Sep2008.html

Sep30-2008--while pakistan they say has asked for around $16billion in reperations for being bombed at...others say they need around $4 billion to get over payment problems...they say their foreign inflows are down to zero...While Benazir easily got the $4 billion she asked for she pragmatically used it to finance power stations and not waste it on nothing which the present government will do...
Sep30-2008--PMLn outlines anti american anti zardari agenda...
Sep30-2008--Yusuf Raza Gilani probably grows wheat as he has again almost doubled the wheat price with in a few months...either he does not know that roti is the basic foodstuff of millions or is just stupid enough not to care who dies of hunger or malnutrion...he obviously does not care for the health of the people enough...the rural wheat growers have access to all means of income generation as do city dwellers otherwise we would not have so many rural poor wheat growers in government...for a government that is kicking city dwellers in the stomachs and is supposedly anti subsidies they are still subsidizing well off farmers and the industrial rich.....as history will tell us that free tractors, loans, seeds development, free electricity etc etc have never helped however the building of two main dams doubled wheat output...maybe yusuf raza should study that...how can a country that barely grew 13-15 million tones last year get 25 million tonnes next year...asking the farmer to double wheat from the average of 40-60 kg per acre to 120kg per year is almost impossible...
Sep29-2008--polish engineer kidnapped near pind sultani killing three locals in teh car as well
Sep29-2008--Musharafs sacking as president has had one positive outcome...the afghans agree that ossama is not in pakistan...although pakistans intelligence agency believes that afghanistan is the source of all the explosive material lying around...many also believe that right wing extremists use such methods to change governments...so might be the mariott blast came too early for the PMLq..nobody believes that teh truck was headed to the parliament house as the terrorists supposedly have enough infornation on security related issues and usually have inside informants..it could just as easily be some personal revenge...the government should also check TV media that seem to be mouthpieces for the militants...Zardari has promised to hand over ossama...just as musharaf allowed attacks in pakistans border areas...
Sep29-2008--while one is not a fan of the americans they at least make their presidents and senators visit the places they send their soldiers to fightin..in pakistan the army has so distanced itself from the people that everybody says it is their job and no politician goes near such areas...even when they supposedly keep vanquishing the foe...Gen kiani has done a better job in at least visiting teh areas his soldiers are fighting...15 more killed in bajaur as kiani visits battleground...
Sep29-2008--fighting erupts in gundoai in dera bugti...killing 25 tribesmen and three Fc personnel
Sep29-2008--since the male policeforce has failed to control anything in the country the multan police is trying out guntoting female police who will patrol bazaars
Sep29-2008--The government of sindh is now literally giving away colleges in karacho and soon they will sell of sindhs premier resources that is gas fields not coal
Sep29-2008--two blasts in quetta shopping areas and one in kalat
Sep29-2008--The feeling that the government is fooling the people thru unnecessary load shedding is growing as suddenly PEPCO says that demand has increased and load shedding will be resumed...there is no particular activity that stops in ramazan
Sep290-2008--CDA allows trucks in again and builds shops for diplomats inside the enclave...maybe the elite have nowhere to shop now that the mariott is gone...
Sep26-2008--Pakistan and the USA finally had a short war as pakistanis fired on intruding US helicopters who skedaddled despite firing back...
Sep26-2008--Asif Zardari seems to be making a joke when he says they are at war...with teh USA many counter...?many suggest that only india in the region could be supplying explosives material to pakistani terrorists as they did to the LTTE..the US generals continue to insist that pakistans existence is threatened by terrorists...even if the terrorists succeed pakistan would probably have gun toting rulers whom teh USA would be willing to accept as status quo rulers as they did army rulers...might be a france like situation would emerge with the rich running for their lives...like teh french royalty which ended under teh guillotine...The US however is still not willing to be generous and allow pakistanis the military hardware they want quickly and fast...pakistan however has fallen back on devices used to dull pakistanis in teh sixties such as an aid consortium that would helpout financially...the only way pakistan can be sovreign would be to avoid the heavy debts that it has incurred upto now..if pakistans US helicopters donot have night vision than teh problem is still teh same...The US wants an ally willing to die and fight alongside but not at teh cost of it getting modern devices for its armed forces...an ally can only be willing and able if it is strong enough militarily otherwise the US should be able to do it on its own with all its might...still has found it quite difficult in iraq and afghanistan..pakistan has experienced this thru out the last two decades when indians were allowed superiority in teh air and pakistan was denied even f-16's, aerial recconaissance planes and many other things that its military would have liked to have inits stores...pakistani armed forces really do not need training... they know how to read, write and train...what they do require is to be realistic in their attitudes and not fall into political and US rhetoric or even imaginary strength...pakistan has had to go to other sources even for its aerial defence's, missiles, planes etc..while india has been getting the latest planes, missiles from france, ussr etc.The US should also realize that a more neutral less doctrinaire country might have been more successful in afgahanistan...politics and perceptions and attitudes have a lot to do with wars and terrorism...
Sep26-2008--manmohan singh they say can get away with anything...whether it is terrorism against pakistan or reduction in agreed water supplies to pakistan or state activities against minorities in orissa and kashmir...
Sep26-2008--all pakistans 36 airports were put on red alert after threats...a flight was even emptied and checked...
Sep26-2008--another 10 militants killed in bajaur fighting...
Sep26-2008--militants killed three policemen, a flour dealer and two schools were blownup in swat
Sep25-2008--the federal cabinet suggests that the mariott blast is the result of intelligence failure and that security agencies should work together to achieve a trouble free islamabad...our sleuths are usually more active afterwards but have relied on teh provision of information rather than any great ability to unearth results...since the truck was blown to pieces they will have been unable to get any starting information...however they have been going after banned organisations and many arrests and supposedly ring leaders from gujranwala will provide some leads..it all goes to show that the bad attitudes of police checking in the old days were correct as they stopped a lot of trouble...most of teh trouble has begun after all checking on the GT road especially from peshawar was ended...in the old days custom checks and police checks were routine on the roads leading out of fata especially upto rawalpindi
Sep25-2008--suicide blast in quetta near a security vehicle kills a schoolgirl
Sep25-2008--at least 34 killed in bajaur clashes including seven security men
Sep25-2008--Mr Zardari seems unaware that the people are fully cognisant of what is happening in the country...obviously the people donot have a single way of thought and numerous attitudes prevail...if teh army and government had been successful there would be no opposition but many are thinking of a time when a liberal format for governance might not be there for them...it is they who will have to suffer and the government does not realize that conflict rarely affects the rich who are able always to distance themselves or run away...the ordinary peopel will have to suffer teh cruelties and difficulties...that is very different from an organisation suffering persecution...
Sep25-2008--the pakistan army says it recovered a crashed drone while tribesmen say they shot it down...the pentagon says they have no information on a drone going down
Sep25-2008--while not many think that...hamid karzai says that asif zardari the tribal from sindh understands the tribal areas..?as he continues his diatribes against sanctuaries and institutional(ISI) support for terrorists in teh region...
Sep25-2008--KESC seeks an eighty percent raise in tariff...on privatisation in 2004 an eight year tariff mechanism was provided for comfort level or high profitability...KESC after privatisation was unable to reduce losses and recent events show that it had not been taking care of the generators maintenance or any real increase in generation capacity or infrastructure..the government has put on hold a recent increase in tariffs of 31%...for the last two years 33 billion in subsidies were given to KESC consumers however KESC at the moment owes over Rs66 billion to PEPCO and oil suppliers...electricity generation, transmission and distribution being a public task has been difficult to handle by private enterpreneurs...In pakistan anything that deals with the public has difficulties involved and maybe teh timing of electricity privatisation is not right at the moment...it is not an industry where u can just sit back and roll in the profits...only some privatised generation centers have been profitable such as Kapco and hubco while even private IPP's shutdown their plants in uncertainty...
