|
|
Asif and I by Benazir
Bhutto
Few men have been called upon to pay the price that he (Asif)
has paid both for his political commitment and marriage.. |
|
 |
Brave Departure or Shameful Flight?
by Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta
"..life is not a ball game and nations cannot simply
withdraw from wars without thinking it through..." |
Five lessons Kofi Annan did not learn while leading the UN
by Jamil Usman
He lamented the so-called genocide in Darfur but did not say a word about the persecution of people in Chechnya, Palestine
and Kashmir.. |
Bangladesh’s Sleeping Frankenstein
Dr Ayesha Siddiqa
The Bangladeshis proudly flaunt their national experience of
pushing the ‘men on horseback’ back into the barracks.
However.. |
Future of Iraq: The spoils of war
By Danny Fortson, Andrew Murray-Watson
and Tim Webb
"So where is the oil going to come from?... The
Middle East, with two-thirds of the world's oil and the
lowest cost, is still where the prize ultimately lies,"
(Dick Cheney) |
Pak-Americans Doing Well, Spell
Casters Even Better
BY KHALID HASAN
Twenty-four year old Saima from California can’t find a
husband. She wants to know how that can be rectified. She is
told to recite a certain Quranic verse eight times after
late evening prayers and another verse 11 times.. |
My Mother Does Not Cook Cows
by Mayank Austen Soofi
We Hindus consider the sweet-looking bovine creatures as mothers
incarnate.. |
He Takes His Secrets to the Grave
by Robert Fisk
We still don't know - and with Saddam's execution we
will probably never know - the extent of US credits to Iraq,
which began in 1982.. |
|
A Dictator Created Then Destroyed by America
by Robert Fisk
"Handed over to the Iraqi authorities, " he may have been
before his death. But his execution will go down - correctly
- as an American affair.. |
Silencing Saddam by
Robert Scheer
The fact is that Saddam Hussein knew a great deal about the
United States’ role in Iraq, including deals made with
Bush’s father. |
Mai and Her Millions
BY MUHAMMAD ABD AL-HAMEED
I know MM [Mukhtaran Mai] fairly well, and have looked
closely at her organization and its finances. |
The General in his Labyrinth
by Tariq Ali
If there is a single consistent theme in Pervez Musharraf’s
memoir, it is the familiar military dogma that Pakistan has
fared better under its generals than under its politicians. |
Imran Khan the Politician
by Sarwar Sukhera
Envy of every testosterone-charged man, the debonair Mr.
Khan cut a macho figure after whom comely maidens lusted.
But that was yesterday. |
Bahawalpur's Two Ends
by Dr Ayesha Siddiqa
A few weeks ago on a usual trip to my ancestral village near
Bahawalpur I heard several stories of young and not-so-young
girls eloping with their lovers.. |
Pakistan: Ballot Or The Bullet
BY WAJID SHAMSUL HASAN
..the General does not want to give it up. This means that
the 2007 elections would no doubt be the “mother of all
elections” and decisive too... |
The holy cow called Israel
by Khalid Hasan
If Gen. Musharraf wants the world to believe that the 2007
elections in Pakistan are going to be free and fair...then
it is Jimmy Carter whose stamp of approval he should
obtain.. |
Why Balochistan Matters
by Wajid Shamsul Hasan
When Pakistan is nearing what think tanks forecast as the
inevitable denouement, its incorrigible military
establishment has closed its eyes to the writing on the
wall... |
Waves on Kashmir by
Qudssia Akhlaque
Every time the president advances these proposals, which
hinge on reciprocity, they create ripples with screaming
headlines.. |
The Bangladesh Lesson
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
All the Bengali students, with hardly any exception, stood
with the progressive students to oppose Islami Jamiat-i-Talba (IJT).. |
Re-Imagining Pakistan
by Pervez Hoodbhoy
"..let’s imagine a film like “Jinnah”. You die and fly off
to the arrival gate in heaven where an angel of the
immigration department screens newcomers from Pakistan.." |
Khan of Kalat Gathers the Tribes
“Bugti was buried with three locks on the coffin,” says Khan Suleiman. |
Her Majesty's Realpolitik by
Dr Ayehsa Siddiqa
The British government’s decision to forego the
