Twirp : Terrorist Wahabi Islamic Republic Pakistan

[Naresh]

<b>Mudy Ji :

Jalebi Madam’s Reply</b>

[center]<b><span style='font-size:21pt;line-height:100%'>Non-thinking tanks` -- a rejoinder</span></b>[/center]

It is unfortunate when commentators get their facts wrong in their hurry to put forward the officially certified `truth`. Nadeem Iqbal has clearly fallen victim to the same in the above-titled piece in The News on Sunday (May 25), and in the process presented data that is totally false. First, I was not the longest-serving director general of the ISSI (Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad) - the foreign office needs to check its record more carefully. That privilege goes to Brig Noor Hussain. Second, Tanvir Ahmed Khan (who unfortunately has never himself claimed to be a PhD, but others feel a compulsion to give him this title which many scholars have worked hard to acquire authentically) was appointed as chairman in his last stint at the ISSI and only acted as the DG also by virtue of that post being vacant for the duration of his chairmanship. Hence, I did not oust or replace him, but was appointed to a vacant post. His chairmanship ended over two weeks after my appointment as DG.

Additionally, if he was going to give my record of protests organised while serving as director general of the ISSI, he should also have had the courtesy to put on the record the protest organised with Nasim Zehra for the restoration of the judiciary and media freedom. As for my friendship with Mushahid Hussain, it dates back to the time he was ousted from Punjab University; while Dushka and myself go back to our days at the London School of Economics. Finally, if Mr Iqbal had actually seen the research published by the ISSI on its website he would have found it difficult to accuse the think tank of being non-productive and unoriginal in its work. It is easy to condemn, but one should at least verify facts carefully which clearly Mr Iqbal has not done. What a pity and how discouraging for the young researchers who are putting so much effort to establish themselves in an intellectually hostile environment.

<b>Shireen M Mazari

Head, Strategic Technology Resources,

Islamabad</b>

Cheers <!--emo&:beer--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/cheers.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='cheers.gif' /><!--endemo-->