Ebola ( Congo Virus ) Strikes Hayatabad Medical Complex Peshawar

Govt not prepared to prevent outbreak.

PESHAWAR: Two suspected Congo virus patients died in Hayatabad Medical Complex’s isolation ward. The deceased were Afghan nationals who had come to the city for medical assistance.

HMC medics said Muhammad Hashim was admitted to the facility on Tuesday. His blood samples were taken and he was shifted to an isolation ward where he passed away during the early hours of Wednesday. Similarly, 20-year-old Zahir, a resident of Jalalabad, Afghanistan was brought to HMC on June 5 and passed away on June 8 before he could be diagnosed with the virus.

The two cases push the tally of suspected Congo carriers brought to the hospital from the neighbouring country to four this year. The deaths have put the provincial government on alert as the province and tribal areas are at risk.



The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government has taken all preventive measures to counter Congo virus, however, the number of suspected patients arriving from Afghanistan has set alarm bells ringing.

Talking to The Express Tribune, K-P Health Services Director General Dr Pervez Kamal said no case of Congo virus has been reported in the province so far and that “all measures have been taken to ensure the virus does not spread.”

“All necessary steps have been taken. We have collected blood samples of patients as well as their family members and forwarded them to the federal capital for examination.” He said that while results are awaited, even suspected carriers are kept in isolation ward.

Over the past few months, the number of patients at HMC from across the border with symptoms similar to those of the virus has increased.

Earlier, 30-year-old Abdul Saboor, a resident of Kabul, Afghanistan, was shifted to an isolation room on similar grounds. Qudratullah, hailing from Mazar-e-Sharif, was also admitted and his blood samples were obtained. However he left the hospital soon after. Test results of both individuals are still awaited.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 11th, 2015.
source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/901458/in-isolation-suspected-congo-virus-carriers-die-at-hmc/

Living Hell of Chitral Residents-Story of Lowari Tunnel

Why Punjabi Establishment run by Racist Punjabi's who always thinks of Plans to Belittle and Make Pakhtunkhwa Backward and slave to Punjabi's ,  have delayed the Lowari Tunnel Project that was Approved in 1970,s but is still not completed and is Made to Stall Deliberatively , as its in Situated in Pakhtunkhwa and Connects the Mardan and Dir to Chitral and it cuts down Journey Time to Chitral from 14 Hours to 5 Hours only . 


Victims of Punjabi Racism who Wants to Punish Chitralis and Also Change the Route of Pakistan China Economic Route has Stalled the Lowari tunnel More Shorter then Gilgit , Abbottabad Route which is not in straight line with Kashghar and longer then the Gilgit , Chitral and Dir Mardan Route , which Amritsar Indian Born Ex- Sikhs Punjabi Nawaz Government had selected to Serve Lahore .
They Plan to delay this Tunnel to 2020 , from its Planned Completion in 2010 already Passed and Chitralis and Dir Residents are cut off and live in Hell , Read this Incredible Story of People of Pakhtunkhwa Pushed to Living hell by Prejudiced Punjabi's . 

Pakistan Lowari: Frozen travelers trapped by an unfinished tunnel

By M Ilyas Khan

Water dripping from the top of the crumbling, cave-like opening of an unfinished tunnel in northern Pakistan forms into icicles, accentuating the bite of a freezing January morning.

About a kilometre down the valley behind, a large huddle of passenger vans, trucks and cars waits for the tunnel to open. They have been here for many endless hours.

Bi Weekly Lowari Tunnel Traffic 

In one rented vehicle is the coffin and body of an old woman on way to her own funeral, but she is running late.

On the other side of the mountain, in her home village, people have already gathered for the burial.

Anxiety is writ large on the face of her son, Wali Ahmad, a soldier in the Pakistani army and a resident of Chitral district, located on the far side of the 8.6km (5.2-mile) Lowari tunnel.

Faces of  Ordeal 

Wali Ahmed worries that he might not get his mother's body to her own funeral on time

"My mother died in Peshawar. Now we have to take her home for burial. We don't know if they will open the tunnel in time for us to make it there in daylight," he says.

It's at least three hours' drive to his village of Golen from where he's standing. It's already approaching midday, and the towering mountains of the Hindu Kush range shut off the winter sunlight from most of Chitral's 34 branch valleys after 4pm.

At a little over 7,000 feet (2,500m) above sea level, the tunnel is the only exit route in winter for the 500,000 population of Chitral.

Dozens of loaded trucks are parked every few kilometres along the rocky, broken mountain road that winds up from the town of Dir to the tunnel.

Some drivers have lit gas cylinders beneath the engines to keep them warm and prevent the pipes from bursting due to freezing temperatures.

Mohammad Qasim Khan, a resident of Drosh area in Chitral, is the head of another party waiting for the tunnel to open.

"My daughter's just been operated for appendicitis, and my cousin got a rod fixed in his left leg which suffered a fracture," he says.

