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Posts tagged with: India

Om Puri to Play Zia-ul-Haq

Om Puri

Om Puri will soon share celluloid space with Tom Hanks and Julia Roberts in the upcoming film Charlie Wilson’s War, where he will play the character of General Zia-ul Haq, late President of Pakistan. The film is being produced by Tom Hanks and Gary Goetzman, and directed by Mike Nichols and is expected to hit the screens in 2008

Charlie Wilson’s War is a political film set during the period when the USSR invaded Afghanistan, and America wanted to use Pakistan to get rid of the Soviets

Om Puri has been reported to be in LA for two weeks on pre-production work and is doing a full background research on the Character of Zia-ul-Haq. “I remembered Zia having a gold tooth and have confirmed it with Shatrughan Sinha and his wife Poonam, who were close to the General. I also found out that the chain he wore on his sherwani had a decorative pocket watch.” said Om Puri.

Its just ironical that an Indian be chosen to play Zia’s character, personally I don’t see much in this story, after all its just a movie. But I dread the public reaction which may turn into a vociferous crucifiction as we tend to be considerably emotional against India.

What’s your take on the issue?
Credit for the tip-off Adnan Siddiqui


Pakistani Hacker hacks Kevin Mitnick

Kevin Mitnick

On 21th August Kevin Mitnick the legendary hacker of the 90’s who got sent to jail for his suspicious social engineering based hacking activities for a five-year prison term in 1995 was at this week at the receiving end of a massive defacement of four of his websites defensivethinking.com (Defacement) , mitsec.com (Defacement), kevinmitnick.com (Defacement) & mitnicksecurity.com (Defacement).

Hacking has been a part of the Internet practically from its inception back in the 80’s, in my heydays of computer wonders I was fascinated by the simplisticly of hacking Win 95 and 98 systems by simple tools like BO2K and other awesome Trojan stuff. My effort was very limited to a few simple steps but was simply mesmerized at what could have been done had I known a little of Unix and an intricate knowledge of coding. I have always considered hacking as an important factor in the continued development of this infrastructure we have come to live on called the world wide web, to be honest if there were no destructive forces attempting to take down the system who would have bothered to continuously revolutionize this technology which in turn spurns new inventions and creations which have come to impact our daily life. One has to take the good with the bad, and sincerely hope that the good elements continue to over shadow the evil side.

The sites under question have been hacked by FBH (Federal Bureau of Hackers) (website??) who have been operating since 2002 in their previous defacements they have been supporting the cause of Kashmir and been ridiculing the Indian Prime Minister Vajpayee (Defacement – Sony Music.com).

I personally would not be too proud of FBH being a Pakistani as it tends to cast a bad name for my country, especially in this ever-paranoid post 9/11 era where every brown skin Muslim is suspected for being an Al-Qaeda operative. Lets work to keep Pakistan in the good books until the image of a peace loving nation restores confidence in the world, we all have to work hard.


Links for 2006-07-23

  • Pakistan to the rescue
    Friends are made beyond the hatred and violence of Indian and Pakistani rivalry – Kudos to Amit Varma for this heart touching show of friendship
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • Berkman Center People Blogs, Aggregated
    Berkman Centers aggregator, interesting read
    (tags: activism)
  • Suspect Paki » Hitler Youth
    Israel continues to use force at will
    (tags: Israel activism politics)
  • Banking baby teeth for stem cells? CNN
    A news items of interest to a dentist
    (tags: Dental)
  • News Bias in the Associated Press
    As suspected news agencies report a strong US bias trying to further hypnotize the world into following the US bagpiper
    (tags: government media politics)

  • Links for 2006-07-22

  • My hearts in Accra » Thoughts and disagreements over Indias blog block
    Yet again, Ethan supports the Dont Block the Blog campaign
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • Andrew Lih » Blog Archive » Pakistan Tools for India
    Andrew Lih discusses the Indian & Pakistan Blogspot ban
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • NDTV.com – Indian bloggers get help from Pak
    News coverge on NDTV about the Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: News activism media pakistan)
  • All in a days work! » We, The Bloggers
    Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: activism pakistan)

