Michelle Obama Just Gave The Best Life Advice For The Trump Era

By Lindsay Holmes

A mental health expert breaks down how effective her tips are.

If you’re like most humans, the current political climate has caused you some excess anxiety or tension. Recent research shows that the majority of Americans are stressed about the future of the nationand even relationships with loved ones are feeling the strain.

Michelle Obama is here to offer some guidance on how to deal with it all ― and her advice is pretty spot on.

The former first lady spoke at the Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts in Hartford, Connecticut, this week, where she offered some suggestions on how to survive chaotic times, the Hartford Courant reports.

“Focus on what you can control,’’ Obama advised the audience. “Be a good person every day. Vote. Read. Treat one another kindly. Follow the law. Don’t tweet nasty stuff.”

Norah O'Donnell 

✔@NorahODonnell

.@MichelleObama: "Focus on what you can control. Be a good person every day. Vote. Read. Treat one another kindly. Follow the law. Don't tweet nasty stuff.” http://cour.at/2mzu0aJ 

8:28 AM - Nov 17, 2017

Michelle Obama Offers Coping Techniques For Turbulent Times During Talk At The Bushnell

Ten months after leaving the White House, former first lady Michelle Obama offered advice on how to live in the Trump era to a packed house at The Bushnell Center for the Performing Arts.

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Pretty sage wisdom, right? But does it actually work?

We examined stress research and chatted with a mental health expert about Obama’s tips. Below is a breakdown on their effectiveness when it comes to dealing with tough times:

1. “Focus on what you can control.”

Current events can feel incredibly overwhelming, according to Dan Reidenberg, executive director of Suicide Awareness Voices of Education and chair of the American Psychotherapy Association. Looking at everything that is out of your hands can cause anxiety.

Focusing on what you can do helps, Reidenberg told HuffPost. That includes limiting your exposure to the news cycle and participating in activities that bring you joy.

Filtering out the unhappy, angry, chaotic, stressful, dark headlines and maintaining a healthy balance between the challenges and the good things “will allow you to feel in control of your life rather than feeling life is controlling you,” he said.

2. “Be a good person every day.”

This has long been go-to advice when it comes to improving mental health. It applies to how you deal with yourself as well as how you behave toward others.

Being good to yourself and to others “will increase your self-worth, self-esteem, self-confidence and your sense of pride,” Reidenberg said.

3. “Vote.”

Therapists say their clients are reporting feeling helpless more often since the election. An antidote to that? Taking action. Voting in elections and getting involved on issues that are important to you are tangible ways to ease politically related stress, according to the American Psychological Association.

4. “Read.”

Reading about what’s going on in the world and staying updated can help you feel in touch. It’s a method even some experts use to ease their own stress over politics.

“My personal approach is to stay immersed in the news cycle, hoping for some shred of encouragement or at least consolation from hearing my views shared by others,” Susan Krauss Whitbourne, a professor of psychological and brain sciences at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst, previously told HuffPost.

But if following the news is causing you to feel uneasy, other kinds of reading can help with that. A study published in 2009 found that getting lost in a good book can be one of the most effective ways to reduce stress, sometimes even better than listening to music or enjoying a cup of tea.

5. “Treat one another kindly.”

Research shows that being kind to another person not only improves that person’s mood; it can boost your happiness levels too. Looking for ways to spread a little kindness? Try one of these. 

6. “Follow the law.”

This one seems pretty obvious, no? Laws are needed for a well-functioning society. But Reidenberg said it’s worth keeping in mind for your mental health as well. Having a set of rules to follow can help enhance your feelings of control.

7. “Don’t tweet nasty stuff.”

This is perhaps one of the most vital rules to follow today.

“Sharing of negative thoughts and feelings isn’t helpful to anyone,” Reidenberg said. “By speaking poorly of others you aren’t helping anyone, and you are contributing to the angst so many people are feeling right now. And when there is a lot of this coming from every direction, the ugliness can contribute to anxiety and stress.”

Obama also added one final piece of wisdom, which she said is worth heeding no matter who is president.

“The impact of all of us in our everyday lives is greater than anything ... that can come from the White House,” she said.

Consider it noted.

