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Is anyone listening?- Ardeshir Cowasjee
“YOU are not really listening”, Mohammad Nasheed of the Maldives told a hundred fellow heads of state and government at the ‘UN Summit on Climate Change’ at New York this week. “If things go as usual, [...]
Quest for truth, reconciliation – Kunwar Idris
PRESIDENT Asif Zardari’s proposal to establish a truth and reconciliation commission has caused some surprise. That he should be inviting Asma Jehangir to chair it defies belief.
If the president is earnest about his proposal and wishes [...]
Militancy in prison – Huma Yusuf
IN July, the ISI released a dossier describing the connection between madressahs and militant networks. To illustrate the issue, the dossier presented the case of Fidaullah Yousufzai, a 24-year-old who was educated at Islamabad’s Lal Masjid and four other seminaries before joining the militant Ghazi Force.
Yousufzai then went on to [...]
Does the west take the Afghans for fools? – Charles Ferndale
The American commander of the Western forces in Afghanistan, General Stanley McChrystal, says he needs more troops or the war there will be lost within 12 months. He says also that US/NATO forces should kill fewer Afghans and try harder to win over their hearts [...]
Russians or Taliban? – Dr Farrukh Saleem
Who is America’s enemy number 1? Russians or the Taliban? On August 8, 2008, Russia’s 58th Army invaded South Ossetia. Russian Air Force’s 4th Army of Air Forces and Air Defence bombarded America’s eager ally, Georgia. America — the US Army being fully deployed in Iraq and Afghanistan — [...]
Watching television in India – Aakar Patel
India’s state broadcaster Doordarshan completes 50 years this month. It began with one channel in 1959 and now is a network of 19. This includes two channels dedicated to showing proceedings live from the upper and lower houses of parliament. In India the quality of debate is poor. This [...]
The Taliban and Salarzais – Farhat Taj
I was in Pakistan in August and had the opportunity to meet the leaders of the anti-Taliban lashkar (volunteer army) of Bajaur’s Salarzai tribe. I am honoured that upon my request they travelled from Bajaur to meet me in Nowshehra and shared with me information about their anti-Taliban struggle. [...]
Over the top – Masood Hasana
My friend, who recently travelled from London to Pakistan aboard a PIA flight and then made the return journey a few weeks later, had some interesting observations both ways. She said, “The flight to Karachi had a small Business Class cabin of about 10 people. Only two ladies over 70 [...]
The turning point —Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi
It is encouraging that civilian and military authorities are working together to fight the menace of terrorism. However, counter-terrorism should not degenerate into a stalemate because that would provide an excuse to some people to return to a pro-Taliban disposition
The successful meeting of the Friends of Democratic Pakistan on [...]