E Mullah الیکٹرونک مُلا: June 2005 .comment-link {margin-left:.6em;}

E Mullah الیکٹرونک مُلا

Tuesday, June 28, 2005

Kristoff's suggestion to Pakistanis is really valuable

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This is indeed a very good suggestions to Pakistanis by Kristoff. If they just do one thing that they support Mai's cause I am sure they will not feel any embarrasment rather they will be able to walk with their heads up.

The 11-Year-Old Wife - New York Times: "I've heard from Pakistanis who, while horrified by honor killings and rapes, are embarrassed that it is the barbarism in Pakistan that gets headlines abroad. A word to those people: I understand your defensiveness, for we Americans feel the same about Guantanamo Bay and Abu Ghraib. But rooting out brutality is a better strategy than covering it up, and any nation should be proud to produce someone like Ms. Mukhtaran. So while meeting the Pakistani prime minister, Mr. Bush could discuss not only F-16's, but also repeal of the hudood laws. "

This last suggestion may not help Ms Mai's cause because ordinary Pakistanis believe that Mr. Musharraf is doing whatever his masters in Washington are endorsing. It will rather politicize her struggle. It is better that she works and maintain her cause through NGOs.

"And Mr. Bush could invite Ms. Mukhtaran to the Oval Office as well, both to hail a genuine Pakistani hero and to spotlight the goals of ordinary Pakistanis - not fighter aircraft but simple justice. "

Sardar Jee! Why dont you use Women Police Force

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My Advice for Sardar Jee (B.K. Singh) is to use women ploice force if nude women are causing distraction to male police or forest officers.

Or

Be efficient and arrest them before they start taking off their clothes ;)


Women stripping in forest to foil police - Yahoo! News:
"NEW DELHI (Reuters) - Women in an eastern Indian forest are stripping
naked to distract police and to help a criminal gang avoid arrest while
illegally chopping down trees, the Hindustan Times reported Tuesday.

Some of the women belong to a timber mafia in the heavily-forested state
of Jharkhand while others are paid to strip in front of the police, who are too
embarrassed to arrest them or too distracted to hunt the gang down, the daily
said. 'It is proving tough to deal with these women,' Jharkhand forest official
B.K. Singh said. 'It has almost become a regular practice for them to strip.'
......

This milk poisoning news is making me nervous but I cannot give up milk in my diet

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My mother always liked one good habit in me that I always liked to consume lot of milk in my diet since my birth, which my younger brother was very much averse to. I still love to consume milk in great quantities. When my Dr. suggested me to stop consuming full milk and start taking 1% to reverse my high cholesterol build up I preferred to dilute the full milk a little bit rather than loosing the taste (even 2% does not taste as good as full milk). My Dr. disapproved the dilution practice because he opined that it is the fat. I don’t even like the taste of fat free ice cream. I told him in that my country back home we were used to drink diluted milk (thanks to milk man who loved to make money by dilution as the volume increased). I surprised the Dr. on my next visit by bringing down my cholesterol to 156 from 255. The only change I made in my habits was that I started playing squash and it did help. Man! You sweat a lot. This milk poisoning news has made me nervous as I am an avid consumer. Somehow back in 1980s I had a bout of lactose intolerance that made me rush frequently for brief moments of seclusion (I mean exit to a small room in your house or office where you can feel a little bit relief from incontinence). I did not heed the Dr. at that time either and a year later it turned out that the real culprit was ‘Gerdia’ that I was infested with on one of my hiking and trekking trips.

This milk terror news is really terrifying because there is no good alternative for milk and off course one cannot go back to his/her mother after passing a certain age limit. However we can hope that new discovery may lead to more research. I am not a scientist but I have an instinct that some thing can be done to prevent the disaster. For example, scientists should research an antitoxin that does not have any harmful effects on human health and make it compulsory to add it to milk at initial stages. Or probably find a reaction agent that is not harmful to human health but at the same time changes milk’s color or density if the toxins are added in milk in its presence. On the other hand people who handle milk must be trained in bio terror prevention.

Group publishes milk toxin study over US objection - Yahoo! News: "It was an unusual move and the academy recommended that this be a test case for a debate over whether studies that could pertain to biological or chemical warfare be classified in the way studies related to nuclear weapons often are.
The academy, an independent body that advises the federal government on scientific and medical matters, met with officials to discuss concerns. 'Following this meeting, the Council of the National Academy of Sciences decided to publish the article as originally accepted, accompanied by this editorial to make clear our reasons for doing so,' Academy President Bruce Alberts wrote in a commentary.
All of the information in the analysis was easily available on the Internet, Alberts argued. He said open publication and debate can make the nation safer.
'Because science advances through the combination of knowledge in unexpected ways, the discoveries of each individual scientist must be made available to a wide variety of other scientists, who can then either build upon or criticize them,' he added.
This 'scientific free-for all,' he said, almost always improves understanding.
MAKING OFFICIALS AWARE
'There is a second advantage to openness. Protecting ourselves optimally against terrorist acts will require that both national and state governments, as well as the public, be cognizant of the real dangers.'
The Department of Health and Human Services disagreed.
'Our concern is that if the academy is wrong, the consequences can be dire,' department spokeswoman Christina Pearson said in a telephone interview.
'Anything that publicizes vulnerabilities in the system that could facilitate an attack on the food supply, that is a concern,' she added"

Once Blogger --- I guess always blogger

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I thought I will take atleast a months break but once blogging enters into your blood you cannot give it up easily.

