A scene from film “So close”

Why is Sheikh Rashid getting attacked?

by Omar Ali

…. Why is Sheikh Rashid getting attacked? My guess (its only a guess) is because he was a senior facilitator of jihadi terrorists and now they are unhappy at the new policy. Pakistan will continue to bleed due to the leftovers of jihadi terrorism, India will continue to have its own indigenous terrorist movements, but Pak army “moral and diplomatic support” days are over….

Courtesy: Omar Ali & crdp@yahoogourps.com, Feb 8, 2010

SINDH : Give us Water, Water is our right, How can we give up this Right? How can we stop living?

Sindhis Takeout Rallies on Save Indus River Day – January 24, 2010

by Khalid Hashmani, McLean

..The newsletter in Sindhi from Delta Development Program is extremely important and deserves an exception. The newsletter highlights the plight of Sindhis whose lives have been drastically impacted due to the reduced water flow permitted by the upper riparian province to the lower riparian province – Sindh.

This year, January 24 was declared as the “Save River Indus” day and thousands traveled to the dry and empty bed of the Indus River to demand increased water flow. The newsletter has an excellent poem about water shortage under the title “The Right Of Sindh”. The following is my attempt at the translation of the first few lines of this poem:

Give us Water, give us Water.

Water is our right,

How can give up this Right?

We will reclaim our Water from the exploiter

How can we give up this Right?

Give us Water, give us Water.

Water is source of our lives,

How can we stop living?

How can we give up this Right?

Give us Water, give us Water.

What destruction is this?

What exploitation is this?

Why are all cities decaying?

All boats are sitting idle on river bed

Where has all fish gone?

Where all other river creatures gone?

How can we give up our Water Right?

Give us Water, give us Water.

Turkish Girl Buried Alive For Talking To Boys!

Courtesy: examiner.com

Police in Kahta, Turkey say they have recovered the body of a 16-year-old girl they say relatives buried alive in a so-called “honor” killing as punishment for talking to boys.

Painful and swollen gums

If painful, swollen gums have you feeling in your mouth,  try this home remedy for the relief. Place a warm, moist tea bag against your gums for 10-15 minutes, three times a day for three days. It will make you smiling again.

Water flow: Sindh’s position

by ZULFIQAR HALEPOTO

Courtesy: dawn

THIS year the Indus flow is expected to be the worst in the last five years, causing serious problems for the coming kharif crop in Sindh. As of June, Sindh will suffer 34 per cent shortage as compared to 14 per cent by Punjab.

For this reason alone, Sindh feels justified in pleading for closing the Chashma-Jhelum flood canal, Taunsa-Panjnad flood canal, Panjnad link canal and Thal canal, which flow from the Indus.

Lead is all around us

Although it is not normal to have lead in the body, most people have a small amount of it in their system. High levels of lead can lead to behavioral and learning problems, hearing difficulties, and slowed growth. Prolonged exposure can harm the brain, nervous system, kidneys, and blood.  Lead is all around us. We can be be exposed to it from the food we eat, the water we drink, the dust we breathe in, and the paint on our walls.

Bury Me Next To Sindh’s Daughter Shamaira Oad

When My Body Needs An Eternal Abode, Bury Me Next To My Sindh’s Shamaira Oad.

By: Dr. Ahmed H. Makhdoom

With great sadness in my heart, tears in my eyes and pain in my soul, I read this posting on the Internet: “Shamaira Oad d/o Bachayo Oad, a 17 years old young girl residing near Halla, died on 28th April 2009. The parents & relatives of the young Shamaira wanted to bury her in a near-by graveyard in Khudabad near Halla, Sindh.”

‘This is radio Pakistan from New delhi’

Our source of national pride

by Sana Saleem

Courtesy: Dawn.com

Nationalism is best understood in contrast to patriotism. Patriotism is simply love for one’s country, whereas nationalism is the sense that one’s nation is the best, often because it is more sacred than other nations. For the past few months, ‘Wake Up Pakistan’ – a campaign targeting this country’s youth – has been making waves both in the mainstream and social media.

The campaign aims to bring about an ideological revolution in Pakistan:

Pakistan today is in the eyes of the world, what we do and what we don’t will decide the future of Pakistan and the generations to come. We face internal and external threats which are shaking the very foundations of our motherland. Never before were we in such a dilemma, never before did our soil need us more and never before were we called upon to unite. We are not afraid but we are in danger. We have to WAKE UP!

The youth-oriented campaign promises to revive the ideology of the Quaid-e-Azam and Allama Iqbal. Spearheaded by Zaid Hamid, and supported by fashion designer Maria B and popular rock-star Ali Azmat, the country-wide campaign has comprised lectures at various educational institutes and has gathered quite a fan following.

Hamid’s official fan page left me stunned, and not only because he has a striking 24,682 fans online. What’s really shocking is Hamid’s irresponsibility in the face of his popularity and broad-based access to Pakistani youth.

The latest update on the page reads: ”Inshallah one day you will hear this………’This is radio Pakistan from New delhi’.” Even more startling is the fact that Hamid’s fantasies of invading a neighbouring country were received with messages from young Pakistanis such as “Inshallah” and “we are eagerly waiting for that time!” Such statements contradict Hamid’s claims of reviving the ideology of Jinnah and Iqbal. Indeed, his anti-India stance makes the Wake Up Pakistan campaign delusional, provocative, and downright demagogical.

