It's Yet Another Pakistani Nuclear Anniversary Today

Re: # 394
banjara,
We can do both at the same time.
I write about all of South Asia, and do my part to contribute to solving the problems we all face in the region. Wholehearted recognition and honest discussion are the first steps toward resolution. Please take a look at my blog where I constantly talk about the issues of poverty, hunger, malnutrition, education, health and sanitation in Pakistan as well as its neighborhood.

Part of the problem, as UNCIEF report points out, is both nations spend 5-8 times more on military than on domestic programs designed to alleviate poverty and hunger and promote education and healthcare. And clearly, India, the worst in terms of basic social indicators of hunger and poverty, is fueling this crazy South Asian arms race. It continues to show a total lack of leadership on this front.

Both nations have failed miserably, and continue to fail their people on this front. China, an authoritarian regime, has shown far more concern for its people by massive spending on education, healthcare and poverty alleviation and it is being cited as a model of success by UNICEF and others.

In Poverty-Hunger Index(PHI), designed to measure progress toward UN's Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), China, ranked 31, is closest to achieving these goals, followed by laggards such as Pakistan at 45, India at 62, and Bangladesh at 67.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Editorial: L’affaire Hafiz Saeed
DAILY TIMES

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009
http://pukhtunkhwatimes.blogspot.com/

Re: # 393 riaz saab,
all else aside, can we leave india for indians to worry about, and focus instead on solving our own problems in pakistan?

Re: # 365
Matloob,
Unfortunately, many of the egotistic, but insecure and nouveau riche, Indians on Chowk do not want to openly acknowledge or honestly talk about the serious problem of hunger and poverty that India's PM Manmohan Singh has called a "national shame."

Nor they do want to hear anything about the spreading Maoists insurgency, driven mainly by hunger and poverty, which is described by Mr. Singh as "the greatest threat to India's internal security since the country's independence".

Indian writer Pankaj Mishra has decried this predictable NRI response to anything unflattering written about India as follows: "Predictably Hindu nationalists, most of them resident in the UK and US, inundated my email inbox, accusing me of showing India in a bad light."
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Re: # 384dost..I think TAHMED is not supporting terrorist Hafiz but what he is saying is that Indian Govt was unable to provide enough evidence to support their version so Pakistani Govt could punish this terrorist,although I can't talk about others views here but I think that is reality that Indian Govt till now did not provide enough evidence or other info so Islamabad could punish those behind attacks in India.
http://pukhtunkhwatimes.blogspot.com/

Re: # 367

The way the US can retain significant power and influence in a multipolar world is by co-opting some of these emerging nations. The ones that seems ready to play ball are India and established economic powers like Germany and Japan, who have economically benefited from globalization under the US leadership. Others, such as Russia, China and Brazil, who have also benefited from globalization, are not willing to be co-opted by the US.

In my opinion, India appears to be well on its way to join the US as a close ally in this emerging new multipolar world. There is a burgeoning US-India relationship in almost all spheres. Indian Prime Minister Mr. Manmohan Singh summed it up well when he said to former President Bush on his visit to the White House last year, "The people of India deeply love you."

The Prime Minister continued with the theme of affection and gratitude by adding, “In the last four and half years that I have been Prime Minister, I have been the recipient of your generosity, your affection, your friendship. It means a lot to me and to the people of India.�

Later, India's Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon explained: “I think, if you look at the public opinion polls, the ratings for President Bush are higher in India than in any other country. That is the factual basis.�

As the US-China rivalry grows and US and India continue to build ever closer ties, it is very likely that Pakistan will be forced to make a choice and grow away from the US and closer to China in the years ahead. This decision will be driven partly by the powerful anti-US currents in Pakistan's public opinion.


http://www.riazhaq.com/2009/05/godfathers-vito-corleone-metaphor-f or.html
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

pew, aleph:

I should restrain myself from responding to you lest I should misrepresent tahmed saheb.

okhla asks "Also, when Police/ ISI offices are attacked/demolished by the Taliban with impunity, and we let off Sayeed, would this not greatly encourage the Taliban?"

