Pakistan: General Developments - Musharraf warns of new military coup in Pakistan

[ajtr]

3 women 'dupe, kidnap, rape' man in Karachi=omg=

* Case registered, police looking for alleged rapists
* Police say man sexually assaulted over four days

KARACHI: Karachi police have registered a case against three unidentified women who allegedly kidnapped a man and raped him over four consecutive days and then threw him near Qayyumabad River in an unconscious state. The case has been registered on a complaint by the victim, identified only as Khalil (23) – who recently arrived in Karachi from Rahimyar Khan and works as a waiter at a restaurant in Neelum Colony, Clifton. On the night of January 27, an identified man ordered Khalil to deliver food to women sitting in a car parked outside the restaurant where he works. "After giving me the order, the man went towards the car. I took the order to the car where the women – two of whom were young and the third was middle-aged – told me that they had recently shifted to the area," said Khalil. He said the women asked him to deliver food to their house every day, and he agreed. "They asked me to go along with them in the car ... they said they wanted to show me where their house was." Khalil said the women gave him a 'glazed sweet' and once they got to the house, "they gave me milk that had some drug mixed in it ... I fell unconscious after drinking it". Khalil said when he gained consciousness, he found that the women had undressed him, "and they were forcing themselves onto me". ASP Asad Raza said the women assaulted Khalil sexually for the next four days, and then threw him near Qayyumabad River. Khalil managed to stop a passing motorist – who took him to Civil Hospital. "His condition is really bad ... his genitals are bleeding and he cannot walk properly," said Raza. Raza said the women belonged to rich families of Karachi's Clifton area. "It's a complicated case ... but we are hoping that we will solve it soon," he added. faraz khan

 

[hit&run]

Title of this thread is abusive.

Sometimes we can not control our aggression and at times is fair enough, but this will set precedence for many to use the same language.
I am apprehensive with no intention to spoil the taste of members. But this is my feeling and opinion.

Regards.

Stay on Topic:Another injection of brainwashing stupidity extravasated into Pakistani 'AWAM' (public).
http://www.siasat.pk/forum/showthread.php?35381-Live-With-Talat-%E2%80%93-5th-May-2010-quot-Pakistan-situation-is-like-Star-Plus-Drama-quot

 

[Rebelkid]

3 women 'dupe, kidnap, rape' man in Karachi=omg=

* Case registered, police looking for alleged rapists
* Police say man sexually assaulted over four days

KARACHI: Karachi police have registered a case against three unidentified women who allegedly kidnapped a man and raped him over four consecutive days and then threw him near Qayyumabad River in an unconscious state. The case has been registered on a complaint by the victim, identified only as Khalil (23) – who recently arrived in Karachi from Rahimyar Khan and works as a waiter at a restaurant in Neelum Colony, Clifton. On the night of January 27, an identified man ordered Khalil to deliver food to women sitting in a car parked outside the restaurant where he works. "After giving me the order, the man went towards the car. I took the order to the car where the women – two of whom were young and the third was middle-aged – told me that they had recently shifted to the area," said Khalil. He said the women asked him to deliver food to their house every day, and he agreed. "They asked me to go along with them in the car ... they said they wanted to show me where their house was." Khalil said the women gave him a 'glazed sweet' and once they got to the house, "they gave me milk that had some drug mixed in it ... I fell unconscious after drinking it". Khalil said when he gained consciousness, he found that the women had undressed him, "and they were forcing themselves onto me". ASP Asad Raza said the women assaulted Khalil sexually for the next four days, and then threw him near Qayyumabad River. Khalil managed to stop a passing motorist – who took him to Civil Hospital. "His condition is really bad ... his genitals are bleeding and he cannot walk properly," said Raza. Raza said the women belonged to rich families of Karachi's Clifton area. "It's a complicated case ... but we are hoping that we will solve it soon," he added. faraz khan

..........wow.........

 

[maomao]

Taliban Blames Notorious ISI and pakistan army for Suicide Attacks on Civilians!


This is a good video, where Taliban clearly disowns the attacks on civilians! They claim attacks on army BUT not on civilians, and blames ISI, pakistani army etc for the killings of innocent pashtuns and other civilians.

This is interesting, why would a pashtun (islamic jihadi) murder innocent pashtun muslims women and children en mass! However, pakistan army, ISI and their media agents claim pashtun civilians are being killed by Taliban, which is not easily digestible and clearly suspicion points towards notorious ISI and pakistani army (atleast for the misery of Pashtun people)

P.S: Disregard the Caption!

 

[ajtr]

Pak being "set up" but civil-mly leadership remains silent​

By: Shireen M Mazari

Why should one presume the whole incident was created?
First: How come the explosion did not go off?
Two: How come such an easy trail of evidence was laid to track Faisal Shahzad?
Three: How come, he confessed to everything so easily and immediately?
Four: How come the US immediately, as if already prepared, began demanding permission for more troops into Pakistan?
Five: How come the CIA immediately announced more drone attacks on Pakistan?
In other words, things moved in an almost synchronized manner in succession that they had to have been pre-planned.
Six: Why are the US government and media paying no heed to Shahzad's alleged connection to the Yemeni cleric and to the Taliban's clear denial of any link to Shahzad?

 

[ajtr]

Man arrested' in Karachi airport security alert

A man has been held at Karachi airport after batteries and an electrical circuit were found in his shoes as he tried to board a plane, reports say.
Mohammad Munir, spokesman for the airport security force, said the civil engineer was arrested when a scanner sounded an alarm at the airport.
He was scheduled to travel to the Omani capital Muscat on Thai Airways.
The suspect was not found in possession of explosives, but Mr Munir described the circuit discovery as "worrying".
He told AFP news agency: "After the machine gave the alarm, we checked him manually.
"We have recovered four live batteries and a circuit, with a button to switch it on and off."
The arrested man is said to be a Pakistani citizen in his 30s.

