Articles

Babies are not worth much in Pakistan

By: Naveed Iqbal

The news of Pakistan topping the world league of still births creates a sense of indignation. It is yet another sad testament of the country’s health sector.

This is not a debate about political ideologies but of priorities.

Here in the UK, stillbirths are the highest amongst most developed countries. Although one can apportion some of these causes to placental problems, infections or congenital abnormalities, but there is still a significant number which cannot be explained.

Sadly, the UK and Pakistan will address this problem quite differently – perhaps somewhat predictably.

In the UK, major investment in research will often follow to investigate the causes of such high mortality rates. This follows its natural progression to policy research and investment in healthcare. Although seasoned critics, politicians and scientific bodies will argue the methodology and implementation, a conclusion and decision will eventually be reached.

Sadly, this course of events will not take place in Pakistan. Any attempt to understand and address this latest health dilemma will not result in political capital for the governing party in Islamabad and thus absolves any form of accountability.

I was able to witness the frustrations of introducing some form of gynecological and obstetric service in a rural village in Pakistan devastated by the floods, last year whilst I was working for an international NGO.

We advertised for an obstetrician and gynecologist with a competitive salary and benefits. The reason for this move stemmed from our concern that an untrained female dai (midwife) was delivering babies without any clinical knowledge. There was no question of her dedication but as a group of health professionals, it would have been clinical negligence to avoid this fissure in our services. After much deliberation, we managed to hire an obstetrician but soon she resigned.

This event was a snapshot of a national crisis in medical care for women. One can appreciate the argument of Pakistan’s economic woes as one of the reasons for lack of investment in health, but we should take note of the success of Cuba; it is a country which has suffered decades of various sanctions, but still continues to deliver healthcare comparable to many developed nations.

This is not a debate about political ideologies but of priorities, investment and accountability. Otherwise we can maintain the status quo and await the next set of incriminating revelations for Pakistan.

The War Against Pakistani Women – Discussionspk.com

By Saad Khan

Terrorism and Afghan insurgency have so overshadowed other issues in Pakistan that it sometimes feels like we — common Pakistanis — have no other issues. Take, for example, women rights. Here I am not insinuating feminism or related issues. We are still stuck at basics in this country.

Let’s start with rape. It has kind of been institutionalized in the tribal and feudal culture of Pakistan. In the southern province of Sindh, specifically the rural areas, which remain the main political base of the ruling Pakistan People’s Party,Karo-Kari is a centuries old custom where women accused of adultery are regularly put to death, often through beheading. Men are also accused but often remain unscathed and unhurt. They are not even accused if they are from the powerful feudal families, can save their lives by paying off a handsome amount if they are not-so-powerful, and flee if they are poorest of the poor.

In Punjab, there is no Karo-Kari but honor killings are very much the norm. In urban centers of Punjab, another kind of violence is common: throwing acid on girls to disfigure them for life and thus making them destitute and vulnerable to all kinds of exploitation. In rural areas, stove burnings are more of a fad. There could be many reasons behind the accidental stove explosion, be it the lack of any good dowry brought in by the bride, inability to produce a male heir or simply revenge. Tribal councils in southern parts of Punjab regularly endorse gang rapes of women if their male family members have committed any crime. These rapes go ahead even if there are false accusations. The accused, of course, come from the lower classes and the accusers from the rich landowning classes.

Vani and Sawara are two of the blackest customs of the Pashtuns, especially those residing in the rural areas adjoining the Punjab province. These customs permit the tribal elders to exchange women and girls to strike peace deals. There is no age limit. A girl of two years is equally good for retribution as an 80 year old grandmother. Add some cattle and property to it and the peace deals are sealed for good. In southern Balochistan, similar peace deals are reached during the tribal councils, known as Jirga.

Perhaps the only ethnic group in Pakistan that remains relatively immune from this mass butchering and trade of women are the Mohajirs who inhabit the urban areas of Sindh and immigrated from India after the partition of India in 1947. There are no such instances of violence against women among them. Maybe the high literacy rate – the highest among all in Pakistan — and because they are exclusively urban dwellers play a role in this regard.

But, the majority of Pakistani women suffer in silence. They are at the mercy of their husbands, fathers, uncles and sons. Yes, there have been instances when sons killed their mothers on suspicions of them having illicit relations.

