Burying Women Alive & Shocking Baluchistan

I have recently come across a sad & shocking story; it says “five women had been buried alive in Balochistan in the name of honour”. The issue was brought in Senate for discussion, “a nationalist senator from Balochistan, Mir Israrullah Zehri, stunned the Senate by defending the burial alive of five women in Balochistan terming it an act within Baloch tribal traditions and advised the House not to exaggerate the issue”. The only fault of those innocent women that they had married as per their choice, which is allowed in any civilized society or any religion. I am also a Baloch but would not link the Baloch traditions to such kind of horrible act against humanity. No Baloch “or human” can dare to even think of taking such action. Apart from medieval tribal tradition, I hope sanity would prevail and STATE OF PAKISTAN “if functional” would come ahead to take action against the so called moral police of tribal land”. It is against the Fundamental Rights “ensured or protected in Chapter 1, from article 8 to 28” of the supreme law of Pakistan i.e., the constitution. It is also the responsibility of the Supreme Court of Pakistan to take suo moto action as per article 284 of the constitution. As a responsible citizen, it is our collective responsibility to speak up against the grave human rights violation. We all can make a difference with small efforts. I am sure, the remains of great historical baloch figures “Mir. Chackar & Mir Balach” would also be in shock and awe.

Saddam and the Hidden Agenda of the US

Amit Kapoor December 17, 2003 (One of the most intriguing article i have come across)

I am not an authority who is writing on world affairs but writing as a person who feels very disturbed by the developments in the last few days. On Saturday when Saddam was captured the Americans were rejoicing as from their point of view they had captured one of the most wanted man in the list they had developed. One of the statements made was Saddam would be treated as a Prisoner of War (POW)? I shudder at the thought and I am pained while I see the pictures of Saddam on television when he is being examined by the US doctor. Is this the way that you treat a former Head of State whether a dictator or a democratically elected one. There is always a way to treat a person in a dignified and respectable way. He should be accorded the status of the former ruler of the state and treated accordingly and not as a POW. He needs to be treated well. Period.

Americans are planning a trial for Saddam; in fact there are individuals who are already propagating a death sentence for the former leader of Iraq. You want to punish Saddam for Iran Iraq was, attacks on the Kurds, invasion of Kuwait, Killing and torture, Insurgency against coalition troops. As of now I feel for the man who has lost all his power. The way he is being treated I feel we have relegated to the world of the Barbarians where the stronger tribe won, whether right or wrong. What has happened to the world? In one of the statements Shahi Imam had said that it is a black day for the Muslim world, I would beg to differ here. It is a black day for the civilized world where in a bunch of cowboys are trying to set the rules and forcing the world to follow them.Today at this juncture I am compelled to ask what war, for what and of what nature?First and foremost the name of the operation has been termed as Operation Iraqi freedom. What kind of freedom are we really talking about for the people of Iraq?People in Iraq have the right to decide, America had no right to decide for Iraqis. America has attacked Iraq under a false premise of giving freedom and rights to people.America is working overtime on the idea that you are getting freedom for the people of Iraq? Why don’t you give the Iraqis the freedom to decide who rebuilds their country and why are you making them face ruthless privatization. Who has given the right to US for determining the economic course of the country? In doing all this America has ended up annexing a country and it does not have any moral right to do so and not poke its nose into somebody else’s business.At the end of the day America does not have a moral right to annex a country.Let us be cleat that it has been a great marketing effort on the part of the US administration to showcase the whole war as a way on doing away with the menace of Saddam and his biological weapons. Let us not forget that Bush is a Harvard MBA and I am sure he understands very well how to play with words to change the perception and manipulate the thoughts of people.The other reasons for war and subsequent idea of death for Saddam have been that Saddam was brutal with Kurds. If you think suppressing a rebellion is anti people than why are you holding the young American who fought for the Taliban against the Americans? He is a traitor and then who were the Kurds. In the same breath CNN shows clips of people being beaten on Streets in Iraq. How can we forget when the white policemen beat up a black person in LA, USA. What about the racial discrimination that exists in US and UK. In fact US has gone ahead with what they call as religious profiling of people. Now, who is curbing my right to the religion I want to practice.America says that it would make a tribunal for deciding on the fate of Saddam. Doesn’t it sound clichéd, I am sure they would be picking up the people they want and who would decide what US wants. I think it is a foregone conclusion that Saddam would be hanged.One of the other major reasons as sighted by the USA for trial of Saddam is the insurgency against the coalition forces. They are trying to tell the world that Saddam loyalists are creating problems in Iraq. What do we call the fight against the invader – insurgency. Let us not forget that it is the US court which has ruled that one country’s freedom fighter is another’s terrorist. E-Iraq should be enraged by the occupation of their country by someone else. It is not the Saddam loyalists who are fighting but people who believe that they have the right to decide what they want to achieve in life and for their country. They are fighting against the illegal occupation of their country.Any proud Iraqi will fight against the Americans. This would mean that tomorrow America will attack India for having nuclear weapons and no nuclear command in place. Rest assured if that happens I can be sure that1 billion people will be in arms against the US at that point in time.We all talk about brutality and Islamic terrorism, I am not too sure whether it is terrorism or they are fighting for their right to live decently and decide for themselves how they want to live. Why don’t you give Palestinians the right to self determination? This would be because Israelis control the maximum wealth in US.If you say that Iraqis need to decide for themselves than why doesn’t America let Hawaii break away from USA? Give them the right to decide. You would say that the freedom view for Hawaii is in minority. Incidentally let me make you remember that you also went against the world view and you were in minority when you decided to attack Iraq.We should not forget that most of the terrorist activities in the world are funded by the US or on the behest of the US. Who equipped and supported Saddam Hussein? What was the regime who funded it? I think it was Rumsfeld who was a part of the process. Should he be hanged? He is much more of a reason for the problems and disparity that got created in the gulf than anybody else. Incidentally let us not forget USA itself funded Osama to fight and create problems for the Russians after they took over the country in 1979.

