The political ‘kabaddi’ currently going on is not even surprising to most of us as it is just part of Pakistan’s cyclic history. While some optimists did think that things will be different this time and two largest democratic forces in Pakistan will finally pursue conciliatory power-sharing government for betterment of everyone; there still were people, a vast majority, that could foresee this honeymoon, sooner than later, coming to an unhappy end.

Situation in Pakistan is not in any case ready for another upheavel like this. Punjab was so far the only stable government regardless of its unfavorable attitude towards the centre. Disqualification of Sharif brothers from holding any public office for the thrid time can be justified as the honorable court’s verdict but imposition of Governor’s Rule and locking up of the Punjab Provincial Assembly building is surely a matter of grave objection.

However, for a common man, nothing has changed except for long traffic jams due to protests, purposeless damage to public infrastructre for which he had paid from his own pocket and city life coming to an uncertain but grinding halt.

The only bugging question is, regardless of who was right or who is wrong, can we really afford this crisis at this time? Can we bear watching ambulances stuck for hours due to almost daily road block by protesters at the Mall, and for how long? Will restoration of one man ensure speedy justice for a poor peasant? And, finally, do we even deserve democracy or are we just not ready or prepared for it yet?

As it is all over in the news now, Supreme Court declared the Sharif brothers ineligible for contesting elections and Mian Shahbaz Sharif, under this verdict, has lost his seat in the provincial assembly and is no longer the chief minister of Punjab.

The decision  annoyed most of the people in the country and people in many cities came out to protest against the decision taken by the Supreme Court of Pakistan.

Like many others, I was also stuck in a blockade near Kalma Chowk. People burnt tyres and raised slogans against the president and the governor. They did not seem to acknowledge the verdict of the Supreme Court.

Protestors blocked Kalma Chowk on Ferozpur Road

I didn’t hear any news of any one getting injured or ny serious damages due to these protests and I hope all remain safe and calm.

Demonstrators lie on the road in protest

Protestors lying on the road while one supporter is holding a stuffed lion, the electoral symbol of PML(N), to show solidarity with the Sharif brothers.

Demonstrators burnt tyres and blocked traffic.

Even-though Salman Taseer very vividly and profoundly said in an official statement three days ago that Governor rule will not be imposed in Punjab, today – after Sharif brothers were annulled and Shahbaz Sharif voided as Chief Minister Punjab – Governor rule was imposed for two months.

God save Pakistan…

Some time back, around 2 or three years, I remember reading few books on suggestion from a very close friend of mine. we were discussing diversity at that time. That dear friend not only gave me a reading list but was kind enough to share two books with me. One was Taboo by Dr. Fouzia Saeed and the other was Between Chaddor and the Market by Jasmin Mirza. Book Review here

My first reaction was shock. yes, shock is the word that almost defines what i felt for days after reading those books. During my 8 years in corporate sector, I had an opportunity to live and work with people from different parts of the world. I attended training and seminars on issue of workplace diversity and gender issues. Even then this was too big a cultural shock for me to absorb.

Can people living in the same city  be so different and isolated in their values? Can all of this still be happening in modern times? Questions, questions and more questions I was left with. The adventure boy inside me wanted me to check out the Mohalla first hand. And I did. not once but three times but in none of those trips, I was able to verify the detailed descriptions of the sub-culture as defined in the books.

First trip was during day time and second one was in Moharram, so the bazaar was not open and all i saw was just the shops and ordinary people. I was impressed with the architecture of inner city though.  In the last trip, I got a glimpse of reality. It was at perfect time. 1 A.M. and I saw the same visuals as described in the books and as you will see in the documentary below. Since, I went alone, I did not dare to enter any of the so called “Office”.  Only few friends know what happened that night.

This documentary came as a surprise. It verified the contents of the books above and contains real truth about the people who frequent these tawaifs. the interview of the police office in charge is really interesting. This documentary was originally made for TV One but they did not dare to air it. so some one published it on internet. It is a real eye opener. It shows a face of our society, no one even wants mention. Download and save this as PTA might ban these URLs too. as it contains some politically radioactive content. Here is the excerpt from the blog where I originally found the links to these Youtube.com videos.

These book can be bought from here or here, both books were published by Oxford University Press and thus they should be available at FerozSons on The MALL.

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The writing is a slogan in Urdu which reads in English as; "Long Live Daawat-e-Tableegh, Long Live Taliban"

I still remember the day when, about a year ago, I met a guy in the university who was from North Waziristan. Hearing that he is form tribal areas; I just couldn’t stop myself asking him to sit with me for a while. Probably, it was the first time I was meeting anyone from the tribal areas.

I just wanted to ask many questions that I never planned to ask from him or from anyone. But considering the meeting an opportunity, I just uttered the questions to him.

