Swat terrorists are back!

The Swat terrorists appear to be making a comeback. In the last few days. Since April 13, suspected Taliban have targeted and killed three anti-Taliban and pro-government locals. Although, the army operation was a success to the point that complete domination of the militants from Swat was eliminated, but key leaders such as Muslim Khan and Mehmood Khan arrested and wanted commanders such as Bakht Farzand, Sher Muhammad, Nisar Ahmed and Muhammad Alam killed. However, the most wanted of them all, Fazlullah, also known as ‘Mullah Radio’ is still at large. This low intensity insurgent acts of terror will continue and will spread to other parts of the country as long as the bankrupt notions of Strategic depth are pursued by the Military establishment.

PML-N playing the spoil sport

Just when things were going well in the constitutional committee, the Pakistan political scene took a twist when the leader of the Muslim league – N decided to take a U turn on the issue of the constitutional amendments. The Nawaz league’s main reservation stems from its rigid stance on changing the name of the Frontier Province from NWFP to Pukhtoonkhwa. The ANP lead government of the frontier province has made it a part of its election to manifesto to bring out about this change. For this it has the support not only of the people of the province but of other major political parties as well. But some elements from within the PML-N, belonging to the frontier province are against it. They have managed to blackmail Nawaz Sharrif, which has brought the leader from Lahore under the national spot light for all the wrong reasons. Every major media outlet has been criticizing this move by Nawaz sharrif. Although, NS himself has shown some remnants of maturity during the last two years or so, his party remains the vanguard of the Zia era. Unless and until, PML-N sheds the baggage of the right wing agenda, it will continue to be part of the problem and not the solution.

Update

I know that I have been away from the blog for a while. The chief reason was that my computer died and I am very picky about things, did not feel like using another computer live and record my secret cyber life. The update is that I did meet Mr. T and that happened as recently as last week. It was a nice date lunch at 11 am. We chose that time for obviously discretionary reasons. It was nice and polite. I am thinking about writing about that in detail. I was offered another meeting but for now I have not planned it. I need to think things through. More on that later.

His voice...

I called him up and it was such a nice conversation. His voice has this trail of huskiness to it which without sounding too dramatic about it, kind of melts my heart away. He said all the right things. Things which I have always wished my husband would say. He said how he liked the mole on my face and how radiant my face was while I talked with him. He did not ask nor did he rush into a date. We talked for a while as I sort of told him about my issues and troubles at work. We kind of stayed away from the dangerous topics like family and spouses but near the end of the conversation I did ask him about his wife. He said that she is nice but too ‘self-absorbed’. Funny, this is how I would describe husband dear as well. After I put down the phone I noticed how happy and thrilled I felt. I realized that I had not spoken like this with anyone for some time now. This is dangerous stuff that I am getting into but it is so exciting. I told him not to call me, and I would contact him. I can’t wait for it.

Risk and Pleasure

I came across him again suddenly. I remember mentioning Mr. T and my initial meeting with him. After that encounter, he sort of disappeared on me but I saw him back in my office today. He told me that he was out of the country because of business reasons and is now back. I was excited to see him and I think he could see that reaction on my face, but still I was very surprised when before leaving he dropped his business card and asked me to call him. I was taken aback by his rather bold move.

Now I am caught between pleasure and danger but don’t they complement each other in delicious ways but unfavorable consequences? Should I call him or not? Where am I going with this? What is going on here and what am I looking for exactly? All of this leaves me a bit confused….

Another Zardari About Turn

Zardari government has again buckled under the pressure to withdraw the name of the judges. This is another about turn and was brought about by the wise Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani who clearly saw no advantage in continuing down the path of confrontation with the country’s judiciary. The incompetence of the Zardari government is pretty clear so is its poor judgment. Zardari clearly needs to learn the art of picking his battles more wisely. The people running the current government are not only corrupt but foolish as well and they are being opposed politically by another buffoon in the shape of Nawaz Sharrif. The PML-N league’s record is not great when it comes to Judiciary. The last time I checked the party to physically attack the Supreme Court was none other than PML-N. I always say to those who think that PML-N’s has changed its colors – wait till they run the government. The Media and the judiciary will both be hounded. Pakistan’s political parties have matured somewhat but they still have a way to go.

I hope that given its ascent in public opinion the judiciary would stick to its job in hand and work within the framework of its jurisdiction and not encroach into executive branch’s territory. We have a system which is working. The people running it are not by any stretch of imagination the brightest of Pakistan but it is still better than any benevolent dictatorship. One can only hope for its continued success.

Newly released World Trade Center 9/11 Photos

It was a day which will live in infamy forever. A day that brought terror to the American homeland and shattered the myth of American invulnerability. The attack came not from a foreign army but a bunch of religious terrorists who at one time were America's allies in its fight against the communist Soviet Union. It was a classic case of boomerang.

September 11 changed our lives. It's impact on Pakistan was huge and the repercussions are being felt even today. History was made and I fear that historians will remember this day when the world took a turn for the worst.

These recently released classified photos show the magnitude of the attack. The pictures were taken from a police helicopter near the burning twin towers.