mahtab bashir, Islamabad

SUI GAS SUPPLY FALLING ON DEAF EARS

2011-12-30T04:46:00.000-08:00

MAHTAB BASHIR

ISLAMABAD

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

SNGPL authorities unmoved by daily protests by residents of twin cities

At a time when the country’s ruling elite and the media are preoccupied with the Memogate saga, national politics, NATO’s attack on Pakistani forces and war against terrorism, the common man, dejected and disgruntled, is finding it hard to cope with the challenges of every day life.

The masses’ problems such as inflation, low natural gas supplies and inflated utility bills, only to name a few, may seem petty issues to those who are at the helms of the affairs, yet their daily ordeals are getting the best of their life.

While the stakeholders in the government are making all possible efforts to salvage a decaying political system just to buy the time until its tenure’s official end, the masses are struggling to fight price-hike and energy shortage that are taking a toll on the country’s already fragile economy.

As elsewhere, the shortage and low gas supply is badly affecting the life of the residents of twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi, particular in the evening and morning hours, when, in a freezing cold weather, they run out of the very commodity they need to keep their homes warms and cook their meal. The low Sui gas pressure is hitting hard the domestic as well as CNG consumers. Some angry residents while talking to Pakistan Today on Friday demanded Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani and Federal Petroleum Minister Dr Asim Hussain should immediacy take notice of the situation.

The residents of the twin cities come to roads daily in order to record their protest against the shortage and outages of the gas supply but the authorities concerned are paying no heed to their plight. On Friday as well, over 200 residents of Sector G-7 blocked several roads in their neighborhood as they staged a demonstration against the government’s apathy.

As the weather is turning cold every day, residents of areas such as Sector G-7, G-9, I-10, Khayaban-e-Sir Syed, Chuhar Chowk, Meharabad, Muslim Town, Lalkurti, Tench Bhatta, Sabzazar and Lalazar are continuously facing a low gas pressure and they have been complaining that the gas pressure drastically decreases between the midnight till dawn. They say that during the rest of the day the gas supply remains suspended.

Similarly long queues of vehicles can been at the CNG stations in various localities of Rawalpindi and motorists there are unable to get the CNG for their vehicles even during days, which are officially exempted from the outages.

Though the resumption of gas supply to the CNG stations has enabled the citizen’s mobility, it has compelled many people to leave for their workplaces without any breakfast when there is no gas to cook. It has been learnt that after the Supreme Court’s directive to restore gas supply to the CNG stations, the domestic consumers of the twin cities are facing worse gas outages since the onset of the present winter season.

The residents are forced to use firewood for cooking, heating water and other purposes. “I have to collect a bundle of dried firewood daily to meet the energy demand of my household. What else can I do, when my gas stove, geyser, heater and other appliances become useless,” said Muhammad Irshad, a resident of Bhara Kao. He said the locals face trouble daily, especially early in the morning when the gas pressure becomes too low to cook food. A large number of restaurants and bakery owners in the twin cities have also complained about how their business is facing huge losses.

The authorities concerned, on the other hand, are claiming that the resumption of supply to CNG stations under a court’s order have caused the gas shortage for the domestic consumers. Sharing their grievances with the Pakistan Today, several restaurant owners said they had been facing a plethora of problems due to gas shortage. “We have reduced the dishes from our menu since it is no longer possible for us to cook a variety of food items in such conditions,” said Muhammad Aslam, a restaurant owner. He said their income was low he was finding it hard to run his business.

Sajid, a cook working at a local restaurant, told this scribe that he was already living from hand to mouth, but presently he was thinking about trying some other line of work. He said it was getting difficult for him to support his family.

Lalarukh Farooq, a resident of Lalazar locality in Rawalpindi, said that it was a matter of concern for every citizen that the government was unmoved by all the problems the Pakistanis had been facing.

“Numerous applications about low gas pressure have been sent to the Sui Northern Gas Limited offices in Islamabad and Rawalpindi but to no avail,” she complained.

Osama Pervaiz, a resident of Sector I-10, said the problem of low gas pressure would start early in the morning and continued till nightm leaving people to worry about their meal and heating system. The motorists said the CNG outlets in the area could not provide gas to consumers citing the same problem.

People of other areas especially from G-9 and I-9 of Islamabad, Muslim Town and Cantt Area of Rawalpindi also complained about the unavailability of gas

This scribe also came to know that the same problem was troubling residents in other areas including Dhari Hassanabad, Dhoke Khabba, Qasimabad, Khurram Colony, Chungi Number 22, Tench Bhatta, Peoples’ Colony and Dhoke Saydian. In order to avoid gas outages and to low pressure, some Sui Gas consumers have illegally installed special compressors on their lines to boost the gas pressure. Such installations are, however, causing trouble for other law-abiding citizens.

When contacted, a Sui Northern Gas Pipelines Limited (SNGPL) official said the gas supply to some areas of Rawalpindi and Islamabad had been shut down owing to some damaged main pipeline. He said the SNGPL officials were working day and night to repair the damaged lines and restore uninterrupted gas supply to all areas.

FREEZING WINTER, A SIP OF CAPPUCCINO & BALD TREES!

2011-12-29T06:36:00.000-08:00

BY MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

ISLAMABAD

The First Gush Of Chilly Winds!

The Familiar Anticipation Of Long Walks!

Cold Nose, Numb Feet, Warm Breaths!

The Fog!

The Vermillion Tree Leaves!

Oranges, Coffee, Friends!

“The Best Is Yet To Come”

That’s The Message Winters Bear.

So Make Lasting Memories..!

Happy Winter!

I have left work for half-an hour to grab something to eat. One step outside the office building and a gush of wind almost blew me away. I put my hands on my freezing ears. This is just the beginning of the not long winter that is to follow but I am falling in love with the season.

The trees still have some yellow leaves left on them. When I look at the horizon, I see colours that I can't always describe in words. I think I see beige, golden, brown, yellow and perhaps, a light shade of green too. On some days, I feel like buying a long-distance bus ticket and leaving home for a day-long road trip to hilly station (far from the madding crowd). The reason? I can devour the beauty of the season in the streets, houses, trees and fields while on the move.

I usually leave home about ten-fifteen minutes before time so that I can stand at the bus stop and look at the balding trees, the grey-blue skies and the distant yellow fields, where children frolicked even a month ago.

I always take a window seat on the bus so that I can look outside and see how everything is changing. Frosty cars, people clad in layers, lawns covered in dead leaves, everything murmurs the beginning of a cold, cold season.

It has not snowed at the time of writing this piece. But that does not mean it is not cold enough. Every morning before leaving home, I check temperature online so that the sunshine does not deceive me.

The sun deceived me on a regular basis. I would look outside the window and be awed by the bright sun. I would only know that the sun tricked me when the cold outside would send shivers to my bones. I am rarely fooled these days because I have learned that checking weather report (Met Office) before stepping outside is the smartest thing to do in winter.

I know I will start complaining about the snow, the wind and the cold once the New Year comes. I will get bored and tired of the leafless trees, snow-covered fields and gloomy skies. But it is nature in the beginning of winter which seems so surreally beautiful that I can't help but scribble a few lines.

My Feet Are Freezing

Walking On My Own

Cant Stop Sneezing

Sitting All Alone.

REMEMBERING THE GREAT SACRIFICE OF IMAM HUSSAIN (RA)

2011-12-05T03:09:00.000-08:00

MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

ISLAMABAD

The 10^th of Moharram-ul-Haraam is a day of mourning for Muslims- indeed for all who believe in the righteousness of a cause, all over the world. The sacrifices through which Imam Hussain (RA) and his followers saw their lives come to an end on the battlefields of Karbala hundreds of years ago were fundamentally proof once again that martyrdom in defence of faith is a supreme act of nobility.

The grandson of the Holy Prophet of Islam (Peace Be Upon Him) has, through his valour and through his refusal to submit before the brute forces led by Yazid, imparted the important lesson that it is the moral responsibility of anyone confronted with gross and manifest injustice to engage in a battle that has as its goal the triumph of good. In Karbala, it was patently an epic struggle between good and evil.

Imam Hussein (RA) and his followers, rather than give in to the sinister forces typified by Yazid and his gang of usurpers, happily went down the path of supreme sacrifice.

As I remember this day as a symbol of "sacrifice and mourning" I recall the martyrdom of Hazrat Imam Hussain Ibn Ali (RA), a grandson of Prophet Hazrat Muhammad (PBUH), in the battle of Karbala on the 10th of Muharram 1330 years ago, I pay tribute to Imam Hussain (RA) using poetry of Iftikhar Arif- one on the finest poet of Urdu literature in Pakistan.

Kabhi Kabhi Dil Ye Sochta Hay

Na Janay Hum beyaqeen Logon’ Ko

Naam Haidar Sy Rabt Kion Hay

Hakeem Janay Wo Kaisi Hikmat Sy Aashna Tha

Shujeeh Janay Ky Badr-o-Khyber Ki Fatahmandi Ka Raaz Kia Tha

Ilm Janay Wo Ilm Ky Konsy Safeeno Ka Nakhuda Tha

Mujhay To Bus Sirf Ye Khabar Hy

Wo Meray Maola Ki Khushbuon May Racha Basa Tha

Wo Unky Damaan-e-Atifat May Pala Barha Tha

Aor Usky Din Raat Meray Aaqa Ky Chasm-o-Abro-o-Jumbash-e-Lab Ky Muntazir Thay

Wo Raat Ko Dushmano Ky Narghay May So Raha Tha To Uski Khatir

Jadaal May Sir Sy Paon Sy Surkh Ho Raha Tha To Uski Khatir

So Usko Mehboob Janta Hoon

So Usko Mehboob Manta Hoon

Saadatein Usky Naam Sy Hein

Mohabbatein Usky Naam Sy Hein

Mohabbaton’ Ky Sabhi Gharano Ki Nisbatein Uskay Naam Sy Hein.

FOR WHOM THE BELL TOLLS!

2011-12-01T06:00:00.000-08:00

A PAGE OF MY DIARY

Muhammad Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Any man's death diminishes me, because I am involved in mankind; and therefore never send to know for whom the bell tolls; it tolls for thee … ? -John Donne

I am always saddened when death invades a family circle, and quite naturally so. I am devastated because of my loneliness, my fears, and my uncertainties. However, as I remember my beloved ones’ – nature snatched away in hurry, let me turn my fear into faith, my sorrow into joy, and my loneliness into Divine Companionship, that reach out to God- my ‘Divine Comforter’.

I have special reverence for Moharram but my personal losses during this holy month has made this month more special, sacred, emotional and so precious as I lost my elder brother Moazzam Bashir (45), who breathed his last on 4th of Moharram, (14 January) 2008, my close associate Tahir Mehmood (30) expired on 10th Moharram, (17 December) 2010, while I handed over Uncle Farooq (63) to the Almighty on 1st Moharram-ul-Haraam, (27 November) 2011, who sung his swansong on November 26, few days after performing Hajj- a religious obligation of great prospect for Muslims.

Sardion ky udaas mosam mein
Khud ko dekhoon' to yad aay koi
Kaash aik bar yoon bhi ho jay
Mein pukaroon to laot aay koi

With an advent of Moharram every year brings tears to my eyes and pain in my heart whether this is due to my emotional attachment with those sacred souls who presented their sacrifices at the Karbala or my heartfelt love to my family members who I lost during Moharram. This holy month saddens me every year and makes me emotional on trivial matters. Thus every beat by a mourner during Moharram processions or any Noha it relates my heart to my personal loss which always attaches me my feelings, and my emotions with Imam Hussain (AS) and his followers and I feel myself sacrificing my loved ones’ who departed as sacrificing those in the midst of Karbala.

This month also brings blessings to all Muslims and they are also equally blessed with those sacred souls who presented sacrifices at Karbala and it makes me feel that my loved ones are also kept at the same elevated space in paradise.

Death is the ultimate- but a sudden premature death of a beloved is devastated that shattered the world for survivors- who instantly remain busy to ask three unanswerable ‘Whys’ to Almighty- ‘why’, ‘why this happens to us’, and ‘why bad things happen to good people’?

A sudden, accidental, unexpected or traumatic death shatters the world as we know it. It is often a loss that does not make sense. We realize that life is not always fair and that sometimes bad things happen to good people. The sudden death leaves us feeling shaken, unsure and vulnerable, no matter who we are.

I heard someone saying ‘Allah the Almighty doesn’t make an individual suffer to an extent that he doesn’t survive’. Another one while trying to pacify aggrieved rubbing his shoulder comments, ‘time is a healer, my dear’ and ‘sooner or later everyone has to meet his maker’.

For them, time may be a great healer but to me - every passing moment gets me spiritually and emotionally more closer to my beloved ones. And trust me, the nostalgia; the happy chirping moments spend with the dear departed can never been subjugated by time- because my memories are timeless that can be hit back my mind and heart anytime, anywhere.

The search for meaning of the loss can challenge a survivors religious and spiritual beliefs to a greater deal. Sudden losses in particular can precipitate an existential crisis as the survivor searches for meaning. They start questioning their internal belief system and values. Goals, plans and purchases which were important the week prior to the event, abruptly seem trivial in comparison. Survivors are forced to look at and re-evaluate life priorities after this lurching time.