Faces of Misery 

In need of rest - but they are stuck in a car waiting for the chance to get through

"They can't stand the cold and the wait, but we are told the tunnel is closed. We drove some eight hours from a hospital in Peshawar, and now we've been stuck in this wilderness for more than six hours. There's no food or heating here, and there are no toilets."

It is the same story on the Chitral side of the tunnel - residents taking sick relatives to hospitals in Peshawar, students and job seekers trying to make it to their appointed interviews, and workers with jobs in the Gulf fretting over whether they'll be able to catch their flights from Peshawar and Islamabad.

All these people are caught in a gridlock that started when the government suddenly decided to reschedule work on the tunnel ahead of this winter.

The fortunes of the people of Chitral have fluctuated with the fortunes of the Lowari tunnel project.

Lowari Tunnel has been delayed for last 40 Years 

In summers, a road built by the British over the 10,230ft (3,140m) Lowari Pass links them to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, of which Chitral is a part. But the pass closes in mid-December due to snow.

Two other passes - one connecting Chitral to the Afghan province of Badakhshan, and the other linking it to Pakistan's north-eastern Gilgit-Baltistan region - are more than 12,000 feet high and also remain snowbound in winters.

The region's only natural all-weather route passes through its south-western town of Arandu into Afghanistan, and follows a southward route via the Afghan provinces of Kunar and Ningarhar into Pakistan's Peshawar valley.

But that is no longer an option.

"The Arandu route closed when a Pakistani military operation in the Swat region in 2009 pushed Islamist militants into the Kunar region," says Shahzada Iftikharuddin, Chitral's representative in Pakistan's national parliament.

"This happened when the Americans wound up their bases in the Kunar region, making it possible for these militants to set up sanctuaries there. A number of Chitrali travellers were held and beheaded by them in 2010."

Chitral Scouts have helped maintain security along this perilous route

The tunnel was commissioned in late 2005, and by 2008 the construction contractor, Sambu JV of South Korea, had dug the 8.6km tunnel all the way through. But funding for the project stopped when a new government took over.

Over the next few years, this unfinished tunnel remained open for winter traffic.

In 2011, when some funds became available and work commenced, public use of the tunnel was restricted to three alternate days in a week. This catered to the needs of the locals and there was no crisis.

But after the first snow in late November this year, the commuters were shocked to discover that a new standard operating procedure (SOP) permitted three days of transit through the tunnel only every two weeks instead of one.

Hundreds of people were stranded in the snow. Those with money had to spend weeks in Dir town's hotel rooms. Others slept in their vehicles or turned back.

Commuters walk along the ridge to try and find out what the delay with the tunnel is

In Chitral, food supplies became scarce, sparking protests that finally forced the authorities to revise the SOP and open the tunnel twice a week - on Saturdays and Sundays - for six hours a day.

The authorities defend the new arrangement as the only viable balance between human suffering and project completion.

"The project cost has escalated from 5bn rupees to 18bn, and we have to pay penalties to the contractor for idle hours," says Hameed Hussain, the project director of Lowari tunnel.

Besides, six hours of public traffic pushes carbon levels inside the tunnel beyond human tolerance.

"We need an extra four to five hours to ventilate the tunnel before the workers can get to work safely," he says.

Inside of Unfinished Tunnels since 1978 

And there is still a lot of work to do.

At the moment, there is no proper lighting in the tunnel, no exhaust system and no emergency services.

Most of the tunnel is still without the shotcrete lining, retaining walls or a metalled road. Water seepage from the ceiling and walls forms into puddles on the floor.

In addition, the widening process leaves the tunnel floor strewn with debris, causing traffic jams inside the tunnel and endangering those travelling in open vehicles.

Mr Hussain says he recovered four persons from a truck that had broken down inside the tunnel last week. All of them had fainted.

But bound by towering mountains on all sides, the people of Chitral are just too desperate not to take a chance with this drive through hell.

Naila Shahid

Naila Shahid missed an interview for a job she was sure she would get because of the snows and the tunnel

And those who can't make it, rue it.

Naila Shahid is one of them.

A graduate in environmental sciences, she had to miss an interview for an assistant professor's job at a university in Dir district because that would mean living in a hotel room for a whole week - a social and financial impropriety.

"I was on top of the merit list. I received a call to appear for the interview. I knew I couldn't make it because the tunnel would have closed by the time I was finished and would next open only on the following Saturday," she says.

"There is no male member of the family available to accompany me for a week in a strange land. I cried last night. This job would have helped me enroll for a doctorate."

The new deadline for the tunnel's completion is 2017. Until then, every time the snows block the passes, many funerals are likely to be missed, many careers suffer setbacks and many tears are shed in Chitral.

Lowari Tunnel Traffic 

source: http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-25972898

Terrorism Highest in Pakhtunkhwa Because it is Run by Taliban Khan.

