Pakistan - KP, Fata residents comprise 96pc of polio victims this year

DAWN.COM

By Zahir Shah Sherazi

As Pakistan appears to head towards the highest number of polio cases in a single year, official data shows that an overwhelming 96 per cent of polio cases so far reported are among the Pashto-speaking population of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata.

Official epidemiological data recorded until October 1, 2014 reveals that the Wazir and Dawar tribes of North Waziristan have the highest ratio of the polio virus. The tribesmen on the other hand hold the government and Taliban equally responsible for the spread of polio virus in the region.

They are of the view that the militants had banned the vaccination in parts of the tribal areas affected by the virus while the government and the administration never come up to their expectations and had left them at the mercy of the militants.

According to data exclusively available with Dawn, out of these 96pc of cases, residents of North Waziristan Agency's Wazir tribe account for 34pc.

The Dawar tribe trails behind with 27pc, while the Afridi tribe accounts for 26pc of the cases so far this year.

The data further shows that out of those Pakhtuns who contracted the paralysing disease, 8pc were Banosi (Bannu residents), 4pc from Mohmand tribe and 1pc belonged to Sulemankhel tribe (one case each in Karachi and South Waziristan tribal region).

Officials however also admit that, besides the given numbers, there exist a large number of cases which still need to be analysed.

They also endorse the statistics saying the tribes living in North Waziristan, parts of South Waziristan as well as Khyber agency are among the most affected population of Fata and KP.

Refusal ratio rises to 14pc

The key social characteristics data reveals that the refusal ratio increased from last year’s 5.5pc to 14pc this year, while the percentage of insecure areas – which were 80pc last year – stands at 97pc in 2014.

The epidemiological statistics of the so far reported cases shows that 82pc cases are among children below 2 years of age, which indicates that either the parents are not willing to vaccinate their children or the teams had no access to those children who were with their mothers and could not be vaccinated outside homes.

Officials say the reason for this factor is that the health authorities are lacking female vaccinators who are more welcome to enter houses to administer polio drops.

Out of the cases found positive for the virus, 53pc are male children and 47pc female.

The data also reveals that 14pc cases are among the refusal families while 90pc have poor socio-economic background and the same percentage live in rural areas.

Among the identified cases, parents of almost all polio victims have no formal education at all.

The figures also endorsed by the officials confirms that 98pc cases among the reported did not receive routine oral polio vaccine (OPV) dose while 68pc did not even receive even a single OPV dose while 8pc children got the virus despite the fact that they had received 7 or more OPV doses.

The total number of cases reported so far this year are 207 with 136 from Fata, 43 from KP, 19 from Sindh, 6 from Balochistan, and 3 from Punjab.

The official data further reveals that among the affected districts, 23 cases are of wild polio virus cases (WPV) while 7 cases are of sewerage water.

The wild polio cases according to the official figures are reported in Buner district of KP, Khyber Agency, Bhakar District of Punjab, Killa Abdullah district of Balochistan and Gadap area of Karachi.

Last year, residents of KP and Fata represented 93 pc of the total number of polio cases.

Polio team leader for UNICEF in Fata and KP, Dr Bilal Ahmed, speaking to Dawn confirmed that the most affected areas for polio virus cases is Fata, particularly North Waziristan and South Agency while Khyber Agency and FR Bannu are next in line.

He added that in KP, the most high risk areas are Bannu and Peshawar where the number of reported cases are high.

Dr Bilal remarked that natural disasters and the law and order situation has badly affected polio vaccination in the Fata and KP region in the last decade.

To a query, he said that after 2012 the health teams had no access to North Waziristan Agency but after the launch of military operation in June, displaced people of the tribal region were being vaccinated.

The tribesmen on the other hand have not started speaking up against the Taliban who had threatened them against getting their children vaccinating, but Bilal said that locals hold the authorities responsible for the virus spread as no arrangements were made to vaccinate the hostage population of North Waziristan Agency.

Military operation proves as 'blessing in disguise'

Muhammad Aziz Wazir, who hails from Mir Ali, says his nephew contracted polio as he could not get vaccination because of threats from militants. He said that his family could not give polio drops to their kids as the militants had banned polio vaccination at all the hospitals and health centers.

“They have warned people not to take their kids to the hospitals for polio vaccination that’s why we cannot take our kids for polio vaccination but when we came here we sent our kids for the vaccine,” he said.

"I had sometimes seen polio vaccinators in Miramshah and Madakhel but when the Taliban came, they (vaccinators) totally disappeared and did not return,” he added.

To a query he added that polio drops were good for the health of the children and they should be administered the vaccine but the people had no choice when the Taliban enforced a ban.

Ziaullah Dawar said that polio vaccinators seldom came to his neighbourhood. "We used to vaccinate our children only when they used to come once a year,” he said.

“The polio vaccinators were afraid of Taliban and the people were not willing to vaccinate (their children) because of the threat...but now after coming to Bannu they are regularly vaccinating their kids,” he said.

Ibrar Dawar says he never knew about the benefits of the polio vaccination due to Taliban threat and the lack of proper education.

"After now getting awareness we have realised (vaccination) is a must for the lives of our children and saving them from getting crippled," he says.

The militants had always used religion as a means to misguide people, he says, but the government is equally to blame as it had not made much efforts to educate the people.

Samiullah Dawar says the militants both foreigners as well as locals were opposed to the vaccination and had always coerced locals not to vaccinate their children.

"The local clerics and imams had also been calling upon the people not to go for the 'un-Islamic vaccines' as they were meant to make people sterile and it contains haram (prohibited) ingredients," he says.

He says that several tribesmen feel that Operation Zarb-i-Azb has proved a blessing in disguise for North Waziristan as for the first time children are able to receive polio drops.

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What is real status of forces in Afghanistan and Iraq?

By Ron Paul

After 13 years of war in Afghanistan – the longest in US history – the US government has achieved no victory. Afghanistan is in chaos and would collapse completely without regular infusions of US money. The war has been a failure, but Washington will not admit it.

More than 2,000 US fighters have been killed in the 13 year Afghan war. More than 20,000 Afghan civilians were also killed. According to a study last year by a Harvard University researcher, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan will cost in total between four and six trillion dollars. There is no way of looking at the US invasion of Afghanistan and seeing a success.

So in light of this failure, what does the Obama Administration do? Do they admit the mistake? Do they pull the remaining US troops out of Afghanistan and try to avoid making matters even worse? No! As with all US government programs, if the desired result is not achieved they just pump in more resources and continue with the same policies. The past 13 years have been an utter failure, so this past week the US government signed on for ten more years of war!

US troops were legally required to be out of Afghanistan by the end of this year, according to a status of forces agreement between the US and Afghanistan. The US was unsuccessful in negotiating a new status of forces agreement with outgoing president Hamid Karzai. The Afghan leader had grown critical of the US military presence – which has actually increased under President Obama. So, the US needed a new puppet in government.

As international correspondent Eric Margolis pointed out recently, the elections in Afghanistan earlier this year were a farce. The candidates were hand-picked by the US government. Furthermore, wrote Margolis, “[t]he largest, most popular party in Afghanistan, Taliban...[has] been excluded as ‘terrorists’ from the current and past elections.”

But they got their new status of forces agreement. US troops will remain through 2024.

The United States’ war on Iraq has also been a failure. The neocons want to blame the current disintegration of Iraq on President Obama for pulling US troops out. This is historical revisionism at its worst. The real blame goes to those who put the troops in in the first place.

In fact, President Obama didn’t even want to pull US troops out of Iraq. He had tried to re-negotiate a new status of forces agreement with the Maliki government in Iraq, but Maliki hesitated to extend immunity from prosecution to the remaining US troops. The US responded by turning on Maliki, eventually demanding that he step down even though he had been elected. Maintaining US troops in Iraq would not have prevented the current unrest there for the simple reason that it was the presence of US troops in the first place that caused the unrest. It was the US invasion that led to the emergence of al-Qaeda in Iraq and other extremist Islamist groups. This should not have been a surprise to war planners: Saddam Hussein had been using brutal means to keep these groups at bay for decades. The same is true with Afghanistan.

The Taliban government of 2001 in Afghanistan did not attack the United States. Al-Qaeda did. But the 2003 US attack on Iraq under false pretenses removed a leader who had fought ruthlessly against al-Qaeda and other radical Islamist fighters. The result was that the al-Qaeda we were supposed to be fighting in Afghanistan flourished in post-invasion Iraq, along with other even more brutal groups. Will our government ever learn that invasion and occupation are not the solution, but rather the problem? No new status of forces agreement can change that basic fact.

http://www.delawareonline.com/story/opinion/contributors/2014/10/13/real-status-forces-afghanistan-iraq/17194095/

Taliban adopts Islamic State terror tactics as U.S. troops exit Afghanistan

By Rowan Scarborough

The Islamic State army’s unleashing of terror bombings and assassinations in Iraq last year is being played out by insurgents in Afghanistan who want to intimidate and destroy local forces as American troops exit.

