Pakistan as a nation was exposed to ridicule brought on it by three of its leading cricket players Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamir in August 2010 when they were first charged, and later found guilty of spot-fixing. The sport which was known to provide Pakistan its greatest scene of triumph and pride was turned into a source of embarrassment. The players were immediately suspended by the International Cricket Council (ICC). The international media - English and Indian scribes in particular - went on to repeat the question of whether Pakistan should be allowed to continue to play cricket internationally, such was the extent of the punishment deliberated. The ICC on its part was also critical of the manner in which the affairs of Pakistan cricket team were being run, and required the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to take immediate corrective action. Contrast this with the recent news of the three Indian players along with bookmakers who have been charged with the same offence of spot-fixing. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="528" caption="PHOTO: REUTERS"][/caption] While the Indian media has correctly highlighted the news and reported it extensively, there has been no concrete action taken by the ICC. They seem rather silent on the issue and have not come out and required the Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) to undertake any action. None of the players under arrest have been suspended so far by the ICC like the Pakistani players were, nor is there any talk of such a thing happening. Strictly speaking, the Indian Premier League (IPL) can be seen as a domestic tournament; however, it is anything but that. The glitz, the glamour, the audience and players that accompany the IPL, places it as nothing less than an international spectacle. A special window has been created in the International Cricket Calendar by ICC to ensure that maximum participation of foreign players can be guaranteed each year for the IPL. South Africa, Australia and Sri Lanka all have arrangements in place with the BCCI to ensure player participation. All these countries along with the ICC have a strict policy on corruption yet none of the foreign countries whose players are participating in the IPL have come out and made any statements expressing concern about the state of affairs in India. There is a quite lull. It’s almost as if cricket administrators around the world are too afraid to intervene and put the same kind of pressure on India that Pakistan was confronted with. The only reason for this is the influence that India exercises in the global economics of what international cricket is these days. All the major cricket nations know that for them to continue to make profits while playing cricket they need to have India on their side. Without the Indian market and support, these major nations stand to lose out on the commercial benefits which come with being friendly with the cricket administration in India. India’s control over world cricket these days is quite stringent and in a way absolute. Their constant illogical and irrational opposition to the introduction of TV referrals in the form of use of hotspot and Hawk-Eye technology is one example of such control. Other cricketing nations rather than challenging India’s arbitrary decision now operate in a manner that they accept any and all decisions that India takes. The recent spot-fixing scandal is yet another example where the action taken by the Indian authorities has not even been questioned. Had this scandal arose in a similar tournament being conducted in Pakistan or if Pakistani players were caught spot-fixing while playing in the IPL, it would have been projected altogether differently. It is quite likely that there would have been a whole lot of negative press and the image of the country would have suffered further. The ICC is allowing the BCCI to handle this issue without exerting any pressure. The BCCI has distanced the current Indian team from the scandal. None of the players who have been charged are a part of the Indian cricket team. No statements have been made by the current Indian national team players. In all likelihood the issue will be brushed to one side and BCCI will ensure that team India does not encounter any negative press when playing international tournaments. This approach, however, will not solve the problem of corruption in cricket which has its roots in the Indian subcontinent. It will not put a spanner in the works. The bookies can be expected to use the weakness of the ICC to their advantage and target other players in the future. Rather than prioritising one country over the other, the time has come for the same yardstick to be used for any and all players found guilty of corruption. The severity of their offence is what should be seen to determine the punishment that they get. There should be a level playing field for one and all. After all, a cheat is a cheat no matter where he comes from. The ICC should step out from the shadow of the BCCI and take a leading role. [poll id="264"] Follow Saim on Twitter @SaimIsht

