Agony of Pakistani women enslaved by Dubai sex trade

[Srinivas_K]

I will not deny that mullahs play a role in our society but majority by far rejects them and is moderate.
Enough of that already, please stick to the topic.

This is the topic ..... if mullahs have their influence who are directly under Saudi ideology (Wahhabi) and also who do not treat women well ..... how come your govt. and people condemn these acts??

 

[Ray]

That is the typical perception of India regarding Pakistan. Is that what you.people study in academics??

Can you please tell me why religious parties never scored more than 11% votes in any election??

Here is the reason

Who is this elite?
By Ayesha Siddiqa

In recent months, several articles published on these pages have referred to the elite's myopia. A couple of months ago, I happened to attend a meeting at a think-tank where two firebrand speakers — one a young and upcoming analyst and the other an old, experienced, retired diplomat — castigated the stupidity of the elite. I found the conversation interesting because the two making such comments, like the rest of us sitting there, were part of the very elite they criticised. In fact, those who write for The Express Tribune or for other English newspapers are part of the elite too.

This raises a fundamental question about the identity of our elite. Who is Pakistan's elite? Is it the same as in 1947 or has it changed? If so, what is its current shape? Due to lack of quality social science research in this country, we have failed to acknowledge the evolution of the elite.

Popularly, the word 'elite' is used as a derogatory term meaning powerful extortionists controlling the state and its resources. Elite is also considered synonymous with the landowning class. However, it is much more than that. Until the early 1970s, it also consisted of large business groups that came to be referred by Mahbubul Haq during the 1960s as the 22 most influential families. Sociologist and political scientist Hamza Alavi refers to the three classes of Pakistani elite: Feudal landowners, indigenous bourgeoisie and metropolitan capital.

Unfortunately, all this solid research is forgotten and people now have their own definition of what is 'elite'. There is the MQM definition which includes landowners and sugar-mill owners, but excludes business and industry in Karachi. The PML-N's Shahbaz Sharif also warns against the elite by which he means those in the ruling PPP. Then there is Imran Khan's terminology of the decadent elite that comprises all his opponents, but not the big-wigs who work with him. Not to forget the definition of religious parties that mainly includes people with a western-liberal leaning. All these approaches are reductionist and consider socio-economic evolution as a static process. In Pakistan's case, the civil and military bureaucracy has remained politically powerful for at least 33-35 years, which means that other social groups were added to the list.

Pakistan's elite has evolved and also includes the 'new rich' — the upper-middle and the intermediary class (falling between the middle and upper-middle). These new entrants are not distinguished by birth, but by their capacity to generate capital, enter into a partnership with the permanent establishment, manipulate the state — its power and resources — and benefit from foreign capital inflows. This structure also means that birth is a secondary issue. So today, the Altaf Hussain clan, Asif Zardari, Imran Khan, Tariq Aziz, Generals Aslam Beg, Hamid Gul, Pervez Musharraf; entrepreneurs like Malik Riaz; media moghuls like Mir Shakeelur Rehman; stockbrokers like Aqeel Dedhi, or the LeT's Hafiz Saeed and similar other militant leaders are the new elite versus the old such as the Jatois, Bhuttos, Talpurs, Sehgals and the Adamjees, who are now less important. The NGO sector is also part of the new elite.

The access to foreign capital and abundance of black money backed by state power, has added new names to the elite list. In the past four decades or more, individuals and groups have used their position in relation to the traditional power centres and the state to acquire both capital and power. These two elements put them in a position where they can flout law without impunity, or use the state and its resources to extort greater power and influence. The extent of connectivity with the state allows them to enhance their financial worth. For instance, the elite of the development community use their access to the state to draw wealth from foreign donors and also use their association with the donor community to enhance their influence in the state. The process is cyclical.