In late 2012 the Islamic State, anchored in Syria and with cells in northern and western Iraq, launched a campaign of terror. Its brutal strategy centered on detonating vehicle-born improvised explosive devices (VBIEDs) in crowded areas and killing local government and military leaders.

Analysts see the same type of campaign from the Taliban and the allied Haqqani network viciously unfolding. Ten days ago, for example, a suicide bomber struck an army bus in Kabul, killing seven Afghan soldiers.

“The parallel of what was going on in the end of 2012 to the middle of 2013 in western Iraq and northern Iraq that set the conditions for the collapse of Iraqi Security Forces — those patterns are starting to emerge in Afghanistan,” said retired ArmyLt. Gen. James Dubik, an analyst at Washington’s Institute for the Study of War.

“The frequency, the lethality and the complexity of attacks in Kabul and in [the] east are disturbing,” he said. “These are attacks to either intimidate or kill leaders in the Afghan National Security Forces.” Are the Islamic extremist Taliban and Haqqani network, a family-led group of assassins who focus on bringing death and destruction to Kabul, copying the Islamic State?

“The tactics are similar, but then again, terror and assassination and intimidation are common to almost all insurgencies,” Mr. Dubik said. “I would only make the minimum claim that ISIS, al Qaeda, Haqqanis, Taliban and their ilk all learn from each other.”

Precise casualty figures for the Afghan army and police are somewhat elusive compared with the strict procedural count for U.S. and allied service members. But there is no doubt that the Taliban and Haqqanis have been killing more ANSF members over the past two years, attacking the police in particular.

ArmyGen. John Campbell, the overall allied commander, said that of the 350,000-strong ANSF, 7,000 to 9,000 have been killed or wounded this year alone, an increase from 2013.

Earlier this year, the Afghan government issued revised fatality figures that also showed a big jump for its troops.

The increase is explained partly by the fact Afghans are taking the lead in military operations as U.S. troop strength, once at 100,000, will shrink to 9,800 by year’s end. By the end of 2016, all troops will be out, according to a schedule announced by President Obama, who said, “It’s time to turn the page.”

Analysts see a concerted enemy effort to prepare for a planned takeover of Kabul by whittling down the ANSF day in and day out.

“As we start departing from certain areas, the Taliban, Haqqani group, any insurgent groups, are going to start probing into real or perceived power vacuums — areas where we are departing — and they’re going to test the Afghan security forces to see how stout they are going to be,” said Jason Campbell, an analyst at the Rand Corp.

“As a result of this the last couple of months,” said Mr. Campbell, who served as an adviser to the NATO command, “we’re seeing insurgent groups, instead of taking pot shots, in some cases two or three hundred fighters at a time attacking fixed positions, not just hitting and running.”

This change was underscored in February, when the Taliban overran an army base in eastern Kunar province, bordering Pakistan, and killed 21 Afghan soldiers, some in their bunks. It was one of the Afghan army’s worst casualty days since its inception.

Mr. Campbell said the ANSF has performed well in some attacks by hundreds of Taliban and not so well in others, as the Kunar invasion illustrated.

Mr. Campbell said “there’s absolutely truth” to the analysis that the enemy in Afghanistan today is doing what the group then known as ISIL did in Iraq in 2012-2013.

“They are indeed shaping the battlefield for a time when the coalition is completely out of Afghanistan,” he added.

Gen. Campbell spoke to the Pentagon press corps on Oct. 2 and declared, “The last couple of weeks, there has been an uptick with the Taliban trying to make a statement as they close out the fighting season.”

He reported a “big spike” in Afghan deaths the “last couple of weeks” due to heavy fighting in Helmand province, the Taliban’s birthplace, where they are trying to take back villages.

“The Taliban may take over a district center or something, but only temporarily,” Gen. Campbell said. “Once the ANSF understands that piece of it [and] they go after that, they get the terrain back.”

A year ago, Marine Gen. Joseph Dunford, Gen. Campbell’s predecessor, was less sanguine when talking about the ANSF’s burgeoning fatality rate, which had reached 100 deaths per month.

“I’m not assuming that those casualties are sustainable,” he told The Guardian newspaper.

Read more: http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2014/oct/12/taliban-adopts-islamic-state-terror-tactics-as-us-/?page=2#ixzz3G7pMCT9D Follow us: @washtimes on Twitter

Polio on the Rise Again in Pakistan

By DONALD G. McNEIL Jr.

Polio is surging again in Pakistan, frustrating world health officials trying to wipe out the disease.Last week, the country reported 202 cases of paralysis, the first time in 14 years the figure topped 200.

Pakistan is the only country where the virus is spreading fast. Eight of Afghanistan’s 10 cases are linked to Pakistan, said Dr. Elias Durry, who directs the World Health Organization’s response in Pakistan. Both Nigeria and Somalia have fewer than 10 cases each, and Africa may be polio-free by 2015, he said.

But in Pakistan, he said, “the virus is laughing at us and doing whatever it wants.” The fight against Ebola in Africa is not hurting the polio drive, Dr. Durry said; the problem is a lack of political leadership.

The polio virus is now showing up in sewage samples all over Karachi, the country’s largest city, and not just in a few districts.

Relatives of Nasima Bibi, a worker in a polio vaccination drive, at a hospital morgue in Karachi.Attackers in Pakistan Kill Anti-Polio WorkersDEC. 18, 2012

No immunization has taken place for several years in wide swaths of Waziristan, where the army is fighting tribes aligned with the Taliban. As many as 350,000 unvaccinated children driven out of those areas now live in slums all over the country, and 50 vaccinators or their police escorts have been killed since 2012.

Last week, India warned Pakistanis applying for travel visas that if they were caught offering forged polio-vaccination certificates, then they would be denied entry and might be permanently banned from travel to India, which was officially declared polio-free this year.

United Nations snubs Pakistan, refuses to interfere in Jammu and Kashmir

The United Nations has once again ignored Pakistan's renewed efforts to internationalise the Kashmir issue.

In a clear snub to Pakistan, the United Nations refused to intervene and reiterated that India and Pakistan need to resolve all differences through dialogue to find a long-term solution to the dispute.

Pakistan had sent a letter to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon and blamed India for the current escalations in violence along the disputed border which has resulted in casualties of civilians.

The letter signed by Sartaj Aziz, adviser to Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on national security and foreign affairs, had sought the UN's intervention to resolve the border tensions. He said that Pakistan believes the UN has an important role to play in promoting the objective of peaceful resolution of the Kashmir issue, including through his "good offices".

"During the period of Oct 1-10, 2014, 20 ceasefire violations along the LoC were reported, resulting in 12 civilian deaths, 52 injured civilians and nine injured military personnel on the Pakistani side," he said.

Aziz said that Pakistan has exercised utmost restraint and responsibility in responding to these provocations.

"The Government of Pakistan sincerely hopes that better sense would prevail on the Indian side to prevent the situation from spiralling out of control," the advisor said.

A war of words between the two countries over the situation at the LoC took place last week at the UN General Assembly where India said that it was a "matter of deep regret" that Pakistan violated the ceasefire, in which eight people were killed and several others injured.

India made it clear that its armed forces are "fully ready" to respond to "provocation". India also said that the onus of creating a positive environment for normalisation of relations is on Pakistan. The UN has long maintained an institutional presence in the contested area between the two countries.

The UN Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan (UNMOGIP) observes and reports on ceasefire violations along and across the LoC and the working boundary between the South Asian neighbours in Jammu and Kashmir, as well as reports developments that could lead to ceasefire violations.

India has however always maintained that UNMOGIP has "outlived its relevance" and has "no role to play whatsoever" on the issue.

Malala-the pride of the nation

Malala Yousufzai a Swati girl who emerged on the world horizon for her human rights advocacy for education and women in the war-torn FATA where the Taliban had banned girls from going to school, finally won Nobel Peace Prize for Pakistan. Coincidentally, Kailash Satyarthi, who has fought against child slavery and exploitation of children in India, was declared joint winner of the Award for the year 2014. They were chosen for the prize amongst a list of 278 nominees. Incidentally, it was longest list of nominees ever. Raised in one of the under-developed part of Pakistan, Malala, just 17 is now the youngest Nobel Prize winner ever, has become one of the towering personalities of the world. The two will share the $1.11million prize to be awarded in Oslo on Dec 10. The Nobel Peace Prize winners comes from the countries who sharing a hostile history and are considered as the most dangerous enemy states equipped with nuclear weapons and on the top of that both are engaged in heavy shelling and bombing even today.

Thus the two Award winners wasted no time in floating the idea of bringing the leadership of two warring states together at the prize ceremony in Stockholm in December where they would be given awards. Certainly, it is a good idea that needs world support to break the ice and end their aloofness of the two states.