I was born in a society where the field of medicine was considered a 'sacred' profession. A doctor was called "Doctor Sahib" out of mere respect. Reflecting on these societal views, I too, aspired to be a doctor. Little did I know what I was in for.. After graduating from medical school, I joined the likes of many enthusiastic doctors and started working in a government hospital in Islamabad. The job expected me to work over 80 hours per week and paid me nothing at all because all the paid seats (which were a mere handful) were occupied by doctors who were either well connected or were ready to exchange a bundle of notes for this so-called sacred title. I had to spend two gruelling months in government offices, begging for a job that paid me absolutely nothing. Just to explain the absurdity of this to you, consider this example. You're building a house and a skilled worker comes in, offers to work for free and you still refuse to accept his service. Sounds ridiculous, right? Unfortunately, this is the sad truth for Pakistani doctors. We live is a country where 10,000 people are attended to by just one physician on average. According to the Higher Education Commission (HEC), 15,000 doctors leave the country every year. Given these numbers, why does the government not make use of the many doctors that are available and only too willing to help? It is not surprising that the US, UK and now the Middle East have become the biggest importers of doctors from Pakistan, with the latter now even recognising Pakistani doctors without any further examinations and giving them 20 times the amount of remuneration that they could have ever received in Pakistan. While I was working in a hospital in Wales UK, a local patient inquired if my country was trying to get me to return to avail my service. I was deeply saddened by this question and the first thing that popped to my mind was the famous saying of the former prime minister,

"Why don't they leave?"

“What have you given to your country?”

May 2011, I came to South Korea with lots of questions in my mind. Truly speaking, back home we have heard about oriental countries, mostly China and Japan but rarely Korea. A lot of people may not even know that North and South Korea are two different countries as they are mostly referred to as simply “Korea”. Whatever the reason, I am still not sure. The funny thing is the the only time I see people making the mention of South Korea is after Gangnam Style becoming a youth anthem, and yes, of course, after the recent tensions between North and South Korea. Anyhow, stepping in South Korea was a true eye-opener. It’s a whole new world - a world so far ahead in technology, in convenience, in comfort that is beyond our imagination. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Korean Folk Museum, Seoul"][/caption] My words will fall short in describing Korea. South Koreans are usually crazy about technology and workaholics. They’re people who, by any means, have pledged to take their country even far ahead from where it is now. South Korea is one happy nation! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Kyung Hee Observatory"][/caption] Everything was going just fine, until recently, when I started getting calls from home enquiring about the tensions in the Korean peninsula. Due to this sudden interest, I started following the news, and would watch or read it at least five times daily. Honestly, the media had me scared, especially after getting the memo from Pakistan embassy in Seoul, stating their close eye on the situation and mentioning the worst cases. What do they mean by 'worst cases'? Well let’s follow the news again. What did I get in the news, you ask? The media appeared to be bombarded with news like “Korea is having their Cuban missile crisis”. It was dead scary. I started digging in for more and more information, not just related to the tension between North and South Korea, but much more than that. What kind of a country North Korea is, what is their leader like, what about the new and first lady president of South Korea – I was looking for answers to all these questions. In short, within few days I felt myself becoming an expert on this whole situation. The funny part is that I found myself even challenging the statements that were being passed between the two countries. Whoever came up with this 'ignorance is bliss' statement was a genius. Now I understand what it truly means. My husband would often tell me that it was strange that I was so worried about the situation here, when I had come from a place like Pakistan where every day brings insecurities and gloom. However, I feel that is my home. No matter how the situation over there is, I have always somehow felt safe. Yeah, a weird statement, I know, but that is the truth. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="500" caption="Lotte World, Seoul."][/caption] The strangest thing I noticed during this critical time was the reaction of South Koreans - so calm, so content, continuing with their daily activities as if nothing is happening. Hmm, seems like they have gotten used to all this 'exchange of rhetoric'. The news that I followed assured me of it. These kinds of situations have come and gone many times before. The way people deal with them now is to hear them from one ear and throw them out the other; they keep on living in a world where everything is just fine. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="300" caption="63 Building Sunset"][/caption] There is a huge clash of lifestyle between North and South Korea. Although both countries started their journey from the same point, one went on to compete with the who's-who of the world on each and every level, and the other still lags behind in even fulfilling the basic necessities of life. Maybe that's the frustration clearly visible in their threats. However, thankfully, along with the cherry blossoms came softened stances from both sides of border. I don't know what people think of this place. I wonder what image they have in their minds. What I do know is that South Korea is a beautiful place. It can easily compete with the technology capitals of the world, and is also bestowed upon with breath-taking and well-preserved natural beauty. Luckily, I have been around long enough to go through the contrasting sides of this country. I have witnessed the 'fast forward mode', where everyone seems to be in a race to compete, and I also seen the 'calm and soothing' side , as if one has gone into a trance. The motto of this country states, "benefit broadly the human world", and that's precisely what South Korea is all about. It makes me believe that if you put your heart and soul, you are bound to succeed. It promises and it delivers. It is South Korea. PHOTOS: RABIA REHMAN

Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay assaulted by a cashiered Indian soldier in Jammu’s Kot Balwal jail on Friday, a day after Indian death row convict Sarabjit Singh breathed his last in Lahore, is dead. 52-year-old Sanaullah, who was in deep coma and on life-support system, died in a hospital in Chandigarh this morning. In an apparent retaliation to the death of Sarabjit Singh, who had been savagely beaten to sodden pulp by his fellow jail inmates a week before, Sanaullah was attacked allegedly by a pickaxe by Vinod Kumar, an Indian Army man sentenced to life in a murder case by a military court of inquiry in Leh. Sanaullah was arrested in 1999 in connection with five cases related to terror activities. My heart goes out to the family of Sanaullah. For their plight is no different from the agony of Sarabjit’s family. Like Sarabjit, Sanaullah is also someone’s father, brother, and son. His life and death makes a huge difference to his loved ones. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="576" caption="In this photograph taken on May 3, 2013, Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay, an inmate of India's central Jammu jail was attacked by Indian inmates at a prison, is carried from a hospital to an ambulance in Jammu before being transferred to a hospital in Chandigarh for treatment. PHOTO: AFP/FILE"][/caption] Alack, yet another poor, wretched man has been crucified on the cross of lethal Indo-Pak rivalry. Yet another miserable fellow, notwithstanding his terror background, has been made a scapegoat to gratify India and Pakistan’s inflated egos. But, what we don’t understand is that an eye for an eye will make the whole world blind. We have no right to play with the life of someone to gratify our insatiable craving for blood. Sarabjit's extra-judicial killing has stirred passions in India. But, that does not justify the retaliatory attack on Sanaullah. For this ‘khoon ka badla khoon’ or ‘tit-for-tat’ proclivity will only lead us to the abyss of dark ages, extrication from which will be impossible. In that chasm there’s darkness, there are the burning fires of hell, there’s the burning and scorching of the flesh; there’s foul smell. Our thirst for human blood and depravity is disgusting; yes disgusting. It’s despicable. This shameful state of affairs itself calls for an immediate remedy. But then this kind of barbaric savagery and sadistic disposition is not alien to Indians and Pakistanis. It has been an integral part of our tribal society for ages. When I think of these recent horrific incidents in our prisons, or the ghastly 2008 Mumbai attacks, or the one on the LoC where an Indian soldier was allegedly beheaded by Pakistani forces, or the Gujarat riots of 2002, my mind dwells upon the ‘Great Calcutta Killings’ that took place on August 16, 1946 which served to catalyse into violence the rivalry of India’s Hindu and Muslim communities. It was Jinnah’s ‘Direct Action Day’, to prove to Britain and the Congress Party that India’s Muslims were prepared ‘to get Pakistan for themselves by “Direct Action” if necessary.

 ‘We shall have India divided,’ Jinnah had vowed, ‘or we shall have India destroyed.’

"What hell the partition has brought us," he said to Liaquat in a half whisper. ‘We never foresaw anything like this when we agreed to it. We’ve been brothers. How could this have happened?’ ‘Our people have gone mad.’ Liaquat replied.