Twin blasts hit Karachi, 33 killed

by Omar Ali

My own feeling is that massacres of shias will only accelerate in the areas where a shia population coexists with salafi terrorism (meaning Iraq, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Arabian peninsula). Mainstream Muslims who are not well aware of the origins and teachings of the Saudi-inspired salafists will no doubt rant about imperialist conspiracies and so on, but the fact is, this is as inevitable as night follows day. As police forces and armies put pressure on the salafist terror networks and even the Saudi state withdraws its backing, they are going to get more desperate and in their narrative, “the enemy within” are Shias (that narrative has some similarities with the Nazi narrative about Jews in Germany: that they “betrayed us from within and conspired with our enemies”) and they are going to go after them…..they are also a soft target and killing them may incite wider sectarian violence and thus bring down the semi-secular states that are now the salafist’s enemy.

Courtesy: Omar Ali & crdp@yahoogroups.com, Feb 5, 2010

China swings into action after US U-turn in Kabul – Beijing may set up military base in Pakistan

China eyes military bases in Pakistan

Courtesy: The Economic Times

BEIJING: China has signalled it wants to go the US way and set up military bases overseas, possibly starting with Pakistan. The obvious purpose of creating PLA bases in Pakistan would be to exert pressure on India as well as counter US influence in Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Karachi blasts – 25 killed

Sindh – Karachi: At least 25 people had killed and 100 others wounded on Friday after two bombs planted on motorcycles struck a bus at Shahra-e-Faisal and Jinnah Hospital in Karachi and an other bomb found hidden into Tv/monitor near emergency ward of the hospital.

Can Sindh Government construct a motorway connecting Karachi to Jacobabad

By Khalid Hashmani, McLean

On Friday (April 24, 2009), I attended an extremely informative presentation at the SAIS on the positive impact of Lahore-Islamabad Motorway on the surrounding rural villages of Punjab. I urge the Government of Sindh to construct a motorway connecting Karachi to Jacobabad to duplicate similar improvement around the villages of Sindh.

The presentation was made Ms. Mahvish Shami, who is currently pursuing PhD degree at the Development Studies Institute at London School of Economics. Incidentally, her village too is in the Hafizabad district of Punjab, where she conducted her study.

Medical advances mean HIV patients more likely not to die with AIDS

- David Grahm

“You can’t live your life with a gun to your head,” says 52-year- old Gary, who tested positive for HIV in 1985. “At some point, you have look away and get on with things.”

Mystery of Aafia Siddqui case

by Omar Ali

All sides are hiding something in this case. There is no question about her being affiliated with extremist religious group (her first husband claims as much and most reports seem to indicate she was a true believer) but what happened between 2003 and 2009? There were several reports AT THAT TIME that she had been arrested by security agencies in Pakistan. Her family also claims that they kept getting messages from Pakistani security agencies saying she was OK (meaning they had her). So where was she between 2003 and 2009? And why wont SHE say anything about those years? Her lawyers have made no claims about that time either.

On the other hand, the whole Ghazni shooting story sounds too much like one of the “punjab puls muqabala” stories our police cooks up when needed. Still, she herself admitted to trying to escape and being shot in the process, so why won’t she say more about the events prior to that escape? who has her other two children? What is the Pakistani premier spy agency’s version of where she was between 2003 and 2009? Its all too murky and shady…..

The trial itself seems to have some farcical elements. The jury took a while to convict, but in the end they have trusted the official version, which seems very untrustworthy to me. A New York jury should be able to smell a rat in that story about her grabbing a gun out of nowhere. And why didn’t anyone ask where she was before she showed up in Ghazni?

The Pakistani governments sudden concern for her future is also very suspicious. IF anyone knows what has happened in the last few years, its the primer spy agency of Pakistan, who presumably arrested her in 2003…if they did not arrest her, then she was probably hiding with some extremists because how could the US have kidnapped her from Karachi without knowledge of the primer spy agency of Pakistan?

And why would the US try her in court in such a clumsy fashion? If they wanted to throw the book at her, they could easily cook up a terrorist profile more believable than the story about a neuroscientist hanging out in Ghazni with drawings of NEW YORK landmarks. Is the American security apparatus that tone deaf and dumb? and so on and so forth…

Courtesy: Omar Ali & crdp@yahoogroups.com, 3 Feb 2010

Must watch – Pranav Mistry : He is genious!! :O

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mzKmGTVmqJs&feature=player_embedded

Part II – Must watch – Pranav Mistry : He is genious!! :O

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MDFKYrSJefc&feature=player_embedded

Indus River- Indus Blind Dolphin faces the threat of ‘genocide’

wildlife- Blind extinction
Indus Blind Dolphin faces the threat of ‘genocide’ because Indus River faces record water shortage
By Yasir Babbar, Islamabad
Courtesy and Thanks: The News
Indus Blind Dolphin, a protected species, is fighting a war of survival in the Indus River because of record water shortage. The required water level in the reserve stretch of 210 kilometres for blind dolphin is at least 40 thousand cusecs. Only 10 to 15 thousand cusecs of water is currently available which makes breeding extremely difficult for the world renowned Indus Blind Dolphin.

Dams upriver hurting people living downstream

VOICES FROM MEKONG
– ACHARA ASHAYAGACHAT
Courtesy and Thanks: Bangkokpost.com

When 42-year-old Zhang Chun Shan, a Chinese farmer-cum-activist , told a public forum in Bangkok this week that he was unaware of the negative impact his great nation’s hydropower projects have caused to neighbouring countries downstream, a hundred participants understood him.

Kabul 2010

by Shiraz Paracha

The newly reconstructed Kabul international airport is modern and impressive. Certainly it is better than the Islamabad and Peshawar airports; however, the sight of hundreds of helicopters and other foreign aircraft at the airport saddens every peace and freedom loving person. I, too, felt the gloom upon my arrival in occupied Afghanistan in the first week of January.