  • Larko » Pakistani bloggers help out Indian fellow bloggers
    Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • zigzackly
    Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • Savvy » Democracry
    Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: activism pakistan)
  • DesiPundit » Ban [to be] Lifted and Traffic Rerouted
    Pkblogs gift from Pakistan to the Indians
    (tags: activism pakistan)

  • Inblogs.net – Slap the Block for Indians

    Inblogs.net

    Yasir Memon & Naveed Memon have come yet again to save the blogging community from the douldrums to have launched Inblogs.net which is similar to pkblogs but more suited for the Indian traffic.

    On July 17th the Indian Government has started blocking a number of websites specifically Blogspot, Typepad and Geocities. This comes as a sudden shock to the very active blogging community in India of which a few actually generate a significant amount of revenue in this business. If you care to take part in the on-going discussion it can be found on Bloggers Collective

    I am also proud to mention that a few Pakistani creations have come into immediate use by the Indians and we are proud to share our resources with our Indian counterparts as a show of support in the hope of making friends across the border. We are more than willing to shed our differences and stand together to protest this ban both in India and Pakistan.

    Of interest is the list of websites that is being presently blocked by the Indian Govt copied from the List of Banned Sites

      hinduunity.org was blocked in Pakistan also
      hinduhumanrights.org
      princesskimberley.com
      bloodspot.com
      dalitstan.org
      clickatell.com
      blogspot.com
      geocities.com
      typepad.com

    For more info check out these links
    Wiki – Bloggers Against Censorship
    Outlook India.com Blocking the Blogs


    Iran you’re Next

    Iran ure next

    Total world domination is what appears to the ultimate goal of the United States of America. The US has been playing the same tactics it was found guilty off a few years back when it was itching to dip into the oily waters of Iraq. It threw at the UN and the world every conceivable trick in the book, and when the world/UN said Fuck Off, it turned around hid under the banner of terrorism and WMD’s went gun blazing into Iraq alone with a handful of supporting countries. Is that the notion of democracy it lives by, when you loose a democratic discussion turn sour act like a rotten kid and do what you want. After three years it was only last week did the US President FINALLY admit to some mistakes – knock-knock, wake-up was he living on earth when all the body bags were showing up at the door?

    That’s where the problem lies, its known as an arrogant bully gone berserk – I quote an interesting paragraph from an article by Fareed Zakaria (Newsweek)

    May 29, 2006 issue – The Bush administration describes spreading democracy as the lodestar of its foreign policy. It speaks about democracy constantly and has expanded funding for programs associated with it. The administration sees itself as giving voice to the hundreds of millions who are oppressed around the world. And yet the prevailing image of the United States in those lands is not at all as a beacon of liberty. Public sentiment almost everywhere sees the United States as self-interested and arrogant. There is a huge disconnect between what the Bush administration believes it stands for and how it is seen around the world.

    The world is a gravy mixture of nations, each with its own thoughts and values, there cannot be a generic fix to all problems and each nation has to be dealt with in a unique solution, a rubber stamp US-like democracy cannot be expected to last long in a nation like Iraq which has only seen rulers, especially not a system enforced by invaders. A fundamental political change takes time and two short quick years cannot be used as a perfect exit strategy. Yes the Exit strategy is a strategy designed to allow the invader to get out before all hell breaks loose. Then it will be just evasion tactic statements from Washington, exit strategy my ass.

    Coming to Iran, the US has been planning for such an invasion into Iran for some time to an extent that coalition partners, which include the US, Israel and Turkey have been in “an advanced stage of readiness” since early 2005.

