We have to demolish the walls of darkness

Wasshington Diary: Change of seasons and Dreams

by Dr. Manzur Ejaz, May 12th, 2009

Courtesy: Wichaar.com

When we were lion-hearted, when the tidal waves of our thoughts were keen to demolish every boundary, when a new flower buds like our soft souls looking for excuses to fall in love, when every dream seemed realizable, when every day came with a new dream and every night opened a mysterious book revealing secretes of times to dawn, when death was unbecoming inevitable, when life’s ocean had no shores, that was the time our good fortunes waited for the fragrance of new seasons. Those times whirled around us like youthful leopards. That was our time sowing seeds of new dreams and looking for blossoming. Those were the times when no one was born old.

Indian passengers flying Air France allege racial bias

Courtesy: Press Trust Of India

Mumbai, May 12, 2009

First Published: 11:34 IST(12/5/2009), Last Updated: 14:04 IST(12/5/2009)

Over 50 Indian passengers flying Air France had a “harrowing” time at Paris airport after their aircraft developed a technical problem and complained on Tuesday on reaching Mumbai that they were victims of “racial” profiling.

The passengers, who spent 28 hours in Paris, said they were confined to a lounge at the airport there from 10 pm on Sunday till 7 am the next morning and given “hardly any food and water”.

The passengers, on their way to Mumbai from the US via Paris, said while the foreigners were taken to hotels shortly after their plane returned to the Paris airport due to apparent technical problem following a four-hour flight, they were taken to the lounge and given just a bottle of water and a sandwich.

Giving details of their “harrowing” time, one of the travellers, Vineeta Sengupta said, “No foreigner would have been treated like the way we were treated. People were lying down on the floor over there (at a place at the airport) where immigration takes place”.

Accusing Air France of “racial” profiling, a girl passenger said that the officials there even had threatened that they would be handed over to the police if they did not stop protesting.

Pakistan’s Ethnic Fault Line by Selig S. Harrison

Pakistan’s Ethnic Fault Line

By Selig S. Harrison, Washington DC

The Washington Post,Monday, May 11, 2009

-Selig S. Harrison is the author of the report “Pakistan: The State of the Union,” based on a six-month study of ethnic tensions in Pakistan issued last week by the Center for International Policy. A former Post bureau chief in South Asia, he has written five books on the region.

To American eyes the struggle raging in Pakistan with the Taliban is about religious fanaticism. But in Pakistan it is about an explosive fusion of Islamist zeal and simmering ethnic tensions that have been exacerbated by U.S. pressures for military action against the Taliban and its al-Qaeda allies. Understanding the ethnic dimension of the conflict is the key to a successful strategy for separating the Taliban from al-Qaeda and stabilizing multiethnic Pakistan politically.

For first time Nationalists parties of Sindh demanded ‘no-right-to vote’ for people of other provinces in Sindh, fearing indigenous Sindhis turning into minority

..Joint declaration passed at a conference entitled “National Consultative Conference” held in Hyderabad by Sindh Veteran Politician Rasool Bux Palijo, Cheif of Awami Tahreek, some 200 delegates participated in the conference, Sunday May 10, 2009. Two things were interesting to note in this declaration: 1. US and Western democracies were accused of condoning and supporting urban terrorism in Karachi. 2. Nationalist parties (for first time in Sindh) demanded ‘no-right-to vote for people of other provinces in Sindh, and in forth coming census, people hailing from other provinces should not be counted and registered as citizens of Sindh (fearing indigenous Sindhis turning into minority in their own motherland) .. Ruling coalition in Sindh government was invited in the conference… Jeay Sindh Qaumi Mehaz (JSQM) and Asif Baladi did not sign the charter (they said: nothing less than sovereignty)

This seemed to be first anti-PPP alignment (if not an alliance) mostly by nationalist parties of Sindh joined and supported by PML N and Jamaat-e-Islami.

“Fear and extremism have covered entire world but Sindh free”

By Mukhtiar kapri

Courtesy: TeamSind.blogspot.com

After 9/11 world is remaining in deep alienation, and confidence have been broken among countries. Every country has remained a victim of extremism. In this regard, world is facing socio- economic problems. There is no single day which passes without suicide attacks.