Pakistan: sixty-two years after birth

By B. R. Gowani

Courtesy: Globeistan

President is billionaire

Main opponent, twice in power, also a billionaire

The ruling clique is bloody rich

Country has nuclear weapons

Additionally, the world’s Master is kind

And provides the protective shelter

In this country’s biggest city

A kindly man was distributing:

From Pakistan to Israel – by Saleem H. Ali

Courtesy: All voices

Israel – Tel Aviv : As a Pakistani-American, I was initially hesitant to visit Israel in this political climate, but when an invitation from Tel Aviv University beckoned to explore prospects for ecological peace-building in the region, I felt obliged to accept. One of Israel’s most liberal universities was organizing a conference on the prospects for an environmental “peace park” with Syria in the Golan Heights and they wanted me to be the keynote speaker, given my previous research on such efforts worldwide. Some “Realists” might roll their eyes on such a prospect but the concept of “peace parks” is more than an idealist’s ramblings and has shown promise in resolving territorial disputes. Warring parties can be made to realize quite pragmatically that joint conservation is economically beneficial and also a politically viable exit strategy from a conflict. The US used such a strategy in the mid 1990s to resolve a decades-old armed conflict between Ecuador and Peru in the Cordillera del Condor region. The Obama administration’s deputy envoy to the Middle East, Fred Hof, has proposed the Golan peace park effort as a means of a peace-building with Syria as well in a formal paper written for the US Institute of Peace in 2008. So the idea is one which policy-makers are considering seriously and there are even detailed maps and plans that have been prepared to consider such a solution.

Nevertheless, the trip was risky in two ways: first in Pakistan, I would be immediately marginalized for visiting a country that is still perceived by many to be illegitimate. Second, as a Muslim of Pakistani lineage traveling to the region, I would be considered with suspicion in Israel as well as back in the United States. Thus I arrived with conflicting emotions and a protracted security screening at Ben Gurion airport, only to find the country in its latest conflagration in Gaza. An early January air attack on the beleaguered region had left four Palestinians dead and an aid convoy from the UK on Gaza’s border with Egypt was being stopped by Egyptians who claimed that they were under treaty obligations with Israel to ensure proper security measures. An Egyptian soldier was also killed in the frenzied fury of the waiting game for desperately needed aid.

‘Crying Babies’ of the Pakistani media!

President Zardari

By Shiraz Paracha

The screaming headlines of certain Pakistani newspapers and prophecies by the some participants of TV talk shows suggest that President Asif Ali Zardari must quit the president house—dead or alive.

Such demands are outrageous as President Zardari has not done anything for which he should be kicked out of the office before completing his term. On the contrary, Mr. Zardari is the only President in the history of Pakistan who has demonstrated an extreme level of tolerance in the face of a brutal character assignation campaign that is full of smear and slender. Orchestrated by discredited politicians and a section of the media the campaign seems to have no limits.

Power, perceptions and the PPP

President Asif Zardari

By Irfan Husain

Courtesy: dawn

To be fair, Asif Zardari made a good start, surprising many by his efforts to create an inclusive alliance.

It isn’t often that I agree with Nawaz Sharif. However, when he said a few weeks ago that the PPP was its own worst enemy, he put his finger on the problem this government has faced since it was sworn in nearly two years ago.

GENDER AND DIABETES

Deaths from cardiovascular disease are declining among men with diabetes, but not women, a new study suggest. Among diabetic patients with existing cardiovascular disease, researchers found women were 5.4 per cent less likely than men to have systolic blood pressures at recommended levels, and 5.9 per cent less likely to have their  LDL- cholesterol under control.

Pakistan: A difficult but necessary transition – Dr Manzur Ejaz

Dr. Manzur Ejaz

WASHINGTON DIARY: A difficult but necessary transition

Courtesy: Wichaar.com

Like the full bench of the Supreme court (SCP) judges, the military has no choice but to accept modernistic, universal views to save the state by eliminating primitive elements. Nevertheless, just like the SCP, obscurantist military officials, especially some retired hawks, are free to make loud noises while the moderates have to work silently

The NRO judgement alludes to contradictions and the torturous transition Pakistan is going through. The basic contradiction is manifested by the very fact that the highest judicial forum in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan had to rely on the historical judgements of the courts of secular states. A few examples have been taken from Islam — Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) concept of equality — and reference to the notion of tauba. However, the court made it clear that these religious notions are taken to be secondary and used to strengthen the judgement, which is based on commonly practiced international law. Why such a contradiction?

The problem is that, whatever the republic of Pakistan is labelled, the country contains a more or less modern populace in relative terms. Furthermore, society has a consensus over the parliamentary type of democracy, in which every voter has an equal weight, requiring specific laws, rules and traditions. The religious parties or modern Islamic scholars cannot address the issue faced by such modern democracies, parliamentary or otherwise.

Karachi Situation: May Lord keeps Sindh safe from all evil designs?

IAOJ editorial :

If the reports about the submissive position by Sindh govt to the culprits behind the recent incidents of violence in Karachi are true, then it should be disapprove. Sindh is the land of peaceful and Sufi (Humanist) people, therefore, except on rare deteriorating political occasions and only when extremely provoked, peaceful Sindhis have never taken hostile actions against any ethnic community or group any where. On the contrary, they have continuously suffered under unjust governments imposed/manipulated by Islamabad/Lahore. They have seen their cities and resources pilfered away while the rural Sindh gets pushed to the lowest levels of poverty unseen in any Asian country. If anything, PPP, PML-N, ANP, MQM, its leaders, past federal governments and their leaders should apologize to Sindh for the injustices suffered by them.

The PPP, MQM and other representative groups in Sindh should not forget that Sindh voted for PPP, MQM and others because they made commitment to truly represent Sindh in all deliberations and safeguard the interests of Sindh. We have no doubt that the people of Sindh will move away from PPP, MQM and other parties if they do not act in a dignified manner and fails to implement affirmative action programs to eliminate waderashahi, improve education, peace and health facilities in Sindh and particularly in rural and lifts rural Sindh from abject poverty.