As for the statistics, violence against women saw an uptick of 13% during 2009. A total of 8,548 incidents were “recorded”, according to a report by a local NGO. The actual cases maybe as high as 20,000 or even more as many women are reluctant to report minor injuries sustained during domestic violence. It is only the massive burns, deaths or bodily fractures that are reported in such estimates.

The infamous Hudood Laws have been modified but not annulled, so there is another endless chapter of suffering still open for the poor women. This is another war, an indigenous battle, but unfortunately no one, except for a few brave women, are tackling this issue. When will the broader civil society, and more importantly, the government do something about it? We don’t know the answer to this question. It is at the lowest rung of the priority list. Education enlightens minds and quells violence. Pakistan spends just around 1% of its GDP on education and a hefty percentage on defense. We are truly a country of contradictions.

Who is responsible?

By Sana Saleem

Lahore is often known as the heart of Pakistan; the hub of culture and arts, the centre of education, the city of gardens, with the prominent aspect of the city being its ancient history and its deep-rooted connection to Sufism. Living in a city steeped in heritage and culture, Lahoris are known for their fun-loving spirit. This very spirit was attacked on July 1, when two suicide bombers attacked Data Darbar, shrine of the patron saint of Lahore.

The attack killed 45 people and left more than 175 injured.

This is not the first time a shrine has been attacked, previously the shrines of Rahman Baba and Mian Umer Baba in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa have also been attacked.

Attacking Data Darbar on a Thursday night was an obvious target – that is the night when the shrine is teeming with worshippers as well as those seeking shelter and food from all walks of life. There is no question that the attack was well-planned – CCTV footage showed scenes of carnage and the bombers just moments before they blew themselves up. The footage showed a security guard chasing after one of the bombers shortly before the bomb went off – body parts and blood splattered everywhere as the survivors fled in all directions.

The most common reactions after the attack are that of denial, with many pointing fingers at foreign involvement. Statements such as “these terrorists can neither be Muslims nor Pakistanis” echoed from the common man to those in authority. Despite a history of intolerance towards Sufism, the notorious TTP has also declined any involvement in the attack claiming they do not attack ‘public places’ Usman, 16, who was identified as the alleged suicide bomber by the authorities, was later reported to be a victim of the attack.

I was asked a similar question : What does the attack on the Ahmedis and on Data Darbar mean? Is this sectarian violence or do terrorists not have a religion? According to The Pakistan Security Report there have been over 249 terrorist attacks across the country, killing around 1182 and leaving over 995 injured. Not a single so-called ‘foreign’ terrorist has been arrested so far, clearly ruling out the possibility of foreign and/or non-muslin suicide bombers at work. As for the possibility of a conspiracy that foreign agencies could be involved, we must understand that the nature of such involvement is opportunistic.

At the end of the day we need to look within ourselves. The attack on the shrine was not just another terror attack; it was an attack on the Sufi saints who have taught us peace, tolerance, spirituality, co-existence and universal brotherhood. It is important we acknowledge that a certain faction of our society continues to harbour hate that can, and has, incite violence. These are not a group of underground terrorists but ordinary citizens who openly declare their disapproval to anything that doesn’t fit within the confines of their strict ideology. One such example can be seen on this forum where a user started a thread suggesting a call for “demolishing ‘centres’ of shirk like Data Darbar and the likes”

The seven-page discussion thread ends with CCTV videos of the attack on the shrine, with one user rightly pointing out, “I have an issue with the title of this thread. ‘Demolish.’ I wonder if it is this type of language that creates confusion and hatred, which leads to suicide attacks, like the one in Lahore on Thursday. Even if those attacks are done by external forces, they leverage internal hatred. Thoughts? [sic]”

Indeed, something that we need to seriously think about. While talking to reporters on the Data Darbar attack Nawaz Sharif repeatedly emphasised that he will not indulge the blame game and refused to point fingers.

I think it is time to point fingers but in the right direction.

Facebook fiasco By Fasi Zaka

In the first part of this article I hinted that Muslim demand of respect for religions was shallow since they are not willing to commit to larger principles of eliminating hate speech. I also explained some issues regarding the legality at hand in America where Facebook is incorporated.

While the previous article outlined some general issues, here I would like to talk specifics. The arguments on the issue of Facebook in Pakistan are skewed because people do not understand the nature of the website.

