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Friday, April 30, 2004
Macedonia faked 'militant' raid - BBC
"Macedonian officials have admitted that seven alleged Pakistani militants killed in March 2002 were in fact illegal immigrants shot in cold blood to "impress" the international community ... The Macedonians were apparently trying to show the outside world that they were serious about participating in the US-led war on terror, officials say."
Arab women lift the veil on business - BBC
"There has been a discreet but dramatic shift in Arab attitudes over the last two or three years. 'Now it is very politically correct to address women's issues,' says Haifa Fahoum Al Kaylani, chair of the Arab International Women's Forum in London. 'It is like a competition between Arab governments to encourage women to enter business and the political process.' "
Muslim terrorists embrace a very secular heresy - Independent
"The new sort of Islam that directs the finger of blame outwards, rather than towards the self, has been with us for only a very short time. Thirty years ago, no one had heard of it. Yet it is a sterile hopeless primal scream of desperation that can do no good to religion or to the world. It compounds Muslim grievances against our neighbours, and can lead to forms of self-destructive terrorism that are historically unprecedented for us. The targeting of innocent bystanders is clearly a symptom of this."
Long-Ago Bets Leave Indians Without Vote - Mercury News
"For generations, the all-powerful kings of two neighboring realms met to play cards. When one would lose, he'd give a little piece of his kingdom to the other. Years later, this royal whimsy has created a geopolitical nightmare for hundreds of thousands of people - both Indian and Bangladeshi - who are stuck in tiny enclaves inside each other's country. These isolated residents don't have fire departments, or running water or schools. There are no policemen to call when trouble brews. And when it comes to selecting their governments, they can't vote."
'New Sharia law' in Nigeria state - BBC
"The northern Nigerian state of Zamfara has introduced a new package of Islamic, or Sharia, laws. All businesses in the state will have to shut down during the five daily Muslim prayers. The state government also says that all 'unauthorised' places of worship will be shut down under 'Sharia phase two'."
Google Files Long-Awaited I.P.O. - New York Times
"Just in case you missed the news: Google has filed for an IPO with the SEC, indicating its interest in raising more than $2.7 billion. In its S1 filing, Google offered a rare peek at its super-charged financial performance: in 2003, the company posted net income of $105.6 million on revenue of $962 million, and in 2004, posted a first-quarter profit of $64 million. The Google IPO - easily the "most highly anticipated event in years in Silicon Valley" -- could value the company at as much as $25 billion." (Corante's Summary)
Want to get your own Google shares? Here's how the process will work, How you can bid online for Google shares?
Thursday, April 29, 2004
Militant Mullah Meets Match in Comic at Norway Nightclub - NY Times
"How much weight does a bearded mullah carry in a freewheeling liberal society like Norway's? The country's well-known Muslim comic, Shabana Rehman, decided to find out Tuesday when she lifted the founder of Iraq's Ansar al-Islam terrorist group off the ground before a startled audience. The cleric, known as Mullah Krekar, did not find the stunt funny. He went up smiling but was sputtering with rage by the time Ms. Rehman set him back down."
The house that Jinnah built - Asia Times
"Far from the madding crowd of the Indian elections, away from the high-profile glare of the twin core issues of Kashmir and cross-border terrorism that more often than not divide India and Pakistan, a beautiful old house in Mumbai's plush Malabar Hill area patiently waits for the hammer of history to write yet another chapter in the relationship of the two nations ... Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf wants India to "give" Pakistan the house as an outright gift, or perhaps "lease" it in perpetuity, as a symbol of New Delhi's faith in the new peace initiative with Islamabad."
Pakistan amnesty for tribal outlaws shocks officials - FT
"Pakistan's decision to grant amnesty to a group of tribal outlaws has shaken Afghan and western officials' confidence in General Pervez Musharraf's resolve to purge the lawless tribal region ahead of a new deadline to hand over hardline militants today. Abdullah Abdullah, Afghan foreign minister, said he was "confused" by the amnesty offer, even though his government welcomed Pakistan's efforts to drive militants from the region, which borders Afghanistan."