Monday, June 27, 2005

The attack on Christians in Pakistan

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In my previous post on 6/24/2005 I have written about prevailing intolerance in Pakistan against people from other faiths. The government of Pakistan is completely responsible for the breakdown of Pakistani society. So I decided to give an account of some of my experiences from my visit to Pakistan in 2002. On August 5, 2002 an attack on the Murree, Pakistan Christian School killed six people. The government was not able to nab anyone.

Just few days before the attack my wife and I were sitting in the waiting room of Islamabad’s well known dentist Rahman and Rahman. An American missionary woman, dressed in Pakistani ensemble, was also there. As she chatted with my wife it turned out that she had been working at the Muree Christian School. She had been in Pakistan for long and knew Urdu as well. I knew the school for long as my mother also studied in a Missionary School in Sialkot in pre independence Pakistan and went to Muree for a girl scouting trip and she used to tell us stories of her wonderful days. My mother and her younger brother were the lucky ones to study up to tenth grade because of a scholarship from such schools while all the elder brothers and sisters did not make it to even grade five. I am narrating my mother’s story to explain that these schools although missionary in nature are helping poor to get education. The woman (I forgot her name) had a local (Muree) newspaper in Urdu language in her hand. I had a brief glimpse on the headlines. The main headline was that the school had received threatening letters and those letters were claimed to be by some organization I guess in Lahore. I wanted to borrow the newspaper from her to read the news and have some discussion on the matter. However, at that very moment I was called in by the doctor for my turn. When I came out the woman with newspaper was gone.

Just a few days later I was shocked to hear the news of attack on that Muree School. I was wondering that even when the threats were already known and published in news paper why the government failed to provide any protection to the school and its residents. I have been to Muree and those who have been there know that the Army house is in a striking distance and still the attackers managed to flee. I could not shed the image of newspaper headline from my mind. The only explanation that fit very well is that the attack might have been supported by some government agency to legitimate its rule and grab the claim that there is a need to spread so called enlightened moderation. There are many other incidents of corruption, inefficiency, intolerance and exploitation that I witnessed during my visit to Pakistan in 2002 that are disturbing my mind. I will keep posting them here.

I may take a break from postings for sometime as I must defend my PhD by the end of July or Early August. I will be back soon.

Friday, June 24, 2005

Muslims of Pakistan, India and Bangladesh

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I was wondering that Muslims of Pakistan, Bangladesh and India shared many things in common because they were part of one country, the undivided India. But why is this that those similarities are gone and the Muslims in Pakistan grew into more violent and intolerant in nature while Muslims in India and Bangladesh did not.

Two things occurred to me:

Firstly, the Muslims in India and Bangladesh have more interaction with Hindus Sikhs and Christians; so they are more tolerant to other cultures and beliefs while Pakistanis are not. If I look back in history the Muslims have always lived in situations where they had a great opportunity to live among other cultures. Even prophet Mohammad also lived among infidels and people from other beliefs (Jews and Christians). Prophet himself was very tolerant and we find many incidents in ‘Sunnah’ where he showed impeccable tolerance. Today’s Muslims are not even a close match to the Muslims of Prophet’s era. When I discuss the traits of the prophet with my fellow Pakistanis back home they just evade by saying that he was an epitome of tolerance, forgiveness and mercy that we cannot reach that apex and above all it was a different epoch.

Well! Are we not supposed to emulate his actions and teachings?

Secondly, the people of my country have been manipulated mercilessly by the international political players. The Afghan-Russia war and revolution in Iran has drastically changed the mind set of a common man in Pakistan. If the people of my country were literate the nation would not have been manipulated rather played a mature role in shaping an ideal Muslim society and becoming a role model for the Muslims of the world and a beacon of hope for other societies. We on the other hand fell to the depths of despair. The nadir of darkness prevailing in our Pakistani society is comparable to the dark ages of Europe.

Thursday, June 23, 2005

Librarians assail record 'fishing expeditions' - Terrorism & Security - MSNBC.com

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Wow!
Recently, I went to my library and checked out Kafka's "Trial" as it was quoted in a news item about Quran abuse at Gitmo.

So this news suggest that you keep your inquisitive senses dormant and do not try to read anything at all, even if it is harmless. Any item can indicate a change in your reading behavior and it can be related to terrorism or to terrorists because they have quoted it. I guess we should even stop listening to news about terrorism or Osama bin Laden or IRA, Blah! Blah!!

When I was a child I wanted to read everything; Everything! I wanted to be master of information and knowledge. I will stop ranting and let you read the news excerpt below.

Librarians assail record 'fishing expeditions'- Terrorism & Security - MSNBC.com: "Concerns of 'fishing expeditions'
Sheketoff called for proper oversight to prevent what she called 'fishing expeditions' at U.S. libraries.
One such expedition occurred at a library in Whatcom County in Washington state, Sheketoff said, when a library patron noticed a handwritten notation in the margin of a biography of Osama bin Laden and reported it to the FBI.