Sep25-2008--Ahmed mukhtar says over 90 people arrested in connection with Mariott and 950 militants killed in Fata..
Sep25-2008--In swat teams arrived to repair the electricity grid station and gas pipelines...repairs expected in four days...two soldiers killed as they went to get water from a river,militants fired on a convoy..burnt bank branches reached five a school and college bombed in teh week
Sep24-2008--Asif Zardari has got george Bush to realize that the sensitivities of the people of pakistan might be important too and economics is a better solution rather than fighting it out...George Bush and his previous allies have been fighting it out with no real solution...countries like pakistan are literally turning into an economic disaster and only the top order of George Bush's supposed friends live well..zardari and associates(sherry and naveed) have asked the G-8 teh worlds most well of countries to bail out pakistan again...the war on terror in pakistan is turning into a civil war with armed groups in communities or areas literally battling the government for control and attacking all aspects of governance whether it is development, security,education, electricity supply or anything visible...?
Sep24-2008--A US drone crashed near the afghan borer with tribals saying they had shot it down...
Sep24-2008--50 militants killed in Darra adamkhel as military moves in again to keep the kohat tunnel and indus highway operating...
Sep24-2008--In swat people protesting the destruction of electricity supply and the unavailaibility of water and gas were fired upon by police killing six...people protested in mingora and fizaghat and burned several banks...electricity supply down for last two days as grid station was blownup..militants coninued to fire rockets in various areas...
Sep24-2008--Yusuf Raza Gilani in a fix on what to do about suicide bombings and how to protect islamabad and its peopel called a seeming bipartisan group of people who did not seem to provide much advice on the issue...he finally setup a committee to study the issue comprising teh corp commander rawalpindi, former chief of staff of musharaf, the isi chief and related government officials...they donot even know teh sources of supply of the terrorists explosives and they expect us to believe that teh isi is a good, truthful, efficient organization
Sep24-2008--British airways stops flights to pakistan
Sep24-2008--a train track blownup in quetta
Sep24-2008--In charsadda two militants killed as they surrounded a police station..a security official killed in shabqadar as militants attacked a security van...militants from mohmand arriving in the area
Sep24-2008--Differences over wheat prices between punjab and center rise...many suggest it would be easier and cheaper to import wheat than spend huge amounts on attempting to make illiterate money minting agriculturists to grow more...?
Sep24-2008--In sindh the father of sassui palejo accused of building a drain and damaging the makli grave site...
Sep24-2008--In mianwali people loot a truck of 300 wheat bags and block roads and attack a police van
Sep24-2008--PPP and PMLn seemingly have resolved their dispute and will sit together in peace in the punjab government which these days is restricted to roti politics in lahore..
Sep23-2008--the afghan consul in peshawar and the ambassador designate kidnapped and his driver killed
Sep23-2008--Nwfp governor says punjabi militants and suicide bombers control much of the violence in swat and punjab...militants have been known to move into developing situations such as the lal masjid and swat turning ordinary law and order situations into full fledged combat situations...These trained fighters are less likely to give in compared to the political controllers of teh violence...they use the generalized inefficiency and opposition to police behaviour, armies involvement in politics, coups, policeworks and local perceptions on ethnicity, religion, stances on the paucity or type of development to further their cause and subdue opposition by public show of guns and use their fighters to inflict punishments which are supposedly used to scare anyone who might want to oppose them...militants in fata and swat have also threatened and killed individuals that oppose them ...the governor wants other provinces to take responsibility for activities in his backyard...In punjab such violence would be handled brutally and subdued in no time...the people in punjab are also less likely to support such activities...the pukhtun nature and teh open availaibility of guns, rocket launchers and explosives is more conducive to the creation of such situations...while the availaibility of guns and rocket launchers in individual hands is quite high in the punjab they will not find public support for violent movements...the people in the nwfp and especially fata have been training for such situations since teh sixties..as have religious militants in the southern punjab...who are descended from sectarian violence over decades and much of that time were able to carry along teh gullible public on both sides...the governor should also know that numerous pukhtuns live in the punjab and many of the main families in southern punjab are pukhtun or afghan...
Sep23-2008--In bajaur militants have established a network of tunnels which enable them to fight the armed forces by quickly escaping or changing positions...this has been known for some time and a tactic used in vietnam and against the russians in afghanistan...many peopel involved in militancy have setup multiple residences and move from place to place thus avoiding being detected...the government wil have to check the sources of explosives whether it is the iSi, pakistan army, local dealers or afghanistan...
Sep23-2008--suicide bombers struck in madyan ramming into a military checpost killing nine...in koza bandai locals say militants are still in the area even though army says the area has been cleared...
Sep23-2008--news reports say that water shortages of upto 43% possible in winter season ...up from 23% last year..however rains can on occasion help solve some aspects of the problem
Sep23-2008--Another report of US helicopters being fired upon as they tried to cross into the fata region...many suggest that the situation could be resolved if pakistan too is allowed to mount cross border raids to eliminate sources of arms and explosive smuggling into the area
Sep23-2008--On the darra adamkhel front the army moved in to clear access to the kohat tunnel and the indus highway...
Sep23-2008--three hazaras shot dead in quetta as brahmdagh bugti vows to continue armed struggle
Sep23-2008--In sindh 147 atta mills close down as millers say they are threatened by the magsi force in extortions of Rs30 per bag of wheat supply
Sep23-2008--Import of petroleum products rose 88% to $2.5 billion in the first two months of the year..
Sep22-2008--the devastation of the mariott blast spread around the area causing death and destruction in surrounding buildings...the cars that were parked around were literally crushed and showed teh ferocity of the blast and the suicide truck was not visible...the crator was so huge that it made many think that it must have been an aerial missile or bomb...obviously the person responsible for the blast must be the most cruel and horrible with little sense or sentiment...making people think of teh crudeness of the organisation, its mentality, thinking and objective......the devastation and negative feelings made even the taleban back out of claiming responsibility and a new organization the fedayeen e islam claimed responsibilty...even the former FIA chief rehman malik ranted against the perpretrators of the bomb and like yusuf raza questioned their religion for doing such things in the ramazan...pakistani channels showed their anti PPP animosity by venting their feelings against teh government..with one retired general of an ordnance factory critisizing the primeminister for continuing his iftar dinner rather than managing teh disaster..The previous regimes disaster manager also failed to make an appearance.....with the information minister off on an unnecessary trip to the USA...many castigated the interior ministry advisor for apparently suggesting that the primeministers iftar was to be held at the marriott...the mariott owner refused to go along with teh government propaganda...rehman malik made thinks worse by suggesting that the prior information about the blast was just guess work...
Sep22-2008--there were some foreigners killed including teh czech ambassador and two US marines...
Sep22-2008--10 militants killed in bajaur conflict...
Sep22-2008--Three blast victims cousins from jhang and one from karachi
Sep22-2008--a 132 V grid station was blownup in swat
Sep22-2008--many now believe that suicide attacks in punjab are conducted by an organisation based here rather than from the troubled Fata...The News points to harkat jihadul islami of saifullah akhter..and says a new organisation name could be used as a diversion...while the BBC suggested that rogue ISI officials could be behind the blast...many point to anti PPP politicians associated with teh right wing extremists as possible perpretrators...the blast gave some politicians who were almost dead and buried teh opportunity to start their vengeful politics all over again...at least one right wing extremist TV channel hoping for further blasts started to insinute where the primeminister was...thinking at the minimum there would be public protests at least...!!
Sep22-2008--PTV's controversial chairman who was dropped from Asif Zardaris trip to the USA at the last minute said he rushed out of the mariott and left his friend inside to die...?
