THE REAL STORY- By Ali Sukhanver

 Ali Sukhanver  No Responses »
Jun 062009
 

Abu Talha is a young man of twenty one. His father works in a garment factory. After completion of his education at an Islamic school, commonly known as Madrassa, Abu Talha decided to help his father in earning bread for the family. So at the request of his father he succeeded in getting a job at the same factory. One day while waiting for the buss at the buss stop, he was kidnapped by some unknown people. Last week, after a disappearance of five years, he was arrested by a police party which was searching for a gang of kidnappers. Abu Talha is a Hafiz-e-Quran and still very punctual in his prayers. No one could believe that he is involved in kidnapping for ransom. When the investigators asked him the reason behind his involvement in such a heinous crime, he said, “We needed money for jihad”. The police officials say that Abu Talha is not a criminal, inwardly he is a very dedicated and devoted type of a Muslim , very loving and very caring , but unfortunately he was misused and misguided by the professional criminals in the name of religion. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 6:58 am

Obama’s speech in Cairo

 News & Articles  No Responses »
Jun 052009
 

Good afternoon. I am honoured to be in the timeless city of Cairo and to be hosted by two remarkable institutions. For over a thousand years, Al-Azhar has had stood as a beacon of Islamic learning. And for over a century, Cairo University has been a source of Egypt’s advancement. Together, you represent the harmony between tradition and progress.

I’m grateful for your hospitality and the hospitality of the people of Egypt. And I’m also proud to carry with me the good will of the American people and a greeting of peace from Muslim communities in my country: Assalam-o-Alaikum. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 9:54 am

Overview of the State Bank of Pakistan’s Third Quarterly Report for Fiscal Year 2009

 Pak Economy  No Responses »
Jun 052009
 

1.1 Overview: As the year progressed, it became clearer that economic performance of the country would remain weak in FY09. A moderation in economic growth was expected and embedded in a lower growth target for FY09, but developments during the first four months of the fiscal year made it obvious that even this lower growth target would be difficult to achieve. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 7:51 am

Ostrich Nation: The Pakistan report card

 News & Articles  No Responses »
Jun 042009
 

Fasi Zaka

The ostrich is an awkward bird. It has a massive body, powerful legs to run away when it feels danger and a small brain for its size. When it feels fear, it sticks its head in the sand hoping threats will magically go away. Maybe the ostrich is related to the Pakistani government somehow?

We have ostriches in mosques and chowks. When Lal Masjid was emerging as a problem the government did nothing, it let it escalate to the point that a violent showdown was inevitable. The same is true of Swat and its khooni chowk. Pakistan may not be a failed country, but it definitely is always in a belated state. The real threat to this country is the inability of the government to establish law and order beyond the remit of individual isolated cases. If the challenge to the writ of the government is organized, it cocoons itself until there is no choice but to act. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:50 pm

IMF programme no solution to Pak economic ills: ADB

 Pak Economy  No Responses »
Jun 042009
 

Says Pakistan facing high inflation due to under-utilisation of domestic resources, fiscal restraint is the wrong recipe for its woes

The Asian Development Bank (ADB) has surprised the economists of the country, saying that the IMF programme loan of $7.6 billion under Stand By Arrangement with its conditions is not the right recipe for Pakistan’s economic ills.
Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:49 pm

WOT – A war on Pakistan?

 News & Articles  No Responses »
Jun 032009
 

Fozia Niazi

The newspapers last week reported that the Afghan army’s regular troops have been captured while fighting against Pakistan security forces in guise of Taliban in Swat. Earlier in the Bajaur operation, one of the top commanders of Pakistan security forces told media men during a briefing that Afghan army’s regular troops were fighting in Bajaur using the highly sophisticated arms and weapons that has been in use of NATO forces. This has now been admitted by the Americans themselves that the NATO arms have been slipped to Pakistani Taliban. C J Chivers reported from Kabul on May 24 that insurgents in Afghanistan, fighting from some of the poorest and most remote regions on earth, have managed to maintain an intensive guerrilla war against materially superior US and Afghan forces. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 8:04 pm

A critical review of the economic situation in Pakistan 2008-09

 Mehmood Ul Hassan Khan  No Responses »
Jun 032009
 

By Mehmood-Ul-Hassan Khan

There is a general perception in the country that the economy is on the road to recovery. But on the other hand, the ongoing global economic and financial crisis, also, with the deteriorating law and order situation, and furthermore, the continuous energy shortages in the country can be concluded as the real risks to macro-economic situation.