At least the arch rivals will come back to the talking terms. The volatile spiral on the Line of Control and Working Boundary has jeopardized the regional peace and more so the future of millions children living in there. After their first meeting, the two award winners also expressed their resolve to build a relationship between India and Pakistan where they will make a joint effort to ensure education and justice for every child. Amidst the on-going military confrontation in the subcontinent, the Nobel Award winners have pumped in some fresh breeze in an atmosphere where the peoples on the both sides of the border are forced to breath in a stinky air.

Their persuasion to the Prime Ministers of India and Pakistan for peace is welcome move and a significant contribution that will cherish peace desire of millions of people living on the both sides of the strain border. In days to come, the two joint winners-Malala and Satyarthi-may form a strong voice for children living in total despair and extreme poverty.

If Malala has become a role model for millions of disadvantaged girls in India and and Satyarthi will become beacon for millions of children who are facing nightmare in their early childhood in Pakistan as well.

If the two work together against the bonded labour and for education, they will become a force to reckon with for unheard children irrespective of origin, caste and religion.

By all means, their success is a lovely surprise for the both nations after all they are pride of their respective nations; and if she succeeds in hosting a Nawaz-Modi moot, her contribution to resolving border conflict between India and Pakistan will write new leaf in the history of the subcontinent.

Malala, Obama girls, Lorde make Time's 'influential teens' list

The daughters of US President Barack Obama, entertainers, a Nobel laureate and a girl baseball player all made Time’s annual list of most influential teenagers, the magazine said on Monday.

First daughters Malia, 16, and Sasha, 13; Grammy-winning New Zealand singer Lorde, 17; and Nobel Prize Winner Malala Yousafzai, 17, the Pakistani education activist winner, were all on the unranked list dominated by 20 females.

Time said it compiled its list of 25 teens – 29, counting accolades shared by siblings and partners – by analyzing their social media following, business successes and cultural importance.

The youngest were Sasha Obama and fellow 13-year-old Mo’ne Davis, a pitching sensation who led her Philadelphia boys’ baseball team to the Little League World Series and landed a spot on the cover of Sports Illustrated.

Tavi Gevinson, the 18-year-old fashion writer and founder of popular online magazine Rookie, was noted as emblematic of the contemporary teen in the Internet age, while transgender activist Jazz Jennings, 14, also made the list.

The dominant categories were athletes, actors and singers.

Actors taking center stage were Kiernan Shipka, 14, of “Mad Men,” Rico Rodriguez, 16, of “Modern Family” and “The Equalizer’s” Chloe Grace Moretz, 17.

Pop singers Becky G, 17, and Austin Mahone, 18, earned plaudits as did New Zealand pro golfer Lydia Ko, 17, and Afghan National Cycling Team member Salma Kakar, 17.

Teens noted for business success include 15-year-old Erik Finman, founder of the online tutoring site Botangle.com; YouTube fashion star Bethany Mota, 18, and actress-turned-stockpicker Rachel Fox, 18.

Irish trio Ciara Judge, 16, Emer Hickey, 17, and Sophie Healy-Thow, 17, were noted for their discovery of bacteria that deposits nitrogen from the atmosphere into soil.

Los Angeles teen chef Flynn McGarry, 15, joined stars of Twitter’s Vine short-form video service, Nash Grier, and singer Shawn Mendes, both 16. Jaden Smith, 16, son of actors Will Smith and Jada Pinkett Smith, was recognized for acting and his Twitter following, while reality TV stars the Jenner sisters Kendall, 18, and Kylie, 17, were noted for their burgeoning Hollywood and merchandising careers.

Also in the spotlight were 19-year-olds Megan Grassell, founded of the Yellowberry clothing company that makes bras for teens, and South African-Australian YouTube star and actor-musician Troye Sivan.

Qadri And Friends In Faisalabad

Having failed to send the government home through staging sit-ins in the capital, both PTI and PAT are now taking their show countrywide. After large PTI rallies in Lahore, Multan and Mianwali, Tahir-ul-Qadri and friends also held a successful gathering at Dhobi Ghaat, Faislabad. Initially, Qadri’s goal was clear: toppling the PML-N government. That is precisely what he had promised his supporters, convincing them to stay put in Islamabad until the task was completed. However, with each passing day, the possibility of the government leaving abruptly started to appear increasingly less. The government and the aspiring revolutionaries were stuck in a stalemate. Meanwhile, the number of people attending the sit-ins began to fall, slowly but consistently, and it had become clear that the ‘movement’ could not be sustained for too long. It needed a boost, a validation of sorts, and holding large rallies in Punjab ought to have presented itself as a viable option.

Everyone knows what Imran wants; the premiership. He is the chairman of a mainstream political party, which is leading a coalition government in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. Qadri, on the other hand, was completely averse to the idea of participating in elections until a few weeks ago. In Faisalabad, however, he was found revealing plans about taking part in all sorts of elections – local government, provincial and national. He predicts that the next general election will be held in six months, a year or later. That makes it a safe bet since it encompasses all periods of time. Does he actually plan to take part in elections despite all the reservations he has routinely expressed against the “rigged” system? His entire argument is based on the premise that meaningful change will not occur through what he has several times denounced as the futile exercise of elections, which do nothing to free the masses from the grip of the elite. Now, he is asking people to join his party, and vote for it in the next elections whenever they may be held. He has also announced plans to hold similar public gatherings in Lahore, Bhakkar, Sargodha and Mianwali. Are Qadri and friends sincere in taking the democratic path to power? Are they trying to make the best out of the situation they find themselves in? Is this an attempt to sustain pressure on the PML-N government? Or is Qadri still very much engaged in his pursuit for dead bodies, counting on the government to use force to contain his rallies? What is the end game here? It is difficult to say with certainty. In any case, the government would do well to keep its composure, and allow people to exercise their democratic right of assembly and participation in politics.

Draconian Blasphemy laws - Will Pakistan ever follow?

Although the crime of blasphemy is punishable by law in a majority of Muslim countries, Pakistan is the only country that has made headlines because of its increasing misuse of this law against religious minorities.

Recently, Irish Minister Aodhan O Riordain told the Irish parliament to announce a referendum to remove the blasphemy law from the Irish constitution. It was last used in 1855. Although no date has been announced for the prospective referendum, the government’s inclination to reach such a decision is a big step in itself. There is a great chance that the law will be repealed because 61 percent of the constitutional convention members voted in favour of abolition.

Astoundingly, I have not heard of any protest, agitation or life threats towards those who still want the blasphemy law or towards those who are in favour of removal. There are over 50 percent who want to replace the offence in the constitution with a new general provision to include incitement of religious hatred. No matter what happens, I am sure it will all happen in a peaceful and democratic way and will be acceptable to the Irish public, as we have recently seen in the Scottish referendum.

A majority of the population is Catholic but, under Articles 9 and 10 of the European Convention on Human Rights, people have a right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and freedom of expression. That is why there are some people who are campaigning to repeal the blasphemy law from the Irish constitution without any fear of being attacked or killed, something that is not possible in Pakistan. Pakistan has ratified dozens of international treaties, including the International Convention on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR) and International Covenant on Economic, Social and Cultural Rights (ICESCR), and is under obligation to bring its domestic laws in line with these treaties so people can practice their right to freedom of thought, conscience, religion and freedom of expression. But, despite international calls, the Pakistani government does not have any such intentions.

There are a very few countries left in the west that still have the blasphemy law on their statute books; the majority of countries have abolished them. Where these laws still exist, they are almost redundant, and I have never heard of blasphemy cases in these countries. This is because blasphemy laws are not consistent with the promotion and protection of human rights, and limit freedom of speech and expression. The Council of Europe has already stated in its report that the offence of blasphemy should be abolished. In the US, some states still have this law but nobody can be prosecuted because of the first amendment to the constitution.

The UK abolished its blasphemy law on March 5, 2008, with the consultation of the Church of England. On May 8, 2008, the bill received royal assent and, on July 8, 2008, it came into force. The last person in the UK to be imprisoned for blasphemy was John William Gott from Bradford in December 1921. He had three previous convictions for blasphemy when he was prosecuted for publishing two pamphlets ridiculing Jesus. He was sentenced to nine months hard labour by the Old Bailey Court. Thomas Aikenhead, a Scottish student from Edinburgh, was the last person who was prosecuted and executed at the age of 20 on a charge of blasphemy.

But now there are some British Muslims who are demanding the reintroduction of the blasphemy law and are lobbying with the MPs and collecting petitions. However, I do not think they will be successful as the legislature, including Prime Minister David Cameron, are well aware of the consequences of this law. Almost all western governments, the UN, Commonwealth, European parliament and world church leaders have raised their concern about the continuing misuse of the blasphemy law against religious minorities in Pakistan. But it is all falling on the deaf ears of the government and politicians alike. Pakistan even supported the Organisation of Islamic Conference (OIC) in its attempts to globalise the crime of blasphemy and, in 2009, the European Union opposed Pakistan’s submission. Pakistan first needs to stop the growing misuse of the blasphemy law within its own borders, which has attracted international criticism on many occasions.

