From the monthly archives:

May 2009

Pakistan says no to Tobacco !

by Sana Saleem on May 31, 2009

According to research over one million people die every year in Pakistan as a result of tobacco intake.  WHO states :

Tobacco is the leading preventable cause of death. More than 1.2 million people die every year in South-East Asia Region due to tobacco use. The
wide-spread use of tobacco products in the Region has resulted from unrestricted use of marketing tools by the tobacco industry, the addictive nature of nicotine and the lack of knowledge about the harmful effects of tobacco products among tobacco users and non-users in the form of second-hand tobacco smoke. The lack of regulation of the tools of a product that kills half of its users has exposed the population to the misinformation of the tobacco industry about the suitability of their products.

The Pakistan Health Ministry issued strict warnings in accordance to smoking in Public areas. According to reports pictorial warnings will be diaplayed across the Country at Public Places. Furthermore Pakistan Railway has pledged to make trains a non smoking zone. In Pakistan specially among the youth ’sheesha’ smoking has become a fashion statement or more of  the usual. However health care professionals continue to warn about health risks with respect to sheesha smoking , according to them  ‘sheesha’ is an equivalent of a 100 puffs of ciggerate.Despite of  the health concerns sheesha places have become the new hang out spot for the youth. WHO calls for immediate action:

Call for action

PLACING PICTURE WARNINGS ON ALL TOBACCO PRODUCTS IS AN APPROPRIATE AND HIGHLY COST-EFFECTIVE WAY TO WARN CONSUMERS ABOUT THE RISKS OF TOBACCO AND TO REDUCE TOBACCO CONSUMPTION

Call to policy-makers

* Promote your country’s accession to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, whose Article 11 guidelines lay out the elements of effective tobacco health warnings.

* Use the MPOWER package — specifically, the “W”, which stands for “Warn about the dangers of tobacco” — to counter the tobacco epidemic and to help countries meet their commitments under the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control.

* Require by law that all tobacco products display large picture warnings about the harm caused by tobacco and its many other negative consequences.

* Build on the experiences of other countries to craft the most effective warnings and implement them for the greatest possible impact.

* Base your decisions on impartial scientific evidence, not on the claims of the tobacco industry. Tobacco companies oppose strong health warnings, particularly those with pictures. The arguments they use against health warnings are false and should not be relied upon.

Call to civil society and nongovernmental organizations

* Advocate for picture-based warnings on all tobacco products.

* Campaign for and help to develop and implement laws that require picture-based warnings on tobacco products.

* Act as a watchdog to monitor tobacco-industry packaging strategies and compliance with statutory warnings.

* Evaluate and share information about the effectiveness of picture warnings.

Call to the public

* Demand your right to know the truth — the whole truth — about the dangers of tobacco use and exposure to second-hand tobacco smoke.

* Let everyone know that you support picture warnings.

According to a Report by Dawn   Pakistani’s spend approximately Rs1.2bn on Tobacco every year. This money could very well be used for something constructive. Donating to our fellow Pakistani’s in swat perhaps?  Tobacco is costing us our health and wealth while we whine about poverty and various issues. Smoking is one thing that is well under our control and it should be tackled in order to reduce tobacco intake and for a healthier and shall I say comparatively wealthier society ?.  So if your a smoker rather than fatiguing your lung with all the tar and carbon monoxide do something constructive for yourself and for others, this money could very well be used to feed the needy!

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Made in USA arms used in Swat by Terrorists

by MJK on May 29, 2009

Seems the director of Iron Man had some real intelligence into the mess that Americans created in Afghanistan when he showed that Americans weapons were supplied to both Talibans and American military to keep the US arms manufacturers in business.

Today ISPR head General Athar Abbas made the accusations that American supplied weapons have been caught in Swat and that they have been used against Pakistani security forces. The claim is the first one from the official spokesmen of Pakistan strong military. Traditionally, Pakistani military do not make such accusations against any other country directly and refer the case to concerned ministry to handle it. The direct accusations coming out from the ISPR suggests the gravity of the situation.