Maxican Government Scholarships for foreigners 2010

This Call for scholarships and grants shall be open from April 22 through August 31, 2009, and online registration of candidatures shall be done from July 15 to August 15, 2009, with the exception of the following Programs: “Genaro Estrada” Program for Specialists on Mexico; High-Level Lecture Program; Special Internship Program; Studies on Mexican Independence and the Mexican Revolution; Program of Visits for News Media Collaborators; the Mexican Program to Improve the Quality of Mexico’s Higher Education Institutions; and the “Daniel Cosío Villegas” Programs of El Colegio de México. The foregoing shall remain open until October 30, 2010. Online registration for these programs is not required.

For details, click here

Courtesy: Team Sindh

Taliban interpreted Shariah law promoting girls’ Sale

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, AHRC-STM-102- 2009, May 08, 2009

A Statement by the Asian Human Rights Commission

PAKISTAN: Sale of girls and Shariah movement operating side by side

According to the journalists in Pakistan, the implementation of religious laws in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) could be linked to the recent increase in the abduction and rape of young girls. The Asian Human Rights Commission (AHRC) has received information concerning the case of at least half a dozen girls, aged between 10 and 14, who have been abducted from areas near the Afghanistan border in the recent months.

The Hidden damage to your teeth

The acid in many foods and drinks – juices, some soft drinks and wine can damage your teeth by softening the enamel surface of your teeth. In the early stages of acid wear, teeth may change their brightness. As this surface wears away, the yellow dentin underneath can become exposed. This can cause teeth to appear more yellow in colour and they may feel more sensitive to cold or hot. To reduce the affects of acid on your teeth, to follow the advice of your dental doctor, regular dental check ups. If possible, drink soft drinks through a straw directed away from your teeth. Brush your teeth three times daily and rinse your mouth with mouth wash early in the morning and at bed time.

Roots of nationalism in Sindh

By Zulfiqar Shah

The writer is provincial coordinator of South Asia Partnership Pakistan and he can be reached at shahzulf@yahoo.com

[Encounter page, daily Dawn, March 29, 2008]

A POLITICALLY mature reaction by the people of Sindh was witnessed after the murder of Ms Benazir Bhutto. The mobs torched government property, destroyed the means of communication and banned vehicular traffic in every corner of Sindh. Before attacking trains, buildings, trucks and trawlers, they provided safe passage to the security guards, drivers and passengers placed inside. Food and shelter were provided to the stranded passengers.

Hypocrisy of Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Jamat-e-Islami & Sufi Muhammad

Chagtaikhan.blogspot.com

Wednesday, May 6, 2009

Hypocrisy of Qazi Hussain Ahmed, Jamat-e-Islami, Sufi Muhammad, Daily Dawn and The News.

Not a single word would be mine just go through two statements of Former Jamat-e-Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed and compare that these two statements which were published in two noted Pakistan’s Daily Newspapers conflicting each other and by the way .. on Daily Dawn – Pakistan which published the statement of Qazi Hussain Ahmed in its hard copy but the same news is no where to be seen on its internet edition/website.

Qazi Hussain Ahmed, 3rd Vandal in Chief/Amir of Jamat-e-Islami [Coalition Partner of another American Backed Military Dictator of Pakistan General Pervez Musharraf 1999 - 2008]

To read full article, please visit Chagataikhan.blogspot.com or click here or click the following link;

http://chagataikhan.blogspot.com/2009/05/hypocrisy-of-qazi-hussain-ahmed-jamat-e.html

Petition filed against Jail torture & maltreatment of prisoners in Sindh-Pakistan

HYDERABAD, PAKISTAN. Inspector General (IG) Jails Sindh and Sindh Home Secretary have said that convicts are being kept under strict watch in jails after mobile phones seized from them. They said that after shifting of one under trial prisoner from Central Jail to Nara Jail prisoners resorted to violence, climbed on the roof tops of different barracks and lit bonfires in protest against his transfer. Talking to journalists after appearing before the Sindh High Court’s Hyderabad circuit bench in a Constitutional Petition filed by Advocate Ayaz Latif Palijo on behalf of the four prisoners of Central Jail Hyderabad and in another suo motu case they admitted that the jail department was facing some problems, which were being addressed. The High Court expressed its displeasure and disappointment over the conduct of DIG prisons and Superintendent Jail over handling of jail affairs. The IG Jails and Homes Secretary sought time to file their comments and case was adjourned to 19th May 2009.