There has been a huge viral campaign via the internet and SMS regarding the ban from Pakistan, it has been both self-congratulatory and self-delusional. For starters, most people believe they have done Facebook two billion dollars worth of damage in a week’s time during the ban. On what planet these people live I do not know. Facebook’s annual revenues are between $500 million to 800 million. Their further assertion that just another week would cause Facebook another $40 billion in damage is ridiculous, the total net worth of the site is between $8-12 billion.

I give estimates because no one knows for sure, Facebook is not a publically traded company, it has not gone through the IPO process. There are about 400 million users worldwide; now in a case like the “Draw Muhammad (pbuh) Day” some have argued that Facebook’s employees should have caught it in time.

Let’s put this in perspective. Microsoft has about 100,000 employees, Facebook has between 350 to 700. How less than a thousand people are going to police 400,000 members with accuracy is anyone’s guess.

Part of the reason why these incorrect facts show up is dodgy mathematics. People who believe these figures do so because they have erroneously calculated the total number of Muslims on the site, and assigned them the same economic value as their counterparts in developed countries. Yes, Facebook does sell advertising, but the cost of advertising for people in Pakistan is way less than a similar advertisement that is targeted to New York’s users. These differential rates are common practice in the industry.

Knowing these facts is essential to rational discourse. Fudging data simply to make a legitimate argument stronger is a weak strategy. Not having Pakistani users does not hurt Facebook as much as people would like to believe.

But not having Pakistani users does hurt Pakistanis and Muslims in general. We have to get used to the idea that we cannot control what others believe and that without dialogue, all we have is threats and violence.

The internet is hard to police, and with the bad comes the good. We have had relative freedom of speech in our country, but with this judgment we have opened the floodgates to a very dangerous precedent. Blocking sites because they contain material against the president can follow, or a total filtering of the internet. It’s ok to ban hate sites, including those that host hateful caricatures, but because of our penchant for ad hoc decisions no policy will come out of this but a malaise that will make us even more inward.

We make choices every day, and part of those choices will be not to visit certain sites even if they are available to us. At least that’s what adults would do. Our general infantilism is cringe worthy. When the Christians were burned alive in Gojra, I never received any text messages to lodge a protest, none. The same is true of the recent killings of Ahmadis.

There is truth in the fact that we will only use freedom of speech and talk against hate speech when it is in our interests, casually abusing freedoms but not internalising them. It is so prevalent that I know that writing this article it is almost not worth the hassle personally that is bound to come. Every discussion becomes feral hair raising. This bodes badly.

We can do without Facebook, but it means nothing if we do not address the larger issues in our own society.

Published in the Express Tribune, June 2^nd, 2010.

What To Avoid During A Job Interview

During the entire job hunting process, the most significant and tricky stage is the interview. Candidates feel anxious and nervous before and during the interview process and cannot rest unless they have heard back from the company. For some this phone call brings a sense of achievement with the news that they have been selected for the job, but many receive no calls at all conveying that they have failed to land the job. There might be many reasons why a candidate fails to get the job, most of which are related to the interview process. Many candidates are under the impression that they did well in the interview and are devastated when they are rejected. The fact is that most of the candidates have no idea that during the interview session they might have committed some grave mistakes which cost them the job. These mistakes are so common that most of the candidates repeat them over and over again without realizing the damage they are doing to their career. If you think you are one of those candidates, there is no need to panic as we have identified some of the most common mistakes made by candidates during an interview so that you can avoid them in the future.

Most Common Interview Mistakes:

A lot of people make some serious mistakes during the interview which end up turning a job opportunity into a disaster. In order to avoid making these mistakes we first need to identify these mistakes. Some of the most common mistakes by a candidate during an interview are:

Being Late

A lot of candidates fail to appear for the interview on time and think that they can get away with a lame excuse. Nothing throws the interviewer off like coming late to an interview and then failing to apologize. If you are filing to arrive at the job interview on time, it gives the interviewer an impression that you are not taking the job opportunity seriously and hence is not someone they were looking for. So to make a good impression during the interview you should be there on time. If you fail to do that apologize for the delay and reassure the interviewer that this is not a habitual practice.

Dressing Inappropriately

Dressing right is the most important part of an interview. Assuming that a casual dress might do for your interview is a big mistake. If you have any doubts you can do a little research regarding the company culture and find out what kind of dressing is expected. Nevertheless it is better to be overdressed rather than being underdressed. Also, try to keep the accessories to a minimum so that you look professional.