The principles of Chaos and Complexity have become a very real part of who I am and how I form my world view. It therefore becomes crucial for me to understand and interpret the death of my dear one’s and survivors’ grief in terms of the understandings of chaos and complexity.

When a family member dies, there is not only the sense of loss of an individual and the relationships with that person, but there is a fundamental change in the sense of identity and meaning for remnants.

The discontinuity caused by the death is reflected through all fractal levels. The effects are felt in the family, the community and, depending on the individual or even planetary level. Even at levels lower than the individual, the death of a family member can affect bodily processes and the functioning of bodily organs, right down to the cellular level of all involved.

The grief and confusion which is evident after a death creates an increased level of fuzziness. The usual sense of control we have over our lives is stripped away to reveal our inner insecurities. If we have the courage to embrace the fuzziness we can reveal greater depths to our being.

Spiritual perspectives can form a framework of meaning around the experiences of death. It can also enable the emergence of a new level of understanding of the true nature of our being. Death often leads us to re-examine some of our basic beliefs. This is particularly so if the there is something about the death that challenges our existing beliefs.

Unfortunately spiritual perspectives can also be used to further deny the reality of death. I believe that seeing death as merely moving into another room or going to a better place can become ways of trivialising the loss and disrupting the healing process.

We form an image or a map of who we think we are within ourselves so we can compare it to what we are experiencing from the outside world. This is used to ensure that our actions are consistent with the identity that has been already formed. We must similarly form images of the other people in our lives through which we judge their behaviour. We therefore have a map of each person in our lives WITHIN our own identity. When a person we know dies, a part of us literally dies as well. The image inside us no longer matches the outer world and we must realign our inner world.

Death enables evolution. A creature that lived forever has little adaptability. If there was no death, we would not have been able to evolve beyond the level of bacteria. The process of death with a built in ability to self organise from generation to generation to become what we are and evolve towards possibilities beyond our wildest dreams. Thank God for death.

I know well this is where no one can help you but one can feel sorry- that's what only they can do & that's what perhaps, only we all need.

May the Holy Spirit comfort us and give us strength, may God illuminate your eternal souls, and may you all “dwell in the superlative spot in the heavens.”

I love you all – RIP!

CONTROVERSIALLY YOURS!

2011-09-24T03:54:00.000-07:00

‘TENDULKAR WAS SCARED OF ME’ CLAIMS RAWALPINDI EXPRESS

I hope Pakistan cricket will be understood and respected. I hope people will feel the other side of me and understand why I am the way I am

MAHTAB BASHIR

LAHORE: Pakistan's former fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar has stirred yet another controversy, this time questioning the class and temperament of India’s batting stalwarts Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid and also termed Shoaib Malik as ‘inappropriate captaincy material.’

In his just-published biography “Controversially Yours”, the temperamental speedster accused Tendulkar of being scared of facing his scorching pace on a slow Faisalabad track. He also claimed that Tendulkar and Dravid were not match-winners nor did they know the art of finishing games.

"....Vivian Richards, Ricky Ponting, Brian Lara and the likes of them are great batsmen who dominated with the bat and were truly match-winners. Initially, when I bowled against Sachin, I found these qualities missing. He might have had more runs and records, he lacked the ability to finish the game," he said in the book, yet to be formally launched.

Akhtar, who announced his retirement during the World Cup this year, also cited an example where he felt that Sachin was mighty scared to face him. "We would have faced a humbling defeat in the series but for the fact that we reined in Sachin Tendulkar.” "What went in our favour was that Sachin was suffering from tennis elbow! This severely handicapped the great batsman. We managed to psychologically browbeat him.

"We bounced the ball at him and were able to unnerve him. I returned to the dressing room that first day with the knowledge that Sachin was not comfortable facing fast and rising ball. He was distinctly uncomfortable against me. That was enough to build on," he said. "I bowled (Sachin) a particularly fast ball which he, to my amazement didn't even touch. He walked away! That was the first time, I saw him walk away from me-- that, too, on the slow track at Faisalabad. It got my hunting instincts up and in the next match I hit him on the head and he couldn't score after that", Akhtar wrote.

The 36-year-old Akhtar, who had scalped 178 wickets in 46 Test and 247 I wickets in 163 ODIs, said that Tendulkar and Dravid who have together conjured over 56,000 international runs (over 33,000 by Tendulkar and over 23,000 by Dravid) are not "match winners". "I think players like Sachin Tendulkar and Rahul Dravid weren't exactly match winners to start with, nor did they know the art of finishing the game," Shoaib said.

Akhtar who played for Shah Rukh Khan co-owned Kolkata Knight Riders during IPL has accused the Bollywood superstar and former IPL commissioner Lalit Modi of "cheating."

"Shahrukh and I talked about my not being happy with the money settled on me. Shahrukh and Modi got me to agree. I should have never listened to Modi and Shahrukh," he said in the book. One of the most shocking controversial revelations was that he tampered with the ball on many occasions during his playing days.

Often in the news for the wrong reasons, Akhtar said that the Pakistan team was often approached by match-fixers when they were in India. In an interview to the Times of India, he said: “What I’ve written is my experience, put as honestly for others to know. This is the truth – for the world, it may be a big controversy.” He took a dig at Shoaib Malik saying:

“Shoaib Malik doesn’t deserve to be captain and was made captain because he was a stooge of the PCB Chief Naseem Ashraf.” Another shocking revelation is one where he claims Wasim Akram attempted to end his career. “Wasim Akram threatened to walk out with half the team if I was included in the team. General Tauqir Zia backed me against Wasim,” Akhtar says of fissures previously unheard of. Javed Miandad, Pervez Musharraf, Shah Rukh Khan and Lalit Modi have also come into the crosshairs in the autobiography.

RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN ENTHRALS AUDIENCE

2011-09-19T23:41:00.000-07:00

MAHTAB BASHIR

Rahat Fateh Ali Khan fans could be seen in full force Sunday night at Serena Hotel where the legend vocalist and musician got off to a decent start with hymn ‘Milta Hay Har Ta
raf Khuda’ sans any glaring glitches or behind the scenes blunders and concluded the 3 hours live concert with the blockbuster ‘Tere Mast Mast Do Nain’ from the Indian movie ‘Dabangg’.

Zong organized the glitzy night with Rahat Fateh Ali Khan, one of the biggest entity at home and across the border while Pakistan Today partnered the event titled ‘Sada-e-Dil’. Two vibrant young men Abdul Rehman Tipu, and Adeel Ahmed from Miradore Productions, Energic and Brad Logic were also behind the show. The two youngsters made this concert- the 3^rd from Rahat in federal capital, possible for the viewers of twin cities with the unflinching efforts.

Dressed in an off white kurta suit, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan walked on stage and greeted the audience with clasped hands before he sat and played the harmonium and mesmerised the packed crowd with his voice. His delivery was a clear example that those gifted with true talent do not need theatrics and stage effects to pull off a great show.

Acclaimed for his rhythms, beat and melody, and enriched with poetic values courtesy a group of musicians, Khan brought the house down with his fiery energy on stage. His Punjabi flick ‘Ajj Din Charhiya Tere Rang Warga’ followed by the ghazal original sung by his uncle late Ustad Fateh Ali Khan ‘Tumhein Dil Lagi Bhool Jani Pary Gi’, and recent hit movie ‘Virsa’ ‘Mein tenu samjhanwan Ki’, and ‘Sajda’ one of the best song in recent time from Indian movie ‘My name is Khan’, electrified the ambiance with the crowds singing along and dancing to the upbeat numbers.

Trained by his late uncle, world music superstar Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, Rahat Fateh Ali Khan known to his huge international fan-base as Rahat is the sixth generation in his family to pursue the ancient art of qawwali, the mystical Sufi vocal tradition which seeks to induce a state of rapture in performers and listeners alike.

Rahat's wider fame is derived mainly from his multi-award-winning success as a Bollywood soundtrack artist, a non-devotional arena where qawwali has attained major popularity among Indian as well as Pakistani audiences that was also the feature of the night among his 20 numbers Rahat sung on the night.

This sold-out show was thus largely thronged with majority of elite class community from twin cities, where the women gorgeously clad in black shalwar kameez as the doctor orders while few foreigners were seen dancing and swaying in a state of high excitement at the presence of such a hero and master (‘Ustad’ is an honorific akin to ‘maestro’). The sound system too was good enough to pump energy into the audience.

Presiding over a 10-piece band, including young singer Mariam Arif accompanying Rahat in half way through and tabla drums, plus electric guitar and bass, keyboards and drumkit, Rahat delivered a magnificent, spellbinding display of Indian, Pakistani film hits, qawwalis, and ghazals, providing audience a sumptuous treasures.

His incandescently soulful, sorrowful, exultant voice soaring and swooping through themes and variations, call and response, amid settings that ranged from lush, catchy pop – also taking in a handful of dreamy romantic ballads – to sparse acoustic adornment when Ustad rahat fateh Ali Khan started ‘Ye Jo Halka Halka Suroor Hay’ followed by ‘Sab Rishtay Naatay hans Kay Tor Doon’, ‘Oray Piya’ and another blockbuster ‘Teri Ore’ from Bollywood movie ‘Singh is King’.

Rahat also introduced his upcoming song titled ‘Kaisa Hay Ye Ishq’ from the movie ‘Meray Brother Ki Dulhan’.

Soon Rahat turned towards back to back blockbusters included ‘Sureli Akhion Waly’ from Indian movie ‘Veer’, ‘Teri Meri Meri Teri Prem Kahani hay Mushkil’, from the lastest inidan release ‘Bodyguard’, followed by couple of ghazals ‘Meri Zaat Say Benishan’ and ‘Diyar-e-Ishq Mein Apna Maqam Paida Kar’- (Kalam-e-Iqbal).

Later, Khan on demand of large gathering, created very subtle vibrations in his voice, which he uses very beautifully, to convey a whole range of emotions through it. He could make it a sound hopelessly romantic or melancholic while singing ‘Teri Yaad Sath Hay’ sung for ‘Namastay London’.

Khan concluded the nights with back to back three Sufi songs in remembrance of his late uncle Ustad Nusrat fateh Ali Khan ‘Afreen Afreen’, ‘Mastt Nazron Say Allah Bachaay’ and stood up concluding ‘Tery Mastt Mastt Do Nain’ from the hit movie ‘Dabangg’ making audience over-ecstatic.

Fateh Ali Khan, 37 was born in Faisalabad, Punjab into a family of traditional musicians. He is the son of Farrukh Fateh Ali Khan and was trained by his uncle Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan in the art of classical music and Qawwali singing.

Rahat performed in the United Kingdom with his uncle at a concert in Birmingham, England on July 27, 1985. His popularity rose when he started singing Bollywood film songs in 2001 with the movie ‘Paap’, featuring the hit song ‘Mann Ki Lagan’. His releases are featured in some of the biggest and highest grossing Bollywood films of today.

WE WILL SORELY MISS YOU- WINEHOUSE!

2011-07-25T06:27:00.000-07:00

Amy Winehouse dies at 27

Singer, whose 2006 album Back to Black won five Grammy awards, found dead at her flat in north London

Singer Amy Winehouse has been found dead at her house in north London.
She was 27. The award-winning artist, famous for hits including Rehab from the critically acclaimed album Back to Black, was discovered by police in the late afternoon. Her death was being treated on Saturday night as "unexplained" but sources said she had died of a drugs ov
erdose.

The Metropolitan police said: "We were called by London Ambulance Service to an address in Camden Square shortly before 16.05hrs following reports of a woman found deceased. On arrival officers found the body of a 27-year-old female who was pronounced dead at the scene."

Winehouse was last seen with her goddaughter, Dionne Bromfield, earlier last week when the teenager performed at the iTunes festival.

Tributes began to pour in to one of the most celebrated and troubled British artists of recent times. Mark Ronson, who produced Back to Black, said: "She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life."

Singer and actress Kelly Osbourne wrote: "i cant even breath right now, im crying so hard i just lost 1 of my best friends. i love you forever Amy & will never forget the real you!"

Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood dedicated his show on Absolute Radio and the reunion performance by his former group the Faces in Hurtwood, Surrey, to Winehouse. "It's a very sad loss of a very good friend I spent many great times with," he said.

Two regulars at Winehouse's local pub, The Hawley Arms in Camden, paid tribute. "Some people might think it shows disrespect to come out drinking tonight but she was such a part of Camden she made it her home and she always got involved," said Mary Gallagher. "Amy even worked behind the bar here. She was such a lovely person and, to be honest, I don't think fame agreed with her. She was an ordinary girl at heart."

Gloria Woods, 26, who works for a record label, said: "There will never be another voice like that in our generation."

A spokesman for the late singer said: "Everyone involved with Amy is shocked and devastated. Our thought s are with her family and friends."

Winehouse's father, Mitch, returned from New York, where he had been due to perform at the Blue Note jazz club. He said: 'I'm coming home. I have to be with Amy. I can't crack up for her sake. My family need me."

