Take Back Pakistan 170 Million Ways to Change a Nationinfo@takebackpakistan.com
Author Archive
Pakistan: A Country on Fire – Ayesha Siddiqa
The bombing of the Marriott Hotel in Islamabad on 20 September 2008 has hit Pakistan hard. The reputation of the hotel as a meeting-point and social hub for the capital’s political and diplomatic class ensured that the attack – which killed fifty-three people and wounded 250 – would receive the maximum worldwide publicity that the [...]
Celebrating Ramadan Jihadi Style – Muqtedar Khan
I just read this on the Washington Post website and think that most of us need to join this school of thought. Islam is not served by the people who commit these acts or those who support them. Add your comments below. Ramadan is the ninth month in the Islamic calendar and serves as a [...]
Marriott Hotel Burns From Terrorist Attack
At 8 pm today, Islambad’s Marriott Hotel became the target of Pakistan’s worst suicide attack in history. At this time, local media is reporting that the entire hotel is on fire, 150 injured, and 50 dead. We don’t know what to say…. Pray for them. Pray for Pakistan. This is not our Pakistan. We can [...]
Exiles’ Return – Mohammad Hanif
When Mohammed Hanif left Pakistan in 1996, it was ruled by Benazir Bhutto and the Taliban were being touted as the saviours of Afghanistan. Now her widower has become president, and the Taliban want to save Pakistan too. Two weeks ago, after 12 years in London, I moved back to Pakistan. The week I arrived, [...]
Hamid Mir On Rohi TV
This was sent to us by a regular reader and commenter on Take Back Pakistan. After listening to it, we felt it must be heard. We will try to post a translated version of Hamid’s assessment tomorrow so that our non-Pakistanis can understand what he said. Sphere: Related Content
The Democracy Killers – Aasim Sajjad Akhtar
The presidential referendum in Pakistan has come and gone. As quickly as the drama enveloped the country it has been forgotten. The Pakistani nation is disappointed and fed up with the antics of the ruling classes and the referendum served only to confirm their suspicions. As expected, General Musharraf made a heap of populist promises. [...]
Renewable Energy to Tackle Pakistan’s Electricity Crisis
One of my favorite blogs is Haq’s Musings. Riaz Haq has posted an interesting piece on using renewable energy for Pakistan’s electricity crisis. Good reading and info for us all to understand. Sphere: Related Content
Attacking Pakistan? Don’t Do It – Aijaz Zaka Syed
Back home in the sub-continent, they say you should always stay away from the cops; their friendship as well as adversity is bad for one’s health. I am reminded of the advice as the world’s chief cop, the United States, bombs its allies and friends in Pakistan. With friends like these, do you really need [...]
Come Join Us
Take Back Pakistan will be having an organizational meeting in Karachi on the 12th of October. Please sign up and tell us where you can volunteer your time and energies. Sphere: Related Content
Pakistan is Turning to No. 10 – Guardian UK
Adrian Levy and Cathy Scott-Clark are the authors of Deception: Pakistan, the United States and the Global Nuclear Weapons Conspiracy. After claiming to have spent nine years nurturing democracy in Pakistan and festooning the country’s military dictatorship with $11bn in aid, the Bush administration’s policy is careering out of control, as US soldiers trade bullets with [...]
Is it Time to Eat Grass (Part II) – Samson Simon Sharaf
The army is now called a state within a state, supporter of nuclear proliferation, permeated by fundamentalists and militants in its ranks and file and an institution that pursues big business rather than focus on its primary mission. Despite suffering over 1,500 dead (the highest figure for any army) in this war, it is still [...]
Is it Time to Eat Grass? (Part I) – Samson Simon Sharaf
In my study on the nature of conflict in FATA and Afghanistan, I have sifted through numerous research papers and studies of US think tanks like Carnegie, RAND, the Council of Foreign Relations and Heritage. Some names like Ashley Tellis, Richard Haas and Lisa Curtis are familiar and well known. Others, though known but not [...]
Hard Times – Chris Cork
Oddly, it is the price of eggs that seems to stick in my mind every week. Last week they were 55 rupees a dozen, this week they are 58. As I ride a bike and do not drive a car I am less observant of the price of fuel than I am of eggs, but [...]
Who Owns Karachi? – Bina Shah
I like our city nazim Mr Mustafa Kamal’s ‘can do’ spirit with regard to his belief that it’s up to the citizens of Karachi to take responsibility for the upkeep and civic health of this city. Forward-thinking and progressive, the nazim has created a website for the project which boasts the tagline ‘My City — [...]
The New President and The Future of Democracy – Ayesha Ijaz Khan
In November last year, as I tried to rally support for our pro-judiciary demonstration outside the Pakistani High Commission in London, one of my friends, who runs a threading salon and is least interested in politics, cynically asked me, “What are you trying to do? Make Asif Zardari president?” She asked the question in ignorance [...]
Whither Sovereignty? – Yousuf Nazar
The first-ever ground military attack on Pakistan’s soil by the US-led troops on Sept 3 provoked strong condemnation and outrage in Pakistan. Now the cat is out of the bag. The New York Times said the raids were authorised by President Bush “without the approval of the Pakistani government.” The Chairman of the US Joint [...]
Would You Permit Me? – Nizar Qabbani
I found this posted on a blog last week and thought it was very fitting for Pakistan. We post this for your consideration: In a country where thinkers are assassinated, and writers are considered infidels and books are burnt, in societies that refuse the other, and force silence on mouths and thoughts forbidden, and to question [...]
Peril – Humayun Gauhar
My dear Ali: You have been bombarding me with questions about the US and NATO attack on us. Look, son, they attacked us a long time ago. The only difference is that now they have escalated and exacerbated the situation by actually putting boots on our soil. Given Admiral Mullen’s remorseless statement, its entirely possible [...]
Time To Stand Up – Sayeed GB Shah Bokhari
One practical lesson that I have learnt after participating in the 1965 Indo-Pak war is that the moral backing of the nation adds tremendously to the fighting prowess of the armed forces. Today the country is undergoing a serious state of war. It is another thing that the entire nation is not convinced about it [...]
The People vs Ex-Pats, Aunties and Urbanites – Mosharraf Zaidi
If a functional democracy that produces popular and electorally legitimate government is too much for Pakistan’s uber-smart expat and urban elite, then they had better close their eyes. They ain’t seen nothing yet. When the PPP is done with the national exchequer things will seem a lot more like 1996 than they have since 1996. [...]
Making a Joke of Democracy – Anjum Niaz
The writer is a freelance journalist with over twenty years of experience in national and international reporting. Here’s the unmentionable truth: if today Pakistan had an independent judiciary, Asif Ali Zardari may not have been the president. The 107 legislators who voted for him in the NWFP assembly would have faced disqualification for breaking the [...]
Inspire Yourself for Change
The following words are written on the tomb of an Angelican Bishop (AD 1100) in the crypts of Westminster Abbey: When I was young and free and my imagination had no limits, I dreamed of changing the world. As I grew older and wiser I discovered the world would not change – So I shortened [...]
The Hope Express
The Hope Express is a great initiative for the citizens of Pakistan. Started by a group of people that are passionate about saving Pakistan, The Hope Express will be pulling into your city soon. There currently is no website to gather additional information, but you can stay tuned to this blog or email us at [...]