 

[ajtr]

What have Pakistan offensives achieved? ​

A year ago Pakistan launched the first of a series of major military assaults against the Taliban in the country's north-west. The BBC's Syed Shoaib Hasan looks back at the anti-militant operations and how successful they have been.
On 26 April 2009, Pakistan army commandos stormed into Buner district in the North West Frontier Province.
The Pakistani authorities had been under growing pressure to take action after the Taliban took control of the district.
Under their leader, Maulana Fazlullah, the local Taliban had been expanding their power from Swat Valley, once a popular tourist area, to other parts of the region since 2007.
After the move into Buner, Pakistan's army declared all-out war.
Black Thunderstorm - as the Buner operation was called - was soon expanded into a fully-fledged military offensive.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani told the nation the militants had two choices - surrender or die.
Over the next two months the operation widened out from Buner to nearby Swat and other parts of Malakand division.
More than two million people fled the fighting in Swat.
By August they were told it was safe to come back and the operation was declared a success.
But Maulana Fazlullah was never captured and the militants, despite being on the back foot, continued to maintain their strongholds in the tribal areas in other parts of north-west Pakistan.
For the reinvigorated military, these were the next targets - especially South Waziristan, the heartland of the Taliban and al-Qaeda.
Humanitarian costBefore the operation began the militants suffered a big blow - their top leader Baitullah Mehsud was killed in a US missile attack in August 2009.
Even without him, the Taliban initially made it very tough going for the army, but superior troop numbers and firepower took their toll.
On 12 December, the military claimed victory over the Taliban in South Waziristan and said the militants were now neutralised as a viable threat in Pakistan.
The militants' power had been amply demonstrated in a wave of suicide bombings and other attacks around the country which left hundreds dead in a matter of weeks. Attacks have continued in 2010 but not at the same rate.
There was also a huge humanitiarian cost to the fighting in the north-west.
As well as the millions of people displaced, thousands of homes, businesses, schools and offices were also destroyed.
Civilian authority and infrastructure were ruined. On the ground there is little evidence the billions of dollars in aid received by the government have been put to good use.
There have been allegations of official corruption, although no firm proof. But certainly money has been mismanaged.
Schools in Swat are one example. According to official figures, 700 were destroyed and have yet to be rebuilt. "We're crying for help but no one's listening"

Many people displaced by the fighting returned - only to find rubble where their homes and businesses once existed.
"The people can never forsake the region," says a local journalist in Swat, now based in Islamabad. "While many have returned, thousands are still unsure about home."
But fear of the Taliban is also keeping people away.
"The army has enforced peace here through the barrels of their guns," says a local from Mingora. "But we know they will eventually leave and then the Taliban may come back."
Militants 'down but not out'
At the moment, the militants remain a real but distant fear in Swat - but not elsewhere.
"The army's operations have dented the militants' ability to carry out attacks within Pakistan. But the Taliban leadership and most of the local militants have simply relocated," one observer says.

People in Swat know the militants could one day return
New Taliban strongholds have emerged in North Waziristan, which is now the focus of a sustained bombing campaign by US drones.
Pakistan's army has resisted US pressure to extend its assault into North Waziristan, largely due to a deal with local Taliban commander Hafiz Gul Bahadur.
His group is not part of the Tehrik-e-Taliban organisation which has carried out attacks across Pakistan. Instead, its fighters are said to carry out strikes against Nato forces over the border in Afghanistan.
In Bajaur, another tribal region, the army's stop-start operation against the militants has continued. Troops have claimed victory several times, but the militants have returned. Fighting has also been fierce recently in Orakzai.
The army remains in control of the Mehsud tribal heartland in South Waziristan, but few locals have dared to return. The Taliban continue to exact terrible vengeance on anyone who dares side with the government.
Beheaded bodies regularly turn up in North and South Waziristan, with notes identifying them as "ISI" or "CIA" spies.
More ominously, though, the killings are now slowly spreading to places like Peshawar and Swat. The military are also accused of extra-judicial killings.
"The Taliban may be down, but they are far from out," says the Islamabad-based Swat journalist. "The fact that the army has said 'no' to any new operations has come as a shot in their arm.
"All they have to do is lie low for the next six months".
Operation Path to Salvation was finally launched in South Waziristan on 17 October 2009. The army deployed 35,000 troops backed by tanks, artillery and aircraft.

 

[ajtr]

No-Name Terrorists Now CIA Drone Targets

Once upon a time, the CIA had to know a militant's name before putting him up for a robotic targeted killing. Now, if the guy acts like a guerrilla, it's enough to call in a drone strike.

It's another sign of that a once-limited, once-covert program to off senior terrorist leaders has morphed into a full-scale — if undeclared — war in Pakistan. And in a war, you don't need to know the name of someone on the other side before you take a shot.

Across the border, in Afghanistan, the rules for launching an airstrike have become tighter than a balled fist. Dropping a bomb from above is now a tactic of last resort; even when U.S. troops are under fire, commanders are reluctant to authorize air strikes. In Pakistan, however, the opposite has happened. Starting in the latter days of the Bush administration, and accelerating under the Obama presidency, drone pilots have become more and more free to launch their weapons.

"You've had an expanded target set for [some] time now and, given the danger these groups pose and their relative inaccessibility, these kinds of strikes — precise and effective — have become almost like the cannon fire of this war. They're no longer extraordinary or even unusual," one American official tells CNN.

This official — like many other officials — insists that the drone strikes have torn up the ranks of militants.

"The enemy has lost not just operational leaders and facilitators — people whose names we know — but formations of fighters and other terrorists," the official tells the Los Angeles Times. "We might not always have their names, but "¦ these are people whose actions over time have made it obvious that they are a threat."

National security law experts, inside the government and out, are in the middle of an intense debate over whether the remotely piloted attacks are legal. One leading law professor told Congress last week that the drone operators could be tried for "war crimes," under certain circumstances. The State Department's top lawyer counters that the drone attacks are a legitimate act of self-defense.

The connection between the robotic strikes over there and our safety here appears to be growing, The Pakistani Taliban, who have claimed credit for the botched Times Square bombing, say the car bomb was in retaliation for drone strikes. But the robotic aircraft are only one component in the war in Pakistan. American troops are on the ground there, and getting into firefights. American contractors are operating a fleet of helicopters above. Higher in the sky are the American drones, flown by the U.S. Air Force and the CIA.