Sep21-2008--On a day when a new president addressed the national assembly without any fireworks a lone suicide truck bomber ran into the barrier at the marriott hotel entrance burnt into flames and detonated one of the biggest quantity of explosives killing over 50 people and destroying the hotel..this was almost the third or fourth blast at the hotel and was probably teh first to take place at night...there seemed tobe an apparent lack of preparedness and sounding the alarm and running for cover could have saved lives as could reasonable attempts at putting out the hotel fire...it again showed teh bombers in the worst possible light and there were not many supporters left for the taleban by this morning...The target was not political apart from belonging to the rich karachi mafia and probably not some sort of personal retaliation and only rekindled growing antagonism for the misguided people in Fata who many think will be behind it...many thought it could be an indian retaliation for the delhi bombings but others said that just preparing a truck for such an attack would take a long time and it probably was directed at teh zardari coronation who in his speech was against the taleban terrorism and losing sovreignity to the americans...a relatively popular stance...the taleban have been at the receiving end for some months although waziristan has relatively cooled down but the suppression of the taleban continues in swat and bajaur..obviously teh taleban have lost teh ability to recruit as many suicide bombers as before and probably have problems in delivery of explosives and getting thru to targets...rehman malik said that it ws a mix of TNT and RDX and probably around 600- 1000kg...The truck driver was probably inexperienced or he could have rammed thru at high speed thru the relatively weak barrier and hit the hotel building causing probably ten times more damage...the police obviously a generally relaxed species have tobe ever more vigilant of trucks coming from the Fata or even NWFP..teh government could order all trucks to route thru the indus highway and an automatic truck scanning system is probably also needed...contractors who need trucks could also be brought into the security net
Sep21-2008--In two attacks in north/south waziristan a suicide bomber rammed into a security convoy near norak killing seven soldiers and five civilians while a convoy hit a roadside bomb in wana...civilians died in a burning non military oil tanker
Sep21-2008--two judges from the SHC were elevated to teh SC..judge sabihuddin ahmed was teh deposed CJ and sarmad osmani had already been reappointed to teh SHC..two former judges of teh SC also took oath...In theory the independence of a judiciary should be reflective of their correct constitutional judgements which has been sadly lacking and not particular individuals as the PMLn theory goes...judges who lack independence are prone to rubber stamp government decisions and do not take the trouble to discuss or hear an issue properly...
Sep21-2008--In Bajaur 13 militants were killed in actions in mamond and khar
Sep21-2008--Asif Zardari makes a smooth address to parliament...enunciating nothing new he urged parliament to rewrite the original constitution removing army ordered debris...he somehow said that the countries integrity and sovreignity should not be harmed at teh cost of fighting terrorism..he said he had come from the death cell to the presidency....he supported renaming nwfp although he did not suggest a referendum on teh controversial issue...he supported most of his parties policy including its unpopular economics which strangely benefits only the rich...he supports ending subsidies for the people but not for the industrial and agricultural rich men that he in general seems to represent...supports making life more difficult for the ordinary consumer...he seemed to mispronounce a lot of words suggesting that he had not gone over the speech thoroughly or his teleprompter might have been causing problems...could have developed nerve problems or have some problems with his coordination while in jail...journalists seemed to dislike the idea of low cost housing for them...
Sep20-2008--The countries economy which is being run on an everchanging situation in the oil arena caused the economics minister to tell the people that subsidies have been wiped out due to falling oil prices and tobe prepared for further increases in WB/IMF directed price increases in gas and electricity...The paucity of brains in pakistans economic arena is becoming apparent even more than in the past...IMF advice is being followed without getting anything in return which is even worse than the pre 1998 economics...
Sep20-2008--Government decides to try to buy nuclear power plants from countries other than china...?...?
Sep20-2008--balochistan a seminary blewup killing six
Sep20-2008--four judges to take oath as SC judges two from deposed SHC and two from deposed SC
Sep20-2008--Chaudhry Nisar the opposition leader elected as head of the public accounts committee...chaudhry Nisar should now resign as opposition leader...The public account committee studies the details of the auditor generals reports...
Sep20-2008--eight militants killed in continuing clashes in bajaur
Sep20-2008--qaim ali shah supports selling sindhs gas resources such as the qadirpur gas field and opposes the federal minister on kalabagh...wants change in NFC despite getting much more than their share on population basis..punjab too could ask for all federal receivables such as sales tax, airlines ticketing taxes etc. tobe collected in teh punjab or islamabad...performance in what...the sindh economy...sindh wants every thing its own way whether it is NFC or water..they seem tobe getting sufficient water as their agricultural output is improving...
Sep20-2008--Wheat prices moving one way in lahore and teh other way on rest of teh country...in karachi it is Rs25 and Rs28 in peshawar..in lahore for tandoors it is Rs12.50 per kilo...one would suggest that in rabi season all the water be given to punjab so that wheat output can be raised...wheat output will only crawl up if punjab is not benefited in matters of water and other wheat inputs...million of new acres in punjab could double the wheat output if sensible water distribution is exercised... ...the governments crazy attitude that prices will change things without their being water for the fields is a time tested failure...
Sep20-2008--The rupee crossed Rs78 as the governments economic policy and management failed to stop erosion in the foreign exchange reserves and the fall of teh rupee...some respite due to teh falling oil prices might be seen in the coming weeks...
Sep20-2008--LG system being opposed by punjab and supported by sindh...primeministerial meeting to decide fate
Sep19-2008--Yusuf Raza seemingly approved an unconstitutional request by teh nwfp government for its share of profits from hydel projects...teh constitution only allows royalty payments on net profits and not net profits...how a former supreme court judge allowed net profits on arbitration is unclear...The royalty payments were capped at Rs7 billion by a former PMln government in consultation with the ANP...
Sep19-2008--The CDWP approved 51 projects of Rs238 billion with teh cost of most projects almost being doubled...the important being a Rs153 billion railway project for karachi...no project was approved for most of northern punjab...The government wants uniform loadshedding and electricity prices but not uniform development as most of the development money was earmarked for karachi and sindh...there was also very little for nwfp and balochistan with nwfp being told that all its resources were being diverted to teh bhasha dam...
Sep19-2008--former CJ of teh SHC offered a slot in SC and two more deposed SC judges to take oath soon...only a few judges of the SHC, SC and LHC now have not been reappointed...the governments new position is that only the teh CJ or CJ's committee is authorised to reappoint judges and only those that get along with Justice Dogar are being reappointed...?
Sep19-2008--The US State Department also agrees that unilateral actions serve no purpose in the Fata and afghanistan...the pakistani government takes the position that it was not informed of the latest attack and teh rules of engagement could be reviewed as government cannot close the supplies to afghanistan as they are covered by the afghan tranist trade agreement..supplies were temporarily stopped for a few hours however as the US apparently had not made the required payment of a million dollars per day
Sep19-2008--In renewed Kurram violence 14 are killed
Sep19-2008--In upper dir two militants killed as locals foiled a bid by militants to occupy a school
Sep19-2008--in swat eight kidnapped policemen freed
Sep19-2008--military engagements continued in bajaur as 11 militants killed in clashes as military moves further into newer areas of conflict
Sep19-2008--police crackdown on wajahat force members in gujerat
Sep19-2008--government pocketing 33% on petrol and around 15% on diesel products...teh government should also end all subsidies to industries such as the petroleum development levy...guranteed profits to various industries and corporations and subsidies to teh agriculture sector..for example shahbaz sharif wants to give a Rs 2 lakh subsidy to each rich agriculturist directly as he thinks that they still use khurpas instead of tractors...teh government has been doling out tractors to the rich agricultural lobby since teh sixties...
Sep19-2008--government losing around 200 million per week in forex reserves...