investigation regarding the sale of BAE equipment (to Saudi
Arabia) is not only controversial but is also historic.. |
Aljazeera: Plot Thickens by
Ramzy Baroud
THE launch of Aljazeera International on November 15, the
English arm of Aljazeera Satellite Television was hardly an
ordinary event. |
Person of the Year: Sidarth "Macaca"
BY MICHAEL SCHERER
The Virginia native and son of Indian immigrants changed history with
a camcorder and introduced Sen. George Allen -- and the rest of us --
to the real America. |
The Great Tragedy by Faiz Al-Najdi
Unfortunately, the tragedy that began for these Pakistanis, after
surrender, did not simply end here... |
Greater Afghanistan or Great Pakistan
By ABID ULLAH JAN
"According to a report by Jyoti Malhotra, the British are now
talking of a partnership of equals between Britain and
India in the new century... Greater
Afghanistan would play a pivotal role in the whole set up." |
In a Town Fearful of Pakistanis, One Made Amends For Many
by Shaheen Sehbai
"Turn around," she ordered and when Masood (Haider)
did, she started to give him a shoulder massage... |
The 'Good Old' World by Razi
Azmi
One of the great pleasures of life up until TVs and VCRs became common
was a visit to a cinema hall to see a movie, particularly in an
air-conditioned one. |
NRI in Britain Like Coconuts: Brown Outside, White Inside
By Kul Bhushan
Brown from outside, 'Coconuts' are Indians who are white inside thus
implying their 'Britishness' in their language, habits and thinking. |
Afghanistan Imbroglio - Saying It Like It Is
BY KAMRAN SHAFI
Well done, Governor Aurakzai, for taking the bull by the horns and
telling the Brits off for the utter mess they are helping the
Americans make of Afghanistan... |
Watching Elections in America
By Art Buchwald
TO MAKE sure our elections are fair, observers from democratic
countries are monitoring the process. They are spread out throughout
the country.. |
Globalization, Chaos and War BY
A S PANNEERSELVAN
..a closer reading of The Twilight of the Nation State
reveals that Jha is fulfilling the first rule of good journalism: that
of a timely whistleblower. |
No Dubai for Pakistan
BY Dr Manzur Ejaz
Karachi used to be quite a city...That is a thing of the
past. After the rise of religious fundamentalism in the
mid-seventies in Pakistan, not only Karachi, but other prime
tourist spots also started losing attraction.. |
Why a Christian in the White House Felt Betrayed
By DAVID KUO
President Bush didn't live up to his promises to the
religious right, - the Evangelicals - says a former member
of his faith-based initiative team.. |
Catholic Papacy
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
..the Church of Rome has the longest history of involvement
in state politics. In medieval times, it was the biggest
feudal lord and rent collector of Europe.."
|
War of Independence and RSS
by Haider Abbas
It would be very appropriate to signify that it is the
wealth of Muslim kings of Delhi and Avadh which was
transferred to Britain and used against the Turks to break
the ‘Ottoman Caliphate'!
|
The Non-Assimilating Muslims
By Dr Manzur Ejaz
In relative terms and given their societal context the
Evangelical movement in the US is no less intense than the
Taliban of Afghanistan...
|
Why I Forwarded Benazir's Picture
by
Muhammad Abd al-Hameed
I presumed the photo to be
genuine. The basis of my presumption was that in late 1980s
somebody had shown me a photographic print of another
picture of her taken during the same period..
|
Rewriting Pakistan's History
by Sarwar Sukhera
I rushed to the prayer mat and bowed my head in gratitude to
the Almighty for blessing us with a military of untarnished
image, enviable reputation and brilliant record on the
battle fields; such as wars of 1965, 1971 and Kargil...
|
Bugti Had Asked For It by
Muhammad Abd al-Hameed
The turning point came when conclusive evidence of
subversion was shown to the U.S. President during his visit
to Islamabad...
|
The New Land Barons? by Ayesha
Siddiqa
According to an assessment ...the worth of a general..in
real estate terms is anything from a hefty 150 to 400
million rupees...
