Pakistan News And Discussion-9

12-28-2006, 01:30 AM

New York Times Reporter: I Was Assaulted by Pakistani Agents

12-28-2006, 10:07 PM

Pakistan general elections on Jan 15, 2008: minister
Hahaha!! what a joke? Why they have to announce now?

QUOTEBut there is a catch: President Pervez Musharraf would be re-elected before the general elections take place by the current legislatures, both federal and provincial, that had elected him once earlier 
And this is master piece from Pakistan.

Sunder · 12-28-2006, 10:21 PM

QUOTE(Mudy @ Dec 28 2006, 10:07 PM)Pakistan general elections on Jan 15, 2008: minister
Hahaha!! what a joke? Why they have to announce now?
[right][snapback]62518[/snapback][/right]


Gives a whole new meaning to "General" elections.

12-29-2006, 01:42 AM

QUOTEFT
Show must go on
With the Punjab government determined to kill basant, and the real PM equally determined to let it happen, it appears that the latterâs will might well prevail at the end of the day. Our mole reports that the real PM has had a word with movers and shakers in the Punjab and made clear his opinion that basant should be celebrated over four weekends spanning February and March. The Punjabâs managers, partly as a concession to the fundos and partly because the use of killer twines (dor) commonly used to fly kites routinely causes mayhem, had banned the whole exercise of basant which is traditionally celebrated in February. Sources saythe Punjab government is considering a proposal whereby it willbuy up all the dangerous twine, destroy it, and only allow the sale of good old dor made of harmless yarns and much smaller kites than the huge contraptions that sail the skies at basant. Whatever happens, the show must go on.

Sort of
The next general elections came up for discussion at a recent meeting at the real PMâs camp office in Rawalpindi, attended by the high and mighty from across the land. It was revealed to the assembled grandees that the world would watch keenly to see that the elections were conducted in an open and transparent manner. âIâm afraid the elections have to be free and fairâ one important person is said to have declared. At this, the head honcho of the kingâs party recounted the story of the one free and fair election ever held in the history of Pakistan, that of 1970, and how it led to the break-up of the country and the secession of East Pakistan, according to him. The implication was clear and all present were on board; the 2007 elections needed to appear to be free and fair, sort of.

Dancing sensation
Lahoreâs dancing sensation, protege of Mian Yusuf Salahuddin, Kiran is jet setting across India again. Having made her debut at the wedding of Jaisal Singh, son of Tejbir and Mala Singh in Delhi in November, Kiran swept the Indian elites off their feet with her incomparable mujra. She made such an impression on a wealthy Non Resident Indian that he pursued her all the way from the US to Lahore on his Lear Jet and took her off again for more performances in Delhi and elsewhere. The NRI arrived in Lahore in his Lear Jet last week and giving Kiran a luxurious berth in his aircraft, soared into the sky bound for Delhi and onwards across the subcontinent.
+++++
Nuggets from the Urdu pressÂ 
Dancing naked to celebrate WPB
As reported in daily Nawa-i-Waqt, a young man, Malik Usman, in Dhok Maulvi Mohammad near Attock had started dancing naked in a populated bazaar near fawara chowk <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /> . He chanted slogans in favour of President Musharraf, Women Protection Bill, Shaukat Aziz and Benazir Bhutto. He also raised slogans in favour of Kashmala Tariq, Sumaira Malik, President Bush and Muslim League government. A huge crowd gathered to see the performance of a naked young man.

Munna Bhai in trouble
Sarerahe wrote in daily Nawa-i-Waqt that famous Indian actor Sanjay Dutt has asked that his punishment be reduced in Tada court. In the infidel world of Hindustan if a Hindu is under duress, then he must be a Muslim. The father of Sanjay Dutt was a Hindu but his mother was a Muslim. In Indian film industry Muslims are neither Muslims nor Hindus. Shah Rukh Khan has two dimensions, one is Hindu and the other is Muslim. His wife is Hindu and Shah Rukh Khan offers both puja and namaz in his house. The children of Shah Rukh Khan have mixed the temple and mosque to show the aesthetic combination of their parents. Sanjay Dutt alias Munnah Bhai is in trouble because he is son of filmstar Nargis.

Woman imam leads Friday prayers
As reported in daily Khabrain, around one hundred men and women offered Friday prayer lead by Amina Wadood, a professor at Virginia Commonwealth University. The prayers were offered in a church when no mosques gave them permission for prayers. The Islamic thinkers society activists demonstrated against the prayers in front of the church and said that a new deviation is being introduced in the religion of Islam. The main organiser of this event was Asra Naumani, a Mumbai born American.

