From observing conversations on Facebook and Twitter, I am sure that all my Pakistan-watching friends genuinely want 'change'. There are many ideas – everyone is passionate and wants to throw in their two cents, and that’s how it should be. However, when I comment on these threads my friends often remind me that I should not have an opinion. This is because either: 1) I live in the West 2) I do not propose an alternative Both streams of criticism are fair. I do live in the fairly developed state of New York – in a city (NYC) that I love and in a neighbourhood (East Village) that I call home. I haven’t had power outages or water shortages; my street gets cleaned every day (except Wednesday), my kids can play in the park without fear. They go to public schools and mostly get a decent education. Yes, there are issues at the local, state and federal levels that frustrate me. I raise my voice at every occasion, resist any bullying and seek help from friends to amplify my plea when needed. I strongly believe that if a certain model works, we should follow it without worrying too much about where it came from or what religion or color thought it up. And, I am amazed that all my Amreeka hating, West-bashing, anti-Hindu and anti-Israel friends use the tools that are conceived, designed and delivered from the West. Yes, most Hindus write the codes and yes most of the telecom stuff is done in Israel. This doesn’t stop them from using Facebook, Twitter or Gmail. And it shouldn’t. So why doesn't Pakistan too copy the governance model of the developed world as well? How about the next time you want to demand change, ask for an open, transparent and participatory government? See, this same internet you are using to read my post can help you manage your elected representatives better. Why don’t you demand transparency because information sharing leads to increased communication and access to information? A government that shares information also engages it’s citizens. Once technology is adequately deployed and used, the rhetoric of 'public-private' partnership will also move beyond slogans and you will start to see innovation. Of course, I understand, transparency is not an end state, but an operating model. Technology is a vehicle for open, transparent government, but also presents challenges especially around security and privacy of data. Many in the semi-democratic countries argue that transparency compromises privacy and therefore is not acceptable. That's not true at all. Look around and you will find many examples. I would highly recommend my friends with a stake in Pakistan to start pushing for simple things – interactive website for every agency; profit and loss statements (P&L) for every department. Moreover, I urge them to ask for the ability to rate their representatives, both elected and government employees. Simple change will transform Pakistan. I agree on the point that my suggestions are rather simple, but I feel that they are a step in right direction and will put us on a path forward. Here is why I say this; if we could look at the budget of every institution online many amongst us would have tangible evidence of fraud. If we could do many of required tasks online, we would reduce interaction with sarkari (government) offices and cut the middle man at domicile office. If we could rate every SHO, DM, KESC engineer, and Rangers guy, we could highlight their incompetence and corruption. I think information and awareness is the right strategy to dis-intermediate the corrupt middle layer. My recommendations may not be addressing the root cause but it will take care of symptoms that bother many of us. Whether it is a small business offering its products globally, or families keeping in touch with relatives in other countries through services like Skype and Facebook, new technology is already making a difference in Pakistan. In the future this will be vital for underwriting innovation, productivity and citizenship for all Pakistanis. No one can stop that. My recommendation here is that we ask Pakistani rulers to open their books, so to speak, and engage with citizens. I am not suggesting that technology is deus ex machina - the primary means of resolving all contradictions. We are undergoing a fundamental change in how we live, work and play and we need new ways of understanding, new models and new theories. We especially need to stop looking at the world from the perspective of 'class' or 'empire'. I am suggesting we reach for the low hanging fruit - ask for simple changes - digitizing of government. I may be wrong (I am often wrong), but I think this will be a step in the right direction. You may argue that rulers will resist - and yes, of course they will. But just like they can't stop my sister from using Skype to talk to her sons in Pakistan and just like they can't stop my friend from selling used books that he buys at Urdu Bazar on Amazon, they can't stop this tide either. Yes, I am telling you this because: 1) I live in New York 2) and I have an alternative

It was the last thing we were expecting; after last year's deadly blast in which ten students were injured the we hoped their thirst for violence would be satiated. But the beatings, clashes and stoning  just wasn't enough -they were still not satisfied.  Being a student at the University of Karachi, we, the students, are used to certain disruptions, but that day in December when while we got ready to leave our respective houses for a scheduled exam, the news even came to us as a shock. The news of a blast at Karachi University crashed down on us with a burst of mixed emotions; fear, anger, disgust, shame, sadness. Concerned friends and parents took to the view that the students of the University were not even safe at their own almamater. Since I have joined Karachi University, I have never witnessed any semester exams on time. Every time the law and order situation deteriorated, whether in the city or the university itself, ultimately the papers were postponed. The lax attitude by the authorities was just another added frustration. We had become used witnessing follow ups with the Vice Chancellor of the University that were to no avail. Due to the Chancellor being out of the city for the most part, in the event of clashes between student political groups the most convenient solution was applied to prevent any other eventualities; close the University and/or postpone the scheduled exams. As a result, I feel like I am moving backward instead of forwards. The lack of security or poor governance, but what really matters is the fact that the eventual loss is suffered by the students. Unfortunately, not only students but even teachers are manhandled by these student-led political groups. The authorities wait to break the ice afterwards by imposing certain obligations, rules and duties pertaining to the event but eventually change their minds because they have not considered the situation thoroughly enough and this leads to them reverting their statements. If the vice chancellor cannot handle these situations when called upon to do so, he should hand over his resignation so that someone else, who is competent enough to handle situations like these and can guarantee a certain level of security for students - at least until things reach par with a sense of normalcy again. Karachi University has become a safe haven for student led political groups where there are no rules. They are the real culprits and care takers of varsity affairs. I feel very sorry for my university, where we came dreaming dreams of success, but were met with cruel violence. I would like to sincerely appeal to the Chancellor to save our future , please save our education.