 

[ajtr]

Ulema and terrorism


The proceedings at the Deobandi ulema's recent conference in Lahore must be studied less for its expected refusal to condemn suicide bombings and more for the insight it gives into the psyche of a large section of our powerful ulema community.

Of equal significance are the fissures that came to the fore between hardliners and harder-liners. Evidently, the latter carried the day.

It was gratifying that at least some ulema — among them Maulana Samiul Haq — were cognisant of the negative impact which acts of terrorism were having not on the nation but on the Deobandi image.

While the delegates did indeed plead with the militants to adopt peaceful and democratic means for the establishment of Sharia in Pakistan, a majority of the ulema, according to Nasir Jamal's reportage (Dawn, May 2), said terrorism would continue to haunt Pakistan as long as "factors and causes" responsible for it continued. What was mind-boggling, however, was the principle some ulema propounded to establish a link between terrorism and government policies.

Briefly, the ulema at the Lahore moot said that the government's foreign policy was pro-America, and this obedience to commands from Washington in their opinion was the reason behind the militants' war against the government. That this war against the government and the army translates itself into a war on the state of Pakistan itself was an issue into which the ulema chose not go.

If one were to accept resort to terrorism as a justifiable means for registering dissent against government policies, then every country in this world must be ravaged by terrorism, because there is no government on the surface of the earth whose policies do not have critics. Let us, for instance, see the situation in two of Pakistan's neighbours — Iran and India — where government policies have diehard foes.

The nuclear deal between America and India was first agreed upon in principle when Manmohan Singh met George Bush in July 2005. It took more than three years for the treaty to go through the various phases of America's complex constitutional process and approval from the International Atomic Energy Agency and the nuclear suppliers' group.

The treaty evoked opposition from key members of the Senate and House foreign relations committees, but to my knowledge no senators or congressmen or lobby groups resorted to terrorism or to threats of terrorism to express disapproval of this aspect of the Bush government's foreign policy.

In India the treaty aroused intense opposition, not only from the traditionally anti-American parties of the Left but also from the extreme rightwing Hindu parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party. The press was equally divided, and influential sections of the print and electronic media came out with highly technical opinions from nuclear scientists who argued that the treaty undermined India's nuclear programme.

The opposition finally called for the Manmohan government to obtain a vote of confidence, and it goes without saying that the vote saw a phenomenon we in Pakistan are quite familiar with — MPs were bought and convicts brought from prison to cast their votes. All along the intensely emotional debate, no party or group started killing India's own citizens and blowing up markets and schools and temples and mosques because they thought the Manmohan government had sold India to Washington or to its corporate sector.

To our west, we have a theocracy in Iran, almost as obscurantist and ruthless as Ziaul Haq's tyranny. The clerics have imposed an ideological dictatorship on Iran, the Internet is censored, foreign channels are banned or shown selectively, there is no opposition press and even government newspapers are often banned when they deviate from the official line.

The economy is in a mess, and crude-producing Iran imports half its oil because of lack of refining capacity. The parliamentary opposition does manage to put its views across, but the real opposition has gone underground. But no opposition group has started killing Iran's men, women and children and blowing up shopping plazas in Tehran and bombing schools in Isfahan or mosques in Mashhad because President Ahmadinejad is pursuing wrong policies.

It is, however, in Pakistan that some sections of the ulema think that killing our own people is a justified way of expressing dissent against the government's policies.

Mind you, the government's perceived pro-American policies do not have opponents merely in the religious right. Even liberal sections of opinion — the recently formed Workers Party Pakistan, for instance — are sharply critical of a continuation of Pervez Musharraf's war on terror by the PPP-led government. But none of these political parties and elements has justified blasts in Moon market or the blowing up of mosques or a girls' university to register their protest against the government's foreign policy.

The religious touch to the ulema's anti-Americanism is laughable. Just the other day, they were head over heels in love with America, and any opposition to the CIA's overt and covert operations in Afghanistan was considered heresy because there existed an "indissoluble unity" among the People of the Books.

The ulema know the hurmat Islam attaches to human life. In case some of them have forgotten, the blast in the Rawalpindi Askari mosque on Dec 4 last killed, among others, 16 children.

P.S: For some mysterious reason, ideologically motivated governments, movements and individuals, whether religious or secular — Nazi, Zionist, Taliban — are singularly devoid of the milk of human kindness. The attitude of a large number of Pakistani clerics today reminds us of the Christian church's cold-bloodedness in burning purported heretics at the stake in medieval Europe.

 

[ajtr]

A beacon of spirituality​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Haji Ghulam Raza

Thirty kilometres north of Jhang, is Sadaat Bukhari's famous town Shah Jewna. It is also the native city of Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat. On the south, the area, replete with series of large jaal trees, has the unique and blessed honour of being the resting place of the eminent and great Sufi saint Syed Mehboob Alam, popularly known as Hazrat Shah Jewna.

Spreading of Islam in the sub-continent is the sweet fruit of the hard labour of Sufis and saints. The 'darbar' of Hazrat Shah Jewna enjoys a prominent place in this revered prestigious list. The aim and ambition of all the saints of this lineage was to convey the message of Islam to the local population through their own role model, inspirational teachings and motivational personal lifestyles. The famous saint converted scores of local tribes to Islam (after whom the town has been named).

On 10 May every year, people from all over the country and from abroad throng Shah Jewna to witness 'Rasm-e-Chiragh' a pure passionate spiritual ceremony in which the Sajjada Nasheen, the descendant of Hazrat Shah Jewna, hoists the traditional lighted oil-lamp in the presence of hundreds of thousands of spiritually enriched devotees. The lamp-hoisting ceremony marks the climax of annual celebrations held at the shrine of Hazrat Pir Shah Jewna.

The celebrations commence every year on the 4th May (22nd Besakh) when the Sajjada Nasheen, replete with the centuries old turban and sacred ornaments of Hazrat Shah Jewna, arrives at the Darbar-e-Alia, performing the almost five centuries old traditional ceremony of 'Kiri'. The heir to the Shah Jewna shrine spends the next seven days confined to the contours of the holy 'darbar' in the performance of his traditional rituals and religious obligations.