Do you think that US would ever attack Korea? I am sure US will not do it for multiple reasons. One that they don’t have the guts to attack a equally pitted partner. When US cannot attack equally pitted partner what is it doing… isn’t it being coward… I can say Saddam had the guts to fight against the US. US itself doesn’t have the guts to fight Korea because they know that the Koreans can actually make their life miserable. A Vietnam can be repeated for them in Korea. US behaves in a typical way of a bully trying to fight with the person who cannot really retaliate and fight back. Too much for set of people who think they are brave.Americans and George Bush in particular should remember that history is cyclical. What you have done to Saddam can happen to one of your presidents in the future. History never forgets and in God you trust, than I am sure that he is watching and he would punish the Americans with the largest level of insults in the future. Remember no civilization lives forever. They all get go down in the abysmal depths of time. What you would your civilization want to be remembered as? A bunch of Barbarians who wanted to invade the world with their ideology of freedom, democracy and capitalism. With the actions that have been taken by Americans I am sure it is the beginning of the death of a great empire or kingdom. Generally speaking an empire has never lasted more than 300 – 500 years. I think the land of opportunity i.e. USA is facing an imminent death.

Life has come a full circle for Saddam and it would come full circle for US. If not now than the future generations will have to pay for it. What America is trying to do today is to fight against the mistakes that they have committed during the cold war, the mistakes of dividing the world starkly into a bipolar world. Saddam is a deceiver, he’s a liar, he’s a torturer, and he’s a murderer? These are the words of the president of the US. I would like to ask one question, what are you Mr. Bush? Can you say that you don’t belong to all these categories? You are powerful today and can manipulate whatever you feel like. I just hope that the quote that pen is mightier than the sword comes true but than again the media in US is playing at the hands of the present regime. I believe Saddam more than US as US has a history of manipulating and concocting facts. I feel pained by the humiliation he has had to face because his capture makes life easier for a certain President in the next elections and he can garner some additional votes.Let me ask a very pointed question as to what have Americans done for last 65 years? They killed hundreds of thousands in Japan, attacked countries like Syria, Sudan etc.Is it a psychological victory for the US or they are trying to showcase the lost morals of the world. Media is extremely biased in the US. What is the ground reality? There are people who are crying for Saddam even in Iraq.US talks at all times that it is a land that provides opportunities for independent actions and growth. At what cost are you providing all this. You have ended up becoming one of the most unjust set of people who are fighting for material gains and benefits. America not worried whether you become poor or not, what matters to them is whether they are becoming rich or not. They have created the Saddam phobia for oil as we can see that oil production in Iraq at full capacity can bring the oil prices to about $ 18 - $ 22 a barrel. Don’t we see an obvious relation as to why a war was raged on Iraq. The war is all about oil, show casing their arms technology for the world to see and appreciate, off course subsequently buy.I would like to tell Americans in the end that their actions are not making the world safer and saner place to live. In fact I feel it is quite the opposite as the resentment against the US would continue to rise and take serious proportions and at that time we would not be in a position to rectify the mistakes .America suffers from a great superiority complex thinking what they do and say is right. They are extremely one sided. What we can clearly see is – Americans are highly opportunistic. Going by the logic of Bush and Blair, I think India should file a case in the international court against the queen. It was under this kingdom that thousands aybe millions lost their lives in India. Sukhdev and Bhagat Singh were the people who were fighting for the right for self determination of Indians. They were hanged and if I go by the history they were brutally torn to pieces on the behest of the British regime in India. Who is responsible for the same? The royal family – I suppose. I think we made a grave mistake; we should have imprisoned Prince Charles when he was on a visit to India.US today is working on the premise that might is right. The inference that can be clearly drawn is that this is all about money and oil. Remember that Saddam’s regime was one that was forward looking. They came to a state of primitive living because of US backed sanctions and not because of Saddam. Don’t distort history and portray a false picture a man who is fallen. Bush Junior is trying to fulfill what Bush Senior was not able to achieve. They are taking a country to ransom and treating the people of US as they are workers in a family managed enterprise. The whole affair is more of a propaganda war. Saddam had nothing, no Weapons of Mass Destruction. Who i sfighting an unjust war, US or someone else? And who are the terrorists – Saddam or Bush and Blair?