Taliban Khan has his Heart with Taliban of Waziristan where his Ancestors are from 

Imran Khan: Flirting with the Taliban

Liberal Pakistanis have criticized cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan's opposition to a military operation against the Taliban. His alleged support to the Islamists has earned him the title, 'Taliban Khan.'  

Recently, when the Pakistani Taliban nominated Imran Khan to engage in peace talks with Islamabad, liberal sections of society exclaimed, "See, we always said that Khan was one of the Islamists!"

Although Khan immediately refused to take part in the talks, the controversial "Taliban Khan" tag that he has earned over the years, got another endorsement.

Imran Khan is now one of the key players in Pakistani politics. His party came third in the May 2013 parliamentary elections and now rules the northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province bordering Afghanistan. He wants Islamabad to make peace with the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and sever its alliance with the US in the "war against terror."

Imran Khan married Jemima Goldsmith in 1995

"We will win this war if we disengage from the US," Khan recently told the media. "As long as the Taliban believe we are fighting the US war, they would declare jihad on us. This would be a never ending war," he added.

This is certainly a very different image of a liberal person who studied at the University of Oxford and played in the English cricket league in the 1980s. Back then, Khan was discussed in the British press as much for his sporting talent as for his alleged love affairs.

Khan went on to become one of the most successful cricketers Pakistan has ever produced, under whose leadership the nation won its first Cricket World Cup in 1992. He later engaged in philanthropic work in Pakistan and married British writer and campaigner Jemima Goldsmith. The wedlock, however, didn't last long.

Khan entered politics in the late 1990s, forming a party called Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI). Although he was worshipped by millions in the country as a great cricketer, Khan was never considered a serious politician, even by his ardent fans, until 2011.

Khan is considered one of the greatest all-round cricketers of all time

But now, for many of his fellow contrymen, the 60-year-old is the "last hope" in a country which is facing innumerable problems ranging from a non-functional economy to a protracted Islamist insurgency. For others, he is a right-wing politician who wants to appease the Taliban.

Who really is Imran Khan?

So how did a person, who was doubted even by members of his own political party as a political alternative to the two main political families, the Bhuttos and the Sharifs, become a force to reckon with in the Islamic Republic? Was it because of the support of the ubiquitous Pakistani army and its Inter-Services Intelligence agency (ISI), as his critics claim, or was it the relentless political campaigning that Khan has been doing for more than 16 years? Khan's supporters believe it is the latter.

"Khan's stance on corruption, terrorism and nepotism in Pakistani politics has struck a chord with the masses, which are fed up with the traditional ruling elite. He has no corruption charges on him, no foreign assets," claims PTI activist in Islamabad, Khawar Sohail.

But some observers argue that Khan is backed by Pakistan's right-wing groups, in particular the military establishment, because of his "soft" stance on the Taliban and other Islamist militants. His rise in Pakistani politics, they claim, is due to his "good relations" with the ISI. Khan agrees with the organization's position on matters such as Afghanistan and Pakistan's national security, they say.

Amima Sayeed, a development researcher from Karachi, believes that Khan, most definitely, supports right-wing extremists. He has not made it secret.

"When the Swat peace deal between the government and the Taliban was introduced in 2009, Imran Khan was the first politician to support it. His collaboration with the Islamic Jamaat-e-Islami party is also a proof of his right-wing agenda," she told DW.

"He might not sound like a religious political leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami or the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, but his views about the region, the world, and in particular about the militant groups in Pakistan, are sympathetic if not supportive of the religious right," Owais Tohid, a journalist for the Wall Street Journal in Karachi, agrees. "He opposes a military crackdown on the militants and dismisses the idea that there has been an increase in the homegrown jihadist culture in Pakistan over the years."

2 Years in power in Pakhutnkhwa and Yet No Progess. 

But some analysts say that the debate about Khan's Islamist or liberal credentials is actually taking the spotlight away from his performance as a politician and the leader of a party which governs an important province of the country.

Khan promised speedy justice and an end to corruption in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province after taking its reins. During the election campaign, he also said his party would curb violence and bring peace.

Taliban Leaders of Pakistan 

Representatives of the Pakistani government and the Taliban met in Islamabad for peace talks

Khan's PTI has been in power for almost eight months, yet critics state that most of his election promises have not been fulfilled.

"The government in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province has not delivered anything to people. Corruption and nepotism are rampant and there hasn't been any significant development work in the past eight months," said Qasim Jan, a student in the northwestern city of Peshawar.

"Khan has only focused on protesting US drone strikes in the northwestern tribal areas, blocking the NATO supply route to Afghanistan, and coming up with all sorts of excuses in support of the militants," he added.

Islamabad-based writer, Arshad Mahmood, agrees: "Things are pretty much the same as they were in the past. Khan's party workers consider themselves to be above the law and won't cooperate with the administration. If the PTI officials don't obey the law, how will the governance be improved?," asked Mahmood.