Russian tourist looted in Rohtas Fort
As reported in Daily Pakistan, four unknown dacoits looted Russian diplomats who came to visit the historical Rohtas Fort. The dacoits took them hostage at gunpoint and snatched cash worth lakhs of rupees and their expensive cameras and mobiles phones. The local police of Dina district were unaware of this incident.Â [ISI dirty game]

No azan, only church bells
According to daily Nawa-i-Waqt, the members of Norwegian nationalist Democrat party are opposing the construction of a mosque in southern city of Christian Sand. They claimed that the construction of a mosque would give rise to the criminal activities and encourage inhuman activities in the area. They said we wouldnât let the symbol of Muslims come to our town. They said there should be no azan and only the bells of the church shall ring. The mayor of Christian Sand criticised these statements of the Democrats and said their opinion about religion of Islam is not correct. Democrats have a strict policy for immigrants in the country. There are already two mosques in the city and Muslims have moved an application to build another mosque.

Religion canât divide family
As reported in daily Khabrain, the family member of cricketer Mohammad Yousuf said, âWe are Christian and are proud of being Christians.â His father Youhanna Masih told the newspaper that Yousuf asked other family member to convert to Islam. He said he lives with his elder son and his wife lives with Mohammad Yousuf. His mother said the changing of our religion canât change the relationship. All religions give same message but their methods are different.

Maulvi is a symbol of resistance
In daily Express famous columnist Abdul Qadir Hassan wrote that today maulvis are under attack from all sides. Communists of yesterday and industrialists of today have jumped upon the maulvis and have started hurling allegations on their lives, politics and personalities. Maulvis are being treated today as they were treated during the British Raj. The rulers are descendants of British legacy but have adopted all the negative qualities and have shunned the positive qualities of Britishness. Maulvis were targeted when they started war of independence against the British in 1857.

Naresh · 12-29-2006, 03:49 AM

Gas supply cut causes closure of 4 power plants <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />

QUOTEKARACHI â Four power plants have been closed due the shortage of gas, Water and Power Minsiter Liaquat Ali Khan Jatoi said on Thursday.

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

12-31-2006, 03:30 AM

Not bad for a nation that has banned beauty pageants

12-31-2006, 03:58 AM

I think they are Right, they should ban. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

12-31-2006, 04:00 AM

Now Saddam is gone, after North Korean and Iran, Mushy is next in line. Groom should plan accordinly,

01-04-2007, 11:44 AM

Pakistan's Volatile North-West Frontier: Pashtun Tribes, Taliban, and al-Qaeda
Hassan Abbas and Michael Scheuer
December 14, 2006

http://link11.streamhoster.com/?u=jamestow....wmv&odaid=5085

01-04-2007, 11:46 AM

Changing profile of jihadi terrorism
Wilson John
04 January 2007

In 2006, Pakistan sponsored jihadi terrorism in India underwent several significant changes that is bound to define the terror strategies of different groups inimical to India and Indian interests........................

01-05-2007, 07:46 AM

QUOTEFT
Interest in Pakistan
The Mittals are one of the worldâs richest families of industrialists; they are probably the worldâs richest Non-Resident Indians. Over the years, the head of the family, Lakshmi Mittal has acquired huge assets in steel the world over. Our mole reveals that the Mittals have recently bought a large steel mills in Pakistan via a proxy. That is not the only interest the Mittals have in Pakistan. One socialite friend of theirs from Lahore once asked one of the ladies of the family if she had any Pakistani friends and she is said to have replied not only did she have friends in the Land of the Pure but that her best friend is Pakistani. And who might that be, asked the socialite. None other than film star Meera, whom the lady met in Bombay last year and made and instant and deep connection with the actress. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

From America with love
The original article was invented in the United States, source of much ingenuity in the big-time consumption industry. For decades, the rich and famous have stepped out of endless stretch limos and on to red carpets to the flash of cameras and rounds of applause. Some years ago, these stretch limos made their appearance in Europe and they have finally arrived in Pakistan. Their timing is perfect it appears because this stretch limo service is doing roaring business in Lahore and Karachi. We hear the limos are rented out at Rs 20,000/ per hour. One company also offers to provide other benefits, including the appropriate bubbly, at a steep price of course but the service is there for the taking, if you can afford it. From America with love?

