Posts tagged People

Parachinar weeps again

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Parachinar 8

As the Pakistan military strengthens its position in Swat and Waziristan, the Kurram agency is in the spotlight once again. Fighting has erupted and reportedly, the Taliban fleeing from Waziristan and Swat are wrecking havoc in Parachinar. They are fuelling sectarian tensions and finding refuge as locals from different sectarian groups, particularly the Shi’ites, are targeted.

Amidst fierce clashes that left 33 dead and over 65 injured in a single day, the residents of Parachinar have renewed their call for a military operation. A call they have been issuing for almost 28 months now. The government, the previous and the present, seem to pay no heed to this despearate appeal. (more…)

The PEACE Act 2009 (Kerry-Lugar Bill)

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The PPP government celebrates the passing of the “Pakistan Enduring Assistance and Cooperation Enhancement Act” by the USA Congress which would provide an estimated $1.5 billion per year in financial assistance to Pakistan for the next 5 years. The conditions that have been set for the provision of this assistance are, to say the least, humiliating for any patriotic Pakistani.

The conditions associated with this bill constitute most text of the text this bill contains which I took the time to read through in detail.

Let me highlight only a few of the absolutely disappointing clauses that are included as “conditions” for this aid:

to ensure access of United States investigators to individuals suspected of engaging in worldwide proliferation of nuclear materials, as necessary, and restrict such individuals from travel or any other activity that could result in further proliferation;

This is a clear indication that the PPP led government is ready to risk a National Security issue of such importance for a small amount of money. By accepting this assistance, the government intends to agree to give the United States access to nuclear scientist, Dr. Abdul Qadeer Khan, which is absolutely NOT acceptable to the people of Pakistan. (more…)

Report: Humanitarian Crisis in Pakistan

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I’ve compiled a report on the humanitarian crisis that Pakistan faces today. The report has been published at Global Voices Online, a community of more than 200 bloggers around the world who work together to bring you translations and reports from blogs and citizen media everywhere, with emphasis on voices that are not ordinarily heard in international mainstream media.

The report highlights how the Pakistani Blogosphere has reacted to the crisis and gives you an in-sight to cyber activism in Pakistan.

Pakistan has been hit by a severe humanitarian crisis as a result of the military onslaught against the Taliban insurgency. The valley of Swat is in Pakistan’s Malakand division, a beautiful valley often dubbed as another heaven on planet earth. It used to be a prominent tourist resort before it was struck by militancy and extremism of the local Taliban.

It is being reported that over one million (some reports even suggest that figure stands at near 2 million) people have fled their homes from various areas in the Malakand division and FATA including Buner, Dir and Swat. These “Internally Displaced People” (IDPs) are seeking refuge in other areas of Pakistan. Temporary camps have been established in the North-West Frontier Province (NWFP) where registered IDPs are provided food and shelter.

The crisis is huge. The problems seem impossible to overcome. But Pakistan as a nation has always proved its resilience and unity in testing times. In this regard, a massive relief effort has been launched by many organizations and individuals. The Pakistani Blogosphere is also taking a leading role to provide relief to our Pakistani brothers and sisters in distress.

Read the Full Report at: http://globalvoicesonline.org/2009/05/21/pakistan-a-humanitarian-crisis/

How we support Israel every hour, every day!

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stop_israeli_terrorWe, Muslims, are estimated at around 1.84 billion in number on the face of this planet. Yet, we are undoubtedly the most oppressed and persecuted of people. Not because we are helpless – but because we refuse to help ourselves. We forgot our religion and its values a long long time back – we limited religion to the mosque and to the mullah! We pray 5 times a day, yet we feel no shame in bribing petty officers.

We, the Muslims, are the largest producers of oil in the world. Yet our fuel is what drives the West and its sophisticated weaponry. The jets that have bombed Afghanistan, Iraq and are now bombing Palestine – yes – it is our fuel they use to blast their heavy jet engines. Shameless, as a word, fails to describe our leadership. We are so strong yet so weak that we can not even ‘threaten’ to suspend oil supplies to the world. We shamelessly continue to provide them with our oil so that they may fly their sophisticated fighter jets over our land, so that they may bomb our women and children, our sisters and brothers.

(more…)

Is the ‘PP’ Pakistani anymore?

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The People’s Party government in Islamabad has either done or tried to do almost everything that the Indians have been demanding. With Musharraf in power, Pakistan had the courage to tell the United States and India of their involvement in the Balochistan and the Frontier province unrest. What use is a democracy that cannot uphold our dignity, sovereignty and self-respect? Where has one of the three P’s in the PPP gone? The Pakistan?

Amend Foster

Sunday, December 14 – 2008

Ever since it came to power, the People’s Party government in Islamabad has either done or tried to do almost everything that the Indians have been demanding Pakistan to do for them over the past several decades.

While Musharraf was in power, the government was labelled ‘cowardly’ and one that strictly followed American directives. We dived into the ‘War on terror’ for the United States at a heavy cost. We handed over Pakistani citizens who were ‘suspected’ of being involved in terrorism.

But with Musharraf in power, Pakistan had the courage to tell the United States and India of their involvement in the Balochistan and the Frontier province unrest. It had the power to tell the United States ‘Sorry, we will not support you to attack Iran from our territory’. It had the guts to say ‘No, Gawadar port shall be built and completed’ much to the United States anguish.

Let me come to where I wanted to take you. What use is a democracy that cannot uphold our dignity, sovereignty and self-respect? I am not opposed to democracy, I am talking about this specific form of democracy that is in place in Pakistan. A democracy so fragile and insecure that if Mumbai is attacked, the President of this country (sitting happily over the 17th ammendment) comes out to say that it is an attack on the democratic establishment in Pakistan. Absurd right? Absolutely! (more…)

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