May God always keep Sindh safe along with entire world from all evil designs and give us the intelligence, knowledge, and strength to recognize the true friends and foes of Sindh. May we always choose leadership that is proud of the heritage of Sindh and committed to resolve the issues of the people of Sindh.

Stop Sucking Indus River through illegal canals (leeches)

Harees of Sindh are awakening and fighting for their rights

by: Khalid Hashmani

Newspaper stories indicate that Sindhi Harees have reached the point where they feel that enough is enough. They are fighting back and it may be the beginning of the end of the exploiters who have dug illegal canals (Leeches) and dams to siphon off water from the Indus river before it reaches Sindh. Let us support their cause and join their struggle to bring an end to their plight.

U.S., Afghanistan, Pakistan & India – Things are going to go!

by: Omar Ali

In my opinion it is very likely that the Pak army will actually get some of what it is asking for in the short term but their victory will be a Pyrrhic one. The US needs ISI help in Afghanistan and will pressurise India to keep a lower profile. If prime minister, Manmohan Singh is as smart as he seems, he will get whatever he can in other areas and go along with this in spite of whining from the Hindu right and orthodox Indian security hawks. These are not the nineties and ISI may find “victory” harder to manage than defeat. After spending valuable political capital buying this “concession” in Afghanistan, they will find themselves fighting the jihadis and still with no serious influence in the afghan regime. Hikmatyar will sell out his own mother if he has to. “Reconcilable Taliban” are more upset at Pakistan than they are at America. Even Haqqani saheb will not “ride into the valley of death, theirs not to question why”…In the long run, things are going to go where economics and population pressure are driving them. But sardarji has to be patient…If the nuttier factions of the Indian security establishment stick to their tunnel vision, things could become harder than they have to be.

Courtesy: Omar Ali & crdp@yahoogroups.com, Feb 1, 2010

Kayani spells out terms for regional stability

By Zahid Hussain

During an address to the foreign media, General Ashfaq Kayani said that peace and stability in Afghanistan were crucial to Pakistan’s long-term interests.

Courtesy: Dawn

RAWALPINDI: Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said on Monday the success of military operations in the tribal regions have caused substantial decline in cross-border attacks on Nato forces in Afghanistan and warned that it was essential to address Pakistan’s long-term strategic concerns for stability in the region.

In a rare press briefing, General Kayani said it would be a cause of worry for Pakistan if Afghanistan’s projected army developed the potential to take on Pakistan.

“We want a strategic depth in Afghanistan but do not want to control it,” the general said while talking to a group of journalists at the Army General Headquarters.

“A peaceful and friendly Afghanistan can provide Pakistan a strategic depth.” He asked the US and Nato to come out with a clear strategy on Afghanistan.

Musharraf To Launch His Own Party?

Musharraf asks close aides to assemble in Abu Dhabi to discuss future course of action

Dubai – Islamabad, Jan.17 (ANI): Former Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf has summoned his close aides to Abu Dhabi to decide on his future course of action in politics and his long awaited return home. According to sources, several of Musharraf’s intimate associates, including Ghulam Sarwar Khan, Ameer Muqam, Lala Nisar, Hamid Nasir Chattha have already reached Abu Dhabi to meet with Musharraf and work over a strategy regarding his political ambitions.

This Islam is unacceptabe

by: Wasi Siddiqui, Toronto

“Recite Kalma – Blow yourself up with a bomb – and you will enter Paradise where 72 virgins await you.”

This is what is being taught by dangerous and radical mullahs who are ruining the lives of young people, especially teen agers, in Pakistan.

Recently, a would be suicide bomber was caught in Peshawar, where he told the whole story about how the radical mullahs are recruiting young people and promising them paradise and 72 virgins if they attain the level of “shaheed”.

The man explains that one night, as he was asleep in his home, some men came knocking on his door and asked him to come outside, as the mullah, the head of the masijid , had a job for him. The man first thought there was some kind of emergency, and rushed to the masjid to see the mullah. There he saw 20 more people sitting along with him. The mullah said: “Subhan Allah, the Angeles of Allah are waiting for your sacrifice, (as are) 72 virgins that you will get for achieving the level of shaheed.”

Was there anyone who would refuse the order of Allah? All the young men replied, “No, we cannot refuse the order of Allah, and we are ready to die in the name of Allah, the most merciful and graceful, and we will do whatever, to achieve this great martyrdom.”

The this man was taken inside a van and asked to wear a jacket laden with explosives. The driver siad, “You have to detonate the bomb as soon as we enter the compound,” then added: “Can you see the 72 virgins, they are right at the corner of the street, and also in the skies!” The young man said, “I can’t see anything,” But the driver said, “You won’t be able to see the virgins unless die and achieve the level of shaheed.”

The driver began to drive at high speed zig-zagging on the road. When the young man asked “Why are you driving  this way,” the driver replied: “There are lots of virgins now on the streets waiting with open arms, I’m trying to avoid hitting them.”

As the van approached the destination, a tire burst and the vehicle turned turtle and fell into a ravine. Law enforcement officials who happened to be on patrol rushed to the scene and removed the driver and the young man – still laden with the bomb around his body – and arrested both the wannabe suicide bomber and driver. That is when the story came out. Both are now awaiting trial in Peshawar.

The bigger question is : How has Islam become a .. [story] around the world, with this radical mullah’s ideology? Where it is mentioned in the Holy Quran or any other Islamic book that by committing suicide, one can achieve Paradise? What about the teachings of Prophet Mohammad (Peace Be Upon Him) who taught Islam his whole life, to be nice and courteous to all human beings? …

This issue is giving all Muslims a bad name, and totally misrepresenting Islam – which stands for justice and peace, not killing innocents. One must strongly condemn such acts as evil and highly deplorable.