    American air strikes on Iran would vastly exceed the scope of the 1981 Israeli attack on the Osiraq nuclear center in Iraq, and would more resemble the opening days of the 2003 air campaign against Iraq. Using the full force of operational B-2 stealth bombers, staging from Diego Garcia or flying direct from the United States, possibly supplemented by F-117 stealth fighters staging from al Udeid in Qatar or some other location in theater, the two-dozen suspect nuclear sites would be targeted. – Global Research

    In its planning of the invasion the invaders have been seriously contemplating the use of mini-nukes in this Iran onslaught (GlobalResearch),

    Mini-Nukes are: earth-penetrating capability of the nuclear warheads penetrating only 20 feet or so into dry earth when dropped from an altitude of 40,000 feet. Even so, by burying itself into the ground before detonation, a much higher proportion of the explosion energy is transferred to ground shock compared to a surface bursts. Any attempt to use it in an urban environment, however, would result in massive civilian casualties. Even at the low end of its 0.3-300 kiloton yield range, the nuclear blast will simply blow out a huge crater of radioactive material, creating a lethal gamma-radiation field over a large area to cause significant damage. — FAS

    Mini-nukes helps the US to avoid sending troops into the battle field, hence avoiding the political pressure back home when the body bags start showing up, little do they care what happens to the innocent lives lost on the other side of the world. The shock and awe will naturally cripple the defending army but it will leave behind a devastated country with millions of people dead and dying, at that point I hope the blaming finger should point to the human rights abuser called the United States of America. It will again prove for the umpteenth time since Hiroshima that no other tyrant or dictator has violated the human rights code as repeatedly than the loudest so-called protector of human rights “The United States of America”. (at this moment I choose to leave the issue of Gitmo and Abu Gahrib – [they are not prisons but actually Terrorist Information Extraction Center] which have been a pain in the ass for the US & Human Rights lobby)

    I would like to know the motives behind the attack on Iran, does the US and its coalition partners honestly feel that an invasion is the best solution to the problems with Iran and after the attack Iran will play dead and cough up all the WMD’s – would this invasion be the final nail in the coffin and satisfy the hunger for world domination. Will the US suddenly stand up and say “That’s all Folks – we have cleansed the world of all tyranny, now lets sit back and enjoy the view” – I really doubt it, its Iran today, South Korea next, Pakistan soon, and then China. As they say, there is always an excuse to pick a fight, and with an ever booming Chinese invasion of the world economy, it won’t be to far away from the cross-hairs of the B-52’s.

    If I were belonging to any nation being invaded by any God-damn-country, my patriotism will rise to the occasion, be it the honky dorry US dollars or the an attack by India – I will be ready to die for my country and fight the invaders to the nail, this is the same patriotic sentiment the US continues to face in Iraq daily and WILL surely face it in Iran. Wake up Americans these are not Al-Qaida men and neither are these trained terrorist, but simply patriotic people ready to fight FOR THEIR COUNTRY.

    Bring ’em on, bring the B-52’s, bring the Tomahawks, bring all the mini-nukes, lay them out and spread far and wide, do anything you want but I assure you the Iranians are ready, sparkle all the dollars at them even then I assure you the patriotic spirit will fight you to the last nail. Worry about how to hot tail it out of the country, as a proud patriotic nation will beat you out of their territory, you won’t walk back but they may allow you to crawl back. Best if you stay out, handle it diplomatically BUT don’t make this world your playground to flex your muscle.


    Pakistan Censors Knowledge for Seven Hours

    In a very surprising development the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority which controls the Pakistan Internet Exchange had blocked access to the entire Wikipedia.org domain at around 1:00pm on 31st March. Immediately the AGABBIP group and the Don’t Block the Blog team were set into motion. The ban was not localized to any single ISP but was throughout Pakistan, after seven hours of pursuance by the activists the ban was suddenly lifted.