+++++
Nuggets from the Urdu press
Is Islam dividing the nation?
Khurshid Nadeem wrote in daily Jang that it is ridiculous to think that Islam is controversial in a country with 97 percent Muslims. With the discussion about Hudood laws and Women Protection Bill it seems that Islam has become the cause of division on a national level. If we consider that inference as correct then there are some implications. The idea of Islam as unifying the nation becomes redundant. How can Islam be the basis of national unity when the majority of parliamentarians donât consider it a source of legislation?

Opening of performing arts department in PU
Sarerahe opined in daily Nawa-i-Waqt that vice chancellor of Punjab University Lt Gen Â® Arshad Mehmood said that Punjab University is starting performing arts classes after the opening of its musicology department. Now with the starting of these classes we will be able to reach stars by playing drums (dholkian). When Americans develop colonies on Mars, we will perform our arts. The chancellor and vice chancellor were both trained at Kakool Academy and our advice is to train as many dancers as possible so as to conquer the whole world.Â <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />

Sacred killing fields in Tira valley
As reported in daily Khabrain, fighting between Lashkar-e-Islam and Ansar-ul-Islam has intensified in Tira valley in Khyber agency. Due to snowfall and the damage to the communication system, it is impossible to access the damage and number of killings. The holy war between these religious warrior groups has claimed 25 lives from both sides. Lashkar-e-Islami blew the houses of ex head of ulema peace committee Bara Maulana Mastamem Afridi with rocket launchers. The political administration is taking no interest in a cease fire and is trying to cover up the issue of religious war in Khyber Agency.

Daniel Pearl film shot in Pune?
In an article in daily Khabrain, Mohammad Arshad wrote that the film A Mighty Heart on the murder of Daniel Pearl and the efforts of his wife to find him was shown at Kara Film Festival in Karachi. The film team was allowed to shoot in Pakistan by the tourism and culture ministry with the condition that permission was taken from permissions from relevant authorities. Police stopped the shooting in front of the Sindh High Court building and arrested four actors who were dressed in local police uniform. The film team was shifted to India and they shot in Pune, which looks similar to Karachi where Daniel Pearl was residing.

Hijra convention in Kot adoo
According to daily Khabrain the All Pakistan Guru Hijra convention finished after five days in Kot Adoo. The convention demanded quota in National Assembly and government jobs. They also demanded that the government consider dance and songs equivalent to bachelorâs degree. <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />Â More than 300 delegates arrived from 40 cities and re-elected 80 years old Chacha Saadi as guru. The delegates were served food prepared in desi (pure) ghee.

Daood Ibrahim in Islamabad hospital
As reported in Daily Pakistan the Indian intelligence agencies have claimed that most wanted alleged terrorist Daood Ibrahim had a heart attack and was admitted in a hospital in Islamabad. Pakistan intelligence agencies are pushing Daood Ibrahim to leave Pakistan. Indian news agency IANS have claimed that Daood Ibrahim had heart attack two weeks before and the news of his heat attack was disclosed when Pakistani agencies tightened their circle around him.Â <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/mad.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='mad.gif' />

Cow vs rhinoceros in Nepal
As reported in daily Jang, peace negotiations came to a halt when the member parties could not decide between the rhinoceros and the cow as Nepalâs national symbol. Negotiations were underway to form an interim constitution that would form the special interim assembly. During the discussions, government parties suggested making the rhinoceros a national symbol as it is fast becoming extinct, while the opposing parties suggested that the cow be selected as Nepalâs national symbol. Nepal is the only country in the world that has Hinduism as the state religion.Â

Seventh fleet came to save West Pakistan
In daily Khabrain, researcher and intellectual Safdar Mahmood wrote that the famous seventh fleet of America didnât come to evacuate American citizens from Bangladesh nor did it help Pakistan against India. The Americans were in favour of an independent East Pakistan, as proved by Henry Kissingerâs admission, then foreign minister. American strategy was to safeguard its interests by not allowing the breakup of West Pakistan to counter the hegemony of Russia and India in the region. CIA 9 November report confirmed that India wanted to redraw the borders of West Pakistan and destroy the West Pakistan army. Seventh fleet was sent to save West Pakistan by all means short of military intervention.

01-05-2007, 07:47 AM

QUOTE2006: optimism and missed opportunities in India-Pakistan process 
ft
Iftikhar Gilani
Both countries have seemed so near and yet so far in capping issues that have kept them at loggerheads for nearly six decadesÂ
Â Â
The year 2006 will go down in the history of Indo-Pak relations as a year of both optimism and missed opportunities. For the first time after years of bloodshed, both sides held sustentative talks and exchanged ideas to resolve the issue of Jammu and Kashmir.