During these days, devotees, and disciples from across the country and abroad, throng the Darbar-e-Alia to pay homage to the great Saint and seek sacred blessings. The Sajjada Nasheen bestows 'Ziarat' to these devotees during the seven-day celebrations at the holy 'darbar'.

During the annual Urs of the great Sufi Saint, the passionate devotees from across the country will not only offer obeisance but will also invoke Allah's blessing to get their wishes answered. With traditional beat of drum, folk dances and multi-coloured flags, the devotees start pouring in in the town to express their devotion and reverence to the great Sufi Saint.

The annual celebrations at shrine of Pir Shah Jewna are held to commemorate the services rendered by great Sufi to the mankind. Pir Shah Jewna was a source of spiritual strength for humanity. He had firm belief in the injunctions of Holy Quran and was emotionally attached to Holy Prophet (PBUH). His love for Holy Prophet (PBUH) can easily be gauged from the fact that he made Surah Muzammil the centre of his life. Muzammil is one of Hazrat Mohammad (PBUH)'s holy names. Researchers have failed to find another saint who attached himself so strongly to this, one Surah, alone.

The great grand father of Pir Shah Jewna was Makhdoom Syed Jalaluddin Surkh Bukhari who migrated to the sub-continent from Bukhara in the reign of slave dynasty. Hazrat Shah Jewna is linked to Hazrat Imam Ali Naqi by 16 generations and Makhdoom Syed Jalud Din Surkh Bukhari by eight generations. He was born in 1493 (895 AH) in Qanuj (now a district of Uttar Pradesh in India) during Sikandar Lodhi's reign. At the time of his birth, his father Syed Sadr-ud-Din Shah Kabir was away from Qanuj and he saw a dream in which it was revealed upon him that a third lamp has been lit in his house. He came back home, kissed the newborn on his forehead and said that the child exuded spiritualism. He named his son as Syed Mehboob Alam who led a pious life from the time of his childhood.

Pir Shah Jewna used to recite Holy Quran ubiquitously and had imbibed the ways of living from Surah Muzammil. He continuously recited verses from the Holy Quran, daily, on his way to River Chenab from his abode. The rustics were impressed by his recitational abilities. Not only did the people listen to his inspirational recitation from the Holy Quran but birds and animals used to encircle him during recitation. It is common knowledge that he recited Surah Muzammil ten million times in the 'Bela' of Chenab River. As such he is also referred to as Pir Croreia (crore).

He always used to wear green cloak and used to offer late-night prayers. But there is one aspect to be noticed in the teachings of Pir Shah Jena — he always rejected monasticism and never preached renunciation of this world. He urged people to work hard during daytime and earn their livelihood, as evident in the verse of Surah Al-Rehman. People used to come to him after every prayer for his blessings and to seek spiritual bliss.

Hazrat Shah Jewna's grandfather Syed Zain ul Abideen and father Syed Shah Kabir were noted scholars of their time. He benefited from them in the field of spiritualism. He got education in Arabic, Persian, Quran, Tafsir, Hadith and Islamic jurisprudence from his teacher Qazi Bahauddin. And thus became a renowned scholar. The fame of his piety and simple lifestyle spread to far-flung places and many Ulema and dervish of his time started paying visits to him. The karamaat of Hazrat Shah Jewna were famous in Qanuj and nearby areas. Sick people would get well and those disturbed by the burdens of life would get relief from distress. And these were only the ordinary karamaat of the pious soul, whose personal life was wrapped around the basic philosophy of Sunnah and the Holy Quran.

During 1556, the son of Qanuj's Raja was playing with his friends. The play turned into a scuffle and somebody stabbed Raja's son in his back and he died of the wound. The deeply grieved father came to Pir Shah Jewna and begged him to give life to his son. It is said that Pir Shah Jewna recited a verse of Holy Quran and placed his hand upon the body of the dead boy. By grace of God the boy opened his eyes and this miracle of Shah Jewna impressed Raja so much that he, along with thousands of other Hindus, embraced Islam.

Pir Shah Jewna left Qanuj for good in 1558 and stayed at Hyderabad Deccan for a short while and then went to the shrine of Nasir-du-Din Cheragh Dehlvi. There he had a revelation that he should proceed to western part of sub-continent. In this journey he first arrived at Lahore and then left on foot for Paeel Pidhrar — an acid area without any vegetation at that time. During his stay over there he prayed to God for water and soon springs of water started coming out of rocky landscape. These springs of water changed whole landscape of that area. A proof of Shah Jewna's blessings also exists even today in that area. This well is known as 'peers' well and people used the water of this to cure their physical and spiritual ailments.

He left for Jhang after brief stopover at Pidhrar. His great grand father Syed Jalaluddin Bukhari had previously inhabited the city of Jhang. Sial tribe of Jhang was follower of Shah Jewna's grandfather Makhdoom Jalaluddin. 'Heer' daughter of Choochak Sial was disciple of Syed Ahmed Kabir, grandfather of Shah Jewna. In 1559, Shah Jewna landed in a village 30 km away form Jhang, and made this place a centre of his missionary activities. In no time this small village developed into a town and later came to be known as 'Shah Jewna'. At that time 'Mural' Rajputs ruled Shah Jewna and they along with many other tribes like Bharwanas, Jappas, Khokhar, Chadhars, Bhattis, Baloch, Rajokas entered the fold of Islam.

Shah Jawna's son Habib was also a saint and earned the reputation as Sakhi (Generous). He used to arrange meals at his house twice a day for the poor. The historians told that once a local chieftain, out of sheer jealously, asked the rich of his area not to contribute in Langer (daily meal) of Sakhi Habib. Habib learnt of this and said that the quantity of Langer be increased and recited some verses from Holy Quran. A few days later chieftain inquired about the Langer and to his disappointment he was told that it is now prepared in a quantity twice to the original one. He felt ashamed and said it is divine Langer (meal) and it cannot be stopped.