I don’t remember exactly from where did I start but one important thing was definitely discussed. I asked him,”Who are Taliban?” He said,”We don’t know them and in fact we don’t even support them.” His answer was really astonishing to me and I uttered,”…but as the people are showed; you fight against the government and you fire at your own people.” He looked as if he wanted to explain me something. I tried my best to understand what he was trying to say and here is what he told me or what I got…

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Many youngsters from the Pakistan Youth Alliance have started a campaign under the banner of “Pak Palestine Solidarity Movement”. They are holding a Charity drive in Lahore, The PYA office is in Defence, near Masjid Chowk, and they will be putting up booths at the following places:

• Friday 9th January 2009: 3:00 PM after Jumma Prayers @ Main Market Opposit Jalal Sons.
• Saturday 10th January 2009: 12:00 Noon – 5:00 PM Regal Chowk, The Mall, Near Masjid-e-Shohada.
• Saturday 11th January 2009: 06:00 PM – 11:00 PM Main Market, Opposite Jalal Sons.

Besides donations, they are desperately looking for volunteers to man their booths, so if you feel you can spare a couple of hours, do get in touch with them. The collections will go out to help the Palestinian affectees through Muslim Hands. If you are a blogger, you are especially invited to join in and cover these drives on your blog.

You can contact the following for further Information

Maryam Kanwar: 0346-5084265 & 0331-5105916
Ahsan Tariq: 0346-4117787

You can also make direct donations to
Muslim Hands: http://www.muslimhands.org/en/gb/
IFRC: http://www.ifrc.org/

If you are related to the medical profession, the letter pasted below is another opportunity to reach out and volunteer to help the Palestinian victims.

Assalamualaikum.
I’m working with some people from the the ICRC and the Qatar Red Crescent and they’re setting up a field hospital in both Cairo and Gaza. They’re currently recruiting staff for those hospitals. The work in Gaza itself will obviously depend to a large extent on the amount of access possible through Rafah over the next few days and weeks.
There are 2 week to 8 week (or even longer) stints available there now and they’re recruiting able volunteer doctors from anywhere to go. They need anaesthetists, neurosurgeons/cardiac/orthopaedic surgeons, ER docs, ICU docs and nurses, obs/gynae docs, ID docs and public health doctors.

Flights/transport/food/water/cups of tea and shelter will be arranged and provided for by the ICRC and the Qatar Red Crescent.

Even if your specialty is in some other relevant area or your experience is somewhat limited please send in your applications all the same if you’re keen.

For all those interested please send a copy of your CV, with details of your nationality(include a copy of your passport) and the length of your availability to salam.obaidi@gmail.com

Selected volunteers will be contacted in due course.

Jazak Allah

Dr. Osman Dar
SpR Public Health,
Imperial College Healthcare NHS Trust

Sitting here, fogged down and cold, it becomes easy.
But it should not be.
It becomes easy to just let it slide. Wear the ‘so what?’ cap and change the channel.

But not this time.

We are not talking about an open gutter somewhere in the streets of Lahore, we are not talking about the lack of drinking water three blocks down, we are not talking about my and my loved one’s deplorable indifference towards all that is important.

We are talking about the lives of millions. We are talking about war.

During the last three days or so, the situation between Pakistan and India has nothing but worsened. The critic – cynical nonetheless – in me reminds me that Pakistan, with her Zardaris, Gillanis and other cronies has actually played their part well. Too well for comfort, but a well-played innings so far. Consider this:

• India gets her major city Mumbai taken hostage by a handful of terrorists. Why were they there? Terror in the name of what? We are not told clearly.
• Then India, as the three day saga is unfolding, goes ahead and blames the Pakistani government. Note, there is a difference between blaming someone ‘from’ Pakistan and blaming the Pakistani establishment in itself. India, it seemed, blamed both.
• Eventually, India names Jamat-ud-Dawa as the main culprit organization that trained and brainwashed the Mumbai attackers. The UN – based on proof – declares the JuD a terrorist outfit. The JuD is closed down by Pakistan, not because India said so, but because UN says so. Pakistan plays the UN card well, reminding the world that Pakistan listens to world elders (Kashmir being the first point in this case). Pakistan asks for the same proof that India has given to UN. None is presented.
• The Interpol representative rocks up, tells the world that no proof by India was given. Pakistan plays the ‘jaws dropped’ look well, revealing the other two parties as being rash and silly, namely India and the UN. (I on a personal note, has given proof that the Mumbai attackers were really from Malta).
• The intelligence outfit of Pakistan is tried in the world media. To no avail. Where as only a slight glance over the RAW of India reveals some glaringly obvious involvements in more incidents than one.