The foreign secretaries of both courtiers, while kicking off the third round of the composite dialogue process in January 2006, committed themselves âto finding an amicable settlement to the Kashmir problemâ; they largely seem to have shunned their overtly traditional positions. In stark contrast to earlier talks where India would cut short any discussion on Jammu and Kashmir, in January 2006, perhaps for the first time after 1975, then-foreign secretary Shyam Saran asked Pakistan to present ideas and proposals. âWe are willing to look at whatever is put before us,â he had said.

Since then both sides have reportedly exchanged non-papers on the final settlement of the J&K issue. Though the contents of these papers are not known, highly placed sources say that there has been more convergence than ever before. While Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf calls for âjoint managementâ and sharing of sovereignty, India calls for âcooperative managementâ. Musharraf has now come up with the idea of âjoint supervisionâ.

Insiders believe that both leaders need only to sit down and find a word between âjoint supervisionâ and âcooperative managementâ and the problem is solved. It is therefore an irony that despite convergence, both governments are still far away from any solution.

The July bomb blasts in Mumbai put the brakes on the peace process and stalled talks but both sides continued to remain in touch through track-two diplomacy. Analysts in New Delhi admit that a great degree of flexibility on Jammu and Kashmir is linked to the efforts of track-two contacts, underway since 1995.

âIt was actually then Prime Minister Narasimha Rao who gave the go-ahead to have informal and back-channel talks with Pakistan after his famous statement on the eve of the Burkana Faso NAM summit that âsky is the limit for granting autonomy to Jammu and Kashmirâ,â says a Congress man who was close to Rao. âHe [Rao] realised the need to evolve some mechanism to remain in touch with Pakistan and also with pro-freedom groups in Kashmir.â

Not many people know that Rao was a factor in the constitution of the All Parties Hurriyat Conference (APHC). For the sake of propping up a political leadership to control factional militant commanders, he got five Kashmiri leaders Syed Ali Geelani, Abdul Gani Lone, Shabbir Ahmed Shah, Professor Abdul Gani Bhat and Maulana Abbas Ansari from various Indian jails and held them at a farm house on the outskirts of Delhi. The leaders were kept together for six months before their release in 1993 and later went on to form the APHC.

Track-two, however, gained momentum during Atal Bihari Vajpayeeâs tenure. It was his national security advisor Brajesh Mishra, and former RAW chief AS Dulat, who brought âconsistency and regularityâ to the process.Since the Congress-led UPA government came to power, they have continued the process and for the last two-and-half years the Prime Ministerâs envoy SK Lamba and Pakistanâs National Security Advisor Tariq Aziz have met several times in Dubai and Singapore.

A few months ago, the PMO sent a large contingent of policy-makers, intellectuals and strategic experts to Ireland to study the Good Friday agreement and its implementation on the ground. One among them, G Parthasarthy, former Indian High Commissioner to Pakistan and a known hard-liner, also believes now that the two countries have been trying to find common ground and indeed should. The Indian side seems to believe that while boundaries cannot be changed, they can be made âirrelevantâ. Insiders also say Manmohan and Musharraf are both agreed on this proposition.

An official paper on Indiaâs approach on Kashmir circulated here in the National Security Council (NSC) says that India and Pakistan do agree on one thing, which is that the LoC as status quo is not acceptable. âNevertheless, if we are to adopt a people-centric approach as opposed to a territory-centric approach, then whatever we can do to encourage the free-flow of people, goods and ideas across the LoC, whatever we can do to celebrate the cultural affinities whichlink the people across the LoC â all these steps are to be welcomed,â says the paper.

The paper talks at length about the concept of rendering the boundaries irrelevant and undertaking cooperative measures to deal with shared challenges such as energy security, management of water resources, tackling issues of environment degradation and disaster preparedness.

âIf J&K is located within these concentric circles of economic integration, underpinned by an expanding web of inter-dependencies and social and cultural cohesion, then we could certainly look forward to a solution which transcends current rigidities,â says the official paper.

On the future mechanism of governance in Jammu and Kashmir, the paper envisages to harmonise constitutions of both parts of the disputed state which also includes Gilgit. âPakistan should take measures to create truly representative institutions on its side of the LoC, not only in PoK [IHK], but also in Gilgit and Baltistan, so that we can begin to create crosss-LoC consultative (but not joint Counter Management) mechanisms between truly representative and self-governing institutions, to address shared challenges,â says the paper.