Many miracles are also related to Shah Jewna's grandson Ladhan Imam, grandson of Shah Jewna who was also a saint by birth. One day he was playing outside the walled city when suddenly the invaders attacked the city. He jumped on to a wall and started reciting verses of the Holy Quran. It is a popular belief that a serpent came out of the wall and he used it as a whip. He ordered the wall to run and it ran until he reached to safety. The relics of that wall can be seen even today and are known as 'Peer Ghora' (horse of saint). Many Sufis were born to this family of Shah Jewna after Ladhan Imam. Many of them rose to the ranks of Ghaus, Qutab and Abdal.

Hazrat Shah Jewna has seen the rule of Sikandar Lodhi, Ibrahim Lodhi, Zahir ud Din Babar, Nasir ud Din Humayun, Sher Shah Suri and Jala Ud Din Akbar and remained busy in spreading the message of Islam. He left for his eternal abode in 1569 (971 AH) during the reign of Akbar. At that time the ruler of Delhi was Syed Abdul Wahab Bukhari. Similarly Shaikh Farid ud Din Bukhari was very close to the emperor. Both these personalities were close relations of Hazrat Shah Jewna. They and several other prominent nobles of Delhi 'darbar' came to Shah Jewna at his death. A delegation representing Emperor Akbar also accompanied them as a token of respect for the deceased.

About 460 years have passed since his death. But even today people come to his shrine and get blessed with his 'faiz'. Pilgrims come to pay homage and get the wealth of inner peace in return. Their prayers are answered. In this age of moral degradation, the message from Hazrat Shah Jewna is still one of piety, humility and morality.

Grandfather of Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat current spiritual heir to 'darbar' Makhdoom Khizar Hayat was also a renowned Sufi while his father Makhdoom Muhammad Ghaus took active part in Pakistan Movement. People come to the shrine of Shah Jewna for the fulfilment of their dreams, to get cure of their diseases and some for spiritual enrichment.

The spiritual-heir to shrine is said to be blessed with power to cure. Current spiritual-heir, Makhdoom Syed Faisal Saleh Hayat when praying for his devotees, continuously urges them to regulate their lives in accordance with the teaching of these revered saints who were shining beacon of lights of Islam and a tremendous source of spiritual emancipation for humanity.

The spread of Islam today, its message of eternal peace and undiluted love for mankind owes a great deal to these revered spiritual saints of the sub-continent, as Hazrat Shah Jewna, who through the strength of their character, zeal, inspirational teachings, knowledge, 'Karamaat' and love of the Holy Quran, transformed the barren souls of teeming millions, into apostles of love, understanding, compassion and deep rooted faith.

There is no denying, the huge impact, the motivational teachings of Hazrat Shah Jewna, has made over his hundreds of thousands of followers and devotees. These spiritually refreshed disciples confidently look forward to another year of renewed hope, happiness, spiritual bliss and success after participating in the ascent of the 'Chiragh' symbolic of their worldly emancipation since centuries.

 

[ajtr]

Underground bands rock capital​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Saadia Khalid

Islamabad

The audience, mostly comprising youth, thoroughly enjoyed the breathtaking competition of 'Can You Rock-Season 2' among the underground bands of the twin cities in an enthralling event held here on Saturday night.

As many as six bands were selected among 20 from different educational institutions of the city to perform in the final contest where each one strived hard to win the top honour. Being the weekend, a large number of youth participated in the concert where there were hardly a seat left for the audience and many enjoyed the show while sitting on the stairs and standing at the back.

The jury members to judge the participants included VJ Fazli, Yasir Jaswal, Umair Masood Salaar and Fatima Tariq, who took each aspect of singing into account while making their judgements. The event continued till late night and infused the spirit of liveliness among the entertainment starved youth of the city besides imparting massages regarding prevention from HIV/AIDS and water preservation in an entertaining manner.

According to the results announced at the end of the rocking ceremony, the band 'Disbelief' took the top honour, while 'Soch' and 'Zerosey' took second and third positions respectively. The other participating bands included 'Drocray', 'Atrox' and 'Mehrang'. The winners were also awarded with cash prizes wherein the first position holder received an amount of Rs30,000, the second position holder got Rs20,000 and the third position holder received Rs10,000.

The event was organised at the premises of the National Library of Pakistan by a subsidiary of Channel 7 in collaboration with National Aids Control Programme (NACP), Pakistan Council for Research in Water Resources (PCRWR) and Capital Development Authority (CDA), while Jang Media Group and FM 99 were its official media partners.

The first season of 'Can You Rock' was organised in 2008 where the winning bands won a great credibility in the music industry of the country. Season 2 was organised seeing the growing demand of music and the talent of youth.

 

[ajtr]

Workshop on 'Indo-Asia Continental Collision' starts today​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Our correspondent

Islamabad

A two-day international workshop on 'Indo-Asia Continental Collision' will start here today (Monday) under the auspices of Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), in which reputed local and international experts will present their research papers on various important issues.

After the workshop's opening ceremony, a session would be conducted on 'Earthquake Hazards' in which Geological Survey of Pakistan Director General Dr. Imran Khan will brief the participants on the current research activities going on in the wake of the October 2005 earthquake.

Dr. Khalil Qureshi of the LUMS will express his views on research and development in Pakistan, while Dr. Roger Bilham of University of Colorado will present his research paper on 'Earthquake & Geodesy: An Emerging GPS View of Pakistan Tectonics'. Dr. Andrew Meiggs of the Oregan State University will offer his comments over 'Distributed Deformation, Distributed Earthquakes in Northwest'.

In the second session, experts would dilate upon various aspects of 'Indo-Asia Collision, Ophiolites & Arc Magmatism'. Dr. Martin Flower of the University of Illinois will speak on 'Tethyan-type Ophiolites, Mantle Flow & Plate Tectonic', while Dr. Tahseenullah Khan of Geological Survey of Pakistan will apprise the audience of 'Mafic Dykes of the Kohistan Paleo-Island Arc'.

Dr. Tahir Shah of the University of Peshawar will speak on 'Prospects of Mineral Deposits.' It will be followed by a research paper of Dr. Akhtar of the University of Balochistan on 'Lithostratigraphy & Tectono-Sedimentary Zones within Khojak-Pishin Flysch Belt'. Dr. Irshad Ahmad of the University of Peshawar, Dr. Khalid Mahmood of the University of Sargodha and Dr. Shuhab Khan of the University of Houston will also present their research papers.