Flowers, teddy bears and candles were left outside her home in Camden Square. One card read: "You will not be forgotten by Camden. We all love you and will continue to love you. Your legend lives on."

Winehouse had suffered a well-publicised battle with drink and drug abuse that saw her withdraw from all of her scheduled performances last month after a series of erratic performances. She started her 12-leg European tour in Belgrade but was booed off the stage after appearing to forget her lyrics. She then pulled out of performances in Istanbul and Athens before she cancelled the tour as fears for her health grew.

A statement released by her spokesman at the time said that she would be given "as long as it takes" to recover. "Everyone involved wishes to do everything they can to help her return to her best," it read.

Winehouse rose to fame with her debut album Frank in 2003, which was feted by music critics in the UK and nominated for the Mercury music prize, but it was her 2006 follow-up album, Back to Black, that catapulted her to stardom and led to fiv
e Grammy awards. The album became the third-highest selling album of the 2000s.

Amy Winehouse death: parents Mitch and Janis visit house where the singer died.

The distraught father of singer Amy Winehouse fought back tears as he visited the house where his daughter died at the weekend.

Mitch Winehouse, said he was ''devastated and speechless'' over her death.

He was joined by the 27-year-old's mother, Janis, to look at tributes left
at the edge of police cordons surrounding the singer's Camden home, including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, alongside soft toys, flowers and candles.

He thanked reporters and fans for coming and shook hands with many of them.

The star's grief-stricken mother was in tears when she looked at the tributes and took pictures of them on her mobile phone.

Relatives of Amy Winehouse said her untimely death has left a ''gaping hole'' in their lives.

Her family released a statement expressing their grief at the loss of the 27-year-old, who was found dead in her north London home on Saturday afternoon.

It said: ''Our family has been left bereft by the loss of Amy, a wonderful daughter, sister, niece.

''She leaves a gaping hole in our lives. We are coming together to remember her and we would appreciate some privacy and space at this terrible time.''

A spokesman for the family said the funeral would be held as soon as possible, but that the post-mortem examination and police investigation made it impossible to set a date and no details had yet been agreed.

He added that one of Winehouse's security team had found her and called an ambulance, but she could not be saved.

Winehouse battled drink and drug problems throughout her career and news of her death was quickly followed by suggestions that it could be related to one or the other.

Superintendent Raj Kohli warned on Saturday that it was ''inappropriate'' to speculate at this stage on the cause of death, which is being treated as ''unexplained''. Scotland Yard said that a post-mortem examination would be scheduled today.

The singer's grief-stricken mother Janis told the Sunday Mirror she had seen her daughter the day before she was found dead.

She said: ''She seemed out of it. But her passing so suddenly still hasn't hit me.''

The performer had said ''I love you'' at the end of a day out together, and her mother said she would always treasure those words.

Father Mitch, who flew back from New York when he heard the news, said: ''This isn't real. I'm completely devastated.''

Celebrities including former drug addict Russell Brand, Rolling Stone Ronnie Wood and producer Mark Ronson have all paid tribute to the multi-award winning performer.

Brand called her ''a genius'' and said addiction should be treated like a potentially fatal illness.

Wood performed with The Faces on Saturday night and dedicated I Would Rather Go Blind to her. He said: ''Such a beautiful singer, Such a waste.''

Tributes have been left at the edge of police cordons surrounding the singer's Camden home, including alcoholic drinks and cigarettes, alongside soft toys, flowers and candles.

Pieces of artwork had also been laid down, including a striking photo of Winehouse posing in a bar, and a picture by artist Mysterious Al, showing Winehouse's face with monochrome cartoon eyes and a white streak in her trademark beehive hair.

Many notes were also left, one reading: ''Too fragile, too beautiful, too big a talent for this world'', and another which said: ''To an exquisite singer with a beautiful voice''.

Metropolis Music, Winehouse's management company, released a statement saying: ''We are trying to come to terms with the death of a dear friend and colleague, the most amazing artist and talent.

''We will always remember Amy as a vibrant, funny, caring young woman who made everyone around her feel welcome. We have lost a very special person, part of our family.''

The troubled Back To Black artist had cancelled all tour dates and engagements last month after a series of erratic public appearances. She was booed at a shambolic performance in Serbia.

As well as flocking to her home, fans also paid tribute at the Hawley Arms pub in Camden, once a favourite haunt of the pop star.

The pub said in a statement: ''We are shocked and deeply saddened by the news of Amy's death. Apart from her extraordinary musical talent, she was a special person with a good soul and this should not have happened.

''We feel privileged to have known herand we will sorely miss her.''

Ronson said in his statement: ''She was my musical soulmate and like a sister to me. This is one of the saddest days of my life.''

Winehouse joins the notorious ''27

Club'' of musicians who have died at that age after struggling to cope with fame.

They include Rolling Stone Brian Jones, who drowned in a swimming pool in 1969; guitarist Jimi Hendrix, who choked to death in 1970 after mixing wine with sleeping pills; and singer Janis Joplin, who suffered a suspected heroin overdose the same year.

Doors star Jim Morrison, who died of heart failure in 1971, and Nirvana frontman Kurt Cobain, who shot himself in 1994, also died at the young age.

Agencies

HAPPY BIRTHDAY MOAZZAM BHAI!

2011-07-08T07:55:00.000-07:00

By MAHTAB BASHIR
ISLAMABAD
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

HISAAB-E-UMR KA ITNA SA GOSHWARA HAY
TUMHAY NIKAAL KAY DEKHA TO SAB KHASARA HAY

As I remember my beloved brother Moazzam Bashir on his birth anniversary today ((July 08, 1959 – January 14, 2008), I’m trying to capture the glorious memories spend with him but words fall short and my vocabulary and memory fails to put down those in lines.

He not only loved bringing happiness and joy to everyone; but he was a kind, caring, and compassionate person, who was always there to comfort us in our times of sorrow and grief.

Let us always remember, it is not the number of years we live in this world that is important; it is how we live those years that is important; how many people we reach out to and touch; how many people we can bring to God and to the service of our nation. The quality of life is much more important than the quantity of life; and when it comes to the quality of life, we can all say: “Moazzam Bhai lived a full life and, literally, touched thousands of people to rejoice with wonderful moments.”

Moazzam Bhai vanished away 3 years ago, and I haven't come to reality with until now. It's still like a dream. It didn't seem real. Now I know that when someone passes away, there isn't any one word long enough or big enough to describe it. I could talk about it, and I could go on for pages, but even an entire book can't replace an entire life. I love you, Moazzam Bhai, and will always think of you. You are a great thing that happened to me and there are still lots of memories to talk about.

I'll miss him, but for now, some memories are still so fresh that I can still relate to him and know exactly what he would say if I was talking to him. As more time passes, I wonder if this will change. For now, I'll acknowledge and appreciate this.

May the Holy Spirit comfort us and give us strength, may God illuminate your eternal soul, and may you “dwell in the superlative spot in the heavens.”

RIP

For more readings ........

http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/03/in-memory-of-my-brother_06.html

http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/03/my-brother-walking-lexicon-walks-away.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/03/most-important-part-of-body-is.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/04/tere-bina-xindagi-bhi-laikin.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/05/if-i-could-work-miracles.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/09/mein-zindagi-kay-azab-likhoon-kay.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/09/eid-sans-moazzam-bhai.html
http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2008/12/end-of-circle.html http://mahtabbashir.blogspot.com/2009/01/please-join-us-in-prayers.html

THE SHORTEST TALE ABOUT OUR BELOVED COUNTRY

2011-06-25T08:02:00.000-07:00

One upon a time, there was a country who claims to be the Nuclear Power but … did not have the Electric Power.

This is the most precise black and bleak story!!! Thanx for your time and efforts dear readers!

PRISONER OF CONSCIENCE- MARVI MEMON RESIGNS

2011-06-23T03:42:00.000-07:00

Following is text of the resignation letter written to the National Assembly speaker by Marvi Memon

It has been my honour to serve as a member of the National Assembly of Pakistan since March 2008. As a first-time parliamentarian, I have honoured the oath I took to perform my functions “always in the interest of the sovereignty, integrity, solidarity, well being and prosperity of Pakistan.”

However, ever since my party leadership’s decision to join the federal government, it has become difficult for me to be true to my oath. I believe that PML-Q leaders by leaving their role as an opposition party have not lived up to the expectations of millions of voters who reposed their trust in them in the Feb 2008 elections. I tried to prevail upon the party leadership to change their decision, but in vain. Now the only honourable course open to me is to resign from PML membership and also as member of the National Assembly on the occasion of vote for the budget.

Abstaining from voting on the budget, would practically mean approving it, and with it, tacitly endorsing all government policies and future plans.

Since I believe this coalition government is working against the interests of the people of Pakistan, my support for the budget would compromise all my struggle for the people. I cannot vote against my conscience. I have thus voted against the budget. Just like Marui in Latif Sain’s Shah Jo Risalo, this Marui too cannot compromise the struggle for her marooara (people.)

As I had predicted, PML-Q has not been able to correct the disastrous course of this government. And they will not be able to do so in the future as well.

Simply because this government has a built-in flaw: its sole objective is to protect its vested interests rather than people’s interests. It is my firm belief that the only thing that would continue in the coming months is crass, corrupt politicking to steal the next election. The real concerns of the people would continue to be neglected.

Therefore, I believe that:

To be associated with a government, which has not followed parliament’s joint resolution mandating action against NATO forces in case of drones, has bartered Pakistan’s sovereignty, has not protected Pakistan’s sensitive locations, has not kept our territory protected from foreign forces, would be a travesty.

To be associated with a government which has allowed human rights of thousands to be grossly violated by not giving them justice, salaries, minimum wages, regularisations, jobs (Haleema, NPIW, Lady Health Workers, APP, NCHD, NEF, Lower Education Staff etc), would be subversive.

To be associated with a government, which has taken away food and shelter from the poor, fuel from the vehicles, electricity and gas from industry and homes, which has forced people to commit suicides due to its corruption, faulty economic policies, which has forgiven the loan defaulters, which has not been austere, which has not taxed the rich appropriately including inequitable taxation for agriculture and industry, would be criminal.

To be associated with a government, which has been completely negligent in its primary responsibilities during natural and national disasters like Attabad lake, the recent floods, the Abottabad crisis, the complete breakdown of law and order in all of Pakistan, would be perfidious.

To be associated with a government, which has abysmally failed to protect its own constitutional office holders, security forces, religious sects, minorities, media and most importantly therefore innocent people from kidna

ppings, targeted killings and terrorist attacks, which is fighting a directionless war and is compromising with criminals, would be atrocity.

To be associated with a government which has allowed Pakistan’s image to be trashed internationally, has practically abandoned the valiant people of occupied Kashmir, has let national sovereignty to be chipped away, has not managed its relations with friendly countries like China at its optimal, has not handled the Indian threat with firmness and dignity, has done nothing to counter growing campaign against Pakistan’s nuclear assets, would be treacherous.

To be associated with a government which has used provincialism as a political tool, which has not resolved border commission dispute on Diamir dam, has not fulfilled its promises in Aghaze Huqooqe Balochistan or KPK financial revival package or FATA Reforms, has not fulfilled its rehabilitation commitments for earthquake 2005 victims, has not fulfilled provincial quota obligations, has discriminated between rural-urban and head-tail for water, has not held anyone accountable in mishaps like the Air Blue crash, has not resolved inter-provincial water disputes in line with 1991 Water Accord, has not passed the National Language Bill accepting the rights of provinces, would be disloyal.

To be associated with a government whose corruption, lack of meritocracy, incompetence has brought national economy down on its knees, which has mortgaged the coming generations’ future by mindless borrowing, shattered public sector corporations, retarded industrial production, hammered the small farmer and has pushed half the population in the depths of wretched poverty, would be a perversion.

To be associated with a government, which has willfully clashed with the judiciary, has dragged its feet on the Accountability Bill and the bill to prosecute terrorists, and has rendered parliament irrelevant, forcing thousands like myself to get justice from judiciary versus parliament would be treasonous.

To be associated with a government that is run by thugs and commission-mafia, who have lined up their pockets with development funds, deprived people of

their fundamental rights such as clean water, schools, health centers, roads, electricity, gas, would be shameful.

It is time that the people of Pakistan are freed from this government. It is time that sincere, tax-paying Pakistanis unite for Pakistan’s sake. It is time they reject old politics and espouse new politics, where the definition of politics is serving ones people rather than ruling over them. For the above reasons, I hereby tender my resignation for the sake of the people of AJK, Balochistan, GB, KPK, Punjab, Sindh – my Pakistan.

I intend to honour my oath by educating my people on the dangers of supporting a corrupt, inefficient and self-serving government that is happily allowing our homeland to descend into chaos. I want to impress upon my people through my Karavan-e-Haq, that they don’t have to accept a government that robs them daily. That they have a right to clean governance, and that their destiny is in their own hands.

I intend at all times to honour my flag, continuing my humble struggle for Haq and providing Pakistan with the leadership that can make it a just, moderate, and developed country.

HAPPY FATHER'S DAY- SAY IT WITH A GIFT

2011-06-19T05:31:00.000-07:00

By Muhammad Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Who held you dearly when you first arrived in this world? Who held your precious hands, teaching you to take your first steps? Who did you want to emulate growing up? Who do you still look up to after all these years? – it’s your father.