    I just feel that the Government fails to understand the true power of the internet, they pull the plug on the internet as if it were a small kid with which they can tease and play as they wish. In this competitive age where Pakistan competes for each inch of an economical edge with India. Actions like these disturb foreign investors planning to move projects into the region and are turned to walk across the border right into the waiting hands of eager entrepreneurs in India, obviously putting us back some hard cash while India continues to enjoy the influx of wealth from around the world.


    Pakistan Googled by a Texan

    Bush Googly

    George W. Bush’s two-day trip to Pakistan can now sadly be looked back upon more as a state sponsored relaxation trip for the President after his hectic schedule in India. Little do the Pakistanis have anything to show for this visit by the most powerful dictator of the world. In 2000, we were literally on our knees begging for Clinton to stop by to say Hi, but in contrast, in 2006, when the US President willfully offers to come, we fail miserably to perform.

    It was no secret that Pakistan was unlikely to get any crumbs from the nuclear grants when India worked hard to create a mutual understanding. Delhi has been after Washington for a long time and Pakistan can’t expect to get a deal just for the heck of being a critical neighbour with India. For Pakistan, the Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT) should have been the hot deal to be inked during the two-day trip. The BIT has been in the works for a good time, but sadly, Islamabad was caught napping till the nth hour and any last minute efforts only left objections making it unreasonable to be finalized in March.

    When dealing with the most powerful country of the world it should not be difficult for us to come up with alternative memoranda of understanding (MOUs) to cover up and potentially replace the BIT. Other MOUs could then have served a face-saving for the embarrassed government and it would have been a benefit for Pakistan even at a microscopic level. Instead, the two days were spent playing cricket and munching dinners at state expense.

    The Texan did make news (the only news to make headlines around the world), not on a political level but instead while playing cricket – he was hit by a bouncer and spun a googly in the process. It goes to say what a waste of time it is, trying to teach a baseball fan to hold the oddly shaped cricket bat let alone trying to teach him to bowl over-arm without the sling shot pitching style he’s more used to.

    Making matters worse, Mushy and his cronies went all out to cordon Islamabad off from the world. The airport and all incoming roads were effectively closed for all making it more like a prison and, simultaneously, all sorts of political activity was addressed by issuing house arrests for the loudest of all critics namely Qazi and Imran Khan. I applaud Imran Khan to have taken the limelight from the visit with some very interesting TV interviews he gave leading to the trip. Qazi Saheb, what can I say?

    Bottom line – Musharraf and his team have terribly mismanaged this trip, only to be remembered for the wrong’un delivery that Bush faced during his practice session at the nets.


    Don’t Block the Blog

    As I write this post on the morning of 4th March 2006 all sub domains of Blogspot.com carrying thousands of free blogs continue to remain censored for all internet users in Pakistan. The mess all started on the 27th of February when the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority issued instructions to all ISP to block all websites displaying the controversial cartoon images of Prophet Muhammad.

    Hence from the 28th of February the regulatory body barred access to a number of sites and it sadly included a few domains being hosted on the blogspot domains, rather then blocking the select few websites it seems they placed a universal block on all Blogspot.com sub-domains causing a number of bloggers to be banned from their own site for no apparent reason whatsoever.

    Mixed responses came through in the previous few days some claiming it to be a technical glitch at Google (owners of Blogspot.com) and a few reports by some Indian based surfers facing the same problem indicating a bigger problem than a local Pakistan issue. My personal experience remained consistent throughout the three days with a total blackout only solved by accessing the blocked sites through an anonymous proxy server, it goes to prove that the website is functioning fine and some censorship may after all exist.

    I continue to object to the cartoons illustrations and feel that the decision by the Supreme Court of Pakistan should be implemented for what its worth, but the PTA should be reprimanded for idiotic move as it seems the PTA continues to disappoint the Pakistanis time after time again for some stupid ill-thought out mistakes

    We as Pakistani Bloggers Stand Up United and Protest the Blocking of thousands of innocent Blogs which have no connection to the controversial images and would like to we appeal the the PTA to remove the blanket censorship on all blogspot address.