|
Why Punjab Did Not Strike by
Ashraf Mumtaz
Some people say that ‘the business as usual’ in Punjab means
that the chief minister is in full control of the
province...
|
In Defense of Bugti
by Kuldip Nayar
I found Bugti to be a proud Pakistani and, at the same time,
a proud Baloch. There was no contradiction between the
two...
|
A Murder Foretold? by Dr Manzur
Ejaz
In the backdrop of his narrative, the news of Akbar Bugti’s
death sounded a lot like a “murder foretold”.
|
Bugti Murder - Shocked into Sensibility
by Tahir Mirza
Nawab Bugti said:
‘Go to the civil secretariat and look at the name plates on
the officers’ doors. You will either see the name Raja or Rizvi.’
|
Why Did The Chicken Cross the Road?
by Spitfire
DR SEUSS: Did the chicken cross the road? Did he cross it
with a toad?
Yes, the chicken crossed the road, but why it crossed I've
not been told...
|
Why 14th of August?
by Sarwar Sukhera
Surely you have read of the dissection of the word
"Pakistan" as representing different letters from the names
of the present four provinces -- never a mention of Bengal
-- that make up the country in its present form.
|
What's
in a Name! by Sarwar
Sukhera
If names really weren't important, would Romeo and Juliet
have ended up dying for the sake of the family names they
were born into?
|
The Rising
by Dr Mazur Ejaz
Something new is taking shape in the sleeping valleys of
Pakistan...For those who see and hear
there are signs.
|
Hey Rich Man! by Sarwar Sukhera
It is easy to tell if you have done well for yourself and
really ‘arrived’. I list below a few of the telltale signs.
The readers are welcome to add their favorites to the list.
|
From Sonar Bangla to Bangladesh
by Razi Azmi
Pakistanis can also derive a perverse kind of pleasure from
the fact that Bangladesh’s formative years resembled
Pakistan’s own..
|
Blood Brothers - Remembering Telinipara by
Ashok Mitra
" The story is so interesting that one gets captivated. I
will make sure every Cabinet member gets it. I will even try
(to ensure) that the President (Pervez Musharraf) and Prime
Minister (Shaukat Aziz) read it..."
|
An Irreverent Look at Zodiac Signs
by Rashed Chaudhury
Zodiac Signs go from unbearably pushy and selfish to
absurdly agreeable and generous , and range from fearless
sheep to sheepish fish...
|
Pakistan's National
Predicament by Irshad
Salim
Sitting in his house in Islamabad with a close aide ,
President General Pervez Musharraf reportedly explored the
scenario in Pakistan...
|
Bad Boys of Bollywood
by Pen Intended
As journalists covering cinema now comment their "job was
now as good as covering the crime beat."..
|
Why are Jews so Powerful?
by Dr Farrukh Saleem
For every single Jew in the world there are 100 Muslims.
Yet, Jews are more than a hundred times more powerful than
all the Muslims put together. Ever wondered why?...
|
It's All in the Name
by Sarwar Sukhera
Take Jennifer for an example. The very name conjures up an
image of a pretty blue eyed teenager with blond hair tied in
a ponytail...
|
Sense of Citizenship
by Dr Bhaskar Dasgupta
But in Egypt, citizenship devolves down from the father,
whose name has to be written in the birth certificate, and
guess what?
|
Bush and Kashmir
by K N Pandita
What emerges from this overview is that the US is not prepared
to propose any change in the status quo in Kashmir...
|
Sharp-Eyed View of a Mohajir
by Sayeed Hasan Khan
Soon after the death of Jinnah, Pakistan as a political
experiment declined. Ayub lurched into the disastrous 1965 war
with
India which left East Pakistan undefended (and its people
derided) and thus sowed the seeds of separatism.
|
Passage to India
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
Bush stresses friendship with General Musharraf rather than
Pakistan. In other words, General Musharraf is good, Pakistan is
not...
|
India and Cartoon Controversy by Syed
Ali Mujtaba
Surprisingly, the Shiv Sena leader Bal Thackeray did not
throw his hat in this controversy and till now have not made a
counter offer of higher booty..