Sep19-2008--Enrique Penalosa a bogota mayor argues against elevated expressways, high speed highways and subways..he says the rich of lahore and bogota are similar in that they will travel in subways in paris but not in lahore..mixing with the poor is anathema to the rich in pakistan and bogota...he suggests that teh future lahore is yet tobe built and parks, walking only streets, cycle lanes, and a rapid transit bus system are the only way...a rapid transit bus system has dedicated lanes and multiple bus owners but a collective ticketing system
Sep18-2008--The government should revize downward the guaranteed high profits that it allows certain companies such as Kapco, hubco, SSGC , SNgpl, refineries and others...These profits in terms of teh gas companies are as high as 17%...since privatizing teh gas distribution companies is not necessary teh government can bring down gas prices...the gas companies make a combined profit of Rs60 billion and collect a gas surcharge of over Rs20 billion...That is literally extortion and now they want to increase gas prices further probably to build teh india gas pipeline...even teh best industries in the west make 6-8% in profits and incentives of a10% guaranteed profit should be enough...
Sep18-2008--while a US admiral was assuring pakistan that its sovreignity would not be threatened... drones bombed a mullah nazir compound in baghar cheena said to host three arabs and a container of ammunition...intelligence said it was joint effort while teh government regards it as another aspect of US boorish behaviour of saying one thing and doing another
Sep18-2008--troops moved into the war torn koza bandai region as militants withdrew under a one area agreement...army to restore electricity lines and cleanup the area of tunnels and mines
Sep18-2008--further reinforcements moved into the bajaur area as the military says it has cleared rashakai, tang khatta and kausar...fighting continued with 19 militants killed
Sep18-2008--India again accuses pakistan despite acknowledging the deep ferocity with which it deals with muslims on teh government level and the growing anti christian violence...hindus are unable to deal with issues in india as they refuse to resolve them thru talks and the government literally endorses teh fierce suppression at the public and people level...hindu violence has been particularly fierce towards three communities ie sikhs, muslims and christians with the government unable to stop the hindu communities from massacres and violence apart from state suppression of the smaller communities...
Sep18-2008--chaudhry Nisar becomes leader of the opposition and asks for seperate seats rather than be seated alphabetically
Sep18-2008--There seems tobe some fallout from teh forward blocks support for the PMLn as Najaf Sial rejoins teh main PMLq...at one time teh forward block was said to have 45 members but is now down to somewhere between 20 and thirty...The PMlq lost a lot of support initially due to the election results and than by proposing teh dirty politics of mushahid hussein as a presidential candidate...at that time they were down to around thirty members in teh punjab assembly which they now say have risen to 62 of its strength of 84...
Sep18-2008--In britain polls put teh conservatives at 52% and a sure fall for gordon brown might be round the corner..david milliband leading teh race to succeed with jack straw clinging on ...The LHC bans plastic bags and the sasti political roti kicks off in lahore
Sep18-2008--rising prices may push another 75 million peopel towards starvation says teh FAO
Sep18-2008--As the dollar slipped pass the 77 barrier another missile attack took place near angoor adda killing seven...the americans say they gave prior information of the attack while pakistanis lamely suggested that the attack came after joint intelligence discussions...pakistans sovreignity is still being attacked and many doubt the pakistan governments ability to mount missile attacks on individual targets in Fata..most missile attacks have had a negative effect and doubt about the targets validity created anti american feelings and sympathy for the taleban...there has been no effect on taleban activities in afghanistan and the general american assessment is that they have increased rather than decreased..in fact many say that taleban on both sides use the tactics of each other...afghan taleban regularly used roadside bombs while the pakistani taleban started off with a spate of suicide blasts as in iraq...while now the pakistani taleban use roadside bombs and rocket attacks...
Sep17-2008--another three judges of teh SHC take oath...
Sep17-2008--In swat the fazlullah militants have agreed to pull out of the koza bandai area...there was a suicide attack in totano bandai on a security camp with three being killed...taleban claimed killing over 20...
Sep17-2008--The issue of unrestrained american attacks of a doubtful nature remained at the center with the english agreeing that the US did not have authority to raid pakistan...The US armed forces chief also dropped in alongwith the new iraq commander..with jack straw apparently mediating the judiciary problem and the problems with the PMLn...agreement seems tobe near for the PPP to accept teh PMln government in punjab and teh PMLn to accept PPP ministers...however some in the PPP wanted to keep the pressure on teh PMLn which prepared to defend by asking 15 PMLq forward block members to resign..
Sep17-2008--The army continued its relentless attacks on bajaur killing 10...locals say that the army is not in complete control in rashakai...
Sep17-2008--The world bank which remained asleep during the musharaf reign now says that pervez elahi misused their education aid for advertisements...
Sep17-2008--Rs2 roti tandoors start in lahore with numerous administrative problems...
Sep16-2008--In swat there seems some movement to wards peace with the militants releasing 25 of 38 law enforcement personnel saying the rest would be released too...chinese they say will be held until their own captured militants are released...an agreement in swat could not be implemented as the militants strted their acticities all over again...military attacks on the koza bandai hills continued
Sep16-2008--In punjab the reduced inflows from teh chenab which india has blocked is causing alarm...pakistan has protested six times over teh past few weeks...
Sep16-2008--In the border areas reports that the US was preparing to mount a full scale invasion surfaced as US chinooks were scared away by ground firing...the US apparently moving tanks and soldiers towards teh border and some say they were planning to capture and hold some pakistani territory...reports of firing on chinooks denied by some military sources...
Sep16-2008--in what seems another effort to fool the people....teh government reduced petrol prices by 5.77% and raised diesel and kerosene prices by around 6%...The government says that there is still a subsidy on diesel and kerosene of Rs 9...however oil prices have fallen by almost 50% in world markets since teh last revision and government obviously not being honest and making price revisions politically rather than based on actual prices and logic...Since diesel prices have risen by over 70% ending teh governments supposed subsidy of Rs9 will hardly matter...
Sep16-2008--Al abraj group takes over KESC from teh floundering aljomaih group...KESC to ensure full generation and reduction in load shedding to two hours...
Sep16-2008--clashes in bajaur claim another 26 lives as the military continued to destroy hideouts...kayani says teh military coming off an almost ten year rule are willing to fight and defend our borders...under musharaf the military had become embroiled in regional internal political conflicts in a personal sense which is now being changed to a professionl need based approach
Sep16-2008--In what might be a luxury in the Rs5 per nan world the people of lahore will enjoy a Rs2 roti at over 1400 tandoors in the city which are being given floor at Rs250 per twenty kilo bag...many poor people have had to cut down on roti consumption due the escalation in atta prices by teh yusuf raza government
Sep15-2008--Pervaiz Elahi resigns as opposition leader as PMLn wants to takeover teh lead opposition role in the national assembly...rumours of a change in coalition partners rife but uncertainty lingers...in the center new ministers tobe announced with mqm and ANP wanting ministries of choice...The mqm did not handle the housing ministry very well in the past and their interest in things outside karachi is barely noticeable...
Sep15-2008--In swat a jirga met military officers for a truce but failed as military insisted on an end to militancy, clearing out of koza bandai or surrender for a ceasefire tobe effective...
Sep15-2008--21 killed in bajaur operations as military moved forward and clamped its control in some areas...
Sep15-2008--Government doubtful about increased purchase price of wheat for next season as reduced water supplies , shortage of fertilizers etc. and tremendous other subsidies and help for teh agricultural sector will make it impossible for teh government as the output is definitely going tobe less and an embarassment for teh government...it would be preferable that teh government end its useless subsidies for agriculture and have enough money to import the necessary wheat...rather than play with teh situation...it would be difficult for teh government to maintain the 300 price per 20 kg bag anyway given the dominance over the government of price manipulators, smugglers and money minters in the wheat atta supply chain...
Sep15-2008--Asif Zardari to unveil governments policies in his address to parliament which are basically a higher price for everything and refusing to tolerate militancy...