Jinnah & Congress

by K. Ashraf

Jinnah tried his best to avoid partition. Until last moment he demanded Congress to provide constitutional guarantees to protect Muslims rights in Hindu majority India. Congress leadership denied these demands under the pretext of communalism. They tried to defer the issue until after Brits would leave India. Congress party’s denial to accommodate Muslims in India led to partition. Had Congress leadership agreed to Jinnah’s demand of providing constitutional guarantees for Muslims met there would have been no partition…

Student Politics in Pakistan: A Profile

By Nadeem F Paracha

Courtey: Chowk dot com

Student politics in Pakistan has had a history of mixed fortunes and shades. Though extremely tumultuous, it is also a history of rich democratic traditions. Before student unions were banned by the Zia-ul-Haq dictatorship in 1984, their activities were conducted through regular annual elections in universities and colleges.

You may give them your love but not your thoughts- Khalil Gibran

Your children are not your children,
They are the sons and daughters of Life’s longing for itself.
They come through you but not from you,
And though they are with you yet they belong not to you.
You may give them your love but not your thoughts,

Watch SindhTV Live on your computer

by Sarfraz Memon, Gaithersburg. MD

I want to congratulate the management of Sindh TV on launching their new website, and thank them for providing us the opportunity to watch live broadcast on computer. On their website http://www.sindhtvnews.net/index.htm you will find current news for “webTV” and “NEWS Video”. I think this website is now one of the best website we have in Sindhi.

To visit Sindh TV website, click here

http://www.sindhtvnews.net/video.htm

Provincial autonomy: Inaction of the Sindh government

— Selected and translated by Sohail Sangi

What Sindhi Press says;

THE Sindh government has failed to submit a proposal to the federal government for the abolition of the concurrent list and granting of more provincial autonomy. The statements by the members of the Sindh government in the media indicate that they are well aware of the issue. But they have failed to act on their words.

America’s Two weeks notice to Paksitan

WASHINGTON DIARY: Two weeks notice

by Dr Manzur Ejaz, USA

The writer can be reached at manzurejaz@yahoo.com

Courtesy- Wichaar.com, May 5th, 2009

The US is clear on the point that the Pakistan Army, and not the civilian government, is the one to decide about the war against the Taliban. If the army can manifest its sincerity, the US will support Pakistan’s security, integrity and viability as a country.

LK Advani – Perfect Icon of Harmony

by TANVEER AHMED, Ex-Chairman Haj Committee of India

I am pleased and honored to forward this on behalf of a great writer about L. K. Adavani Jee. Please go through the following link and have a look on the personality of a Ever Great man in History of Indian politics and please let the people decide their views about this great man so far they have. Please spend your valuable 10 minutes on it because its time to take a decision and know about the person who is going to lead and make us feel proud.

Please read my views regarding Advani ji and BJP in the forum click subject Social Justice and Social Harmony and then read my opinion on LK ADVANI: A PERFECT ICON OF HARMONY and mail your comments.

Lal Krishan Advani – A Beacon of Humanity, Click here

Noted Sindhi writer, poet and educationist Qamar Shahbaz passes away

Qamar Shahbaz Dies at 70 in Karachi

“A giant,” of Sindhi language and Literate Qamar Shahbaz has passed away on Tuesday, May 05, 2009 at 7 am at his residence in Karachi, Sindh due to cardiac failure.

Qamar Shahbaz has great contribution in Drama, fiction, poetry, actor, performer, writer, and in a way journalist, a real columnist (without mixing intellectual theorizations) with sarcastic and satiric. He was an outstanding speaker, the way he rendered the words of Sindhi, Urdu and English was very impressive.

His old friend, Agha Saleem, was telling me that he recently had started collecting his works, he went to Sindhiology and Sindhi Adabi Board for the collection of his short stories in magazines and articles from Newspapers. Agha Saleem believes Qamar Shahbaz lived movement to movement in our lives.

Qamar Shahbaz had strong leadership qualities, superfluous expressions with courageous ideas and he attracted people by his writings and speeches. He was a class fellow and close friend of great Sindhi story writer, Amar Jalil, both hail from Nawab Shah.

The last time I saw him was at Arts Council Karachi’s Culture Department’s program of ‘Birth day of Shaikh Ayaz’.

OPEN LETTER TO PROGRESSIVE PAKISTANIS

By: Iqbal Tareen, Washington, DC

- May 1, 2009

Ethnic violence in Karachi-MQM’s broken moral compass

I was thrilled to see a joint press conference held by Pakistan People’s Party home minister Dr Zulfiqar Mirza, Muttahida Qaumi Movement leader Dr Farooq Sattar and Awami National Party leader Amin Khattak in which they declared not to side with the perpetrators of ethnic violence in Karachi. I should have known it was too good to be true. Within a few hours another press conference called by MQM demanded a selective enforcement of the law.