Father's Day gives us an opportunity to recognise the contribution of the men who have nurtured us since birth - instilling in us values and inspiring us to be better human beings.

Our fathers are our guides, teachers and providers. They are the ones who work day in and day out to make sure that we get the best of everything life can possibly provide. Now is the time to show our appreciation for all the sacrifices that he chose to make for us. Every third Sunday of June, which this year happens to be the June 19 is celebrated as Father's Day.

On the occasion of this Father’s Day Sunday, I suggest sons and daughters to pack that perfect customised gift on this father’s Day- A perfect present truly customised to the taste of their fathers.

First, analyse the type of person he is. Think back and recall all the years spent closely with him. Is he a sporty person? Does he like to hit balls? Or is he a quiet person who likes to relax and listen to slow music? Is he a couch potato or does he prefer to read novels?

The next step is to brainstorm and prepare the surprise for him. If you grew up cheering your father when he played squash or tennis but now, due to age, lacks the vigour for strenuous sports, a golf club and a membership to his desired golfing club is ideal. He can enjoy sports that his age permits and also make friends with people his own age.

Did your father always cherish having a pet at home while your mom abhorred the very idea? You can get a bird, fish, puppy, cat, rabbit, tortoise or any other pet that he always wanted in the house. If you think a big aquarium or fish tank will take up too much space or cleaning it will be cumbersome, you can get a fish bowl with a single fish in it.

Is he a plant lover but could never manage the time for gardening? Buy him saplings of flowers, vegetables, fruits or herbs or and a combination of all. If your parents’ house lacks the space for a garden, arrange for a nook garden on your terrace. Arranging and paying for a gardener would relieve him of its high maintenance as well.

Does he like to listen to old music and watch old movies? If you can afford it, a DVD player will be just perfect. Nowadays the price of electric devices have become affordable and good quality DVD players are within most people's reach. Along with the player buy him a collection of his favourite movies from his early days. Try to recall his favourite movie stars or ask your mother who he cherished on the golden screen and voila, you've hit the jackpot.

Is he a bookworm? Get him a magazine subscription to any Pakistani, Indian or Western magazine. Depending on his preference you can subscribe to Readers Digest, Health, National Geographic, etc. Membership to a library like British Council or likewise libraries will take him into the kingdom of books too.

A hand made gift with a lot of thought and effort will be well appreciated. Make for him a card or paint “I LOVE YOU DAD” on a T-shirt. You can also make a collage of family pictures. Anything you prepare with your own hands will be adored.

If you have a big budget planned, you can buy a computer, cellphone or a ticket to his dream holiday destination or to see someone he has been longing to see such as other siblings, aunts and uncles.

Father's Day can provide the opportunity to get him what he needs. Buy a machine to measure his blood pressure or blood sugar. If his doctors have been recommending him to go on walks, get a pair of walking shoes and a treadmill.

You can also prepare his favourite meal or take him to dinner to a restaurant or spend the whole day together. You can also spend the day at home. Listen to him talk of his old days. A day well spent will fill in the gaps of the years of absence.

The gifts don't have to be awfully expensive or ostentatious. All that matters is you show him that his children, who are his greatest gifts themselves, love and care for him unconditionally and immensely. It can even be that he will never use the gift but will cherish it as a memento and hold it dearly to his heart.

Make Father's Day special for your father. Show him the gratitude that he truly deserves. Our fathers stood by us when we needed them. Prove to them today that we are here when they need us.

History of Father’s Day: It would be interesting to know how Father's Day came into practice and celebrated worldwide with an equal sincerity and respect as any other significant holidays. Here's a short history on the holiday, and meaning of the different colors of roses to be worn that Day.

About 4,000 years ago a young boy named Elmusu wished his Babylonian father good health and a long life by carving a Father's Day message on a card made out of clay. No one knows what happened to Elmesu or his father, but the tradition of having a special day honoring fathers has continued through the years in countries across the world.

The Countries, where the Catholic Church were of significant influence on the culture of the society, Father's Day is celebrated on St. Joseph's Day (March 19). However, a more secular celebration which is not associated with any religion is followed in recent times to highlight the increased diversity among people from all over the globe coexisting together in one place.

Father's Day is celebrated popularly on 3rd Sunday in June in many parts of the world. The idea for creating a day for children to honor their fathers began in Spokane, Washington. A woman by the name of Sonora Smart Dodd thought of the idea for Father's Day while listening to a Mother's Day sermon in 1909. Having been raised by her father, Henry Jackson Smart, after her mother died, Sonora wanted her father to know how special he was to her. It was her father that made all the parental sacrifices and was, in the eyes of his daughter, a courageous, selfless, and loving man. Sonora's father was born in June, so she chose to hold the first Father's Day celebration in Spokane, Washington on the 19th of June, 1910.

In 1924 President Calvin Coolidge proclaimed the third Sunday in June as Father's Day. President Nixon, in 1972, established a permanent national observance of Father's Day to be held on the third Sunday of June. So Father's Day was born as a token of love and gratitude that a daughter cherishes for her beloved father. Roses are the Father's Day flowers: red to be worn for a living father and white if the father has died.

DONATION OF KID ON INTERNATIONAL DAY AGAINST CHILD LABOUR

2011-06-13T04:48:00.000-07:00

By Mahtab Bashir

Islamabad

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

With the theme "Children in hazardous work" for the World Day against Child Labour on June 12 (Sunday), Pakistan like other countries of the world is observing this day to mark the adoption of the landmark International Labour Organization (ILO) Convention No. 182, which addresses the need for action to tackle the worst forms of child labour.

While celebrating progress made since the Convention's adoption in 1999, the World Day highlights continuing challenges, such as the millions of children involved in hazardous work.

This problem affects a wide variety of jobs and industries and is widespread in both developed and developing nations. The internation

al community has identified hazardous work as among the worst forms of child labour it has targeted for eradication by 2016. The World Day Against Child Labour is intended to focus global attention on this practice and call for urgent action to combat it.

While the world is observing International Day Against Child Labour, Noreen Bibi is all set to donate her only minor son Ali on the same day.

Someone rightly classified Pakistani society saying, “Society comprises two classes: those who have more food than appetite, and those who have more appetite than food.” Mothers have wishful thinking to pass on her kids hunger free life, quality education, and shelter for their protection to name few. Hunger is one inheritance no mother wants to give her child, yet millions of poor mothers have this for generations in Pakistan.

This downtrodden woman named Noreen Bibi who is living her life with four children, an unemployed husband at Taramri Chowk, Rawalpindi is struggling to feed her 6 members family on a meager income working as a servant in domestic houses works.

Noreen with the utter mortification announced that she wants to donate her son Ali aged 2 years to childless families or to those who have sympathy for children. Criticizing the prevalent Islamic values in the ‘land of Pure’, she said if poverty is my destination, I will request Christians, Ahmadi’s and other non-Muslims to nurture my beloved kid for the sake of his better future, forever as to her “Poverty is the mother of crime” but she has no other options available.

Noreen has three daughters and a son named Ali who is 2 years old. Her husband Khalid Malik was an employee in Pakistan Telecommunication Company Limited (PTCL) in Rawalpindi was forced to quit his job few years back and since than he is earning nothing.

Talking to this scribe Noreen said, “I am living in Rawalpindi in a rented one room on Rs 3000/ month rent. I am suffering with various diseases asthma, high blood pressure, heart ailment to name few. My husband some day gets earning through daily labour work and another day he gets nothing. Many a times I went to government schools to seek admission for my kids but they refused to admit them on the grounds that children are not familiar to ABC of education,” Noreen said mournfully.

Noreen while talking to Daily Times, handed over a letter she wrote to Khadim-e-Punjab Mian Shahbaz Sharif and federal government to help her as she is in dire straights. “Those who are living in palaces and luxury houses could not be aware what I am going through at the moment. They do not know what is poverty, who is poor, and what is hopelessness. I am forced to beg alms, ‘Kairat’, ‘Zakaat’, and ‘Chanda’ to nurture my innocent children. On the other hand, government officials of Benazir Income Support Programme (BISP) and of those working for educational policies are giving opportunities to their own kids but unfortunately, my kids have not seen the premises of any school. Food, cloth, shelter are not visible in my dreams even and nurturing of my children are impossible in such circumstances,” she wrote in her letter.

In the backdrop of “Poverty is like punishment for a crime you didn't commit”, Noreen quoted a recent incident of her son saying that in Islamic country and society, when my son was died because of poverty, and at the time of his burial, I was forced to give money for 4 feet grave of my kid when I do not have a penny,” she said wiping her tears.

Noreen said family disaster occurred as soon as my husband was fired illegally from a government department and now there is no hope for tomorrow. She requested philanthropists at large to contact her on her cell No. 03365011070.

ISLAMABAD: Arshad Mehmood, Executive Director (ED), Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child (SPARC) said that economic disparity is on alarming stage and we read such news on a daily basis when woman commits suicide, sell her children, or engaged them in bonded labour due to poverty. “Government should focus on these issues and streamline its organizations BISP, or Bait-ul-Maal in particular to look after these sort of cases and do something concrete for the welfare of these poor,” Mehmood said. He said it is the fundamental responsibility of government to give basic rights to all individuals. He said these children are also used on political grounds as well.

ISLAMABAD: Capt (r) Javed Ahmed, incharge Edhi Foundation (EF) in Islamabad said that selling or donating beloved children due to sheer poverty is now a common phenomenon in Pakistan. “Government should work seriously to deal such issues like unemployment, poverty, education and health but unfortunately none of these issues are being tackled seriously. Edhi Foundation is committed to give shelter to homeless people who are considered people of lesser God. Ahmed said Noreen should contact us in this regard.

ISLAMABAD: Talking to Daily Times Najmud Din, Vice Chairman (VC), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) said that this is gruesome situation and Noreen is not the only case, there are millions of such cases exist not only in Pakistan but all over the world due to poverty. “I must say government should move forward to resolve these issues of poverty, education and health as they are the fundamental rights of every individual and responsibility of state. There are few government run organizations working to resolve these issues and they must play their part. There were millions of IDP’s living in various places due to natural calamities who are facing the same plight and people of Pakistan themselves helped them out whereas government organizations remained in slumber mode,” Najam said adding government should give every individual the right of food, education, health and shelter.

WOLVES LURK ON ROADS, CHATTER RESOUNDS in PARLIAMENT

2011-06-10T06:58:00.000-07:00

By Saeed Minhas

An Increasing sense of paranoia continues to creep into the society where unknown faces ranging from Taliban to secret agencies and now even Rangers personnel are becoming trigger happy knowing very well that their acts would eventually be given a blanket cover by an

internal or even a judicial inquiry and if nothing else works than by their spin doctors.

Keeping aside the ground reality that Nawaz league is desperate to launch itself on national horizon as an aggressive and pro-people party and how much they will gain from this new found spin to cover their past follies, Khawaja Saad Rafiq just set the tone for the rest of the parliamentarians including few from treasury benches to come really hard on the conduct of armed forces and secret agencies. As his voice was reverberating in the hall, parliamentarians made a bee line to add fuel to the fire against armed forces by mentioning the very recent events as well which brought commotion to the entire nation and thus kept asking for cutting down their huge budgetary allocations.

Javed Hashmi while reminding everyone of Dhaka debacle, repeatedly asked the federal government in genera and politicians in particular to rise above their political folds and join hands to curb this rising trend of extremism amongst state institutions like Army and Rangers.

Senators on the other hand remained equally upbeat in condemning the cold blooded murder of a teenage by Rangers and took Rehman Malik for a ride for trying to cover this brutal act of state terrorism. Malik is supposedly responsible for manning the Rangers throughout the country but knowing an open secret that how much he can do, will it be of any use to ask him for a real inquiry, asked one of the disgruntled member of PPP after the session.

Going on the respond to his own query, he said that certainly there is no point in doing that because the supposed man of crisis of the present government is already sitting on more than two dozen inquiries including the one about his own leader’s assassination. Therefore, he said that let him be a free roaming minister and continue to see himself on TV screens for almost everything ranging from politics to policing, from foreign ministry to spokesperson of the armed forces and thus materalise his ultimate dream of becoming not the de fecto but a de jure foreign minister of the country.

But as an ANP stalwart later mentioned while sitting in cafeteria that neither any resignation is coming forth nor any remorse will be felt by those who committed this and many other such brutal acts against the innocent civilians in the past. Another seasoned senator roaming around power corridors since 1970s seconded it by reminding us all that only a strong political dispensation can become an answer to their pshychological and over-arching domination, which is hard to imagine at this point of time.

Revisiting the fateful days of 1970s when the army had to lay arms in front of the enemy, he said that though morale of the army was very low at that time as well-- just like it was when Musharraf lost charms for the west or just after OBL or Mehran Base issues--and they felt some remorse as well and were not coming out of the barracks in uniforms but still they did not let a strong civilian government of Bhutto to conduct an inquiry for quite some time and when it eventually was formed then they did not let it see the light of the day.