ADB warns of banking crisis in Pakistan - Daily Times
"Pakistan, India and Taiwan are at risk of a banking crisis unless the authorities push through reforms in the industry, the Asian Development Bank (ADB) warned on Wednesday. Seven years on, India, Pakistan, and Taiwan ?Dmay face one if the authorities are unable to forestall a crisis using pre-emptive financial reforms,?D the ADB said in its annual economic outlook report."
France Struggles to Curb Extremist Muslim Clerics - NY Times
"France has long maintained one of the strictest antiterrorism programs in Europe, in part because the country was hit early by Islamist terror and because it has the largest Muslim population on the Continent. Many other countries in Europe have been far more tolerant in allowing radical discourse to flourish in their mosques. But making such a hard-line stance stick is difficult, even here in a country that has been more willing than most of its European neighbors to limit free speech in the interest of a calm and cohesive society."
A Pakistan book with a difference - Times of India
"Against the backdrop of improved Indo-Pak relations, noted journalist Dileep Padgaonkar released, 'Across the Wagah', a book by Maneesha Tikekar at Patrakar Bhavan here on Sunday. On the basis of his personal experience, Padgaonkar said the book gave an honest insight into the socio-cultural setting of Pakistan. "Much is written about the country but a majority of it is about trauma and nostalgia. However, this book overcomes stereotypes and gives the reader a different perspective," he said."
Wednesday, April 28, 2004
Canadians Muslims will get sharia courts to settle disputes - Independent
"Canada is embarking on an unusual judicial experiment that will allow members of its Muslim community to submit to the teachings of the Koran to resolve a variety of civil legal disputes, ranging from divorces to business conflicts. The new model, which will be closely examined by other countries grappling with the place of growing Muslim communities in their populations, is to be administered by a body of imams and Islamic scholars, the Islamic Institute of Justice, which was created at the end of last year."
The story in Washington Post, Canadians Allow Islamic Courts To Decide Disputes.
Saudi presenter shows beaten face - BBC
"A TV presenter who says she was beaten by her husband has allowed newspapers to show pictures of her swollen face to highlight domestic abuse. Rania al-Baz said her husband, Mohammed al-Fallatta, beat her so hard earlier this week that he broke her nose and fractured her face in 13 places."
BBC catches an interview with the lady, Beaten Saudi woman speaks out.
Muslim actor speaks on misuse of religion - Seattle PI
"Shah Rukh Khan, a Muslim actor married to a Hindu, says his success as one of India's top movie stars proves India's inherent secularism, and urged his compatriots to oppose the misuse of religion. 'I am a walking, talking secular example,' said Khan. 'I am an Islamic hero. My wife is Hindu. My children - I always say this openly - they will learn both the religions. There is no difference at all. I would like to teach them Christianity, too.' "
"Jaws dropped, mouths drooled, and knees chattered -- hai! Ram!!, kya ho gaya yaar -- he'd done it again. Just when it seemed, that Pakistan was ready for friendly behavior, Musharraf threatened us with a deadline on Kashmir. 'Yet another U-turn' screamed the headlines; analysts overnight came up with well-adjudged reasons for it all -- 'the MNNA status given to Pakistan by the US has made them more confident,' they claimed."
This is the first article in the series which includes: Why are the jihadis targeting children? and The threat in the North East.
Send Jobs to India? Some Find It's Not Always Best - NY Times
"Even as the prospect of high-skilled American jobs moving to low-wage countries like India ignites hot political debate, some entrepreneurs are finding that India's vaunted high-technology work force is not always as effective as advertised ... As more companies in the United States rush to take advantage of India's ample supply of cheap yet highly trained workers, even some of the most motivated American companies — ones set up or run by executives born and trained in India — are concluding that the cost advantage does not always justify the effort."
Pakistan cancels telecoms licence - BBC
"Pakistan's telecoms regulator has cancelled a mobile phone licence issued to Space Telecom after the firm missed a deadline to make a 25% downpayment. The licence has now been offered to the next highest bidder, Al-Warid, a local-Dubai group. Al-Warid has agreed to match Space's bid, Reuters quoted a Pakistan Telecom Authority official as saying."