The note, dealing with hostility toward Americans, was found to be an often-cited quotation from bin Laden that was included in the report of the Sept. 11 commission investigating U.S. response to the attacks.
The FBI reacted by seeking the names and information on all those who had checked out the book since 2001, but the library's board challenged the request and it was later withdrawn, Sheketoff said. 'You have to have a reason to believe that the information is necessary for some investigation and there has to be some specificity,' she said. 'Just because I read murder mysteries, that doesn't make me a murderer ... and if somebody reads a book on Osama bin Laden, that doesn't make him a member of al-Qaida."

Metroblogging Karachi: Female Bus Drivers

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I wish her good luck! To be honest, I am impressed. However, my fears keep raising their heads and I just hope her experience would be different than the female taxi driver in twin cities who was particularly harassed many times by Rawalpindi and Islamabad police.

metropolitan Karachi: Female Bus Drivers: "Female Bus Drivers
Odd things happen on the bus. Maybe it's the fact that you have to compose an intricate balance between letting your mind wander and yet remain involved enough in your surroundings to be able to respond to anything that comes up, from a conductor asking for the ticket price to some random oddball (yawn) staring/leering at your from his section of the bus. The truth is, the ordinary female in Pakistan gets stared at by men everywhere she goes and in any mode of transportation, so the reaction to being stared at by some random idiot is just to induce a big mental yawn."


Anyway, returning to the bus, this was the first time in a long while that I had traveled in the smaller buses, and I took a seat and studied my surroundings. Disappointingly enough, there was no bad poetry on the walls involving a tragic love affair and an ode to the sajan who has gone away forevermore. It was then that my eye strayed to the driver of this particular vehicle and I was shocked (in a good way) to discover that the driver was a woman wrapped in a chaddar.

Wednesday, June 22, 2005

The Movie Quotes

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Last night, I was watching "Against the Ropes" and I liked the dialogue by Meg Ryan

"I don't expect you to forgive me, but I don't want you to hate me"

Bam! It hits you right there. You put yourself in perspective. Many times you end up with situations in which you know a friend is not going to forgive you but at the same time you have tried to do so much for them that you care that they don't hate you, don't take you wrong.

I saved this quote in my computer and thought about compiling a list and you know what? Today as I started surfing the news on web--- I found this. The top movie quotes by AFI. Isn't it surprising? that you think of something and in next 24 hrs you find something similar going on somewhere else. I think our sixth sense plays in and let us do similar things that we are sometimes going to encounter in next few hours.

Yahoo! Movies: Movie News -: "'Frankly My Dear...' Named Top Movie Quote Wednesday June 22 10:26 AM ET"
Marlon Brando was a contender in the American Film Institute's list of best quotes from U.S. movies. But No. 1 was Rhett Butler's parting shot to Scarlett O'Hara: "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."
Clark Gable's line to Vivien Leigh in 1939's "Gone With the Wind" led the AFI's list, announced in the organization's annual top-100 special that aired on CBS Tuesday.

Tuesday, June 21, 2005

I think My Dear Mr. President Mr. Musharraf should start admitting all the wrong doings now

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Democracy Now! "I Will Go On Until I Have Even the Slightest Hope of Justice" - Rare Broadcast Interview With Pakistani Rape Survivor Mukhtar Mai:
Read the interview excerpts of Mai. Very philosophical and thought provoking.
But now I understand this, especially after the high court decision. The legal system is weak. The law does not have any strength here. If even the law would falsify the truth, who would then women turn to for their justice? If you think about it, I’m not really getting justice. Just look at the high court decision. They refuse to believe the truth. They said it was a total lie. That's a further abuse for women. But God is watching everything. One witness is not enough in Pakistan to prove a rape. They need at least 15 witnesses. The woman who goes through the abuse and exploitation, no one believes her. The high court said it's a false allegation. The case never took place. They said that because there is no one version of the story. I went to file a report, but there was no one to write it. . . .
The perpetrators of this crime were ignorant and illiterate people. But the judges at the high court were all educated people. I
cannot imagine how they could have come to a conclusion like that. Afterwards I started hating education, as well. . . .
We say there is illiteracy and ignorance in this part of the world, and I believe that, too. But if the educated are doing it, what's there to stop the ignorant? I don't know. I don't understand anything anymore. . . .
Of course, it hurts. You understand that, too, being a woman, the kind of hurt that a woman must feel after going through
such violation. But I have to live. When it hurts really bad, I just go to my school, look at the girls and spend time with them to help forget the pain. But I will go on until I have even the slightest hope of justice. ...
The last paragraph . . . Bravo!

I don't really want to move away from my village. This is my home. I just feel the same amount of attachment to my village as people do to their country. But when people say harsh things about me, I think about leaving this place. But then I tell myself, I have my school and these girls here. If I left, I’d be leaving them behind, too, and the perpetrators will think that
Mukhtar gave up and left after everything that happened to her, that if they do that to a woman, the woman will leave, and they will get away with the crime. I think about that.