He even did not minced his words to mention the dirty role of judiciary in this regard by saying that had they not been sitting in the lapse of uniformed people, Pakistan would have been heading an altogether different path by now. But, mentioning towards his silvery-white hair, he said that after all army is a national institution and it has become addicted to certain perks and privileges, therefore, either the ruling elite have to give them a permanent role through constitutional amendments or if they want to keep them confined to the barrack even then they have to shun their petty differences and define some kind of TORs for them to sort this issue once for all.

Otherwise, he opined firmly that things will continue to go from bad to worse and rule of law will remain elusive for the commoners in this country.

What remained an issue of interest throughout this debate was the concern of the parliamentarians about the importance of parliament. It has become an unfortunate norm that whosoever sits on the top chair assumes that it has become his/her responsibility to not only defend the state institutions under the fear that incase of denial to do so would mean an end to the rule.

Same was the case with the government of Mr. Gilani, as it has shown with consistency a pattern that no matter what either they will remain silent to let the masters speak and then follow them or sometime they fail to understand the silence of the local masters and starts following the foreign ones without ever applying their own political minds to set the tone. If wikileaks are something to go

by then revelations made therein are enough to put not only politicians but even our military janta to shame.

Will they ever realize that foreign masters are uniting on one point that no matter how they have been using or mis0using this land of the pure, now it has become an internal problem of Pakistan and therefore, they seem to be fed up with the leadership (both civilian and military) and have taken up the road of direct intereference by riding on their dollars and Euros and if they fail to read the writing on the wall, then Tunisia, Egypt or Syria might have been saved by Saudis (for the sake of their own kingdom) but there will hardly be anyone standing for us and we might have to face a Libyan fate. But the question remains that will the political leadership be able to come out of its shadows-of-fear and take the lead in sorting out the mess created by all the state institutions?

HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY

2011-05-08T04:29:00.000-07:00

Mothers are the most priceless blessing God has personally gift wrapped for each one of us. As the saying goes, God cannot be everywhere so he made mothers. No amount of words will ever be enough to thank them for all that they have done for us. I’ve written this piece for my paper on the eve of Mother’s Day and wanted to share it with all of you! Happy Mother’s day to all the beautiful moms out there!

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

The older one gets, the less people seem to want to celebrate birthdays. The fewer reminders we get about our age, the better we feel. Then we have Valentine's Day which has become so commercialised that one may deem it wiser to treat it like any other day and claim that every day is Valentine's Day solely for fear of not getting it right or not making a gesture that will suitably impress one's partner. However, there is one day of the year that everyone does enjoy, and that is Mother's Day.

There’s no other person in the world that has made a greater impact on which we are today than our mothers. Even if we don't have a close relationship with her as an adult, she was there during our formative years. She's the one who introduced us to our first tastes of food, cheered our efforts at crawling and walking, showed us how to use a crayon, and read us bedtime stories. She's also the one who changed our dirty diapers and introduced us to the world us a useful person.

Like others part of the world Mother’s Day is being observed in Pakistan. Children and their families across the country will express in their own unique ways the importance of mothers in their lives. Some will shower their mothers with flowers and gifts; others will lavish them with hugs as a token of affection.

At each stage of motherhood, a woman has different responsibilities and, consequently, different personal needs. The word mother and mother's day are simple, yet powerful little words that we hear all the time especially so around the time of mother's day when everyone seems to be scrambling for ideas to say thank you, you are surely loved and you are appreciated all over again.

Mother's Day for all will be welcomed with feelings of excitement while for others it may be a day of mixed feelings especially so if they have lost their beloved mothers.

You see mother's day or any other day can be made more personal when you put some careful thought into your gift idea. What else would that mother enjoy? What has she wanted to do for a long time? What has she not gotten to experience in her lifetime? How can you really show her she is appreciated?

Daily Times when asked to comment on significance of Mother’s Day, many of them said they feel that it’s time all Pakistani mothers stood up for peace in the country, as Howe did. For this, they suggested mothers to give their guidance to other mothers and acknowledge their role in ensuring peace in the country.

Aaminah Raza, a mother of two, on this occasion said, “We need to join our hands to promote the cause of motherhood to spread peace, whether it is in Balochistan or in the Khyber-Pakhtunkhaw or in Karachi, or any part of the country and world,” she said adding we, the mothers, need peace for our sons and daughters and for our families.

Others called upon government to acknowledge the role of mothers and take some time out to guide mothers as to how they would be efficient in restoring peace to the country.

According to Daily Times Report, despite signing several international commitments regarding the health and human rights of women and girls, Pakistan has an alarmingly high Maternal Mortality Rate (MMR), as one Pakistani woman loses life every 30 minutes due to reproductive health complications.

According to health experts, every year, more than one million children are left motherless and vulnerable because of maternal deaths. “Children who have lost their mothers are up to 10 times more likely to die prematurely than those who have not,” they pointed out.

Dr Farzana, a gynecologist said factors resulting in maternal deaths include women’s poor health before pregnancy, and inadequate, inaccessible or unaffordable healthcare and poor hygiene and care during childbirth. “Socio-economic and cultural realities such as literacy, poverty, women’s unequal access to recourses and their lack of decision making power in families and societies contribute to the challenges faced by women,” she said.

According to Ministry of Health report, 350 out of 100,000 women, and 76 out of 1000 infants die at the stage of birth.

A few fairly simple interventions could prevent most of the maternal deaths. As one source quoted, it requires a wide-scale training of community-based midwives and equipping them with basic supplies and medicines. In places without doctors, these midwives could provide clean, safe deliveries with low risk of maternal infections and initiate treatment where signs of such infection appear and stop postpartum haemorrhage.

This intervention alone can prevent about half of maternal deaths. Provision of contraceptives and sensitisation of the communities to encourage birth spacing and reducing the family size, with proper laws to prevent pregnancies in teenage marriages and consequent early pregnancies, would prevent another quarter of those deaths. Much of the rest of the massacre relating to pregnancy and childbirth comes from unsafe abortions.

Sadly, our ideological battles here in Pakistan over such issues as contraceptive use and legalising abortions, coupled with aloofness at the policy level, have slackened the pace of any significant progress vis-à-vis issues of women’s maternal health. The result is that just as you read along, an innocent mother is about to become one more mortality statistic on a report card.

It is then imperative that we as a nation get our act together and convert this Mother’s Day into an opportunity to reflect on the plight of those hapless mothers and their children who will never know the joys of this special day.

Even a gift that is accompanied with a carefully written letter or note with meaning can put a smile on a mother's face! Yes, I know this will not work for all moms but that's why in the article it says that YOU need to really know that person. So please just remember, it really is the thought that counts, especially when you did take some time out to put some thought into your mother's day gift.

Today, mothers of Pakistan are facing similar problems of violence, war and unrest and killing in their country, as they are worried about the lives of their beloved sons, daughters and families.

One last thing, Daily Times invites its readers to help every day become a Mother's Day. By the way moms, it is ok to drop hints about how you would like to spend your special day and with hope, your spouse, partner, or other loved one will graciously honor your small request. After all, mother's day on the calendar only comes once a year.

Happy Mother’s Day: let’s move beyond the rhetoric, embrace the reality and together work to make it better. Happy Mothers Day to all you wonderful mothers out there!

History of Mother’s Day: Mother’s Day came into being due to the efforts made by Ms Julia Ward Howe and Ms Anna Jarvis. The Resolution for having a dedicated Mother’s Day was signed by US President Woodrow Wilson on May 8, 1914. Since then people across the world have been celebrating Mothers Day on second Sunday of May with joy and devotion.

The Day was initiated to observe peace, and not support consumerism. Julia Ward Howe first designated the Mother’s Day for Peace in the civil war-hit America that left countless mothers mourning for their sons and families.

Through Mothers Day, this acknowledgement for mothers’ role is celebrated to bring peace for people. “Our sons shall not be taken from us to unlearn all that we have been able to teach them of mercy, charity and patience”, she along with other thousands of US mothers witnessed first-hand the terrible bloodshed during the Civil War in America and the Franco-Prussian War in Europe.

This event led mothers to play their role in helping end the strife. Howe hoped that the powerful maternal desire for security could shape world events, and she called on mothers of the world to unite against war.

MY ROMANCE FOR CRICKET IS OVER!

2011-03-31T05:25:00.000-07:00

When Green Shirts’ Efficiency turns into Deficiency

By Mahtab Bashir

mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

The excitement and plans to celebrate the result of the second semi-final vanished with the defeat of Pakistani team at the hands of India on Wednesday (March 30), however, at the mid way through when Indians posted 260, the youngsters look optimistic- ‘Yes we will jump over the chest of Indians this time’!

With the start of the second innings in the match, the Federal Capital started giving a festive look as cricket lovers wearing green T-shirts and faces painted with the flags came to the roads on their motorbikes and cars.

The young and the old gathered around giant screens placed at various points in Islamabad. They cheered in excitement when a player hit a four or faced a fierce delivery. Whenever an Indian wicket fell people jumped and danced in jubilation and fired gunshots in the air.

Fatima Jinnah Park drew the largest crowd where a large screen was installed. The other gathering was witnessed in front of the Islamabad Stock Exchange building, F-10 Markaz, National Press Club (NPC) and Jinnah Super Market (F-7)- where I enjoyed the first innings thoroughly!! However, after the match ended, signs of gloom were visible on the faces of youngsters returning back on their vehicles only waving Pakistani flags but not raising any slogan.

Earlier, in the day the otherwise bustling and noisy Islamabad wore a deserted look with traffic off the road, shutters down in markets and cricket lovers confining themselves to their homes. However, in the evening youngsters wearing green shirts and faces painted came out in their vehicles showing victory signs, bringing the hustle and bustle back to the city.

The road celebrations kicked off the moment the Indian inning was over giving a meager target of 261 to chase. Many youngsters around me were very optimistic and in a fluster opined, “This total posting on the board is nothing especially on Mohali track. We will do it easily, all we need is a flying opening start of 50+ runs or a good 70+ partnership,” said Hamza to me, and I agreed with him.

As the second innings starts, we were exhausted and instead of spending time at Jinnah Super, we opted to go home leaving other boys there, who were with us and lost somewhere enjoying. We didn’t bother them and went back home where I found my dream torn into pieces.

The infuriating wait for the titanic India-Pakistan clash ended in anti-climax for the fans in green as India shattered Pakistan’s hopes for a 2011 World Cup final appearance courtesy a nervy 29-run win watched by thousands inside the stadium and billions in front of their television sets.

Apology accepted ‘Boom Boom Afridi’ but if I chanced to interview you, ‘What makes you delay to capitalize the Power Play, when u was on the crease’, would be my first and last question!

Pakistan Zindabad!

DYING READING HABIT RENDERS BOOKSTALLS DESERTED

2011-03-29T03:02:00.000-07:00

‘Education is common but Knowledge is rare’: Saien Ditta, a vendor at Old Books Stall at H-9 Sunday Bazaar

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

How many types of books are there? The philosopher Francis Bacon answered four centuries ago, “Some books are to be tasted, others to be swallowed, and some few to be chewed and digested.”

During a visit to H-9 Sunday Bazaar, when this scribe asked the complementary question, how many types of readers are there? Saien Ditta- the old books vendor said some read only if they have to, others read anything they can get hold of, yet others search for challenges. Some like poetry, while others enjoy non-fiction. Some readers start a book hesitantly until the writer casts a spell on them; others open books with great gusto but abandon them after a few pages.

Ditta, 47 sitting on a bench inside his Stalls No. D-502 & D-503 while talking to Daily Times said that book reading habit no doubt is on the verge of decline because of rapidly integrated computer technology where anyone could access at any time with spending a meager amount and that too without leaving their homes. “I have put up all sort of books from Urdu, English literature to Persian, French, Italian, German and literature from all over the world. Besides a wide range of course books from matriculation levels to graduation, local and international magazines, cooking books, English novels and stationary, but unfortunately the customers are few,” Ditta said.

There are around 5 old book stalls in H-9 Bazaar held under the banner of Capital Development Authority (CDA) selling various sort of literature books and academic books for students but it was witnessed during the visit that only students who are preparing for their exams are frequently visiting these stalls and asking for guess papers/ keys/ or guide books from the bookstalls vendors. I have been doing this business because of my romance for reading books for the last 15 years. “I take a strange sense of satisfaction while reading a book and this trait of mine pushed me establishing this business I started from G-9 Bazaar Sunday Bazaar that is now shifted to H-9 Bazaar,” Ditta said.

When asked why this habit of reading books is on the verge of extinct, Ditta said smilingly in Pakistan it was never on the rise. “Centuries ago, there was no Internet facility in Europe but whole Europe experienced the intellectual revolution when philosophers and intellectuals brought prosperity to their respective countries,” he said adding I have access to modern technology but still I steal more pleasure reading book instead of browsing on internet.

Another reason that caused the downfall of reading books is everyone has become selective. “Students just picked the books for reading and getting good grades to pass the examination and later find a good job but hardly anyone grab the literature books to enhance his knowledge,” Ditta said adding now ‘Education is pretty common these days but Knowledge is rare’, he said precisely.