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Video - Report about Women Harassment in Afghanistan

په فاټا کې د انټرنيټ ازادي او ګواښونه

د امريکا څېړېنيزه اداره فريډم هاوس په خپل کلني راپور کې پاکستان د شپږم کال لپاره هم په هغو هېوادونو کې شامل کړی چې پکې د انټرنيت ازادي نشته. دا څېړنه ډېجيټل رايټس فاونډېشن او فريډم هاوس په ګډه کړې چې پکې د ۲۰۱۶ م او ۲۰۱۷ کال په موده کې د انټرنيټ ازادۍ په برخه کې شويو پرمختګونو جاج اخستل شوی دی. په راپور کې په۶۵ هېوادونو کې د انټرنيټ ازادۍ جاج اخستل شوی دی. د پاکستان په اړه د راغونډو شويو مالوماتو پر اساس هلته د ریاست په کچه د انټرنيټ استعمالونکو له حقونو سرغړونې، انټرنيټ ازادۍ او د سنسر شپ عملي کېدو جاج اخستل شوی دی. که څه هم دا راپور د پاکستان په کچه دی خو د مشال تر رڼا لاندې بحث کې په قبايلي سيمو کې د انټرنيټ د ازادۍ او هلته استعمالونکيو ته ور وړاندي ګواښونو جاج اخستل شوی دی. په اسلام اباد کې د انټرنيټ ازادۍ لپاره د غير حکومتي ادارې (( بولو بهی)) مشر اسامه خلجي او د فاټا ځوانانو جرګې مشر نظام الدين خان د بحث مېلمانه دي.

د پښتونخوا ماشومان غزایي کمي لري

Pakistan - FATA’s wounds

By Afrasiab Khattak

The news about unannounced military operation in the Masood area of South Waziristan came in bits and pieces in second week of November as the government was secretive about it. But the news could not be kept secret as 1100 plus families of Shabi Khel sub tribe of Masood from Shaktoi, Small and Bobarh villages of Ladha subdivision were asked on an extremely short notice on November 3 to vacate the area. Thousands of women, children and men had to walk for two days in mountains towards Bakakhel in Bannu district. They were herded into the IDP camp which had been originally established in 2014 for IDPs from North Waziristan during Operation Zarb-e-Azb. The area of Shabi Khel Masood in Ladha subdivision is at some distance from the Durand Line. So why this sudden and dramatic eviction of thousands of people from this area? But more mind boggling was the treatment meted out to the IDPs. After two days of excruciating journey the male population was separated from their women and children and for a while they could not meet each other in Bakakhel. The Masoods brought to Bakakhel were simple IDPs but they were treated like prisoners of war. Media and civil society representatives weren’t allowed to visit the camp. Initially FATA Secretariat and the Governor’s House remained mum but later they grudgingly accepted the arrival of “some 200 plus Masood families” in Bakakhel Camp. Unfortunately FATA remains a black hole even after dozens of big and small military operations in the last 15 years and there have been no investigation into the complaints of serious human rights violations during these operations. There is no civilian oversight of military operations in FATA.

Contradictory and confusing news have been emerging from FATA during the current year. On the one hand a bill for amending the Constitution was introduced in the Parliament to pave ground for reforms in FATA in May but on the other hand numerous reports from the area about terror attacks and military action also appeared in media. Operation Khyber 4 was a high profile affair as aerial bombardment and the use of heavy artillery was part of the military action. The peaks of Rajgal mountain in Tirah Valley of Khyber Agency were reported to have been cleared from terrorists connected with the so called Islamic State. Actually the IS operating in eastern Afghanistan is mostly manned by former TTP fighters who actually belong to FATA and still have widespread connotations with the networks on Pakistani side of the border. Pakistani mentors of Afghan Taliban are at pains to explain the distinction between TTP and Afghan Taliban. But fact of the matter is that they are two sides of the same coin. TTP fighters have always pledged allegiance to every new Amir of the Afghan Taliban and without support from their Afghan comrades they would never have been able to maintain their bases on the Afghan side of the border. It’s simply reciprocal. Afghan Taliban also operate from Pakistani side.

