in the past is not encouraging. Previous low-cost housing schemes have failed to meet the demand of low-income groups because they remained unaffordable for a majority of poor households, and became encumbered by red tape and corruption. As a result, public land allocated for housing the poor is often purchased by speculators or the middle classes instead. There is need to draw lessons from prior failures to ensure that such schemes are effectively implemented. Instead of allowing the creation of large housing schemes, by encroaching upon more agricultural land for instance, provincial governments need to promote densification in upcoming housing projects. One suggestion could be to review the existing restrictions on height of apartments, so as to encourage construction of buildings that can house at least 1,500 persons per acre. A review mechanism of experts representing urban planners, architects, engineers, and other stakeholders should be established at the provincial level to ensure that such high-rises are built safely. Our policymakers need to take decisive steps to offer the urban poor a chance to own their own homes, instead of being compelled to eke out an existence in ever-growing slums and squatter settlements. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

Housing for the urban poor

To have an adequate shelter to house one’s family is a basic human need. However, for countless hardworking households...

Drawing new battle lines

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833513/drawing-new-battle-lines/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833513-MuhammadAliEhsanNew-1423152473-770-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			New battle lines have been drawn. The military-mullah alliance that shaped and sustained our deeply entrenched policy on Afghanistan and Kashmir is now under severe strain. Secrecy has been an important tool used by the security apparatus to fight the war on terror — much of which was fought selectively against the bad Taliban with the ‘good’ ones left alone as they were considered our secret assets, who not only enjoyed state patronage but also enjoyed the welcome, warmth and hospitality of many madrassas spread all along the western front. In fact, most Taliban are the beneficiaries and products of the same madrassas. Was the political and military elite thinking about the Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/819065/21st-constitutional-amendment-jui-f-calls-new-law-a-suicide-attack-on-democracy/">response</a> and how it would shape and draw the new battle lines when the 21st Amendment was being introduced? The military and the entire nation are now confronted with this swiftly developing dangerous situation in which the good Taliban are also threatening to become bad. And guess who is threatening to lead such a revolt — Maulana Fazlur Rehman. He is not only a staunch supporter of the Taliban but is also somebody who has been visiting the US and the European Union in the 1990s to seek and secure support for the Taliban. As far as his Arab contacts are concerned, they date back to the time when the Arab rulers of Saudi Arabia and the UAE were invited to Pakistan and for whom he arranged hunting trips in Kandahar. Much of the financial support that the Maulana is able to muster and which our interior minister claims is <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/830211/foreign-funding-of-madrassahs-in-senate-proceedings-sparks-uproar/">difficult to monitor and detect</a> comes from such Arab rulers. Although the Maulana is the current chairman of the Kashmir Committee, his most controversial statement as a politician is also on the subject of Kashmir. Visiting India and addressing its media in 2003 as the leader of the MMA, the far-right wing parties’ alliance that opposed General (retd) Pervez Musharraf’s rule at that time, he said that “Kashmir is a territorial problem rather than a religious issue”. Going by his political wisdom, the three wars that Pakistan fought with India must then have been for the acquisition of territory and not for the injustice meted out to the majority of Muslim Kashmiris who have been deprived the right of self-determination. For the external wars that Pakistan fought and the indigenous rise and the daily battles that the people of Kashmir fight against the Indian occupation army, the Maulana finds no role of religion. But when it is the need of the hour and the collective will of the nation is required to fight against those who are murdering and killing our children, he terms it a war directed against the ‘religious constituency’ in the country — the constituency which votes him to power and defending which is not a matter of national but personal interest to him. A constant propagator of anti-American sentiment in the country, the true side of the Maulana was exposed when WikiLeaks secret cables disclosed that he had invited an US Ambassador to Pakistan, Anne Patterson, to dinner in Islamabad and during a conversation with her, sought American support to become the country’s prime minister. At the moment, the military is in a tight spot. The National Action Plan warrants the <a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/832551/military-brass-vows-to-eliminate-terrorism/">military to act</a>. Maulana Fazlur Rahman is mincing no words in how he wants to defend and protect the ‘religious constituency’. Terrorism perpetrated in the name of religion is the core ill that infects our society and unless the military takes action against all those who practise and preach religious extremism, the war on terror will continue to remain a stalemated and a deadlocked one. There is huge risk that the military might get embroiled in fighting a long war against a deeply entrenched mindset led by opportunist leaders, who are ready to take a stand behind the shield of religion. Fighting against such people is not an act of vengeance but a dire and existential need to maintain national security. This is something that the generals all along have been aware of. General Shuja Pasha, the former DG ISI, explained the growing problem on our western frontier to Leon Panetta, a former US defence secretary, who in his autobiography <a href="http://thepenguinpress.com/book/worthy-fights-a-memoir-of-leadership-in-war-and-peace/">Worthy Fights — A memoir of leadership in war and peace</a>, writes that “On my first visit to Pakistan, I was told by Pasha that the problem with western Pakistan stemmed from the replacement of the malik, the secular tribal leader, with the mullah, the religious authority”. Like General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani, General Pasha was very close to General Musharraf and the comment he made was not personal but a deep set belief of the core group of the senior military leadership of the time. General Musharraf had actually set the tone of such military thinking when he took over as the military ruler and gathered all the leading religious scholars and clerics from all over Pakistan at the Convention Centre, Islamabad and while addressing them said, “How does the world look at us?… It looks upon us as terrorists. We have been killing each other. And now we want to spread violence and terror abroad. Naturally, the world regards us as terrorists. Our claim of tolerance is phony … we never tire of talking about the status that Islam accords to the women. We only pay lip service to its teachings. We do not act upon it. This is hypocrisy.” The point I want to make is that the military’s senior hierarchy all along knew where the epicentre of terrorism lies in Pakistan. Limited and restrained by the now jettisoned ‘concept of strategic depth’ and the lack of political support, military operations were either delayed or not launched at all. It’s General Raheel Sharif, who has now finally committed to fight against ‘the entire spectrum of terrorism in Pakistan’. The 21st Amendment has now enabled and empowered the military to bring to justice through its military courts, the captured and surrendered militants. Yet, it’s not about dispensing speedy justice; it’s more about confronting the ‘bad mullah’ — the self-proclaimed ‘guardian of our religion’ — and ‘religious authority’, which has indoctrinated and brainwashed many minds that challenge the authority of the state and fight against it. Any step backwards at this stage will only mean a very insecure future for our children, and for this country, a not so pleasant fate. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="http://www.facebook.com/EToped">Opinion & Editorial on Facebook</a>, follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETOpEd">@ETOpEd</a> on Twitter to receive all updates on all our daily pieces.