So my dear President Mr. Musharraf how would you explain the following. Like you have admitted that you are responsible for Mai's torment, I hope you will admit all your wrong doings. I guess victimization of Ms. Jahangir would have not been done without your knowledge. I assume that your advisors would have wanted to teach her a lesson for supporting Mukhtar Mai. You Know! She is bringing a shame to Pakistan by fighting her case in courts against her gang rapists.

Hale Enlightened Moderation

"We now turn to Asma Jahangir, the head of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Last month she demonstrated with a group of middle class Pakistani women for equal rights in Lahore. Police clubbed the women, dragged them to police stations. They particularly targeted Jahangir. The police ripped off her shirt, tried to pull off her pants. Azra Rashid interviewed Asma
Jahangir on her visit to Pakistan last April. She began by talking about the Hudood laws that were passed in 1980 in Pakistan which have been used to imprison thousands of women who report rapes. "

Sunday, June 19, 2005

No Justice, No Freedom, No Shame, Enlightened Moderation is ruled by Dark Hearts and Malicious Minds

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Need I say something about the title I have choosen above. Read the following:
WATANDOST: Inside News About Pakistan: A free women indeed: "President Pervez Musharraf's government is still lying about Ms. Mukhtaran, saying that she is now free to travel to the U.S. Well, it's true that government officials removed her name from the blacklist of those barred from leaving Pakistan, but at the same time they confiscated Ms. Mukhtaran's passport." By Nicholas D. Kristof in NY TIMES


Read my other Posts here: Governemt of Pakistan restricted Mukhtaran Mai to travel abroad by putting her on exit control list

Afghan-Russia War, Jihad, FBI and Mideast Terror Experts

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FBI Failed to Hire Mideast Terror Experts - Yahoo! News: "FBI Failed to Hire Mideast Terror Experts By JOHN SOLOMON, Associated Press Writer, 47 minutes ago

WASHINGTON - In sworn testimony that contrasts with their promises to the public, the FBI managers who crafted the post-Sept. 11 fight against terrorism say expertise about the Mideast or terrorism was not important in choosing the agents they promoted to top jobs. And they still do not believe such experience is necessary today even as terrorist acts occur across the globe. 'A bombing case is a bombing case,' said Dale Watson, the FBI's terrorism chief in the two years after Sept. 11, 2001. ' A crime scene in a bank robbery case is the same as a crime scene, you know, across the board.'


Yeah! So why there are all the movies and books and theories about getting into criminals mind? They should get middle east experts as well to prevent future terrorist attacks. How long they think they can use Pakistan military to help them? (Need I say something, Read Psychology of a suicide bomber in Christian Science Monitor or at Hassan Abbas's Blog) .

I am trying to get some facts straight. Hassan Abbas may be of help, I will ask him. Actually it was him who told me that under freedom of information act University of Nebraska has recently made public some documents. The documents indicate that the University received research grant that was focused on finding injunctions from Quran and Sunnah to motivate Muslims for Holy War 'Jihad' in Afghanistan against Russia. This is the outcome of that research today we are bearing now. Those holy warriors were trained only for one purpose; Fight. Osama Bin Laden was among one of them. The Afghanistan-Russia mission is over but these holy warriors are not. They are coming back to us to take revenge. The revenge of abandoning them after the Afghan war. Now they are using their training on innocent citizens (Anyone has a reference, let me know and I will put it here).

I must say that it will take much higher level of research effort and expertise to turn things around and bring back to normal. The collateral damage Afghan-Russia war has caused is much higher than it was probably expected.


Its a very well written article

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Why Mukhtar Mai Matters: Ideas & Identities of India Pakistan: "Why Mukhtar Mai Matters
Bina Shah
June 1, 2005 "

Saturday, June 18, 2005

Batman Begins

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Oh Yeah! Last night I watched "Batman Begins." It had been my favorite comic in childhood but the movie disappointed me a bit. The special and visual effects were marvelous. You see the Batman flying and hanging upside down behind his preys same way as in comics.

The message however baffled me.
"You fear something you become fear."
"You fear Bats you become one; the Batman."

Ok! Lets see this logic
You fear drug dealer! You become one
You fear Mafia! You become one
Your fear a terrorist! You become terror
.......

Nah! I don't buy the message.
Sorry! Not for my kids!! However, I would give them the comics I loved.

They could have given the message "you fear something! You build up your courage." Like the centre piece message of the movie "you fall down! Only to get up."

Spiderman I & II was great. I like that movie more than Batman.

By the way! If my movie review helps you, leave a comment! I will post more reviews if readers want me to.

Friday, June 17, 2005

Questions, Bitterness and Exile for Queens Girl in Terror Case - New York Times

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Questions, Bitterness and Exile for Queens Girl in Terror Case - New York Times: Suzanne DeChillo/The New York writes ...

"As she tells it, F.B.I. agents tried to twist mundane details of her life to fit the profile of a terrorist recruit, and when they could not make a case, covered their tracks by getting her out of the country. In fact, the court order of "voluntary departure" that let her leave requires a finding that the person is not deportable for endangering national security."