Being Unprepared

Some candidates show up for an interview without even the slightest preparation and as a result fail to answer any tough questions asked by the interviewer. Not researching about the company you are applying to can also be fatal for the interview. Make sure that when you are appearing for an interview you know what kind of work entails the job that you have applied for and you have a general idea of the company’s background.

Talking Too Much Or Too Little

Talking too much or saying next to nothing is also a mistake we have seen during an interview. You should answer a question completely and then let the interviewer proceed to his next one. Blabbering uselessly and interrupting the interviewer creates a bad impression. Similarly, answering the questions in monosyllables and nor elaborating on anything also leaves the interviewer dissatisfied, thus minimizing your chances of getting a job. It is also important to ask important and well thought questions related to the job. Asking silly questions or not asking any questions at all is not the right approach also.

Badmouthing Your Employer

Nothing raises the red flags more than badmouthing your former employer in front of the interviewer as it points towards a lack of professional maturity and failure to take responsibility. Trying to justify your reasons for leaving the previous employer by criticizing him is a bad idea and should be avoided at all costs. Even if your boss actually was a horrible person, there is no need to share that with the interviewer. Keep your reasons for leaving the last job and your views about your previous boss professional.

Lying

You should never lie during an interview or provide false information on your resume. If you are qualified and skilled enough for the position you have applied for, you will get the job. If however you feel like you are not qualified for the job then you should not apply in the first place, no matter how desperately you want the job. Lying in the interview certainly diminishes your chances of getting the job. Be open about your weaknesses and strong points. When you state you weaknesses make sure that you also point out what steps you have taken to address the particular weakness and how far have you succeeded in the effort.

Lacking Enthusiasm

Appearing disinterested and bored during the interview is one of the most fatal mistakes that can ruin your chances of getting selected for the job. Show the employer that you care about the job and are excited at the prospect of joining the company. If the interviewer senses that you are not interested in the job, he will not call you for a second interview.

Asking About Benefits Too Soon

Bringing in the salary questions too soon and repeatedly raises the red flags as the interviewer senses that you are not very interested in the job as much as the benefits and the money involved in it. You should wait for the interviewer to bring up the salary negotiations as he will definitely ask you about the expected salary range before the interview session comes to an end.

Concluding Thoughts

The entire job hunting process from writing your resume to showing up at the interview and the follow up after that requires a lot of effort and skill. In order to get the job you have to make sure that during all these steps you have put up your best performance. Make sure that you do not make any of the mistakes mentioned above and you will most definitely succeed in the interview process.

Who is Faisal Shahzad?

By: Fredrick S Pardee

The media in the US as well as in Pakistan is abuzz about Faisal Shahzad and information pours in so fast that it is very difficult to keep track of it. In these moments of information overload – when we know much and understand little – at least a few things should be clear to all and beyond dispute: the bombing attempted in New York City was heinous in intent and we should all be thankful that it was neither well-planned nor well-executed and the mayhem and murder that was intended was averted.

Authorities in Pakistan have done the right thing by assuring their counterparts in the US that they will cooperate fully in any investigation of this incident. Pakistanis in America should do the same. More than that, we need to be thinking about what happened here, and why. If, indeed, Faisal Shahzad was the man behind this attempted terror attack he may have (thankfully) caused no actual damage to New York City but he could deeply mutilate the reputation and selfconfidence of the Pakistani community in the United States.

One hopes that just as the citizens of New York did not let the car bomb blow up, Pakistanis in America will not let him destroy the self-confidence that this community has been so painstakingly reconstructing since the tragedy of 9/11. Even as new information flows in and pieces of the puzzle get put in place there are going to be many important questions about exactly what happened, when and how and why some of this does or does not fit into expected patterns. All of these are important – even critical – questions.

But equally important – and critical – for Pakistanis in America is the need to begin understanding what all of this means for them, now and into the future. Let us not shy away from the tough questions that we need to ask ourselves. But let us also not be tougher on ourselves than we need to be. Let us work very hard to understand how someone from amongst us could even contemplate such a horrible act.

But let us not let the horrible nature of this contemplation lead to the condemnation of an entire community. Let us understand him for what he is accused of being: a criminal; let us condemn him for what is charged with having done: a crime; but let us not allow his alleged criminality with our own identity.