|
Keep On Going My Friend
by Irshad Salim
The Mullahs think it's time to raise their age-old
Naara (slogan) "Eik Dhakka Aur
Do" and
make it resonate in the corridors of power, but..
|
Unzipping Expatriates
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
"...by the time I made it to Washington, I was almost numb to
the life-changing experience of migrating to a new country..."
|
The Cartoons From Hell
by Eric Margolis
"..free speech does not include the right to scream "fire" in a
crowded movie theatre. And that's just what the European
newspapers did..."
|
Are Desis White?
by Francis C. Assisi
....the judge scrutinized his (Abdullah Dolla) appearance
closely then declared him white and granted his petition...
|
With A Grain of Salt!
by Bhaskar Dasgupta
"..the Muslim intelligentsia decided to take their toys and move
off to a separate country. Fair? Yes! Equal? Not really..."
|
`Islamic Republic of India´
by Aftab Alam
"...we alone have the right to snatch it back - and rename our
country as ‘Islamic Republic Of India’ (viz Islami Jamhoria
Hind)- or ‘Muslim India’ to be more appropriate..."
|
Occident Mind, Orient Faith
by Syed Ali Mujtaba
The occidental societies take pride in superiority of mind over
faith..the oriental view makes distinction between scared and
profane..
|
Balochistan Tango
by Mohammed Yousuf
In 1952, the States of Balochistan - Kalat, Mekran, Kharan
and Lasbela - were permitted to form ‘The Balochistan
States’ Union’...
|
Screwing It Up! by Sarwar Sukhera
All it will need is one issue, an angry moment or a screwed up
authoritarian in a bad mood to start a chain reaction of
destruction and total annihilation of everything that is living,
except of course the cockroaches...
|
Islamophobia
and the Cartoons
by Abdul Malik Mujahid
"Muslims are the new N***ers of
America. If you will not fight for yourself, no one will."
He's right. But Muslim complaints about Islamophobia
continue to be dismissed...
|
Hello Parents of Foreign Exchange Students
by Danielle Grijalva
For some of you, there's something in their voice that isn't
quite right. You can even tell in their emails to you that
something is missing....
|
Europe’s Uncivilized Act
by Nasim Zehra
When the ancient Bamiyan Buddhas in Afghanistan were
criminally destroyed by the Taliban, the Europeans screamed
murder the loudest. We all did too in the Muslim world..
|
Brown as Capitol B
by Irshad Salim
For close to an hour the man, an Indian-American, was
questioned by the Capitol Police, who thought he resembled
someone on a Secret Service photo watch list..
|
The
Doctors' Hospital
by Khalid Hasan
At the “best hospital" in Lahore, run by a group of
Pakistani-American doctors, a nurse arrives and begins to inject Farooq.
He screams, clutches his heart and his eyes roll...
|
Singh Sings Washington Blues
by Praful Bidwai
"...Singh is willing to sacrifice India's sovereign right to
determine her energy policy. Singh is kowtowing to the United
States like no other Indian prime minister has..."
|
Goldman Sachs on Bangladesh
by Andy Mukherjee
A poor, overpopulated, corrupt country with rising income
disparity is fertile ground for extremism....
|
Iran's Real Crime
by S Imam
One of Saddam Hussein’s crimes was selling oil for euro.
Iran’s crime is even greater. It plans to launch a
euro-based bourse...
|
A War Sans Sovereignty
by Nasim Zehra
Pakistan cannot have the blood of its citizens flowing to
protect US citizens against real or imagined terrorists.
Pakistan's contributions to the war on terrorism have been
unparallel...
|
Hindu Nationalists Rewrite California Textbooks by Angana
Chatterji
"..the Curriculum Commission accepted, that the current
text, 'The Aryans created a caste system…', be replaced
with: 'During Vedic times, people were divided into
different social groups (varnas) based on their capacity to
undertake a particular profession.'
|
Finding a Place for 9/11 in American History by Joseph J.