I don't know what to say. Only thing I can say is that few days ago I wrote a piece against suicide bombings and I was thinking about writing more against beheading and suicide bombings by misled Muslims. However, for that part I have to do some research. And these days it seems like even if you do research with a positive mind you may be doomed because an agent in homeland security would think it otherwise.

I don't want to say that US government is specifically targeting Muslims (the article suggests though) because it is possible that the news media is misleading us or may be like in economics, I can say we have incomplete or asymmetric information. For example, I have been reading news for long time about granting lawful status to illegal immigrants from across the border (Mexico). However, the media or probably the government is not telling us about what they are thinking about illegal immigrants from Korea, China, Middle East, Pakistan, India, Bangladesh, Eastern Europe, etc who are present here and striving to build the image of this country as an ideal free society; and a better place day by day. A society which every-good-one of us hoped to become part of, when they landed here for the first time.

Tuesday, June 14, 2005

Decide yourself who needs media coverage and who needs justice

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U.S. dismayed at treatment of Pakistani rape victim - Yahoo! News: "a horrendous crime "

The government of Pakistan in an unexplainable move has restricted Mukhtaran Mai to travel abroad by putting her on exit control list on the pretext that she will dishonor her country. The government of Pakistan's action is rather definitely bringing shame to Pakistan and its judicial system. It is the Government that is bringing a bad name to Pakistan rather than Mukhtar Mai who is the victim of a horrendous gang rape ordered by her feudal landlords. So far she is fighting valiantly to secure justice and highlight the situation of women in rural areas. The government could not provide her justice; and now denying her freedom which is her legitimate right. She has been labeled as media hungry because she has been telling her story and demanding justice rather than remaining silent.

I wonder why the courts that have let her rapists free are silent now. Why courts do not act suo moto to grant her freedom of movement and restrict the government instead. What do they fear for if they have done justice?

The advisor for women affair should have helped her board the flight instead of doing a press conference. Mai may be better off abroad as she is not going to get justice in Pakistan as the previous experiences suggest.

Decide for yourself who seeks media attention and who seeks justice; the government or the victim.


Left Advisor to Prime Minister of Pakistan on Women Affairs, Right Mukhtaran Mai the victim

Monday, June 13, 2005

Often people do things innnocently or hold innocous information that can cost them a lot

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Immigration Law as Anti-Terrorism Tool - Yahoo! News By Mary Beth Sheridan, Washington Post Staff Writer Mon Jun 13, 1:00 AM ET Second of two articles

Tehseen was a Pakistani graduate student when she immigrated in 1988 after spending a childhood in poverty near the Afghan border. Over the years, she acquired the trappings of a successful American life: a PhD in toxicology, a four-bedroom house in Fairfax Station and a $90,000-a-year job at the EPA. The EPA even presented Tehseen its "Unsung Hero" award for her volunteer work overseas with Afghan refugees.

But on Feb. 2, 2004, her success story abruptly ended. Tehseen, then 46, was arrested and accused of lying on her naturalization application in 2001. The violation centered on one question: Have you ever claimed to be a U.S. citizen? No, Tehseen had checked. In fact, in 1998, she had accepted a job in EPA's pesticide division -- a position she knew was open only to U.S. citizens.

The violations would probably never have been caught, but Tehseen came under scrutiny in a terrorism-related investigation. She said the probe apparently involved an orphanage she opened in April 2003 on the Pakistani-Afghan border, using funds from a Missouri-based group, the Islamic American Relief Agency.

Off Course, there is no question about violation, one should not falsely accept job by providing false information. Sometimes, I have seen federal job listings for economist where they have not indicated citizenship requirement but I always ask the employer do you require permanent residence or citizenship. She could have applied for citizenship in national interest based on her PhD. Once she had that she could have accepted the job. However, the question is why many illegal immigrants are granted immigration even they have violated immigration laws and sought employment providing false information but professionals are treated in a manner that the judges even forget thier contribution to this country.

For the terrorism probe I would say that there are millions of Muslims living in America who would have contributed towards Muslim charities unknowingly that their money could be used for obscure purposes. Majority of Muslims do the charity in the same way as many Christians give charity through their church. During my more than seven years stay in US I have seen all these charity representatives coming to our local mosque and requesting money. They would show us documents that they are legally registered and they have been doing good work. They would ask if someone would be willing to sponsor a child for education in their home country for life? Feeling an obligation to our people back home many of us living in US would fill and sign a form and give it to charity committing support for child welfare. In theory it is exactly the same way as my American friend Cathy Bilonowsky has done. She is sponsoring a girl child in South America. Many of us did not see any harm in it. However, after Sept 11, 2001 majority of Muslim charities came under scruitny and people who have had made a contribution at any stage were condemned and labeled as sponsors of terrorism.

Wait a minute! Majority of muslims are not sponsors of terrorism.

It has become our job to start scrutinizing where our money is going but it never had been so before Sept 11, 2001 because no one believed that their money could be used for obscure purposes. It was a kind of good Muslim behavior and trust in other fellow Muslims. When you are good and doing it for good, you feel good about others as well. For many Muslims it was enough that the charity is listed with local government, registered or listed with state department to work oversees. How in the world I know what they are doing abroad. Did state department maintain a web site listing charities under suspicion prior to Sept 11, 2001? Many of the Muslims who made charitable contributions are innocent. They were just fulfilling the religious charity obligation as many Christians would do.