To a question, Ditta said the fundamental reason of decrease in book lovers is the ongoing inflation and interest of people comes later. Quoting an incident, he said a young kid comes to his stall thrice as he was interested to get a book but her mother took her to away on an adjacent stall of a food where they both had cold drinks and snacks,” Ditta said smilingly. He said 90 percent of his customers are students while just 10 percent of customers visited his stall for literature books, novels, magazines, or cooking books etc.

“I am doing a government job as well and purchased books from Lahore and other jumbo book stalls on a cheap rates and offered my customers on a 50 percent discount and sometime lesser than 50 percent rates but still I found them reluctant to buy books, Ditta said adding customers leave the stall saying price is not affordable to him/her.

“There was a time when I used to sell good bulk of books a month time, now I only manage (to sell) just few in a day, “ he said. But still it is a good source of knowledge, I am selling it to my satisfaction and people like me are buying it to theirs’, Ditta said.

Daily Times, however, found that a few dedicated patrons of these shops still exist. Mahwish, a housewife, while purchasing a couple of Urdu novels said that she has been a vivacious reader since her childhood. “It has everything to give me guideline of settling the domestic issues, nurturing the kids and how to struck a balance between home and outside affairs,” Mahwish said adding reading Urdu digest guided her understanding the child psychology.

Another English novel lover, Rafea Manan said there is a mustiness and familiarity to old bookshops that isn’t always found in the glossiness of larger bookstores in the city. “I can have some unique books from here at time that are centuries old and thus haven’t lost their uniqueness,” she said. People like Mahwish and Rafea, however, are in minority.

Many of us no longer have the time to be huddled-in with old books. The prognosis for these old books’ stalls is not good; they are fighting a battle for their very survival- when many believe they might very well already have lost.

ISLAMABAD: A study carried out by the University of California at San Diego found out that people in the US were consuming more words on average now than in the 1980s. But this was mainly due to increase in online activities including facebooking, tweeting and blogging etcetera. Pakistan has an Internet penetration of about 10.6 per cent (the second highest in South Asia, after the Maldives), according to Internet World Stats, and PTA expects it to rise rapidly in the coming years.

published in Daily Times, Monday, March 29,
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\03\28\story_28-3-2011_pg11_10

INTERNATIONAL POETRY DAY (March 21, 2011)

2011-03-21T03:44:00.000-07:00

Dedicated to all drivers who ply their vehicles on the road to prosperity

By Mahtab Bashir

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Islamabad

Emotions come instinctively to every individual as he tries to find happiness and grievances utilizing these sentiments. Thus, people while reacting use various modes to express their feelings. Few use an art of painting to express their feelings, many opts to pick up the guns in their hands in frustration and few goes to create emotions with words through poetry.

In such perspective, when we peep through the lifestyle of laborers around us who earn honestly with laborious work, especially of drivers of trucks, buses, vans, or taxi cabs, we came to know they remained satisfy with their lives even though they are people of lesser God and hence, through their experiences they remained resonant putting up a number of verses on their vehicles- sometime emotional, sarcastic, hilarious and sometime with the usage of metaphors or similes to vigorise expressions.

One of the lesser known sides of Pakistani life: the chaotic public transport blossoms in color with buses, trucks, rickshaws and taxi cabs that are decked out in bright paint and elaborate designs- and the best part for many is the poetry.

Poetry in any form is good, but one that comes with humour and sarcasm adds to the spice. In Pakistan we come across many public transport vehicles that have imprinted some form of poetry (shairi) mostly at the back of their vehicles, showcasing that people in particular drivers of these vehicles are not hopeless and proved out to be the beacon of hope for prosperous Pakistan.

Marking the International Poetry Day today, Daily Times, asked many of drivers of these vehicles exploring why they use poetry as tool of their expression, many of them opined every verse is a reflection of their gut feelings. “This is in a very real sense a public conversation which is not in books, which is not in the type of middle class milieus – it’s on the street, and it is what actually we have experienced in our lives and later on engraved at the bumper of our vehicles,” they said.

A taxi cab driver in F-8 parking when asked why he has inscribed this verse ‘Kis Qadar Khush Nazar Atay Hein Meray Shahar Kay Log- Aaj Akhbar Kisi Nay Na Parha Ho Jaisay’, (People of my city look happier today, it seems as if they have not read the daily newspaper), Kashif Satti, the driver smiled and said this verse is not going to be outdated in socio-political milieu of this country. “ I am dejected ever since I heard the release of Raymond Davis, the killer of two innocent Pakistanis and since then drone attacks and extremism has hit the country all over with blasts on a daily basis,” he said with a serious tone.

We must also say that every now and then one does comes across a very standard poetry sample, which makes one think in admiration of poetic sense of its creator as well as the transport owner. Look at this another verse written on a vehicle spotted in Rawalpindi: ‘Jahan Sach Na Milay, Wahan Jhoot Hi Sahi- Jahan Haq Na Milay, Wahan Loot Hi Sahi’ (When you are not to be succeeded truthfully, you may use the crooked ways). “This is not a manifestation of just a driver of a cab, like me but the reason this verses is here to reflect the vivid picture how much this society has indulged in corruption, nepotism, and biased to say the least as it seems that an honest man has no place in this country to live on,” said Zahoor Ahmed, a cab driver.

Of course, the drivers aren’t writing these verses in a vacuum. Poetry plays a very prominent role in popular culture here – not just as a form of art, but also as a part of everyday conversation. ‘Dawaa Zubaan Ka, Lucknow Walon Kay Samnay- Guftar-e-Boo-e-Mushq, Ghazalo Kay Samnay’, (Mentioning the qualities of mother tongue in front of people of Lucknow, seems like talking about musk infront of Deer). “Often, the verses reflect the culture and cultural background of a particular place where the driver of vehicle belongs to and where these vehicles hang out,” said Hidaytullah, a truck driver belongs to Karachi said.

Religion being the fundamental element influenced our lives and many of drivers opt to choose verses for preaching and suggestions to readers. ‘Sari Musibaton’ Ka Aik Hi Hal- Bistar Utha, Tableegh Ko Chal’, (The only soul soother solution of all troubles is- to go for Tableegh (preaching) is one of such verse written on a van. “I have been driving loader truck since 15 years and I since many years I have been participating in annual ‘Tableeghi Ijtima’ at Raiwind since last many years. I feel relaxed there as it appeases my inner self a lot and that’s why I have written this verse,” said Hamza bearded driver.

Other than this, the drivers of vehicles use poetry on account of relating their personal account of romanticism and livelihood. ‘Musafir Hoon Manzil Ko Ja Raha Hoon- Pait Ki Khatir taxi Chala Raha Hoon’ (I am a travller head towards my destiny and riding this cab for livelihood), ‘Chalta Hoon Har Subha mein Tumhari Talash May- Har Shaam Laot-ta Hoon Isi Bebasi Ky Saath’, ‘Dil to Day Chukay Hein Ab Naseeb Azma Rahay Hein- Kisi Sangdil Ki Khatir, Taxi Chala Rahay Hein’ ‘Hazaro Manzilain Hon Gi, Hazaro Garian Hon Gi- Sawari Humko Dhunday Gi, Na Janay Hum Kahan Ho Gay’, ‘Sarak Say Dosti Hay, Safar Say Yari Hay- Dekh Piary, Kaisi Zindagi Hamari Hay’, and ‘Na Koi Umag Hay, Na Koi Tarang Hay- Meri Zidagi Hay Kia, Ik Kati Patang Hay’, are few of verses that has preserved the natural innocence and ‘be-saakhtagi’ (spontaneity) of the transport poetry. Many ‘ashaar’ are not hum-wazan, and many have problem with ‘tazkeer-o-taanees’ (gender) e.g. feminine words sometimes are referred to as masculine and vice versa but this lawlessness in poetry is what makes it so colorful and enjoyable.

These hard-pressed drivers use couplets to explain a situation, something like the way proverbs are used but for the owners of public transport vehicles, it’s also about defining their public identity.

Daily Times dedicate this ‘International Poetry Day’ to all drivers, cleaners, mechanics and transporters of Pakistan who despite all hardships are keeping the wheel of economy moving from Karachi to Landi Kotal.

ISLAMABAD: World Poetry Day will be observed across the world today (Monday) to celebrate the achievements of poets and motivate them to produce quality literature.

To mark the day, different literary organizations will arrange a variety of events including contests, readings and festivals. Renowned literary figures from twin cities talking to Daily Times said that poetry works as an indicator to bring reforms in political, social and cultural spheres of life.

Poetry not only shapes individual identities but also serves the public and evoke their feelings against injustices and inhuman activities, they observed.

The core objective of celebration of this day is to promote the reading, writing, publishing and teaching of poetry throughout the world and as the UNESCO session declaring the day says, to give fresh recognition and impetus to national, regional and international poetry movements. WPD was declared by UNESCO (the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) in 1999.

World Poetry Day also provides an opportunity for children, in particular, to be introduced to poetry at home and in schools. Classrooms all over the world will be busy with lessons that seek to equip students with the necessary tools to identify the various types of poetry, examine the works of poets and engage in writing their own poetry.

Exhibitions and poetry evenings showcased the work of poets on or around March 21 to mark the day. UNESCO promoted the efforts of small publishers to publish poetry. The day was first observed in 2000.

Let me wrap up this piece of writing with one of the most common poetic phrase written on these vehicles reflecting the love for mother: ‘Maa ki Duwaa, Jannat Ki Hawaa- Maa Ki Bad-Dua, Ja Puttar Rickshaw Chala’!!!

ANOTHER VOICE SILENCED: Minority Minister Shot Dead in I-8 Sector of Islamabad

2011-03-03T02:24:00.000-08:00

Bhatti calls all religious factions to defeat violence, extremism
*Said I received threats but will not buy any bullet-proof vehicles, would continue struggling for peace
*Minorities sacrificed for Pakistan more than Mullahs who used to issue Fatwas to make situation worse and push solutions further out of reach
*Slain minister acknowledged slain governor’s assertion that blasphemy laws are man-mad, not divine, and are misused

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

Before leaving Bhatti’s office while winding up my rendezvous with him, I stood up and whispered in Punjabi, ‘Theek ay Bhatti Sahib, tusi apna kam karo, (you please, do your work), thank you so much for your time. He raised from his seat, hug me smilingly and asked me, ‘yar mahtab, ay interview kis din chapay ga’? (When this interview will get published? I said Saturday or Sunday are usually dull days and space is sufficient so these days are better to flash your interview. ‘theek ay’, Bhatti said in his low voice putting his hand on red tie. ‘Oh sorry Bhatti Sahib, “Every time I make promise to gift you a red colour tie, but I always forget to bring it for you, by the way, why you wear mostly red ties,” I asked final question while standing. Bhatti smiled again and said ‘pata nahi yar bus waisy e, red colour prominent ay na’. I nodded my head smilingly. ‘Beth ja, ki karna e jaa kay, I said bus sir kafi kam ikatha ho gia ay subha da, stories file karan da time ho gia ay, fair mulaqat hoi gi, insha allah, tay ais dafa ‘Red Tie’ zaroor lay kay awan ga. The minister smiled in response and I left Green Tower – where the ministry of minority affairs office located in.

This casual interview proved to be my last meeting with federal minister for minority affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti on Tuesday March 1, 2011, 15 hours before I heard the news of Bhatti was gunned down on Wednesday morning in Islamabad as he left his house to attend a cabinet meeting.

He surely was a down to earth creature, very hospitable and a rare breed among the federal ministers who always talked selflessly for underprivileged. During the meeting, when i asked Bhatti sahib, where is your security? I mean from coming up to the parking of this Tower, there’s all open space and even in reaching the 6th floor there is hardly a security personnel deputed for you. Bhatti with his trademark smile said, ‘yar asi Saien log aan, sanu kisay nay ki kehna ay- Chaa pi tu’.

While sipping he asked me in Urdu, ‘Yar mahtab tum kahan sy parhay ho’? I said may Quaid -e-Azam University (QAU), Punjab University (PU), or Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) say parha hoon. He smiled again and said wah yar. Acha jatay hoay bahir say meri aik passport size photograph lay jana, wo interview kay sath laga lena, I smiled and said ok ok don’t worry bhatti sab.

And next day (Wednesday) it was my weekly off when in my sleep I got a text message from a friend about the brutal assassination of Bhatti. I hurriedly put away my quilt and tuned on news channels and the next moment I was on my way to office. I filed the interview on the same day (Wednesday) well ahead of my promise of Saturday or Sunday! RIP minister!

Here is the swan song Bhatti sang to me!
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011\03\03\story_3-3-2011_pg11_7

All religious factions in the country should get together and come forward to shun the religious extremism and violence, which is on the rise in recent years, and soon ministry will invite intellectuals from all segments of society to seek their advice to combat this menace of extremism, Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Shahbaz Bhatti said this on Tuesday night hours before his voice was silenced forever by the bullets of extremists on Wednesday.

Sitting in his office, calm and composed wearing red tie- as his favourite, Bhatti said every religion conveys the message of love, tolerance, peace and brotherhood but unfortunately nothing is visible in our society because of rapidly spreading tentacles of extremism.