Not Guilty of Murder

In May 1989, Kenneth Parks of Toronto, Canada drove 14 miles from his home to his in-law’s home and killed his mother-in-law with a tire iron rod. He also beat his father in law too. He claimed asleep the whole time, and after hearing testimony from mental-health professionals & sleep specialists, a jury believed it.

Thanks District Government Hyderabad, Sindh

*Passengers came out from the first flight after re-opening of Hyderabad Airport after 10 years.**THE INAUGURAL CEREMONY OF RESTORATION OF PIA FLIGHTS FROM HYDERABAD AIRPORT. ***District Hyderabad Nazim Mr.Kanwar Naveed Addressed the ceremony.

Help one another

“Respect your fellow human being, treat them fairly, disagree with them honestly, enjoy their friendships, explore your thoughts about one another candidly, work together for a common goal and help one another achieve it.” - Bill Bradly

SINDH CULTURE DEPARTMENT NEGLECTED SASUI PUNHOON GRAVE

By Dr Ali AKbar Dhakan, Karachi, Sindh

The Persian poet Hafiz says, “the pen lacks the tongue or the power to reproduce the story of love.In fact even the craving for union is beyond expression”. For Sasui, Shah Abdul Latif Bhittai says, ” At appearance got griefs, at maturity lost happiness, these both events of sourceless girl met with misfortunes”. Sasui was a daughter of Brihman of Rohri side who was thrown in the Indus on some prediction of having unfortunate fate girl but God, the creator saved her life and was picked up from the ocean by the washerman (Dhobi) of Bhambhore near Gharo distt. Thatta. God gifted her a beautiful and cheerful structure of body and was as white as snow and sun . She got maturity in the washerman`s (Dhobi’s) house who reared her as his own daughter. At last a man namely Punhoon of Baloch tribe from Balochistan married her but his father namely Ari, the King of Ketch Balochistan did not agree with this marriage of his son with some girl of low caste and instructed his other sons to go to Bhambhore and get Punhoon back home at any cost and trick.

MQM – The Talibans of South Pakistan, Threaten Government

MQM – The Talibans of South, Threaten Government

May 2, 2009

Courtesy: Pakistan Politics

The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) has threatened the government with drastic measures and announced to resist any government action to disarm MQM militants in Karachi. MQM has also demanded the removal of CCPO Karachi and IG Sindh and started a campaign against them after these two officers suggested door-to-door search for weapons in Karachi.

It is ironic that on one hand they have launced a campaign against Pakhtoons of Karachi by tagging them as Talibans, but on the other hand they are threatening the government just like the Talibans of North, to resist any action to disarm the MQM Militants.

MQM leadership said clearly that “The MQM would never allow such a step. If any such step was taken, then the MQM would be compelled to take some drastic measures“.

BBC report, click here

Pakistan Struggling…

Pakistan: Struggling to See a Country of Shards

By SABRINA TAVERNISE

Published: May 2, 2009

Courtesy and Thanks: New York Times

LAHORE, Pakistan — On a spring night in Lahore, I came face to face with all that is puzzling about Pakistan.

I had just interviewed Mobarak Haidar, a Pakistani author who was confidently predicting the end of the world. Islamic extremism, he said, was a wild animal that would soon gobble up Europe and all of Western civilization. “All the world’s achievements for the past 500 years are at risk,” he said in a gloomy tone, sitting in his living room. Soon there would be no more music, dancing or fun of any kind. The power went out and candles were lit, adding to the spookiness.

Sindhis in Gugrat and Rajisthan, India

Sindhis Beyond South East Sindh

Courtesy & Thanks: Gorakh Hill, Sanaland

Searching the World for Sindhis comes natural to every Sindhi. Everyone knows that partition brought untold miseries to hundereds of thousands of Sindhis. Sindh may not have been divided territorially but the psycholigical wounds have been so intense that they will continue to hurt. Thinking of partition for many of us only brings the plight of Hindus who were displaced but the fact now is that it was not only Hindu Families who were displaced but many Sindhi Muslims, Sindhi Christians, Sindhi Parsees and Sindhi Jews were cut off psychologically from their territory. On the left we give an extract of Sindhi Muslims now in Gugrat and above a short history of Ahmad Bukhash Sindhi of Bekanir Rajisthan.

