Archive for October, 2009
Different Flavors of Public Protest in India and Pakistan
Indians and Pakistanis are discussing the leadership crisis in their respective countries, but for different reasons and with different implications. India’s inability to wield influence on the world stage is being blamed on the lack of good leadership. In Pakistan, people feel that the political leaders have failed to instill confidence and provide direction when [...]
Nestle Fruita Vitals > Limo ride / Dinner and an HP Notebook
It would be sad if this Nestle Fruita Vitals competition misses the Pakistani online community or even my blog readers, such a sweet and easy competition is not to be pissed by any means. Nestle Fruita Vitals has a one week campaign on why you should win a Limo ride along with 6 of your [...]
Waziristan Strategy or Pakistan Strategy?
By Azhar Aslam Waziristan today has come to symbolize the paradigm in which Pakistan finds itself. An epicentre of ‘terrorism’, a symbol of ‘Talibanization’ and now a field for what has been euphemistically called ‘mother of all battles’. Pakistan and Waziristan were not always like this. How we have come to this pass is crucial [...]
US official, Resigns in Protest questioning the American agenda in Afghanistan (& Pakistan)
Matthew Hoh, A former Marine Corps captain stationed in the Zabul province in Afghanistan tendered his resignation to the US Ambassador Nancy Powel, becoming the first U.S. official known to resign in protest over the Afghan war, which he had come to believe simply fueled the insurgency. “I have lost understanding of and confidence in [...]
The Risks Of A Remote-Controlled War: CIA using Drones for International Assassination
Jane Mayer, a political journalist for The New Yorker discusses the ethics and controversies surrounding the CIA’s covert drone program, in which remotely controlled, unmanned planes target terror suspects in Pakistan. A 32 minutes interview on NPR [transcript] Mayer writes that unlike the military’s publicly acknowledged drone program in Afghanistan and Iraq — both official [...]
Jaag Meray Talib-e-Ilm, Students Protest Against Terrorism
Jaag Meray Talib-e-Ilm a group of students from various universities in Karachi gathered at Karachi Press Club on Saturday 24th October to protest against the Terrorism being vaged against the school students across the country. Fasial Kapadia and I, as concerned citizens decided to join the protest and record short interviews for our Laidback Show [...]
David Rohde’s Insights Into What Motivates the Taliban: Held by the Taliban
David Rohde writes about the seven months he was held hostage by a group of extremist Taliban in Afghanistan and Pakistan and conveys this observation about what motivates them: My captors harbored many delusions about Westerners. But I also saw how some of the consequences of Washington’s antiterrorism policies had galvanized the Taliban. Commanders fixated [...]
PR Seminar on The Blasphemy Law – Live Stream from PMA House @ 5:30pm
The Blasphemy Law: An Objective Assessment from Religious, Legal & Social Perspectives seminar organized by the Peoples’ Resistance is being live streamed from the PMA House at 5:30pm catch it live here on the blog or head over to the page at Ustream.tv APOLOGIES: Due to a technical glitch – live feed is *not available*
Protest Karachi 24th October 4:30pm, Press Club: Jaag Meray Taalib-e-Ilm – Pakistan Jal Raha Ha
Jaag Meray Taalib-e-Ilm – Pakistan Jal Raha Hai Location: Karachi Press Club Date: October 24th 2009 Time: 4:30pm Yet another blast has happened my friends and this time it is our educational institutions. This is not just another headline for the week. Efforts are being made to paralyze the education system of our country. The [...]
Laidback Show Episode 4 – @skdev
Show notes after the jump
Elektra-1: Prototype for Pakistan’s First Battery-powered Vehicle
For the past few months I have been privileged to have watched the progress of the development of Pakistan’s First Electric Powered Vehicle by a close friend, Faraz Ruknuddin Khan, a Cornell graduate, running his own Opensource Consulting firm called Emergen Consulting and has recently started an offshoot project Zivios.org. I got to know Faraz [...]
The Right to Refuse
Begging, as a profession could well compete with many others considered oldest on the list, with very similar characteristics. The first clink of coins falling in the begging bowl takes away one’s self esteem and any left over reluctance for all times to come. From here on, there is no looking back. One ceases to [...]
K-L Bill – Yes or No?
‘Do you know why these suicide attacks are suddenly one the rise again?’ asked my friend. ‘No, but I guess you have a reason to justify them’ I replied in a cold manner, wondering when did the attacks actually slowed down. ‘Yes I know it is because of the Kerry Lugar bill. You know, these [...]
The Blasphemy Law: An Objective Assessment from Religious, Legal & Social Perspectives
The Peoples Resistance invites you to. “The Blasphemy Law: An Objective Assessment from Religious, Legal & Social Perspectives” Date: Saturday 24th October, 2009 Time: 5:30 PM Location: PMA House, Karachi Some Speakers include: Dr. Khalid Zaheer, Advocate Zain Sheikh Other notable Human Rights Experts and Minority Group Representatives will speak and attend the Seminar. Chaired [...]
The Business of Martyrdom in Pakistani Politics
Two years back in 2007 barely two blocks away from my house a powerful explosion rocked Shahrah-e-Faisal as a suicide bomber tried to attack Benazir Bhutto’s motorcade as it made its way from Karachi airport to a massive rally being held to celebrate her return to Pakistan. We all know that she luckily had survived [...]