The case of American weapons leaking to insurgents is not a new one. New York Times has recently reported that American supplied weapons in active use of Talibans in Afghanistan were identified by its reporter. According to New York Times story:

Arms and ordnance collected from dead insurgents hint at one possible reason: Of 30 rifle magazines recently taken from insurgents’ corpses, at least 17 contained cartridges, or rounds, identical to ammunition the United States had provided to Afghan government forces, according to an examination of ammunition markings by The New York Times and interviews with American officers and arms dealers.
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Amnesty International: Irene Khan answers Questions

by Sana Saleem on May 29, 2009

Amnesty International is a Global movement of Humanitarians not bound to borders of territories. Previously I have appreciated and blogged about Amnesty’s Vision and Universal Declaration. Being an International member I have been quite active in taking up appeals and acting on human right violation alerts by Amnesty. Among the most commendable ones is Amnesty’s voice against Human right violation in Guantanamo Bay, Gaza Conflict and of course their constant efforts towards freedom of speech by speaking against imprisonment of journalist like Rozanne Sabri.

This being part of the reason why I hoped to the opportunity in asking a direct question to Irene Khan Secretary General of Amnesty International . She was live at the BBC World Have Your Say show talking about Amnesty International’s annual report and taking up questions.

My Question To Irene:

Irene Khan on Pakistan Crisis.mp3

With that I am hoping that Amnesty continues to highlight humanitarian crisis in Pakistan which will allow attention and aid. Here’s urging everyone to join in as International Members and get Your passport to human rights , As I have mine :D

Questions continued to pour in through Blog,twitter and phone calls and Irene elaborated on Amnesty’s stance various issues. Amnesty’s International report 2009 is out and highlights whereas issues

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=roMSUYgctng]

The annual report can be bought or downloaded here:

Amnesty International Annual Report 2009

The report emphasizes that:

  • “The world needs a different kind of leadership, a different kind of politics as well as economics – something that works for all and not just for a favoured few.”
  • “…the G-20 must subscribe to global values and confront their own tarnished records and double standards on human rights.”
  • “Governments should invest in human rights as purposefully as they are investing in economic growth.”
  • “We also “demand dignity” for prisoners of poverty so that they can change their own lives.”

Amnesty’s Annual report pays strong emphasis on Empowering the world’s poor demanding dignity for them. Amnesty’s updates regarding the situation in Pakistan with respect to trapped civilians in Malakand division states:

“The thousands of people in Malakand, who have not been able to flee, now face a major humanitarian crisis,” said Sam Zarifi, Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific director. “The Taleban have shown no regard for their safety and well-being, but now the army seems to be pursuing a scorched earth policy.”

“The Pakistani military should act immediately to help civilians reach safety, and to ensure that food, fuel, and medical supplies reach those still trapped in Malakand,” said Sam Zarifi.

Meanwhile, residents told Amnesty International that Taleban insurgents have used health facilities, schools, and residential areas to hide and launch attacks from, thus knowingly drawing a military response from the Pakistani military.

“The Pakistani government seems to relax the curfew at times to get civilians away from fighting,” said Sam Zarifi. “But even after the civilians have left, the warring sides have to avoid targeting civilian objects like hospitals and schools.”

Here’s hoping that Amnesty International will continue to highlight the Humanitarian Crisis in Pakistan and gather the attention of teh Global community. We need to rehabilitate these people and have them sent to their homes at the earliest. the global community is requested to participate in aiding those effected by the ongoing military operation in Pakistan’s Norther areas.

The rest of the Broadcast can be heard here:

whys_20090528-1900b.mp3

Act Now : Global Themes For Action

Special thanks to the BBC World Have Your Say team for being extremely co-operative and giving me and others the chance to get our Queries across.Read their Blog for upcoming discussions and get your opinion heard!

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Fazlullah is for Sale at Rs. 50 Million

by MJK on May 29, 2009

The Interior Ministry has raised the head money for those who provide information that results in capturing or killing of Fazlullah, the commander of terrorists of Swat. Previously, Fazlullah was expected to be sold at Rs. 5 million but looking at the demand of this precious commodity, the government decided to raise the stakes.