Sindh-WAPDA dispute

By G.N.Mughul, Karachi, Sindh

- G.N. Mughul is a senior Journalist of Sindh. He is currently working with English daily of Pakistan, The Frontier Post. He can be reached at gnmughul@yahoo.com

Courtesy: The Frontier Post

Karachi, Apr. 25: Sindh-WAPDA dispute on the construction of Reni Canal in Guddu Barrage Canal Command area particularly relating to the extension of divide wall near the head regulator of Ghotki Canal, could not be resolved despite a series of the joint meetings between the high officials of WAPDA and Sindh Government held last week.

US gives Pakistan two weeks time to eliminate Taliban

Courtesy: The Economic Times, 1 May 2009

WASHINGTON : Stepping up pressure on Pakistan to take concrete action against the Taliban, the US has given Islamabad two weeks time to eliminate the insurgents from its soil before Washington determines what it will do next.

General David Petraeus, who heads the US Central Command, has told US officials that the coming two weeks would be “critical to determining whether the Pakistani government will survive”, Fox News reported.

JUMP IN POVERTY LEVEL IN PAKISTAN

By Dr Ali Akbar Dhakan, Karachi, Sindh

The previous government had been boasting about economic success and imparting resilience to the economic during this period, claiming that poverty level had been contained due to improved economic management.

World’s First Gay Head of State

by Rene Rosechild

Courtesy and Thanks: Curve Mag

On February 1, Iceland made history by choosing Johanna Sigurðardóttir to be their prime minister, making her the world’s first openly gay head of state. After its government collapsed in January, the country’s political parties chose Sigurðardóttir, one of Iceland’s most trusted and longest serving politicians, to lead them out of economic turmoil.

Pakistani Media on Extremism: Time to Draw a Line

Imdad Soomro

What Sindhi Press Says:

People who can not read Sindhi media have no idea what Sindhi press is writing, I have noticed lot of good stuff is being published in Sindhi media. Here is one such article by our noted journalist & columnist Imdad Soomro, who is in charge of Sindhi newspaper daily Ibrat’s editorial page. It may give you some idea of Sindhi media. - Imdad Soomro can be reached at imdadsoomro@gmail.com

Media on Extremism: Time to Draw a Line

By Imdad Soomro, Hyderabad, Sindh

Please note: The following article has published in one of the most influential & widely acclaimed Sindhi daily of Pakistan.Daily Ibrat on September 30, 2008

Courtesy and Thanks: Sindhi Daily Ibrat

In the post-Musharraf era of Pakistan when a pro-people ruling class is governing the country and fighting a war against terrorism, the Pakistani writers, opinion makers and media men seem to be divided in two clear camps, the issue of terrorism is so serious in our country that it is no more a concern only of government, or of one party, or a particular group. Hosts and anchorpersons, of course, in this age of electronic media influence a lot to common people, at the same time bizari propegenda of extremism is also being countered and responded.

A large portion of Urdu Media, both print and electronic, is calling Taliban as ‘forces of resistance and heroes’, the Right-Wing which had found a new direction after the collapse of Soviet Union, they have found their new allies who apparently are moderates and prescribe to liberal ideas but while writing on ‘national sovereignty’, FATA situation, American involvement and aggression, tend to tilt towards extremists’ line.

SEMINAR ON LAND DISTRIBUTION PLAN IN SINDH

Report by Dr Ali AKbar Dhakan, Karachi, Sind

Thirteeth April 2009, A seminar on the above subject was held by the Participartory Development initiatives (PDI) at Mariot Hotel Karachi.The Seminar was to be started exact at 9:30 a.m but the participants could not reach in time beacause of disturbances in the city and the seminar started at 11 a.m just after taking refreshment.The number of participants rose to about 100 and the hall was fully packed .Most of the participants belonged to rural Sindh serving in Karachi, Hyderabad and Islamabad.The Sindh Revenue Minister Mr Darejo chaired the seminar .The other Ministers was Mr Shajrah .Among the gentry Of participants, was Mr Nisar Ali Afandi, Nazeer Memon, Mrs Sadiqa , Mr Muhammad Umer memon and others including me sitting on the front seats.At the stage two Ministers, Mr Subhan Memon Sindh Revenue member, participatory organization officers including the Director Mr Sikander Brohi took their seats.The following details of the seminar were read out and explained by Mr Skander Brohi:

1st May- International Workers Day

LPP May Day Statement – by Farooq Tariq

May Day 2009 in Pakistan is celebrated with a new upsurge in labour movement. There are daily demonstrations across Pakistan by various sectors of the working class on the issues of shorter working day, against contract labour and privatization. More and more workers are now coming together to form the new trade unions as a vehicle of struggle.