The first day of work can be full of excitement... before you get to the office. It's like the first day of school; you can’t contain your excitement but when you enter the premises you are already dying to leave! I’ve listed the 10 things I noticed on my first day of work. Here goes: 1. The blank look on the HR guy’s face when you arrive at the office - the same guy who interviewed you and begged you to accept the package . No one knows where you are supposed to sit, how you’ll enter the building or if you’ll need a laptop to work on. 2. The horror on the admin staff’s faces when they are asked to fix the electrical boards beneath the desk of the most non-private cubicle you just have been bestowed with. Their facial expressions evidence the inconvenience you had dared to put them through. 3. You haven't been introduced to the peon, so he walks in and chooses to ignore your existence, skipping your cubicle and avoiding your eye while serving a tray of tea to the rest of the floor. 4. The awkwardness. Sitting at an empty desk, staring at your phone, you start re-reading millions of year old messages, refreshing Facebook every few seconds on your über slow GPRS, silently cursing your network service, trying hard not to listen to everyone else hammering away at their keyboards while looking super busy and important. 5. You start to personalise your cubicle all over again. As time (barely) crawls by, you wonder which photograph of you and your beau should be displayed at your desk, discreetly crane your neck to check if others have frames on their desks and think about the a bonsai you may keep eventually. 6. You are so bored that when it’s time for introductions and orientations, the relief and excitement that you keep in check is impressive, but wait - that’s a lot of people! Smiling and nodding at everyone, you struggle to remember who is who. 7. Trudging back to your desk after the orientation, you realise that the only department you know most about is HR - but you are nowhere close to working near that department, let alone working in it. 8. You finally message your super busy husband who is consumed with his super busy job a couple of miles away from your office, saying:

“So how about lunch today? You and me like old times?" (Hearts and everything, bribing him so he picks you up and steals you away from the awkwardness for a while)

But that’s just the official timing; your boss doesn’t leave before 8:00 PM.

When geography and history become prisoners to politics, it’s destiny that becomes the real victim. A realisation is dawning on South Asian countries that by pandering to narrow political vision they have invited misery, backwardness and suffering for their own people. Their potentiality has become stilted at the altar of political bickering which stunts the economic growth of the region. How can these historical shortcomings be overcome? How can we rewrite a new history of economic integration? Representatives from all the South Asian countries gathered, in New Delhi recently, to mull over a new destiny for the region that shares a common history but contentious politics. The occasion was the third Indian Council of World Affairs-Association of Asian Scholars (ICWA-AAS ) Asian Relations Conference on “Transforming South Asia: Imperatives for Action”. The two day deliberation was marked by the spirit of camaraderie and an open and frank discussion on how to bring the nations of the South Asian Association of Regional Cooperation (SAARC) together on a single economic platform. The idea was to see if the region could be able to replicate the European Union model. But for this idea to become a reality a paradigm shift in thinking is needed. This realisation exists among the major players of South Asia, India and Pakistan. The representatives of India and Pakistan didn’t indulge in a blame game but instead chose to address the larger issue of cooperation, how to leave the checkered history of the subcontinent behind and lift the population from poverty and deprivation. The Beaconhouse National University (Lahore) Vice Chancellor Sartaj Aziz said,

The countries of South Asia are truly at a historic crossroad. They can either remain under the heavy burden of their checkered history, overwhelmed by their inter-state and intra-state conflicts, and therefore be unable to lift the population from poverty and deprivation, or they can learn to live and work together, taking advantage of the vast opportunities for development, trade and cooperation that are opening up.

The last five plus years, Pakistan has faced the most serious challenges ever. This has resulted in several paradigm shifts and new trends that have emerged in the polity of Pakistan. These challenges can be turned into opportunities, if these new developments are consolidated. They may have a favourable impact on Pakistan itself and on its regional relations. The most prominent of these is the democratic transition in Pakistan, the changing Pakistan-US relationship, the situation in Afghanistan and imperatives of economic liberalisation

We must not let political differences and fears stop the processes of the South Asian integration. At the same time, states in the sub-region must begin to meaningfully address and resolve the political issues and disputes that divide them. In the meantime, we should also move forward much more rapidly on connectivity, including energy and grid connectivity, tourism, people to people, trade and economic links that can make such a major contribution to improving our future.