Pakistani Wedding Dresses and Wedding Gowns

A casual observation at any Pakistani wedding leaves any curious observer impressed at how well the bride appears in her wedding dress. If anyone has been wondering about the secret behind such elegance on their wedding day, they should consider what bridal gown options the Pakistani bride has.

The Features of a Pakistani Wedding dress

Although appearing simple, the dress is normally laden with customary symbols of the Pakistani way of life. Many of these features could be so minute yet they have tones of cultural relevance. Some people insist on a red wedding lahenga more so on the third day of the wedding although the bride is at liberty to choose other colors. The material normally varies from jamawar to chiffon or silk which could be used either purely or in addition to other materials such as katan and in differing proportions. The gown is embroidered using different designs such as kora, dabka, resham and gotta. Behind Pakistani wedding dresses are great professional designers, karigers. The dress will also have additional features such as neckline sleeves, sequins and beaded flowers.

Pakistani wedding dress Designs

Any Pakistani bride has an avalanche of designs from which they can choose their Pakistani Wedding Dresses While others will op to go for an Artemisia that has a crepe silk top and an embellished strap others may go for a mermaid lengha. This has a sweetheart neckline in addition to having a whole body rapper and a concealable back zip closure. One may also choose a gala lehenga, a long silk shirt with a key hole at the neckline. While the lengha remains the most popular design for many brides, lehenga, artemesia, gharara are providing real competition to grace weddings. Not to be left behind are such traditional fashion styles including lengha choli and chorida pajama all of which provide different color shades and a wide variety of finishing. Most of these designs will appeal to many brides including those who want a feel of the modern touch while still maintaining their traditional roots.

A Guide to the Pricing of Pakistani wedding dress

There are several factors that determine the pricing of the Pakistani wedding gown. The kind of material will drive the price upwards. Silk fabrics are generally cheaper than those made of jamawar and antique fabrics. Furthermore additional features such as sequins, stones or dabkas make it more expensive. The embroidery works will also amplify the price while the karigers from which one orders their dress will also determine its price. Pakistani wedding dresses with dupata will normally cost more since additional work and material will be required in their finishing. However in spite of all differentials in pricing there are bridal gowns for all prices so no need to worry oneself.

Given such broad range of wedding dresses, making a choice can be a very hard task but one should manage with a little help from friends, family and experts. The strict cultural procedures also still sway in many Pakistani weddings so one may a limited scope from which to make a choice. As part of the Pakistani wedding traditions, it is the groom’s family that provides the wedding dress.

Shoaib seeks Rs 30-50m for coverage in Pakistan

By Adnan Rashid

LAHORE: The newly-wed couple, Shoaib and Sania, have reportedly decided not to interact with the media or public in Pakistan till they sell the right to cover their Valima in Sialkot and Lahore to the highest bidding media group.

Meanwhile, Shoaib’s brother-in-law, Imran Zafar Malik, told a press conference on Saturday that mediapersons would not be allowed to cover the reception for Shoaib and Sania on Sunday. He said media persons sans cameras would be allowed to enter the reception hall.

Pakistan- A place to live Article in Maxi News

by Noumana Sohail

Most of you, especially those from Europe and USA must be thinking many times that Is Pakistan is a place to live? If you are one of the readers from Europe or US, you must some time think or have some suspicious questions about Pakistan. Like Is Pakistan a terrorist country? Are all the people and Muslims of Pakistan are terrorists? Is Pakistan a safe place for the people to live? If all the time there you will hear about some kidnapping or some other bad social news? Are the people of Pakistan are different from all the world and they don’t want any one to come and live here? Some questions like these and many other questions would be arising in your mind and I m going to write this article to make an attempt to possibly answer all of your questions.

The official name of Pakistan is Islamic Republic of Pakistan and is mainly divided into four provinces and one capital city. It has a 1,046-kilometre (650 mi) coastline along the Arabian Sea and Gulf of Oman in the south and is bordered by Afghanistan and Iran in the west, India in the east and China in the far northeast Tajikistan also lies very close to Pakistan but is separated by the narrow Wakhan Corridor. Thus, it occupies a crossroads position between South Asia, Central Asia and the Middle East. The region forming modern Pakistan was at the heart of the ancient Indus Valley Civilization and then later was the recipient of Vedic, Persian, Indo-Greek, Turco-Mongol, Islamic and Sikh cultures. The area has witnessed invasions and/or settlements by the Indo-Aryans, Persians, Greeks, Arabs, Turks, Afghans, Mongols and the British.