Although the crime of blasphemy is punishable by law in a majority of Muslim countries, Pakistan is the only country that has made headlines because of its increasing misuse of this law against religious minorities. Minorities are living under constant fear for life and demanding its repeal, or at least for it to be amended appropriately. Because of the inattention of past and present governments, it has become a sensitive issue and now we have even failed to discuss this matter in parliament. That is why, when Sherry Rehman submitted a private member’s bill for the amendment of the blasphemy law, she received life threats. Earlier, minority MP Mr Bhandara’s proposal was rejected and Minister Sher Afgan said, “M P Bhandara should not have presented this amendment. Pakistan is an Islamic republic. We cannot tolerate anything on the sensitive issue of defiling the Prophethood.”

If we cannot discuss the increasing misuse of the blasphemy law in our parliament then what other platform do we have? This is the Pakistani parliament’s responsibility and now we have the example of Ireland in front of us. All over the world new legislation and amendments are made in parliament, and the Pakistani parliament has to do the same, otherwise attacks on churches and temples will continue, incidents of vigilante killings and mob justice will continue. No one knows what will be next as we have seen some high profile people charged under this law. According to reports, at least 17 people are on death row, including UK citizen Muhammad Asghar in Adiala jail. He was recently shot by a policeman but survived because of timely medical treatment.

Now is the time to learn from Ireland and bring this matter to parliament. If the law cannot be repealed, at the very least safeguards should be introduced to stop the continuous misuse of this law. Pakistan should take the example set by Ireland and many other countries that have abolished their blasphemy laws, and realise that it is no longer acceptable to punish others for their religious beliefs.

Pakistan: Mounting extremism

A delegation of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), with its chairperson Zohra Yusuf addressed a press conference in Quetta, expressed its concern regarding the existing security conditions of Balochistan. The HRCP chief brought up the issue of religious minorities living in Balochistan, who are victims of the growing terrorism that is being spread by armed extremist religious organisations. The result of this persistent insecurity and government’s inability to protect the victims is forcing these minorities to emigrate. As many as 300,000 people, including Shias, Hindus and Zikris, have migrated either to other parts of the country or have managed to obtain asylum abroad. Zohra Yusuf claimed that the real motive of these religious organisations is to weaken the Baloch nationalist movement but alongside the targeted prey of their atrocities, other innocent citizens who belong to different religions are falling victim to this mounting religious extremism. The state on the other hand, which is still dealing with the Baloch insurgents with its kill-and-dump policy, has given carte blanche to these militants. These groups forcibly shut down many private schools in Panjgur. The HRCP delegation also visited the Quetta Press Club where it discussed the dismal condition of the journalist community. A province where 40 journalists have been assassinated over the last few years remains one of the most dangerous places for media personnel in the world, squeezed as they are between state and non-state actors. As many as 10 editors and journalists are facing anti-terrorism cases registered by the ex-Chief Justice of the Balochistan High Court for publishing statements of the banned organisations on pain of death.

The government it seems is not willing to solve these long standing problems of Balochistan peacefully. A situation where the Shia Hazaras are being massacred and journalists and members of religious minorities are being assassinated is worsening day by day and not a single culprit has been brought to justice. The Baloch insurgency and the state’s response seem to be an unending tale of violence where the obvious victim and the loser is the common citizen. The provincial government, even under the leadership of moderate nationalists, has its hands tied and has failed to provide the promised peace. Zohra Yusuf on this occasion urged the government to adopt a dialogue process with the insurgents to end this civil war. That no doubt is the best solution.

Pakistan : Flight from Balochistan

A DECADE of insecurity in Balochistan has had a grim effect on the troubled province’s demographics.

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, hundreds of thousands of citizens belonging to religious minority groups as well as settlers from other parts of Pakistan have left Balochistan, thanks to an atmosphere of hostility and violence, which has been shaped by sectarian death squads, separatist militants, and, sadly enough, the state.

Part of an HRCP delegation that recently visited Balochistan, the group’s chairperson Zohra Yusuf told the media on Sunday that Shias, Hindus and Zikris have been leaving the province in droves over the past nine years, relocating elsewhere in the country and abroad.

The human rights group gathered this information by conducting interviews and recording testimonials. The HRCP chief also raised the issue of violence faced by journalists in the volatile region; over the last decade, around 40 media persons have been killed, though none of the perpetrators have been brought to justice.

There are numerous actors responsible for violence in Balochistan. Amongst the most lethal are sectarian groups that have unleashed their weapons on Shias — mostly Hazaras — while the small Zikri community has also found itself in their cross hairs.

The most troubling aspect is that the religious extremists are perceived as being tolerated — if not supported — by the establishment to checkmate Baloch separatists.

Meanwhile, the latter are responsible for violence of their own. Along with targeting symbols of the state, they have also turned their guns on settlers in the province. And apart from violence motivated by sectarian and ethno-nationalist considerations, the state, too, has ferociously come down on the separatists and Baloch political activists. While the HRCP said violence had decreased to some extent under the current provincial government’s watch, it is a troubling reality that the dumping of mutilated bodies continues.

All the while, the media — which can independently help determine the facts in Balochistan — are being cowed through murder and intimidation. As local journalists point out, they face pressure from both the state and the separatists.

An exodus of religious minorities as well as settlers spells disaster for diversity in Balochistan. Due to this flight, the people of Balochistan will suffer the most.

After all, among those who have left there are educated professionals, tradesmen, educators etc who are crucial to the functioning of a vibrant society. Perhaps there is still time to stem such negative trends if a genuine effort is made to bring all estranged parties to the table and solve Balochistan’s problems through dialogue. But for that to happen the elected government needs to be given full authority to operate, as barely below the surface it is still the security establishment that calls the shots in Balochistan.

It is the establishment which needs to reflect on why its policies have failed to bring peace to the province.

Russia to Send New Ebola Drug to West Africa: Health Ministry

Russia will send the new anti-viral drug triazavirin to West Africa to help in the struggle against the spread of the deadly Ebola virus, Russian Health Minister Veronika Skvortsova said Monday.

"In the next two months we will produce enough triazavirin to send to our team in Guinea and to see its efficiency in clinical use," Skvortsova said at the Sixth session of the Conference of the Parties to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC), held in Moscow. According to the minister, the efficiency of the new drug varies from 70 to 90 percent.

Triazavirin is a new Russian anti-viral drug, which can be used to treat 15 strains of the flu virus, including A/H1N1, also known as swine flu and H5N1, known as avian (bird) flu, at any stage of the disease.

The current Ebola epidemic broke out in Guinea and spread to the neighboring countries of Liberia, Sierra Leone, Nigeria, and Senegal. According to the WHO, more than 4,000 people have lost their lives to Ebola.

A team of Russian epidemiologists, virologists and bacteriologists is currently stationed in Guinea and, according to Russian sanitary chief Anna Popova, Russia is considering sending further teams of healthcare workers to West Africa. According to Russian health officials, Russia is currently testing its anti-Ebola vaccine and has begun working on a new drug to treat and prevent Ebola.

Eastern Europeans are bowing to Putin’s power

By Jackson Diehl

To grasp how Vladi­mir Putin is progressing in his campaign to overturn the post-Cold War order in Europe, it’s worth looking beyond eastern Ukraine, where the Kremlin is busy consolidating a breakaway puppet state. After all, Ukraine, as President Obama likes to point out, is not a member of NATO — which has extended Western security and democratic governance to a dozen nations that had been dominated by Soviet dictatorship.

So let’s consider Hungary, a NATO member whose prime minister recently named Putin’s Russia as a political model to be emulated. Or NATO member Slovakia, whose leftist prime minister likened the possible deployment of NATO troops in his country to the Soviet invasion of 1968. Or NATO member Czech Republic, where the defense minister made a similar comparison and where the government joined Slovakia and Hungary in fighting the European Union’s sanctions against Russia. Or Serbia, a member of NATO’s “partnership for peace” that has invited Putin to visit Belgrade this month for a military parade to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the Red Army’s “liberation” of the city. Then there is Poland, which until recently was leading the effort within NATO and the European Union to support Ukraine’s beleaguered pro-Western government and punish Putin’s aggression. This month its new prime minister, Ewa Kopacz, ordered her new foreign minister to urgently revise its policy. As the Wall Street Journal reported, she told parliament she was concerned about “an isolation of Poland” within Europe that could come from setting “unrealistic goals” in Ukraine.

Obama has been congratulating himself on leading a “unified response” by the West that, he claims, has isolated Putin. In reality, a big chunk of the NATO alliance has quietly begun to lean toward Moscow. These governments do so in part for economic reasons: Dependent on Russia for energy as well as export markets, they fear the consequences of escalating sanctions.