Courtesy:  South Asia Focus, Jan 28, 2010

A New Sign Of The Times : Manmohan Singh Visit To Saudi

Manmohan Singh may visit Saudi Arabia in next three months

New Delhi – Abu Dhabi: Prime minister Manmohan Singh may visit Saudi Arabia in the next three months in a bid to strengthen India’s ties with the key Muslim country rich in resources, according to newly-appointed Indian ambassador to Riyadh, Talmiz Ahmad.

Unity in diversity : India Celebrates 60th Republic Day

New Delhi: Inida showed off its vibrant cultural heritage, its impressive achievements and military might at its annual Republic Day parade on Jan. 26, 2010.  Marching down from the Raisina Hills, the Republic Day parade showcased the country’s ‘unity in diversity’ as well as the armed forces in full battle regalia.

Chief Justice Hit by Shoe Missile

Attacker hits Israeli chief justice with sneaker

Courtesy: Associated press, YahooNews

JERUSALEM – An Israeli man hurled his sneakers at Israel’s Supreme Court chief justice on Wednesday during a hearing on medical marijuana, hitting her between the eyes, breaking her glasses and knocking her off her chair.

Dorit Beinisch, who is in her late 60s, was not seriously hurt, and the incident appeared to be an isolated one, though there have been rising numbers of threats against the judiciary. The judge was hit by the first shoe and knocked to the ground as the second one flew overhead, witness Michael Eden said.

Sindhi song : SHELA GUL – SAJJAN ACH QURAB KARE WANJ

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-FeZ0Rp2Co&feature=PlayList&p=33B29C5C5CC45DAF&index=156

Nargis Dhamaal- Lal Meri Pat Rakhiyo

Marjor Cardiovascular Risk Factors

Diabetes has long been liked to chronic kidney disease but now it also consider a culprit of cardiovascular disease. Diabetics cannot control the level of glucose/ sugar in the blood. Sugar is one of the nutrients that the body uses for energy. Insulin is made by the pancreas allows the cells to absorb sugar from the blood. In diabetes, either the body produces insufficient insulin, or the cells of the body no longer respond normally to insulin. High blood sugar stresses and damages cells, especially the filtering capillaries in the kidneys and the capillaries in the back of the eyes suffer from suffer from increased blood pressure and lead to vision loss. People with diabetes often also have high blood cholesterol and high triglycerides to contributes to atherosclerosis leads to heart attacks and strokes.

Pakistan – Punjab: Law minister is violating the Law!

Courtesy: Dunia tv

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q0nPi_t-LNk&feature=player_embedded

Change the world – Marx

“The philosophers hitherto have only interpreted the world in various ways; the thing, however, is to change it.” (Marx)

The Lives of Others

By Munawar Ali
I watched a German movie about the state hegemony in the former German Democratic Republic. In which they show how the writers and artists were persecuted who wanted to talk truth against the state. People have been portraying communism and communist states as part of Heaven. The fall of Soviet Union and other socialist empires has now revealed how heinous and dictatorial rule was, under those communist czars. No privacy no freedom at all, you have to accept whole state crap if you want to live there and you cannot get out either. I think this was one of the main reasons of the fall of communist bloc.
We have been talking about trimming of personal freedom in USA lately. If you look back little into the past socialist and communist countries, you would not even find the word freedom. Everything was state controlled even personal life was considered state property. In the name of socialism and communism state took away all freedom from people and made them slaves of state police, talking against state was worst than sin and could cost life.

I really think that the people who still consider those dictators and police states as their ideal, they live in an ideal world which is not real. BTW name of the movie is “The Lives of Others”

7 November, 2008

Courtesy: Munawar Ali and Sindhi lists

Sindhi Intellectuals Vow to Resist Action to Dislodge Elected Government

NRO decision: Its political Implications on Sindh – Intellectuals vow to resist move to dislodge elected govt

Courtesy: daily dawn

Speakers at a dialogue said that even though the PPP had disappointed people, if it was removed through unconstitutional and undemocratic means, the people and Sindh would not accept it. They also said that Asif Ali Zardari was being targeted for being a Sindhi. -

HYDERABAD: Intellectuals, writers and civil society leaders have said that the present government has come into power due to the supreme sacrifice of Benazir Bhutto and only the people have the right to remove the democratically- elected government. They warned that if the current government was removed through pen or unconstitutional means before it completed its tenure, it would be considered as an insult to the mandate of the masses. They said such an unconstitutional and undemocratic action of the undemocratic forces would push Sindh on the path of Bangladesh.

They were speaking at a dialogue organised by the Women Action Forum and “We Journalists” at the press club here on Wednesday.

The topic of the dialogue was “NRO and its effects on the Sindh Politics”. A large number of intellectuals, writers and women attended the dialogue.

Speaking on the occasion, convenor of Sindh Dost Rabita Council, Barrister Zamir Ghumro, said that only the people had the right to change the government. He said central Punjab had always remained in power and usurped all the resources of the country and added that this leadership considered itself insecure in a democratic set-up and was creating hurdles in the democratic process.

If the president was removed at gunpoint or through media trials, this would be considered as an attack on the mandate of the Sindhi people, he said.

Women Action Forum leader Ms Amar Sindhu said that undemocratic forces had ruled the country for the last 60 years and added that these forces loathed a democratic system. She said that the present assemblies in the country came into being due to the supreme sacrifice of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto.

She warned that if any attempt was made to remove the present government through undemocratic means, the people of Sindh would not accept such a change. No unelected organisation has a right to remove the democratically -elected government, she said.

The chairman of “We Journalists”, Mr Jafar Memon said that it was an insult to the peoples’ mandate to raise a hue and cry against the elected government by taking refuge behind the NRO. The very survival of Sindh is at stake, he said and added that Asif Ali Zardari was being targeted for being a Sindhi.

