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Stop and Smell the Roses in Pakistan

By Mona Eltahawy



NEW YORK -- As an Egyptian whose country’s military dictators are either taken by God or an assassin’s bullet, I envy the Pakistani people their ability to now use the term “former president.”



As former Pakistani president Pervez Musharraf contemplates how his friends in the U.S. administration dropped him quicker than you can say “hot freedom fries,” for those of us from the Muslim world -- awash in military dictators who have friends in high places in… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 20, 2008 at 12:44pm — No Comments

Is This the Dawn of Freedom We Yearned For?

Here are a few lines from Late Faiz Ahmed Faiz that capture the essence of where Pakistanis stand today:





Subah-e- Azadi

(Dawn of Freedom)



ye daaG daaG ujaalaa, ye shab_gaziidaa sahar

(This spotty, stained, dim light after the darkness of night)

wo intazaar thaa jis kaa, ye wo sahar to nahii.n

(Is this the dawn of freedom we yearned for?)



ye wo sahar to nahii.n jis kii aarazuu lekar

chale… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 14, 2008 at 9:00am — No Comments

India, Pakistan and Olympics Success Model



“Why are the top 10 medaling nations top 10?” Professor Daniel Johnson asks. “It’s not that athletic prowess is completely independent from wealth and population. These nations have more resources at their disposal.” Daniel Johnson, a college professor and an economist in Denver, Colorado has developed a mathematical model for predicting each nation's Olympics… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 12, 2008 at 7:27am — 1 Comment

Is India Really " Stable, Peaceful, and Prosperous?

In the past five years bomb attacks claimed by Islamist groups have killed hundreds across the Indian cities of Mumbai, Delhi, Jaipur, Varanasi, Bangalore, Hyderabad and Ahmedabad. An Indian Muslim was even involved in the failed assault on Glasgow airport in July last year. Yet George Bush reportedly introduced Manmohan Singh to his wife, Laura, as "the prime minister of India, a democracy which does not have a single al-Qaida member in a population of 150 million Muslims".



To be… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 8, 2008 at 5:29pm — 10 Comments

Scaling K2, the Ultimate Challenge

Not only is it dangerous, climbing Mount Everest is not cheap, either in terms of lives or dollars. And yet, hundreds are drawn each year to climb it. Commercial expeditions can cost climbers $60,000 to $75,00 each. Nepalese government charges fees ranging from $25000 for one member expedition to $70,000 for seven members. The total cost for climbing is steep, according to CNN. An expedition to the… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 5, 2008 at 9:00pm — 8 Comments

Are Muslims the Least Educated in the World?

Courtesy of Ahmed Ali, NEDian in Southern California



VERY IMPORTANT TO READ AND THINK ! ! !

Demographics

o World Jewish Population. 14 million

o Distribution: 7m in America

5m in Asia

2m in Europe

100 thousand in Africa

o World Muslim Population: 1.5 billion

o Distribution: I billion in Asia/Mid-East

400 M in Africa

44 M in Europe

6 M in the Americas

o Every fifth human being is a Muslim.

o For every single Hindu the re… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on August 4, 2008 at 7:40pm — No Comments

Turkey, Pakistan and Secularism

As the Turkish Supreme Court prepares to decide on a petition to ban AKP, the ruling party in Turkey, is it reasonable to compare the secular zeal in Turkey with the religious zeal in Pakistan? It probably is. However, the situation in Pakistan is the mirror image of that in Turkey. Just as the religious orthodoxy in Pakistan is strong but limited to a small but vocal, radical minority of Pakistanis, it seems that the secular orthodoxy in Turkey is just as powerful but shared by a small,… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 30, 2008 at 8:34am — 2 Comments

Obama's Presidency Poses Danger to the World

While Senator Barack Obama has been benefiting from his opposition to the unpopular war in Iraq and winning kudos for wanting to unconditionally talk with America's enemies, he has also been sounding more and more hawkish on Pakistan, a US ally. This aggressive stance by Mr. Obama raises some big questions: Is he going to end the war in Iraq and start a much bigger, far more dangerous and longer lasting war in nuclear-armed Pakistan? Does he know that Pakistan, a nation of 165 million people… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 25, 2008 at 7:21am — No Comments

Is Democracy Overrated?