But some also seem to be hedging their security and ideological bets. They figure it’s not worth testing whether Putin’s reported threat to invade former Soviet-bloc countries was really in jest — or whether a NATO led by Obama would really come to their defense. Why else preemptively announce, as did the Czech prime minister Bohuslav Sobotka, that his country did not want the troops NATO dispatched to Poland and the Baltic States as a deterrent to Russia?

Sobotka was trumped by Slovakia’s Roberto Fico, a former Communist, who followed up his rejection of NATO troops by dismissing Obama's appeal for increased defense spending and calling sanctions against Russia “suicidal” and “nonsensical.” Fico’s pandering, in turn, looked weak compared with the speech delivered in late July by Hungary’s Viktor Orban, who described Russia as an exemplar of how “we have to abandon liberal methods and principles of organizing a society . . . because liberal values [in the United States] today incorporate corruption, sex and violence.”

If this is a “unified response,” it looks orchestrated more by Putin than by Obama. “Some Central European politicians are angling either to remain below the radar screen — don’t speak up and make your nation the target of Putin’s ire — or to ingratiate themselves with Putin and therefore fare better than other allies when the waters get even choppier,” Damon Wilson, the executive vice president of the Atlantic Council, told me. “The issue for many politicians will be how to survive when the Russians are back, nastier than ever . . . and the Americans are remote, available only for genuine 911 calls.”

Remarkably, the wobbling in Eastern Europe comes only a decade after NATO’s big 2004 expansion and a dozen years after Poland and the Czech Republic gratefully and enthusiastically backed the U.S. invasion of Iraq. What happened? As Robert Coalson of Radio Free Europe suggested, one answer can be found in the “open letter” political leaders and intellectuals from those countries sent to Obama in July 2009, when, during his first year in office, he launched his “reset” with Putin’s regime.

“Many American officials have now concluded that our region is fixed once and for all,” the letter warned. “That view is premature.”

Obama, it went on, was making a mistake to put relations with central and eastern Europe on a back burner. The elites rising in post-Soviet countries “may not share the idealism — or have the same relationship to the United States — as the generation who led the democratic transition.” Moreover, Russia, far from being a suitable partner, “is back as a revisionist power pursuing a 19th-century agenda with 21st-century tactics and methods.”

Obama and his aides furiously dismissed those warnings, angrily telling the open letter’s authors they were suffering from “Russophobia.” Five years later, Obama repeats their diagnosis of Putin as his own wisdom. But it may be too late: The “Russophobes” of an expanded NATO have been replaced, in more than a few capitals, with Putin-appeasers.

EDITORIAL - End the U.S. Embargo on Cuba

Scanning a map of the world must give President Obama a sinking feeling as he contemplates the dismal state of troubled bilateral relationships his administration has sought to turn around. He would be smart to take a hard look at Cuba, where a major policy shift could yield a significant foreign policy success.

For the first time in more than 50 years, shifting politics in the United States and changing policies in Cuba make it politically feasible to re-establish formal diplomatic relations and dismantle the senseless embargo. The Castro regime has long blamed the embargo for its shortcomings, and has kept ordinary Cubans largely cut off from the world. Mr. Obama should seize this opportunity to end a long era of enmity and help a population that has suffered enormously since Washington ended diplomatic relations in 1961, two years after Fidel Castro assumed power.

In recent years, a devastated economy has forced Cuba to make reforms — a process that has gained urgency with the economic crisis in Venezuela, which gives Cuba heavily subsidized oil. Officials in Havana, fearing that Venezuela could cut its aid, have taken significant steps to liberalize and diversify the island’s tightly controlled economy.

They have begun allowing citizens to take private-sector jobs and own property. This spring, Cuba’s National Assembly passed a law to encourage foreign investment in the country. With Brazilian capital, Cuba is building a seaport, a major project that will be economically viable only if American sanctions are lifted. And in April, Cuban diplomats began negotiating a cooperation agreement with the European Union. They have shown up at the initial meetings prepared, eager and mindful that the Europeans will insist on greater reforms and freedoms.

The authoritarian government still harasses and detains dissidents. It has yet to explain the suspicious circumstances surrounding the death of the political activist Oswaldo Payá. But in recent years officials have released political prisoners who had been held for years. Travel restrictions were relaxed last year, enabling prominent dissidents to travel abroad. There is slightly more tolerance for criticism of the leadership, though many fear speaking openly and demanding greater rights.

The pace of reforms has been slow and there has been backsliding. Still, these changes show Cuba is positioning itself for a post-embargo era. The government has said it would welcome renewed diplomatic relations with the United States and would not set preconditions.

As a first step, the Obama administration should remove Cuba from the State Department’s list of nations that sponsor terrorist organizations, which includes Iran, Sudan and Syria. Cuba was put on the list in 1982 for backing terrorist groups in Latin America, which it no longer does. American officials recognize that Havana is playing a constructive role in the conflict in Colombia by hosting peace talks between the government and guerrilla leaders.

Starting in 1961, Washington has imposed sanctions in an effort to oust the Castro regime. Over the decades, it became clear to many American policy makers that the embargo was an utter failure. But any proposal to end the embargo angered Cuban-American voters, a constituency that has had an outsize role in national elections.

The generation that adamantly supports the embargo is dying off. Younger Cuban-Americans hold starkly different views, having come to see the sanctions as more damaging than helpful. A recent poll found that a slight majority of Cuban-Americans in Miami now oppose the embargo. A significant majority of them favor restoring diplomatic ties, mirroring the views of other Americans.

The Obama administration in 2009 took important steps to ease the embargo, a patchwork of laws and policies, making it easier for Cubans in the United States to send remittances to relatives in Cuba and authorizing more Cuban-Americans to travel there. And it has paved the way for initiatives to expand Internet access and cellphone coverage on the island.

Fully ending the embargo will require Congress’s approval. But there is much more the White House could do on its own. For instance, it could lift caps on remittances, allow Americans to finance private Cuban businesses and expand opportunities for travel to the island.

It could also help American companies that are interested in developing the island’s telecommunications network but remain wary of the legal and political risks. Failing to engage with Cuba now will likely cede this market to competitors. The presidents of China and Russia traveled to Cuba in separate visits in July, and both leaders pledged to expand ties.

Cuba and the United States already have diplomatic missions, called interests sections, that operate much like embassies. However, under the current arrangement, American diplomats have few opportunities to travel outside the capital to engage with ordinary Cubans, and their access to the Cuban government is very limited.

Restoring diplomatic ties, which the White House can do without congressional approval, would allow the United States to expand and deepen cooperation in areas where the two nations already manage to work collaboratively — like managing migration flows, maritime patrolling and oil rig safety. It would better position Washington to press the Cubans on democratic reforms, and could stem a new wave of migration to the United States driven by hopelessness.

Closer ties could also bring a breakthrough on the case of an American development contractor, Alan Gross, who has been unjustly imprisoned by Cuba for nearly five years. More broadly, it would create opportunities to empower ordinary Cubans, gradually eroding the government’s ability to control their lives.

In April, Western Hemisphere heads of state will meet in Panama City for the seventh Summit of the Americas. Latin American governments insisted that Cuba, the Caribbean’s most populous island and one of the most educated societies in the hemisphere, be invited, breaking with its traditional exclusion at the insistence of Washington.

Given the many crises around the world, the White House may want to avoid a major shift in Cuba policy. Yet engaging with Cuba and starting to unlock the potential of its citizens could end up being among the administration’s most consequential foreign-policy legacies.

Normalizing relations with Havana would improve Washington’s relationships with governments in Latin America, and resolve an irritant that has stymied initiatives in the hemisphere. The Obama administration is leery of Cuba’s presence at the meeting and Mr. Obama has not committed to attending. He must — and he should see it as an opportunity to make history.

U.S. - Does Columbus Day Honor a Monster?

Every year, on the second Monday in October, the United States celebrates a federal holiday honoring a man who freely admitted committing atrocities against the native people of the Americas, including cutting off their hands, noses or ears to keep them in line, and sexually enslaving girls as young as nine, gifting them to his men.

“There are plenty of dealers who go about looking for girls,” Christopher Columbus wrote in his journal in 1500. “Those from nine to ten are now in demand.”

When Columbus arrived in the Bahamas (he never actually set foot in the contiguous United States) on Oct. 12, 1492, he noted the peaceful and hospitable nature of the native Arawaks, Lucayans and Taínos.

“They were well-built, with good bodies and handsome features….They do not bear arms, and do not know them,” he wrote. “They would make fine servants….With fifty men we could subjugate them all and make them do whatever we want.”

Which is exactly what he did. Columbus enslaved the natives, setting them to work in his gold mines. Those who didn’t collect enough of the valuable dust had their hands chopped off and tied around their necks to send a message to their fellow workers.