Over the past couple of weeks my sister was in town,and along with my mother, we spent a good deal of time in shopping malls, taking advantage of discounts during a seasonal sale. Having lost a few pounds in the past couple of months, and after starting a new job in December, I had no qualms about treating myself to some new clothes, shoes, and accessories. Like many women, I find buying new items quite gratifying. This is especially so because in the past two to three years, I managed to work towards having financial freedom for the first time. I can now afford to buy nice things for myself and my loved ones while sustaining a comfortable standard of living, building my rainy-day savings and giving charity more generously than I used to. Reaching this stage took a great deal of hard work and patience. Growing up, money was often too tight to warrant excessive spending on material goods. My mom taught me and my sisters to steer clear of living beyond our means, and to find a balance between spending wisely and being generous while avoiding stinginess. Apart from the mortgage we took for our family home, I've never incurred debts. This meant I had to stay away from elaborate electronics and fancy fashion labels, as well as opt to work rather than pursue a Master's degree I couldn't afford. Quite naturally, with my new-found financial freedom, I do splurge a bit more than I used to. This has been rewarding because I know that it is due to my own hard work and sacrifice that I have found myself at this stage now. And yet, there I was with a few bags of new possessions and I couldn't help but feel guilty, and as much as I loathe to admit it, greedy. While that isn't an adjective I would generally use to describe myself, there are moments when I become so focused on self-fulfilment that it is difficult to decipher what I really need from what I buy/consume/collect out of sheer indulgence. It is so easy to fall into the trap of consumerism and spend wastefully on things we do not really need, an idea that is known in Arabic as Israf. Living in Islam, which refers to a state of mind where the believer surrenders to God, places a great deal of responsibility on our shoulders over how we handle our finances. We are called upon as Muslims to avoid extravagance, promote welfare, and encourage fairness in our families and communities. As with all aspects of life, this is accomplished through moderation, which has been reiterated many a times in the Quran. Just one look at my closet, teeming with clothes, makes me realise how tough it is to strike the right balance. While the wealth we accumulate is a grace from God, it is also a test to see how we will manage, distribute and respect it. The more I earn, the more I am willing to spend to improve the quality of my life because I regard the wealth in my possession as a sign of God's mercy. Yet, it is crucial to always be aware that it is up to us to ensure that we set boundaries that we do not cross. Giving charity regularly is one way to keep the balance in check. Charity, one of the pillars of being a Muslim, is mentioned in the Quran often in the same breath as prayer. Each time I read the Quran, I become conscious that the responsibility of giving alms is much greater than simply offering zakat, the obligatory act of giving two and a half percent of our savings to those less fortunate, one time each year. Charity is preceded by the word "regular" in virtually all references in the holy book, which defines a righteous person as one who "practices regular prayer and gives regular charity". Since, as Muslims, we pray five times a day, surely charity should be something we incorporate in our everyday lives rather than relegate to once a year, knowing that what we give will be replenished in material and spiritual ways. When I read relevant excerpts from the Quran, the idea of "guarding myself against my own greed" resonates quite powerfully. It is a human tendency to revert to selfishness, which necessitates that we be aware of how and on what we are spending our money. Following my shopping spree last week, I went to bed with a sense of greediness and guilt eating away at me. I resolved to donate charity in the morning. Once we have the intention to give alms, it becomes very easy to find opportunities to give, whether it be through established charities online or to those in need in our communities. I decided to dedicate at least a third of what I had spent on my new possessions to different charitable causes, and that helped offset the sting of self-indulgence. My hope is that I'll reach the stage where treating myself to something - whether it be clothing, a new car, a vacation - triggers a simultaneous sense of obligation to pass on a generous portion of the blessings I have to others as well. This post was orignally published here.  Read more by Daliah here, or follow her on Twitter @Desert_Dals

My cable operator recently found a way to irk me and my childhood friend with a particular music channel that he constantly televises. Repeatedly playing “Show Me The Meaning Of Being Lonely” by the Backstreet Boys and the Titanic theme song, throws us back into a galaxy far away, purposely buried away, of our first love and the breakup that followed. Nobody likes talking about breakups, but these sappy songs reminded us of some absurdities we have gathered along the way and how to avoid them. Here are a few: 1. Breakup shopping Before throwing away your months’ salary on shoes and bags, just remember, there is no reimbursement policy at Zamzama. You see the board that says "No exchange, no return"? Read it. They mean it. So keep your eyes open and wallet closed. My exorbitant retail therapy forced me to blow up my entire month’s salary! Now I have start saving up from scratch for things that I actually needed to buy. 2. Momentary pleasures When going through breakup meltdowns, we are all bound to surrender to things that help numb our mind for a while. We surrender to those forbidden things we run away from all year. Yup, I'm talking about the guilty pleasure of tubs full of ice cream, bars of chocolate and French fries. There we have it; the warmth of a security blanket engulfs your body - a security blanket made of fat! So snap out of it; you can’t just fling those pounds away and it will get worse when you can’t fit into that new pair of jeans or that great button down shirt. Breakups should not come at the expense of your waistline. I gave in to sheesha, but it did me no good. I felt just as bad accompanied along with an unwelcome headache. So remember, the ex is not hiding in the cigarette butt, nor at the end of that ice cream bowl. 3. Virtual stalking The incessant calling and text messaging with no response has the ability to make you (even men) curl up like a foetus and cry. The calls and texts do not explain your pain to him. They will, however, exasperate him. Don’t do it. Stop checking his Facebook profile and put a halt to the Messenger sign in. Try changing your SIM card or delete his previous messages - they are of no use to you now. It’s crass to harass him and it gives him the power to give you some heinous nickname like 'stalker' or even worse, 'obsessive stalker'. 4. The bum syndrome Ah, the sleep we can’t seem to get enough of. We love sleeping off our breakups, sulking in our pyjamas and in short just becoming uber sarcastic slobs.  We cut off all contact with the world, remain constantly in sync with our iPod’s and their depressing playlists and pride ourselves on becoming hairy gorillas; the beards and unibrows continue to grow. It is integral for the breakup warrior to stand back on his/her feet. Go ahead, take a few days off but being a bum and dwelling is no sign of maturity or recovery. 5. The self-help book Since we are led to believe that authors and psychiatrists have all the answers in the world, it isn’t difficult to guess what the next reprieve for a breakup victim is. You may find yourself sneaking into a book shop and picking up, "Babe Bible" or "Why Men Love Bitches". If such books actually had healing powers, life would be as easy as pie, now wouldn't it? Quit racking your brain on trying to win Mr Right Now back and look for Mr Right instead! 6. Friends So here’s the confusing bit; your relationship with friends suddenly becomes a love-hate bipolar rollercoaster ride. You can avoid them as much as you want, but their companionship can be the beacon of light in the darkest of hours. Your friends can assess your relationship impartially. They may not buy your re-vamped version of the breakup or your idea of the 'perfect love', but they’ll give you the reality check you desperately need at that time. Yes, you might want to punch them when they say things like, “Grow up!” “You’re better than this!” “He/she doesn’t deserve you” “Don’t you dare dial that number, I know where you live.” In the end, you’ll thank them for that slap that bruised your senses back to reality. 7. Avoiding work The ‘my-ex-boyfriend-is-my-co-worker dilemma’ is quite a problem indeed. My personal suggestion is to look for a new job. But if your job is your childhood dream, then you have to choose between what you think is more dispensable and how you work around your personal feelings. Whatever the case may be, you know the answer, so stop calling in sick. It doesn’t affect him at all, and you will get fired! 8. The accidental meet No matter how much you premeditate, it is never enough to prepare you for the dreaded meeting that happens before you're ready to face each other. I don’t think you’re ever prepared to face one another post-breakup. Another unfortunate event that goes along with the accidental meet is the preparation you require to see your former half with his new half, your replacement, his new girlfriend or worse, his old girlfriend before you! You bump into them, she is a farce with inch-thick affection, perfumed to suffocation with the musk of pretence, and the colour of her cheek is part paint, part mockery. Now reassess this with no rivalry, you look ostentatiously gorgeous but he will not say, “Oh my god! Tou look so amazing, we should have never parted!" Also, he doesn't have the time to curse himself for what he already left behind. And trust me, neither should you. 9. Praying This commandment is guaranteed to pick you up. Praying does actually soothe you, so pray that the next one isn't a Xerox copy of the former. The last thing you need is an archetype. Also, that should not be your only plea. Pray, listen, look at the bigger picture, evaluate yourself, your relationship with your ex and then pray for what He thinks is best for you, not what you think you want instead. 10. Help yourself Read classics or re-read sagas of Harry Potter and buy Hunger Games. Watch documentaries or volunteer for a bigger better cause - we all know there are lots out there and you can devote yourself to a good cause. Do not, however, purchase the Twilight Saga or watch re-runs of Sex and The City or Ally Mcbeal’s of this world. We owe ourselves more than that. You may not have been "the one" but then neither was he. There are lots of other fish in the sea. Hope can be your best friend and your worst enemy. Use it intelligently, use it to harbour the desire to be with a better person the next time around and not for another chance with the same person who killed your hopes in the first place. Here I think it would be appropriate to quote Henry Wadsworth Longfellow, who said, "All are architects of fate, so look not mournfully into the past for it comes not back again". Read more by Mahvush here.  