Tuesday, April 27, 2004
More Arab than the Arabs? - Straits Times
Why are Malays turning to Arabic customs, speech and outlook to define themselves? ... 'As they become more 'Muslim', they become less Malay. They discard old values associated with the Malays, and which are considered un-Islamic. They believe that cultural expressions like theatre and art forms like wayang kulit are un-Islamic because of their pre-Islamic origins."
Imran blasts Pakistan inquiry - The Australian
"Former Pakistan great Imran Khan today blasted the sport's authorities for conducting a medical inquiry over fitness problems following the home series defeats by India. "Nowhere in the world (has) a medical inquiry of fast bowlers ever been conducted. By doing so, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has made a mockery of Pakistan cricket," Khan, a former captain and renowned fast bowler, told AFP."
Muslims given handbook on dealing with CSIS - Toronto Star
"An Islamic group is distributing a pocket guide to Canadian Muslims advising them what to do if CSIS or the RCMP tries to interrogate them about terrorism. Almost 30,000 copies of the Know Your Rights guide are already in circulation across the country and demand is growing among Muslims left shaken by sensational headlines following recent anti-terrorism raids."
Musharraf approves reduction of 50,000 troops - Daily Times
"President General Pervez Musharraf has approved a plan to restructure the Pakistan Army with the reduction of 50,000 non-combat men to create more funds for the technological needs of the fighting arms. Gen Sultan referred to the defence budget that had not been increased for a couple of years and said this restructuring plan would create funds from within the already available resources instead of burdening the economy, and help the army respondmore quickly to the challenges of the battlefield."
Exiled politician Pakistan-bound - BBC
"The leader of the opposition PML-N party in Pakistan will return to the country from exile in Britain on 10 May. Shahbaz Sharif is the brother of former premier Nawaz Sharif, and has been in exile for than three years ... Some family members have tried to return to Pakistan but were forcibly put on flights soon after their arrival. The Supreme Court said Shahbaz Sharif could be arrested on his arrival."
Jewish 'wife' fights for Muslim's fortune - Guardian
"The drinking, gambling and smoking habits of a wealthy Arab horseracing enthusiast were played out before the court of appeal in London yesterday as a Jewish flight attendant laid claim to his £20m fortune, claiming she had been his wife. But while lawyers for Lesley June al-Bassam said that, as his widow, she was entitled to Abdulaziz al-Bassam's estate, his only surviving relative disputed that she had married him."
Monday, April 26, 2004
Computer Student on Trial for Aid to Muslim Web Sites - NY Times
"Today, that graduate student, Sami Omar al-Hussayen, is on trial in a heavily guarded courtroom here, accused of plotting to aid and to maintain Islamic Web sites that promote jihad. As a Web master to several Islamic organizations, Mr. Hussayen helped to maintain Internet sites with links to groups that praised suicide bombings in Chechnya and in Israel. But he himself does not hold those views, his lawyers said. His role was like that of a technical editor, they said, arguing that he could not be held criminally liable for what others wrote."
Madrasas Slowly Warm to Computers - Wired News
"Stung by their reputation as places of backwardness and militancy, Pakistan's madrasas -- traditional schools where Islam is taught in great detail -- are teaching computer and Web literacy as a way to gain respectability. Jamia Naimia in Lahore is one of those madrasas. Subjects like math, English and general sciences are not taught here. But the school has a computer science department that teaches Windows applications, Web design and Basic."
Muslim students call for sharia-friendly loans - Guardian
"Pressure is mounting on the Department of Education and Skills to provide a Muslim-friendly student loan. the Muslim community is split over whether student loans, which incur inflation-only levels of interest, are against sharia law. Student activists say that some Muslims are being asked to break their faith or forgo the opportunity for financial assistance during their studies."
