Pakistan: A Thousand Separate Worlds

I wrote this book review for the Brown Alumni Magazine, Nov 2011 issue, and didn’t get around to posting it earlier. This is a slightly longer version than the one BAM published. Playing with Fire: Pakistan at War with Itself by Pamela Constable (Random House, 2011). When it comes to Pakistan, veteran journalist Pamela Constable [...]

Caviar to the General

“Even if the agencies in other countries play this ‘august’ role of interrupting the democratic process in their countries, does it justify ISI’s doling out money to keep a certain political party of the people’s choice out of government? Now that’s dangerous, if the army thinks whatever happened in 1990 was justifiable and is an [...]

‘Any attempts to dislodge parliament will be resisted’

National Dialogue on Challenges to Democracy and Role of Civil Society in Pakistan Joint Declaration: Any attempts to dislodge parliament will be resisted LAHORE, January 23, 2012: Civil society representative  and concerned  citizens (Intellectuals, legal activists, journalists, women, students trade union activists, religious minorities and academia) of Pakistan from all over the country shared their deep concerns [...]

Media note on Statement about Pakistan democracy, human rights defenders

Journalists are welcome to use this note, based on a statement made public on Jan 5, 2012.  Media note: Citizens express concern about Pakistan, safety of human rights defenders Updated Jan 7, 2012 Prominent writers, doctors, intellectuals, lawyers, artists and journalists from all over Pakistan and around the world have endorsed a statement expressing “grave concern” at [...]

Concern for Pakistan democratic process, safety of human rights defenders

Citizens’ statement of concern about the democratic process in Pakistan democratic and safety of human rights defenders, to be released to the media on Jan 5, 2012 (to endorse, please enter your information in the form at this link) We, the undersigned, express our grave concern that Pakistani human rights defenders are being threatened and [...]

Some facts about Husain Haqqani and ‘memogate’

There are numerous issues besides ‘Memogate’ that directly affect the people, like the shortage of gas, electricity, clean drinking water, housing, healthcare, employment and so on. But the issue gains significance because so far, no democratically elected civilian government in Pakistan has ever been allowed to complete its tenure and hand over power to the [...]

‘Memogate’: The basic issue is the civil-military relationship

Former Pakistan ambassador Husain Haqqani’s counsel Asma Jahangir sounds a sombre warning about the danger Haqqani is in from the military and intelligence agencies that are capable of picking him up and ‘twisting his limbs’ to make him say what they want to hear. Talking to Dawn TV’s Matiullah Jan in a detailed interview of Jan 1, [...]

HRW response to ‘Memogate’: a litmus test for all actors – particularly judiciary and army

Dec 30, 2011, Human Rights Watch press statement received today: “As the “Memogate” case proceeds, all arms of the state must act within their constitutionally determined ambit and in aid of legitimate civilian rule. In this context, justice must both be done and be seen to be done. Pakistan desperately needs a full democratic cycle and [...]

Four years on…

It’s four years since those pistol shots and bomb blast in Pindi’s Liaquat Bagh ended the life of Pakistan’s most promising politician and hope for democracy. There is no one to replace Benazir Bhutto but her legacy lives on in many ways. This is the first legitimately elected government ever in Pakistan to remain in [...]

Another pot of rumours ruined by facts…

Another pot of rumours ruined by facts… twitter.com/pakmediawatch/… — Pakistan Media Watch (@pakmediawatch) December 23, 2011 Also see Pakistan Media Watch about the dangers of speculation and rumour being presented as truth: “…there is a petition before the Supreme Court that is based on media reports that selectively summarise a foreign media report that paraphrases the [...]