Ellis
"...it defies reason and experience to make Sept 11 the
defining influence on our foreign and domestic policy..."
|
Hamas - Evolution or Revolution? by Minhaj
Qidwai
Let us hope that Hamas victory is not treated as the victory
of the Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria in 1991 - when the
Algerian army took over the power and annulled the
elections...
|
Balochistan at High Noon
by Amir
Mir
'If Pakistan can take up Gujarat Riots,
surely India can raise the Balochistan issue', says Asma
Jahangir, a Human Rights activist in an interview..
|
The Emperor's New Clothes
by Sarwar Sukhera
A dear friend of mine and I regularly wager on what the
President (Musharraf) will be wearing the next morning. I
picture him pacing up and down wondering what to wear for
the day...
|
Shaken and Stirred
by Kera Bolonik
Why it's hard to be a drunk when you're allergic to alcohol,
and how hard it is to have sex when you're sober...
|
How Do You Like Your Democracy Now, Mr. Bush?
by Juan Cole
Bush allowed then Ariel Sharon to sideline the ruling Fatah Party of Yasser
Arafat, to fire missiles at its police stations, and to
reduce its leader to a besieged nonentity... |
The
People that Pakistan Forgot by Ahmad
Faruqui
The UN High Commissioner on Refugees did not recognize them
as refugees either, since they have not fled from any
nation. As one of these unfortunate people put it, it is
their nation that has fled from them...
|
The Iran-West Nuclear Stalemate
by Dr Syed Javed Hussain
The US and Israel are inching towards this showdown to
plunge the world into a crisis of immeasurable magnitude...
|
A
Phoenix From the Ashes
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
The newly elected socialist leaders of South America...are
way ahead of the Pakistani political elite..
|
Retreat From Kalabagh
by Ayaz Amir
What do Pakistani governments, all governments, take the
people of Pakistan for? Idiots, devoid of intelligence, a
commodity to be taken for granted?..
|
Canada Elections - Another Minority Govt?
by Minhaj Qidwai
The Conservatives platform titled “Stand up for
Canada”....is like a music to the ears, but needs to be
heard in the parliament...
|
Iran, Israel Rhetoric
by Dr Syed Javed Hussain
Iran's Ahmedinejad has earned more ears than he deserves, while the
real threats emanating from Israel have largely gone
unnoticed..
|
Take the Money and Run
by Ardeshir Cowasjee
An elite host of other political figures who received funds
from an ISI account were revealed in the Supreme Court...
|
Pakistan On a Slippery Slope by Minhaj Qidwai
The recent strike through CIA drone in the area of Damadola
also shows the inhuman concern of Americans for
Pakistan...The options available to Pakistan, are limited,
and so is the time.
|
When East Pakistan Became Bangladesh by
Sultan Reza
The Banarsi mechanic opened the hood of the Volkswagen and
yelled, ”This car has no engine”. This is how unfamiliar the
Indians were of foreign cars in 1971.
|
“Rab da bhana inj hoya”
by Dr Manzur Ejaz
I do not know what metaphysical entity or theory Boota Sain
was referring to but I suddenly saw a connection in the
simultaneous rise of fundamentalism in Muslims, Sikhs and
Hindus..
|
Dissident Voice
by Jason Miller
Can you imagine the repercussions if Pakistan had killed
eighteen American civilians on US soil in a "strike against
terrorists" based on "bad intelligence"?
|
In Canada Desis Have a Choice by
Irshad Salim
The choice for Jan 23 is a slow and ineffective Liberal
system versus an unknown future under Conservative
stewardship. What a choice!
|
If it’s Thursday it must
be Lahore by Mario
Rodrigues
This is the day when the rich culture of this historic and
mystical city comes alive, drowning it in a vibe of sound
and music...
|
Another Winter of Discontent by Ayaz Amir
Allowing a situation to develop where the Bugtis and Marris
take to the gun testifies to the failure of political
imagination. Who is to blame?
|
From Detroit to Patna
by Syed Muzammil
The fourth son, ironically named Bhutto, was on his way
towards becoming a doctor at Sindh Medical College...They
tried their best to create an Altaf out of Bhutto...