Indeed, the National Security Council (NSC) in Delhi, while analysing President Musharrafâs proposal on de-militarisation, advised the government not to reject outright the proposal. âIndia could make it a starting point to ask Pakistan to withdraw its troops from Skardu area adjacent to Kargil and Saltoro region near Siachen. In future negotiations, India should and will insist that the process of de-militarisation start from Ladakh and Kargil rather than from the Kashmir Valley,â says an insider.

An approach paper circulated by a Delhi-based think-tank also envisages the establishment of a high-powered âCouncil for Jammu and Kashmirâ jointly chaired by the heads of governments of India and Pakistan and includes high functionaries from India and Pakistan as well as from both sides of the LoC in Jammu and Kashmir.

The years 2006 also saw India getting actively involved in the affairs of AJK and Gilgit. Indian spokesmen officially spoke about Basha dam and commented on AJK elections describing them as a âfarceâ. According to India it has a duty to speak for the âfreedom, development, and constitutional guaranteesâ for the people of AJK and Gilgit.

The confidence-building process has also kept pace with the launch of a trans-border train connecting Munabao in Rajasthan and Khokrapar in Sindh and the launch of the Amritsar-Nankana Sahib bus service early this year. There are plans to further boost cross-border linkages by launching a Kargil-Skardu bus service and accelerating trade between the two countries.

01-05-2007, 07:48 AM

QUOTEIndia Pakistan contacts in 2006
Â Â
January 1: India and Pakistan exchanged lists of nuclear installations and facilities..
January 4: Talks between India and Pakistan on Munnabao-Khokhrapar train service.
January 17 and 18: Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met in New Delhi.
January 20: First Lahore-Amritsar bus crosses Wagah border.
February19: Thar Express train service operationalised between Khokrapar and Munabu.
March 8: India conveys to Pakistan its protest against proposed construction of Bhasha dam and appreciation for humanitarian gesture shown by a Pakistani ship to an Indian ship
March 6: Schedule of the third round of Composite Dialogue meetings with Pakistan announced.

1. Economic and Commercial Cooperation,
Venue: Islamabad
Dates: 28-29 March 2006 (to be preceded by Joint Study Group meeting on 27 March 2006)

2. Tulbul Navigation.Project
Venue: Islamabad
Dates: 18-19 April 2006

3. Siachen
Venue: New Delhi
Dates: 23-24 May 2006

4. Sir Creek
Venue: New Delhi
Dates: 25-26 May 2006

5. Terrorism and Drug Trafficking
Venue: Islamabad
Dates: 30-31 May 2006

6. Promotion of Friendly Exchanges
Venue: New Delhi
Dates: 1-2 June 2006

7. Foreign Secretariesâ and Foreign Ministers level review meeting
Venue: New Delhi
Dates: FS level review â 20 July 2006