"Normally they (Six members of India's Parliament) are in jail, serving time for crimes ranging from extortion and kidnapping to murder. The Indian constitution allows them out on bail to attend important parliamentary votes. But the sight of convicted murderers entering the parliamentary chamber won't be the most edifying of spectacles." So says a BBC report this morning.



In the wake of the Communist Party's pull-out… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 20, 2008 at 11:30am — 9 Comments

What Do the Taliban Want?

News headlines from Pakistan's tribal belt proclaim a new "Peace Deal" with "militants" along with an appeal for the Shia victims of the Kurram agency blockade imposed by the Taliban. On the surface, these two developments seem disconnected.



The News Headlines:

The "Peace Deal" involves a leading militant in Pakistan's Khyber region, Mangal Bagh, and the local administration to end nearly two weeks of fighting, according to the BBC.



Another BBC report indicates that… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 10, 2008 at 3:04pm — 4 Comments

The Smoking Gun in Pakistan Nuke Transfers

In his first public assertions since Pakistan's disgraced hero Dr. A.Q. Khan was put under house, the nuclear scientist has said, "It was a North Korean plane, and the army had complete knowledge about it and the equipment (centrifuges). It must have gone with [Musharraf's] consent."



This marks the first time that Mr. Khan has directly implicated President Musharraf and Pakistan Army in proliferation of Pakistan's nuclear technology.



Mr. Khan's latest statements contradict… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 5, 2008 at 9:33pm — No Comments

Peshawar, Kandahar under Threat of Resurgent Taliban

As the US-led NATO coalition in Afghanistan and the new government in Pakistan find themselves in policy disagreements and total disarray, with Hamid Karzai playing the spoiler, the resurgent Taliban appear to be preparing for the takeover of major cities on both sides of the border: Kandahar in Afghanistan and Peshawar in Pakistan. This is something that would have been considered unthinkable just a few months ago. The concern until recently was focused on the tribal areas of Pakistan. Now the… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on July 1, 2008 at 7:19am — No Comments

Manekshaw: Indian War Hero Passes On

Sam Hormusji Framji "Sam Bahadur" Jamshedji Manekshaw MC (April 3, 1914 – June 27, 2008) Passed away today in Tamil Nadu, India. He was an Indian Army officer, with his distinct handlebar mustache, and only one of two generals to reach the rank of the Field Marshal in the Indian Army. He was the last of the top commanders involved in Bangladesh war of 1971.



In his long career spanning nearly four decades, Manekshaw rose to be the 8th Chief of Staff of the Indian Army in 1969 and… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 28, 2008 at 9:09am — No Comments

Bunge Coming to Pakistan

By Riaz Haq



Bunge, the third biggest US agribusiness company after

Archer-Daniel-Midland and Cargill, is buying Chicago-based Corn

Products International Inc. for $4.2 billion in stock to add

corn-based sweeteners as demand increases for soft drinks and

processed foods in China, India and Pakistan, according to US media

reports. This acquisition enlarges Bunge's international footprint in

emerging economies to drive its growth.



Corn Products… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 24, 2008 at 5:04pm — 1 Comment

OPEN Forum 2008: Pakistani Entrepreneurs Conference

On June 14, the SAP campus in Palo Alto was the venue for OPEN Forum 2008, probably the world's largest gathering of Pakistani entrepreneurs outside of Pakistan with over 500 attendees. Organization of Pakistani Entrepreneurs (OPEN) describes itself as "a voluntary, not-for profit organization dedicated to the promotion of entrepreneurship and leadership in the Pakistani-American business community". Only a stone-throw away from Sandhill Road, the home of the big Silicon Valley venture… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 21, 2008 at 10:54am — No Comments

Venture Capital Investing in Pakistan

As the US venture capital investment activity in India and China races ahead, the VC investments in Pakistan are just beginning to show signs of life with two young Pakistani companies receiving funding in late 2006 and middle of 2007.