On the other hand as mentioned in the article by Mary Beth Sheridan of Washington post there are many other things people did innocently as a volunteer which are completely harmless or people didn’t have any knowledge of. For example, few months ago I wanted to see if a search engine will find my website I typed my name in Yahoo. Several pages came up. I started checking pages. One page was Kansas State University's (KSU) official page on which several official KSU campus committee member names were listed (Official because university set up these committees officialy and ask for nomination by different people). My name was there in something called campus religious diversity committee listed sometimes back in year 2000 probably (the page is recently updated and not found in my name search). I was surprised as I never attended any meeting of this committee or received any official communication from the committee. The only thing I remember was that someone in Muslim Student Association (MSA) asked:
--"Would you like to participate in campus activities? You will be part of campus religious committee and represent muslims in interfaith dialogue."

I am a very active, dynamic and social person.

--Interfaith dialogue! Seems like a good opportunity to have a peaceful and friendly relations with other religions. Off course! I don’t have any problem with that, I said.

However, this issue never came up again with MSA. Neither I remember filling any university nomination form nor did I hear from the committee officially. It seems like the committee never met or MSA never passed on invitations to me probably they considered me too liberal to represent Muslims (MSAs are officialy registered in many universities as student organisations which provide a platform to muslim students to unite and sometimes help to oversome cultural shock. Many of these are very open and welcoming and as a matter of fact try to raise awarness about Islam and Muslims. So far, I have not come across any obscure activites).

They only scary movie (The Siege) part is, let's say! I want to apply for permanent US resident and the forms or some document asks me about my extracurricular activities and I don’t list this activity; which off course I never knew of in official sense. An immigration officer request my university records and finds out that this person was nominated member on religious diversity committee. I would be considered lying and withholding information on my activities. However, I would consider that it is true to my knowledge that I was not part of it because I never received any official notification from campus. I volunteered for something innocous and even I was never informed about the outcome and would not consider it as part of my extracurricular activity. According to Washington post news that I have mentioned above; I mean these are the kind of incidents that current administration is pursuing and using to deport innocent people. They would not do it to any Hispanic for such circumstances but would do it to Muslims instantly.

Another thing I would say is that immedieately after Sept 11 2001 many people were withholding some otherwise innocous information just becasue administration was peronoid about Muslims. Everyone of us had percieved the Hollywood movie The Siege scenario in which Muslims are held in a camp in NY ready to be deported. It is recently that fears have started to assuage and people have started feeling free to talk about these things as ACLU have started taking up these cases. I mean that if you have not done anything wrong on your part then be honest about the information and I hope things will go fine with you.

The article further discusses that Waheeda Tehseen was offered a deal which she declined. It seems that US Government is also exploiting such cases for their own use in Hollywood style. Apparently from the news article it seems that she has been asked to work as an agent. I guess because she is working as a high professional on environmental projects in Pakistan so they would have assumed that she would have lot of access to gross root level local NGOs and people in her area: the NWFP on Pak-Afghan border.

The article says : "Federal officials declined to comment on that investigation, saying the information is classified. An official close to the case, who spoke on the condition of anonymity, confirmed that a deal was discussed but provided no details.

Tehseen declined the offer because, she said, "I'm not an FBI person who can go and sneak in and find out who's right and wrong." She was deported last August and is working on environmental projects in Pakistan."

Sunday, June 12, 2005

Behja Cycle Tey

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Found on Speak - Say what is to be said

Saturday, May 28, 2005

Behja Cycle Tey

School di wuddi Madam ney
Puppo nu kuttya is gul tey
O nikki miss nu kehnda si
Aa ja- tu behja cycle tey
(unknown)

TRANSLATION for my global friends
Behja Cycle Tey is a famous Pakistani song

Come on! enjoy the joy ride on my Cycle

The School principle has beaten up
Little "Pupoo" for one reason
He sang to his little teacher
Come on!
enjoy the joy ride on my Cycle

LOL

Hi, Murlee just stumbled on your blog through blogshare and found interesting. Gonna link u here.

Emullah

I wish I can see the same spirit in my country. Would it be possible to see Musharraf, Nawaz and Bibi (Benazir Bhutto) to stand together and share a joke. Posted by Hello

Here is another one I found on Yahoo. I wish my country's politician's and people are that much tolerant to their political rivals. Posted by Hello


Gerorge Bush Senior and Bill Clinton two former presidents of US with Thai Foreign Menister Suraikrat at Tsunami Memorial Wall in Phuket, Thialand

Saturday, June 11, 2005

Calblog: Islamofacism Archives

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Calblog: Islamofacism Archives: "And that is why the Kingdom of Heaven is poised to do a particularly virulent strain of damage to historical debate. As could easily be predicted, Hollywood has shied away from portraying Islamists as aggressive fanatics. That role is left to the Christians. Islamists are portrayed as 'tolerant' while the Christians are ready to slay anyone who even dares question their beliefs."

When it comes to speaking the truth, doesn't matter be it Hollywood director or John L Esposito, West does not like the facts given to them by their own people and are considered the ones who are distorting history.