More than four centuries later, the idea of a day to honor the explorer was conceived by the Knights of Columbus, a Catholic Fraternal organization that wanted a Catholic hero role model for its children. In 1937, U.S. President Franklin D. Roosevelt signed the law that made Columbus Day a federal holiday.

Today, most government employees have the day off. Banks, the bond market, and many schools are closed. Twenty-three states and the District of Columbia give their workers a paid holiday on Columbus Day, according the Council of State Governments.

However, over the years, the explorer’s controversial legacy has led many U.S. cities and states to temper the celebrations surrounding his namesake holiday.

In Columbus, Ohio, Columbus Day used to be a big event, but it’s been 16 years since the last parade.

New York City’s Columbus Day parade still draws around a million spectators and 35,000 marchers, but the event is now billed as an annual celebration of Italian-American Heritage. Many Italian-Americans see Columbus Day as celebration of their heritage.

A couple of weeks ago, the school board in Seattle, in Washington State, decided to have schools observe Indigenous Peoples’ Day on the same day as Columbus Day. Minneapolis, Minnesota and Berkeley, California, have also designated that day as Indigenous Peoples’ Day. Hawaii celebrates Discoverers’ Day, which pays tribute to the Polynesian discoverers of the nation’s 50th state.

Meanwhile, in South Dakota, Columbus Day has been known as Native American Day since 1990.

Mary Bordeaux, curator and director of Cultural Affairs for the Indian Museum of North America in South Dakota, would like to see the trend away from Columbus Day continue.

“It’s taking something that has traditionally been in America the celebration of what I see as the annihilation of the native population and trying to bring more awareness to the truth of our history in America,” she said. “By switching it to Indigenous Day or Discoverer’s Day, it starts a conversation about native people. It kind of opens up a dialogue.”

Bordeaux, a Native American who grew up on a reservation (an area of land managed by a Native American tribe under the U.S. Bureau of Indian Affairs), would like to see real action result from that discourse. High on her list is the rewriting of U.S. school textbooks that continue to glorify Columbus and discredit Native Americans.

“We still are the only minority in the United State that has to enroll, that has to get a number from the United States government to claim to be Native American,” Bordeaux said, “and so to continue celebrating and glorifying Christopher Columbus, we’re just continuing to support [the idea] that the people who were here before weren’t people, that they weren’t anything.”

U.S - Instead of Columbus Day, some U.S. cities celebrate Indigenous People's Day

By Emanuella Grinberg

Columbus Day often brings to mind the Nina, the Pinta and the Santa Maria. This Monday, some cities and states would rather you think of the Sioux, the Suquamish and the Chippewa.

For the first time this year, Seattle and Minneapolis will recognize the second Monday in October as "Indigenous People's Day." The cities join a growing list of jurisdictions choosing to shift the holiday's focus from Christopher Columbus to the people he encountered in the New World and their modern-day descendants.

The Seattle City Council voted last week to reinvent the holiday to celebrate "the thriving cultures and values of Indigenous Peoples in our region." The Minneapolis City Council approved a similar measure in April "to reflect upon the ongoing struggles of Indigenous people on this land, and to celebrate the thriving culture and value that Dakota, Ojibwa and other indigenous nations add to our city." The Seattle School Board followed suit along with Portland Public Schools, where officials say Indigenous People's Day will not replace Columbus Day but supplement it. Schools across the country have been working for years to clarify Columbus' role in history.

"It's not about one or the other, it's about how do we get a complete picture to understand where we're at in history, and how we got there?" said Portland School Board member Greg Belisle, according to the Oregonian.

In many cities, Columbus Day is a celebration of Italian-American heritage, leading to opposition to the recasting of Columbus Day. "Italian-Americans are deeply offended," Lisa Marchese, a lawyer affiliated with the Order Sons of Italy in America, told The Seattle Times."By this resolution, you say to all Italian-Americans that the city of Seattle no longer deems your heritage or your community worthy of recognition."

President Benjamin Harrison established a celebration of Columbus Day in 1892, the 400th anniversary of Columbus' landing in the Bahamas in 1492. The holiday started being celebrated on the second Monday in October in 1971. Today, 16 states, including Alaska, Hawaii and Oregon, don't recognize Columbus Day as a public holiday. South Dakota has celebrated Native American Day since 1990.

Berkeley, California, is thought to be the first city to adopt Indigenous People's Day in 1992, building on international efforts to end the celebration of Columbus' "discovery" of the New World. The International Day of the World's Indigenous People is celebrated on August 9 thanks to a 1994 United Nations General Assembly resolution.

The Italian explorer and his namesake holiday have long been controversial. Despite what American schoolchildren may have learned about when "Columbus sailed the ocean blue," supporters of Indigenous People's Day believe Columbus should not be celebrated for "discovering" America. Indigenous people had been living in the "New World" for centuries by the time he arrived, and his voyages established lasting connections between Europe and Americans that paved the way for its colonization, leading to the subjugation and decimation of the indigenous population.

"Learning about the history of Columbus and transforming this day into a celebration of indigenous people and a celebration of social justice ... allows us to make a connection between this painful history and the ongoing marginalization, discrimination and poverty that indigenous communities face to this day," Seattle Councilmember Kshama Sawant said.

Pakistan: 6th death anniversary of Badar Munir observed

The sixth death anniversary of popular actor of Pashto movies, Badar Munir, was observed here Saturday.

The Culture Journalists Forum (CJF), Mardan chapter, arranged the gathering to pay tributes to the late film star.

Speaking on the occasion, CJF convener Riaz Mayar and vice-convener Abdullah Shah Baghdadi highlighted the services of Badar Munir for Pashto culture. They criticised the provincial government for not arranging any event to observe the actor’s death anniversary.

Badar Munir, hailing from the Miankhel tribe, was born in 1943 in Madyan, Swat and died on October 11, 2008 in Lahore at the age of 70.

He worked in over 400 films, mostly in Pashto but also in Urdu, Punjabi, Sindhi and Hindko from 1970 and 2002. Before joining films, Badar Munir used to drive a rickshaw in Karachi and later got job as tea-boy at the office of known Urdu film star Waheed Murad.

He was introduced by Waheed Murad to the film industry in 1970.

His first movie was “Yousaf Khan Sherbano”, with Yasmin Khan as heroine.

The story of this film was written by a notable Pashto poet Ali Haider Joshi.It was based on the famous Pashto folk story of Yousuf Khan and Sherbano.

His other successful movies including Adam Khan Durkhanai, which was also based on a folk story, Orbal, Baghi, Didan, Kochwan, Mairanay Wror, Khana Badosh, Topak Zama Qanoon, Dehqan, and Naway da Yaway Shpay.

He was also seen in several Punjabi films including Chor (1977) and Haibat Khan.

Under pressure: FR Peshawar’s girls schools see fewer students, teachers

http://tribune.com.pk/

A majority of girls schools in Hassan Khel have only been partially functional over the last two years in the absence of teaching staff, residents told The Express Tribune.

Most women are reluctant—even fearful—to go teach classes even though they are residents of the area. This has adversely affected student attendance and academic activities at schools.

“In one middle school for girls, the number of students has dropped to just 190. There were initially 350 students at the school,” a local elder told The Express Tribune.

Conflict of information

“I don’t know about any school in Hassan Khel where teachers are reluctant to come to work,” said FR Peshawar assistant political agent (APA) Muhammad Arif. “However, if we receive any complaints, we will ensure action is taken against teachers.” According to Arif, there were 11 girls schools in Bora and Asho Khel areas which were initially closed but reopened this September. Under attack

There are 150 schools in FR Peshawar, out of which seven schools in Asho Khel, Mosa Darra and other areas were attacked by militants in 2010. Some schools were closed down in fear of retaliation from militants. These were reopened in 2013 after a large contingent of security personnel were deployed in different parts of the region.

Nevertheless, most private schools for girls have been closed due to militant threats in the region over the past two years. However, according to Arif, a high school in Sara Dargai is being reconstructed while six others have yet to be rebuilt. Till then, makeshift arrangements have been made at nearby schools to teach students. Tents have been set up in schools in the absence of buildings to educate children, added Arif.

FR Peshawar and FR Kohat were at the forefront of women’s education until a few years ago when all girls schools were destroyed by militants in Darra Adam Khel.

HRCP Expresses Concern On Human Rights Violation In Balochistan

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has expressed concern over human rights violation in Balochistan, on Sunday. HRCP delegation led by its chairperson, Zohra Yousaf, visited Balochistan and met with lawyers, journalists and politicians.

HRCP chairperson addressed a press conference in Quetta Press Club on Sunday. According to Miss. Yousaf, Poverty is driving factor behind the increase in militancy in already turbulent province of Balochistan.

Dr. Malik led government has failed to solve the issue of missing persons and killing and dumping in the province, added Miss Yousaf.

HRCP also expressed concerns for the minorities that are being targeted in Balochistan.

It must be noted that HRCP has visited Balochistan after a long time. Analysts believe that HRCP has failed to highlight the human rights violations in Balochistan properly.