Pakistan is an Islamic country and most of the population here in Pakistan is Muslim but being Muslim does not mean that people of this country are terrorists. Pakistani people are great and they love to serve their guests and welcome the people from all countries and every part of world to come here and feel themselves the joy of living in a country like Pakistan.

Terrorism is not what Pakistan wants or the people of Pakistan wants. It’s a shit like thing that has been forcefully attached with Pakistan and has made a negative image of Pakistan in the entire world but this is not what Pakistan really is. Pakistan is a peace loving country and wants every body to be in peace but some of the negative factors are trying to ruin the reputation of Pakistan and the beloved army of Pakistan is striving hard to clear Pakistan of all this bullshit. People of Pakistan are not terrorist; they welcome you toward their home place and country so that they may get a chance to serve you with open heart. Islam also teaches us to be in peace and serve the guests with open heart and consider them a blessing of GOD.

Source: http://maxinews.co.uk/2010/04/11/pakistan-a-place-to-live/

Teesara Missile.. An Article By Prof. Tariq Siddiqui.

Pakistan’s Cricketers Dismissed for a Duck

By RICHARD LORD

Pakistani cricket is in turmoil. But then again that’s nothing new. The Pakistan Cricket Board’s harsh penalties meted out against several of the country’s top players on March 10 represent just the latest chapter in a long history of sackings, resignations and controversies that have haunted the national side for as long as anyone can remember.

Following a disastrous December-to-February tour to Australia during which the Pakistan National Cricket Team lost all nine matches to the home side, the PCB held no fewer than seven senior players accountable. Incumbent test match and one-day international Captain Mohammad Yousuf and former skipper Younis Khan, who also happen to be the team’s two best batsmen, were handed indefinite playing bans. The board then claimed a few hours later, in a characteristically confusing fudge, that these aren’t life bans. Mr. Yousuf’s sour-grapes rejoinder was a temporary retirement from the game.

Another former captain, all-rounder Shoaib Malik, along with fast bowler Rana Naved-ul-Hasan, received one-year bans. Talismanic all-rounder and Twenty20 captain Shahid Afridi, as well as brothers Kamran and Umar Akmal, wicketkeeper and rising batting star respectively, were given fines between $24,000 and $36,000 and put on probation for six months.

The list of their infractions was long, varied and in places rather vague. At least Mr. Afridi’s crime was obvious: He was caught by television cameras biting the ball during the tour’s solitary Twenty20 match. It was a particularly baroque example of ball-tampering, one of cricket’s cardinal sins.

As for the others: mainly they appear to have been banned for hating each other. The Australia tour was shot through with in-fighting, backbiting, feigned injuries and accusations against the team’s most senior players of deliberate underperformance. Just think about that last one for a minute: players who are actually prepared to throw a match for their national team, just to undermine a captain they don’t like. If that’s true, something is very rotten in the state of Pakistan.

The sad thing is that none of this comes as a great surprise. For years, Pakistani cricket has been bedeviled by barely-and-sometimes-not-at-all-concealed animosity among the players, ball-tampering, use of both performance-enhancing and recreational drugs, and match-fixing. Throw the hopelessly politicized nature of the Pakistan Cricket Board into the mix and you realize that it’s only the deep well of talent and passion for the game in the country that allow the team to ever win anything.

But ridding the team of troublemakers is unlikely to solve the problem. In recent years, its bad-boy-in-chief has been tear-away fast bowler Shoaib Akhtar, who was banned in 2007. The team hasn’t become appreciably more stable in his absence, so there’s little reason to assume the recent bans will make a difference either. Particularly as they mean that the team’s leading fast bowler is now Mohammad Asif, who has tested positive for steroids twice, gotten into a changing-room fight with Mr. Akhtar, and been caught with a recreational drug in his pocket at Dubai airport.

The cull has swept away so many senior players that the Pakistan Cricket Board was more or less forced, just two weeks after punishing him, to appoint Mr. Afridi as captain for the forthcoming World Twenty20—where Pakistan will be defending champions after claiming victory in England last year, one of the heartbreaking, periodic glimpses of what they’re capable of. The team were close to world-conquering as little as two decades ago, for a while competing with Australia to take over from the declining West Indies as world’s pre-eminent side. The divergence in the fortunes of the two teams since has been startling.