The Real History of the Crusades

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The Real History of the Crusades: "Christians in the eleventh century were not paranoid fanatics. Muslims really were gunning for them. While Muslims can be peaceful, Islam was born in war and grew the same way. From the time of Mohammed, the means of Muslim expansion was always the sword. "

Just wondering which war was fought in Indonesia and Malasyia to spread Islam. Why don't crusader historians put the facts straight. What about the religious persecuations and witch hunts by the European religious fanatics which derived many to the new continent now called America.

Niether Justice nor Freedom

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Mukhtaran on ECL -DAWN - Top Stories; June 11, 2005: By Our Staff Reporter
LAHORE, June 10: The interior ministry has placed Mukhtaran Mai’s name on the Exit Control List (ECL).Sources in the ministry told Dawn on Friday that Mukhtaran Mai had been scheduled to leave for London in a day or two on an invitation from the Amnesty International.“Her name has been placed on the ECL with a directive to the Federal Investigation Agency to ensure compliance,” an officer of the FIA said.The official said the government had taken the decision on reports that her visit could ‘tarnish’ the image of the country abroad.


SHAME ON YOU, THE SO CALLED ENLIGHTENED AND MODERATED GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN! If you cannot give her JUSTICE at least give her FREEDOM. Pakistan's image is already tarnished by letting Mai's rapists free. By pining her down in the country you are punishing her not the rapists. You are mocking on the notion of enlightened moderation. You are doing this to her just becasue she has defied the norm of remaining silent against barbaric atrocity of rape. SHAME ON YOU!!! If the so called enlightened and moderated government officials have a little bit of selfrespect they should resign from their office.

Thursday, June 09, 2005

I agree that there is no doubt about gay Pakistan being less inhibited than west

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BBC NEWS South Asia Gay Pakistan - 'less inhibited than West': "Gay Pakistan - 'less inhibited than West'
Throughout South Asia, homosexuality has been a taboo subject. But there are signs in some areas that gay people are now becoming more open in their behaviour. In this column a gay man in Pakistan talks about the advantages of being gay there compared to the West. He prefers to remain anonymous. "


Well! I am in no way a defender of homosexuality but endorse the fact that this guy is telling the truth in many ways. Many of the Pakistanis would have heard the terms "La***day **az" and "G**do" to express ones active and passive behavior about homosexuality, respectively. Back there people would let off their steam by labeling these two terms on people with homosexual behavior and sometimes laugh them off. However, there are instances in which some homosexuals are beaten up. Usually it happens when they are caught red handed.

By the way there is no class limit on such acts however sharing with their families may be a virtue in upper class only.

Admitting it to friends is common. One of my class fellows back home admitted his sexual experiences to me. In fact he cried and said he wanted to give it up because he had fallen in love with a good girl. He got into this when he was studying in the most prestigious educational institution "A****on" in Lahore and staying at a boarding house. His first experience was by hiding in the wardrobe with another kid. The truth is that his parents had passed away at an early age and his life was void of love. Immediate family members raised him as an orphan. They would not visit him even on festivals. On Eid and other national holidays when people spent time with family he was staying at the boarding house. I wonder what else he would get into after all. As for know he is married. I have not heard from him for a long time so I don’t know if he has given up his homosexuality. He confided to me his homosexual encounter with some of film, TV and political celebrities in Lahore, Pakistan. It may be true that education and information is changing lot of things because I did not hate him just expressed my sympathy and encouraged him to give it up and become straight. I believe that if he repents God will forgive him so why care about people.

In a society where kids cannot express their feelings to their parents about the opposite sex, homosexual behavior is becoming common. Islam does allow people to marry according to ones desire however this aspect of sexuality is widely repressed in Pakistani society. Young people keep hiding their feelings and may not get married at an early age according to their desire (unemployment and poverty are also reasons for not getting married at an early age). They keep waiting for the right time to express or disclose their straight feeling. In such stressful environment sometimes some kids fall prey to open homosexuals and pedophile predators or become one of them.

To ones utter surprise the homosexualtiy in the conservative North Western Frontier Province (NWFP) is qouted to the limits of notority. The city of Mardan, NWFP has become notorious for it. Time magazine even wrote about Jhon Walker (The American Al Qaeda Combatant) that he had a lover in Mardan Pakistan. The claim was denied by the so called lover. The pakistani truck drivers are also notorious for this. It is said that they always hire a younger guy for the road trips known as "cleaner" or "chotta" (assumed to do the job of cleaning truck on short trucking stops enroute to destinations) as they stay away from home for months. Many people claim that these cleaners do a lot of cleaning, I mean more than the job of cleaning trucks.

The biometric passports: Is Pakistan ready for it?

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U.S. will compromise on biometric passports - Financial Times - MSNBC.com

The US has been pushing European Union and its allies to implement the issuance of biometric passports to their nationals. I wonder if Pakistan is able and willing to do that.