French philosopher Alain Badiou opens his essay, the Communist Hypothesis:

“If we posit a definition of politics as ‘collective action, organised by certain principles, that aims to unfold the consequences of a new possibility which is currently repressed by the dominant order’, then we would have to conclude that the electoral mechanism is an essentially apolitical procedure.”

Yesterday I was reading The Express Tribune, when my eye caught an interesting statement made by the new elected chief minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P). He was boldly talking about pulling out the Pakistan Army from the Swat. I will refrain from criticising any party directives or policies here; all I want to do is to provide a clearer picture of the situation in Swat, and let the people be the jury of such an action. I remember when the Pakistan Austrian Institute for Hotel and Tourism Management (PAITHOM) was targeted by the Taliban in the Swat valley in August 2007. This kind of Taliban was generally a lesser known entity at that time. PAITHOM was a joint venture by the Republic of Austria and Pakistan to promote the tourism industry in the Swat valley. I was working at PAITHOM as an assistant teacher at the time. Although the school was only producing alumni based on tourism and hotel management, it was soon labelled as promoting 'secularism' because the name was linked to Austria. One day, a friend of mine asked me what we were really doing in the school. I explained to him that it was a normal school like any other school in the country. The only difference was that we had a new curriculum of tourism and hotel management. However, the Taliban propagated PAITHOM as promoting secularism and maligned it as a place for selling alcohol and promoting other immoral activities. In August, 2007, we first received a letter from the Taliban to stop dressing in ‘Westernised’ clothing. Even though the Taliban were not the force of terror they are today, we took the letter quite seriously and advised the students to come to class in traditional attire. However, the threat was just the beginning. As many students were accommodated inside the school building it was vital that we took initiative to provide security. This was because the school was located 12km away from main Mingora city and there was no nearby police station. Therefore, we asked the police to provide us with the necessary security for our school. This ended as a fruitless venture as they apologised saying, they did not have enough resources to provide us with such assistance. We then turned to the Frontier Constabulary (FC) to help us. The FC agreed to provide security to our school and finally made a compound at the entrance. One day, I went to a nearby mosque and I saw some long-haired suspicious looking people carrying arms. I ran back to the school in a state of complete panic and told everyone that we were no longer safe. Not only was the school in danger, but Swat valley as a whole could be lost to the Taliban too. They had continually propagated an agenda for jihad and this time they were ready for action. A few days later, I got a phone call from a colleague who was residing at PAITHOM itself as he had travelled from Lahore. The phone call sent chills down my spine; he told me that this night could be his last. He wanted to talk to each one of us before he left this world. I could hear the noise of the gunfire in the background. I asked him what had happened, fearing I knew the answer. He said the Taliban had finally attacked our school. I called up the police in a state of panic and horror, however, they had already been informed about the situation, but were waiting on a certain helicopter that was meant to come from Peshawar. Until the next morning, no action had been taken by the police. They did not even try to save the FC personnel. When I went to the school the next morning, I saw blood everywhere. Pages of the Holy Quran were scattered and desecrated; we we collected these with our hands. Our students and associates were safe as they were hiding in the underground compound. The blood was from the FC personnel who had bravely done their duty to provide security. The Holy Quran also belonged to those martyrs. In September, 2007, I left Swat to pursue further studies in Austria. My own words to the people of Swat still haunt me; the Taliban would destroy their homes, and so far they had. We saw (and still see) the Taliban terrorising our school children and demolishing schools. This is a point that deserves your attention, dear Chief Minister. The people of Swat feel safe with the help of the Pakistan Army. Why would you want to pull-out now? Have they completed their job yet? Are the people of Swat safe yet? They are our country’s army, here to protect our people. What’s the guarantee that the Taliban will not return? There are plenty of other problems to address rather than putting the people of Swat into further distress. We do not want another Malala getting shot. Please don’t make it happen. Please listen to us.