For the success of any such program, the government has to first develop the credibility of it. Unless people are very much sure that their information will be strictly kept confidential and that they will not have to pass the red tapism to get the prize money, all such programs are doomed to fail.

With a price tag of 50 million, i wonder if someone will come out to give information about the possible location of the terrorist commander Fazullah of Swat?

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Crying wolf are we?

by Sana Saleem on May 26, 2009

Fierce fighting continues in the streets of Mingora. The Pakistan army is battling the Taliban , the enemy from with in. The familiar notorious history of the Taliban needs no repetition. Irrespective of the past the military woes to swipe the Talibans and end the regime. To a lay man all this means a possible ray of hope for peace.

According to the UNHCR about 2.5 million people have been displaced from the war zone. These people are now living in tents dependent on aid from national and international sources. Among these people are children, elderly, women and men. Among many of them are pregnant women and patients in need of severe medical attention. Humanitarians from around the world are working towards rehabilitation of these individuals. Despite constant efforts many are still in need of dire help. Around 80% people are known to be unregistered which makes them void to any kind of relief good. Volunteers have grouped up on self help basis providing relief for the inaccessible. Donation pleas are being highlighted while fears of more influx of people rises. Hashim khan is a 27 year old cancer patient lying in a camp based in a school in Peshawar. Hashim has been on chemotherapy for 2 months and requires immediate medical attention. He is among the many others who await for help before death. The stories of many other victims are still unheard. It will not be far fetched to assume that many horrors  remain bottled up among these victims of war.

Amid the crisis, on the 23rd of May’09 a protest was held at superhighway Karachi. Political workers gathered holding party flags and flaunting play cards. The spokesperson blatantly addressed the media with their ‘demands’. Were they protesting against the Governments negligence? Or for the failure of relief good reaching the unregistered? Or was it a voice against the severe curfew timings which isn’t allowing the influx of trapped civilians. No. An unfortunate disclosure brings us to the actual demand from these people. A protest held against the influx of victims of swat war in to Karachi. According to the much enlightened spokesman from Jiyay Sindh the influx of the displaced is a ‘conspiracy’ against those residing in Sindh. A conspiracy to turn them in to a ‘minority’ .Their demand was the removal of any such camps within and hour or a forced removal otherwise. Pity me but I couldn’t help being disgusted by the political circus. While our country bleeds and our assets destroyed we still cant stop crying wolf. The minority phobia shall prevail in Karachi and drown the least bit of humanity with it. As much as I would like those who lie homeless to be able to return back home I still don’t hold the courage to paint my fears over the pleas of those most effected by the ongoing military operation.

The talibans,India,America or Israel will never be able to harm us because indifference has already marked us dead. Indifference to each other’s pain. The growing fetish for conspiracy that has marred humanity among us. We need no Taliban’s for the barbarousness is inborn among many. This Sir is the sad face of our society and there we are fetching for foreign hands trying to destabilize our Country. No one needs to destabilize us while we struggle to paint our own pictures of Unity and democracy. Hashim and many others will perhaps have to wait till some of us fight our inferiority complexes and learn to look at the larger picture. For all those who think differently please try and create enough resources for these people so that they don’t need to flee yet again. Make enough donations that the camps can be established in places of convenience. Run pleas for donations with the same force you use to terrorize people. Let’s not halt the ways of humanity and snap out of our self centered lives. Let not the political circus overlook the fact that the world’s second largest humanitarian crisis has hit home. Let their be peace Just this once !

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‘Go Taliban Go’ rally at Lahore on June 2

by Mansoor Ehsan on May 25, 2009

After Jamat e Islami demonstrated a good support for Taliban on the weekend, another section of Ulema have announced to start a drive AGAINST Taliban. The ‘Go Taliban Go’ drive was announced in “Save Pakistan conference” led by Dr. Sarfraz Naeemi of Jamia Naeemia. The Ulema decided to take out a rally in the city on June 2 in support of Swat military operation against the Taliban miscreants.