India outsources Kashmir solution to the USA - Spoof
"In a dramatic turnabout to almost everything being outsourced to India, the Indian government of Shri Atal Bhari Vajpayee has publicly announced that in order to try and avoid a nuclear war between itself and Pakistan, it will pay handsomely for advice on the topic of fixing the Kashmir issue to none other than those epitomies of moderation, Donald Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney." ;-)
Technology and Show Business Kiss and Make Up - NY Times
"The techies played so hard to the show business crowd, it was easy to forget the two industries were ever at war. It was just two years ago, that Michael D. Eisner, chief executive of the Walt Disney Company, and a top executive at the Intel Corporation screamed at each other across a packed Senate hearing room. Mr. Eisner accused the technology industry of encouraging the theft of music and movies over the Internet and of enabling Napster and its file-swapping clones to flourish. The Intel executive, Leslie L. Vadasz, fired back that Mr. Eisner needed to 'deal with the new digital world.' "
Top players to boost new Abu Dhabi stadium - Reuters
"Abu Dhabi stakes its claim to host one-day international matches when it unveils its new state-of-the-art cricketing facility with a game featuring leading Indian and Pakistan players on May 14. The 20,000-capacity Sheikh Zayed stadium in the capital of the United Arab Emirates has cost $22 million."
Sunday, April 25, 2004
Personalities override politics in Pakistan - Reuters
"When Pakistan's powerful military clashes with the country's great political families, things are bound to get personal. The cases this week of an opposition figure in prison and another in exile have underlined the schism between President Pervez Musharraf and former leaders Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif that has helped to stifle democracy, analysts say."
Treat me fairly: Javed Miandad - Hindustan Times
"Embattled cricket coach Javed Miandad has just one request to the Pakistani Cricket Board (PCB): treat me fairly. To blame him alone for the series loss to India would be unfair, and if Inzamam-ul-Haq is to continue as skipper, why the uncertainty about him, Miandad wonders. "When they can announce that Inzamam-ul-Haq is going to continue as captain, why not announce the same thing about me because I have another year of contract remaining with them?"
Erotica to erotic kya? - Times of India
" 'By the dawn of the 17th century, sex as a subject was not as overt as it was earlier,’’ says Sandhya Moolchandani who along with Pawan Verma has authored Love & Lust, a book dealing with erotica in India and its depiction in various art forms down the ages. The subjugation of sexuality, says Verma, 'happened because Muslim and Victorian influences introduced a sense of guilt to what was an enlightened role of desire.' While the late 20th century saw a resurgence of sexual expression in India, 'erotica had lost its sensuousness by then,' says Moolchandani."
Why it's time to invest in India - Toronto Star
"That outsourcing is just part of the rapid growth lately of the Indian economy. The growth is expected to continue, at a rate of around 7 per cent this year. India has a huge population of 1.05 billion people. It still has a lot of problems to overcome, but it has a stable democracy, an enormous English speaking population, and an education system that each year generates more than a million college graduates. India's economy is benefiting from rising exports and global services such as outsourcing. It's also responding to rising demand from consumers within the country."
Christians, Muslims, Jews told spirituality, not religion, is key - SF Chronicle
"U.S. troops attacked a mosque in Iraq, Muslim militants blew up a bus in Kashmir, and Israeli security forces ravaged a Palestinian refugee camp in the Gaza Strip. In other news, nearly 100 Christians, Muslims and Jews sat down together in San Francisco, shared a meal, and tried to figure out why religion seems to be the problem rather than the solution. They gathered at a dozen round tables Sunday evening at the new Jewish Community Center in San Francisco and listened to three experts -- a Muslim, a Christian and a Jew -- tell them that the essence of all three religions is love."
You think you know them?
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Kuwait sex-change case upheld - BBC
"A Kuwaiti court has said a 25-year-old man who underwent sex-change surgery can be officially regarded as a woman. The unprecedented ruling came after the court was told of the plaintiff's physical and mental torment since childhood due to hormonal imbalances. Lawyer Adel al-Yahya told Reuters news agency the judges were guided by a religious edict allowing gender change if there are medical reasons for it."
Sex Kitten Brigitte Bardot speaks truth regarding Muslim - MichNews
"It's true. Where Muslims settle, they plan eventually to take over. When that happens, the Koran then mounts high as legit take on how a culture acts. The Koran, the unholy writ of a demonic religion, advocates its deity - Allah - demanding non-Muslims be slaughtered or used as slaves. Brigitte Bardot is incensed by what has happened in her France because of Muslim infiltration."