But Khan's supporters, which comprise mainly the Pakistani youth, feel his administration is being unfairly criticized.

"The government has made great strides into a faster and more effective judicial system. The education budget of the province is much bigger than in other provinces. Yes, there are problems, but things are improving," Zakria Zubair, a young entrepreneur in Islamabad, told DW. The 29-year-old PTI supporter also says that Imran Khan is playing the role of a competent opposition leader in the country's lower house of parliament.
source: http://www.dw.de/imran-khan-flirting-with-the-taliban/a-17421805

Imran Khan Aka Taliban Khan Scared Nawaz Sharif on Decisive Action on Taliban for Saving Strategic Assets of Pakistan.

Written by Riaz ul Hasan
Thursday, 18 December 2014 19:52
Email

Asma Jahangir requires no introduction in Pakistan. She headed the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and was elected president of the Supreme Court Bar Association. She has struggled in support of democratic institutions in the country and for the cause of the downtrodden for over forty years.

While this year’s Nobel Peace Prize was awarded to Malala Yusufzai, the ‘Alternative Nobel’-- the Right Livelihood Award--- was awarded to Asma Jahangir, among others. During her visit to Stockholm on December 1st to receive her award she addressed a meeting of the Swedish-Pakistani community. She spoke on the political crisis in Pakistan, Balochistan, Kashmir, on civil-military relations and answered a number of questions.

On democratic gains:

During the sit-in staged by Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI), the democratic forces were united against anti-democratic forces. This was a historic first in the country’s history. While in practice the democratic forces did not do much, they remained firm in their resolve to defend democracy.

I do not consider the present government to be a model for good government. Governments are never good but unless political stability is achieved in Pakistan and the system is strengthened, we cannot move forward.

Look at India! True, poverty and many other problems persist. However, a middle class has emerged there and many have been lifted out of poverty. In Pakistan however, there is a lack of co-ordinated effort that marks both state institutions and civil society.

Take for example the recent petition for land reforms filed in the Supreme Court by Abid Hassan Manto, joined by the HRCP. The need for advocacy and a strong political campaign is ignored. In my opinion judges are not instruments of change. Rather they are instruments of regression.We cannot expect a court ruling to put an end to feudalism. Likewise, we need to educate ourselves on the question of feudalism. The critics say that feudalism is a thing of past in the case of Punjab. Likewise, in Sindh they say that feudalism no longer exists and it is ‘Waderaism’ that must be confronted.

On PTI agitation:

I am not against Imran Khan’s entry into politics. It is his right to do so. In fact, many more people should take an active part in politics. However, a dichotomy exists. On the one hand he declares that politics and politicians are bad. On the other he wants to be involved politically. Likewise, the PTI has attacked and undermined every institution of the state, including parliament and the judiciary. In a nutshell every thing is bad in Pakistan except the PTI. All politicians are bad, except Imran Khan. All institutions are bad, except the army. Our experience shows that judges, generals and politicians are not good. However, we need to allow the [democratic] system to achieve some stability.

It is true that voters often elect the wrong representatives. In India, for instance Modi was recently elected. But let the system take its course. If you subvert the system, anarchy will follow.

Sharif government’s response:

The Sharif government is utterly indecisive, clueless and lacks initiative. Above all it is inefficient. Just look at their priorities. They have two advisors for one department and none for another. Bureaucracy is undermining the government. This is understandable. When favourites are patronized and promoted at the cost of others, bureaucracy will react. But in some cases, civil servants have been ‘advised’ not to co-operate. We all know that this government is incapable of handling the challenge posed by PTI agitation. At the same time if I were in their shoes, I would be at a loss myself. It is not Imran Khan they fear. It is the people who back him.

According to information I have, and if the situation is correctly analyzed, it transpires that the military hierarchy does not want Imran Khan to jump the queue to occupy the prime ministerial slot. However, there is an active lobby group of retired generals. Both General Hameed Gul and Brigadier Ejaz Shah are frequently spotted at PTI meetings. I learned from credible sources that a couple of serving generals and brigadier-level officers with radical views are also instrumental in catalyzing the present agitation.

In view of such stark facts, we cannot play the role of naïve activists. We cannot just dismiss the agitation on the pretext that agitation is the PTI’s democratic right. Yes, you have the right to agitate. However, you don’t have the right to agitate on the incitement of hidden hands. One has the right to register an FIR (First Investigation Report). However, one does not have the right to fake it.

The PTI allegation providing the pretext for ongoing agitation is election rigging. Imran claims that his mandate was stolen in the 2013 general elections. However, even if the seats he claims he would have bagged in the absence of rigging, he would not have gained the required majority to form a government.

Personally, I do not believe that there was systematic rigging. Individuals may have stuffed ballots etc. however systematic rigging is not a fair charge. At HRCP, we received lot of complaints regarding rigging from Balochistan and KPK.