Same Culture & Same People....Yet Divided..Why????

I am glad that I got an opportunity to watch an Indian movie, "Singh is King" in Lahore. It is not that I loved the plot or the cast of the movie. Similar cultures across the border always make me think, why South Asia could not become an economic unit. Anyways, this movie is all about Sardars “Indian Punjabi Folks in Aussie”; good part was watching it in Pakistani “Punjab”, on contrary watching it in Karachi may not have been so fun. Movie is light entertaining, hmm rather stupid one but I always feel the difference in overall culture of Punjab vis a vis Karachi or my cultural background “Baluchistan”. Lots of hilarious scenes, sentences and words in the movie, all seems so similar that I get to hear everyday at LUMS. It makes me think hard, if I start noting the difference and similarities between India & Pakistan, I end up with big list that may provide a rationale to support the economic integration of Sub Continent. In Pakistan it is general belief that Civil Military Bureaucracy mainly comprised of Punjabi & Urdu speaking middle class having deep anti Indian FETISH.

So many similarities, yet forced to live with minor “self created” difference. I wait for the day when Indus Valley Civilization gets connected with Ganges Valley Civilization, it is natural connection, and one can not separate the rivers, mountains & cultural similarities yet flourishing inspite of Iron Curtain.

Agreements Are Not Quranic Verses, Hell With Principles!!

I am one of the die hard opponent of dictatorship in Pakistan and virtually a preacher of democracy. I also believe in the supremacy of supreme law of Pakistan i.e., The Constitution of 1973 in its true spirit. Over here, on one hand people believe that lets give democracy a chance and it is at the historical juncture to set examples, on the other hand people believe that this country require stick and carrot rather people gone to an extent that DANDA is the only solution. Today it’s sad to hear that coalition of PML ‘N’ and PPP has broken. Whatever stance parties may have vis a vis the restoration of Judiciary, they have right to have any. But I lament writing that Mr. Zardari agreed with Nawaz in Muree that he will restore the judiciary and later he refused to take or act on his words, claiming that agreements are not the Quranic verses. Further on sad note, in my Law class we discussed that any proposal or offer is mutually accepted by two individuals or entities it becomes a promise or rather an agreement. If that agreement is backed by law it becomes a contract. If Zardari refuse what he agreed, is principally a wrong act, may tarnish the image of democracy itself. It shuns the notion of principle centered leadership. Hope this country learns from mistakes sooner than it is too late.

Mesmerizing Medici Effect

I came across an interesting idea in my Strategy Class “The Medici Effect”, pioneered by Frans Johansson. He asks one question what elephant and epidemic can teach us about innovation. Weird, yet powerful. When we step into an intersection of fields, disciplines, or cultures, we can combine existing concepts into a large number of extraordinary new ideas. The Medici Effect shows how to find intersectional ideas and make them happen. How ants & tank truck logistics are related? Ants always find shortest possible route efficiently. When Mercedez-Benz presented their bionic concept car back in 2005 they showed that they were capable of optimizing aerodynamic form in a very unorthodox way; they used the R&D of nature itself and modelled it after the angular but streamlined boxfish. Fish drove the innovation at Mercedez Benz.

