Do You Have a Substitute? Re: # 21
People will not rise-that is the sad part. For people to rise collectively, they should be led by organized political parties. These parties already are siding with the military junta. I am tired of the word "bloody revolution"- it simply is not happening as the conditions for collective action are simply not there. Just raising rhetoric about a revolution wont make it happen. Musharraf is here to stay and he will stay here because sold out politicians who command street power are siding with him. A large part of urban middle class though resenting Musharraf will never come out. Middle class just talks and seldom indulges in activism.

Emergency:What Lies Ahead For Pakistan? I think we blame history too much!! Lets not debate 1947 or 1935 or whether this is Jinnah's Pakistan or not. The most shameful thing has occured and yet we are not capable of coming up with a collective response. The parties which have street power are already in collaboration with the Government-never in my life I have been that disappointed.

Do You Have a Substitute? Re: # 17
Good question arjun. Yeah he should write another one and lets see how he defends his father this time. May be he will say that all the bomb blasts were being done by CJ and Musharraf had to remove him so that Pakistani forces are safe from extremist attacks. May be that Judiciary can be independent only in western countries- here we do not have appropriate political environment to take such a risk. After all we are cattle and donkeys and we should be abused with absolutely no recourse. I am sure that Mr Bilal Musharraf will take on similar line of "defence"

Do You Have a Substitute? Today is the sad day in our history. I really do not know why we are wasting our energy on comparisons between NS, BB and Musharraf. Why in the first the question is being put up that who is a better alternate among these? The central question is that Judiciary has been purged and with that common man has lost recourse in case his fundamental rights are usurped. Pakistan has become effectively a police state with no semblance of any justice for the people. For any one who supports this scenario and endorses Musharraf on the pretext that he is a viable option or for that matter liberalism’s pragmatic hope unfortunately does not even know what liberalism is all about. We Pakistanis are made to understand by the elite of this country that the only way of living in this country is to keep ourselves depoliticized and turn our eye blind to the question of fundamental rights. Just live our lives and pray that we do not have an encounter with law enforcement agency-because if we do, there is absolutely no hope for our survival. The recourse is no longer there. The stupid argument about Jihadism should not be debated- judiciary was not purged because of that but to merely extend the rule of an individual who regrettably is the worst of all our rulers.

Neoliberalism and Madrassas: An Unholy Connection It is an interesting take but I think one has to take into account the geographical distribution of these Madrassas vis a vis the population density in the respective regions particularly the conservative regions.Because if Madrassas to population ratio is higher in NWFP and Baluchistan while public schools to population is the same or nearly same across the provinces than the religious mindset of the populace is perhaps more responsible rather than lack of public schooling. Moreover one also has to see whether Public schools exist in the near vicinity of majority of Madrassas and whether the growth in Madrassas has actually coincided with the reduction, if any, of the public schools in the same vicinity. After all these factors have been taken into account only then we are in a better position to state that whether neo classical economic program is one of the significant factors behind this phenomenon

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change Re: # 20
Well still a model which takes multiple factors into account is more likely to explain things rather than one factor models. Regarding what the through scrutiny will look like in this case, think here factors are also interelated and may even be reinforcing each other so therefore it may be diffcult to isolate the contribution of one factor.

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change Re: # 18
Well a through scrutiny is needed for estalishment of causation in this matter. My only point is one should avoid giving radical and one track statements-logically at least with out taking account of all empirical findings.

Corruption and Freedom of Press in Pakistan Brilliant insight and it successfully manages to give the other side of the picture. Police attack on Geo, firing on Aaj TV, state brutality on Sharah Dastoor on the eve of President's "election" are grim reminders that there is still a lot to be done before we can actually claim freedom of press.

Communists and the Making of Pakistan Re: # 104
Agreed, I think that was extremely well articulated and gave a remarkable insight within few lines. The solution has a problem but intentions are noble. I think other than a bloody revolution, which communists think is absolutely essential to root out the status quo and change the ownership of means of production, another problem is recommendation of a powerful state. Any state with absolute powers is always likely to abuse it and the rulers would do anything to cling to the rule. Marx was of the view that state with the passage of time would wither away. It did wither away in Russia and East Europe but leaving capitalists in charge.