Reports about attacks and clashes have also been emerging from Bajour, Moomand and Waziristan. Clamping prolonged curfews on the aforementioned political agencies has become a routine affair. In North Waziristan the Sunday curfew has continued for years. Many of the old IDPs are still waiting for their return to and rehabilitation in their own areas while the fresh fighting is displacing many more people. Unfortunately they are simple statistics for the officialdom. The most “ creative “ thing that the civil and military authorities could think about the large scale displacement in the area was to change the term IDP to TDP ( temporarily displaced persons) so that the effected people wouldn’t be able to claim certain rights under international humanitarian laws. Wasn’t it absurd that the authorities organized a grand cricket match in Miran Shah to showcase the “normalcy” in the area? Does the appearance of the footprint of the so called IS herald normalcy? Instead of stupid publicity gimmicks FATA needs serious change in the misguided policies. Currently FATA is hostage to Pakistan’s Afghan Policy. As long as the country’s security establishment supports Taliban’s war against Afghan state it will continue to use FATA as a launching pad. Put in simple words that means that the decades old war will continue to rage in FATA. This is a situation which can’t be changed without revisiting Pakistan’s bankrupt Afghan policy designed and executed by the security tsars of the country.

Part of the foreign aid coming to Pakistan in billions of dollars over the last many years was supposed to go to the reconstruction of the war ravaged area and uplift of common man’s life in FATA. But incidence of poverty is highest in FATA compared to any other region of the country. According to the figures released by Planning Commission of Pakistan in 2016, 40 percent Pakistanis live in poverty but in FATA this figure is 73.7 percent, close to double of the national average. Now this figure is surely rising as according to experts the frequent blockade of Torkham and Spin Boldak and drastic decrease in the trade with Afghanistan is going to hit about seven hundred thousands households in the border area. No one has evaluated the impact of dropping of trade with Afghanistan on Pakistani economy in general and on Pashtun economy in particular. Contraction of regular trade with Afghanistan practically means that after this the only major economic activity in the region will be drug trade and gun running which obviously boosts terrorism. Isn’t it a recipe for disaster particularly when it is seen in the context of growing regional tensions? But who cares as long as the policy is to use the strategic space for not so Great Games and give a damn to the fate of millions of Pashtuns living there. Even then the myopia of the Punjabi civil and military bureaucracy ruling Pakistan is flabbergasting. Every time that the hell has been raised in Pakhtunkhwa by adventurist policies, it has always reached Punjab and the rest of Pakistan. And it’s not going to be any different this time round.

Pakistan - Who controls Wana?

After the loss of 148 innocent lives at Peshawar’s Army Public School (APS) in 2014, the leadership assured us that it was finally clear on the identity of the country’s public enemy no1. A series of military operations with fancy titles got underway in Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA), and these gradually expanded to settled areas well.

Only in Operation Zarb-e-Azb, we lost more than 500 military men as around 5,000 were left with injuries. The most recent operation — Raddul Fassad — is still underway in Khyber Agency. The cost of these operations to the national exchequer has been in billions of rupees. But the true cost needs to factor in the hardship caused to the people of affected areas as well as the sufferings of those hit in various terrorist attacks.

On countless occasions, the country’s leadership has claimed success for these military operations, saying that thousands of square miles of territory along the Pak-Afghan region have been cleared. Despite all these assurances, we have been told this week that pamphlets are circulating in the administrative headquarters of the South Waziristan Agency (SWA) with a note that stands for the worldview we have battled for all these years. These pamphlets have been endorsed by a committee headed by a person associated with late Taliban leaders Molvi Muhammad Nazir and Nek Muhammad. The note directs residents to avoid cultural and social activities and restricts movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family. Violators have been warned of repercussions.

The circulation of these pamphlets gives the impression that as our soldiers were busy clearing territory in remote regions, the leadership remained oblivious to the presence of the foremost public enemy only a few miles from their administrative base. This puts a question mark on claims that no distinctions will be made among militants. Have these individuals not been disarmed because of the ‘pro-government’ image of their predecessors?

The SWA administration says that there isn’t much to worry as the pamphlets were distributed by a handful of individuals with ‘criminal mindsets’. It says action will be taken, but under what law? There is widespread agreement among the political leadership of the country — not to mention voices from within the region — that the FCR has to go away and the country’s constitution has to be extended to tribal areas. The FCR is a draconian code introduced by a colonial power to control the region and deny its people their liberty and free will. It does not belong in 2017 or in a country that aspires to uphold republic values enshrined in its constitution.

