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Jun 2, 2019    |      Comments Off on His Last Speech — Usman, the Rehri Wala

His Last Speech — Usman, the Rehri Wala

written by Aon Abbas Buppi – Managing Director of Pakistan Bait-ul-Mal

Usman, Speaking to the guests at the Presidency on the World Thallasemia Day

While going through my messages at this hour (morning of 31st May 2019 during Sehri time) I have just received a call from a colleague of mine sharing the news that Usman, The Rehri Wala has, died …….

The story begins in last year November when Rauf Klasra sb sent me an article from one of his friends Mr Nasir Sheikh from Multan who wrote about a young brave 23 year old boy from tehsil Mailsi (District Vehari) who have been fighting for his life with Thallesemia. Usman was the fourth son of his parents and his three brothers had already passed way due to Thallesemia. I had promised Rauf Klasra sb that I will go and visit Mailsi soon.

Finally I went on 21st November, I met this boy Usman (The Rehri Wala). He used to sell popcorns on a Rehri and earn his livelihood through this. So as usual, I asked if I can be of any assistance and he replied that I don’t need anything and can earn enough to have blood transfusion and he also commented that he can afford to have the iron Chelation drug (a necessary medicine given to all thallesemic kids to control the excessive iron in blood due to continuous blood transfusion needed throughout their lives and normally costs RS 150,000 per month). But instead he requested me to arrange this iron Chelation for 300 registered thallesemic kids of Mailsi who can’t afford this medicine. His passion and love for other kids moved me and I decided to set up a Pakistan Bait-ul-Maal Thallesemic center in Mailsi.

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Oct 15, 2009    |       33 comments

A President and A Prime Minister for Sale!

By Omar Javaid, Sr. Editor, Critic Magazine

Sounds familiar? I won’t bias you rather will try to be as neutral as possible. I know a few names pop in your mind when you read the title. Top of which would be … cough, cough … this makes me cough while typing, not strange though!

Since a couple of days I felt like writing something on the subject, wanted to expose, stripping out naked, revealing the ugly faces, but couldn’t not because I was afraid or didn’t had any material, but because what I intend to make obvious is already as obvious as the sun at noon on a clear sky, need less if I emphasize more. Incomprehensible though.

Truths are proven as correct, even if one try to disprove, honestly though. Hence the question, Is it just a myth or a conspiracies erected by the opposition against the leadership of this country? The allegations, the charges, the blame game, couldn’t all be the political gimmicks? The dyeing economy, the runaway inflation, shortages of essentials, the war on terror, increasing hostility at boarders, the threat of Blackwater (Xe) … et al, couldn’t all be blamed to the preceding governments … na its the terrorists! … right!?
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Jul 10, 2009    |       5 comments

The Carbon Tax Fiasco

oil tankers in pakistanCyril Almeida a columnist in Dawn has penned an excellent article on the recent controversy regarding the petroleum carbon tax. It is a fact that in March 2009 the government had imposed a Petroleum Developmental Levy which resulted in an increase in the price of petroleum goods by a few rupees. The then, newly restored Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry took matters into his own hands and reversed this developmental levy and rightly said “the welfare state had the authority to recover tax on petroleum but not to make profit”.

Having been forced to undo a lucrative indirect petroleum taxation by the Supreme Court the government returned with a new Carbon Tax piggy-backed onto the Finance Bill of 2009 which went through unanimous approval across the parliament with practically not a single politician objecting to this steep rise in petroleum prices in the debate. Interestingly once the Carbon Tax came into effect the Supreme Court knee-jerked to issue an immediate order to stop this implementation of the carbon tax which was actually going to result in atleast a Rs. 10 hike in all petroleum goods across the board.
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Nov 15, 2008    |       4 comments

Sugar Mill Scam?

Dawn newspaper published a very concerning report where Senators were reportedly hurling accusations of corruption in regards to the sale of two Sugar Mills, in the midst of the controversy was Jamal Leghari, son of former president Farooq Ahmed Khan Leghari who was also defending Dewan Yousuf.