The real victims in all this, of course, are Pakistan’s remarkably loyal and long-suffering fans, who don’t even get to see their team play at home. Any prospect of that was abruptly shattered on March 3, 2009, when 12 terrorists, believed by Pakistani authorities to represent Kashmiri separatist group Lashkar-e-Taiba, opened fire on the Sri Lankan team’s bus as they were on their way to play at Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium. The first terrorist action against an international sports team since the attack on Israeli athletes by Palestinian militants at the 1972 Munich Olympic Games, it instantly swept away any chance of teams touring the troubled nation any time soon—the Sri Lankans had been the first international team to visit Pakistan in 17 months, after several tours had been cancelled on security grounds. It’s exactly the opposite of what Pakistani cricket needs, given all the other issues it faces.

So resigned is the Pakistan Cricket Board to not playing at home for the foreseeable future that it has agreed to play its Test-match and Twenty20 series against Australia in England this summer. The cities where the matches will take place, of course, have massive populations of Pakistani extraction who will pack out the grounds and provide the usual impassioned-verging-on-hysterical support, and the Pakistan board’s coffers will be swelled by their share of the fat English gate receipts. But for the players, contesting their home games 6,000 kilometers from home is roughly that many kilometers from satisfactory.

In sum: too dangerous to visit, paralyzed by internal strife, terrifyingly political and dominated by big, powerful egos. Poor old Pakistan. And the cricket team has its fair share of problems, too.

Mr. Lord writes on cricket for The Wall Street Journal Asia.

Pakistan never respected their cricket stars.

By Wasim Akram

Pakistan cricket continues to intrigue me. Quite a few things are making headlines and unfortunately, almost all for the wrong reasons! First up, many congratulations to Shoaib Malik, although the juicy news about his previous relationship will do him no good. Whatever the facts are, I will like to wish Sania Mirza and Shoaib a good life together. Marriage is sacred. I can imagine the dilemma two former Pakistan captains are going through at this moment. While Mohammad Yousuf has announced his retirement from international cricket, Younus Khan is planning to challenge his suspension.

I have said in my previous column that the PCB had no business to slap indefinite bans on cricketers. Hence Younus will have a very strong case whenever he seeks legal help. It will be interesting to see how the PCB reacts then. Governance has never been PCB’s strong point for various reasons. More than Younus, the decision made by Yousuf has saddened me. His retirement will definitely hurt Pakistan in Test cricket. You can’t replace a man with 24 Test centuries and 7000 plus runs. It’s a pity the way Pakistan have treated their best players. Just like Yousuf, Pakistan have not respected many former stars. Whether it was me, Javed bhai (Miandad) or Waqar Younus, one fine day we were made to vanish from the face of the earth! There are numerous other instances too.

I am not sure if this is the way to treat players who have served you with excellence for over two decades. At least, they deserve a testimonial game, a warm send-off and a moment that will stay forever in their hearts. I am sure Pakistan’s cricket fans will love to give their heroes one final standing ovation. Yousuf deserved one. Even if I am busy with my Indian Premier League (IPL) commitments for Kolkata Knight Riders, I have been reading with interest about Shahid Afridi getting ready for the ICC T20 World Cup. It is important for Afridi and Waqar to strike a chord in the West Indies. Afridi must learn from his mistakes and lead with sense and responsibility. Having been part of IPL, I now realise the margin for error in T20 cricket is very little. Afridi has to choose his best combination every time he goes out in the middle. If Pakistan can shun politics in team selection, we should be able to defend the world title. Class and capability have never been in short supply in Pakistan cricket.

Allama Iqbal’s Dream about Shoaib and Sania Mirza.

CARROTS for Pakistan now and STICK………. ?

US dangles Pakistan a carrot
By Syed Fazl-e-Haider

KARACHI – In 2008, after several years of negotiations, nuclear-armed India and the United States signed a civilian nuclear deal that in essence allowed India access to civilian nuclear technology and fuel from other countries even though it is not a signatory to the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Pakistan, which like its neighbor India has a nuclear arsenal and is not a signatory to the NPT, has long been rankled by India’s deal, wanting one of its own with the US. This topic featured highon the agenda of a top-level Pakistani delegation that held talks in Washington this week with senior US officials, including Secretary of State Hillary Clinton.