The ongoing deadlock over FATA’s merger with Khyber Pukhtunkhwa needs to end. The political leadership must resolve differences among themselves and proceed with the extension of the constitution and the governing framework delineated in it to tribal areas. Mainstreaming FATA — rather than mainstreaming militants — has to be among the most pressing of our concerns. 

PPP hopes for PML-N support on ‘anti-Nawaz’ legislation

The Pakistan People's Party is hopeful that the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz will support its bill to restrict elevation of a disqualified person as the party head – a move designed to remove ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif as party chief.

Senior PPP leader Aitzaz Ahsan said the PPP was in talks with the PML-N to supportthe Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017 – passed recently by the Senate.

“Our parliamentary party in the National Assembly is in contact with the PML-N to seek their support . Without their backing, we are obviously not in a position [numerically] to get the bill passed,” he told The Nation. Ahsan, who is the opposition leader in the Senate, said the “PML-N should support” the bill as it was in the interest of the nation. The PPP stalwart said elevating a disqualified person as the party chief was illogical. “We are against person-specific legislation and the PML-N has done exactly that to elect Nawaz Sharif as the PML-N president,” he said. Hours earlier, PPP leader Syed Naveed Qamar was quoted by a television channel as saying that PPP may consider to quit the National Assembly, if the PML-N created hurdles in the way of Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017.

Qamar said the PPP had so far not considered resignations but if the government did not allow tabling the bill, they could resign. Last month, the Senate passed with majority “The Elections (Amendment) Bill 2017” to remove Nawaz Sharif as the PML-N head. Sharif was disqualified as the premier in July by the Supreme Court but later returned as the PML-N chief after his party bulldozed a law allowing all citizens to become member of a party or head it. The PML-N has a majority in the National Assembly and will easily reject the amendment proposed by the PPP . The opposition has majority in the Senate but the PML-N had rushed the Bill through the Upper House taking advantage of some opposition members’ absence.

Senator Farhatullah Babar, another PPP leader, told The Nation that the opposition parties also planned to benefit from the habitual absenteeism of the treasury benches in the National Assembly. “We really want this law to be passed. This is not a pressure tactics at all. We want to correct a mistake. The government passed the Bill in the Senate when the opposition members were absent, we will do the same. There is a quorum issue in the National Assembly daily,” he said. Former prime minister Nawaz Sharif and his successor Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, who himself is a regular absentee, failed to ensure their party lawmakers to attend the National Assembly proceedings during the last four years. For the last many months, the government has been facing embarrassments as habitual absentees have caused quorum issues on a number of occasions.

Sharif had even conveyed it to the lawmakers that those skipping the proceedings regularly might not be awarded party tickets in the general elections, due next year.

Even this warning failed.

Senator Babar said the PML-N had passed a person-specific law but the PPP was seeking to amend this for the sake of democracy. “Our point is rational. A disqualified person should not lead a party,” he added.

The lawmaker said the PPP had not considered resigning from the National Assembly so far. “We are aiming to pass the bill but until the law is there, Nawaz Sharif can lead the PML-N. He can only be removed if the law is amended,” Babar said.

http://nation.com.pk/18-Nov-2017/ppp-hopes-for-pml-n-support-on-anti-nawaz-legislation

#Pakistan - #PPP to celebrate its Golden Jubilee in Islamabad with great pomp and show

President Peoples Youth Organization Sindh Javed Nayab Laghari has said that Pakistan Peoples Party rendered matchless sacrifices for the restoration of democracy in the country. 

He expressed his views while addressing in a reception arranged by PYO Korangi. He further said that PPP is going to complete its 50 years and they will celebrate its Golden Jubilee Celebrations in Islamabad on 5th December 2017.

http://www.thesindhtimes.com/sindh/ppp-celebrate-golden-jubilee-islamabad-great-pomp-show-javed-nayab-laghari/

Pakistan - Imran Niazi is protecting criminals of Dera Ismail Khan

President Pakistan Peoples Party Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Humayun Khan has said that Imran Niazi is a hurdle in justice to the innocent girl of Dera Ismail Khan.