Venture capital investment in China was up to $719m across 39 deals during the first quarter of 2008 from $492m in the first quarter of 2007, with media and advertising companies accounting for the bulk of deal activity and investment, according to the… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 15, 2008 at 7:19pm — 4 Comments

The Long March or the Big Farce?

As the "Long March" by the Pakistani lawyers gets headlines in Pakistan and around the world, it is natural to ask what is all the fuss about? Ostensibly, it is to restore Pakistani judiciary as an independent and powerful institution and strengthen democracy. But is this a realistic expectation that an independent, powerful judiciary supported by lawyers and the media in Pakistan would be good for democracy and the rights of the average citizen? Let's look at the following facts to answer this… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 10, 2008 at 9:30am — No Comments

Karachi: The Urban Frontier

National Public Radio(NPR), an American radio network, is doing a series on a massive wave of urbanization underway in the world's emerging economies such as Brazil, China, India and Pakistan. It has chosen to start with Karachi, which it describes as Pakistan's "economic lifeline" and financial "powerhouse" that produces 25% of Pakistan's GDP, and calls it "one of the largest and most crowded cities of the world". It has a segment on Shehri, the activist group fighting big-money… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 5, 2008 at 1:00pm — 3 Comments

OPEN Forum 2008 in Silicon Valley

Along with Howard Dean, Steve Westley and Mike Moritz, several

prominent Silicon Valley NEDians are speakers and/or panelists at the

OPEN Forum 2008, the annual conference organized by Organization of

Pakistani Entrepreneurs (http://www.opensiliconvalley.org). It is

scheduled for Saturday, June 14, 2008 in Palo Alto, CA.



Mike Moritz, the Iconic Venture Capitalist who saw YouTube and Google

coming, will tell you what the next major trends are in high tech… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on June 2, 2008 at 10:30pm — No Comments

Should Pakistanis be Proud of Their Country?

On the day of our departure for Jeddah, with our bags packed and goodbyes dispensed with, our group found itself together at the coffee shop of the hotel. There each one of us talked about whether this trip had changed our opinions of Pakistan and its people.



This is a country of about 160 million people scattered about four provinces and Azad Kashmir. As the world's fifth largest democracy, Pakistan has had its share of questionable leadership, but there is enough evidence that the… Continue

Added by Riaz Haq on May 26, 2008 at 6:45am — No Comments

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    Blog Posts

    PFX to Advance Pakistan Air Force Modernization

    Pakistan has unveiled its PFX (Pakistan Fighter Experimental) program as a significant upgrade to its JF-17 joint program with China. The new upgrade will have a number of stealth features ranging from the use of radar-absorbing composite materials and diverterless supersonic inlets (DSI) to internal weapons bay (IWB) which will significantly reduce the aircraft's radar signature. It is targeted for completion by the end of this decade. In addition, the PFX's twin-engine design will improve…

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    Posted by Riaz Haq on January 20, 2025 at 1:00pm — 1 Comment

    Pakistan to License Multiple LEO Satellite Internet Service Providers

    The Pakistan government is preparing to license three low-earth-orbit (LEO) satellite operators for space communication services in the country, according to media reports. The companies whose applications are pending include London-based OneWeb, China's Shanghai Spacecom and US headquartered Starlink.  They operate tens of thousands of small mass-produced satellites in low orbits that communicate with designated (mobile and stationary) ground stations.  Each LEO satellite circles the earth…

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    Posted by Riaz Haq on January 15, 2025 at 1:30pm — 2 Comments

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