As if the shameful articles accusing Pakistan of being “Pornistan” wasn’t enough a few years ago, there’s a new article out in a Western publication that belongs in the same category. If you read this article in Mother Jones, you’d think Pakistanis are THE most flaming homosexuals in the world.  The headline is telling of what’s inside: “Why Is Gay Porn So Popular in Pakistan?” While it starts off with a Pew Research Poll that shows Pakistan is among the least tolerant countries towards homosexuality, the author wants to prove that Pakistan isn’t just anti-homosexuality, its people love gay porn more than any other people in the world. And like a pro, he uses Google search terms to conclude this:

“As of this writing, Pakistan is by volume the world leader for Google searches of the terms ‘shemale sex’, ‘teen anal sex’, and ‘man fucking man’, according to Google Trends. Pakistan also ranks second in the world (after similarly gay-intolerant Kenya) for volume of searches for the search term ‘gay sex pics’.”

“Are the number of times porn terms are searched on Google a clear indicator of the target population’s porn consumption compared to the rest of the world?”

Sardar Bahadur Khan Women’s University is the only women’s university in Quetta. It was established in March, 2004 and approximately 3,000 female students are currently studying at this university. Last Saturday, something tragic happened that left these students scarred for life. Now, they worry if they will ever be able to pursue their dreams. Like any other day, students attended their classes, packed their bags and switched on their cell phones to mark the end of their school day. They were chatting, laughing and bidding their friends farewell as they made their way towards the bus that would take them home. This was an everyday ritual at the university - nothing special, nothing out of the ordinary. However, little did they know that fate had something else in store for them. Around 3pm, as the bus had just begun to move forward, it met an explosion; the deafening sound could be heard miles away. Upon hearing the powerfully loud sound, people nearby rushed to the scene. They couldn’t believe their eyes when they found the bodies of these innocent young women torn to pieces lying on the ground at the blast site. It was the first ever organised attack on the women of Balochistan. Soon after the blast, the bus caught fire which further added to the death toll. Initially, 10 female students were reported to have been killed. The dead bodies and the injured were moved to Bolan Medical Complex which is located close to the university. Security personnel, along with higher officials, rushed to the hospital where another suicide bomber blew himself up. This not only multiplied the number of the dead bodies, but also showed that they would target anyone, even high officials. The hospital echoed with gunshots soon after as a skirmish broke out between the security personnel and the terrorists. This further resulted in the death of at least 25 people including 14 female students of the university along with the deputy commissioner of Quetta. Four security personnel and four nurses also died in this tragedy. Eye witnesses reported that the firing could be heard from inside the hospital as well as the roof of the hospital, aimed at different directions. Dr Abu Bakar Baloch, while talking to BBC Urdu, said that he saw the attackers, some of whom were carrying weapons and one of them wearing a jacket with explosives attached to it. This man was asking Sunnis to leave while keeping Shias hostage. Furthermore, in a press conference, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan said that a subsequent siege ended after security forces stormed into the building. Additionally, he said that the security forces were able to free 35 people trapped inside the building, killed four of the attackers and arrested another. This is the first major terrorist incident since the new provincial government took office last week. Soon after the horrific incident, clichéd statements were flung out by big wigs and they vowed to deal the terrorists with iron hands- this time. Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) as usual claimed responsibility for the attack. However this time, the representative of LeJ didn’t inform the News Network International (NNI) office in Quetta but rang up the BBC Urdu office in Quetta from an “unknown destination”. While talking to BBC Urdu, an LeJ spokesperson said that the attack served as revenge for an earlier raid that took place on June 6, 2013. This was done by security forces against a group in Kharotabad, Quetta, in which five persons including a woman were killed. Earlier that day, Ziarat Residency, the last home of the founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, 80km south-east of Quetta City was burnt by separatists. The Balochistan Liberation Army  (BLA) claimed responsibility of the rocket attacks in Ziarat and removed the Pakistan flag, hoisting the BLA flag in its place. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540"] Ziarat Residency after the attack by BLA separatists. PHOTO: AFP[/caption] Conspiracy theorists believe that Saturday’s rocket attacks on the Ziarat Residency, the bomb blast in the women’s university bus and the one in Bolan Medical Complex were a simple message to the Balochistan government; they say it is interlinked with the cases of missing persons and Nawab Akbar Bugti’s killers. On June 9, 2013, just a few hours before the oath taking ceremony of the chief minister of Balochistan, five bullet-riddled bodies were recovered from different parts of the province. This may have been a warning for Dr Malik Baloch to stay away from the aforementioned cases. The establishment has never really engaged in formal dialogue with the Taliban and separatist groups of Balochistan. Perhaps, this is something that it should look into. All possible efforts should be made for the religious-separatists and the government to reach common ground. Conclusively, the unfortunate events that took place on Saturday lay down a real test for the newly elected government to understand the very clear but thin line between the ruling elite’s internal and external policies. Many believe that if they get through this challenge successfully, they can easily complete their legal terms; otherwise, no authority can stop the left right march to Islamabad. Read more by Muhammad here

A few weeks ago, one of my colleagues introduced me to a song that was soon to become the new sensation over social media. The way-too-classy video and bizarre lyrics made the song an immediate hit — but not in a good way. By now, most of you must have guessed it right; but for those who haven’t, it was none other than the new blockbuster, Taher Shah’s Eye To Eye. With each click the song received, a new meme appeared on the social media websites. This increased popularity (mind you, a notorious one) made me wonder, how the singer must be feeling? He put in so much effort to make this song, only to be mocked and ridiculed later. I will not deny being one of those who filled their timelines with posts about Taher Shah and his new song, nor will I deny that I was amongst those who scoffed at him initially. However, I did not go as far as posting hate messages on his Facebook page or discouraging him from doing any better in the future. In fact, he should be given credit for being steadfast and confident, since despite all the negative feedback he has received, he responded to the hate filled message with serenity. That surely made me think that you cannot judge a book by its cover — or in this case, you cannot judge a book by its “eye”. As an optimist, I believe that once a person sets his mind on something and is determined to accomplish his goal, sooner or later he achieves it. Staying firm on that belief, I would advise Taher Shah to try to do better next time by following a few pointers. a) Stick to the language you feel comfortable singing in. There is no need to sing in English to attract younger viewers, they will get drawn to it themselves — if it’s good. b) Let a professional director handle the nitty-gritty of the music video. c) I am no one to comment on your appearance but the rule of thumb  is to appear presentable on TV. And for that — a stylist is desperately needed. In conclusion, with the sort of positive energy and will power Taher Shah has displayed/presented, he can do a lot better. Good luck to him! Read more by Kulsoom here