The murder of Indian spy Sarabjit Singh inside Kot Lakhpat jail in Pakistan, the dastardly attack on Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah inside a Jammu jail and the foul manner in which the politicians of the two countries and especially electronic media whipped up the rhetoric, calling for the two nuclear armed countries to snap the ties after Sarabjit died, is a matter of grave concern and speaks a lot about the fragility of peace. More than just baying for each other’s blood -which has become a pattern for patriotism driven, hyper-nationalistic people- these two incidents reflect the existential threat posed by thriving jingoism to relations between India and Pakistan and how the two countries, including their media and politicians, have used ordinary people and prisoners as tools of political vendetta to score some proverbial brownie points over each other. Sarabjit’s case is particularly interesting. For decades, the Indian government left him to decay in Pakistan and kept their people in dark about the nature of the case. It was only after Punjab government gave him a state funeral and cash was given as compensation to his family that the haze of confusion obscuring the facts behind Sarabjit’s case cleared up to bring the reality at the doorsteps of many people deluded by lies fed by media to them. With a leading Indian newspaper reporting on Monday that Sarabjit Singh was indeed working for India’s intelligence agencies, those vouching for his innocence must hang their heads in shame and introspect. No doubt his murder was a condemnable act and in no way justifiable for bringing justice to the people who were his victims in the past. Conversely, then, it could also be said that a state funeral to Sarabjit Singh was an implicit admission by India that it, too, sponsors terrorists who kill ordinary people in Pakistan. Sarabjit was convicted by a Pakistani court in a bomb blast that left at least 14 people dead and scores injured. Were they not worthy enough to get justice? Of course you may point out that Sarabjit’s trial was full of errors but how clean and taintless is the judicial system in the sub-continent where people are sent to gallows, not because the law has demanded, but it has to ‘satisfy the collective conscience’ of the deluded people. At the other extreme of this political blame game is the case of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay who was injured in a scuffle with another inmate in a Jammu jail, days after Sarabjit was killed. But unlike Sarabjit, the attack on Sanaullah appears to be a case of tit-for-tat. A pickaxe was used to assault him. You don’t keep pickaxes in jails to scare away crows. There was a certain method to madness in this case which speaks a lot about how people in the two countries are baying for each other’s blood. And even if the facts are not revealed, and we may never get to know them, the truth is that the overcrowded jails in the two countries have many Sarabjits and Sanaullahs who have become victims of collateral damage of the historical animosities between India and Pakistan. These actions inside the prisons are only reflecting the afflicted state of political leadership and existing hatred in the people of two countries against each other. These powerless and exploited victims are waiting for justice from the over-burdened and crippled judicial system. Many of them have died unknown deaths. What have the politicians and the media done to ensure a speedy trial for them? Other than whipping up rhetoric meant to gain more TRP ratings, what has the interventionist and clientele media in India and Pakistan achieved by beating the drums of war? What have they done to examine the soil of the subcontinent which is full of seditious skeletons, the story of whom we may never hear? One of the most rabid news channels which follows a highly unprofessional code of journalism in India, showed a non-stop broadcast of Sarabjit's sister's emotional appeal to free her brother on the day he had not breathed his last, an appeal of release made by a sister for the man who had been convicted for the murder of 14 people. In such circumstances, it is but normal to breed hatred and spread animosity among the people. By the way, how much time did its pretentious, oily-haired, foul-mouthed anchor gave to Afzal Guru's wife to plead her husband's case is anyone’s guess. The condition of Sanaullah is critical. Some reports have even suggested that he is brain dead. In these times when bloodbath committed inside the prisons dictates the relations between the two countries, one can only wish and pray that Sanaullah survives, to tell his story to the people who have been fed lies over the years by their media and politicians. India’s Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh said that the denial of Pakistan to release Sarabjit Singh was an 'inhumane' act. One wonders what the refusal by his government to let Afzal Guru, who was sent to gallows to ‘satisfy the collective conscience’ of India, see his family for one last time before his death was? Was it a nationalistic act? An act of barbarism, more like it! Read more by Jehangir here or follow him on Twitter @Gaamuk

Is Pakistan the only country in the world that is facing sectarian violence in today’s world? Can we expect Pakistan to overcome it in the coming years? With a huge population, widespread poverty and various non-state actors, it may take Pakistan many years to fight this menace but it is not impossible to take this challenge head-on. We have the example of Belgium before us, which resolved this problem successfully. Belgium – a small but ethnically diverse country in the heart of Europe consisting of French, German and Dutch-speaking population – took over four centuries to learn the lesson of peaceful coexistence. With a population of just 11 million and a small land mass, Belgium is 26 times smaller than Pakistan. Its deputy head of mission in Pakistan, Dr Stephane Mund, recently delivered a lecture at Area Study Centre for Europe at the University of Karachi. In his address, he said that his country has triumphed over not only sectarian conflicts that existed between Catholics and Protestants in the 16th and 17th centuries, but also over recent ethnic and language issues.