Saturday, April 24, 2004
Pakistan's tribal deal - who wins? - BBC
"The agreement between the Pakistani government and pro-Taleban tribesmen accused of sheltering al-Qaeda members is unlikely to have pleased the United States. But the end of the military operation near the Afghan border has certainly come as a relief for both the authorities and the tribesmen."
Indian film ban could close cinemas - Daily Times
"The Pakistan Film Exhibitors Association is thinking of closing down cinemas from the first week of May if they are not allowed to show Indian films. Cinema owners demanded they be allowed to screen Indian films following the Pakistan and India peace process. They said Pakistani films were too few and too poor to sustain them."
Defending democracy in Pakistan - Asia Times
"It may seem paradoxical to state that now the military in Pakistan will defend democracy. But that is exactly what is happening. The maxim that 'war is too important to be left to the generals' appears to have been redefined in Pakistan to read 'politics is too important to be left to the politicians'."
Muslim women exempt from ID card photos - Guardian
"Thousands of Muslim women will be exempted from having to show their faces on identity cards as the Government moves to allay fears among British Muslims that the new cards will be used to target them in the 'war on terror'. Instead of a photograph, there would be an exemption for certain people, who would only have to give fingerprint and iris-recognition data."
Call for travel boycott as Zanzibar bans gays - Guardian
"A gay rights group is calling for travellers to boycott Zanzibar after the East African island outlawed homosexuality. The Tanzanian island's parliament passed a bill earlier this month to jail people in same-sex relationships for up to 25 years. Ministers declared tourism had corrupted traditional values in the largely Muslim state, stating that in Islam homosexuality is prohibited."
Woman bailed over abandoned boy - BBC
"The mother of a child abandoned outside a butcher's shop in east London has been released on police bail. Abdul, who is aged between 12 and 19 months, has been in the care of social services since he was found on Tuesday. He was left in a blue pushchair outside the shop at about 1500 BST, but only started crying more than an hour later. A note found in the baby's pushchair stated that the boy was a Muslim and that his name was Abdul."
Friday, April 23, 2004
Pakistan can match India’s success with the right system - Daily Times
" 'I am a big believer that Pakistanis have the same DNA as Indians. There is absolutely no reason they couldn’t be as brainy, or aren’t as brainy, as anyone in Banglore. To me, it all about the system that you live in ... If Pakistan had the same system as India, I have absolutely no doubt Pakistan would be competing with India right now and it would have its own Infosys-es. But it doesn’t have that system. Why it doesn’t have that system is a long historical tale and I’m not going to go into that because people know it better than I do.' " - Thomas L Friedman, NY Times
Pakistan Leads Opposition on Terrorist Arms Ban - Reuters
"Pakistan led the opposition on Thursday to a key U.S.-drafted resolution banning the transfer of unconventional weapons to terrorists, saying the measure could be used to justify military action. Ambassador Munir Akram, whose country has been accused of proliferation, also said the U.N. Security Council was not the "most appropriate body" to oversee nonproliferation because its five permanent members all retained nuclear arms."
'Rock Star' Islamic Cleric Kicks off UK Tour - Scotsman
"An Islamic cleric dubbed “the rock star of the new Muslim generation” was kicking off his three-week tour of the UK today. Hamza Yusuf will speak about the challenges facing Islam and the war on terror at Scotland’s largest mosque ... The American scholar was one of the first Islamic figures to whom President George Bush turned for advice in the aftermath of the September 11 attacks. Although a fierce critic of western decadence and injustice, he has called on Muslims to recognise what is good about western society."
Exquisite Parts - Muslim WakeUp
" 'I don’t care if we’re halal, I barely know you, Mr. Muhammad Batinjani,” she goes. 'D’ya think I can get into bed with a man I barely know?' She buttons up her flannel pajama. What kind of girl wears flannel pajamas on her wedding night? 'We’ve been engaged for two months, Miss Maryam Rashid,' I say. 'We’ve been seeing each other every other night, double on weekends.' 'Yeah, and we’ve been alone two minutes of that. If it wasn’t my folks it was your brother and his wife. Your little nephew Zaki—' "
Latest installment of Sex & the Umma.