Talking exclusively in his last interview, the assassinated minister wished to take all religious, political, and academicians on board to eradicate radical elements involved in ruining the peace, stability and interfaith harmony in the country and bringing bad name abroad.

Terming the assassination of governor Punjab as an act of brazen timidness, that was sabotaging the peace in the country, Bhatti said the killer wanted to disrupt the peace of country and interfaith harmony as Taseer always tried to protect the minorities’ rights.

“The minorities in Pakistan have sacrificed more than these handful of radical forces members who made just Fatwas (edict) to aggravate the situation and exploit people rather going for the solution,” Bhatti said. “These hardliners are the one who destroy shrines, hospitals, educational institutions, and other worship places, whereas minority of Pakistan has produced a number of icons who made their names across the globe,” Bhatti, still a bachelor said.

Referring to murder of Punjab governor, Salman Taseer, Bhatti categorically said all Mullahs who made the Fatwas over blasphemy convicts firstly be arrested for initial investigation of Taseer’s assassination,” he said, adding Taseer was against the blasphemy laws, implemented in the country, as he termed this law as man-made and not divine that is being misused for political, religious and personal vendetta.

Bhatti, who was one of successful minister to reassigned the same portfolio after the resizing of federal cabinet few weeks ago, said slain governor was the person who consoled Aasia Bibi, who was wrongly involved in blasphemy law.

“She was innocent that is why governor met her and promised her to save her life requesting president Asif Ali Zardari to pardon her,” Bhatti said, adding nobody could change their views regarding the misuse of blasphemy law.

Lauding the role of minorities in Pakistan, Bhatti said minorities in the country had staunch faith in all Islamic teachings, Quran, Prophet hood of Muhammad PBUH, and all religious personalities. “None of those could imagine to think to convict blasphemy laws but here in the country radical forces are exploiting these laws for personal interests and we would not allow anyone to exploit these laws in their favour to spread a wave of fanaticism,” he maintained.

He said minorities had participated and struggled extensively in creation of Pakistan and through blasphemy law fanatics wanted to terrorise the country. “These extremists want nobody to talk about blasphemy laws and if someone talked about it, he is convicted for blasphemy,” minister said adding minorities in Pakistan do not want to achieve their rights gaining sympathy from others.

Condemning the role of large public for making Qadri a ‘Hero’, the minister said he condemned the members of legal fraternity for fighting Qadri’s case ‘free of cost’. “I will request again to heads of bar councils to take this decision seriously, governor murder was religiously motivated backed up by political actors with a planned conspiracy,” Bhatti said. “We will fight against it and we will not compromise on it,” soft-spoken Bhatti said.

Giving solution to counter the spreading fanaticism, Bhatti said confrontation is not at all the solution but negotiation and mutual talks are. “I have received a number of threatening text messages, telephone calls, emails and letters to stop raising voice for minority rights and misuse of blasphemy laws but this act could not deter my commitment. I don’t want security, I don’t need bullet proof vehicle- that’s what I am,” Bhatti said.

Talking about the recent steps taken by his ministry for safeguarding the rights of minorities in Pakistan, Bhatti disclosed that we have formed ‘District Interfaith Committees’ in all districts of the country with members belonging to all segments of society. “After this we will form 27 members ‘National Interfaith Council’ at federal levels and initiate the process of negotiation taking all religious groups on board. “Hope this would promote the interfaith dialogue and help projecting peace, tolerance and love among the people of all communities,” he said.

The slain minister said ministry is working on ‘3 E Agenda’ - Emancipation of minorities in Pakistan, Equality, and Empowerment. “Under this policy, we will work out bridge the gap, create an atmosphere of tolerance, and to counter extremism at local levels through dialogue,” he said.

Bhatti said in his recent foreign tour, he met with US secretary of state Hillary Clinton, a number of senators and Canadian Prime minister, who lauded our services for the protection and uplift of the minority communities. “Interfaith harmony is the need of the hour and only solution to counter ‘clash of civilization’, ‘prejudice’ and ‘zero tolerance’ for other religion. This is not a need of Pakistan it is global a need and international community has acknowledged us,” Bhatti said proudly.

I want to see Pakistan a liberal and progressive state as envisage by the founder of this nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and PPP slain founder Zulfiqar Ali Bhtto and Benazir Bhutto and under the leadership of president Asif Ali Zardari, we are making headway to make Pakistan a progressive state.

With the wishful thinking Bhatti sang his swan song requesting all liberal and progressive forces to come forward and join hands to eradicate all those forces that want to harm peace and ongoing democratic process in the country.

ISLAMABAD: The Catholic slain federal minister Shahbaz Bhatti, son of Jacob Bhatti was born on September 9, 1968 in Lahore, Punjab. Bhatti joined Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in 2002. Shahbaz Bhatti was elected Member of the National Assembly on reserved seat for minorities on the ticket of Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP). He was made Federal Minister for Minorities in year 2008. Shahbaz Bhatti was again included in the Federal Cabinet with same portfolio last month. He was one of the founding members of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance (APMA) in 1985. He was Chairman of All Pakistan Minorities Alliance, Founder and President of the Christian Liberation Front, and the Executive Director of the Pakistan Council for Human Rights. Shahbaz Bhatti was the first parliamentarian who made history by assuming the Federal Minister for Minorities. Shahbaz Bhatti also received International Religious Freedom Award for rendering services to the community. He was the first ever Pakistani to receive this award. He was bachelor and have four brothers and one sister. His father died last month in Faisalabad. He was living in Sector I-8/4 Islamabad. As federal minister, Bhatti took stern measures to ensure the safety, rights and empower religious minorities while in office. He launched national campaign to promote interfaith and harmony through seminars, awareness groups, and workshop.

AFTER THE PHONE CALL ...!

2011-02-28T00:46:00.000-08:00

SPY WHO 'LOVED' ME

If the reports on the issue are critically scrutinised, it looks like a staring down contest between the intelligence agencies of Pakistan and the US has begun. The Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) and Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) chiefs, Leon Panetta and General Ahmad Shuja Pasha have spoken on the phone and the ISI has asked that information be given to it about all CIA operatives in Pakistan. It seems that the Raymond Davis affair has given way to something bigger, more substantial, and more beneficial for the security agencies of Pakistan.

The intelligence agencies of Pakistan have a few ideas of their own that they may feel might just get sorted out by the debacle that is the Raymond Davis fiasco. It is no secret that the US has persistently pressurised Pakistan for some time to relax its visa-processing regime for its citizens. Reports in the media have asserted that this request was acceded to by the government without proper security clearance and that visas were issued en masse starting from July last year. The reports imply that the security and intelligence agencies were bypassed for this purpose. If for the sake of argument (although US complaints of delayed visas have not abated) the assertion is accepted, it implies that either the security and intelligence agencies failed to insist on proper clearance or the government was able to circumvent well laid down and long established procedures for the purpose. Both arguments seem incredible as they imply a breakdown in government procedures, an assertion for which there is no proof except the (seemingly motivated) reports in the less responsible sections of our media. So what is the truth?

Our intelligence and security agencies are known to be less than well pleased with the efforts of the civilian democratically elected government to forge ties between the US and Pakistan that rely more on the political government rather than the older Musharraf-era conduit of the intelligence and security agencies. For the latter, the villain of the piece is our Ambassador to the US, Husain Haqqani, who has been accused of responsibility for ‘unleashing’ the Raymond Davis brigade inside Pakistan. Now while this, and his alleged responsibility for the critical sections of the Kerry-Lugar Act regarding civil-military relations may be enough to earn him the ire of Pakistan’s intelligence agencies, it exaggerates the role of the Ambassador and depreciates the way the US’s system works. It is very difficult to believe that anything manages to escape the careful watch of our intelligence agencies. Even if the civilian government has expedited visa issuance for US citizens (although the evidence does not support this contention), there is hardly a chance that these visas are granted without some measure of scrutiny by the establishment. However, it may be that this scrutiny has not been up to par, partly because the US and the CIA’s covert operatives had better covers than our spooks could detect. If this is so, it is hugely embarrassing for our redoubtable agencies. The Raymond Davis affair may just have handed Pakistan’s security agencies a convenient leverage to roll back any suggestion of a ‘liberalised’ visa regime and wrest complete control of it from the civilian government.

Davis may have sent the relationship between the two countries spiralling to new lows but the fact remains that there is a bigger picture at hand. While the whole affair may have given our security agencies more leverage to demand details of CIA operatives working within Pakistan, it may also have given them a bargaining chip in the greater game. It is well known that differences exist between Pakistan and the US, and the intelligence agencies of both, on the war on terror and the fact that Pakistan has given safe havens to the Afghan Taliban, its proxies for the approaching endgame in Afghanistan. This has restricted the civilian government’s say and leg-room to manoeuvre.

The Raymond Davis saga may just provide the security agencies of Pakistan with enough sway to ensure that, after the looming US withdrawal from Afghanistan by 2014, Pakistan has its finger in the proverbial pie with its Afghan Taliban proxies sitting comfortably at the Afghan table.

POLITICAL DIVORCE BETWEEN PML-N & PPP IN PUNJAB- a bad decision?

2011-02-27T06:02:00.000-08:00

Addressing a press conference in Lahore after a meeting of party members over the fate of the Punjab coalition government, Nawaz Sharif announced a parting of the ways with the PPP and elaborated at length why PML-N decided to embrace dissident members of its splinter party PML-Q, which he had hitherto rebuffed and refused to shake hands with. He said the members who did not violate PML-N policy and had been ‘duped’ into joining the king’s party would be welcomed back into the parent party’s fold. Much as he tries to gloss over it, the fact remains that he is once again opening the doors to horse-trading and the politics of defection a la the decade of the 1990s.

The fate of the PML-Q Unification Bloc and, by implication PML-N, is in the hands of the Election Commission, which will decide whether or not the defection clause applies to this situation where a sizeable group has violated a party’s discipline. The PPP has announced its decision to sit on the opposition benches in Punjab, while not renouncing the politics of reconciliation. In fact, the joint team of PPP and PML-N reviewing the progress on the 10-point agenda termed it satisfactory and decided to continue cooperating on the issues on which consensus had been achieved. This is contrary to the impression Nawaz Sharif tried to give regarding the PPP’s failure to implement the agenda in the given timeframe of 45 days. This changing of gears by the PML-N is going to have short-term as well as long-term implications for the country.

It is not clear what are the calculations of the PML-N, because it will not be easy to unseat the federal government. If the mid-term elections do not happen anytime soon, it will add to the animosity between the two parties from hereon. For now, Punjab has already become a political battlefield. The change of Opposition leader after the PPP’s joining the opposition benches in Punjab will be the first test of the new relationship between the two parties that have now become rivals instead of partners.

It is reported that Chaudhry Zaheer of the PML-Q will resign from the Leader of the Opposition post to make way for a PPP member to assume this position, given its strength. The coming days will reveal whether this transition is smooth or not, and how the new relationship will unfold. However, the signs that a new political racket is going to start are unmistakable.

In the circumstances that Pakistan faces today, this is a regrettable development. It is going to have a direct impact on the political scene, where the two biggest parties that were working hand in hand to the detriment of extra-constitutional forces, will now be consuming their energies undermining each other. This will also affect other areas of national importance. Political wrangling will have an adverse impact on an already teetering economy and the war on terror. If the old tradition of criticism for the sake of criticism were revived, any reform undertaken by the government would be met with resistance by the opposition regardless of its merit. Already, the PPP has met failure in getting approval for the proposed wealth tax and Reformed General Sales Tax (RGST) from parliament due to a storm created by the opposition parties, including the PML-N, and even some coalition allies.

Also, the highly unpopular war on terror initiated by General Musharraf was given legitimacy by the across-the-board support of all the political parties. It is debatable how the divergence between the PML-N and the PPP is going to impact this war. This indecent burial of the Charter of Democracy is not something unexpected from the PML-N, but may prove detrimental to an already fragile democracy.

MONEY IS NOT EVERYTHING

2011-02-25T03:46:00.000-08:00

Money cannot solve everything. It looks as if the richest monarchy in the Arab world and the largest global oil exporter, Saudi Arabia, may be getting jittery at the history-changing events developing across the Middle East. The ouster of decades’ long autocratic rule in Tunisia and Egypt and the wave of protests sweeping across Bahrain, Yemen and Libya have prodded Saudi Arabia into action to placate an ever-increasing disillusioned public.

Returning home after three months spent abroad for medical treatment, King Abdullah announced an extravagant aid package — to the tune of $ 35 billion — aimed at benefiting lower and middle income groups and unemployed youth, and addressing housing problems and high-inflation rates besetting the Saudi economy. This is an attempt by the Saudi monarchy to throw money at the problem as though that is all that is required. The Saudi monarchy is watching closely the rising stem of revolts in the Arab world, deeming it necessary to address issues before the people take to the streets of Saudi Arabia. As most of the reforms in the package aim to address the woes of the youth, it is quite obvious that the Saudi rulers have taken note of the fact that it is the tech-savvy youth demographic that is most active and passionate in the Arab protests.