Fast Paced Crazy Technology; Wish I Were Born in Future

Today, after the intriguing session in STRATEGY CLASS at LUMS, on Core Competencies & lots of talk about future of business, society, human being and world landscape at large, my friend AHMED made me think about these words;

“Imran, I wish if we were born after couple of generations in future”!!!!! It made me think! Innovation driven and fast paced technology is changing the overall human life, intriguing, mind boggling, yet powerful with pros and cons, moving ahead with unstoppable pace.

Success is all about mapping or understanding the future and adjusting with similar pace…..

Following news has made me think even deeper “Intel has showed off a wireless electric power system …..mind boggling….. yes…that’s what people said once human being thought of flying… Intel team ……..sent the electricity wirelessly to a lamp on stage, lighting a 60 watt bulb that uses more power than a typical laptop computer.

Most importantly, the electricity was transmitted without zapping anything or anyone that got between the sending and receiving units.

It seems everything is possible, what if following happens in our lifetime;

Women may not need men to produce babies…….It is already a known fact that women have certain hormone if stimulated; it could result in child birth without mating with men. Men would become a useless junk and extinct creature.

It reminds me of a movie, in which due to some global disease men die and whole planet is left with only women…

At times, things are happening so fast, it seem world is FLAT….few friends gone to an extent saying “Hay World, Please Stop, You Are Too Fast, Let Me Get Off”

Scarf Ban in France & Bikini Clad Girls on the Streets of ZAINAB MARKET

It has been interesting discussion, whenever we come across any news related to scarf related ban in France or other EU countries, we raise eyebrows. We questions, how come liberal Europe is so intolerant of religious freedom! I came across an interesting read; it says how can you defend France’s laws banning hijabs in public schools? Replied argument is, “They have banned Sikh turbans and the wearing of Christian crosses and Jewish Star of David as well. Law is not against Muslims, It is against exhibiting overt religious symbols in public. France is a secular country and it has every right to do so. What if a European woman appears in a mini skirt on Zainab Market? You will say, since you are an Islamic republic, you have the right to ban such attire in public, wouldn’t you. I think they tolerate a lot more hijabs and turbans in their country than we ever tolerate crosses, shorts and skirts in ours!! Give it a thought, argument is self convincing. How tolerant Pakistani Taliban are?? How tolerant Pakistani Mullahs are?? Give it a thought.

My Darling, My Lover, My Beautiful Wife

Interesting one , i just came across following; WASHINGTON POST COMPETITION ASKED FOR A TWO-LINE RHYME WITH THE MOST ROMANTIC FIRST LINE, BUT THE LEAST ROMANTIC SECOND LINE: This is the winner My darling, my lover, my beautiful wife: Marrying you screwed up my life. I see your face when I am dreaming. That's why I always wake up screaming. Kind, intelligent, loving and hot; This describes everything you are not. I thought that I could love no other -- that is until I met your brother. Roses are red, violets are blue, sugar is sweet, and so are you. But the roses are wilting, the violets are dead, the sugar bowl's empty and so is your head. I want to feel your sweet embrace; But don't take that paper bag off your face. I love your smile, your face, and your eyes -- Damn, I'm good at telling lies! My love, you take my breath away. What have you stepped in to smell this way? My feelings for you no words can tell, Except for maybe 'Go to hell.' What inspired this amorous rhyme? Two parts tequila, one part lime.

Apolitical Middle Class is the Reason for Rouge Rulers in Pakistan

Apolitical middle class of Pakistan lives in its own shell, overly engrossed with consumerism and material possession. Do not love reading & following political state of affairs that affects our lives, live in complete apathy, enjoy complaining & love to be judgmental. Consciousness in Indian middle class drives forward the Indian nation, but it lacks in Pakistani middle class. Middle class is called the engine of change; it was middle class that toppled the old French Dynasty, caused American Revolution and Meiji Revolution in Japan. There may be various reasons behind the middle class apathy in Pakistan, one may argue. One thing Indians have learned, “if you do not force the mess at home to be cleaned, there would be no respite, respect and success abroad”. Living in apathy, apolitical life fused with consumerism is termed ostrich syndrome. Our middle class does not know the political pitfall caused by Military Junta ‘ruled us almost most of our history in the form of Ayub, Zia & Musharraf’, weak democracy on crutches dictated by Agencies always remained feeble. American journey of democracy started in 1770s; Britain signed Megna Carta in 12th or 13th century. Poor Paki middle class term rural leadership ‘that hardly ruled less than 10 years in last 60 years’ reason for state of present state of affairs in Pakistan, they never visited the rural areas, not knowing the local languages, even the geography, even the history or social psychology, in such social milieu, it is easy to manipulate & rule, that’s what Military does…. Cowasjee says, around 160 mill people, illiterate, senseless idiots that is called Pakistan. I remember old saying, worst kind of democracy is better than any other system.