Sep15-2008--George Bush making a last ditch effort to be regarded as some sort of a success by increasing attacks on pakistan which are opposed by the pakistani leadership...he obviously has little interest left in pakistans new government and only hopes that his puppet in afghanistan survives to the end of his rule...karzai and the USA have been unable to handle the taleban militancy in afghanistan and blame pakistan for their failure...It is impossible to understand how they think that the militancy in the huge afghanistan is run by militants from the military encircled pakistani tribal area...the indians in occupied kashmir lay their hands on anyone who tries to cross over into india from pakistan...maybe they should get the indians to mann the border of afghanistan
Sep15-2008--Fehmida mirza the acting president says that teh frightened parliamentarians will start visiting the troubled tribal areas to assess damage and start reconstruction as soon as militancy is curbed...she distributed 10000 each to 200 displaced families from bajaur......
Sep15-2008--some bright spots are emtging in the economic situation with falling oil and vegetable oil prices...remiitances for teh first two months also increased by 23%...to over $1.26 billion
Sep15-2008--As both president and senate chairman left teh country at teh same time teh national assembly speaker became the acting president and was actually more active...she decided to visit bajaur but probably only ended up in peshawar and urged a soft touch for teh effectees of the war
Sep14-2008--as is usual indian mujahideen set of a series of bombs in new delhi the day after teh the US bombed out a small al badr outfit which many suggest was done on an indian request...yusuf raza and other pakistani leaders were quick in their condemnations given teh indian nature to blame pakistan...however many suggest that internal indian politics and the general anti muslim nature of indian politicians/politics might be to blame...there have been several inhuman behaviours from indians viz muslims in various areas of india and kashmir in recent history...which has evoked a muslim reaction of a similar nature
Sep14-2008--similarly an afghan governor was blownup which many suggest could be a harbinger of politics or taleban activity...many suggest that karzai could have eliminated a serious challenger for teh next president of afghanistan...
Sep14-2008--As feelings against american attacks mounted teh airforce started flights over the tribal areas and many suggest that orders to bring down any predator that does not turn back may have been issued...
Sep14-2008--The americans who have been killing ordinary peopel in larger numbers rather than any real al qaeda activists wont find or get ossama ben laden that way says the pakistan defence minister...his suggestion is that teh americans have been firing away in the hope that one will hit ossama ben laden just by chance...
Sep14-2008--the attacks on militant hideouts continued in bajaur and swat...in bajaur at least 50 militants and twenty civilians were reportedly killed...
Sep14-2008--The US is trying to write up a commando attack on pakistan territory in which the brave americans just killed ordinary women, children and civilians...such actions defeated teh us in vietnam and already has the spineless pakistanis ready to shoot down further invaders...
Sep14-2008--Poverty does not seem tobe teh cause or a factor in the rebellions in the Fata and swat...In fata their are a lot of truck owners, peopel who work in the middle east, people who have bussinesses all over pakistan, people in the armed forces etc...the poor cannot afford a kalshnikov or rocket launcher or get meaningless military training to bomb and fight...i have been impressed with the levels of roads in the tribal areas and the number of schools...why will a poor man want to destroy a school...the poor are usually not rebellious ...although some poor might be willing to blow themselves up for wealth for their families but how many can do that ..a few hundred...the government however should look into during talks to induct these tribal militants into the regular army...development in the tribal areas has been difficult due to the peoples refusal to become subjugated...but since they donot want education what else can u do for them...better health services and more job creation can be attempted if the situation reaches that stage...
Sep13-2008--In what is turning into an exercise in semantics the US openly challenged the pakistani position and fired missiles at an office of a defunct militant organization apparently killing a group of punjabis, women and childern...12 were killed in the toolkhel area of north waziristan...The military and government showed a lack of resolve and weakness akin to a very weak, ordinary and unimportant country...yusuf raza gilani confirmed that nothing would be done to restrict US missile attacks apart from political statements...others suggest that teh US is keen to cleanup small units of terrorists that they had setup themselves...the suggestion that they are acting against al qaeda seems tobe a recurrent US theme but there seems tobe little evidence of any al qaeda attacks inside afghanistan given teh dispersion of teh organization and restricting its ability to organize, acummulate funds and weapons and mount operations...there are some reports however of US drones even flying over rawalpindi...many wonder if it is not time to shoot down a US predator...?
Sep13-2008--The IAEA finally added its bit to teh the activities/blame game of the khan network completely absolving the CIA, US, european firms and engineers who provided all teh knowledge... AQ Khan was himself supposedly a metals expert...despite most of the knowledge emanating from the US, europe and china teh blame is still on the Khan network...there have been no earlier reports of supplies of huge numbers of centrifuges to libya and what they reportedly received were copies of chinese lectures and a model of a chinese warhead...The north koreans evidently had their own program and did not need any help from pakistan given their friendship to teh chinese
Sep13-2008--In bajaur 85 militants and ten civilians are killed in ongoing activities aginst militants
Sep13-2008--Inflations steady at around 35% in august...
Sep13-2008--On teh government front the new AG said that the government had to adopt the new appointment with seniority method for judges as teh PMLn backed out of a comprehensive constitutional amendment...The PPP might try for the constitutional amendment after teh March 2009 senate elections...
Sep13-2008--In punjab the PPP ministers are back in while reports suggest that the ppp will now take along teh PMLq at teh center rather than teh pMLn...
Sep13-2008--The national bank seems unable to evaluate a price for a share buyback and is to hire a foreign company as a consultant
Sep12-2008--In what can be termed as a gross abuse of gas consumers teh government has decided that pakistani gas users should pay for teh india gas pipeline as pakistans two gas distribution organisations now own teh IGPL shares...why pakistani consumers should pay for the indian pipeline is uncertain since they will not benefit financially...pakistani consumers have been billed billions for teh devlopment of gas and electricity structures which teh government will eventually privatize and not pay back to the consumers ....
Sep12-2008--In another belated response the yusuf raza regime says it supports teh ashfak kiani doctrine of defending the countries borders while turning a blind eye to US bombings and incursions and destroying the taleban infrastructure and following in the Fata...winning hearts and minds an earlier policy is obviously not on the agenda......the airforce chief has said they can protect teh border but wont until the government issues clear guidelines...the government has dropped its initial policy of encouraging negotiations until the militants stop military violations and lay down arms...Nato of which teh US is a part say they have not participated in US cross border attacks...In another development the british will urge asif zardari to allow teh US to attack FATA...In a television debate kamran shafi urged teh government to keep control of teh amount of force being used and not cooperate with US attacks for petty financial gains...while huma baqai said that the americans had proved that attacks on border afghan provinces increased with ceasefires in pakistan.. with teh situation in the tribal areas many doubt the ability of tribal militants to attack areas inside afghanistan on a consistent basis...while kaleda gjous said that ceeasefires allowed taleban to rearm..nobody yet knows the sources of arms in fata which used to come from afghanistan
Sep12-2008--In bajaur the conflict intensified as reports suggest teh killing of a hundred militants and two soldiers...the military bombed teh talebans darul khalafa in inayat kaley destroying 30 shops
Sep12-2008--The US countered aggrieved pakistanis by propaganda and suggesting that teh F-16 deal was up in teh air...obviously whether bush approved teh bombings is of little importance..admiral mullens statements were widely said to be responsible for the outrage and teh attacks and yusuf raza said petty american official statements should not worry the people...people also worry that asif zardari is cooperating with hamid karzai who said he urged attacks on pakistan two years ago...
Sep12-2008--In karachi a dilapidated federal government school roof/ wall collapsed in manora killing four children which depicted the callous nature of federal spending distribution on education
Sep12-2008--at least eight militants were killed in swat as teh conflict continued as the militants killed a cop and attacked a military base camp..and destroyed opponents homes...