In short, what has Imran Khan achieved? He frightened the government into inaction and indecisiveness. They refuse to take any decisions or initiative on either the foreign front (India, Afghanistan) or the domestic front (economy, privatization and so on). It seems the sole purpose was to corner the government and to create a situation whereby we have a civilian façade while behind the scene the army pulls the strings.

On Balochistan:

Recently, our HRCP representative in Turbat received threats from the ISI. He was relocated immediately. After Rashid Rehman’s murder, we are reluctant to take any chances and the Rapid Action Plan was devised to defend our people. Well, he was relocated. But his extended family was picked up and tortured.

I visited Balochistan in October. I think the situation has improved to some extent. However, the question of missing persons remains unresolved. Mutilated dead bodies are still discovered every now and then. Though the frequency has diminished there is no end in sight. Likewise, the plight of Hazara is heart wrenching.

Taliban deprived of a safe haven:

Certain advances have been made. For instance, Operation Zarb-e-Azb broke the Taliban infrastructure in North Waziristan. In the past, an operation in North Waziristan was never an option. Instead, talks were preferred. North Waziristan became a safe haven. Now it is no more. This is a step forward. However, there has been criticism. There is no transparency. Most Taliban escaped before the operation. They could not be expected to wait on the army.

source: http://www.viewpointonline.net/2014/12/vp232/imran-khan-scared-sharif-govt-into-inaction-asma-jahangir

Massive Corruption Under PTI Government in Chitral Pakhtunkhwa No Progress in Development Projects.

Protests against corruption in different developmental projects continued in parts of Chitral. A sizeable protest rally led by Jounali Qazi Abdul Rauf marched from Chewo Bridge and ended up in Polo Ground. There it turned into a large public assemblage and representatives of civil society and political parties addressed the people.

Speakers said that Abdul Wali Khan Bypass was supposed to complete in 2011 and still remains incomplete. The contractor of the bypass, it turns out, is a government employee working as laboratory attendant in Government Degree College, upper Dir. As a contractor he is enjoying government support for dilly-dallying the work on the road and allegedly shares commissions with officials.
The speakers also pointed out that the bridge on Molin Goul stream near Chitral Scouts Headquarter, currently under construction, shows that it has been poorly built with substandard material. It poses threat and clearly indicates that it is not going to sustain any pressure of water or floods in summer.

They said that 340 million rupees were spent on Golian Water supply scheme.But here too, defective and cheap pipes were used in the project. People are still deprived of water. They alleged that the contractor paid huge commissions in this project to local PMA and Public Health Engineering high-ups. They demanded of the National Accountability Bureau to recover the 340 million rupees from the Public Health department corrupt officers and from the contractor.
They said that Goulian Hydel Power station would be completed next year and demanded 30 MW electricity from this project for Chitral as Chitral is passing through energy crises. They also demanded up-gradation of Saingor Power House.

A resolution was passed on the occasion where it demanded from Chairman and Director General NAB to investigate and recover the 340 million rupees of Goulain Goal project. 30 MW electricity from Goulian Hydel Power House should be allocated for Chitral and the bypass should be completed without any further delay.

source: http://www.dardistantimes.com/chitral/News/1763575980/corruption-developmental-projects-trigger-protests-chitral

Present Day Problems, Chapter Removed by Right wing Paltoo Parties of Punjabi Establishment.

Why Right wing Parties supported by Pakistani establishment like PTI + Jamaat Islami wants to promote, Jihalat and Backwardness just like thier militant wing Taliban wants to do on Pashtuns only in Pakistan is that a Policy of Pakistani eatablishment that forms favour with PTI and Jamaat Ialami who's founders were recently hanged a few days ago in Bangladesh for Inhuman and Unislamic Practices of Mass graves and rapes of thousand of women in East Pakistan in 1971 .

Imran Khan Aka Captian Taliban Khan 

Siraj Ul Haq also known as Subedar Sahib head of Jamaat Islami 

PESHAWAR: The Elementary and Secondary Education Department is set to remove a whole chapter from a school textbook highlighting the contemporary issues, their causes and veiled hints towards the invisible elements responsible for creating such issues that have made the lives of people miserable in the region, according to sources.

The chapter titled “Da Maujoda Dor Masalay” (problems of the present age) in the Pashto book for
grade-10 will be removed on the demand of Jamaat-i-Islami, they said. The chapter was included in the textbook by the previous ANP-led government to inform the students about the various issues engulfing the society for the last many years, said the sources in the education department.

In the third paragraph on page 65 of the chapter it is stated that due to political instability millions of
Afghans were compelled to migrate to Pakistan who brought with them many problems from Afghanistan that still existed in our society.

The text on page 66 conveys that “It is crystal clear that human beings have always used their
power and inflicted brutalities on others in the process to impose their religious, political, national
and economic supremacy on others. 

In history whenever any group in any area on the earth started ruling by adopting such practices has left examples of brutalities and inhuman practices that has bowed down the head of human beings in shame”.