Few years back I had to get a Pakistani visa for my six months old son Omar. I applied for the visa and the Pakistan Embassy in US charged a fee which was on average much higher than other embassies (I have been to Canada and UK so that's how I know). When I received my son's passport back I was very disappointed due to a number of reasons:

1. The quality of visa was so poor that it was almost coming off the passport page. It was not sticking properly.
2. By looking at and comparing the quality with other countries' visa I realized that forgers may easily make similar visas
3. I was not amused by the period for which the visa was granted to a six month old child. Although the embassy touts that they issue five year visas to foreigners of Pakistani origin they issued only 3 year visa with each entry to Pakistan for 3 months only. I had indicated in my application that my wife intends to visit Pakistan for a period of six months.

The Pakistan government is making lot of money from visa fee and should spend that money to improve its quality as well. If it cannot improve the quality of its visas, which is just one piece of paper, how can they improve the quality of passports? (I have heard the Government of Pakistan has started issuing machine readable passports; I hope they will improve the quality of visa as well). The quality of visa and the manner in which they are pasted explains how lot of illegal migrants and terror network operatives can enter into Pakistan using PCs (I heard this term in Pakistan for fake passports and visas; means photocopy visa and passports). I hope Musharraf will remove these glitches which are at this moment facilitating illegal entrants to Pakistan. Pakistan definitely needs Biometric passports and machine readable visas if it wants to win war on terror.

Scientific paper held for security reasons - Science - MSNBC.com

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Scientific paper held for security reasons - Science - MSNBC.com: "Scientific paper held for security reasons
Research assesses bioterror risk of U.S. milk supplyThe Associated Press"



I thought I would write about issues concerning to Pakistan only but I think people else where also desrve sermons. The scientific papers must be evaluated on scietific merits only. Infact the findings of paper should be made public so that everyone is aware of the vulnaribilities. The awarness will prevent bio attacks as people will keep an eye on vulnerabilities realizing that they could become victims of such acts. One may argue that it can make peopel paranoid but I think awarness is the prevention.

I am thinking that just the mentioning of vulnerability of a source can lead an interest in a terrorist's mind to explore the possibilities of terrorism. So why not create awarness among public so that people know in advance how a terrorist can exploit an ordinary person, place or supply source's weakness to carry out a vicious attack.

The horror stories of teen detainee abuses in Guantanamo and Afghanistan - International News - MSNBC.com

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Teen detainees describe Guantanamo abuse - International News - MSNBC.com:
'I did not want my leg cut off'
“I had metal sticking out of my leg and they would not clean the wound,” he said. “They would not give me treatment so I told them whatever they wanted to hear. They just wanted anything. Any information. I just told them anything — whatever they wanted to hear because I wanted them to treat my leg. I saw other people mere whose legs had to be cut off. I did not want my leg to be cut off.”


The tale of those who were forced into serving Taliban or Al Qaeda armies is very disturbing, especially the teenagers. Although US government claims that there are no detainees under 18 anymore in the Gitmo prison, I wonder how many have turned 19 when they were still in prison. All the prisoners who were under 18 while they were first captured must be put in juvenile detention centers and those who claim that they were forced into Taliban or Al Qaeda service must be rehabilitated before their release to ensure that they do not use their training in future to harm global and national interests of their residing countries.

Wednesday, June 08, 2005

Advani resigns as BJP chief and refused to take back his comment about the Founder of Pakistan -DAWN - Top Stories; June 8, 2005

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Advani resigns as BJP chief -DAWN - Top Stories; June 8, 2005: "Indian opposition leader L.K. Advani resigned as the head of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Tuesday after he was criticized by his former Hindu extremist supporters for describing Quaid-i-Azam as a secular leader of Pakistan. ... day back from Pakistan. The BJP appeared divided after the attack launched against Mr Advani by sections of the Hindu revivalist Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS) and the extremist fringe of the Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP). It put forth no arguments to fend off the criticism, with the Hindu Jagran Manch even putting up posters asking “Jinnah sympathiser Advani” to go back to Pakistan."

Bravo Mr. Advani! It takes a lot to speak the truth and standby it. This is the best an Indian leader can do to reconcile differences among Pakistan and India. Both countries must acknowledge the roles played by their founders in Independence. They should act like brothers and neighbors; consider each other as brothers living independently in their homes next door. Gone are the days of joint family system. This would be the only way to overcome the bitterness of the past and live-in and enjoy ones freedom.

Congress claims to be more liberal but is letting an opportunity to slip from its hands to join the opposition in making peace with Pakistan. The Oposition in India must stand up and give ovation to its leader to claim the role in bringing the hearts and minds in two countries together. It is the respect that we give to each other and to the people of Kashmir that will help attain the peace in South Asia. India and Pakistan, please don't let this opportunity slide down the slippery slopes of hatred and bigotry. Acknowledge each others role in Independence with respect; issue statement of remorse on communal and ethnic violence that ensued after independence in both countries; solve the issue of Kashmir with the help of Kashmiris and live peacefully as decent neighbors.

I wish the two courtiers live in peace with each other solve the issue of Kashmir according the wishes of Kashmiris alone. Kashmiris are the one who have suffered and they are the one who deserve set the terms of their happiness. If we accuse UN of its failure then remember it is us we are letting it down. If we aspire for Security Council seats then we must abide by United Nation’s historical resolutions as well.