“Until recently, we had ethnic and language issues but we decided to listen to each other,” said Mund. “Difference of opinion does not mean that you kill each other. We learnt that only dialogue can resolve issues.”

Indian death row convict Sarabjit Singh, who was attacked and seriously injured by his fellow prisoners within his barrack at Kot Lakhpat Jail on Friday, is dead. 49-year-old Sarabjit died of a cardiac arrest at around 1:00am as stated by the Press Trust of India, on its official Twitter account. Sarabjit was hospitalised after having sustained a serious head injury, after fellow prisoners attacked him.

“Sarabjit was having tea with fellow prisoners Muhammad Muddasar and Amir, also condemned for death sentence in murder cases. They exchanged hot words with Sarabjit and attacked him with bricks and blades,” jail official Munawar Ali said.

"He was ecstatic to be in my company, even though for a little while. But, I found it difficult to see him in that wretched condition… He has become so frail. It’s been 20 years since he’s been in jail. For how long will he suffer like this? Anyone who has any pity in his heart would find it impossible to endure his sufferings." Kaur exclaimed.

“He is very weak and can’t even walk. At this age he needs our support and care. For the last 19 years he's been in prison.” “India in any case will have to send back my grandfather dead or alive one day. So why don’t they send him back alive? This goodwill gesture will only improve relations between the two countries,” he exclaimed in sombre vein.

[Kneeling]  O you mighty Gods! This world I do renounce, and in your sights, Shake patiently my great affliction off; If I could bear it longer, and not fall, To quarrel with your great oppose less wills, My snuff and loathed part of nature should, Burn itself out. If they live, O, bless them! Now, fellow, fare thee well.

“Are you crazy?”

“Your ignorance is worse than any drone, any terrorist attack and any corruption”.

It was in 2001 when Beijing was awarded the right to host the 2008 summer Olympics. This put into high gear a plan that has come to be known as Project 119. This idea, vision, principle - call it whatever you want - had a very simple premise: China should finish at the top of the gold medals table at the 2008 summer games. A gap analysis was done to gauge exactly what needs to be done to reach this goal. What followed was a meticulous plan that comprised talent hunts, training, and infrastructure development. The result, as we all know, was phenomenal. From having won 32 gold medals at the 2004 games, China topped the tables in 2008 with 51 gold medals and a total tally of 100 medals. The fact that China managed to come out on top at the 2008 games was based on an idea that was conceptualised several years in advance. This overarching vision was further refined and made implementable through the hard work and dedication of several sub-committees and steering teams for whom the beacon was realising the vision that was set out. And that is the thing about setting out a vision; you have to be in it for the long haul. There are no short term quick gains and hence, the tangibility factor is missing, making it further difficult to popularise. Hence, it can only be set by those leaders who are not concerned about their immediate future, have a sense of greater purpose and have the interest of the nation in mind. Unfortunately, our politics and leadership has perpetually been plagued with having a horizon that does not go beyond their term in power or at best, how to better their chances of getting re-elected. Our problems are deep rooted and have no quick fix. Real change and improvement can only be brought about by tough policy decisions, many of which will provide little or no immediate gains, which will take years to enact. Much to our detriment, the past regime, and the ones before it, has been so consumed by the present that all thought of long term policy making was banished. Cosmetic steps like the infamous Rental Power Plants (RPP) were taken to befool the naïve masses and creating the illusion that their problems are really being addressed while coffers were being filled elsewhere. Having said this, my plea is simple. We as a nation need to decide if we want to bring to the top, those who have the vision and policy framework to tackle the myriad of challenges that we face, or those who continue to corrode whatever is left of our feeble infrastructure. For the upcoming elections, scrutinise your options based on a simple criterion: Can the party that you support look beyond the horizon of its term to take decisions that will bear fruit in 10-20 years? Or is it more likely to succumb to the usual shortsightedness? Vote for the nation, not for the party! Follow Basil on Twitter @basilbaqai