Jami Chandio said that when Pervez Musharraf was placed in a tight corner, he tried to protect himself by promulgating NRO. He said if only political cases were withdrawn under the NRO, the situation would have been quite different.

He, however, said that the withdrawal of cases against the murderers of innocent people was a great injustice. No doubt the PPP has disappointed the people, nevertheless if it was removed through unconstitutional and undemocratic means, the people and Sindh would not accept it, he added.

The others who spoke on the occasion included press club president Mahesh Kumar, Javed Kazi, Ms Irfana Mallah, Punhal Sario, Comrade Hussain Bux Thebo and Zafar Rajput advocate.

Zafar Rajput said that a dictator had withdrawn murder and corruption cases just with one stroke of pen. He said it was time for the PPP ministers who were hit by NRO to give sacrifice.

The speakers were of the unanimous opinion that people would not accept removal of the present government through undemocratic and unconstitutional measures. They, however, urged the government to pay attention to the basic problems of the masses.

266 Urs : Shah Latif a Source of Awakening

Shah Latif Bhitai is varstile poet, his content, language, diction, heroes, characters, every thing is rich and beautiful, such programs like celebrating Latif-Day offers a chance to establish connection between Bhitai and the people. Latif is always refreshing and inspiring, alas, lot of people have given up reading him, he is our greatest strength, a sole source of awakening, spread light into stagnant minds of our people.

He not only depicts Sindh, its culture, past but gives an inspiration for change, “Wethan ta waree wary“, several one liners of his poetry are remarkable, one hardly finds such a wide-ranging observations, wisdom and reflecting on diverse things. Bhitai, though a son of Sindh, not lived in era of globalization and communication revolution, but he truly encompass universe in his poetry.

SAAEIN SADAAEIN KAREIN MATHE SINDH SUKKAR

DOST MITHAA DILDAAR AALAM SAB AABAD KAREIN

- SHAH ABDUL LATIF

Translation – May Lord bless Sindh along with entire world.

Shah Abdul Lateef : The soul of Sindh

- Chandiramani

Shah Abdul Latif was born in 1689 in Khatiyan in Hyderabad district. He passed away in 1752  and is buried in a masauleum  in Bhit. He was a great poet , scholar and a sufi mystic. It is absolutely appropriate if he is called the Soul of Sindh. He strongly believed in peace and contentment.

The beneficiaries of Haiti’s earthquake

by B. R. GOWANI

Courtesy: globeistan

In the first week of January, a 7.0 earthquake hit Haiti. Over a 100,000 people died.

Long ago, the United States had made a pact with God that it is never going to let Haiti become independent—economically and politically. The US has succeeded— which means the God is stronger than the devil.

Pat Robertson, as usual, showed how cruel a man of God could be. He has not yet forgiven Haiti for revolting against the French colonial rule in 1804 and becoming the first republic to be led by blacks, and also the first independent country in Latin America. For this man of God, Haiti’s independence was “a pact with devil!” In other words, what he is saying is that the colored people should make a pact with God by staying under the white yoke. And this white Taliban has the CBN or Christian Broadcasting Network at his disposal.

The US army got a chance to reoccupy Haiti. By the way, this is the island where Columbus first landed in 1492 thinking that he has reached India.

INHERENT FLAWS IN THE NRO JUDGEMENT.

FLAWS IN THE NRO JUDGMENT

by: Tausif Kamal, Attorney at Law

Courtesy: crdp@yahoogroups.com

Finally I’ve had a chance to review the detailed NRO judgment somewhat and would like to offer the following comments on the Islamic aspects or the Islamic angle firstly and then on other shortcomings of this supposedly ‘landmark’ decision by the Pakistan’s Honorable Supreme Court.

First of all, as I have stated before, invoking and interjection of Islamic tenets by the S.Ct for the purpose of declaring the NRO invalid as per the Pak Constitution was wholly unnecessary and superfluous when the Court already concluded in the judgment that the NRO stood illegal and void since it violated some very basic provisions of the Constitution such as Articles 4, 8, 12, 13, 25, 62 etc, etc. Moreover, neither the Government nor the proponents of the NRO had argued that the NRO was based upon Islamic principles or that it was in full conformity with Islam injunctions, a position that might have required the S. Ct to refute this stance and counter it with Islam-based arguments. In the absence of any such defense of the NRO , what was the point in S. Ct’s interjection into its judgment of an Islamic angle ? None that I can see, unless the Court was trying to placate the Islamist lobby and to prove its Islamic credentials.

Even so, lets start with the opinion of the honorable Chief Justice himself. In para 113 , page 181 of the judgment the Honorable CJ makes a sweeping statement : “The principle of equality has its origin in the Islamic teachings.” Really? Is it true that none of the humanity before Islam, none of the great religions before Islam, none of the great civilizations and philosophers, the Greeks, the Romans, etc, no one ever thought of the concept of equality?

Let me first state categorically that Islam does enjoin equality and universal brotherhood for all Muslims, despite its reference to slaves and the weight given to a woman’s evidence etc. However the concept of equality has evolved through the ages, predating the birth of Islam. Its origins can be traced back as early as the Greek philosopher Epicurus who in 341 BC authored Principal Doctrines and who admitted slaves and women to his school , and the 3rd BC Hellenistic philosophy of Stoics who supported the idea of equality and advocated universal brotherhood and ‘natural’ equality of all human beings. The Roman juristic construction, Jus Jentium, was also a step forward in espousing equality. The Torah, Moses and Christian pronouncements of universal brotherhood clearly proclaimed and envisioned the idea of equality also.

