Salute to Sanjiv Bhatt

A poem by Prof. Badri Raina in New Delhi, honouring Sanjiv Bhatt, the IPS officer (Gujarat Intelligence) “who spilled the beans on Modi, revealing how at the meeting of Feb.,27, 2002 Modi had instructed the police to let the Hindus vent their anger; you can imagine what travails he is facing, having now even written an open letter to [...]

Princeton Seminar Series: “Reporting South Asia”

Princeton University, series of talks about media in South Asia: a series that I kick off on Thursday Sept 29th at noon with Pakistani journalists – Standing tall, against all odds. Details for the rest of the series here, including other speakers later on: Zahid Hussain, journalist and senior editor, Newsline (Oct 13); Imran Aslam, president [...]

Pakistan floods: Want to help?

Pakistan was still reeling from the devastating floods of last year when fresh disaster struck. “The situation is worse than reported,” messaged the journalist and activist Aslam Khwaja, back in Karachi after a recent five-day visit to six rain-hit districts of Sindh. Many others working in the affected areas have relayed similar obervations as they [...]

General observations about Pakistan floods

Some general observations from the floods of 2010, which are sadly relevant again: People affected by the floods (last year as well as now) were already among the poorest begin with although they do include some well-off farmers and trades-people too, in areas where there was already little access to education and healthcare. The relief [...]

Sindh floods – update and appeal from Sadiqa Salahuddin, IRC

For those looking for credible organisations to contribute to or work with, here’s information about Indus Resource Centre’s flood relief work in Sindh, based on an email update from Sadiqa Salahuddin, the well known educationist who runs IRC. They have been working with girls’ education in the Khairpur area of Sindh for many years; Sadiqa [...]

The Kidnapping of Another Baloch Journalist | Baloch Hal editorial

Since the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority has blocked the website Baloch Hal in Pakistan, here’s Malik Siraj Akbar’s editorial that Pakistanis should have access to: The Kidnapping of Another Baloch Journalist Javid Naseer Rind, the former Deputy Editor of Daily Tawar, a leading anti-government Balochnewspaper published in Urdu language, was kidnapped on Saturday by unidentified people. Friends and family members of [...]

Activists protest detention of Baba Jan, fear torture | Gilgit-Baltistan

Farooq Tariq of the Labour Party Pakistan has sent an urgent email appeal to protest the detention of LPP federal committee member Baba Jan who had surrendered himself before an anti-terrorist court in Gilgit last week. He “has been taken out of jail in Gilgit and now the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) is torturing him [...]

Sindh Flood Appeal – Indus Foundation Trust

From Sherry Rehman, The Indus Foundation Trust: Sindh Flood Appeal (Scroll down for donation options and details): Dear All, We are thankful to all the donors who had supported IFT during 2010 Flood relief activites. Again, the Indus Foundation Trust is taking subsistence survival packs to various locations in Sindh. Floods caused by heavy monsoon rains have [...]

Personal Political: The tragedy of Karachi

My column for Hardnews India – written on Aug 25, 2011 (although much has happened since, this provides a context and an overview of the Karachi situation). Personal Political: The tragedy of Karachi Beena Sarwar “Will it be possible to write about the tragedy of Karachi…?” asked my editor. Possible, yes. Easy, no. In two words: turf [...]

Floods in Sindh: Please help PMA to help the affected

Urgent appeal from the Pakistan Medical Association: The recent and continuing rain crisis has caused extensive disruption in upper and Lower Sindh lashing through Sukkur, Rohri, Pannu Aqil, Gotki, Mirpur Mathelo, Daharki, Khairpur, Thul, Jacobabad, Kashmore, Kandhkot, Shikarpur, Khanpur, Garhi Yasin, and Naushero feroz. The ongoing torrential rains have affected 27 tehsils, more than 9,000 [...]