Pakistan embassy in Bangkok gets threatening letter - Hi Pakistan
"Pakistan's embassy in Thailand has received a letter from a mysterious group threatening terror attacks against countries supporting US-led operations in Iraq, Thai police said on Thursday. The letter, matching a similar warning sent on Wednesday to South Korea's embassy, from a group calling itself the "Yellow-Red Overseas Organization," was received at the Pakistan mission on Monday, police said."
"Google coddles even its engineers' zaniest ideas. In one project, techies were grappling with the problem of displaying information from the Internet on cell-phone screens, recalls a former Google employee. They went as far as pondering a laser that would scan the user's retina, creating the appearance of a larger screen. Ideas such as these are often included on the Top 100 list. An 'S' next to the project stands for 'skunkworks' and protects it from premature reviews and criticism.To foster a culture of creativity, the company's campus is a veritable theme park for propeller heads. Engineers unwind by playing roller hockey in the downstairs garage or racing remote-control blimps through the offices. Segway scooters, which retail at $4,000, are parked around campus, offering a novel way to navigate between buildings."
Thursday, April 22, 2004
Pakistan's tenacious president - Economist
"No retirement in sight. Pervez Musharraf has at last got what army chiefs before him have always coveted: a National Security Council (NSC). Before the bill became law on April 19th, the opposition walked out in protest following the government's refusal to allow scrutiny of the bill, which was passed in less than four minutes. General Musharraf, who argues that 'the military can only be kept out by bringing it in', insists that the NSC will be a consultative body only. But many fear it will entrench the political power of the armed forces—and of the general himself."The NSC bill has received a great deal of international press. Most are questioning (and rightly so in my opinion) the long-term ramifications of the change. Here are some other reports on the topic:
BBC, Where is Musharraf's Pakistan heading?.
Asia Times, In the grip of the military and Pakistani wine in Turkish bottle.
"An unfortunate fact of life is that most Muslim countries have bad systems of government. Before jumping to conclusions about why this might be, it is worth noting that the same could have been said of Roman Catholic countries about 35 years ago. A look at the world map then would have shown numerous countries, in Latin America, eastern Europe and elsewhere, that had predominantly Catholic populations ruled by authoritarian regimes."
France to train imams in 'French Islam' - Guardian
"The French interior minister, Dominique de Villepin, said yesterday that the country must urgently begin training Muslim clerics in a moderate Islam that respects human rights and the republican code. He said France had to 'face the issue of training imams. I ask you to help the Muslim faith get organised better and more quickly so that a real 'French Islam' can emerge.' "
Cyber wing in information ministry on cards - Asia Media
"The government is contemplating to establish a cyber wing in the ministry of information and broadcasting at a cost of Rs39.4 million to counter propaganda from across the borders, an official source told Dawn here on Monday. The hub of the wing, the source said, would be connected to all other departments, wings and corporations working under the ministry of information and broadcasting."
Pakistan brothers jailed over rape - BBC
"Four brothers from Pakistan have been given jail sentences of up to 22 years by a court in Australia after being found guilty of aggravated sexual assault. The court heard how the brothers had repeatedly raped two teenage girls at the brothers' home, in Sydney, in July 2002. The presiding judge dismissed arguments that the rapes could have been the result of cultural differences between the girls and the assailants. Another man found guilty with the brothers committed suicide last week."
Husain to release 'Meenaxi' again - New Kerala
"Trust M.F. Husain. After withdrawing his film "Meenaxi" following protests from some Muslim groups, he is now planning to release it again ... The film starring Tabu was withdrawn after some Muslim groups said a song in "Meenaxi" hurt their religious sentiments."
Wednesday, April 21, 2004
Robert Fisk: Bush Legitimizes Terrorism - CounterPunch
"So President George Bush tears up the Israeli-Palestinian peace plan and that's okay. Israeli settlements for Jews and Jews only on the West Bank. That's okay. Taking land from Palestinians who have owned that land for generations, that's okay. UN Security Council Resolution 242 says that land cannot be acquired by war. Forget it. That's okay. Does President George Bush actually work for al-Qa'ida? What does this mean? That George Bush cares more about his re-election than he does about the Middle East? Or that George Bush is more frightened of the Israeli lobby than he is of his own electorate. Fear not, it is the latter."