The Libyan uprising has been reduced to an isolated, hate-spewing dictator watching his iron-clad grip quickly loosening in the face of angry protests and Yemen is seeing nine ministers resign from public office. Inspired by Tunisia and Egypt, the Arab public has finally decided that it has had enough of autocratic regimes, and no place epitomises a seemingly unshakeable monarchy like Saudi Arabia.

There have long been opponents of the Saudi regime but they have always been silenced by the kingdom’s repressive laws and policies. Many political opponents and underground groups have long demanded more gender equality, free elections to municipal councils, etc. However, for a theocracy like Saudi Arabia, introducing reforms that endanger the political-religious status quo will be out of the question. While this aid package is a premeditated move to curb any rising dissent within the kingdom, it must be asked: how far will doling out money go if it is not accompanied by freedom? Money can only go so far when the inhabitants of an oil-wealthy country are boiling over with frustration over the denial of their political, civil, human and gender rights.

GADDAFI is too 'MUAMMAR' for state affairs, believe Libyans

2011-02-24T04:13:00.000-08:00

A defiant Muammar Gaddafi vowed on Tuesday to die ‘a martyr’ in Libya on state television. He further added that he would call the people to cleanse Libya house-by-house unless protesters surrendered. It is important to note here that this is the first time Gaddafi announced his stance publicly since the revolt broke out. Recently, a lot of rumours were flying that Gaddafi had fled; perhaps he thought that it was important to give a public appearance in order to refute all such rumours.

Nevertheless, it is evident that Gaddafi’s regime is crumbling: at least seven Libyan ambassadors are no longer supporting him; his justice minister has resigned; the staff of Libya’s mission to the UN has declared allegiance to the people of Libya; two senior air force fighter pilots defected and flew their jets to Malta when asked to attack protesters. Even his soldiers have turned against him after the people came out on the streets demanding regime change after over four decades of his rule. Moreover, Gaddafi has virtually lost all his strength in the eastern coast and therefore resorted to the oldest trick in the dictator’s book — a brutal crackdown on protesters. On Monday, pro-regime militiamen shot on sight anyone found in the streets and opened fire from speeding vehicles at people watching from the windows of their homes. Almost 62 civilian casualties have been reported in Tripoli in the last two days.

The problem with Gaddafi, like most other dictators who have been in power for a long time, is that they never read the writing on the wall. The thought of giving up never crosses their mind. So much so that they do not even hesitate to massacre their people to prolong their rule. The UN Security Council held an emergency session, and western diplomats pushed it to demand an end to the retaliation against protesters. In addition, the French foreign minister, UN chief and UK foreign secretary strongly opposed the attacks on protesters. In the light of all this, it is becoming quite clear that Gaddafi will not be able to survive. Everyone is waiting for Gaddafi to realise this and spare himself and the people more trouble. The time has come!

TUM TO MUJHAY AZIZ HO 'NASWAAR' KI TARHA

2011-02-21T08:05:00.000-08:00

Bahein galaay may daal kay kehta tha 'Raymond Khan'
'Tum to mujhay aziz ho Naswaar ki tarha"!

The United States government was unaware that Raymond Davis was hooked on ‘naswar,’ and in all probability he is now undergoing withdrawal symptoms, unless there is a friendly guard nearby to offer him some, or the jail doctors recommends weaning him away from what is a legal form of tobacco.

When the US Embassy was approached, they appeared unaware of Davis’s ‘desi’ addiction. Abrupt stopping of ‘naswar’ intake can be uncomfortable as junkies discover, if they are without their hourly ‘fix’. Withdrawal symptoms include headache and anxiety and anger.

According to a Bannu shopkeeper, the price of one packet of Bannu Naswar is Rs7. “One packet is enough for thirty pinches of ‘naswar.’

According to the challan by the city police in Lahore, a packet of ‘naswar’, was also recovered from Davis’s car, amongst other personal and lethal items that an undercover agent on active duty is expected to have with him at all times. US troops stationed inside Afghanistan are known to enjoy ‘naswar’ and have become hooked to it. Davis in all probability must have picked up the habit during his long stays in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. It also reflects on the company he was keeping at the time. The problem of ‘naswar’ like chewing ‘pan’ is that one has to spit it out after a while.

Whether the Americans including Davis have found a socially correct way to deal with this aspect is unknown or did he spit it out of his car window?

According to Wikipedia, ‘naswar is held in the mouth for 10 to 15 minutes. If it is chewed it produces a bad taste in the mouth. Usually, the consumption varies but mostly people take it on an hourly basis.’ It is primarily used in Central Asia, Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Tajikistan, Sweden and India.

“Once I was sitting next to a Norwegian at a meeting in Europe and was surprised to see him enjoying ‘naswar’”, a Pakistani diplomat told The News. It is predominantly used by members of the Pashtun ethnic groups. Nowadays people of other regions i.e. Punjab, Sindh and Baluchistan also use it and the number of addict people is increasing day by day.

Some of the great varieties of naswar are found in different parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in Pakistan, but Bannu is especially famous for it. There are different brands of ‘naswar’ in the provinces such as “Toor Khamar”, “Missile”, “Safarish Khan”, “Lucky” etc. Toor Khamar ‘naswar’ is prepared in Shahbaz Garhi, Pakhtoonkhwah, while Safarish Khan and Lucky are prepared in Havelian, Pakhtoonkhwah and Abbottabad, Hazara Division, Pakhtoonkhwah.

The News received telephone calls from the Fata area, and two calls from Waziristan when this correspondent had in an international Pushto programme, mentioned Davis’s love for ‘naswar’. “This is the only good thing we have heard about this American killer. We are glad that he has picked up this healthy habit from his Pushtun friends and acquaintances,” said a gentleman who identified himself as Wazir Khan.

Some of Khan’s friends had this to say, “So much attention is being given to three boys killed in Lahore by an American. What about the Pakhtuns who are being killed like flies by US drones? What will it take to get kind of worldwide attention?”

Courtesy Mariana Babar, The News

LAHORE SHOOTINGS- UN ANSWERED QUESTIONS!

2011-02-20T04:05:00.000-08:00

A court in Pakistan has delayed a hearing to decide whether an American who shot dead two men in Lahore last month has diplomatic immunity. The arrest of Raymond Davis has severely damaged relations between the countries. Much of the detail in the case remains unclear - the BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan looks at some of the unanswered questions.

Is Raymond Davis a diplomat?

If you are thinking of a suavely dressed man in a three-piece suit who holds meetings with local officials to further or broaden his country's agenda, you would be wrong. Mr Davis was definitely not employed for his diplomatic skills - he is more a "hands-on" person, working in what the US embassy says is its "administrative and technical affairs section". Reports from the US say he is a former special forces soldier who left the military in 2003 and is working for the US embassy in Pakistan. As such, the US insists he is covered by the Vienna Convention which guarantees immunity from prosecution for all diplomatic staff.

Could he be a spy?

Many Pakistanis believe he is - there seem few other credible explanations as to why he was going around Lahore with a Glock pistol in a car with local number plates without informing local authorities. It is a requirement for embassy staff - especially those from Western embassies - to inform local police of their movements, simply because they are prime targets for militants in Pakistan. Mr Davis's department in the US embassy is widely seen in Pakistan as a cover for Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) operations. Mr Davis himself said he was a consultant employed by the US government. Researchers in the US say that since leaving the military, Mr Davis worked for a security firm called Hyperion LLC. But subsequent investigations by the US media have now shown that Hyperion exists only as a website. The offices that the company says it has in Orlando have been vacant for several years and the numbers on its website are unlisted. Mr Davis insists he was acting in self-defence.

Can Mr Davis be convicted for the murders?

Maybe. It all depends on how eager the Pakistani authorities are to punish him. The fact that he is possibly a spy does not mean he is not covered by diplomatic immunity. It is common practice for intelligence services across the world to send operatives under the cover of assignments to embassies. Both Pakistani and US "diplomats" have been caught in such situations - and every time have been asked to leave the host country immediately with no possibility of a return. That is the maximum punishment that has been levied in the overwhelming majority of cases in countries which have signed the Vienna Convention. However, in some countries there are exceptions for serious offences committed, such as murder. Pakistan is one of those countries. The matter is now in the hands of the judiciary. But it is important to remember that Mr Davis has been charged with murder - the maximum sentence here is the death penalty.

Should Mr Davis have been carrying a gun?

Legally speaking, only Pakistani citizens with licences issued by the interior ministry are allowed to carry arms. No foreigner is allowed to carry arms, except soldiers or guards within the premises of an embassy. Both Pakistani nationals and foreigners caught carrying arms can be charged under a Pakistani criminal law which stipulates a jail term of six months to two years in addition to a fine. Mr Davis has also been charged under this law. Matters were further inflamed by the suicide of the widow of one of the men killed by Mr Davis.

Was he acting in self-defence?

That was the initial plea made by Mr Davis and the US embassy. However, subsequent investigations by the police, forensic labs and the local and international media suggest that the two men were driving away from Mr Davis when they were shot. In February Lahore's police chief said that Mr Davis was guilty of "cold-blooded murder" - he said that no fingerprints had been uncovered on the triggers of the pistols found on the bodies of the two men. Furthermore he said that tests had shown that the bullets remained in the magazines of their guns, not the chambers, suggesting they weren't about to shoot him. On the face of it, this leaves Mr Davis's claim that they were robbers - with one even apparently cocking a gun at his head - looking very thin. In addition, police say ballistics evidence shows that the pair were shot in the back - which again suggests they were moving away from Mr Davis, rather than about to attack him.

Who were the Pakistanis that Mr Davis shot?

In his initial statement, Mr Davis said they were robbers who were trying to steal his valuables. He and the US embassy have maintained this story. However, the men have no criminal records as such. Both have been identified as residents of Lahore by the police. The pair were carrying licensed pistols - a fact which led many to believe they might indeed have been robbers. However, security sources in Lahore say that they were part-time or low-level operatives for the local intelligence services. Although reports are sketchy about what they were doing in relation to Mr Davis, security officials believe it could be the case of a surveillance operation gone horribly wrong. Pakistani intelligence services routinely tail and monitor all embassy staff, Western or otherwise. A third man on his motorbike was killed in the incident by a mystery US car

What about the second car and its victim?

A side event to the main drama concerning Mr Davis was the fact a third man was also killed during the incident. He was an innocent bystander run over by a US embassy vehicle, which was initially said to have arrived to rescue Mr Davis. The fact that an embassy vehicle was able to get to the spot so quickly was a source of astonishment to anyone who is even vaguely aware of the geography of Lahore. Given the incident was over within minutes, it seems incredible that anyone could negotiate the 12km (7.4-mile) 40-minute drive in peak traffic in less than five minutes. But subsequent investigations have now shown that the second car - a Toyota Landcruiser - was with Mr Davis at the time of the incident. In fact, according to eyewitnesses, Mr Davis was leading and clearing the way for the Toyota when the incident took place. In the light of what happened afterwards, it seems Mr Davis was in "protective mode" and opened fire to "secure" whoever or whatever was in the Toyota - the interior of this vehicle was not visible as its windows were tinted. It is evident in local TV footage that the second vehicle is going away from Mr Davis at the time of the incident. As it disappears into the dust, Mr Davis calmly pulls over and gives himself up. Pakistani authorities have asked for the Landcruiser and its driver to be handed over - a request with which the US has yet to comply.

What about behind-the-scenes negotiations?

As well as public pressure, US officials have also privately warned Pakistan's government of far-reaching and severe consequences if Mr Davis is convicted. Unnamed US officials have also used the media to issue veiled warnings to Pakistan that diplomatic ties could be cut and all aid stopped. Despite Islamabad's public stance on Mr Davis, Pakistani officials are said to have privately assured Washington that he will eventually be released. However, public pressure means that at the moment this could lead to a massive anti-government backlash. Pakistan's Prime Minister, Yousuf Raza Gilani, has hinted that blood money could be paid to the families of the two men Mr Davis admits shooting, which could enable his release. There is speculation that US officials may try to establish contacts with the families in this regard. However, it is not clear that Mr Davis has been charged under laws which would allow blood money to be paid.

LONG LIVE PAK-US RELATIONS!

2011-02-20T03:47:00.000-08:00

HIT-&-RUN KILLER REACHES BACK USA

An American driver and another person whose vehicle crushed a Pakistani motorcyclist to death in Lahore as they were rushing to the aid of Raymond Davis, who had committed double murder, have slipped out Pakistan and are back on American soil, a senior US official told an American television network.

The American sought for arrest after a court order, who the State Department only identified as a member of the US embassy’s staff in Islamabad, Pakistan, was behind the wheel when he struck and killed a bystander while speeding to the area where shooting took place. The driver of the vehicle held the same “diplomatic visa” as Davis, US officials told ABC News. Since his arrest, the US argued that Davis should be afforded diplomatic immunity as a member of the embassy’s “technical and administrative staff” and released.

Authorities in Punjab said they sent five letters to the US Embassy asking that the driver and vehicle be handed over, but have reportedly received no response. It is unclear when the driver and his passenger were spirited out of Pakistan, but a senior US official said it happened soon after the shooting incident, the report said.

Meanwhile, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley declined comments when asked whether the Americans sought by Pakistani authorities were still in Pakistan. “I’m not going to comment,” was all he said.