More important, this elite is interconnected and has taken the shape of a large fraternity of common interests. It is due to the expansion of the elite and its incestuous nature that Pakistan may not see a Tunisia kind of change. The stakeholders might want chaos, but they do not want to upset the gravy train.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 6th, 2011.
Who is this elite? – The Express Tribune

and here is how Pakistan ticks

Our economy's problem: The rich don't pay their taxes

Any chance of progress in Pakistan is contingent on two critical issues: economic recovery and social reform. Every person in Pakistan, be it a high ranking politician or bureaucrat or a person belonging to the middle or lower classes, agrees that the economy—and problems resulting from its degeneration—are a significant cause of the country's woes.

The devastation caused by the recent floods has only added to the economic dilemma. Following this disaster, numerous NGOs and countries around the world have promised aid to Pakistan, but the actual funds received don't come close to the pledges. It seems now that even Pakistan's friends are fed up with the persistent neglect of its own citizens.

Tax evasion: a rich man's crime

People expect Pakistan—as they should—to find ways to help its own citizens. During a recent visit to Pakistan, US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said that the international community can only do so much and urged Pakistan to boost its tax base through meaningful reforms. According to MSNBC, "Clinton said Pakistanis have more resources but the country needs to reform its tax system to strengthen its government."

In September, the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace reported that "Fewer than three million of Pakistan's 175 million citizens pay any income taxes, and the country's tax-to-GDP ratio is only 9 percent." This is one of the lowest tax-to-GDP ratios in the world.

Mohsin Hamid writes in his Dawn News Editorial that in comparison to Pakistan, "Sri Lankans pay 15 per cent of their GDP in taxes, Indians pay 17 per cent, Turks pay 24 per cent, Americans pay 28 per cent and Swedes pay a fat 50 per cent."

The main reason behind Pakistan's low tax-to-GDP ratio is tax evasion by the country's elite. Federal officials, including ministers (even PM Gilani), only pay taxes on their government salaries and not on their personal assets. Although the government promises to take steps toward tax reform, it continues to dodge the issue every chance it gets.

At the recently held US Global Leadership Coalition Conference, Clinton took a tougher stance on this subject: "Countries that will not tax their elites but expect us to come in and help them serve their people are just not going to get the kind of help from us that they have been getting. Pakistan cannot have a tax rate of 9 percent of [gross domestic product] when landowners and all of the other elites do not pay anything, or pay so little it's laughable"¦"

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has threatened to freeze the $11 billion loan that was approved for Pakistan in 2008 until some serious tax reforms are undertaken.

Taking from the poor, giving to the rich

What all of this boils down to is that serious reforms are in order. It is an embarrassment that we continue to beg others to come to our help when the solution is available within our own borders. As a solution to this economic crisis, President Zardari has proposed a one-time tax. Naturally, his proposal sparked an outcry all over Pakistan as it was perceived to be another opportunity to rob the middle and lower classes, while handing the ruling elite a free pass.

Zardari chooses to ignore the fact that unless the entire tax structure is reformed, Pakistan will continue raking in debt and will be unable to meet the demands of its citizens. While Zardari and the PPP are not finding any success, a more promising effort toward reform has been undertaken by another element of the Pakistani government.

MQM helps with land reforms

Recently, the Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), a coalition partner of the PPP-led government, submitted the Redistributive Land Reforms Bill in the National Assembly. Land reform is a major potential contributor to tax reform. The bill proposed by MQM aims to "reduce the wide disparity of income and opportunity between the rich landlords and the poor tillers of the soils"¦"

According to the World Bank, "More than two-thirds of Pakistanis live in rural areas, of which about 68 percent are employed in agriculture (40 percent of the total labor force)." Due to inequality in land distribution, there is a wide gap between landlords and peasants. Approximately 2 percent of households control 45 percent of the land. If implemented, the new bill will establish a limit on family holdings of irrigated land at 36 acres and 54 acres of arid land. Furthermore, the bill calls for the resumption and redistribution of all excess land amongst its landless cultivators, landless tenants, and small land-owners by the government, while also compensating the previous land owners.