Muslim leaders huddle in Malaysia, US condemned at Muslim conference, to fret over their helplessness.
Out-on-their-luck teens turn to prostitution - Daily Times
"Unable to find work or trust friends, Naveed, now 15, decided two months ago to adopt prostitution as his fulltime profession. He says he has already made regular clients and earns an average of Rs 500 each night. He is not alone. A whole slew of out-on-their-luck boys, many from broken homes, have become sex workers in the city. Many of these male prostitutes are in league with small motels, which take up to 50 percent of their earnings. Motels around the Railway Station have a large concentration of such sex workers, most not old enough to get a driver’s licence."
Musharraf whipping Pakistan into (US) line - Asia Times
"It is in the interests of the US, therefore, that Pakistan, with or without President General Pervez Musharraf, remains on side with Washington in its ongoing efforts to get to the source of radical Islam and anti-US jihadis in the region, and to maintain stability on the sub-continent. High-level officials familiar with government thinking have told Asia Times that both administrative and political restructuring will begin in the coming weeks to further bolster the country against "traditional forces". The immediate challenge is to spread Musharraf's pro-Western leanings deeper into society in general."
A report on similar lines, Pakistan army shedding generals.
Qadir demands Rs.200 million from PTV - Webindia123
"Former Pakistan leg spinner Abdul Qadir has demanded Rs.200 million from Pakistan Television (PTV) as damages for accusing him of ball-tampering. According to Qadir's lawyers, PTV signed a contract with Qadir to give expert analysis on the recent Pakistan-India cricket series. 'In the 20-day contract, PTV agreed to pay Qadir Rs.10,000 per day,' said Nasir. He said PTV unilaterally cancelled the agreement without prior notice after 12 days and did not pay him on the pretext that Information Minister Sheikh Rashid had ordered the contract be cancelled."
Has Qadir lost his mind? Does he have any clue how much Rs 200 mil ($4 mil) is? Give a man $2 mil, he can retire; make that $4 mil, his next generate can probably retire too.
U.S. rush for India back-office firms raises risks - Reuters
"Major U.S. companies are trying to leapfrog rivals by snapping up existing back-office companies in India to keep up with the outsourcing drive, rather than build their own operations from scratch. But consultants warn that in their rush they may run the risk of overpaying, do less homework on their target than they should, and could then find it difficult to mesh two disparate corporate, let alone national, cultures. Besides, the nagging issue of staff retention could only get bigger."
Oracle to set up centre for research - Daily Times
"Oracle Corpora-tion has shown keen interest in establishing a centre of excellence to conduct research for innovative initiatives in the textile and garments sectors. This was disclosed in a meeting between Oracle delegation led by Keith Budge, regional director for South Asia and Mr Leghari on Wednesday. The team of Oracle Corporation, a leading provider of database management systems in the world, is visiting Pakistan to evaluate the opportunities that exist within the country in the field of IT."
Tuesday, April 20, 2004
Listen to Muslim silent majority in US - CS Monitor
"Studies confirm that the majority of Muslims living in the West don't share the fundamentalist agenda of their self-appointed leaders. Yet conservatives are still most likely to be called upon by the media and policymakers to represent the Muslim community because they fit a convenient stereotype of what a Muslim should look and act like. As a recent RAND Corporation study points out, 'They present a better photo-op, so the media tend to choose them when they need a pictorial illustration for a story about American Muslims.' "
The book mentioned in the article, Progressive Muslims: On Justice, Gender, and Pluralism.
Polio campaign targets Pakistan - BBC
"National polio immunization campaigns are underway in Pakistan and Afghanistan as part of the effort to rid the world of the virus by 2005. Programmes to reach every child under the age of five are being co-ordinated to reduce the risk of the virus spreading across the border. The Indian and Pakistani cricket teams lent their support to immunisation during their recent test series."
Pro-stoning imam faces expulsion - Guardian
"The French justice minister yesterday ordered the expulsion of an Algerian-born Lyon imam who declared he was in favour of women being stoned, wives being beaten and France becoming an Islamist republic. Dominique de Villepin said he wanted the repatriation order against Abdelkader Bouziane implemented immediately "as a public order measure aimed at protecting the national interest"."