The tennis world is agog at the return of its prodigal son, Rafael Nadal. He's back from a debilitating injury to reignite his rivalry with Roger Federer. Nadal is arguably the greatest clay court player ever, while Federer is one of the gods of the 'Grass Courts Pantheon' along with Pete Sampras, Rod Laver, and Bjorn Borg. Seeing Nadal head into yet another French Open semi-final, I recall the 2008 Wimbledon classic. The epic finale on the grandest of stages in tennis. When Steffi Graf defeated Martina Navratilova to win Wimbledon 1988, the BBC match commentator announced herald-like,

“The queen is dead, the long live the new queen.”

In 2009, when The Hangover hit big screens around the world, it created a ruckus about the characters of the movie and set a new standard in Hollywood’s screwball comedy genre. The sequel to Hangover, Hangover 2, released in 2011, received a similar response. Hangover 3 now brings the franchise to an end. Phil Wenneck (Bradley Cooper), Dr Stuart “Stu” Price (Ed Helms), Doug Billings (Justin Bartha), and Alan Garner (Zach Galifianakis) reprise their roles from the previous two installments as the ‘Wolfpack’. WARNING: SPOILERS AHEAD   The first few minutes of the movie focus on Alan, who is still a child inside the body of a 42-year old man. After his father passes away, his family along with Phil and Stuart decide to send him to a mental institution so he can return as a changed man. On their way to Arizona, masked men attack the Wolfpack, abducting them and presenting them before Marshall (John Goodman). Marshall’s accomplice is Black Doug (Mike Epps), the same person who sold drugs to Alan in Hangover part 1. Marshall tells the Wolfpack a story they can barely believe. It seems that Leslie Chow (Ken Jeong) escaped from a maximum security prison in Bangkok and stole Marshall’s gold worth $21 million. The four friends are unaware of Chow’s whereabouts - except for Alan, who has been exchanging letters with Chow for months. The Wolfpack have no clue about Alan’s friendship with Chow. Marshall makes a deal with the Wolfpack - he will release Doug once the Wolfpack finds Chow and recovers the stolen gold. The movie has the element of surprise as none of the main characters literally experience a hangover unlike the previous two installments, otherwise it might have turned out to be a monotonous affair. The movie’s linear plot, with all of its main characters working non-stop to reach one main goal, is similar to its previous two parts - the reason why this franchise has performed so well. What is amazing about Hangover 3 is the fact that the plot, not even for a second, deviates from the Wolfpack’s mission. The credit goes to the director and the producer who used the same approach with Hangover 1 and 2. The movie, however, has its weak points. Although third time is the charm, this doesn’t really apply to Hangover 3. Yes, the movie has some laughs. However, some of the jokes are too predictable. Alan could have been the comic relief of the movie, but his childish and immature behaviour is nothing but an extension from his role in the previous two movies, making him a flat and annoying character during some parts. Whereas the movie follows a concrete plot, it seems at points as if the Wolfpack has lost some of its chemistry - chemistry that had remained intact up till the last installment. The Wolfpack’s strength is their ability to work as a cohesive team. Unfortunately, that was not the case in this particular movie. Moreover, Jade (Heather Graham), who got married to Stu in the first part, only made a cameo appearance, turning Hangover 3 into an all-men affair. The movie ends with Alan turning over a new leaf and getting married, which indicates that the franchise may actually have ended. Had the director been working on a fourth installment, Alan would have retained his childish state. However, the end credits show otherwise. Whatever the case is, I hope that the director and producer don’t make their decision in haste. If there is a fourth part of Hangover on its way, it should have a crisp story and witty dialogues – the elements that made Hangover part 1 a blockbuster success! Read more by Omar here or follow him on Twitter @omariftikhar