Humayun Khan reacting to the video speech of Imran Niazi said that PTI leader has the right to deal with his party’s issues but he does not have the right to protect criminals who were responsible of shameful incident of Dera Islail Khan in which a young girl was appallingly insulted. Imran Niazi neither sympathized with the victim and her family nor ordered an inquiry into this dreadful incident. Humayun Khan said that Imran Niazi has been exposed.

Pakistan Peoples Party is with the victim and her family whereas Imran Niazi does not care what happens to the people of KP because he has mineral resources of KP as his target, Humayun Khan concluded.

https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2017/11/18/imran-niazi-is-protecting-criminals-of-dera-ismail-khan/

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Music - Zinda (Soch band) Full Song From #Verna 2017 LollywoodFilm

‘#Verna’ finally hits big screens in Pakistan without cuts Listen

The wait is over as fans can watch Mahira Khan starrer, Verna, on the big screen as it finally graced cinemas across the country on Friday.

The excitement spread across the country on the release of superstar Mahira Khan’s Verna as her euphoric fans were waiting out at the cinema halls before it hit the screens in Pakistan.

Shoaib Mansoor’s Verna will surely take society forward and people seem to love as it has been cleared by the Central Board Film Censors (CBFC) after a temporary ban, the film appeared as controversy magnet and was revisited and reviewed by the board before releasing without slashing any scene.

Though the film is all about crimes against women, and it seems to be a pro-democracy, yet it was temporarily banned on the basis of 'mature content' and presenting politicians of the country in a 'negative light'.

The movie crew is thankful that despite of all the hurdles, the movie is being premiered in all cinemas without any censored scenes.

Central Board of Film Censors Chairman Mubashir Hasan confirmed that the CBFC has passed Verna "without any cuts or mutes".

Movie-goers seemed satisfied, with smiles plastered over their faces as they walked out of the first Verna screening in Karachi.

The star cast includes Mahira Khan, Haroon Shahid and Zarar Khan.

Zarar khan, in an exclusive interview revealed that the cast and crew of Verna have heaved a sigh of relief after it is released without any cuts nationwide. "I am excited to see how fans will react to my first debut movie."

When asked how the entire of experience of working with Verna was, he said " Mahira is extremely sweet to work with and we had a great on-set chemistry which made work easy. " Shoaib Mansoor is an amazing director too. He lets you be flexible and encourages you to be comfortable in your own skin. I was nervous initially but his assurance and belief in me brought out the best in me."

Of course, this isn't the first time that Shoaib Mansoor has come up with a social issue theme for his movie and cinema-lovers are excited about what he has to offer this time in Verna. We are positively hoping for a movie that will leave long-lasting positive imprint on the minds of its audience as that influencing change is the job of art and it is exactly what Verna has aimed for.

'Rape is a rampant issue'; taboo drama #Verna battles the censors in Pakistan

By Alia Waheed

Rejected for its ‘edgy content’, Shoaib Mansoor’s timely revenge thriller has finally made it into cinemas after a public backlash. Is the country’s film industry ready for change?

In recent years, Pakistan has seen a huge resurgence of its film industry, which has emerged from the shadow of Bollywood to find its own identity, one at the forefront of the battle between a growing conservatism in the country and an emboldened youth hungry for change. There’s a notable trend towards female-led narratives, which are not only setting new standards in storytelling, but also challenging taboos around the treatment of women in society.

The battle to get the voices and experiences of women on screen achieved a much-needed victory this week when the Pakistani censor board backed down over a decision to ban a new film about the injustices faced by rape victims in the country – a development that shows that Pakistan might be ready for change both on screen and off.

Verna, which stars popular actor Mahira Khan, was originally denied a certificate by the Central Board of Film Censors (CBFC) because of its “mature themes” and “edgy content”. This caused an outcry among women’s rights campaigners, who accused board members of censoring women’s voices and putting their heads in the sand at a time when, says Gulalai Ismail from the campaigning NGO Aware Girls, “rape is a rampant issue in Pakistan” and “movies like Verna are crucial in moving society forward.”

