Author: Dr. Awab Alvi
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Flood Relief Incident Reporting goes Live
The past seven days Faisal Chohan a TEDFellow has been feverishly working to establish an incident reporting website at http://pakrelief.crowdmap.com/ to monitor the flooding situation in Pakistan. This is technically a Ushahidi platform connected to an SMS shortcode allowing people with cell phones to give live updates of issue on the ground. Ideally this incident…
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Op-Ed: Managing the Disaster Managers
One often wonders how a country run by a bunch of total lunatics can be expected to perform a reasonable job when confronted with a natural disaster. It may be a harsh generalisation, but Pakistan suffers far more seriously at the hands of bureaucratic pencil-pushers during natural disasters, while millions of Good Samaritans chip in…
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Some thoughts into Planning for the Flood Relief in Sindh
Over the past two days our team of volunteers at Motorsports Club of Pakistan and the OffroadPakistan have been in some intense discussion on what might be the best course of action. We have been busy raising funds locally and commitments have reached to a tune of close to Rs. 2.5 million. The online drive…
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Pakistan Flood Relief Campaign – Donate Generously
The earthquake’s that have hit Pakistan in 2005 and 2008 were regarded as the worst tragedy for the nation. Few have realized that the recent floods have in fact caused more damage then those earthquake’s did. As per latest reports official figures stand at 1600 dead and 12 million left homeless. The Monsoon rains began two…
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Zardari Shoe Bombed
Yesterday probably ranked one of the most happiest moments in Pakistans history when late at night the airwaves were abuzz to have heard the news that someone had the guts to throw a shoe upon Asif Ali Zardari while he was speaking at a function in Birmingham UK. It seemed the impromptu action of the…
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Zardari’s Birmingham Bash
President Zardari graced Birmingham with his presence today as the Presidential tour of Europe reached its final destination. The President was slated to address the overall Pakistani community but in truth it was a PPP bash for PPP workers only. The Birmingham bash did not pass off without incident and included a substantial public demonstration…
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Breaking point?
Guest Post by Faisal Kapadia from DeadpanThoughts As Muslims, we are often informed by the local and international media of our innate ability to react emotionally to anything concerning religion. They say we react too aggressively to any remarks on our faith or system of values and have knee-jerk reactions to issues that can be…
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Open Letter to HEC Chairman
Dear Javaid Laghari, One can not pass through the Karachi and Lahore airports without noticing those colonial and discriminating special “parliamentarian” check-in counters. One can also not help wondering if this country was made to honour the men and women who cheated, forged, acquired dual nationalities, never paid taxes and made false declaration of their…
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Army Selective in Rescuing Flood Victims
Guest Post by Moneeza Ahmed This past week, I was stuck in Yasin Valley in Gizar District (a district next to Gilgit District) for a project and I had to trek and walk by way back to Gilgit City, which took about four days. Despite the trip being extremely scary and dangerous at times, I…
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Op-ed: For whom the drone tolls
A question lurks within the mind of every Pakistani: where are we headed with this war on/of terror? Is Pakistan a simple ‘franchisee’ or are we developing our own long-term interests in this war? The strategy to hit out at selected al Qaeda targets unfolded in early 2007 when our government offered facilities for launching…
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The Coalition of Conscience – “Stop the War” – Charter of Demands
We, the people of Pakistan, progeny of the Great Nara (Sarasvati), Indus, Gandhara and Muslim Civilizations that predate all civilizations of the world; and a bastion of knowledge since antiquity; and those who have withstood all imperial adventures, Having evolved a civilization founded on acceptance of higher values of civilized life, respect for others’ rights,…
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Chris Anderson – Sharing of Ideas
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Jacqueline Novogratz – Investing in Patient Capital
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What is Blasphemy?
Blasphemy, in its literal meanings, is defined as a behaviour or language expressing disrespect for God or for something sacred The issue of blasphemy, highlighted again by the recent banning of certain websites in Pakistan, has caught the attention of everyone again, through debates on media. I also read and heard different versions of thought…