The insignificance of judicial commissions
Yesterday was the first death anniversary of Osama bin Laden. Pakistanis assumed the role of victims following his killing due to the unprecedented incursion launched by foreign troops on our soil. But what remains a matter of concern is the knowledge that we were host to the world’s most wanted person. The incident jolted the world, but Pakistan in particular, because it added yet another feather to the capful of bad impressions Pakistan leaves on the world community. A judicial commission was formed to determine if negligence led to the national embarrassment. A year later, the commission has not finalised anything ...
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‘Bin Laden is not dead’ and other conspiracy theories
During a discussion with some fellow medical students, I was astounded to observe that they thought 9/11 was a Jewish conspiracy and that al Qaeda is just a figment of some people’s imagination. I found it surprising how most of them did not know the origins and genesis of al Qaeda, one of the largest terrorist organizations in the world. The aim of writing this post is not to launch a tirade against the conspiracy theory culture prevalent in our society. It is to discuss a couple of popular controversies and try to provide some answers to the much debated ...
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A year after Bin Laden: Could it happen again?
A year after the Abbottabad raid that plunged the US-Pakistan relationship to a new low, one big takeaway is that America’s general public is finally familiar with the name of at least one Pakistani city (though this does not mean we and our media have a handle on its geographical location). But on a more serious note, could there be an Abbottabad redux? Could there be another unannounced assault on Pakistani territory to take out a big-ticket terrorist? If there is one thing President Obama has demonstrated in recent months, it is that he is influenced by the hard-line rhetoric emanating ...
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Problems and progress: Reasons to celebrate Pakistan Day
Is Pakistan the most exciting place to live in the 21st century? On the eve of the 72nd anniversary of the Pakistan Resolution, the evidence appears to be stacked overwhelmingly in Pakistan’s favour. Consider this: the Pakistani people are frontline warriors in the greatest ideological battles of the 21st century. Whether it’s the war against religious extremism or the definitive showdown between democracy and entrenched dictatorship, the Pakistani people are playing an outsize role in shaping not just their own future, but also a new, post 9/11 world order. If you want front row seats to witness 21st century history in the making, Pakistan ...
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Shakil Afridi: The lowliest of traitors
Dr Shakil Afridi, accused of running a CIA sponsored fake vaccine program, is in a funny position. On one hand, he has been responsible for fulfilling Osama bin Laden’s dear wish to die at the hand of infidels. On the other, he has played in the hands of the secret agency of an ally country. The recent attempt of US congressman Dana Rohrabacher to save his neck has brought his case to the fore once again and it’s a surprise to see that most of the people who rejoiced at the news of OBL’s death think that Afridi shouldn’t be tried ...
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Who will save democracy now?
I was 15 when Musharraf toppled the elected government in Pakistan. I’m a middle class guy who grew up reading Urdu dailies. I grew up thinking that our politicians are incapable of doing anything good and that the military should govern the country exactly like it does in Myanmar. I grew up thinking that Pakistan and India can never be friends. With time, I started reading publications from different parts of the world. This made me rethink my perceptions regarding democracy. When the elected government of the Peoples’ Party returned to power in 2008, I was as happy as any other ...
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Sovereignty is just an illusion
On May 2 this year US special forces entered deep inside Pakistan’s territory and effectively killed the world’s most wanted terrorist, leaving undetected. This raid, by some, was considered a breach of Pakistan’s national sovereignty. Here’s a question: hasn’t Pakistan’s sovereignty already been compromised by the very presence of Osama bin Laden, banned organisations, and wanted terrorists in the country? Isn’t it, thus, fair game for international forces to chase them inside Pakistan? It is only considered a breach of sovereignty when there is “use of force against the territorial integrity or political independence of any state,” according to the United Nations ...
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From Osama to Qaddafi: Grieving for the rest of the world
Pakistanis are one of the most compassionate nations in the world, it seems, for whenever anyone dies anywhere in the Muslim world, a group of Pakistanis will gather to pray for the departed soul. However, there is a special requirement to qualify to be prayed for in Pakistan: you must have killed and tortured thousands and be recognised as a tyrant the world over. A case in point is that of al Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, for whom not only funerals in absentia were organised, University of Punjab students even held a competition to pay tribute to ‘Sheikh Osama’. Admittedly ...
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After 9/11, I still feel hope
“I am only one. But still I am one. I cannot do everything. But still I can do something. And because I cannot do everything. I will not refuse to do the something that I can do.” Edward Everett I don’t know who started this war or how it will end – I only know how it came to be. On September 11th 2001, I watched helplessly as the twin towers collapsed. Even a decade after this unfortunate day, the world is reeling from this tragic and needless loss. I was a seventeen-year- old, aspiring to be a writer, mesmerized by ...
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American life through the eyes of a Pakistani
Today, it is common for young Pakistani men and women to go to the United States of America for higher education. My friends ans I are a part of this percentage of Pakistan. Let me be the first to tell you that it’s not that easy to get there in the first place. You apply to countless universities; receive lots of rejections and a few acceptances. It is then up to you to decide where you want to go. Are you a big city type of a person? Or would you prefer a more of a small-town feel? Once you have finally ...
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