Pakistan: PTI making excuses regarding resignations:

Speaker National Assembly Ayyaz Sadiq said Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) members are making excuses regarding their resignations, Dunya News reported.

He said PTI chairman Imran Khan and 4 other members were summoned today at 5 pm.

He stated he has accepted PTI members’ request to appear for verification of their resignations altogether.

He further said Imran Khan would be invited to the conference if he remains member parliament by then.

Sit-ins cannot halt work process and these sit-ins would have lost life if media wouldn’t have given them ample coverage, he added.

He pronounced Pakistan has been elected as President of Commonwealth Parliament for a year.

Pakistan: Report blames PTI for stampede

The initial report on Friday’s tragedy at the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) rally in Multan, submitted by the local administration to the prime minister, speaks of callousness on the part of three PTI leaders who, officials insist, did not cooperate when asked to make announcements that could have mitigated the stampede.

The three-page report, a copy of which is available with Dawn, claims that the stampede at the public meeting began during Imran Khan’s speech.

“The incident took place due to unmannered rush of the people and stampede of participants who rushed out of the (stadium’s) eastern gate before (the) end of Imran Khan’s speech,” says the report.

The ‘confidential’ document, titled “Incident Report”, claims that following the initial melee, an assistant sub-inspector was sent to the PTI stage to make an announcement asking people not to move towards the eastern gate. “The ASI met Dr Akhtar Malik, Makhdoom Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Malik Aamir Dogar at the stage…however, no announcement was made as Imran Khan was making a speech at that time. (The ASI) was told that the speaker cannot be interrupted,” the report states.

The report, signed by City Police Officer Sultan Ahmed Chaudhry and District Coordination Officer Zahid Saleem Gondal, says that two people were killed on the spot whereas five others died of their wounds later.

Describing the sequence of events leading up to the stampede, the report states: “Imran Khan…addressed the audience at about 7:30pm. During his speech, after approximately 10 to 15 minutes, the people/audience started to go out from the stadium towards different gates.”

“Due to (the) unmannered rush of people and (the ensuing) stampede, some participants slipped and fell down on the ground, (and the) crowd ran over them. Consequently, two persons expired at the spot, whereas, 38 persons were injured,” reads the report.

The Jalalpur Pirwala sub-divisional police officer (SDPO), who was on duty at this gate, “immediately started (a) rescue operation … and started shifting the injured along with Rescue 1122.”

The report says that the SDPO also made announcements via megaphone, telling people to stay away from the gate where the stampede took place.

“The rescue operation team of Rescue 1122 (and the) fire brigade service made water spray at the gate in order to stop people from (exiting) the said gate and to save their lives”, the report claims. Through the report, the city police chief and the DCO have held the PTI responsible for the stampede and the resulting deaths of seven people, following an otherwise impressive show of strength by the party at Multan’s Qasim Bagh Stadium.

The NoC for the public meeting was issued after on the submission of an undertaking by Ijaz Hussain Janjua, the PTI district president.

The report states: “During the meeting, an undertaking was obtained from the applicant mentioning all the terms and conditions consisting of 26points for holding a peaceful public meeting after deliberation with all the stakeholders. Among the conspicuous points, it was agreed by the applicant that the organiser i.e. PTI, will be responsible for arranging search and security, arrangements for lights on the backside of the stage as well as in and outside of the (stage). It was also one of the conditions that all the agreed terms will be fulfilled until the Jalsa is finished and workers/participants are dispersed peacefully and reach their respective places.”

According to the report, there were only five exit gates, which were not sufficient for such a large gathering of people and states that about 2,200 police personnel were deployed at the stadium.

Pakistan: No asylum

THE queue of those wanting to leave the country to escape persecution or for opportunities abroad is long. The aspirants are persistent even if their destinations change.

These days, Australia is a prime ideal to be chased. While Pakistanis may not be on top of the list of those seeking asylum in Australia in recent years, the government there has found it necessary to issue a stern reminder.

An advertisement appearing in newspapers last week tells those — whether man, woman or child — who get on an Australia-bound boat without visa to beware. It is a loud, clear message, entitled ‘no way’, designed to convey the resolve to not let in the ‘unwanted’.

Their struggles necessitated by a genuine desire for a better life, for which they cannot be faulted, the human side to the asylum seekers is eclipsed by rules and numbers.

According to the UN refugee agency, “there were 45.2 million forcibly displaced people worldwide at the end of 2012, the highest number since 1994. Of these, 28.8m were internally displaced persons, 15.4m were refugees and 937,000 were asylum seekers”. This puts extra pressure on governments of destinations preferred by asylum seekers.

Meanwhile, the number of countries putting up a ‘no entry’ board for Pakistanis has increased. For example, in recent times, Sri Lanka has had problems with Pakistanis looking for asylum.

Those who put up the bar routinely come under criticism, which has not prevented them from setting tougher conditions for entry — for Pakistanis and others.

The logic is simple: the flow of refugees has to be contained and the traffic has to be closely monitored, even when the UN rules for refugees and other international law are adhered to. In the latest instance, the Australian emphasis is on unlawful entry, and on those who approach the country by the sea.

The focus may expand if the pressure from refugees mounts. There are many legal ways that remain open to asylum seekers, whatever destination they may have in mind.

The declaration by the Australian government is not the first attempt to make people aware. Since containing people is a hard act to defend and throws up its own stories of human suffering and ambition, it will always be argued against. In the end, however, the law has to take its course.

Pakistan can avert a few tragedies by undertaking to educate the people about the law before they take the deep, long and often hazardous plunge.

Pakistan: The anti-Malala sentiment

By

Yasser Latif Hamdani

Malala Yousafzai’s Nobel Peace Prize — a point of pride for all Pakistanis — has elicited a most shameful response from certain quarters in the country. These people have attempted to paint Malala as both anti-Pakistan and anti-Islam, and therefore her Nobel Peace Prize is a conspiracy against Pakistan and Islam.

Now, anyone who has read honestly and without blinkers the book I am Malala knows that she is one of those remarkable and rare young Pakistani women who are comfortable in their multiple identities. She is as proudly a Pakistani and a Muslim as she is a Swati and a Pashtun. For someone supposedly anti-Pakistan (allegedly because of her father’s affiliation with the ANP), her book contains several references to “our founder”, Jinnah, showing him as a progressive and modern leader who stood for equal rights for minorities and women, and a proponent of education. The first picture she has in the book is of her outside Jinnah’s tomb in Karachi. Perhaps portraying Jinnah as what he was — a modern anglicised barrister and a liberal politician who was from the Shia sect — is considered a “western conspiracy”. In other words, portraying Jinnah as anything other than the caricature of the man created by General Zia’s regime is just another crime in Malala’s long list of crimes.

As a proud Pashtun, Malala admires Khan Abdul Ghaffar Khan aka Bacha Khan as a hero; the ultra-nationalists consider that treason because Bacha Khan was in the Congress before partition. Now, here is my problem with this approach. Bacha Khan was not alone in his opposition to Pakistan but when he met Jinnah and took an oath of allegiance to Pakistan, the Quaid is reported to have said, “Today, Pakistan is complete.” Ironically, at the same time, it is not considered treasonous to list Maulana Maududi or Ataullah Shah Bokhari as heroes despite the fact that they were far more vociferous in their opposition to Jinnah and indeed were openly abusive towards him, calling him the great infidel, unlike Bacha Khan whose opposition was political. These facts inconvenience those who wish to act as the guardians of Pakistan’s ideology. When two rabid, right wing columnists started attacking Malala, they chose sentences out of context from her book, editing out the exculpatory provisos in Malala’s narrative.

Malala is not in bad company when it comes to being slandered by right-wingers and conservative religious writers. Everyone from Jinnah, Dr Abdus Salam and Abdus Sattar Edhi has been attacked and called much the same. Dr Abdus Salam, our first Nobel Laureate, was one of the greatest physicists in the world. Even the European Organisation for Nuclear Research (CERN) honours him and his name graces one of the leading centres of theoretical physics in the world today. Yet the fraud from Bhopal, Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan, whose real role in the nuclear programme has been documented by Brigadier Feroz Khan in his book, Eating Grass: The Making of the Pakistani Bomb, has been scurrilously penning articles accusing Dr Salam of treason. Dr Salam basically founded Pakistan’s science programme, including the Pakistan Atomic Energy Commission. He, along with PAF Air Commodore WJM Turowicz, founded the Space and Upper Atmosphere Research Corporation (SUPARCO) that was tipped to become the greatest space agency in Asia, so much so that it was expected that Pakistan would be one of the few countries that would travel into space. In comparison, you have Dr Qadeer Khan who confessed to selling Pakistan’s nuclear secrets. The gall of the man to then accuse one of Pakistan’s true benefactors, Dr Salam, of treason is just rich.