Those "Taliban" whoever the hell they are probably don't know any Sayeed- this US/Indian propaganda just does not cut it. So the Pakistan Police and ISI become all important to you now when they can be used as fodder to gain sympathy while at other times you use the same agencies to show them as tyrannous in order to fulfill your other agendas. Man, this CIA hypocrisy makes one sick- and please answer my question, the million or so killed and several million displaced and maimed by the illegal thuggish US war on Iraq, who brought those terrorists to justice, why are they roaming around free? and does their roaming around free not encourage others like them in the US establishment to embark on other such barbaric wars of carnage, as they now do with Pakistan what they previously did to Afghanistan and Iraq....Okhla and others like him with the morals of a rotting slug will not know the difference they will just parrot the official US propaganda as they "enjoy their day at fishing"- that by the way was the only "literary" piece this moron has managed to write to date....

TNITC masadi

Okhla writes "Time to get the perspective right, bros"

This CIA thug is back at it. You moron hunger affects more people in Pakistan and India than the entire Sikh population of the world and you are talking about priorities? This CIA propaganda about the Taliban, the 2000 odd US funded thugs just does not cut it. You stink tank like the Taliban is probably CIA funded as well....

TNITC masadi

Re: # 384 Dost

"...accept a criticism form a Pakistani or a Muslim that he wouldn't from a Hindu or an Indian..."

That raises two points: a) whether it is a matter of 'criticism' or simply the logical thing to do based on Tahmed's past stated positions, and b) what does the religious affiliation of the complainant have to do with this? What 'religion' does the UN belong to?

"...I would be surprised if he supported Hafiz Sayeed. .."
That is not the point. As Aleph puts it, does Tahmed find, "Mullahs are acceptable to prophet sahib after all as long as they know their appointed role and station and advance the interests of the Pakistani elite."?

Tahmed's past collective positions certainly seem to support Aleph's viewpoint, don't they?

dm #384

{{I would be surprised if he supported Hafiz Sayeed.}}

He might not support Hafiz Saeed or his interpretation of Islam - after all, as we well know, prophet32 alone knows the true essence of Islam. But in his own humble way, he is trying to do his bit to facilitate Saeed's activities by parrying questions about why he is allowed to function unimpeded. In American football terms, he is running interference for Hafiz Saeed's campaign of terrorism in India.

Re: # 384 DM you are on the money here (T).

One thing I must admit, and you will have to agree is that he is a terrific devotee of Hanuman, and is one the great Bhakts of sri Ram on chowk.

The number of times he chants these names, just simply takes your breath away

Pew#381:

Tahmed saheb certainly does not need my help to explain his standpoint. But in my opinion, he sometimes would accept a criticism form a Pakistani or a Muslim that he wouldn't from a Hindu or an Indian. And while I have not followed this thread, I would be surprised if he supported Hafiz Sayeed.

Re #382

"intemperately"

dm #374

{{Why would you expect tahmed saheb to view Hafiz Sayeed in the same way that Indians do?}}

I for one don't. But you may recall that prophet sahib has been known to rage most imperately at the learned divines Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, calls them 'bearded scoundrels', derides the latter's portliness, etc. It is amusing and instructive that he starts singing a completely different tune when another profusely bearded man of the cloth, the even more corpulent Hafiz Muhammed Saeed, heaves into view. Mullahs are acceptable to prophet sahib after all as long as they know their appointed role and station and advance the interests of the Pakistani elite.

Re: # 374 Dost

"...Why would you expect tahmed saheb to view Hafiz Sayeed in the same way that Indians do? ..."

Because Tahmed has written frequently about (i) improving ties with India, (ii) eliminating the mullah menace (iii) high confidence in Pakistan's judicial system, (iv) the disapproval of Pak military's strategy of arming militants, (v) frequent referrals to the virtue of self-responsibility as described in the Koran. In many regards, his views with Indians should be congruent. So, I am surprised why his position is nearly opposite! Could Aleph be right?