It is July and David Moyes is now officially Manchester United’s new manager. The new era has begun. After going on a much-needed summer break ahead of a difficult job, Moyes is back and acquainted with his new players for the first time. Having started work at his new club, the 50-year-old must get into the nitty-gritty of the transfer business before the Premier League season starts next month. The only transfer made so far under the new boss has been Uruguayan right-back Guillermo Varela. The Scottish manager has made an attempt to raid his former club Everton but a £12m bid was rejected for left-back Leighton Baines. Full-backs, however, are not the priority at the moment. United’s midfield has been crying out for reinforcements with few signings in this department over the last few years. The acquisition of Shinji Kagawa last season added a new dimension to the centre of the pitch. Nevertheless, the need for an anchorman is required. The days of the box-to-box midfielders like Bryan Robson and Roy Keane are over. The closest equivalent to that type in the modern era is Yaya Toure of Manchester City. The fact that Manchester United won the Premier League last season despite a weak midfield is attributed to two factors: the genius of Sir Alex Ferguson and an injury-free season for Michael Carrick. While Carrick is the successor to Roy Keane with regards to the number 16 shirt the latter wore in his United days, the two are as contrasting as it gets. While Keane was aggressive and all-action, Carrick is calm and unassuming with remarkable composure on the ball. The former West Ham player mirrors the status of the current United midfield; a midfield that can paper over the cracks with sensible play, composure and a bit of creativity but, like Carrick, can be outclassed by a superior opposition midfield on any given day such as when facing Manchester City. Kagawa got better in the latter part of the last campaign and is likely to settle better into the English game in his second season but the lack of depth apart from the two mentioned players is alarming. Anderson’s career with the club is all but over after half a dozen years of injuries and average form. Tom Cleverley is almost 24 but remains a work-in-progress that can play the ball around neatly without influencing a game. Ryan Giggs will be four decades old this year and has already started focusing on a future career in coaching after being given a new role of player-coach. Darren Fletcher’s future remains unclear after recurrent health problems, while the retirement of Paul Scholes means that the English champions will have to replace a real gem in the middle of the park. Thiago Alcantara of Barcelona is rumoured to be close to signing for United. If the deal is completed, it will be a major coup for Moyes. Thiago is in the mould of his senior teammates Xavi and Iniesta at the Nou Camp with the ability to pull the strings in midfield with clever and patient passing through balls along with linking up with the forwards. If Moyes is able to add Thiago to the midfield before August, his new team will be in much better shape to defend their Premier League title. The 22-year-old can be the ideal replacement for Scholes and a Thiago-Carrick partnership in central midfield can perhaps equal or even better the Scholes-Keane pairing of the past. Ideally, Moyes would have wanted a major new signing like Thiago to be wrapped up quickly but he and his players have departed for United’s pre-season tour this week with almost all of the same faces that bid an emotional goodbye to Ferguson in May. However, coming to a new country with a different pace of football and without a winter break, Thiago will need time to adjust. Moyes must snap up the talented midfielder by the end of this month so that he has an ample amount of time to bond with his new teammates. The Italian-born player’s release clause will go up from €18m to €90m by the start of the next month and Moyes will be wise to complete the deal before that. For the last five years or so signing midfielders had not been a priority at Old Trafford and it was because of Sir Alex Ferguson’s ability to get the best out of his players that the team managed to continue winning trophies. With the Glaswegian having finally retired, United cannot afford to let their midfield remain depleted. A significant purchase in this area will ease some nerves about the smoothness of the transition to a new manager. Read more by Rumman here. 

Australia has recently come under fire for its new policy regarding asylum seekers attempting to enter the country without a visa. According to their prime minister, this policy is an attempt to ‘curtail the record number of people attempting the dangerous boat journey to claim asylum’. From now on, people arriving on refugee boats at Christmas Island will not be allowed to disembark and begin the procedure for resettlement in Australia but instead will be sent on to Papua New Guinea; a third world country, improvished with completely different asylum laws. Many of these refugees arrive from countries such as Pakistan, Iraq, Iran, Myanmar, Syria, Vietnam and Sri Lanka, in an attempt to escape civil, ethnic or religious strife or bad economic conditions. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="302"] Photo: AFP[/caption] The international humanitarian community is up-in-arms about this. Political asylum, they say, is every human beings’ right and that the only reason these people attempt the dangerous journey, at the hands of unscrupulous human smugglers, is because they have nowhere else to go. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="414"] Photo: AFP[/caption] They also claim that Australia has no right to dump these people on a third country that is already struggling with its own economy, especially when compared to other Asian or European countries, the number of refugees arriving in Australia altogether is small. The Australian authorities argue that this move is for the refugees’ own good. According to them, they are tired of people drowning in their waters and being taken advantage of. This announcement is a response to the fact that every month at least one boat, containing about 200 to 500 illegal immigrants, sinks off the coast of Christmas Island or Indonesia. In fact, just recently, a boat carrying around 175 people sank. Only 157 people survived, with many infants and children still missing. Added to this are the terrible conditions at refugee camps in Malaysia, just one point in the long journey that refugees make on their way to Australia. They also claim that Australia already has a working system that deals with people who legally apply for asylum and a continuous influx of refugees who ‘jump the line’ causes it to slow down. I wouldn’t blame them if they had other reasons; I’ve heard plenty of Pakistanis complain about the permeability of our own borders, about refugees taking up the governments’ money and attention, about their lawlessness. According to a report by the UNHCR, Pakistan hosts over 1.6 million refugees from Afghanistan, the largest number anywhere in the world. This has led to the rise of the conservative Kalashnikov culture, in addition to smuggling, sectarian violence and drug trafficking. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="480"] Photo: AFP[/caption] If nothing else, these people are the ideal demographic from which terrorist outfits gain new recruits. According to a Pakistani government assessment, more than 90% of terrorist attacks in Pakistan are traced to Afghan refugee camps. But everyone seems to be placing the blame at the wrong quarter. Of course refugees have some place to go - their own countries. Nobody ever wants to leave their homeland, their families or their lives. Nobody wants to be packed into an airless container for God knows how long and risk drowning, suffocation, starvation, dehydration or fraud. The only people to be blamed here are the governments of the refugees’ home countries themselves. They are to be blamed for creating conditions that prompt regular people to abandon everything for less than the hope of a hope. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="448"] Photo: AFP[/caption] Pakistan, each and every Pakistani in fact, should be under fire for being silent at the treatment of the Hazara community. Myanmar should be under fire for not dealing with its ethnic clashes. The new governments formed as a result of the Arab Spring must be pressurised to provide infrastructure and make solid plans for economic development. The inactivity of these countries in protecting their own people is even more despicable than Australia’s reluctance to continue accepting a large number of foreigners with open arms. The refugee problem is not about its destination, it is about its source. If efforts are not made to deal with the issues that cause these people to wish to immigrate, the deluge of impoverished, undocumented human beings will not stop. Poorer countries cannot lean on richer ones and at the same time resent them for their interference and attempts to safeguard themselves. Frankly no one wants someone else’s problems on their hands and I don’t blame Australia for not wanting ours.