Mr. Leghari brought to the attention of the Senate whereby Larkana Sugar Mills was given a hefty loan of Rs350 million without collateral & the sale of Dadu Sugar Mills for a paltry Rs90 million to a ‘front man’ while the previous government had rejected a bid Rs420 million bid for the mills
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Nov 14, 2008    |       15 comments

Open Letter to President Zardari from Women’s Action Forum

Mr. Asif Ali Zardari
President of Pakistan

Mr. President, we request you to recall the legacy of Mohtarima Shaheed Benazir Bhutto and her tireless efforts to improve the lot of Pakistani women, towards the goal of women’s empowerment and gender equality.

Khawateen Mahaz-e-Amal (Women’s Action Forum – WAF) Pakistan expresses its extreme concern at the following recent events and reported Government moves, which have gravely negative implications for Pakistani women.

WAF Pakistan is shocked, horrified and outraged at the appointment of Senator Mir Israrullah Zehri as a federal Minister. This is the man who is on record as having actually defended the barbaric and inhuman crime of burying women alive as “a traditional custom”. Zehri also threatened, on the floor of the Senate, Senator Yasmin Shah, who had the courage to speak out against the heinous crime. WAF is of the opinion that such beliefs reflect a blatant flouting with impunity of Pakistani law, according to which this heinous crime is murder with premeditated intent – a cognizable and non-bailable offence, which carries strong punishments. It is also a violation of the 1973 Constitution and the teachings of Islam.
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Nov 7, 2008    |       3 comments

Great American Presidents born from Bad Times

Great presidents born from bad times – Rick Barton shares his thoughts on the newly elected President. If greatness is bestowed upon the American presidents by the seriousness of the problems they face, then the coming months are likely to produce Mount Rushmore-like moments for Barack Obama.

Not since 1932, when Franklin D. Roosevelt prepared to take office amid the depths of the Great Depression, or perhaps since 1860, when little-known prairie lawyer Abraham Lincoln watched powerlessly as a swath of Southern states seceded from the Union, has an incoming president faced such a daunting set of challenges. Is Barack Obama as the new president of the United States of America ready to rise up to the challenges that lay ahead and thence forth be recognized as one of the greatest President of our time?

Oct 21, 2008    |       22 comments

‘Iftikhar’

Guest Blog by Amjad Malik

Iftikhar is translated as ‘honour ’ in the dictionary, however this one word in Pakistan has gained significance from the name of deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Iftikhar Mohammed Chowdhary who is still waiting for his restoration on 3rd November position. He was dismissed, and detained by General Musharraf as a result of an unlawful military action. Chowdhary not only settled the score of history by challenging the myth that Pakistani judges are always ready to work hand in hand to support its generals , but also tried to nip the very evil in the bud, which is core of Pakistan’s constitutional hap hazard history, the all time notorious ‘law of necessity.’

When we look at these hollow claims that law of necessity is buried forever especially after 20 July, we must analyse as to why there always seem a gap which is filled by our Generals. We need to look at the reasons as to why the country was divided in 1971; corruption allegations always surfaced in civilian rule and military never could hold them accountable as they lacked legitimacy. Musharraf regime despite weak opposition and leaps of dollars could not go nearer to the completion of its seven point’s agenda. In fact, he brought the federation to near collapse. Most ironic is the current civilized government who seems an epitome of mal administration where committee chairmen along with anyone coming to Premier house with warnings is deemed fit to be given ‘Federal Minister Status.’ President house seems to be representing a group amongst one party only than the federation. In these circumstances the slogan or aspiration of rule of law, democracy, justice, and governance seems a wish for the moon. Iftikhar Chowdhary has turned the tide towards the very basic fact that from Karachi to Khyber people demand justice let it be Justice with the state, justice with the nation or justice with the institutions.
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Oct 10, 2008    |       3 comments

[MiniLinks] Sarah Palin’s ‘Folk’ Problem – NewsWeek

Yes, she won the debate by not imploding. But governing requires knowledge, and mindless populism is just that—mindless. Do we want leaders who are everyday folks, or do we want leaders who understand everyday folks? Therein lies an enormous difference, one that could decide the presidential election and, if McCain and Palin were to win, shape the governance of the nation – NewsWeek Cover Story

Oct 7, 2008    |       2 comments

[MiniLinks] Cowasjee responds to Zardari’s God/Gaad Blooper

Ardeshir Cowasjee responds to the spelling mistake controversy – September 12 when I went to the Mazar and asked the keepers to let me have photocopies of what had been written by the September 11 visiting ‘dignitaries’ in the visitors’ book. I was given copies of remarks recorded by the president, the Sindh governor and the Sindh chief minister. – continuing “The spooks sprang into action. They removed from the 100-page book the double-page on which Zardari’s message and that of the Karachi station commander were recorded, leaving 98 pages in the book in which visitors will now record their views, and on a fresh page rewrote Zardari’s message correcting the two misspelled words.”