Mommy Makeover & Future Women Beauty Clinics!!1

I came across an interesting read on the future women beauty clinics & SPA in todays Guardian Newspaper....Even few of the following services are getting enroute into Karachi !

As the first specialised clinic offering vaginal strength tests, electronic toning and 'sexercise' packages opens in New York, Viv Groskop examines the controversial craze for pelvic-floor fitness.

Have you achieved optimal pelvic-floor fitness? This is the question posed by a new medical spa which recently opened in New York. The clinic, Phit - short for "pelvic health integrated techniques" - offers everything from vulvar reconstruction to labiaplasty, all under the banner of "vaginal rejuvenation".

Run by Dr Lauri J Romanzi, Phit is all about maximum pelvic floor elasticity. Its signature treatment is a £75 gynaecological exam where the patient contracts her pelvic muscles around the doctor's fingers to determine their strength. And if you are not quite ready for "the 'other' face-lift" (non-surgical labial contouring to restore "plump firmness"), you could simply opt for the "lazy Susan" ("painless electrical stimulation" of your pelvic floor muscles).

Alongside the "mommy makeover" which features four pelvic-toning sessions, one of Phit's packages is marketed as "sexercise". This introduces an element of sexual athleticism, almost certainly so the clinic can market itself to young women as well as to the post-natal demographic.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2008/aug/05/women.healthandwellbeing

What Gets in the Way of Us Connecting with Others?

I came across an interesting read, it is so true that expectation hamper the true humanly connection...yes.

It is Expectation. When we are expecting, we are not connecting - we are just waiting for affirmation. To really connect, to really relate, we need to be open and not just be looking to get our buttons massaged. Expectation is a kind of contraction.

Contracting is fear, and fear certainly blocks communication.

To truly sit in our most authentic place and let our games take a holiday...to really open our hearts...to truly see another....deeply....we also need to come from a place of not-knowing when we know all the answers, there's no room for discovery, no room for listening.

Heart. ah the heart. to open our hearts, to move through this complex, crazy, painful world, with our hearts wide open, knowing that we have room for everyone - cause our hearts are infinite chambers...to let go the past and all the rejections and the hurts and every time we were not seen or did not see to let go all the lifetimes of pain and rejection...to let it go, but not to deny it...not to lose our power and protection but to be strong and open and vulnerable at the same time....and meet each other right here, right now, not somewhere else - not later, and not earlier, just now.

oh to love like we were born to love. what if we could all just start doing that. can you imagine this world? if the butcher, the baker, the candlestick maker would really look you in the eye with gods eyes looking at your eyes of god...if every interaction was a little tongue lick from one spark of divinity to another....how tasty this world would be!!!!

Wanna Be Pakis & no RESERVATIONS.

Today I came across Dawn News program no RESERVATIONS, musician Ahmed Ali Butt of RUBBER BAND and Nadia Naipur ‘I don’t know who they are” were the guests.

Kamiar, the host carried the talk well but all of a sudden talk started with breast implants, mango boobs, rubber band, condom, safe sex…all out of the context.

I wonder, what makes Pakis to be wanna be, out of the context…speak in foreign accent and talk a lot about sex.

Even, at times I get to see wanna be naturists at my gym SPA, if Gora crowd takes naked steam and sauna, we Pakis follow them to look cool…..

A hollow nation marching on the streets, one is trying to be more GORA than a Gora and other is making poor crowd more Arab than an Arabic

WOW - US Plans to Station Diplomats in Iran !

The US plans to establish a diplomatic presence in Tehran for the first time in 30 years as part of a remarkable turnaround in policy by President George Bush.

The Guardian has learned that an announcement will be made in the next month to establish a US interests section - a halfway house to setting up a full embassy. The move will see US diplomats stationed in the country.

I wonder, If US is having backdoor relationship & confidence building measures with IRAN . Afghanistan has become a US territory then why this troops build up? what lies for Pakistan.

Time to ponder !!