    Please copy the banner image found on Help-Pakistan.com and display it on your website to show your support

    DONT BLOCK THE BLOG

    UPDATE: Similar articles by Teeth Maestro also Published at Desicritics.org | Karachi Metroblog | Digg.com | Shoutwire | Newsvine


    Friendship across Borders

    Pak India Friendship

    The two neighbouring countries India and Pakistan may be at daggers drawn fighting each other for every inch of space and every political move is followed by a check-mate in retaliation. The governments also have an organized propaganda against the other side pumping the people with pure hatred, hence to create an environment of mistrust.

    The people on the other hand are pleasantly the same ‘ol loving human being inhabiting both sides of the border, how true it was when I met a fellow blogger from Mumbai, Amit Varma of India uncut who was in Karachi to cover the test match between Pakistan and India scheduled to start on Sunday. He has been touring with the team for a good 20 days and is planning to remain in Pakistan for another 10 odd days until the third one-day match. We happend to be co-bloggers on the Metroblogging network, Amit belonging to Mumbai Metroblog and myself taking an active part in Karachi Metroblog, and both incidentaly happen to also be on the team at Desicritics.org.

    You can say that one thing led to the other and somehow we mutually decided on a dinner when he would arrive in Karachi. When meeting a complete stranger for the first time its normal to have butterflies wander in suspense but from the very first handshake he came across as an extremely friendly person and an accomplished journalist / blogger to be my friendly ambassador representing India, his company was more than enjoyable and the dinner was very entertaining, not a moment went by where there was even a dull moment to the evening.

    I was delighted, infact honored to have met such a fine gentlemen from across the border and feel a more pleasant interaction between the two nations should take place to further soften the hearts amongst the people and maybe even a peaceful co-existence between the two nations. Thank you Amit for a lovely evening it was heartening to have created a good friend across the border – Cheers.

    I would like to propose an initiative amongst all the internet geniuses / bloggers representing both nations who happen to read this post to somehow join hands on a mutual platform on the web and work together for creating such Friendships Across Borders.


    India comments on Baluchistan

    The Govt of Pakistan was surprised to see a recent official Indian statement appearing a few days back on the escalating Baluchistan crisis.

    “The Government of India has been watching with concern the spiralling violence in Baluchistan and the heavy military action, including the use of helicopter gunships and jet fighters by the Government of Pakistan to quell it. We hope that the Government of Pakistan will exercise restraint and take recourse to peaceful discussions to address the grievances of the people of Baluchistan.”

    One has to wonder why such a statement was issued when internal Pakistan matters should not concern India especially if the crisis is no where near its borders but situated across Sindh all the way in Baluchistan. It gives an apparent feeling that India intends to disengage from the peace process and ramp efforts to increase tensions between the two nations. Could it be just a knee-jerk reaction since it has been rumored that Indian agencies are involved in supporting the Baluchistan nationalists? What is your twist to this turn of events?

    Read more in Ayaz Amir’s column in Dawn


    Playboy India

    Playboy IndiaThis is some mild breaking news to those kind gentlemen (which naturally includes you [if you happen to be a male] and me) who have never had the opportunity to glance at a Playboy Magazine (*snicker*). Playboy International is presently in serious stages to launch its brand name magazine in India, as revealed in the Reuters Media and Advertising Summit last week, press releases stated:

    Playboy is currently in talks over starting a men’s magazine that would not only be free of nudity but also would not use its trademark name, chief executive Christie Hefner (daughter of Playboy founder Hugh Hefner) said last week and she considers India the company’s boldest venture.