Soon the ban had inspired a Twitter campaign under the hashtag #UnbanVerna, which emerged as Pakistan’s own #MeToo movement. High-profile supporters of the film included xXx: Return of Xander Cage star Deepika Padukone, who is facing a similar backlash over her latest Bollywood film, Padmavati, based on a 16th-century poem about a mythical Indian queen.

Just hours before Verna was due for release, the censor board cleared it for viewing. The publicity around the ban meant that most cinemas were sold out before the decision had been made – something unheard of for a home production, many of which are usually dwarfed by the latest Marvel adaptation or Bollywood blockbuster.

The film is a stylised thriller drawing on elements of film noir and Japanese cinema, with a plot that falls somewhere between the 1998 Jodie Foster drama The Accused and the revenge horror Audition. Khan plays Sara, a teacher who is abducted while out on an anniversary trip with her husband, then held captive and raped for three days. After failing to get any redress from the justice system, Sara takes matters into her own hands.

However, despite its genre flourishes, the film also holds a mirror up to society’s shortcomings in its attitude to rape, and the failure of the justice system to protect victims: in one telling scene, a female doctor makes Sara wait for her forensic examination until after lunch, then tells her between mouthfuls that the chances of her getting justice are negligible.

“It is ultimately a revenge film about a girl seeking justice,” says Khan. “The character is not how society would envisage a rape victim to be. She is strong, very urban, educated and feisty. This is a woman who doesn’t feel sorry for herself. It was a very challenging role to play as we didn’t want the audience to feel sorry for her, but to root for her, while at the same time acknowledging that what she went through was horrific.

“We wanted to show how the honour of a woman is connected to everyone except herself. Her honour belongs to the man of the house, her parents, her country, everyone apart from her, yet she is responsible for it. In our culture, when a woman is raped, we say she was robbed of her honour. If a woman is raped, she has not been robbed of her honour, it is the rapist who has for doing such a crime. The film reflects the gender and power dynamics this hypocrisy creates.”

The lifting of the ban has been a major breakthrough for an industry that has suffered decades of decline, caught in a vicious circle of under-investment and censorship perpetuated by the sudden swerve towards religious conservatism under General Zia in the 1970s. In the last 15 years, however, the film scene has undergone something of a resurgence, with a new generation of directors keen to establish a cinematic identity distinct from that of Bollywood.

Heading this cultural revival has been Verna director Shoaib Mansoor, whose first two films, Bol, about a religious family with a transgender daughter, and Khuda Ke Liye, which deals with the repercussions of 9/11 on the Pakistani diaspora, were well received on the international festival circuit. While Khan welcomes the decision to allow her latest film to be shown, she says she hopes the CBFC will start to take a more liberal stance on future films in order to encourage the industry to thrive.

Mahira Khan 

✔@TheMahiraKhan

Thank you to all those who supported #verna - the people, the media, those at the censor board.. thank you so much! Hoping for Punjab to clear Verna today as well.

5:18 AM - Nov 17, 2017

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“The medium of art is to express different aspects of the human experience, so why try to stifle [it]?” she says. “The industry is finally coming into its own, so it’s important for this film to be seen, because if it can change even the mindset of one person, this can be enough to start a change in society.”

The surge of support for Verna is particularly pertinent in the light of the #MeToo campaign, which has seen a growing confidence among women to speak out on these issues. “#MeToo was very important,” Khan says. “It shows that it takes just one brave person to speak out and that gives strength to another person and another person, and creates a domino effect and creates a movement.

“It is a similar message in the film. It’s not just about sex or rape, it is about one person having power over another and how people misuse that power – and the only way to break the dynamics of power is when you are brave enough to speak up about it.”

Bilawal Bhutto to attend 2nd death anniversary of Makhdoom Amin Fahim on Nov 20

The second death anniversary of veteran politician and senior Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim will be observed on 20th November in Hala. 

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and other senior politicians will attend the anniversary programme. The anniversary programme will be held at Makhdoom Talib-ul-Mola Law College Hala. 

Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, CM Sindh Syed Murad ali shah and MNA Faryal Talpur will also attend the programme. Makhdoom Amin Fahim held the slot of Pakistan Peoples Party-Parliamentarians when he died in Karachi last year after long illness.

http://www.thesindhtimes.com/sindh/bilawal-bhutto-attend-2nd-death-anniversary-makhdoom-amin-fahim-nov-20/

Bilawal Bhutto appreciates services of Dr Asim Hussain for PPP

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has appreciated the services of Dr Asim Hussain for the Party.