Sep11-2008--In what many see as a concerted US effort to continue destabilization in pakistans tribal areas ahead of pakistans presidential elections...showing pakistans weakness and resolve to counter such US incursions/drone attacks...pakistan teh US suggests accepts US policy of attacking inside pakistans border areas...pakistan has shown a tacit understanding of US actions even going to the trouble of issuing supporting propaganda for US reasonings for the last two years...however many worry that such US attacks come whenever there is some sort of lull or calming down on the pakistan side...US attacks almost inevitably restart the cycle of taleban attacks which are being forcibly countered by the pakistan army on a large scale...The US also seems to suggest that they may have some handle over the weakness of a new president...
Sep11-2008--In contrast the PPP reacted to US attacks by an angry parliamentary debate...The COAS in a belated reaction condemned the Sep4 US actions and made it clear that they might resort to defend pakistans sovreignity...the rules of engagement he suggests donot allow the US to cross teh border...why pakistan has shown acceptability it seems is due to its weakness in the financial arena..since the pitiable USaid has become meaningless they just might retaliate first mildly and than seriously...US has come sort of UN cover for its afghan presence but none for its actions against pakistan wherever they might be...
Sep11-2008--In an ugly attack militants or people from afghanistan raided a mosque and threw hand grenades and fired at people in the process of traveeh prayers in upper dir near the afghan border killing 12 and injuring many others
Sep11-2008--On the political front the coalition between teh PMLn and PPP seems almost over with the PMLn sitting in the opposition and demanding that chaudhry nisar be made the opposition leader in the national assembly...In the punjab the PPP ministers are clinging to their positions as their removal could trigger a fight for teh right to govern punjab...The PMln depends on the illegal forward block of teh PMLq and teh PPP too might or could form a government with a PMLn forward block and the pMLq...!!...Chaudhry nisar says they will continue their issue based ugly politics and not cooperate fully...PPP at teh center will thus be pushed into an even tighter embrace with mqm and teh fata mna's...In a final war the PPP could end up losing at the center with a PMLn-PMLq coalition...?Others suggest that the PMLn might turn into a tacit cooperative partner viz the MMA in the previous regime
Sep11-2008--In bajaur the army retook lowi sam and rashakai which had emerged as power centers for the taleban killing 20 militants witharmy also reportedly suffering losses
Sep11-2008--In swat eleven militants were killed as the military targeted suspected hideouts
Sep11-2008--In a warning to nwfp tariffs to ajk raised by upto 170% ending soft tariffs in lieu for the mangla dam electricity
Sep11-2008--ANP legislator shot dead in haripur
Sep11-2008--four midlevel alqaeda workers killed in attack on jalaluddin haqqani home...al qaeda is literally dormant and the attacks only fuel fire in pakistani taleban since it seems impossible for them tobe active in afghanistan
Sep11-2008--In parachinar eight killed in tribal warfare
Sep11-2008--After police proved that the zero point exchange was useless the primminister set to inaugurate despite paucity of funds...islamabad the only place in pakistan after karachi to have development funds of any significance
Sep10-2008--Asif zardari took oath as president amid chants of the PPP's new and old slogans...on the other hand teh yusuf raza regime raised electricity prices by upto 40% fearful that falling oil prices may make the government look a bit stupid...others chipped in with teh comments that the people obviously dont sell electricity so this attempt to raise prices and increase inflation seems tobe misdirected and the governments anti people economics stance became increasingly apparent...the government with its huge revenues seems unable to develop a popular economic strategy in development especially in the people related arena...
Sep10-2008--Asif Zardari made the strange suggestion that he will be subservient to parliament...That seems obviously in sharp contrast to the yusuf raza system in which parlliament is literally nothing else but a speech making place with little or no powers other than rubber stamping party policy...even teh islamabad high court seems to have more powers in studying teh governments economic decisions...while an ordinary individual might be able to move teh supreme court on an issue he cannot probably even access the countries parlaiment in any way...
Sep10-2008--George Bush raised the unpopular view that the pakistan army and government might have asked for US assistance in bombing individual places in Fata thru literally using internet maps and direct CIA approval from washington of the places to hit...however asif zardari said that the americans were killing innocents...
Sep10-2008--militants kill five in swat as an exodus continues from upper swat as the clashes continue...
Sep10-2008--Bush asks Zardari to disregard popular opinion which is probably already a plank of the Yusuf Raza regime...Yusuf Raza asks Zardari to address parliament
Sep10-2008--Asif Zardari takes oath as president of pakistan...The first president who seems tobe the leader of the governing party and having some cort of cordial relations with the countries other major parties...before presidents have been stop gap arrangements who have had little or no personal power barring teh coup plotters who enjoyed the controversial blessings of the army... all presidents upto now have been unable to get along with everyone barring their own supporters..asif zardari moved in with his small family..security wise and financially teh country is in terrible shape and only sindh seems to have some provincial development program while even the center seems tobe running on a stop gap system with no implementation of party or personal policy...yusuf raza seems tobe dragging along the previous governments program and seems to have no idea about any overall policy or program...politics is the only thing moving in the country since the elections...things have been on hold due to the judges issue and removal of musharaf and hopefully teh government can get on with at least appointments to major positions...nawaz sharif seemed relaxed in his meetings with asif zardari for teh first time and declined to rejoin the cabinet or be present at teh oath taking leaving to see his ailing wife in london...The PPP which has been hanging on in the punjab seems reluctant to leave teh coalition like teh PMLn in teh center...they regard being in government in the punjab as important despite an uneasy sense that the punjab seems to have no real program for development despite supposedly heavier transfers financially from teh center...The punjab must quickly decide on the local government system and either call a new KLG election or change the LG system...
Sep09-2008--The US says that there have been dramatic escalation in operations from the pakistani side on the border despite their own controversial and destabilizing one sided attacks...The government seems divided on taking action to stop supplies if teh uS does not stop uncooperative meaningless attacks...talks of stopping supplies to teh US in afghanistan were said tobe one of teh actions pakistan might take and teh airforce chief said the government would have to decide policy for teh airforce to take decisive action against american incursions into pakistani sovreignity...oil tankers were stopped for a few hours after teh road to jamrud became unsecure and at least one report of an attack on a tanker in balochistan...
Sep09-2008--The US again attacked a seminary in dandi derpakhel north waziristan killing 23 including arabs and famility members of jalaludin haqqani...this was the seventh US incursion in the last ten days and the death toll rose to 61 in teh attacks...jalaluddin haqqani is said to be a dormant taleban leader and earlier his seminary was said tobe empty...pakistan almost at a loss on how to stop teh callous US attacks
Sep09-2008--security personnel caught hold of a fourteen year old suicide bomber in nowshera a major military cantonement
Sep09-2008--clashes in kurram continue with eleven killed despite claims of a truce
Sep09-2008--PMLn candidate urges CEC to take notice of a meaningless showing of ballots by some members of teh nwfp assembly...seemingly the members showed that they did not require their own ballots tobe secret or were mocking observers or monitors...
Sep09-2008--The government still made over Rs70 billion in taxes during 2007-8 on petroleum products after minusing out the supposed subsidies...
Sep09-2008--Asif zardari might first take off to china to get investment in thar coal and encourage them to buy the qadirpur gas field in sindh...
Sep09-2008--Shahbaz sharif who has seemingly better relations with the PPP than his party might have to seek the support of PMLq volunteers who would than have to be kicked out of the assembly if PPP falls out of government and he has to seek a vote of confidence...the PMLn on the other hand seems ready to seek a coalition with the pMlq in that case most of whose members have nawaz sharif sympathies despite having been in teh musharaf government for the last ten years...
Sep9-2008--The Islamabad high court stays electricity tariff hike in nwfp..government wants nwfp to pay a higher tariff due to higher losses and overall the government wants the people to pay for setting up more power plants...