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Women deserve better from Hollywood: Reese

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833452/women-deserve-better-from-hollywood-reese/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833452-image-1423149025-480-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			Reese Witherspoon has set herself the task of shifting Hollywood attitudes towards women by not only changing the way women are portrayed in films but also by altering the way female actors are treated in the industry, reported Huffington Post. Two years ago, she started her own production house after seeing six of her favourite female actors “fighting over a really crappy role in a movie,” she revealed at the recent Oscar Nominee Luncheon in Los Angeles. “We deserve better. It’s great to speak up, but what I really think is you’ve got to do something,” she said. Last year, Reese produced the adaptation of the book Gone Girl, and starred in and produced an adaptation of the best-seller Wild. In her role as producer, she has strived to make films that place strong female characters in lead roles. Both her films feature intricate narratives, driven by female characters that are strong, independent, and fundamental to the plot beyond any relationship to a male character. “I set out with the idea that I wanted to develop material that has strong female leads. I wanted to make movies about what I want to put out into the world – put some good into the world,” she commented. Wild is the true story of Cheryl Strayed, who set off alone to hike 1,100 miles of the Pacific Crest Trail in reaction to her mother’s death. Reese named Wild the greatest gift of her professional life. “I feel like I really fought for this movie to get made. And it was hard. But it’s so rewarding,” Reese stated. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ETLifeandStyle">Life & Style on Facebook, </a>follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETLifeandStyle">@ETLifeandStyle</a> on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Women deserve better from Hollywood: Reese

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Local artists, artisans celebrated

<a href="http://tribune.com.pk/story/833440/local-artists-artisans-celebrated/"> 				<img alt="" height="120" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/833440-image-1423148817-565-160x120.jpg" width="160" /> 			</a> 			<div>ISLAMABAD:  After completing her intermediate and some technical short courses, Hafsa decided to join a local marble mosaic centre in her vicinity. “I saw it as a good opportunity to make use of my free time and learn something new,” says the teenager, who has learnt the art of making marble mosaics, both, by manually gluing them together, and by using heavy-duty machinery to create stand-alone pieces. Hafsa is among the artists and artisans who participated in the four-day arts and crafts showcase, which concluded at Centaurus Mall on Thursday. </div> There are few regular occupational prospects for girls in her native village Thanda Pani, located in the suburbs of Islamabad. But with the newly-acquired skills, she plans to hone her creative streak and pursue a full-time career, taking her craft to the next level. Hafsa says the training she received was useful, and that she was comfortable communicating with her female instructors. Having graduated from a three-month workshop, she is now moving towards enterprising her products and carving a niche for herself in the industry. <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/36.jpg" /> The showcase, which displayed around 35 stalls, brought together individuals like Hafsa from different parts of the country. With its truck-art décor, complete with a vintage rickshaw parked on a side, the diverse stalls featured embroidered homeware and accessories, handmade jewellery, precious gemstones from Northern  Areas and Afghanistan, pottery from Multan, shawls from Kashmir, traditional dolls and miniatures, and brass and plaster of Paris interior decoration pieces. Not only did the exhibit highlight local emerging entrepreneurs but also put them in direct contact with potential buyers. “The aim is to provide them market access, especially in the wider market,” says Aijaz Shahid, founder of the e-commerce marketplace mohejoz.com, which organised the fair at the mall.  “Our tourism industry suffered a huge blow following the 9/11 attacks and, as a result, the associated industries began vanishing,” he laments. However, he notes that since nearly 40 per cent of the country’s population has internet access, it seemed like a reasonable idea to create an online platform, where buyers and sellers could have one-on-one interaction with each other. The direct platform connects buyers and sellers. “Artisans get value as they sell directly to the buyer, and the buyer also gets the product at a cost lower than the market rate. So, it is a win-win situation,” he explains. “Our crafts’ sector has not developed a lot, mainly because the middle-man is strong and, subsequently, the average artisan cannot break into the main market.” <img alt="" src="http://i1.tribune.com.pk/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/37.jpg" /> The showcase, which aimed at promoting indigenous arts and crafts, attracted people from all walks of life. “I got a beautiful marble inlay for my mother and I told her that it was prepared by our local women, as opposed to the imported variety you find elsewhere,” said Mahreen, a visitor at the exhibition. Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2015. Like <a href="https://www.facebook.com/ETLifeandStyle">Life & Style on Facebook, </a>follow <a href="https://twitter.com/ETLifeandStyle">@ETLifeandStyle</a> on Twitter for the latest in fashion, gossip and entertainment.

Local artists, artisans celebrated

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