Eid Mubarak everyone! I am sure all of you are enjoying the day today - eating scrumptious food, wearing gorgeous new clothes, visiting your family and friends and then, obviously, eagerly awaiting your Eidi. What fun. After all, this is what Eid is all about. Unfortunately, not all of us will be celebrating Eid the traditional way. There was a time, a few years ago, when shops on Chaand Raat would be bustling with men and women frantically getting their last minute Eid errands completed. Every store had a bigger, brighter sign exclaiming it was giving a better discount than their counterparts and even the thelay waley reduced their already low prices as a gesture to welcome the pious holiday we would all celebrate together. We accommodated and compromised to make sure everyone had a chance to celebrate - in whatever fashion they could manage. A few days ago, I walked out of my room and saw the maid sewing away at a slightly ripped shirt. She had asked my mom to give her buttons that my mother was no longer going to use so that she could stitch them to the top she had in her hand. I asked her what she was doing and she replied,

“Baji, yeh Sana ke liye Eid ka kurta tayar kar rahi hoon.” (“Baji, I am preparing an Eid dress for Sana.”)

“Lekin Khannum baji, yeh toh phata howa hai!” (“But Khannum baji, this is torn!”)

“Toh Khannum baji, ap log Eid pe kya karien ge?” (“So Khannum baji, what are you all going to do on Eid?”)

“Baji hum toh sub saath mien samandar (Sea View) jaien ge. Iss tarhaan naye kapron ki zaroorat bhi nahi ho gi, bachey enjoy bhi karien ge aur Eid bhi ho jaye gi!” (“Baji, we are going to go to Sea View. That way we will not need new clothes, the kids will enjoy themselves and we will also get to celebrate Eid!”)

Imagine yourself clipped into a pair of 216cm downhill skis, pushing out of the start and flying at 145km/h down a steep, icy slope. Imagine the snow conditions ranging from bulletproof ice to slushy ruts and the terrain ranging from a near cliff to flat ground all in the same breadth. It’s not an easy task to confront a tsunami of challenges that Alpine skiing throws at you. Alpine skiing, also known as downhill skiing, is the sport of sliding down snow-covered hills on skis with fixed-heel bindings. Sounds scary? Well, it is! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] It requires very high levels of strength, agility, stamina, flexibility and last but not the least, fine motor skills. There are many dare devils out there that are hell bent on not only facing all the challenges of the sport but also setting new records. Recently, two Pakistani brothers, from Shimshal Gojal, Hunza, made a new record. Niamat Karim, who is just 27-years-old, along with his younger brother Mansoor Karim, aged 15, completed the first ever Pakistani Alpine Skiing expedition. Niamat Karim - the elder brother - is a mountaineer by profession and has been scaling adventurous peaks since the past 13 years. He also runs a travel agency by the name of PATE (Pakistan Adventures Tours and Expeditions). Mansoor who is only 15, started his career as a professional skier in 2008. He also set a new record by becoming the youngest Pakistani to attempt Alpine skiing and that too successfully. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="337"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] The 6000m Ski Expedition 2013, that kicked off on July, 10 2013, was the first of its kind in Pakistan organised by the Pakistan Adventures Tours and Expeditions. The first challenge was to attempt Quz Sar (6000 meters). The summit was accomplished in about three hours amidst the worst kind of weather conditions and then the skiing started from the top to the advance base camp. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] This hefty descend was accomplished in a mere 15 minutes! On the very same day, both the brothers attempted Qol Sar (6,000 meters) too. In their initial plan they had planned to climb only three peaks (Quz Sar, Manglik Sar and one unnamed peak ), but during the expedition they found that the advance base camps of Qol Sar and Quz Sar were situated quite close to each other and so they decided, on the spot, to attempt Qol Sar too. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="337"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] On July 12, 2013, they set their goals to summit Manglik Sar (6,050 meters). The Manglik Sar summit was covered in six hours and the descent took just 17 minutes via skiing! [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] After two days, on July 15, the remaining part of the expedition started. The challenge was to summit an unclimbed peak (6,000 meters). This peak was conquered in three hours and its descent was finished in only 10 minutes of skiing downhill to the advance base camp. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] After setting this amazing record, Niamat and Mansoor have set their eyes on many other record breaking events. They are also very keen about promoting Alpine Skiing as a sport. Alpine Skiing is popular wherever there is a combo of mountain slopes, snow and sufficient tourist infrastructure. In this regard, they want support from the Government of Pakistan to provide safe and reliable tourist infrastructure to help promote tourism and mountain adventure sports even more in the country. [caption id="" align="alignnone" width="600"] Photo: Pakistan Adventure Tours and Expeditions Facebook page.[/caption] I congratulate both our brave skiers and pray that their dreams of promoting Alpine Skiing come true! Wishing them all the very best for such future endeavours. May they earn many more heights, Amen!

“He has proven instead only his contempt for the United Nations and for all his pledges. By breaking every pledge, by his deceptions and by his cruelties….”

“Saddam Hussein has made the case against himself.”

“For every US missile that hits a regime target, another will strike a jihadi base.”

A recent tweet had me in hysterics:

"Daddy, why has your phone gone all funny?" - A 6 year old’s reaction to the iOS7. 

“One thing that amazes me about Apple always is the user-friendliness and adaptability – I couldn’t get the hang of multi-tasking and I gave the iPad to my 18 month old daughter and she could almost get them to work each time! I had to observe her hand movement to figure out what to do!”

Talking to one of my old friends, my pal of 21 years, and sharing some pictures from 1994 to 1998 with him, something really interesting struck me. My memories have a soundtrack. In simple words, each time I think of my school and college life, I hear background music; beautiful melodies of the days gone by but fresh in my memory forever. And not surprisingly, all of them are from the one and only, Vital Signs. It was in the fall of 1987 or ’88 when I first heard Dil Dil Pakistan. A school friend came to me one morning during break-time with her fancy new ‘walkman’ (remember those? Such a status symbol from the yester-years they were). Excitedly, she pranced towards me to ask,

“Did you hear Dil Dil Pakistan?”

“No, but I’ve heard kidney kidney Pakistan!”