Now, what is all of this?
Pakistan has played the calm, mature ‘uncle’ part well. As in most families, this uncle can be seen as the coward, the one without the ‘heart’ to fight for its right, only later to realize that the uncle was being the most far-sighted. Of course, this uncle can be called the ‘mamoo’ if it turns out that the resolve and calmness was based on cowardice instead of cold logic.
Nonetheless, India knows well enough that the nuclear bombs are not for display only, and much more potently, Muslims would love nothing more than a state-declared Jihad. The centuries old “We hold death more dear than you hold dear your life” line holds true today as far as any Muslim is concerned.
Jihad is struggle, and in the case of war, it becomes an armed struggle. Armed Jihad is valid, as far as pristine Islam is concerned, in self-defense and has to be on a state level. Pakistan has very clearly, very calmly placed herself in a defensive role. And try as some may to portray it differently, Pakistan is still a state. A Muslim state that the world can see has been pushed into a corner by India.
If war does break out, regardless of the result, the world will bear witness to the above perspective being the truth.

Defenders of the Green Skies - Source: PAF Website

Pakistan Air Force today conducted vigilance exercises throughout the central Punjab and North-Eastern parts of the country including Azad Kashmir. We all saw as fighter jets swooped the skies over Lahore, Islamabad and Rawalpindi, boosting the public morale and the feeling of patriotism and pride among the citizens. People climbed up the roofs and at some places shouted slogans in favour of the armed forces as all Civil Aviation activity was stopped for at least 25 minutes all across Pakistan.

Only yesterday, Indian political leadership including Congress Leader Sonia Gandhi and Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee went more aggressive in declaring that India has not ruled out an option of offensive strikes within Pakistan fueling the tensions between two nuclear-armed neighbours to new heights. This comes after repeated claims of the Pakistani Government that India has not yet shared any information or evidence relating to involvement of any Pakistan-based group or individuals. Accusations of a Pakistani hand behind Mumbai attacks did not surprise us as Pakistan has become used to the Indian rhetoric and many times, false allegations ignoring the basic fact that Pakistan is itself at war with extremist elements and terrorists on its Western front and inside its own cities and towns.

Pakistan Air Force’s flights over three major cities and Azad Kashmir this afternoon are both symbolic and extremely important a response to reports that India has started moving its forces to bases near the Pakistani border areas and that it might conduct offensives as deep as in the vicinity of Lahore; our home town; Pakistan’s heart and the country’s second largest city.

Finally, we have made it clear that we love peace but our forces won’t sit idle if any Indian adventure in our country’s territory is undertaken.

Peace; but not on the expense of our country’s sovereignty and defense…

*ahem*

Another evidence that we are living in strange times. Barack Hussain Obama has become the first American President who’s skin is not white. Obama made a clean sweep by taking 338 against McCain’s 159 electoral votes.

McCain conceded defeat and Obama delivered his acceptance speech. Whole world watched as the man spoke to a crowd of one million. It was almost mass hysteria, a very emotionally charged scene, people crying, having trouble finishing their sentences. It was indeed a moment that America should be proud about. It is something they can cherish.

Where else  can an immigrant family can rise to such riches… A true personification of “American Dream”. As I watched the speach, I was trying to find similarities and differences between Pakistan and America.

The way Obama Interacted with the crowed reminded me of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Only one leader in know history of pakistan had such a charisma… Also I do see some sparks of such charisma in Lawyers Moment.

““If there is anyone out there who still doubts that America is a place where all things are possible, who still wonders if the dream of our founders is alive in our time, who still questions the power of our democracy, tonight is your answer,”” Obama said.

Los Angles Times Reports

“Barack Obama, the son of a father from Kenya and a white mother from Kansas, was elected the nation’s 44th president Tuesday, breaking the ultimate racial barrier to become the first African American to claim the country’s highest office.

A nation founded by slave owners and seared by civil war and generations of racial strife delivered a smashing electoral college victory to the 47-year-old first-term senator from Illinois, who forged a broad, multiracial, multiethnic coalition. His victory was a leap in the march toward equality: When Obama was born, people with his skin color could not even vote in parts of America, and many were killed for trying.”

What This will mean for Pakistan

Obama winning election is not seen as good omen for Pakistan.  India being a bigger and better democracy, Democrats Govt. tend to have more inclination toward india.

It also means and end of what is called an American love affair with Pakistan. American Dollars that poured over the countries elite will stop. Pakistan might face sanctions of economic nature.

Theater of “War or Terror” will most likely to be shifted from Iraq and Afghanistan to Our North Western Province and some parts of Baluchistan.

Zardari might get a call from Obama in middle of night informing that US will pursue terrorists in setteled areas of Pakistan.

The Gujranwala Connection

Obama’s mother is reported to have lived in Pakistan for 5 years in Gujranwala.  Little is know about how Obama Spent his 3 weeks in pakistan when he visited her mother here.. May be he came to lahore too..

More here