The sentiment, tragically, behind Malala bashing emanates from the formerly apolitical middle class youth that now forms the backbone of the ‘Youthia’ revolution. For example, proud PTI supporter, Hamza Ali Abbasi, who shot to fame through the utterly mediocre film WAAR, tweeted that it was tragic that Edhi never got the Nobel Peace Prize but Malala did. This started the #NobelPrizeForEdhi trend. Some other enthusiastic PTI supporters did try to start #NobelPrizeforAfiaSiddiqui trend but that was not as successful.

Now, to be fair, Imran Khan did congratulate Malala for the Nobel even if his party had banned Malala’s book in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. There was a time though when Imran Khan had in public questioned the bona fides of Abdus Sattar Edhi. This was in 1995 and 1996 when Imran Khan approached Edhi to form a pressure group to bring down Benazir Bhutto’s government. He was backed by his friend Hamid Gul in this noble mission. Unfortunately, the ‘Youthias’ are too young to remember these facts. Not long ago, Edhi revealed that this “pressure group” threatened to kidnap him, a charge that Imran Khan, to my knowledge, has never denied. Those who have heard Imran Khan at close quarters say that the great Khan was for a time convinced — and probably still is — that Edhi was a US stooge. How ironic then that his supporters are now found whining that Edhi did not get the Nobel Prize but “traitor” Malala did. Edhi deserves the Nobel Prize for his selfless service to humanity. However, so does Malala for having stood up to the menace of the Taliban.

Pakistan: Malala — pride of the nation

By Mohammad Zia Adnan

“My world has changed, but I have not changed,” she wrote in her autobiography, I Am Malala. In an NDTV interview a year ago, she told Barkha Dutt that she is afraid of ghosts, not of the Taliban. Now, two years after the shot from the gun that targeted her was heard around the world, the Swat-cum-Birmingham schoolgirl is the recipient of a Nobel Peace Prize “for her struggle against the suppression of children and young people, and for the right of all children to education”.

One would think that there is little to take issue with, as far as Malala’s rise to fame is concerned. However, for the virtual sceptics and conspiracy theorists, Malala is undeserving of recognition, or rather, is the main protagonist of an elaborate publicity stunt. Following the announcement of her win, the distinction between Western and Pakistani reactions was clear: those in the West lauded the youngest-ever Nobel Peace Prize winner, while some Pakistani reactions were replete with cynicism. I ask, is the advocacy of peace not a universal belief? In some ways, this reactionary backlash against Malala is partly understandable. It is certainly true that she was only one of many schoolgirls in Taliban-controlled areas who struggled for their right to education. However, doesn’t her vocal call for change and improvement embody the voices of her peers, struggling to be heard? If a class has been dismissed for her former classmates, can’t she speak for them?

During Pervez Musharraf’s era of enlightened moderation, the General struggled to show the rest of the world, Pakistan’s ‘soft face’. In a 2004 Washington Post op-ed, he explained this new approach: “It is a two-pronged strategy. The first part is for the Muslim world to shun militancy and extremism and adopt the path of socioeconomic uplift. The second is for the West, and the United States in particular, to seek to resolve all political disputes with justice and aid for the socioeconomic betterment of the deprived Muslim world.” The General’s domestic agenda included a cultural liberalisation — pop and rock concerts, fashion shows and the celebration of art and culture became routine. Musharraf himself jumped onto the stage at a 2001 concert held in Karachi.

Alas, Pakistan’s soft face became mutilated by stories of assassinations, suicide bombings and the elephant in the room, the military dictator himself. Those with an intense distaste for Malala’s status as a ‘roving ambassador’ believe that her claim to fame affirms all of these things about Pakistan. I disagree.

While the circumstances in which Malala rose to prominence are unfortunate, her campaign is against a very vocal and radical minority, not against Pakistan itself; her detractors need to recognise this and come to terms with the fact that the schoolgirl is here to stay. As Pakistanis and believers in peace, we should stand by her and not worry about a supposed loss of credibility in the world’s eyes.

When Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy won the Academy Award for Saving Face in 2012, there was nothing but applause for the Oscar winner. Malala’s detractors — those who fear our reputation will somehow become tainted by the idea of bringing to light the threat of the Taliban to our stability — probably didn’t realise that a documentary on acid attack victims could have the same effect. Regardless, Obaid-Chinoy’s win is something that I, as a Pakistani, will continue to be proud of, just as I am proud of Malala’s struggle for education in a part of the world that is still dealing with the gaping wound of intolerance and radicalisation. While she may only be afraid of ghosts, this gaping wound is a genuine fear for the majority of Pakistanis.

Through Malala’s courage and determination, may we find the ability to stand upright once again, to show the world that the narrative of our nation is not one of oppression and cruelty; may we then be recognised and applauded for something other than exposes on acid attack victims, or shot schoolgirls campaigning for basic human rights.

Pakistan : Congratulations Malala Yusufzai

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/

Malala Yusufzai is a star of rare talent and humility. Her straightforward views and honest courage are a refreshing and important addition to the world stage, where she has proved to be an accomplished performer. Already she sounds more mature, lucid and intelligent than many Pakistani political leaders and representatives. She has added something invaluable and almost unquantifiable to the global discourse on Pakistan — a directness of purpose many thought lost — and has made women’s education not only her priority but through her a global priority. She continued to speak for her rights when faced with death and even after the Taliban put a bullet in her head, which she narrowly survived. She refused to become a victim of violence and instead became an even stronger voice for the causes she supports. These were among many reasons she was awarded the 2014 Nobel Peace Prize on Friday, sharing it with Indian child rights activist Kailash Satyarthi. Malala was tipped for the Prize before but taken together with a veteran Indian activist with shared aspirations, the decision was broader than one person. Satyarthi has worked to end bonded and child labour for thirty years in India yet this pairing does not seem unnatural. Malala and Satyarthi appear synonymous with the struggle of people in India and Pakistan for their rights and the rights of others. Satyarthi’s quiet labour and Malala’s shining defiance complement each other in the interests of peace, and that of course is what the Peace Prize is about. A man and a woman, Indian and Pakistani, Hindu and Muslim, older person and child: these differences seem irrelevant in light of the spirit that drives them. Say what one will about Barack Obama’s 2009 award, one cannot fault the Nobel committee this year.

Not only has Malala spoken and written prolifically about her experiences and the need to promote education in Pakistan, her presence has grown and she has charmed and impressed people who are giants in their fields. Her acceptance speech, delivered with the same humility that has endeared her to millions, showed how quickly she has learnt the importance of events like the Nobel Prize ceremony and how they can be used to bring together world leaders. Saying that she had spoken to her Indian counterpart, Malala used the opportunity to invite the Pakistani and Indian Prime Ministers to attend the ceremony in Stockholm on December 10 and find ways to lower tensions between the two countries.

Malala reportedly received the news while sitting in her chemistry class. One can imagine the excitement of a 17-year-old girl in this situation, which reminds us that the award is a huge burden for one so young. It is an affirmation not of her past but of her future and she will need the support of Pakistanis to carry it. Many are willing, particularly girls from poor families for whom Malala has become an example of what is possible. One would expect every Pakistani woman to appreciate Malala’s struggle but many do not. Conspiracy theorists say she is a foreign ‘agent’ or dismiss her as part of a public relations campaign. How terrible that the sense of oppression has created the habit of lethargy. More women should recognise that Malala has pioneered a path for them to progress. She has brought global attention to the cause of Pakistani women. Educating Pakistani girls has become a primary development focus. Women’s rights and empowerment have become powerful ideas in Pakistan. This is an opportunity for Pakistani women to grasp and work together to fight for their rights. Some assert that the Nobel Prize does not matter. However, the Nobel Prize is important. In scientific and intellectual circles it is a sign of which issues are seen as the most important, of who to watch for as much as who to praise, and as an endorsement of purpose. Despite the criticism, Malala remains firmly Pakistani, and owns this country as her home. We must strive to make it a place she can return to without fear.

PPP Human Rights Central Cell congratulates Malala Yusofzai on winning the Prestigious Nobel Award

http://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/

PPP Human Rights Central Cell congratulates Malala Yusofzai on winning the Prestigious Nobel Award for her exemplary and courageous work on promotion of education for girls.

“Malala, you are 17, and you may be the youngest girl to receive the Nobel award but you are the bravest daughter of Pakistan and indeed the world for you have braved bullets but continued to stand up for what is right and what is a right: education.” Says Dr Nafisa Shah Central Coordinator PPP Central Cell.

“You have fought with extremism like no other, using the most peaceful means -education-and therefore you have inspired the whole world. Pakistan is proud of you, all the girls and boys who want to go to school but are deprived will follow your example for all times to come. ” she added.

Indeed, education is the most powerful weapon against violence, militancy and extremism, that is what this 17teen year old has taught the world. Hope that all of us back home while celebrating the award, take a lesson from Malala’s vision and help the millions of girls and boys who are out of school to get education. “