Without naming any area or country, it is stated that the power game still continues which has
caused huge losses to the society, particularly to the poor people. It further says that rich countries
have been using all resources in the region for imposing their agenda and increasing influence in
the third world countries.

The students read in the chapter that the people of the third world countries getting financial support
to fulfil their daily needs of life are being exploited intentionally or unintentionally, consciously or
unconsciously at the hands of the rich countries for their agenda.

“Such acts are apparently good and pious, full of benefits in this world and the life after death, but
actually the planner behind such acts wanted to spread violence,” it is added. “As such, the society which couldn’t educate their children due to lack of resources is used at the hands of others for achieving their goals, causing unrest and terrorism in the country,” it states.

In the same chapter, the students are told that due to lack of education, some religious sects have been promoting their causes in the society through use of huge amount of money.

It has also been mentioned that in the race of leaving others behind, the religious extremism often causes differences, which is one of the big reasons for unrest in the society.

The writer has also listed the uncontrollable increase in population as one of the problems, stating that having more children and lacking resources most of the people couldn’t provide education
to their children. Resultantly, such children become child labourers or beggars.

The unchecked population growth results in rising joblessness, which leads to suicides, mental and psychological diseases and drug addiction in the society.

Everything mentioned in the chapter is based on the present day realities, said a senior teacher of a government school. “It will educate the students about the contemporary issues,” he said, adding such issues were discussed in the textbooks for the first time.

“Such issues should be also discussed in the English and Urdu textbooks to educate the students at larger scale,” another senior teacher told Dawn.

When contacted, a senior official in the education department told Dawn that the material given in the
chapter was based on reality, but it could create bad impression of the state among the students.

“Actually, different schools of thought are discussed between the lines which could increase hatred in the society,” said an activist of Jamaat-i-Islami, who was one of the members of the team which held meetings with the officials of the education department in this connection.

He said that distribution of resources was the real problem, not increase in population. “Linking problems with the population growth is the propaganda of the West,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 26th, 2014

Liberals are scum of this country: Imran Khan is he an Idiot or ?

Imran Khan says that liberals were scum of the country. PHOTO: AFP

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) chairman Imran Khan said on Wednesday that liberals in Pakistan were the scum of the country who backed US policies.

In a tell-all interview with NDTV’s Barkha Dutt, who was visiting Pakistan recently, Khan shared his views ranging from the political to the personal, including martial laws, Memogate, corruption and allegations against him.

Talking about liberals, he said that liberals were the scum of this country and were fascists. Khan said that those liberals backed bombing of villages, drone attacks. He added that it was the liberals who backed US policies, including the War on Terror that had aggravated extremism in the country.

Answering a question on being called ‘Taliban Khan’, the PTI chief said that he was being labelled that since he encouraged dialogue with the Taliban instead of military action, a policy which the US eventually had to adopt too.

He also touched upon criticism against him about praying on stage during rallies, to which he said that he prayed five times a day and that praying on the stage was not an exception.

‘Age of martial law is over’

The PTI chairman told her that the age of martial law was over, adding that the people of Pakistan have moved on. Talking about Memogate, Khan said that the infamous case was enough for an army take over but had decided against it because it realised that the people were not going to accept military takeovers anymore.

Khan added that for the first time in the history of Pakistan, the Supreme Court had taken a stand against corruption. He praised the media as well for its vibrant role in creating political awareness amongst the public.

‘Parliament, a coalition of crooks’

Responding to a question on the contempt of court notice served to Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Khan said that the current parliament was a “coalition of crooks” who were benefitting from this “corrupt system” and were simply protecting each other’s corruption.  He said that democracy is strengthened by rule of law and that there were instead different laws for the rich and poor in Pakistan.

Speaking on early elections, Khan said that both his party and the country felt that the sooner the elections took place, the better, adding that the sooner the country got rid of these “crooks”, the rebuilding process of the country could start.

Establishment backing

On allegations that his party was backed by the establishment, Khan referred to various polls, including the Pew polls that ranked the PTI as the number one party in terms of popularity in Pakistan, adding that he could not have manipulated those polls.

Alliance with Musharraf

On a possible alliance with former president and All Pakistan Muslim League chief, Pervez Musharraf, Khan said that although it was kind of Musharraf wanting to be a part of his alliance, the party would not accept him. He added that it was the former general’s NRO that had brought President Asif Zardari and other “criminals” in power, also mentioning his involvement in the war on terror, exacerbating the situation in Balochistan by assassinating Nawab Akbar Bugti and the Lal Masjid case.

Khan also adviced Musharraf about not coming to Pakistan as his life was in danger from the Baloch, in particular Bugti’s son who had put a ransom on Musharraf’s head.

M&M: Memogate and Mansoor Ijaz

Regarding the Memogate case, the PTI chairman said that everyone in Pakistan considered the case to be akin to treason since it was the government asking the US to help them against the Pakistan army.