Daughter of the Beast: The General\'s New Clothes A good article though some what one sided. Nevertheless it does gives good insight about BB's true source of popularity and her mis deeds and the way military changes its stance from conservative to liberal not as a matter of principle but merely t extend its grip on power.

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change Jayp 15

Just to finally clarify my point of view, when I was talking of jihadism's connection with US I was talking about its origination and the way it was all set up with US money and traning. That is something no one denies. Regarding the notion that Pakistanis do not want that to end I will mainly try to communicate to you the opinion of general Pakistani populace. The general public is against using kind of force which involves large loss of innocent life. Let me narrate an incidence here. Some time ago when Richard Boucher was about to come to Pakistan, Pakistani Government in order to show "performance" flew F 16 targeted a building without even proper verification. Not surprisingly the building contained refugees entirely consisting of women and children. 80 people died and Government was on a back foot. That is why Pakistanis are against the kind of operation which is going on. Mind you that even during the British days was lawless and does not even come under Pakistan in a complete manner. Using blind brutal force irrespective of its merits will lead to some reaction from the public. I think reaction is thus understandable though you can argue whether it is justified or not.
Regarding Sovereignty, well every country wants it and cherishes it. I remember when Gujrat riots happened and there was international condemnation, Indian government said it was their internal issue. Now how can you expect Pakistan to be an exception when the expectation from USA is far more severe?
More over you pointed out that USA’s money was just one factor and the other was Pakistan/Islam. Since you have rather arrogantly given advice to the author in your first post that he should read and learn from your posts, being of far lesser intellectual calibre than you, I will humbly request you to read my post with open mind or rather open eyes not to learn from it but to merely see what I am saying. Read the first line of my first post. It acknowledges that Jihadism is a combination of USA and Pakistan. Than kindly see also that I have acknowledged that you are partly right but at the same time pointed out that it is just one piece of the puzzle. Social phenomenon are complicated affairs devoid of certainty that natural sciences have. That is why one has to be sceptical.
I have nothing more to add.

Welcome Home Ms Bhutto Re: # 336
Thanks

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change Re: # 12
Thats good may be we are able to introduce moderation at chowk which should be the case as the site claims "unflinching idealism" since 1997

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change Re: # 10
Thanks but seeing the nature of their rather extreme views I wont take the risk!! Wesay bhee both of them are to certain extent right- I am only saying that social phenonemon has multiple causes and therefore taking these polar views will not be that much helpful.

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change OK if thats your take fine!!!!
So can I also conclude that since violence has been done by lets say Tamil rebels-it means that all tamils are terrorists or merely being Tamil makes one vulnerable to terrorism!!!Or what if I say that geneocide happened in India at the time of paritition was because hinduism and Islam are both terrorist idelogies!!!!After all Hindus were also involved!!!! No I wont subscribe to that view and wont say that being a hindu at that time was the sole cause of genocide!!

Engineering logic to social phenonmenon!!!
Ok fine I wont add any more to it you are perfectly entitled to your opinions

Media: A Catalyst for Social and Political Change I am keeping an open mind here. The thing is that the way religion becomes one of the dividing lines rather than ethnicity. Ata, tamil etc are different in ethnic composition from the country where they are operating. I can also conveniently conclude that ethnic diversity itself is root cause of terrorism? Now is it? So lets have a single master race- you know like Nazis!!!! and do away with ethnic diversity. Will I be making a correct point my friend?
I do not totally disagree with you- all I am saying is that a phenomenon gathers force under certain conditions. Ideology of course provides the rationality to extreme actions but the militant element comes up and gathers force under particular circumstances. The problem is that you are thinking that I am totally disagreeing with you-I am only asking to be more sceptic After all what’s the difference than between you and lets say masadi (who thinks every thing is done by US elite!!!)