In attempting to establish that Islam promotes equality the NRO judgment improperly quotes Suras of Quran that do not precisely dwell on the subject of equality. For instance, the Honoralbe C.J. refers to Sura 49.13 (Page 181) :” Surely the noblest of you in the Sight of Allah is the one who is most pious”. From this the C.J incorrectly surmises that ” (T)his verse clearly establishes equality of all men and women”. No, it doesn’t. It refers to the highest degree of importance that Allah attaches to the piety or morality of human beings; it doesn’t refer at all to the equality of men and women in Islam.

The honorable C.J. partially quotes Surah Al-Araf ( 7: 172) wherein the Almighty asks the children of Adam and their descendents : ‘Am I not your Lord?’ They said : “Yes we do testify’. However the judgment omits to quote the rest of this Surah which says : “…lest we should say on the Day of Judgment : ‘Of this we were never mindful’ “. This Surah refers to the Covenant of Alast, the original, primordial agreement that has nothing to do with equality. It is the first affirmation by all of human race, not only Muslims, that god was indeed God, the Lord Almighty. It is known as the First Covenant or the First Witness.

Similarly the Honorable C.J. quotes Surah 21:92, which exhorts mankind to serve and obey only the Lord, does not deal with the ” concept of equality” nor it “bestows equal rights upon all” as he asserts. The C.J then discusses the requirements of Tawhid, Taqwa and the “Rule of Law in Islam”, forgetting that his sworn duty was to protect the rule of law in the country of Pakistan and not in Islam.

The NRO judgment also holds that “…all matters of national interest… and all state affairs on all levels must be decided on the basis of the concept of consultation in its true sense as envisioned by the Quran (42:38) and (as) practiced by the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH)”. If this is the case the we might as well wind up the National Assembly, the Senate etc because certainly this is not the consultation process that was practiced by the Holy Prophet (PBUH) nor laid down in the Quran !!

As far as the opinion ofHonorable Justice Ch. Ijaz Ahmed (Page 257) is concerned, it’s in a class by itself. Suffice it to say that it doesn’t belong in the realm of the jurisprudence: its more in the nature of a Tablighi pamphlet and a low level one at that. It should not have been made a part of the judgment.

Honorable Justice Ijaz starts off with a laughable assertion that during the Muslim rule the literacy race in the Subcontinent was 90%. He then proceeds to discuss Islamic history and the concepts of equality and equal protection of law ( no one in human history but only Islam and its founder thought of this), definitions of “Amin”, “morality”, “corruption” etc, Moulana Roumi’s poetry, Wasif Ali Wasif, Shahanama of Qudru ullah Shahab. Finally he unloads the words of wisdom : ” No law can be wholesome unless the principle of amr bil maruf won hi anil munkar (whatever that is) is strictly adhered to “. There you have it folks, none of Pakistan’s laws, including the Constitution, which Justice Ijaz is under oath to defend, is wholesome and apparently not worth defending according to him!

In addition to the Honorable S. Ct’s uncalled for addiction to soliciting Islamic grounds for declaring the NRO invalid, the judgment lacks judicial caliber expected of an apex court. For a good part of the judgment is burdened with voluminous verbatim repetitions of detailed arguments of each and every counsel for the petitioners and opponents of the defunct NRO. On the other hand, it is strange that there’s no mention of the arguments of the other party in this case, i.e. proponents of the NRO. May be because none were offered. As the judgment itself states in para 34: “Admittedly , neither the Federation of Pakistan nor the Provincial Governments have defended the NRO”. If so, it’s debatable whether there was an actual, live case or controversy between contesting adversaries — the existence of which is a pre-requisite for a court to admit a matter for hearing and judicial review.

Also, the judgment unnecessarily dilates upon the meaning in great detail of such basic terms as equality, corruption, rule of law, etc. Instead of a refined legal scholarship and analysis you would expect of a supreme court the judgment stoops down to an elementary level, say, of a first-year law student.

Lastly, I think this judgment contains an inherent fatal flaw. It’s a well- established principle of judicial review that courts will not render opinions or judgments on laws that have lapsed and have become unenforceable because of their time limitations (e.g. sunset laws) or because of their or obsolete subject matters ( e.g. laws pertaining to slaves). Of course, the courts have the power to declare a law (such as the NRO) that is presently in vogue as being void ab initio, i.e. void at the outset or at its promulgation.

As stated by the Court itself the Parliament had allowed this 120-days Ordinance to lapse and hence the NRO was not a law that was in vogue or in force at the time of the hearing of this case . In para 33, page 53, the judgment concedes “…that the National Assembly did NOT agree to make the NRO 2007 as an Act of Parliament, with retrospective effect, and ultimately it was withdrawn from the Assembly vide letter dated 7th December, 2009.”

The lawyers for the Petitioners wrongly argued that the ” NRO is a bad law ” and the Honorable S.Ct judges wrongly agreed with this assertion because at that time the NRO had lapsed, expired, defunct, kaput, finished, khatum-shud. It ceased to exist as a law. Period. NRO was not a bad law; it was in fact no law at all when the case was being litigated in the S.Ct. I fail to understand why the Honorable Court thought fit to resurrect a dead law in order to rule upon it. The subject matter of this case , the defunct NRO, had become moot and courts do not render advisory opinions on abstract or moot issues.

Khawaja Asif shows Ainay Ka Doosra Rukh!