Oct 4, 2008    |       34 comments

FIA ‘might’ have instructions to get Anti-Zardari campaigners

Ahmed Quraishi a pro-Musharraf campaigner has recently published a report where he claims that the FIA might have been instructed to get hold of people making fun of our President Mr. Asif Ali Zardari

Ahmed Qureshi.com President Asif Ali Zardari has given instructions to FIA to hunt down Pakistanis writing jokes about him. The FIA has already begun its witch-hunt searching the Internet for the ‘criminals’. Prime Minister Gilani wants no newspaper to write anything about him without checking first with his press secretary. A ‘dictator’ like Musharraf never did any of this. This is the fake democratic leadership of our country where the President is busy with the jokes on him when the country is facing hostile action from Zardari’s own allies in Washington

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Oct 1, 2008    |       23 comments

Misspelling controversy rehashed: God or Gaad, does it really matter?

On 11th September the newly elected President Asif Ali Zardari paid homage to the Mausoleum of the Father of the Nation in Karachi, all seemed well until reports started trickling in from various sources of a juicy controversy, where our new President had accidentally misspelled a few words here ‘n there. The message that appeared in the on the Guest Book placed at the Quaid’ Mazar read “May gaad give us the strent to save Pakistan” — Asif Ali Zardari, President, Islamic Republic of Pakistan. This email was also supported by a picture which showed his signature.

Since the past few days the Ministry of Information has been issuing a strong statement to condemn hidden forces in the media to have launched a smear campaign against Asif Ali Zardari, this specific incident took place over 20 days back and the Ministry has suddenly woken up to issue a condemnation, I feel this was pushed through after the global blooper our President committed when he met Republican VP nominee Sarah Palin and had some interesting comments to share which were seen to have been a little awkward and poorly timed for the occasion.

In regards to the misspelling fiasco, a fellow blogger, Farhan, questioned bloggers in general to have been a part of the malicious campaign, in a small way I too must take the blame as my blog did carry a guest post by Silence who humorously poked fun at the English Cracy (sic) of the incident. This could have been a follow up from my own rant which I made on 12th of September where I joked on another twist to the message.
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Sep 26, 2008    |       30 comments

POLL: Who Should Be Pakistan’s First Lady?

Guest post by temporal of Baithak blog

Baithak’s Top Ten List for Pakistan’s First Lady

And now something different and away from 58-2b, Article 17, Iftikhar Chaudhry, Load Shedding, Fata, Aata, who kills our civilians – the Faujis, the Terrorists, the US Army, NATO and the likes. Please vote on who should be Pakistan’s new First Lady.

The President’s House is huge, Co-chairman of the Hand Written will is an eligible billionaire, and despite the hoopla is a very lonely man.

To get the ball rolling here is Baithak’s Top Ten List for Pakistan’s First Lady
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Sep 25, 2008    |       105 comments

Zardari flirts with Sarah Palin: Calling her Gorgeous & Offers to Hug

As suspected from my earlier post where I shuddered at the thought of what Asif Ali Zardari might serve up to Washington during his trip to attend the UN General Assembly, well the games have begun. In a recent meeting with the Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin, our Honorable President was seemingly a little bit too un-Presidential [?]. During the customary greetings between the two leaders, Zardari called Palin “gorgeous” and later even offered “to hug” the Alaskan Governor. I do not mean to suggest that this is in anyway a crime, but being the President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan there are some protocols that should be adhered to in an effort to uplift the respect and dignity of Pakistan and to the office with which he has been assigned to.

It seems to have been the perfectly scripted conversation as temporal had predicted well before the actual Sarah Palin and Asif Zardari meetup. There maybe some fanatics in Pakistan who may even cringe at seeing him shaking hands with a women, but whatever the objection and whether we like it or not it has become a routine in western interactions and I might even suggest that such flirtatious comments might even be the norm but I dare to say, at least not on camera. It is quite possible that Sarah Palin considered these as a complement, but if you were to observe the video footage of the exchange she does feel a little uneasy.
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