    The Indian male market potential is going to be a fertile virgin territory where millions can be made, but one does have to wonder, what good will a non-nude edition of Playboy India accomplish to an Indian male. One would have to wonder if this approach can be profitable


    Barmy Army Sent Home Packin’

    Go Home English

    Today was another proud Pakistani moment, when the Pakistan team pulled out a to-be-drawn test match into a nail clinching victory. On the 5th and final day of the 3rd Pak-Eng test match, the English team went to lunch confident for a draw with eight wickets in hand and half a day left, draw to them was inevitable.

    Who knew lunch would be the life changing moment for the Pakistani team, they came out firing. Danish Kaneria started the funeral rites of the Barmy Army with edging Collingwood to first slip and soon Pieterson and Flintoff were back home serving drinks in the locker room, Kaneria almost claimed a hat-trick scalp (which was unjustly turned down by Darryl Hair)

    Shoaib Akhtar was also not to miss out on the hunt with his well controlled slow mesmerizing balls had the English running for cover. Post lunch session saw only 47 runs and 8 wickets to fall to finally serve Pakistan with a stunning victory of an innings and 100 run.

    My Analysis
    Umpiring: This test series will be remembered more for its controversial umpiring, and Darryl Hair again proved to have a Gora-skin bias. I honeslty don’t believe he is a genuine cheat but even his slight sympathy for the goras makes him judge the 50-50 calls to a more 60-40 in favor of the gora skin. He has repeatedly shown this bias, Hair needs some intense reevaluation by the ICC and evaluate his judgement call especially while supervising in the subcontinent area.
    Continue Reading


    BLA Bombs PIDC

    Khi BombBaluchistan Liberation Army has claimed to have bombed the PIDC building which houses PPL and also a KFC outlet, on first thought people assumed this to be another attack on the multinational franchise KFC, as it would then actually be the third hit on Colonel Sanders. The bomb blast took place early morning during the morning rush hour traffic in front of PIDC which is across the road from two five-star hotels, PC and Sheraton. It sadly claimed three innocent lives with a considerable damage to the surrounding property.

    The initial speculation was to point a blaming finger at RAW (Indian Secret Service) – we as a matter of habit blame each other for these events, it was also rumored to be the hand of a so-called “sleeper Al-Qaeda cell”. But all doubts were put to rest when a spokesman of the Baluchistan Liberation Army called Associated Press to claim this as an act of the BLA.

    First reaction, what is BLA? BLA is a rouge organisation run by a number of the Baluchistan Feudal Lards, they are the same agency that has continued to be a Pain in the ass for any progress in that region a few prime examples are the problems faced at Sui and Gawadar. This bomb was meant to alert Pakistanis of the problems of the Balouchies. It is sad to see that killing innocent lives is not an important issue for them, never has been as these illiterate feudal lords continue to line their pockets ensuring more suffering for their slaves. I am furious

    Read more about the BLA at Dawn.com | Asia Times Online


    British born Pakistanis

    Ain’t it ironic that the word Pakistan seems to creep into every terrorist incident worldwide? In the recent London Bombings three out of the four terrorists are British nationals of Pakistani descent: Shehzad Tanweer, Mohammed Sadique Khan and Hasib Hussain have been accused to be the primary suspects in the on going investigation.

    Following the recent active investigation by the UK Police I am sure it wont be long before they start to investigate all muslim families residing in the UK in an attempt to root out other threatening sleeper cell organiststion, ineffect making life miserable for muslims peacefully settled there. It also is bad news for us Pakistani green passport hilders where is it likely to become difficult to get a UK visa as surely there will be a strict visa policy in-effect after these bombing incidents

    Are we really a nation that breeds these terrorists?
    My analysis is that our nation is no different as compared to any other country, poverty along with social frustrations, pushes people towards the ‘wrong sort of company’ and slowly the individual is turned into a extremist. A good example can be taken from the MQM faction that invaded our youth in the 1980’s and has now left us with a corrupt terrorising generation. With the same breath I also accuse the US and the UK government to have grown these terrorist in Pakistan for their own personal goals in the past and now these extremist have turned against them.
    Continue Reading