FM level review â 21 July 2006

8. Plenary Session of the Joint Commission and Foreign Ministers Review Meeting
Venue: New Delhi
Dates: 22 July 2006

March 6-7: India-Pakistan technical level meeting between Civil Aviation authorities.
March 24: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh flagged off the bus service between Amritsar and Nankana Sahib.
May 2-3: A seven-member delegation from Pakistan led by Mr Syed Ibne Abbas, DG (South Asia) held talks on confidence building measures across the LoC. The talks covered the arrangements for the operationalisation of the truck service for trade on the Srinagar-Muzaffarabad route, the commencement of a bus service between Poonch and Rawalkot and the opening of the two meeting points on the LOC.
May 9: A six-member Pakistan Peopleâs Party (PPP) delegation led by Makhdoom Amin Fahim arrived in India.
May 19: Pakistanâs Leader of Opposition Maulana Fazlur Rehman met Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
May 24: Defence Secretary-level talks between India and Pakistan on the Siachen issue
May 25-26: Surveyor Generals met to discuss Sri Creek issue.
May 30-31: Home Secretary level talks on Terrorism and Drug-Trafficking in Islamabad.
1-2 June: Culture Secretaries of India and Pakistan met on Promotion of Friendly Exchanges in New Delhi.
June 19: Poonch-Rawlakot bus service inaugurated.
June 20: The first meeting of the India-Pakistan Joint Commission Technical Level Working Group on Health was held in New Delhi
June 30: India and Pakistan exchanged civilian prisoners and fishermen at Wagah.
July 7: India announced providing consular access to Pakistani prisoners. In Central Jail, Damdam, Kolkata 10-11 July, Central Jail, Jaipur 13-14 July, Central Jail, Amritsar, 20-21 July, Central Jail, Tihar, New Delhi, 27-28 July and Consular access to Pakistani fishermen is scheduled for 13 July 2006 at Jamnagar,
July 11: An MoU signed between theForeign Secretary of India Shri Shyam Saran and the High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, Aziz Ahmad Khan.setting out the modalities for release of funds to enable the Government of Pakistan to procure reconstruction material according to its requirements.
July 12: India reacts to Pakistanâs Foreign Ministerâs remarks concerning the terrorist bomb blasts which took place in Mumbai.
August 5: India and Pakistan expelled diplomats.
September 16: India-Pakistan leaders met at Havana and inked an agreement to set up joint anti-terrorism institutional mechanism.
October 5: India reacts to remarks reportedly made by then-US Ambassador to Pakistan, Ryan Crocker
October 10, 2006: Satyabrata Pal, High Commissioner of India to South Africa, appointed as the next High Commissioner to Pakistan.
October 17: Both countries announced resumption of talks. Pakistan Foreign Secretary to visit New Delhi from 13-15 November.
October 25: New External Affairs Minister, Pranab Mukherjee took over office.
October 30: A five-member Pakistan Railway team led by Additional General Manager Ali Arif in India to discuss technical matters and resumption of Thar Express, stopped due to flash floods.
November 15: Foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan met to review talks.
November 18: Pakistan Minister of State for Economic Affairs Hina Rabbani Khar participated in Afghanistan Reconstruction Conference in India.
November27: External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee met Pakistan Foreign Minister Mehmood Ahmed Kasuri in New Delhi.
November 29: Pakistani State Minister for Finance Omar Ayub Khan participated in the Indian Economic Summit.
December 1: Newly designated High Commissioner of Pakistan to India, Shahid Malik, took charge.
December 5: Mutahidda Quami Movement (MQM) delegation arrived in India.
December 12: Pakistan Minister for Housing and Works, Syed Safwanullah, visited India to attend the Asia Pacific Conference of Housing and Urban Development Ministers.
December 14: India and Pakistan signed revised shipping protocol.The protocol was signed by Shipping Minister T R Baalu and his Pakistani counterpart Babar Khan Ghauri.
December 20: Mohammadmian Soomro, Chairman Senate and Commonwealth Parliamentary Association toured India.Â

Sunder · 01-06-2007, 03:24 AM

Attack on Infosys foiled: Police
http://www.tribuneindia.com/2007/20070106/main2.htm

Bangalore, January 5

The Bangalore police today claimed to have arrested a Pak-trained militant who had been planning to strike at Infosys and the International Airport. An AK-47 assault gun and a large quantity of arms and ammunition, including 47 magazines of AK-47 assault gun and 300 rounds of ammunition, have been seized from him.

The arrest was made at Jalahalli, on the outskirts of the city today. The militant, identified as Imran, alias Bilal (32), had boarded a bus from Bellary.

Additional Commissioner of Police Bipin Gopalkrishna said the militant, who was suspected to have links with the Lashkar-e-Toiba, was running a shop by the name of âKashmiri Handicraftsâ at Hospet, which was close to the Hampi monuments.

Some documents, a map of Bangalore, on which important places have been marked, and a satellite phone, along with sim cards, have also been seized from him. It indicates he might be on a mission, Mr Gopalkrishna added.

The police expects the arrest will throw some light on the case of firing at the Indian Institute of Science in December, 2005. It is taking the help of the Jammu and Kashmir Police to get details about the militant and his links.

01-06-2007, 07:32 PM

Hegemony of Ruling Elite in Pakistan - Online book

QUOTETABLE OF CONTENTS
Intorduction

Hegemony of the ruling elite
Subversion of the basic law (constitution)
Generals in politics
Judiciary and politics
The role of bureaucarcy
One sided accountability or Ehtesab
State terrorism [Human rights violations]
Islam and politics
What can be done?

Naresh · 01-08-2007, 01:58 AM

[center]Exaggerated statistics become controversy <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />[/center]

KARACHI, Jan 6: Official trade statistics are set to become a focus of controversy again as a loud whisper moving in the business circles questions the credibility of $16.45 billion export achievement in the year 2005-06 on the basis of which an official export target of $18.6 billion has been fixed for the current fiscal year.

âLast yearâs export figures include more than $1 billion export of leather garments and other textile products to South Africa, UAE and some parts which were false and bogus,â a senior leader of leather industry disclosed.