On the second day of the workshop, experts will evaluate different aspects of 'Lithospheric Deformation' in which Dr. Rebecca Ben**** of the University of Montana, Ahmad Hussain of Geological Survey of Pakistan, Dr. John Yule of the University of California, Dr. Sajjad Ahmad of the University of Peshawar, Shams-ul-Hadi of University of Houston, Dr Mohammad Sayab of University of Peshawar, Dr. Mahmood Raza of Higher Education Commission (HEC), Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmad of the QAU, Dr. Alan Fryer of the University of Kentucky, Dr. Ali Tabrez of the National Institute for Oceanography, Karachi, and Dr. M Rustam Khan of the University of AJK will express their views on various important issues.

QAU Vice Chancellor Dr. Masoom Yasinzai has formed a five-member organising committee for the international workshop that included Dr. Shuhab Khan, Dr. Khalid Mehmood, Dr. Zulfiqar Ahmad, Dr. A Salam Khan and Dr. M Tahir Shah.

 

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'Harmony in Diversity' staged at Lok Virsa theatre​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Islamabad

A group of young artists performed at Lok Virsa open-air theatre, says a press release issued here Sunday.

The show hosted by Moin-ul-Islam Bokhari, Federal Secretary, Ministry of Culture was named as 'Harmony in Diversity'. The artists included Nadeem Abbas Loonaywala, Sara Tahir, Shahida Kiran and Dr. Masooma.

This was a well-attended live musical concert organised amidst 'Capital Style Fun Fair'. The audience enjoyed the performances of the young artists and praised for their talent.

"Lok Virsa, as a policy, continues to support younger generation in every field of life related to its mandate, either it is music, art, craft or cultural education because we believe that Pakistani youth has a great potential to grow," stated by executive director, Lok Virsa, Khalid Javaid.

"Tonight's show is actually an effort of Lok Virsa to give recognition to the new talent coming from the families of renowned Pakistani musicians who earned a great name for the country in their professional career," Lok Virsa executive director explained.

Talking about the concept of the programme with special reference to the name of the show 'Harmony in Diversity', Khalid Javaid said, "Pakistan has a rich, vibrant and diverse culture and musical heritage. We need to create harmony among all cultures that are equally important while presenting and projecting them at national and international level."

Speaking on the occasion, Federal Secretary Culture, Moin-ul-Islam Bokhari appreciated the performances of the young artists and musicians at the show and also highly lauded contribution of Lok Virsa towards documenting, preserving and projecting Pakistan's rich folk and musical heritage.

A large number of visitors to the on-going fun fair at Lok Virsa also had the opportunity to watch the show.

 

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'Zimmedar Shehri' holds cleanliness drive​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Rawalpindi

'Zimmedar Shehri', a non-profit organisation held a cleanliness drive at the Raja Bazaar, here on Sunday, says a press release.

'Zimmedar Shehri' aims at changing the face of Pakistan by developing civic awareness through their cleanliness drives. The cleanliness drives are sponsored by Pepsi, which has taken a step forward with its current campaign 'Badaldou Zamana' and joined hands with the young and high spirited group, 'Zimmedar Shehri'.

'Zimmedar Shehri's' current phase of cleanup drive aims at taking the campaign nationwide so that more and more people could join in and spread the cause. The first 'take up trash' initiative was scheduled on April 25, 2010 at Ichra Lahore, where they were joined by Pepsi, who has not only decided to assist these high spirited youngsters financially — so that they can continue with the cleanliness drives without any shortage of resources — but has also provided them a media platform so that many others can join in to help 'Zimmedar Shehri' in their future activities and also support the aspiration to bringing about social and environmental changes through sustainable civic efforts.

The last cleanup drive of the Zimmedar Shehri will also be held in Lahore next week.

Zimmedar Shehri, began as a brainchild of 5 middle class citizens all in their early 20's striving to foster a sustainable initiative for civic pride in the urban centres of Pakistan. The five founding members of this initiative started out in the bustling metropolis of Lahore, with the aim of developing community improvement through creative yet realistic approaches; whether its focus is on trash clean up drives, tree plantation, clothes distribution, public hygiene or any other area of social welfare.

 

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National cohesion stressed for steering Pakistan out of crisis​

Monday, May 10, 2010
Myra Imran

Islamabad

Pointing out attitudes and factors that lead to extremism, the students of Beaconhouse School System, Margallah Campus staged a thought provoking play themed around various facets terrorism while side by side guiding people, young and old, on how to contribute in what is indeed a battle to save and build Pakistan in accordance with the vision of the Quaid-i-Azam.

Staged before an enlightened audience of people from diverse background, the play titled 'Umeed-e-Sehar' was performed by boys who spent weeks preparing the project under the guidance of teachers especially school director Surraya Malik.

The play called for national cohesion and concerted efforts to steer the country out of crisis — economic, religious, terrorism, extremism, security, illiteracy etc. It was adroitly cut into different episodes to present different issues, which helped the audience concentrate on what the presenters really wanted to convey. The 30-minute play at the outset depicted scene of a family — a mother asking her boy to continue his studies and being told by the son that his father disallowed him. His mother's dream is that the boy gets higher education and joins the army. A big screen in the backdrop simultaneously flashing visuals of drone attacks, troop movements, scenes of bodies lying everywhere and terrified people screaming and running around enhanced the impact of the play that was generously appreciated by audiences.

Analysing the scenario of extremism from youth's point of view, the performers also highlighted a wide spread problem that exists in elite class — communication and sentimental gap between parents and children. A fact that parents from this class usually provide all comforts to their children like hiring a maid as a replacement mother but they actually have no time for their children. An awesome act of the play was re-enactment of a suicide bombing and the resulting mayhem.