Growing up in Peshawar, a slightly conservative city of Pakistan, my sentiments as a child were nothing different from those of others in most parts of the country. I had a slight disliking for India, and sheer hatred for Israel. Words such as ‘Jewish lobby’, ‘Zionists’, ‘Freemasons’, and many others - whose meanings many of us did not even know - kept ringing in our ears through religious scholars, teachers, friends and peers, and we used to associate all of them directly with Jews, especially Jews of Israel and those having major shares in US corporations. The Indian intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW) and the Israeli intelligence agency Mossad were always being linked to any terrorist happening in Pakistani, making these two countries as sole conspirators against Pakistan. A few years ago, this very thought came to my mind while I was wondering why we don’t have any diplomatic ties with Israel. Not surprisingly, I failed to find even one solid reason to justify this lack of diplomatic relations. Even our passport, explicitly barring us from entering Israel, is a forced decision imposed on Pakistanis, especially for those who would like to visit Palestine or Israel for religious, academic or economic purposes. I think there are two primary reasons for our hatred for Israel: One, the religious structures, among which I grew up, and still respect, and number two, the curriculum I was taught at school, and even at college. It’s a bit naive to think now that till my late teens, I was busy hating India and Israel without any historical background or logic. The curriculum never taught us historical narratives of both Kashmir and Palestine, and thus gave us only one side of the picture. I remember attending Friday sermons which would end in curses on India and Israel. Apparently, it was a “positive note”. If those sermons were directed towards policymakers or governments, maybe in some sense, they would have sounded logical. However, praying for deaths of innocent people -all the Jews- is nothing but making a scapegoat for religious sympathies. Citizens of the same country came forward to support Palestinians against settlements, which proved all fundamentalist anti-Semitic theories wrong. The situation concerning India luckily has settled to some extent with increasing awareness and education, but Israel holds the top spot when it comes to ‘enemies of Islam’, for a layman. True, there are violations going on in Palestine; true, that Israel has fought multiple wars with Arab states, and true that Israel is a strong ally of India and the USA, but does it provide any rationale for us to not have any sort of relationship with Israel? If foreign interventions or occupations are to be used as a criterion, then first and foremost Pakistan should cut off its ties with of the Western states on whose aid the country is relying. The point I try to make here is that never in our academic or religious institutions have we been explained why Israel should be cursed. Never have we been told why people should believe that Israel is the root of most evils in Pakistan. Even if we try proving Israel's hostility towards Pakistan, except one theory of Israel's plan of attacking Pakistan's nuclear set-up in Kahuta, nothing comes to the fore. Pakistan, on the other hand, has many times volunteered for Arab wars against Israel - wars that were never directly related to Pakistan. The same countries Pakistani soldiers were fighting for against Israel never came for any help during the wars of 1965 and 1971. In terms of strategic cooperation, when it came to Pakistan's gain and interest, general Ziaul Haq was not shy of establishing intelligence cooperation networks with Israeli intelligence against the Soviet Union in Afghanistan, but when it came recognition and bilateral ties, Zia was hesitant, like all other leaders of the country. Without going into historical narratives of to whom true ownership of the Israel-Palestine land belongs, it is ironic to see that many of the Muslim states Pakistan tags as closest partners, and brothers such as Turkey and Egypt, have recognised Israel and have maintained cordial ties with it. If we wish to see an independent state of Palestine, it is important to have some sort of ties with Israel, as having no relations would only limit us to statements and rhetoric in support of Palestine. If today, there is a hope for resolution of Kashmir issue, it is only because India and Pakistan have formal ties on every possible diplomatic level and forum, and same goes for Israel. We, as a nation, are already suffering from the setbacks of hate-filled curriculum and society that seeped into our values allowing no space for minorities. It is time we start giving space to everyone and work towards inter-faith and inter-ethnic harmony and collaboration. If we can have friends in India and the USA, why can't we have friends in Israel? Why not pave a way for initiation of relations, primarily with the people, and not initially the government that may create opportunities for peace and a better future for the coming generations? P.S. I don't intend to hurt anyone's religious or emotional attachment with Palestine, or to enter into right-wrong debate of Palestine crisis. The only purpose of this blog is finding answers to questions that constantly encounter us, the Pakistanis, while interacting with foreigners abroad. Read more by Farooq here or follow him on Twitter @faruqyusaf