Sep7-2008--The country has probably suffered more from its internal wars than the 1965 war...the war between the beaurocracy and politicians which turned into the war between the army and the politicians and later into the army versus the populace...The war with the russians turned into the war with the mullahs which turned into the war with the militants and thus with almost teh first open election for president taking place many forgot the 1965 war in the recent disasters of bombings...remembering wars has positive and negative aspects as people negatively build up individuals...the election saw asif zardari change his image into a diplomat and problem solver whatever teh PMLn might say and that garnered him almost all the votes in the three smaller provinces as well as extra votes in parliament...the punjabi image cornered in teh punjab assembly retaliated in a way and literally voted for the PMLn candidate...The constitution was successful as it gave the smaller powers relatively equal powers in teh presidential election...maybe sindh should now accept the division of finances on a population basis with adjustments for local resources...obviously nwfp and balochistan need tobe compensated politically and financially and hopefully asif zardari can see to that while he still has the powers in the financial,defence and foreign affairs fields due to teh seventeenth amendment...obviously the motorway should be expanded to balochistan and onto gwader on a fast track basis...sindh also should not see development in the punjab always in a negative light...Benazirs daughters pushed their way into the limelight standing with zardari in his first speech...
Sep7-2008--In the peshawar suicide bombing a cruel reminder of the directionless terrorists inside teh country teh death toll rose to 30...The militants in darra admakhel claimed responsibility for the mayhem and destroyed buildings...
Sep7-2008--The government mindful of the fragility of relations with teh uSA quickly ended teh stoppage of oil tankers plying to afghanistan amid reports of three attacks on tankers...as teh US apparently gave $365 million for the armies efforts in subduing the fata rebellion
Sep7-2008--In mianwali another disaster took the lives of eighteen children as a school van fell into a canal
Sep7-2008--The countries wheat prices should not match landed price of importe wheat as it includes transportation.. a price of Rs1000 per 40 kg is way too high and will only cause inflation and only make teh big landlord and wadera richer...the small landholder only grows for his own stomach...creating problems just for the poor in teh country should not be a government aim...since 1964 we have seen teh governmment increase prices again and again and only for two or three years has their been autarky in wheat...in the same way the government has played catchup with foreign loans in the economic fields which can at best be regarded as a consistent failure in economic policy
Sep7-2008--Bomb blast in peshawar outskirts kills 15 and damages nearby shops
Sep7-2008--Asif Zardari wins 11th presidential election by sweeping sindh, balochistan and nwfp assemblies and getting a whopping 281 votes in parliament to 111 for teh PMLn...only losing in the punjab assembly where he got 123 to saeeduz zaman siddiqi's 200....PMLq overwhelmingly seeming to support zardari in parliament and PMLn in the punjab assembly...possibility of PPP dropping out of the meaningless coalition in the punjab and the PMLn rejoining at the center...
Sep6-2008--Election for pakistans 11th president tobe held today...asif zardari has worked to get considerable support in three provincial assemblies and he is expected to lose only in the punjab assembly...In the parliament he is expected to get around 224 votes plus any PMlq and JUIF portion of MMA votes...
Sep6-2008--Three SC judges retake oath and join the supreme court while former CJ and two judges rejoin the PHC...Naek urges iftikhar mohammed chaudhry to rejoin as a judge and retain dogar as CJ...iftikhar adamant as two judges from sindh also tobe elevated to SC...
Sep6-2008--In the wake of strong sentiments in parliament against teh US ground attack pakistan stopped fuel supplies to US forces in afghanistan on fears of security...
Sep6-2008--another predator attack by the US killed three children and two women in north waziristan
Sep6-2008--The independent minded CJCOSC General Tariq majid has called teh uS ground attack callous and wanton saying such attacks alienate locals and cause further problems...
Sep6-2008--IMF says pakistan needs major infusion of funds while another report says that pakistan wont be able to meet economic targets this year...the only positive is the reduction by 17% in gasoline consumption...
Sep6-2008--a bomb attack near mastung suspended rail traffic to iran
Sep6-2008--Nawaz sharif seems to suggest that confrontation will create further turmoil...confrontation started by nawaz sharif with his deadlines and cabinet droppings and rejoinings...The PMLn has worked to breakaway disenchanted PMLq members in teh punjab and even claim the support of nine PPP members for their presidential candidate
Sep6-2008--Punjab bans disbursements and approvals of zakat and baitul maal...?
Sep5-2008--The pakistani parliament showed courage in passing a resolution against american incursions into the border areas in contrast to the army which rarely makes any move against american actions...since pakistan is supposedly an ally such actions are even more reprehensible and can easily destablize a government..pakistan has not agreed to any such rules of engagement and there were no reports of any attacks on american troops since none are stationed on teh border...The parliament has shown that it has a voice and one would also suggest that it discuss situations such as the power crisis and teh yusuf raza regimes almost utter failure in teh economic arena...
Sep5-2008--In another american missile attack five militants who could be foreigners killed in an attack on the village of momadkhel
Sep5-2008--In swat the military gunship attacks killed another 17 militants and nine civilians in koza bandai
Sep5-2008--Fata senators and mna's refuse to support asif zardari saying he could not arrange a ceasefire in Fata
Sep5-2008--On judges front lawyers attacked teh SC building in islamabad while three PHC judges including former CJ Tariq Pervez reported tobe taking oath on friday
Sep5-2008--The bullet shots on the primeministers empty car seem to suggest that either teh car was moving very slowly or at least two seperate gunmen fired shots..others are suggesting that the shots could have been fired by a security official to test the cars bullet proof screen and teh attack theory could be a coverup...no attempt was made by any security official to get out of teh car and try to go after teh shooters...?
Sep5-2008--After teh indian government actively supported the blockading of kashmir by hindus the pakistani foreign secretary suggested talks on immediate intra kashmir trade
Sep5-2008--government making attempts to end the circular debt amongst power sector companies of around Rs400 billion...government to deduct at source electricity bills of government organizations and provinces..government also has fired PSO and OGDCL bosses who had been restricting power production...earlier teh PEPCO boss was fired for refusing to give KESC electricity as it refused to pay its bills as teh north is already suffering a huge shortfall and is still forced to give electricity to karachi......
Sep5-2008--Sindh government pardons akhter mengal's guards who apparently kidnapped two soldiers
Sep5-2008--Army also to raise funds thru sellof of expensive land under its control to fund new GHQ which was apparently being built due to the former COAS's security problems
Sep5-2008--three killed in continuing kurram clashes
Sep5-2008--Asif zardari runs down teh areas between rawalpindi and lahore as having more power and being anti democratic than other areas..most seats in teh area were won by nawaz sharif in this elections despite the PPP having steady support in the area...the only two peopel from teh area in important slots of power have been nawaz sharif, teh first PPP president,teh three month premier shujaat and a trio of army chiefs...teh rulers for the last ten years have been from karachi and now one is from southern punjab and the other position is going to a sindhi for the first time...one thinks that asif zardari seems to have made a wrong analysis
Sep5-2008--SBP governor says PPP regime also to offload state units and restart privatisation to reduce deficits..,earlier privatisation has shown no realistic gains...government should reduce spending to zero to solve its monetary problems...
Sep5-2008--Fata mna's and senators not to support asif zardari says a tv report
Sep4-2008--In what many regard as a coordinated move to destablize teh yusuf raza government US forces mounted a needless ground assault on a village near angoor adda and killed upto 20 civilians mostly women and children...it seems obvious that pakistans 100000 forces are not appropriately placed to prevent US attacks whether from helicopters , the ground or predators...obviously teh US mounted a cowardly attack to show the pakistanis their ability but it only boomeranged as US intelligence as usual was faulty...pakistan protested verbally a bit more toughly than usual but yusuf raza remained silent on the issue...the military said it could retaliate but did'nt...pakistan will have to take tough actions to restrict missile, predator and ground/ air attacks from afghanistan...otherwise its military and government will start to lose credibilty...earlier the US stooge in pakistan suffered considerable credibility problems amongst his own supporters after supposedly uncoordinated US drone /missile attacks in tribal areas...