In the following scene, a would-be suicide bomber laments mass killing of innocent men, women and children. The play also included a discussion between a Maulana and man in a gathering. The man was a well-educated person who urges Maulana to correct and strength the beliefs and moral values of the society. The gathering agreed with the arguments of the man and asked Imam of the mosque to conduct research along with him and his students. The performance also showed an interesting discussion between a son and his father. The father was principled man and used to help other. As a result his family suffered a lot, but he was still a satisfied person. However, his fruitless sacrifices made his son a little rebellious, who decided to go abroad for better future. He blamed his father and declared Pakistan a failed country due to terrorism, shortage of electricity and hike in price and non-availability of necessity of life.

Another terrorism act presented in the play showed some miscreants planting a bomb at a railway track. A passer-by spotted them and succeeded to stop the train by sacrificing his life and saved the train from a major disaster. In all these technically difficult scenes, the acting of young boys was no way less the experienced professional. Skilful time management and creating a flow by linking one scene to the other spoke volumes of expertise and patriotism of those who wrote and presented the play.

 

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Viewing Hamlet in a new light​

Monday, May 10, 2010
By Anil Datta

Karachi

In an enlightening talk, titled, "Hamlet: Renaissance Prince", Dr Adrian Hussain, an internationally acclaimed authority on Shakespeare, shed new light on the character and nature of Hamlet, the central character of Shakespeare's play of the same name.

According to Dr Hussain, Hamlets' soliloquy and discourses are not a random phenomenon but a longing for the humanistic values, for the return of an age when beauty and grace pervaded society. Hamlet's character according to Dr Hussain, is a struggle between the soft renaissance of the age hamlet is longing for and the hard renaissance of Machiavelli, or the realpolitik of Machiavelli. Both the eras, though part of the renaissance, are very different when it comes to values.

According to Dr Hussain, this period which lasted about 250 years, saw a psychical awakening accompanied by an erosion of religion. This according to him resulted in an identity crisis and the transition from the medieval era to the modern was marked by this identity crisis whereby man began to "lose himself" with the age-old set values and beliefs undergoing a change. Everything became fluid, in a state of flux. This was, according to Dr Hussain, marked by a paradigm shift whereby man became "dangerously free". Hamlet's character is reflective for a desire for return to human values which have been abruptly eliminated by Machiavelli. Hamlet, he said, could be considered precursor to the Machavellian disorder of Claudius.

The character wrought by Shakespeare in the form of Hamlet is actually a lament for the moral decay of the hard renaissance.

Earlier, Salman Qureshi, a noted Pakistani English language poet, read from Machiavelli's discourses portraying his complex character and the complexities of his rather conspiratorial political doctrine.

Although the lecture elicited lots of interest from among the audience and there were a sizeable number of people present perhaps, it would have been nice had university and college students turned up in larger numbers.

The lecture held at the Defence Housing Authority Library Sunday evening was held under the auspices of Khas Publications, as the first of two lectures on Shakespeare.

 

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A house full at drive-in cinema​

Monday, May 10, 2010
By Rafay Mahmood

Karachi

The entire car parking area was occupied and all the wooden benches occupied by people as the screening of " Andaz Apna Apna" kicked off in the empty space opposite the National Sailing Club.. The drive-in theatre is a project of the sixth semester BBA (Bachelors of Business Administration ) students from SZABIST(Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Institute of Science and Technology )and ended up being a grand screening as it attracted people from all ages. Students of different universities were seen sitting atop cars while some families remained in cars and enjoyed.

The ticket was priced at Rs350 and a lot of ticket sales took place on the spot as well, the more attractive part about the Drive-In cinema was the number of fast food outlets available on spot and the groups of people were seen having dinner in the open air drive in theatre amid an ambience of relaxation.

The screening started on time and the seating arrangements made were such that the benches didn't block the view of the occupants of cars, (a problem which usually occurs on such occasions)and the sound system was also very effective as it reached every corner of the ground.

The people coming to the Drive-In enjoyed the event and all of them were of the opinion that such events should occur on a regular basis as this was a unique kind of outing. "I loved the environment here. Usually the cinemas in Karachi are either too expensive or have an unitiated crowd as a result of which bringing your families along can be a source of embarrassment but here the arrangements are so good that I would love to come to such ventures whenever they happen" , Shahzad Alam , who attended the screening with his family, told The News.

Somehow, some people never knew that it was purely a student effort and they wanted more screenings in a drive-in theatre. "I cannot believe that it is a student effort because the way the event has been arranged and the grandeur of occasion is adorable and I believe that even if the authorities don't do anything and the students keep on arranging the theatre regularly then it would at least revive the drive-in cinema culture which is a positive sign " Asad Shahzad told The News.

Rehan Saeed, another student who attended the screening is not a fan of Indian films but the experience was worth it for him, " I am here for the overall experience, from food to the great quality sound and projection system , what better outdoor activity can you get? We are too tired of sea view and this is the perfect change" Rehan told The News.

The organizers were very happy to get a houseful in a drive-in theatre and believed that there efforts didn't go in vain . " It was a Pakistan vs New Zealand match at the same time and despite that we got a houseful which is an achievement for us " Sohaib Khan told The News.

Gladiator, a Hollywood blockbuster was also to be screened on Sunday but the lack of ticket sales of the English movie forced the organisers to revoke the decision . "We had sold a number of tickets of "Andaaz Apna Apna " but only two tickets of "Gladiator" which was a let-down for us and now once the people have seen it they want more, but we cannot afford another screening in less ticket sales" Sohaib Told The News.

The organisers believe that if the demand of Drive-In cinema really picked up and they got an audience then with some financial support they could make it a regular happening.

 

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Militant groups still operating openly in Pak: report ​

Major radical organisations, including anti-India militant groups, continue to operate openly in Pakistan, a media report said today, as top administration officials here pointed fingers at Tehreek-e- Taliban, Pakistan for the failed Times Square bombing attempt.

"Banned groups such as LeT and Jaish-e-Mohammed have formed organisations with new names that operate freely. Some of their leaders have been arrested for alleged links to terrorist attacks, then released by the courts," The Washington Post said.

Meanwhile, identical statements came from US Attorney General Eric Holder, and John Brennan, the Deputy National Security Advisor, blaming the Pakistan Taliban for the Times Square attempt.