Although many years have passed since it has been on the parliament's agenda, land reform is not a new issue. Land reforms first emerged on the scene in 1959 during the military dictatorship of Ayub Khan, followed by a campaign led by Z A Bhutto in 1972 and 1977. When General Ziaul Haq ended Bhutto's regime, the Pakistani courts declared redistributive land reforms un-Islamic and therefore unconstitutional, leaving the legislation useless. To cut a long story short, the attempts at land reform hitherto have been quite futile.

Expanding the tax base

The current tax structure in Pakistan has tremendous room for improvement. While the new bill specifically addresses land redistribution and agricultural development, it will indirectly play a great role in the expansion of the Pakistani tax base.

In his article, "Doing Tax Reform Right: Think Big, Think Bold," author Salahuddin Khan makes the case for "abolish[ing] all income tax and in its place introduce[ing] a gradually increasing property tax on real estate owned."

He points out that while liquid personal assets such as cash are easy to hide, real property cannot be hidden, and is therefore easier to tax. Khan also suggests incentivising the ownership of smaller portions of land by making it "disproportionally expensive to own over certain thresholds of land." The case Khan makes supports the undeniable link between tax and land reform. But even though his suggestions may be great, they are useless without any kind of land reform first.

Whether other factions of the government will support the bill proposed by MQM remains to be seen. If they do, Pakistan can establish a foundation which can be supplemented with various tax reforms. Right now there is a critical need for discourse on this issue between all parties because Pakistan needs a strong combination of land and tax reform in order for any chance at economic recovery.
Our economy's problem: The rich don't pay their taxes – The Express Tribune Blog

That wraps the story of the chaos called Pakistan!

 

[Blackwater]

I will not deny that mullahs play a role in our society but majority by far rejects them and is moderate.
Enough of that already, please stick to the topic.

as if u stick to topic all the time. anyhow with half of ur population is illeterate and poor ,role of madrasa and organisation like hafiz sayeed in provididng free food and education can not be denied.

once a person or child come in contact with madrasa is bound to be pro islam and less moderate in views

 

[Ray]

If this is Pakistan, then why not sex slaves in Dubai?

 

[Ray]

If this is Pakistan, then anything is acceptable there.

 

[Neo]

All right, we are bad people. What is your excuse? What has GoI done for Indian prostitutes in ME? Sent any ship to the Gulf or used your divine 'Modi factor'...if there is any such thing at all?

 

[Ray]

All right, we are bad people. What is your excuse? What has GoI done for Indian prostitutes in ME? Sent any ship to the Gulf or used your divine 'Modi factor'...if there is any such thing at all?

No, Pakistanis are NOT bad people.

Frankly I like them and I don't even feel that they are a different nationality. I even broke bread with a Pakistan Major on the Line of Control just after 1971 War when the Delineation was on. I found him to be a great fellow even though a few days before we were sworn adversaries! So, Pakistanis are not bad Joes at all.

But where I feel sad is that they are confused about their Identity - attempting to be a cross between being Arabs and their reality. Immense schizophrenia. And being rejected by the Arabs as scum and using their women as playthings even though such activities are banned in Islam unless they are slaves (second hand).

And the Pakistanis shamelessly accept this insult by their so called Islamic brothers!

And their duplicitous approach to Islam and their being exploited by fellow but rich Islamic brothers, bothers me.

Illicit sex is a taboo in Islam.

It is, now say, 'unIslamic'.

And yet these five time prayer times who have the callous on their forehead to show they are pious are not only knocking themselves on the floor five times a day, but are illegally and contrary to Islamic laws knocking Pakistani Muslim women many times a day and then pretending to be pious Muslims!

That is what irks me.

As human beings, there are many Pakistanis who are fine fellows.

 

[Neo]

No, Pakistanis are NOT bad people.

Frankly I like them and I don't even feel that they are a different nationality. I even broke bread with a Pakistan Major on the Line of Control just after 1971 War when the Delineation was on. I found him to be a great fellow even though a few days before we were sworn adversaries! So, Pakistanis are not bad Joes at all.

But where I feel sad is that they are confused about their Identity - attempting to cross between being Arabs and their reality. Immense schizophrenia.