According to him no shipment was made and the fraud committed by a well-known exporter in nexus with officials of the Central Board of Revenue was detected and the case was registered. The exporter also a former employee of the CBR was arrested and he is facing a trial. His contention is that export goods were duly cleared by the Customs on rates shown in the documents and proceeds have been received. In the year 2005-06, the government introduced six per cent research and development rebate to the readymade garment and knitwear exporters against which a substantial amount was paid.

A newspaper quoted State Bank of Pakistan Governor Dr Shamshad Akhtar in Faisalabad sometimes in November 2006 that 3,000 cases of false declaration have been detected. There had been no follow up statement of this disclosure from the State Bank or any official agency.

âPakistan has more than four decades long history of false and bogus rebate claims by the exporters,â alleged a textile tycoon involved in the business for last more than 40 years. Late Ghulam Ishaq Khan, when he held the charge of commerce ministry in early 1980s, exposed the exporters at an Export Promotion Council meeting in Karachi with specific examples that led a large number of exporters to hang their heads in shame. The All Pakistan Textile Mills Association too launched newspaper advertisement campaigns against exporters of value added textile to show that rebate claim amounts exceeded the actual exports.

âNow that we are back in the export rebate business on a much wider scale and subsidies on bank loans and on freight, the volume of bogus and fictitious exports is bound to jump,â said a businessman. Most of the businessmen are convinced that last yearâs actual exports were hardly $15 billion. They are convinced that the export target of $18.6 billion fixed for the current fiscal year is unrealistic and unachievable.

The last five months export statistics (July to November 2006-07) show conspicuously negative signs before more than 30 items but show 953 million dollars export earnings against âother exportsâ. Total export in this five months period amounts to $6.9 billion. Almost one-seventh of this total exports beg for description. In final counts the amount of âother exportsâ is expected to be close to $2 billion.

As the Customs or the Pakistan Revenue Authority Limited (PRAL), the private sector data collecting arm of the CBR manipulates with export figures, it does so with imports also where the value of imports in last five months is close to $1.5 billion. The CBR does not give any details of miscellaneous or other importers.

None of the trade body, right from the apex trade body, the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry to regional chambers or trade associations ever tried to carry out a periodical analysis of commodities and goods and markets and link up the results with governmentâs taxation policies or monetary strategy to inform general public. Exporters who ask for concessions, subsidies and rebates have their own explanation. âDuring the first couple of years of the new millennium, exporters were getting Rs68 per one US dollar based on the then prevailing exchange rate plus a duty drawback ranging from 6 to 8 per cent,â argues one such exporter in e-mail presentation.

The duty drawbacks were withdrawn at a very sensitive time after 9/11 when customers were already running away from Pakistan. At the same time strengthening or revaluation of the rupee-dollar parity brought down to Rs57 a US dollar.

âThis was a direct loss of 16 per cent for the exporters,â he asserts while pointing out that even today the exports are off by nearly 10 per cent over 2001 on a straight line basis without taking into consideration any other cost increase in the last five years.

The exporter has complained of the four years inflation hurting the business and the export but has failed to take note of the impact of more than Rs25 billion concession package given to textile exports and impact of swapping of expensive loans with concessions rated loans and almost across the board rebates on textile exports. And then the question is who pays for the abuse of these rebates and concessions by unscrupulous traders

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

01-08-2007, 09:08 PM

India caused fog in our country: Pak <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' /> <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />
QUOTENew Delhi: Excessive coal burning at India's thermal power plants has caused smog in their territory, leading to massive economic losses, Pakistanâs Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Commission (SUPARCO) claimed.

The economic losses due to fog during December and January amounted to over Rs 25 billion per annum, claimed Pakistanâs Environmental Protection Agency.
.............

An earlier study had reportedly revealed that fog was being caused by excessive fossil fuel combustion, mainly coal, in India's north-eastern region.

The study claimed that high sulphate, varying from 49.8 to 141 mg/m3 and nitrate, varying from 3 to 74.5 mg/m3 concentrations had been observed during the fog, which are emitted by combustion of fossil fuel.

An exceptionally high trace element aerosol concentrations, including selenium, arsenic and antimony, was also observed.

Blame India !!! Pakistan should install filters on border, they are on top of every technology on earth.