The itenrary was announced by rally being taken out from Data Darbar and would end up to the Regal Chowk on The Mall. All of the Ulema present in the conference were of the strong opinion that Swat operation should be completed with its logical end. Putting weight behind the Swat operation, they also accused entities supporting Taliban and termed it against country’s solidarity. They also accused and challenged Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat-e-Muhammadi (TNSM) chief Maulana Sufi Muhammad who stated Pakistan as Un-Islamic and maligned two nation theory. Other Ulema present at the conference were Syed Mahfooz Mashhadi, Maulana Hanfi Saifi, Maulana Moinuddin, Shahid Husain Gardezi and others.

[Via: Dawn.com]

Do you support “Go Taliban Go” rally and tell us if you plan to participate?

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Pakistan and Iran Sign Peace Pipeline Agreement

by Owais Ehsan on May 24, 2009

Its been a long journey, but finally Pakistan and Iran signed an initial agreement on the Peace Pipeline accord. This comes at a time when Pakistan is gripped in security and economic turmoil. According to the initial design of the project, the 2,700 kilometre-long pipeline would cover around 1,100 kilometres in Iran, 1000 kilometres in Pakistan and around 600 kilometres in India, and the size of the pipeline was estimated to be 56 inches in diameter. Dawn news has the full story on this;

The project, termed as the peace pipeline by officials from both countries, has been signed by President Zardari and President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad of Iran on the sidelines of the tripartite summit on Afghanistan security in Tehran.

However, talking to the Iranian official news agency IRNA the Iran’s Oil Ministry had said that negotiations on the ‘Peace Pipeline’ project were still underway between Iranian and the Pakistani delegations, which would allow Iran’s gas to be exported to Pakistan.

The Pakistani delegation negotiating the project was led by the advisor to the prime Minister on Petroleum Dr Asim Hussain, who is accompanied by petroleum ministry officials and a technical team headed the managing director Inter State gas Systems (ISGC), Syed Hasan Nawab.

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Saeed Ajmal’s Bowling Action Cleared

by Owais Ehsan on May 24, 2009

Pakistan received a big boost before their departure for the 20-20 world cup , when Saeed Ajmal , thee controversial off spinner was cleared by a bio mechanic. This is a very good news for Pakistan cricket, as now Saeed Ajmal would be able to participate in the Worldcup , also he would be allowed to play all international games.

“We have received a report from biomechanic expert Bruce Elliott in which Ajmal’s action while bowling a contentious delivery has been cleared,” Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) director operations Zakir Khan told a foreign news agency.

The 33-year-old spinner’s action while bowling doosra — an Urdu and Hindi term, meaning “other”, for the off-spinner’s version of a googly — was reported by the umpires during the second one-day international against Australia in Dubai last month. He was, however, allowed to continue bowling until an assessment of his action, carried out by Elliott, the International Cricket Council’s appointed biomechanist, is completed. “Elliott has sent his report to the PCB as well as to the ICC,” said Khan.

Ajmal was named in Pakistan’s 15-man squad for the World Twenty20 starting in England from June 5.

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Shame on MQM, JSQM and other Sindhi Nationalist Parties

by MJK on May 24, 2009

I have never thought the provincial discrimination can go to this extent. With Punjab famous Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif setting the precedent of not allowing the affectees of Swat into Punjab, Sindh took the ban to a new level by indiscriminate killing of Pashtuns while the government was watching all this drama to unfold without any remorse.

We, the Pathans are paying the heaviest price for the War on Terror whose 99% funds are enjoyed by the corrupt Sindhis and Punjabis leaders while the NWFP and Baluchistan are made the front lines. Now that we are having 2 million people made  homeless, our other so called brotherly provinces were gracious enough to ban the entry of FELLOW PAKISTANI’s from entering their provinces. This is the worst case of provincial discrimination and upset a person like me whose family is divided between different provinces.

I strongly recommend that the Terrorists of MQM, JSQM and other parties who ban any Pakistani from entering any area should be made accountable for  Treason for creating  a mini State within Pakistan. Pakistani constitution has given fundamental right to every Pakistani to roam around in Pakistan without any hindrance based on race and province. [click to continue...]

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