“Dr Asim Hussain worked dedicatedly for PPP as Karachi Division President despite poor health deteriorated during his incarceration,” PPP Chairman said in a statement.

Bilawal Bhutto Zardari stated that after completion of treatment abroad Dr Asim Hussain will be given new and important assignment upon his return to utilize his services for the Party.




http://www.thesindhtimes.com/sindh/bilawal-bhutto-appreciates-services-dr-asim-hussain-ppp/

Pakistan - #VERNA - Film censorship

THERE is no shortage of text in Pakistan’s rulebooks that can arbitrarily be used to try and control information, even hijack narrative.

From vague clauses about the ‘national interest’ to directives about how ‘institutions’ can be discussed, these are often brought into play to mask what are attempts at outright censorship. It is especially cultural narrative that finds itself in the cross hairs of a myopic bureaucracy with an unnecessarily thin skin.

The latest example of this is the Shoaib Mansoor film Verna, which on Tuesday was banned by the Central Board of Film Censors in Islamabad.

While such a decision is not considered binding on all the provinces, given that the subject has been devolved, and Punjab and Sindh have their own, independently functioning censor boards, the fact is that such pressure from the centre can — and does — have an effect. From various quarters, the vow came that the film would be allowed to play.

While a full board meeting of the CBFC last night apparently decided to revoke the ban, the movie can only be screened with cuts, another name for censorship.

In any movie, if certain scenes are not suitable for audiences of a given age, screening certificates carry an age-advisory clause.

However, the greater question here is, what can there be in narrative fiction, created and produced for mass distribution in a country such as Pakistan (the cultural likes and dislikes of which are well known), that lead to efforts to censor and restrict; fiction by definition lies in the realm of the imagination.

Those in positions of administrative power in Pakistan like to delude themselves that it is their responsibility to decide what citizens may or may not consider suitable, and take decisions accordingly.

In truth, the people have the right to vote with their feet; it ought to be up to them to decide.

https://www.dawn.com/news/1370788/film-censorship

#Pakistan - Verna Ban

Mahira Khan starrer Verna by Shoaib Mansoor, after being approved by Sindh and Punjab censor boards has been banned by the Islamabad Censor Board. The film was due to be released on November 17 but is now pending a full body review to be able to be released in cinemas across Pakistan. Islamabad Censor Board has listed a couple of reasons why the body deems it inappropriate for audiences in Pakistan.

The reasons for this ban are irrational to say the least and antithetic to the purpose of art at worst. The first is that it deals very boldly with the topic of rape in the country. The second reason is that the accused in the film, or rather the rapist, is the son of the Prime Minister.

The reason for both decisions by the filmmakers is intended to display the power dynamics at play as well, which make it difficult for victims of get justice.

Both the reasons seem very petty considering that the issue of rape is very rampant in Pakistan. According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), an incident of rape occurs every two hours and an innocent victim is gang-raped every four to eight days. It must be addressed along with the power dynamics which prevent justice.

The drama Udaari, discussing child abuse, was also object to in the same manner. Same was the case with the documentary about Lal Masjid, called Among the Believers. We always tend to shy away from the camera portraying the evils in the society.

These social issues are certainly taboo and controversial, which is why discussion on these subjects is absent in the society. However, that does not mean that bold issues should not be dealt with because of lack of discourse. Art has always been the medium which helps stretch boundaries of individuals. If you look at Zia’s dictatorial regime, art was the medium used to convey sentiments of resistance - art cannot be snubbed because it adds to the progress of the society.

http://nation.com.pk/16-Nov-2017/verna-ban

Pakistan - Bilawal Bhutto rules out early elections

Bilawal Bhutto has ruled out the possibility of early elections, saying that elections will be held well on its due time. He said that rumours like national government were equally popular during the PPP government. Bilawal said PPP had written history by transferring power to a civilian government. He was talking to media persons during his visit to PPP worker Dilawar Butt and renowned columnist Munnoo Bhai. He inquired about the health of both of them and termed party workers as an asset to the party.