India has said that Pakistan has so far been reluctant to take action against anti-India terrorist groups like LeT and JeM and its leaders, against whom New Delhi has provided evidence, are freely roaming around.

Validating India's contention, The Washington Post said major anti-India militant groups and other radical Sunni organisations in Punjab need little cover.

"The groups have in recent years increasingly focused attacks within Punjab as provincial officials have tried to placate them, both to capitalise on their popularity and in hopes of moderating their views," it said.

The paper recalled how Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif was widely criticised in March for calling on the Pakistani Taliban to "spare Punjab," which he suggested had common cause with the militants by rejecting Western dictates.

"Another provincial minister visited the seminary of a banned group and campaigned for office with the leader of another. Jaish-e-Mohammed recently built a large walled compound in the southern Punjabi city of Bahawalpur," it said.

"These groups have not been touched," the paper quoted leading Pakistani analyst on extremism Ahmed Rashid as saying.

"They have been through a metamorphosis and turned their guns inward and linked up with other groups in the northwest, but no one is acknowledging it. The word is out that if you hang with them, you're safe," it said.

Mr. Brennan told the Fox News in an interview that a number of terrorist groups have been operating in Pakistan, and it needs to be made sure that "there's no support being given to them by Pakistani government".

"They need to maintain the pressure on all of these groups. There are no militant or terrorist groups in Pakistan that should be allowed to continue there," he said.

Mr. Holder, meanwhile, said the US had evidence of the involvement of the Pakistan Taliban in the Times Square case, and Pakistan needs to do more.

"I am satisfied with the help that we've gotten from our Pakistani counterparts... Do we want them to do more? Yes.

And we will be making more requests of them in the coming days," Mr. Holder said.

Both Mr. Holder and Mr. Brennan said that investigations have revealed that TTP was behind the Times Square bombing attempt.

"We know that they helped facilitate it; we know that they helped direct it. I suspect that we are going to come up with evidence which shows that they helped to finance it. They were intimately involved in this plot," Mr. Holder said.

According to The Post while Pakistan says it is still investigating the extent of Shahzad's militant links, some security officials have said that he definitely had ties to Jaish-e-Mohammed.

"Terrorism analyst Muhammad Amir Rana said that what appears to be a lack of political will to tackle militant organisations in Pakistan's heartland is actually rooted in a problem with far greater implications for the global battle against terror: the groups' reach and presence in cities has made them a beast that cannot easily be dismantled," it said.

US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has also issued a stern warning to Pakistan, saying if any terrorist strike against the US was traced to that country, there would be grave consequences.

Notably, in New Delhi, Russian Ambassador to India Alexander M. Kadakin, said that around 40 terror camps are still running along the Af-Pak border.

Mr. Holder said the Times Square incident is an indication of the new threat that the US faces from these terrorist organisations, these affiliates of al Qaeda or these organisations that are somehow connected to the kinds of things that al Qaeda wants to do.

"It also indicates the worldwide concerns that we have to have if we are going to be effective," he said.

In an interview to PTI, Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia Robert Blake, had said that Pakistan needs to take action against these Punjab-based terrorist outfits.

"The principal problem (that prevents the two countries from peace talks) is that of terrorism and it is important for Pakistanis to continue the important steps that they have taken against terrorism in Swat and South Waziristan and against some members of Taliban and they extend that fight to the groups that are based in Punjab such as LeT that are attacking not only India, but also the United States, and potentially could attack Pakistan itself," Mr. Blake had said.

 

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'Shoe bomber' arrested in Karachi airport

Karachi: Pakistani officers arrested a man at Karachi airport on Sunday after batteries and an electrical circuit were found in his shoes as he tried to board a plane for the Middle East, an official said.

The 30-year-old civil engineer allegedly told interrogators he came from Pakistan's northwestern province Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, where Taliban and Islamist militants have a presence, and had been scheduled to travel to Muscat by Thai Airways.

Mohammad Munir, Airport Security Force spokesman, said the bearded man, whom he named as Faiz Mohammad, was arrested when a scanner sounded an alarm.

The suspect was not found in possession of explosives, but Munir described the circuit discovery as "worrying".

"He was on the way to board flight TG 507 for Muscat. After the machine gave the alarm, we checked him manually," said the spokesman.

"We have recovered four live batteries and a circuit, with a button to switch it on and off," Munir said.
The suspect allegedly told investigators he was living in Karachi, Pakistan's southern city, but was planning to return to Muscat, where he had previously worked for a construction company, to set up his own business.

"The devices found from the suspect suggested that if he was carrying explosive material, he could have easily blown the explosives up in the plane," said Munir.

Sunday's arrest comes a week after US agents arrested a Pakistani-American man, Faisal Shahzad, for allegedly attempting to blow up a car bomb in New York, as he sat on a plane preparing to take off for Dubai.

Although the circumstances of the Karachi case were murky, the detention is likely to ratchet up US pressure on Pakistan to crack down on Islamist extremists operating in safe havens in tribal areas along the Afghan border.

The United States on Sunday accused the Pakistani Taliban of being behind the plot to detonate a car bomb in Manhattan's Times Square on May 1.

"We've now developed evidence that shows that the Pakistani Taliban was behind the attack," Attorney General Eric Holder said on ABC television.

"We know that they helped facilitate it. We know that they probably helped finance it, and that he was working at their direction."

General Stanley McChrystal, the US commander in Afghanistan, has reportedly urged Pakistan's army chief of staff to launch an operation in the tribal district of North Waziristan, an Al-Qaeda and Taliban stronghold.

John Brennan, the White House deputy national security adviser, said Shahzad had travelled back and forth to Pakistan, working with the Pakistani Taliban over several months before returning to the United States in February.

US authorities have said the Shahzad case reflects a change in tactics by Islamist extremists, who have been hard hit over the past year by US missile strikes and Pakistani military offensives.

On Christmas Day, Nigerian Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab was arrested for trying to blow up a US-bound airliner with explosives sewn into his underware.

http://news.in.msn.com/international/article.aspx?cp-documentid=3897364&page=2

 

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^^Pakistan never fail to amaze us......And with every succesful and failed terror attack around the world proves indian views about it.