Naresh · 01-09-2007, 10:15 PM

QUOTE(Mudy @ Jan 8 2007, 09:08 PM)India caused fog in our country: Pak Â <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />Â <!--emo& Big Grin

--><img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/biggrin.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='biggrin.gif' />
Blame India !!! Pakistan should install filters on border, they are on top of every technology on earth.
[right][snapback]62868[/snapback][/right]


Mudy Ji :

Let us supplicate the Government of India to give the Polluters responsible for causing the smog in Pakistan suitable "Ratnas". <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/clap.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='clap.gif' />

Long Live the Indian Thermal Power Plants using Indian Coal as Fuel <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/india.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='india.gif' />

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

**acharya** · (This post was last modified: 01-09-2007, 11:11 PM by acharya.)

When Islam came to the Indian subcontinent, it faced instititutional resistance thanks to the varna system, which was not the case when it faced other social-religious civilizations, such as the Indo-Buddhist one. I those, quickly disposing of the bald priests- the monks, and taking care of the Hindu ruler and his cohorts (Dahir) was enough to knock the system out of kilter.

But in the case of Hinduism- here you have a system, wherein the Brahmin acted as a repository of religious and cultural knowledge, and the Kshatriya picked up weapons repeatedly to fight against the spread of Islam. Therein started the demonization. If the Brahmin "goes" from the setup, who will quote scriptures or interpretation therein to insist that conversion is a grave sin? Which is why, in every pogrom, the Brahmins would be the first to be targeted- whether it was the Delhi Sultanates or Aurangzeb offering a bounty for every hairpiece or the like. In the meanwhile, Hindu civilization as a whole, under repeated knocks, became insular. All the taboos against xyz doing this, that became reinforced.
This was but to be expected when a civilization is under threat, as conservativism and survival become the keywords. Come the British, and while religious repression was significantly reduced vis a vis the Muslim rulers and the like, again it became a conflict between Missionaries and the Hindu religious system. In the modern era, apart from the above- you have the Communists- again, who by applying an European concept of the class system and feudalism to India, equated Brahmins and the kshatriyas to the bloodsuckers, and then of course the hated money lenders- the banias who supported this gross injustice.

This is not to deny that severe social ills have been caused by the mutated caste system in India, for which many brahmins have also been part of the problem. But India as a country, as a culture, as a people, has been far too diverse for only one group of people or community to exert all this- in fact, north to south, even the role of communities changes, as you are undoubtedly aware. It is just that its historically useful to use one community as a sticking point, especially when it neither has the numbers or political space to back it up. 

But to get back to your hypothetical brahmin, the reason the Pakistanis have such hatred against the Brahmins is because they are again cast in the Islamic role- ie as mullahs and the gatekeepers of Hinduism. If the brahmins were to be removed, the oppressed lower castes would automatically move towards the lofty ideals of Islam. This world view (eg. They bemoan the sanskritization of OBCs and SC/ST's without even realizing that this very thing proves how fluid the Hindu religious ethos can be, and that its their right to do so, if they choose. ), has influenced them prior to the creation of Pakistan, and I daresay one will find many Indian Islamists and communists who also hold to a very similar view (which I have seen in my own personal experience).
Please see Chaudhry Rehmat Alie's concept of Dinia for example- it is the perfect example of an Islamist worldview and intellectual zeal, which continues to reappear. The presence of kaffirs and polytheists and that too flourishing, is a grave offence to Islamists, and they cannot reconcile to its existence.

Are the Brahmins the only ones demonized- definitely not- because we have the banias. Again, recent history comes into play. The business community dominated what is today Pakistan, and memories of the rich, prosperous "blood sucking" lalas die hard. The Kshatriyas are not similarly demonized, because many Pakistans firmly believe in their caste identity- and what better way then to adopt the most glamorous one, that too of the "Rajputs". So every Pakistani Punjabi Muslim of note will claim that he is a "Rajput". But never a converted Lala or Brahmin- these are too effete in the Islamist worldview, their's after all, is the belief of conquerors!

---

Bakis have taken the Marxist/communist narration of the Indian society which is being manufactured in the South Asia Studies Program in western universities. There are indications that Bakis are also part of the funding of these studies and there is link between the overseas Bakis , Indian overseas sociologists, Indian communists and Indian academic world. This is the secret nobody wants to reveal and there is a deadly silence on this connection everywhere. Bakis are repeating what is being told to them by the Indian Marxist counterpart.

Naresh · 01-10-2007, 03:11 AM

Mudy Ji :

Pakistan additng to its smog problem :

Chinese group refuses to work on Thar power project <img src='style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/Flush.gif' border='0' style='vertical-align:middle' alt='Flush.gif' />

QUOTELAHORE- The Chinese state-run group has refused to resume working on 600MW coal-fired power project in Thar following the unresolved electricity tariff row with the Pakistani government as new offer did not contain any negotiation on power tariff.

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

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