An Economy for the 1%

How privilege and power in the economy drive extreme inequality and how this can be stopped

The global inequality crisis is reaching new extremes. The richest 1% now have more wealth than the rest of the world combined, and 62 billionaires own the same amount of wealth as the poorest 3.6 billion people on the planet. Power and privilege is being used to skew the economic system to increase the gap between the richest and the rest.

Read more » Oxfam
See more » http://www.oxfam.ca/our-work/publications/an-economy-for-the-1

Charsadda attack: It is time to ask Pakistan Army some hard questions

Whatever the military demanded, civilian government gave – from military courts to foreign policy, everything has been under control of Army. But what are the results beyond photo-ops and extensive PR gains?

By Umer Ali

A month after Pakistan observed the first anniversary of the deadly APS Peshawar attack, Islamist terrorists belonging to the banned TTP have struck again – this time at Bacha Khan University in Charsadda.

According to the latest updates, 21 people have been killed in the attacks with over 60 injured. Law enforcement agencies have cleared the premises, killing 4 terrorists.

This attack on another educational institution holds a lot of symbolic value. This is the third major attack in KPK in a month – all after Army’s continuous propagation of ‘phenomenal success’ and ‘broken backbones of terrorists’ in Zarb-e-Azb.

20th January is the death anniversary of Bacha Khan, a true humanist and preacher of non-violence. The attack took place when students had gathered to commemorate his death anniversary.

The attack on university, followed by quick condemnations

Read more » The Nation
See more » http://nation.com.pk/blogs/20-Jan-2016/charsadda-attack-it-is-about-time-we-asked-the-army-some-hard-questions

The demon we created

BY ZAHID HUSSAIN

IT took yet another militant attack across the border and increasing pressure from outside powers for us to finally act against Masood Azhar and his militant network — although one is not sure how serious we are in cleaning out the stables this time. Although proscribed some 14 years ago, his organisation continued to operate freely despite the evidence of its being involved in militant activities at home and outside.

How come a banned militant outfit was allowed to operate its offices across Punjab, that the security agencies now claimed to have closed down? Has the province been in a state of denial, or is there something more sinister? The Punjab government had firmly dismissed the reports of expanding activities of groups earlier associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad. Masood Azhar lived in a well-protected compound in his hometown Bahawalpur.

Many believe that the Pathankot raid and the alleged involvement of JeM in the incident may constitute a tipping point in the battle against militancy in Punjab. But it remains to be seen whether the government sticks to its promise. Such tipping points remained illusory in the past. Surely, it will not be so easy to wrap up the witches’ brew of militants that this country has been turned into. But it is our own survival that is now at stake because of these very same rogues.

Read more » DAWN
See more » http://www.dawn.com/news/1234101/the-demon-we-created