|
The Desi Vote Machine by Irshad
Salim
We try to
remember a voter by his first name..We connect and then it
becomes easy to get him on our side." Just like back home
yaar back home ! "
|
Musharraf's Other War
by Zahid Hussain
"Musharraf is right that this is not 1970. He will not know
what has hit him," he laughed. Heavy fighting broke out as
we left Dera Bugti..
|
Musharraf In The Hot Seat
by Irshad Salim
"As for Musharraf, the ideal way out for him is to become a
civilian constitutional
head of the country..."
|
On Being a Muslim in America Now
by Sultan Reza
Four years have passed but I am sorry to note that a Muslim
in America is as much a suspect now as he was back
then when I wrote the article...
|
Why Sindh is against Kalabagh Dam
by Sarwech Saryo
The once mighty Indus River has been the life and blood of
Sindh since time immemorial and is essential to our
civilization...
|
Pakistan- Both Hare and Hound in 'War on Terror'
by M B Naqvi
Just how the general handles the new situation is being
watched by the U.S. and its allies...
|
In Defense of Punjab
by M A Hameed
The ordinary Punjabis feel disillusioned. They can’t
understand why they are hated for being generous and
understanding...
|
Green Crescent Over Sonar Bangladesh
by Eliza Griswold
"...The victim who told me this story had her eyes cut out
by her attackers so that she could not identify them after
the rape.."
|
Pakistan - an American Trojan Horse? by Karamatullah
K Ghori
It is in the Iranian context that General Musharraf of
Pakistan is seen as invaluable in Washington...
|
Kalabagh Deadlock - The
Media Must Mediate by Nasim Zehra
The Nawaz Sharif government supported the (Kalabagh) dam
project while Benazir Bhutto opposed it. Now all of them are
opposing it...
|
Kalabagh, What Is To Be Done by Dr Mubashir Hasan
Pakistan had faced a similar situation at the end of the
sixties over the Six-Points-demand of the Awami League...
|
I Remember, I Remember;
How Can I Forget? by Sultan
Reza
We asked Shaikh Hasina about his (Mujib's) possible
reaction. She said that he had promised to retire from
politics after he had a grand child...
|
Searching for the Hidden Message by Nayyar Zaidi
"...I spent sleepless nights (hence the delay in writing
this column) to find a hidden message in the "Makkah
Declaration"..."
|
`No-Borders-Plus´
Kashmir Solution
by Nasim Zehra
This 'no-borders-plus-approach' that Musharraf has
discussed with the Indians, the Kashmiris and others, had
been kept under wraps until the earthquake.
|
America Kidnapped Me
by Khaled El-Masri
The US policy of "extraordinary rendition" has a human
face, and it is mine...What happened to me should never be
allowed to happen again...
|
`Mai Mari da Asthan´
by Mohamed Elmasry
"...And thus Pakistani Muslims proudly claim the village of
Murree as the site of the Virgin Mary's tomb....."
|
“Serving The People”
by Khalid Hasan
I have been trying to look for a word that would describe
the lack of sensitivity that Pakistan’s political and
official elite exhibits....
|
Day Of Deceit
by Oscar-Tango
Bob Stinnett says Pearl Harbor was not an accident. It was
carefully orchestrated and initiated at the highest levels
of US government..
|
`CIA Sent Bhutto to the Gallows´
by Irshad Salim
"Bhutto's execution could set off the single most dramatic
change in world power alignment since World War II."
(Ramsey Clark)
|
`Oscar-Tangoing´
by Irshad Salim
If Oprah and David Letterman can mend fences, why not
Benazir Bhutto and General Musharraf?
|
Aga Khan's Empire
by Simon Clark
Alibhai took $27.3 million out of the U.S. on a total of 33
journeys, breaking a law requiring transfers of more than
$10,000 to be declared...
|
Lesbianism In India
by Jasmeen Dugal
Crusaders of India's lesbian movement say they are
bracing themselves for a long, uphill battle...These things
will take time,” is their....outlook.
|
Image Bombers
by Faiz Rehman
“It descends from the heavens. Ironically it
unleashes hell,” reads the ad, which ran a few days ago in
the National Journal...
|
| |
|
The views expressed in these articles and Op-Eds are the writers' own and do not necessarily reflect those of despardes.com |
Articles/Opinions