The latest report by the ministry of finance stated, that the fiscal deficit target, 4.3 per cent of GDP (Gross Domestic Product), and the current account deficit target of 5.9 per cent of GDP were achievable. This can also be verified from the current studies undertaken by the IMF (International Monetary Fund) and the World Bank. It also stated that the global economic recession was affecting our economy in various ways, such as the volumes of exports and FDI’s declined substantially, which can also be verified in the current reports by the State Bank of Pakistan. Despite the financial support from the IMF and other bilateral and multilateral donors, Pakistan’s external account remains dire. Other reasons for why economic growth remained weak was because of the declining ratios of tax collection, low inflows of foreign direct investments and the delayed and diminishing privatisation process. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 6:41 pm

Increasing socio-economic costs due to energy shortages in Pakistan

 Pak Economy  No Responses »
Jun 022009
 

By M. Osman Ghani

There was a time when the inhabitants of a small town or a village used to become jubilant and joyous at the installation of a transmission line and a grid station in their periphery. The happy faces were mainly because electricity meant a better life, ushering in an era of prosperity and thus a more comfortable life. Villagers having access to electricity supposed themselves as more fortunate than those who were still living in the darkness and in mosquito-infested localities, longing to see the shining bulbs in their drawing rooms and bed rooms. But, now-a-days, I suppose, due to frequent and punishing load-shedding villagers are less inclined for electricity supply in their villages. After continuously passing through dark nights and hot summer days without electricity and at the end of the month getting an inflated electricity-bill a village consumer would surely not suppose himself as happier than the one who does not need to pay a bill at all. While longest hours of load-shedding is punishing the majority of consumers, both in the cities and villages, some unscrupulous consumers nevertheless resort to electricity theft with the connivance of the linemen and the meter readers putting extra burden on the honest consumers. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 5:23 pm

The price of micro-finance —Syed Mohammad Ali

 Pak Economy  No Responses »
Jun 022009
 

The high intermediation costs for a typical microfinance provider seem justifiable. Microfinance providers can however use other existing infrastructures or technologies to significantly lessen these operational costs

Since the creation of the Grameen Bank in Bangladesh, the use of micro-finance to alleviate poverty has gained recognition and support around the developing world, including South Asia. Besides providing credit, institutions have been developed to provide a range of other services for the poor, such as savings, home loans and even insurance.
Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:30 pm

Transmitter chip latest CIA weapon in Pakistan

 News & Articles  1 Response »
Jun 022009
 

·         CIA pays tribesmen to plant devices that guide drones to Al Qaeda, Taliban shelters

LAHORE: The CIA is giving Pakistani tribesmen electronic transmitters to help it target and kill Al Qaeda leaders, a tactic it suggests Pakistani military can also use.

Over the last 18 months, US officials claim, nine of the top 20 Al Qaeda figures have been killed in drone strikes. That success is reportedly in part thanks to the ‘chips’ that have become a source of fear. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:29 pm

IMF sees more job losses in Pakistan

 Pak Economy  No Responses »
Jun 012009
 

By Mubarak Zeb Khan

ISLAMABAD: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said unemployment rate is likely to increase in Pakistan owing to steep decline in foreign direct investment and remittances during the current fiscal year.

‘Unemployment is already high, and economic slowdown is likely to raise it further,’ said IMF Resident Representative Paul S. Ross while briefing newsmen on regional economic outlook here on Thursday. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 8:47 pm

Pakistan National Investment Trust recommends Mutual Funds for small investors.

 Pak Economy  2 Responses »
Jun 012009
 

LAHORE: Small investors should enter the capital market through mutual funds to mitigate risk and take advantage of qualified expert advice for better returns.

 

This was stated by the National Investment Trust chairman, Tariq Iqbal Khan, while briefing reporters on the capital market and the role of mutual funds in its development.

  Continue reading »

 Posted by at 5:08 pm

Is it terrorism or a proxy war in Pakistan?

 News & Articles  No Responses »
Jun 012009
 

Dr Samiullah Koreshi

Blasts at Lahore, Peshawar have again raised the question who is responsible for these acts? The obvious reply is the Taliban and Rahman Malik has attributed it to a Taliban reaction to the Swat operation, which is hitting them hard and putting them on the run. Rehman Malik Minister of Interior has all the resources of intelligence and security apparatuses at his command and yet this is generally his response if he is asked who is behind these blasts. He said so on Manawan terrorist attack also. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 4:43 pm

Pakistan may have second strike N-capability: report

 News & Articles  2 Responses »
Jun 012009
 

 

 

* CRS says Islamabad now has deeply buried storage and launch facilities, air defences around strategic sites, and concealment steps
Pakistan may have developed a second-strike capability and nuclear parity with India, a US Congressional report has suggested.

“‘Pakistan has reportedly addressed issues of survivability through second strike capability, possible hard and deeply buried storage and launch facilities, road-mobile missiles, air defences around strategic sites, and concealment measures,” the Congressional Research Service (CRS) said in a May 15 report to lawmakers. Continue reading »

 Posted by at 8:31 am
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