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January 2011

Pakistani Auto dealers exploiting car import policy

By Moonis Ahmed

KARACHI: The local car dealers are reportedly involved in prima facia violation of vehicle import policy that was formulated to facilitate overseas Pakistanis on their return to homeland, sources told Daily Times.

The dealers have been openly exploiting car import policy—transfer of residence, gift and personal baggage scheme — at large and importing thousands of used cars at the expense of billion of dollars of foreign exchange of the country, sources said.
Read More »Pakistani Auto dealers exploiting car import policy

The Cause of Violence

By Qaisar Sultan

What causes violence on this earth? Is it the survival of the fittest in the animal kingdom, or recognition in human societies that makes the killings necessary? The recognition comes through power; and man has to be more powerful than others. The egotistical and sometimes pragmatic nature of things is such that we do require some power over others. The design of nature is that the big fish has to eat the small fish; and the predator has to kill the pray to survive. So there may be a purpose in violence itself? Then were wars necessary? The self-defense was deemed a requisite if cultures were to preserve its ways and norms. There were religious obligation to defend God and gods.  Socrates had to be poisoned as he was charged of corrupting the minds of youth against what their gods had prescribed. The first historical tale, Iliad, is full of “heroic violence”; their gods were so proud of the killings in the name of valor and courage that Achilles and Hector were considered human gods. The violent heroes were prophets to gods whose valor were glorified, praised and worshipped. The first Biblical narration of Cain killing Abel was described to find the moral underpinning of human race. There were two main motives in the first violent killing; woman and possession. Cain did not like the idea of a more beautiful sister to be married to Abel; and after the murder, he yelled, “I am free to take all of his possessions, all of his flocks fell unto my hands”. Then he cried for the rest of his life with the feelings of guilt of committed violence. There is another explanation of the murder of Abel that Cain could not give animal sacrifice as he was a farmer and his brother was a herder. There seems to be a sense of injustice that propels to anger; and anger transforms to violence; that something ought to belong to someone and does not. Two things enter into mind; one is the envy and the other is the sense of injustice.Read More »The Cause of Violence

Islamabad: Saidpur Village, hub of tourists

The centuries-old Saidpur Village under the green Margalla Hills is serving the federal capital as a hub of tourists but its security arrangements needs to be beefed up. Preserving this artistic and rich cultural site in the foothills of Margalla is no doubt a remarkable effort to help revive the dying arts of the region and promote inter-civilization harmony but lack of security arrangements keep most of the visitors away from the site, said visitors to the village. The project was started by Capital Development Authority with an objective to make the village as a ‘model village’ in different phases, said an official of CDA, adding that Phase I of the project was completed while Phase II was pending due to shortage of funds.Read More »Islamabad: Saidpur Village, hub of tourists

Let us NOT forget Asia Bibi

By Bushra Zulfiqar

21st January 2011

Once again no condemnation of the brutal assassination of Salma Taseer Shaheed is enough. As a debate has encircled in and outside of Pakistan about the extremist and the moderates Muslim identity, once again the country is at cross roads. People suddenly are under pressure to declare themselves as liberals or fundamentalists minded followers of religion. In the weeks following the assassination, reactions have also been confrontational and completely poles apart. There is the clerics segment and secretarian crass glorifying the assassin, rewarding him with superior titles  like ‘Gazi’ and yet there is another section of larger civil society and social activists openly denouncing this crime and the celebration that followed. There is also a huge majority sitting on the fence and not siding with one or the either, largely due to the fear of being Read More »Let us NOT forget Asia Bibi

WATER CONSPIRACY

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ALI SUKHANVER

The river-water issue is one of the most grievous problems which would never let India and Pakistan come close to each other if not timely and properly taken care of. India is curtailing the down stream water coming towards Pakistan by making dams at various points; and all this is being done in violation of the Indus Water Treaty. Currently there are three major water disputes, which include Baglihar Hydroelectric Plant, Kishenganga Hydroelectric Plant and Wuller Barrage.Read More »WATER CONSPIRACY