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n-prMwZ2gdk&feature=player_embedded

Any Way

People are illogical, Unreasonable, And self centered
Love them, anyway

If you do good, People will accuse you, Of selfish motives
Do good, anyway

If you are successful, You may win some enemies
Succeed, anyway

The good that you do today, Will be forgotten tomorrow
Do good, anyway

Honesty and frankness, Makes you vulnerable

Be honest, anyway

Telling the truth, May get you in trouble

Tell truth, any way

What you spent years in building, Will be destroyed overnight

Build, anyway

People really need help, But may attack you,

Help them, anyway

You may get kicked, For giving the best you have

Give the best you got
Anyway

PAKISTAN: Shameful acts by the lawyers to ruin the rule of law

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

Lawyers have stormed the Lahore Session Courts to show their solidarity with a lawyer and former president of Lahore high court bar association who was arrested in the murder case of a 12-year-old Christian domestic helper. The girl was allegedly tortured. The lawyers, more than three hundred under the leadership of president of the Lahore Bar Association, went to the Session Court and took possession of the accused lawyer, Mr. Naeem. They then scuffled with media personnel and policemen who threatened that they would be punished if they did not leave the court. It then became difficult for the judge to proceed with the legal requirements of the case.

Bangladesh hangs Mujib killers. Who will hang Bhuttos’ killers??

Bangladesh hangs Mujib killers

Bangladesh has executed five ex-army officers convicted of killing the country’s independence leader in 1975.

Courtesy: BBC News

The men killed Sheikh Mujibur Rahman, the president’s wife, three sons, two daughters-in-law and approximately 20 others as part of a military coup.

Only hours earlier the Bangladeshi law minister had announced that they would be executed by Sunday but could be “hanged at any moment”.

President Zardari pardons 59 Christians in Pakistan

President Zardari

President pardons 59 Christians in Pakistan

By: George Masih

Courtesy: Christian Today, Monday, 16 November 2009

About 59 Christian prisoners in Pakistan received a new lease of life when President Asif Ali Zardari pardoned and freed them on Friday. Heeding to an appeal by ‘Life for All’, a Lahore-based Christian organization, the President released the prisoners who were falsely accused of minor crimes and languished in jails without obtaining legal aid due to financial constraints.

Pakistan: Punjab-dominated federation – Balochistan situation getting bleaker

Discussion by Anchor person Naseem Zahrah of Dunia TV.

Courtesy: Dunia TV

Source – http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GrMwD4jDC6s&feature=player_embedded

Women’s health- may be iron deficient!

Do you often feel weak or irritable? Tired of being tired most of the time? Are you pale, tired and lack  appetite? Do you have difficulty concentrating? Do you easily catch colds? Cracked skin around your mouth? Do you have dark circles under the eyes? Then you may be iron deficient and you need boost your iron levels. This may help- Consume washed fresh dark green vegetables, eat fresh fruits and the foods that are rich in Iron or multi-vitamins with iron supplements.

The English word

The English Word drug comes from the Dutch word droog, meaning “to dry,” which was part of the the process of turning plants into medicinal preparations.

Google’s Sindhi version

The IICT has approached the management of Google to make the Sindhi version available on its website.

Courtesy: Dawn

HYDERABAD: Students of the Institute of Information and Communication Technology (IICT) University of Sindh introduced Sindhi version of Google on Tuesday.

On the NRO judgement – By Dr Manzur Ejaz

Dr. Manzur Ejaz

WASHINGTON DIARY: On the NRO judgement

Courtesy: WICHAAR

The decision of the Pakistan Supreme Court on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO) was a foregone conclusion. This was a badly written law, easily susceptible to promoting discrimination, corruption, misplaced classification of prosecuted groups of people (the corrupt, murderers, rapists, etc). Additionally, it violates the basic tenets of the constitution. However, the Supreme Court decision manifests contradictions and lack of historical perspective that has to be given primacy in national decision-making.

The NRO judgment cannot be all about the evil in President Asif Ali Zardari.

Flaws in the judgment

By Asma Jahangir

Courtesy: Dawn.com

The Supreme Court (SC) has spoken and the nation must bow its head. The chief justice has asked members of the bar to pray for the judiciary. This too must be respected, as the Almighty alone can rescue those who wish to destroy themselves.

There is open friction between the ruling party and the court. By not restoring the SC judges earlier and letting Justice Dogar run amok with the law, the government lost face.

Room 5!

A man arrives at the gates of Heaven.

He was asked, “Religion?”

“Hindu” the man says.

He was told, “Go to Room 3, but be very quiet as you pass Room 5.”

Another man arrives at the gates of Heaven.

“Religion?”

“Buddhist”

“Go to Room 4, but be very quiet as you pass Room 5.”

A third man arrives at the gates.

“Religion?”

“Christian”

“Go to Room 9, but be very quiet as you pass Room 5.”

A fourth man arrives at the gates.

“Religion?”

“Jewish.”

“Go to Room 7, but be very quiet as you pass Room 5.”

The Jew asked, “I can understand there being different rooms for different religions, but why must we all be quiet when we pass Room 5?”

“Well, the Muslims are in Room 5 and they think they’re the only ones here!”

Source – Internet

WORLD SINDHI CONGRESS CELEBRATES SINDHU DAY

Report by: Suraiya Makhdoom

On the call of KTN/Kawish, to mark 24th January as the Sindhu River Day, World Sindhi Congress, a leading Sindhi organisation fighting for the cause of Sindh and Sindhis, organised events in UK in Birmingham, London and Sheffield. A brief account of each event is as follows:

London: WSC organised Indus River day in London on the bank of river Thames.. Those who attended included Dr Haleem Bhatti Chairman WSC, Dr Lakhu Luhano, General Secretary, WSC, Sadiq Bhanbhro, Sultan Mahar, Awais Mahar, Asif Jatoi, Imtiaz Soomro, Manzoor Mangi, Karim Rind, Shuja Mahaser, Ghulam Haider Daudpoto and Ayaz Solangi.

ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE (AD)

Alzheimer’s disease (AD) is a devastating neurological disorder affecting the central nervous system (CNS), which leads to a progressive loss of memory, language, and the ability to recognize friends and family. The German Doctor Alois Alzheimer first described Alzheimer’s Disease (AD) in 1907.