Speaking about Mansoor Ijaz, the US born Pakistani, who was one of the central characters in the case, Khan said that he did not think highly of Ijaz, adding that he was a ‘non-entity’.

Khan refused to comment further on the case, stating it was sub judice.

Relations with India

When asked on what Khan ascendency to power meant for India and Kashmir issue, he said that he believes in a political solution to the issue instead of a military one. He emphasised on having a roadmap to resolve the crisis in Kashmir.

Speaking on relations with India, he said that he believed in having normal ties with the neighbouring country, stating that this region was one of the fastest growing in the world and that the entire sub-continent should be working together to get rid of poverty. He emphasised on a relationship built on truth and no double games, which was free of blame game particulary about promoting terrorism in either countries.

Mumbai Attacks: 26/11

On Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) chief Hafiz Saeed and his alleged involvement in the attack in Mumbai on 26/11, Khan said that the case was in Supreme Court and that he wanted the law to take its course.

On a question regarding his playboy image of the past, the even flamboyant Khan remarked that his spirituality had not made him an angel and that he was still a ‘humble sinner’ 

source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/323913/liberals-are-scum-of-this-country-imran-khan/

Civil Society Angry Over Malalaa Bashing by Imran Khan PTI Government and JI Mullahs .

PESHAWAR: Civil society members have expressed concerns over Jamaat-e-Islami MPAs’ stiff opposition to a resolution tabled in the assembly appreciating and congratulating Noble laureate Malala Yousafzai.

Pakhtunkhwa Ulasi Tehreek held a meeting chaired by Ajmal Afridi on Thursday in Peshawar and expressed disapproval of the JI’s stance. Civil society members including Dr Said Alam Mehsud, Prof Dr Khadim Hussain, Sikandar Zaman, Arbab Sheheryar, Arshad Haroon, Iqbal Hoti, Khurshid Bano, Taimur Kamal and Shabina Ayaz appreciated and congratulated Malala Yousafzai on winning the Noble Peace award.

By winning the peace prize, Malala has shown the world that Pukhtuns are not terrorists but are themselves victims of terrorism, said the meeting’s participants. The association passed a resolution appreciating Malala and vowed that it would not allow JI’s MPAs to hijack the assembly. The civil society members urged lawmakers of various parties to unite against JI in the assembly.

The participants also opposed JI’s demands of revising the provincial curriculum.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2014.
source: http://tribune.com.pk/story/783710/disapproval-jis-stance-on-pro-malala-resolution-criticised/

PTI Government Is not Happy Malalaa Yousafzai Getting Noble Prize rather it Passes a Resolution for a Terrorist Convict Non Resident of Pakhtunkhwa.

PTI + JI Government under Imran Khan a False Liberal and Mullah Passes
Resolution Favoring a Karachi urdu Speaking Terrorist and Non Resident
of Pakhutnkhwa and a Terrorist and Wife of Alqaeda Leader Terrorist
Leader Ammar Ali Baluchi Nephew of Khalid Shiekh Muhammad Master
Minds of 9/11 Massacre, and Mass Murderers , Dr Afia Siddique and her
Husband Shared a PO Box that was used by Alqaeda for its Dirty Works .

PESHAWAR: While putting a resolution for Nobel Peace Prize winner Malala Yousafzai 

on the back burner, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly on Wednesday passed 

another resolution to press the US government for freeing scientist Dr Aafia Siddiqui 

declaring her the ‘oppressed daughter of Pakistan’.

The house passed the pro-Aafia resolution tabled by Jamaat-i-Islami MPA Mohammad Ali 

Khan unanimously.

The treasury and opposition parties except Awami National Party had signed the resolution.

The resolution read Dr Aafia had been languishing in a US jail, where she was physically 

and mentally tortured and that the federal government didn’t pressure the US government 

for get release.

“This is the responsibility of the (Pakistani) government, the United Nations and Islamic 

countries to exert pressure on the US to free the innocent and oppressed daughter of 

Pakistan immediately.”

On a point of order, PPP lawmaker Nighat Orakzai sought the speaker’s permission for 

speaking on the resolution on Malala.

She said she wanted to include the Nobel laureate’s name in the resolution submitted by an 

ANP lawmaker from Swat, Syed Jafar Shah.

However, the speaker asked her to table a fresh resolution for the purpose.The resolution 

for Malala submitted by Syed Jafar Shah on October 20 has got stuck in the assembly 

secretariat.

The mover has yet to gather support for getting the resolution passed by the house 

unanimously to congratulate the teenage Nobel laureate from his hometown, Swat.

Backburners pro-Nobel laureate resolution, demands release of scientist detained in US

A visibly dejected Jafar Shah told Dawn that opposition members, too, were not ready to 

support the resolution on Malala’s accomplishment.

Pakistan People’s Party, Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl, Qaumi Watan Party and Pakistan 

Muslim League-Nawaz are part of the combined opposition.