And there duplicitous approach to Islam and their being exploited by fellow but rich Islamic brothers, bothers me.

Illicit sex is a taboo in Islam.

It is, now say, 'unIslamic'.

And yet these five time prayer times who have the callous on their forehead to show they are pious are not only knocking themselves on the floor five times a day, but are illegally as per Islamic laws knocking Muslim women many times a day and then pretending to be pious Muslims!

That is what irks me.

As human beings, there are many Pakistanis who are fine fellows.

Is rape and.prostitution encouraged in hinduism? Doesn't Mumbai have one of worlds largest red light
area? You get carriedd away with the fate of few or even few hundred Pakistani women in ME yet there are millions in your major cities.

 

[Ray]

Is rape and.prostitution encouraged in hinduism? Doesn't Mumbai have one of worlds largest red light
area? You get carriedd away with the fate of few or even few hundred Pakistani women in ME yet there are millions in your major cities.

Forget about Hinduism or Christianity.

They do not pretend to be holy and can do no wrong.

There are no phrases as 'He is a Hindu/ Christian and so he can do no wrong". or "unHindu" or "unChristian".

Muslims pretend to be holier than thou.

In Hinduism there is no bossman and in Christianity who cares about the Pope of the Archbishop of Canterbury?

In Islam a fatwa from an illiterate Mullah sends shivers down the spine of Muslims!

That is the difference.

That is the nub.

Of curse there are millions of prostitutes. So are they in India.

But can anyone compare it to Heera Mandi of Lahore. There are so many fond eulogies that one finds in blogs and literature so ,much so it has become a Heritage site.



Want more?

I feel so sad for these poor girls and the rationale how they are forced to adopt these ways..

Go visit this

Fans of the all things sordid will be no stranger to the most famous red light district in the world. Nestled in one of the oldest parts of Amsterdam, De Wallen overflows with character, with heaps of erotic entertainment cradled within ageing medieval dam walls.

 

[thethinker]

@Neo

Please share some success stories that have made Pakistan a better place due to guidance and vision of mullahs there.

Producing 30-40 kids don't count. Some real economic and social development stories please.

 

[Neo]

So after a failed attempt to bash Islam you want to turn it into another cheap d*ckmeasuring thread?
My ref to India was only to expose hypocricy and your biased views.

Fine, turn it into another troll fest. I won't waste my time replying.

 

[Ray]

So after a failed attempt to bash Islam you want to turn it into another cheap d*ckmeasuring thread?
My ref to India was only to expose hypocricy and your biased views.

Fine, turn it into another troll fest. I won't waste my time replying.

Who is bashing Islam?

I am bashing the frauds who claim to be pious adherents of Islam. And the fact that you are unable to comment indicates that I am not wrong.or have failed.

Even on your contention that Indian Muslims are rabbits, I proved you wrong.

India is not hypocritical. We accept our infirmities. We don't brush it off with fraudulent pious platitudinous religious moral high standing.

Try proving it otherwise.

There is nothing wrong with Islam per se.

It is the fraudulent and duplicitous manner of approach to Islam of the adherent is what is under cloud since it ruins the fair name of Islam.

Understand the difference between Spiritual Islam and Political and Temporal Islam.

 

[thethinker]

What failed attempt? Bashing Pak is not same as bashing Islam. Unless you see religion in everything no matter how radical the views are.

BTW, do you know Egypt has started cracked down on Hamas.? Way to go General Sisi!

 

[thethinker]

Fellow DFIers,

This is how you deflect questions you can't answer, courtesy @Neo :

Q : @Neo
Please share some success stories that have made Pakistan a better place due to guidance and vision of mullahs there.
Producing 30-40 kids don't count. Some real economic and social development stories please.

A :So after a failed attempt to bash Islam you want to turn it into another cheap d*ckmeasuring thread?
My ref to India was only to expose hypocricy and your biased views. Fine, turn it into another troll fest. I won't waste my time replying.

Basically, express disgust and fake anger so as to completely bypass the issue in question and butt out. Neo is very good at this every time, just wanted to point out this instance.

Shanti.