Washington, with some reservations, has been receptive to Pakistan’s wishes, especially as Islamabad has emerged as a key strategic partner in the efforts to bring the war in Afghanistan to a conclusion, and in dealing with al-Qaeda and militancy in general in the region.

There will be a price: the US, according to analysts who spoke to Asia Times Online, wants Pakistan to walk away from the Iran-Pakistan gas pipeline project.

Last year, Islamabad and Tehran finalized a US$7.5 billion deal to transfer gas 2,775 kilometers from fields in Iran to terminals in Pakistan, and this month they signed an operational agreement on the project, despite US opposition.

The US, as it seeks to isolate Iran and impose sanctions on it over Tehran’s nuclear program, is a vocal critic of the pipeline project, which was initially to have included a third leg going to India. India dropped its participation in the project, ostensibly over pricing disagreements; there is widespread belief that it did so to secure the nuclear deal with the US.

This, according to analysts familiar with the project, is the dilemma that Pakistan now faces. In recent months, there has been talk of the pipeline being extended to China; that would be a non-starter should Pakistan pull out.

The two days of talks in Washington concluded on Thursday. All that Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi said was that his delegation had had “very satisfactory” talks with US on civilian nuclear cooperation.

“I am quite satisfied with the discussions we had,” Reuters quoted Qureshi as saying. “We have to modernize and tap on indigenous resources like hydro[electric power], coal. We have to bring in renewables – solar, wind – and we also have the capability of producing nuclear energy and we are doing it.”

Clinton was quoted as saying, “We are certainly looking at it [nuclear deal] as how to help Pakistan with its long-term energy needs.”

Washington’s reservations over a nuclear pact center on lingering concerns over security in Pakistan. The founder of Pakistan’s nuclear program, Abdul Qadeer Khan, several years ago confessed to playing a role in nuclear proliferation. In 2008, Khan, who remains under house arrest, recanted these confessions. The US is also aware that any deal with Pakistan would upset India.

Pakistan faces daily blackouts, and a power shortfall estimated at 5,000 megawatts (MW) weighs heavily on the economy. Ahead of this week’s talks, Islamabad drew up a 56-page report in which it sought US support in developing a civilian nuclear program. The US earlier agreed to provide $125 million for energy development and assistance in establishing three thermal power plants.

Analysts see a major role for the US in rehabilitating the energy sector, as the US could engage international financial institutions, including the US Trade and Development Agency, the International Monetary Fund, the Asian Development Bank and World Bank, together with the US’s private sector.

If the US and Pakistan do go ahead with a nuclear deal, it would still require consensus approval from the 46-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) and also from the US Congress – this turned out to be a lengthy process for the Indians.

China this week reacted cautiously to reports that the US was open to help Pakistan tap nuclear energy. “We believe that sovereign countries have the right to peacefully use nuclear energy with adequate safeguards,” Pakistan Press International reported a Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman, Qin Gang, as saying in Beijing.

China has assisted Pakistan in developing facilities for nuclear power generation since 1986, when the countries signed a comprehensive agreement for nuclear cooperation that envisaged the supply of power plants and cooperation in the research and development of commercial and research reactors. Under an agreement signed in 1990, China helped Pakistan in the construction of a 300 MW reactor in Chashma, Punjab province, which went into operation in 1998. The Chashma-1 plant has delivered full power of 300 MW to the national grid since September 2000.

In December 2006, a much-awaited agreement on Chinese assistance to build more nuclear reactors in Pakistan was not signed during President Hu Jintao’s visit to Islamabad. Though Beijing had agreed to provide two more nuclear power plants, worth about $1.2 billion, China apparently succumbed to pressure from either the West or the NSG. Beijing shelved the project without comment.

At present, China-Pakistan nuclear energy cooperation is mainly focused on the Chashma Nuclear Power Plant-2 in Punjab. The 325-MW capacity facility is being built in collaboration with China National Nuclear Corporation and is likely to be completed by the end of this year.

Syed Fazl-e-Haider ( www.syedfazlehaider.com ) is a development analyst in Pakistan. He is the author of many books, including The Economic Development of Balochistan, published in May 2004. E-mail, sfazlehaider05@yahoo.com