JUI-F had advised ANP not to insist on tabling the pro-Malala resolution.

“There is a visible division among opposition members. Many of them are not in favour 

of the resolution on Malala,” said Jafar Shah.

Also in the session, PML-N MPA from Kohistan district Abdul Sattar Khan tabled 

a resolution seeking ban on parliamentarians and lawyers bowing before the assembly 

speaker and judges respectively during proceedings.

He declared the practice un-Islamic and said such practices were against the faith and 

spirit of Islam.

The MPA said a Muslim should bow his head only before the Allah Almighty.

Speaker Asad Qaisar opposed the resolution and ruled that every mover should provide a 

copy of his/her resolution to the assembly secretariat and discuss it with other members 

before  tabling it in the house.

In light of the ruling, the resolution was deferred.

Sattar Khan didn’t take members of his own party into confidence before moving the 

resolution.

MPA Shaukat Yousafzai of Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf tabled a resolution urging the federal 

government to simplify the procedure to renew computerised national identity cards.

The house passed the resolution unanimously.

Also, the treasury and opposition benches agreed that the issue of changes in textbooks 

of the province wouldn’t be politicised and that the teaching material would be made in 

light of the guidelines incorporated in the National Curriculum Policy 2006.

JUI-F MPA Mufti Syed Janan through an adjournment motion raised the issue of changes

in textbooks and said the controversy had caused confusion.

He said the treasury should clarify position on the textbooks otherwise the matter should be 

referred to the house’s relevant committee.

The MPA said it was the sensitive matter and should not be politicised further.

Elementary and secondary education minister Atif Khan told the house that the government 

had no intention to remove contents about religion and ideology of Pakistan from textbooks.

He said textbooks would be published in light of the National Curriculum Policy 2006.

Local government minister Inayatullah Khan, who is a JI member, said the presence of 

Islamic content in textbooks had shrunk and that the people, especially educationists, had 

reservations about it.

He said it was a matter of faith and that Muslims couldn’t tolerate incorporation of material, 

which was against Islam and Pakistan’s culture and ideology.

“Pictures of girls wearing skirts have been printed in textbooks though skirt is not part of our 

culture,” he said.

The minister said though he had no objection to mention of Bacha Khan in textbooks, he 

didn’t want to see his (Bacha Khan’s) ideology included in them.

ANP parliamentary leader Sardar Hussain Babak, a former education minister, 

denied his government had removed material on religion and Pakistan from textbooks.

“Overlapping and repetition was avoided in textbooks but some people are misinterpreting the 

issue,” he said.

He asked PTI and JI to discuss the matter with all stakeholders instead of taking a ‘solo flight’ on it.

“We all are Muslims. Nobody has the right to issue certificate of one being good Muslim to 

others,” he said, asking the government to stop exploiting things in the name of religion.

Published in Dawn, October 30th , 2014 

source: http://www.dawn.com/news/1141303/kp-assembly-prefers-aafia-to-malala

Speaker Pakhtunkhwa Assembly PTI Asad Qasier Brother, Adnan Khan Beats up Deputy Commissioner in His Office for Taking Action Against Profiteers and Law Breakers .

Swabi Pakhutnkhwa : Officials from government departments and representatives of political parties went on strike and participated in a rally at Jirga Hall in Swabi on Thursday following Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Speaker Asad Qaiser’s brother’s alleged hooliganism.

Adnan Khan is said to have manhandled Swabi Additional Assistant Commissioner Khaliq Dad Khan after a crackdown against profiteering.

According to Khaliq Dad, Adnan and his two bodyguards stormed his office on Wednesday. “They used foul language and beat me up,” Khaliq told the media. He said the Swabi Deputy Commissioner had been informed and a formal FIR had been lodged against the assembly speaker’s brother.

Khan claimed Adnan was unhappy over cases registered against some shopkeepers and butchers for overcharging and food adulteration. Adnan was told the cases were registered against the offenders and they should pursue legal recourse but he insisted on the cancellation of FIRs and retraction of cases.

Assistant Commissioner Altamash Janjua, Government Employees Coordination Council President Abdul Latif, Clerks Association representative Zakirullah Omarkhel, former nazim Ihsanul Haq Bamkhelvi and others addressed Thursday’s rally. They threatened a complete strike and further action starting Friday if Adnan is not taken to task for the misconduct. They warned relatives and aides of influential people to stay clear of the affairs of government functionaries.

Representatives of Awami National Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl also addressed the protest and accused the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf of promoting hooliganism in the province.

Bail before arrest

Adnan obtained bail before arrest from Swabi additional sessions judge on Thursday.

He claimed he had approached the officer after receiving complaints from poor shopkeepers. Before the court, Adnan accused the officer of using foul language against him.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 31st, 2014.

source : http://tribune.com.pk/story/783704/hooliganism-officials-take-to-the-streets-against-k-p-assembly-speakers-brother/