Sep4-2008--In another development two apparent bullets struck teh primeministers car as it went towards the airport...
Sep4-2008--In swat the military offensive continued with bombings of koza banda and other areas...thirty militants, six civilians and two security personnel were killed...
Sep4-2008--US showed concern at bullets fired but not its own violent activities ....
Sep4-2008--35 police cadets going to their hangu college kidnapped
Sep4-2008--two women who were killed by head injuries with stones and wooden sticks were recovered from a two feet deep grave in bab kot area of nasirabad...peopel involved are being apprehended
Sep4-2008--In the landikotal area militants attacked a checpost and kidnapped six officials...
Sep4-2008--In teh senate teh senate opposition leader cut a sorry figure as he tried to chastize teh acting senate chairman for meeting asif zardari and deciding to violate party discipline in presidential voting...as kamil ali agha walked out only a few senators went with him...PMLn mounted a strong plea against destabilization of an aparently minority PPP government at teh center
Sep4-2008--Naek denies government hand in an attempt to restart cases by NAB against teh sharif brothers...naek recalled teh sharif brothers ehtesab bureau which initiated numerous cases againt asif zardari...senate and PPP to end NAB and leave accountability cases or political cases to normal courts...
Sep4-2008-- clashes in kurram continue with 21 dead
Sep4-2008--the government which is literally unsure of what it is doing in terms of economic policy has constituted another huge committee of experts...earlier it had formed another committee of economic experts...It is also showed it is unsure of its actions in case of NCHD and its new talpur committee now reccommends that community feeder schools be allowed in twenty districts...funding from US is supposedly expected even though until now all funding came from teh pakistan government...NCHD which is supposedly tobe community based seemed to have huge unnecessary overheads and 80000 useless employees...experts of the military era are making their way into PPP committees...
Sep4-2008--four militants killed in bajaur in military attacks
Sep4-2008--Rupee crosses Rs77 to teh dollar
Sep3-2008--swat militants claim capture of Zong engineers from lower dir...military continued to pound peochar and gut considered hideouts of the swat militants..15 killed..taleban say eight civilians killed...six shops in matta bazaar belonging to an Anp member blownup...a traffic cop and schoolteacher killed by taleban
Sep3-2008--clashes continue in kurram kiilling eight...
Sep3-2008--balochistan militants observe truce and no violent incident reported
Sep3-2008--The duality between the PPP and the PMLn continues with the PMLn completely trashing the murree declaration by opting out of the federal coalition and urging the PPP to end teh coalition in the punjab...while asif zardari seems out of teh fray yusuf raza and sherry rehman say they are still maintaining teh coalition in punjab and have no problems with shahbaz..they suggest that judges reinstatement was torpedoed by a refusal to take a new oath by the judges...?many others suggest that teh PMln deadlines were not implementable and that Nawaz sharif was just playing brinkmanship hoping to frighten a PPP avoiding tough attitudes and tactics......Nawaz sharif suggests that teh PPP coalition will crumble onits own while NAB wants to restart cases against Nawaz sharif whose allies have been trashing the NRA which was enacted by the PMLq even though Benazir was willing to come back without it..Nawaz Sharif planning to run for an NA seat...while Yusuf raza plans to end teh 17th amendment but not teh Nov3 actions...Yusuf Raza's survival many suggest depends on the removal of the 58-2b condition as in the past even same party presidents have fallen apart on many issues...
Sep3-2008--two dacoits burnt alive in karachi as karachiites start playing the lynch teh robber
Sep3-2008--Rs 457 billion was transferred to the provinces in 2007-8 with little output from provincial governments..Shahbaz sharif recently allocated Rs50 crores for foreign education which one must say is a waste of resources..
Sep2-2008--The army says attacks on bajaur militants served teh purpose with militants suffering huge losses and preventing an area from developing into a nogo al qaeda fortress ...military also assumes that numerous al qaeda leaders and militants have gone back to afghanistan which is presumably safer...while military says there was no trace of top al qaeda leaders rehman malik says there have been sightings of ayman al zawahiri and a raid could not net them...there have been complaints about army attacks that killed civilians and destroyed their property and there has been a huge migration from bajaur...
Sep2-2008--police exhume bodies of two women killed and buried in baba kot,nasirabad...one had her skull broken while the other had been shot...
Sep2-2008--six tribes of lower kurram announce a ceasefire...turis claim to have captured huge bangash territories...
Sep2-2008--In another move baloch militant groups suspended militant activities..in response to government moves...they suggested govt end building military cantonements and other projects and that spies would be dealt with...baloch militant groups have been against development projects on the misguided premise that they would be used to bring in punjabi settlers and administrators...asif zardari takes credit for halting tribal militancy and halting baloch secessionist moves...
Sep2-2008--In bajaur a lashkar set fire to 18 militant homes and a presumed military mortar hit a home killing eight...
Sep2-2008--Asif zardaris presidential hopes were further strengthened by teh support of eight PMLq senators and mna's....
Sep2-2008--Sindh protests 45% higher Nepra tariff for sindh and Kesc due presumably to exceptionally higher losses in karachi and interior sindh...
Sep2-2008--the tribals brought trouble to islamabad as they caused teh worst possible traffic blockage at faizabad as prachinaris demoed teh blockage of roads in their areas...
Sep2-2008--sales at utility stores triple on minor price reductions...utility stores have been empty and lifeless since their prices started to match bazaar prices
Sep1-2008--over 95 die in kurram's turi-bangash clashes..three suicide bombers attacked turi positions in occupied bangash land...
Sep1-2008--Yusuf Raza succeeds in calming down baloch allies as a reluctant,stiff and autocratic governor looks on...some movement has been made in calming down warring sardars of various tribes
Sep1-2008--In north waziristan a missile strike killed six...
Sep1-2008--The mangal bagh lashkar vacated the landi kotal area after warnings and clashes with the administration
Sep1-2008--In bajaur a tribal lashkar attacked militants as the military continued to bomb various areas..six soldiers released as military announced a ramazan cessation of hostilities..as six militants were killed as they tried to avoid detection by travelling in a river bed
Sep1-2008--In occupied kashmir the beleagured muslim government gave in and let hindus use state land that had caused violent muslim protests...the manmohan regime had refused to force an end to a hindu boycott of kashmir and attacks on muslims in jammu while the muslim protests were violently crushed...
Sep1-2008--two chinese engineers missing in tribal areas
Sep1-2008--There have been protests in teh senate as teh supposedly brave baloch shot dead and buried apparently alive girls who wanted to marry their own choices
Sep1-2008--The economically muddled yusuf raza gilani suggests that electricity prices are being raised on teh demands of the WB and IMF...The government should use budgetary allocations for the best interests of the people whether they be development(nil) or subsidies(nil)...Yusuf Raza has economically only benefited teh rich communities and paid no heed to the problems that he is creating for the populace by his one point agenda of price hikes and tax hikes...wapda could easily pay its bills if it had not been farcically divided and teh government had not refused to build power stations..in any case wapda is a Rs.400 billion concern and should not have too many problems if run appropriately...
Sep1-2008--Imran khan and mushahid hussein have mounted a vile and dirty campaign against teh election of asif zardari who supporters say is teh only candidate with a wide base of support and will get around 450 votes in an electoral college of around 1100..imran khan and sheikh rashid vow to continue undermining the elected president even after the elections...it seems that teh PPP has made the right decision in not quickly reinstating teh judiciary although it has caused teh coalition to fall...things could happen after the elections with teh probability of the punjab PMlq trying to join the punjab government and teh PPP also trying teh same thing if cooperation with the PMln ends totally...PMLq has openly shown that it could move to either side if offered the punjab chief ministership...shabaz sharif seen to depend on the PMlq forward block for survival...The PPP could also try to get teh PMLq to join teh federal government although the behaviour of the PMlq in teh presidential elections points against that scenario...