He said the PPP is of the view that PML-N made census controversial. People from Karachi to FATA are objecting to it. PML-N is responsible for constitutional crisis in the country and we have decided to swallow bitter spill in the larger interest of democracy. According to him, two different methods have been adopted to pursue NAB cases against PML-N and PPP. We are ready for accountability but Nawaz Sharif and Capt. Safdar (retd) are being treated differently from Sharjeel Memon. "I demand equal treatment with all irrespective of PML-N, PPP or PTI," he added.

He said names of two former prime ministers of PPP are yet in the Exit Control List. He said he respects Maulana Fazl-ur-Rehman but Maulana has stretched himself too far in support of Nawaz Sharif. Maulana should defend his own party instead of PML-N, he advised. He ruled out any possibility of meeting with Nawaz Sharif in near future.

https://fp.brecorder.com/2017/11/20171116235386/

On #InternationalToleranceDay, Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari terms PPP as second name of tolerance in #Pakistan

Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has said that intolerance was breeding violence and stressed that tolerance should be promoted for a better society.

In his message on the occasion of International Day for Tolerance observed on Thursday under the aegis of the United Nation, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari said that PPP was in fact a second name of tolerance and patience in Pakistan.

He said his Party faced violence, injustices, hangings, lashes and the worst media trial in the history but its leadership and workers always remained harbingers of tolerance.

The PPP Chairman pledged that promoting and encouraging tolerance will remain part of the Party mission and asked other political parties to follow the footsteps of PPP and play their role in creating a tolerant and harmonious society in the country.

https://mediacellppp.wordpress.com/2017/11/16/on-internationaltoleranceday-chairman-bilawal-bhutto-zardari-terms-ppp-as-second-name-of-tolerance-in-pakistan/

Pakistan - Taliban makes a comeback in South Waziristan

A Taliban faction has made a comeback to Wana, the headquarters of South Waziristan tribal region, imposing a ban on cultural and social activities and restricting the movement of women outside their homes without male members of their family, a local daily reported on Wednesday.



Following the 2009 military operation against Mullah Fazlullah-led Taliban in the northwestern Swat region of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province (then known as North West Frontier Province), then Army Chief Ashfaq Pervez Kayani had launched an offensive in South Waziristan and had cleared it from control of militants.



In recent days, according to Dawn, the Taliban imposed its strict version of Islam under the guise of peace committee in South Waziristan. The committee is headed by Salahuddin alias Ayubi, a successor of Mullah Muhammad Nazir, an influential Taliban leader who was killed along with his 10 associates in a US drone strike in the Birmil area of South Waziristan Agency in January 2013.

"The so-called peace committee has issued tough guidelines through pamphlets in Wana town and warned local people to abide by these rules otherwise violators would face repercussions," the report said, adding the committee has banned music, athan (a traditional dance performed in wedding ceremonies or other festive occasions), and use of narcotics.



The committee's guidelines stated that such activities, which promote immorality or violate Islamic teachings, would not be permitted in the region.

"The movement of women outside their homes has been restricted and they would not be allowed to visit markets and clinics or faith healers without adult male members of their families, including husbands and brothers," the pamphlets said.

Pakistani Taliban had first emerged in 2003 in the South Waziristan Agency, under the leadership of Nek Muhammad Wazir. Talibanisation had then spread to other tribal regions along the Durand Line that Kabul had always refused to recognize as a permanent border with Pakistan. The first US drone strike on Pakistani soil was carried out against Nek Muhammad and he was killed in it. After establishing their writ in tribal regions, the Taliban had moved to parts of adjacent Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, including Swat Dir, Buner and suburbs of Peshawar.

According to the pamphlets, residents are not allowed to stay outside their homes at public places after 10pm. "This step would prevent disturbance and noise in the area," it said.

A leaflet issued by the peace committee claimed that elders and Ulema (clerics) of Karikot, Ghwa Khwa, Shaheen Warsak, Doog, Dabb Koat, Zari Noor and Sherna had agreed to these steps.

A committee comprising elders and clerics has been set up to ensure implementation of the 'code of conduct' and to identify violators of the guidelines. A local cleric, identified as Ameer Ainullah, has been appointed head of the committee.

https://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/taliban-makes-a-comeback-in-south-waziristan/articleshow/61662977.cms