Part 2 of 3: How religious hatred is part of growing up as a child in Pakistan, thanks to your country's education policies.kancha wrote:Folks, putting out a three part blog series titled 'State Sponsored Radicalization in Pakistan’s School Curriculum.'
Posted the first of the three short blog posts just now. Do have a look
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LAHORE – No general elections, due to be held next year 2018, would be conducted and no government will be formed under the prevailing parliamentary system, claims a local newspaper at a time when political situation in country is highly unstable.
Daily Khabrain has claimed that a decision regarding setting up a caretaker government for next three years has been made in order to make Pakistan a corruption-free country as all institutions want to get rid of menaces nurturing under the current political system.It further claimed the caretaker government, comprising old politicians, bureaucrats, technocrats and retired generals, will be headed by former chief of army staff General (r) Rahil Sharif to ensure the accountability of everyone. If, this theory proves to be true in the conspiracy laden environment of Pakiland, it lends credence to the earlier suspicion ( An Indian newspaper had "predicted" this scenario !) that Ganja was removed in a judicial coup, instigated by no less than the "Bad Sharif"
Through the caretaker government, a way would be paved for introducing presidential government system by eliminating the current power-sharing system, parliamentary system, in order to strengthen Pakistan. The Paki Fauj has "always" leaned in favour of the Presidential System to avoid the chaotic conditions of the Westminister Model !
Credible personalities, including Dr Attaur Rehman, Nisar Memon and others, would be brought into the parliament through caretaker government for holding accountability.
Meanwhile, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) termed it unrealistic stating that Raheel Shairf is under a five years contract with Saudi government during which he cannot do anything else, the newspaper reported. Where would Imran Khan fit in this new situation. Is there going to be a role for him? He is eagerly awaiting for his "seat" at the Head Of The (Paki) Table . When is his turn coming to "feast and drink" at the public trough ?
They lost me here though:Afghanistan’s ambassador to Pakistan has visited the so-called ‘University of Jihad’ so often that he’s become good friends with the hardline cleric who runs it.
Omar Zakhilwal’s unusual pilgrimage to the Darul Uloom Haqqania madrasa near the northwestern city of Peshawar is central to his efforts to convince the Taliban-supporting school to preach peace. It’s a longer-term, non-military approach to the conflict that envisages a tripling of trade flows between Pakistan-Afghanistan, the departure of U.S. troops and better military and intelligence cooperation.
The bespectacled diplomat stressed in three separate visits since December that the influential preacher Maulana Sami-ul-Haq -- whose seminary trained Taliban leaders Mullah Omar and Akhtar Mohammad Mansour -- had a responsibility to end a conflict that is killing innocent Muslims.
America’s longest war is destabilizing South Asia and costing Washington roughly $23 billion per year. It’s holding back economic growth in Pakistan, the region’s second-largest economy, although a sustained crackdown by Pakistan’s military has gone some way to improving security and boosting confidence in the economy.
Two United Nations peacekeepers from Pakistan have been sentenced to a year in prison and sacked from the army for raping a 14-year-old boy in Haiti.
MUMBAI: Union finance minister Arun Jaitley on Sunday said demonetisation left Maoists in many parts of India and separatists in Jammu and Kashmir "fund starved".
He said it greatly reduced the number of protesters taking part in stone-pelting in the terror-hit state.
Cheers"Stone pelters used to gather in thousands on the streets of Kashmir before demonetisation was announced, but now not even 25 come together for such agitations," he said.
Former interior minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan in a press conference on Sunday said he resigned from the ministry over a “difference of opinion”, reported Waqt News.“I am grateful to Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi or trying to convince me not to resign till the very last moment,” he told reporters at the Punjab House.Dismissing rumours that he won’t be leaving politics, Nisar said that he speaks his mind in party meetings of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz.“There are issues within the party. Those who leak what I've said in meetings are dishonest, in my opinion. I didn't leak anything I said in the meetings,” he added. The "much awaited" press meet now being used for "self congratulations" and " self glorification"
Pakistan. He said, is one of the few countries where the trend of terrorism has significantly reduced, adding that today the country has no terrorist network.
“A major change has come in the country…in 2013, everyday there used to be three to four attacks,” he said. Nisar said that despite facing pressure, he cancelled Pakistani passports of 32,000 foreigners, cancelled more than 0.2 million prohibited bore licenses and cancelled CNICs of various individuals as part of fight against terrorism. But he was not able to convince Ummah countries (like Saudia and Kuwait ) to "go easy" on the deporting of the "faithfool Pakis", who were sent back to the Land Of The Pure in Chartered Aeroplanes. Nor was he successful in stopping the "arrogant Sheikhs" from Qatar and UAE from abusing Paki territory by hunting the "endangered" Houbara Bustard"
He complained that the interior ministry would be held responsible for anything that would happen in the country, including any security situation in the provinces, while everyone was ready to get credit in case of a positive event.
“Whenever any incident took place the blame would be put on the interior ministry, I tolerated in silence,” said Nisar. Now he is silent no more !!!
The National Accountability Bureau (NAB) on Sunday summoned Finance Minister Ishaq Dar to appear before investigators on August 22 for a probe into his assets and funds.This is the second time Dar has been summoned by the bureau as it begins its Supreme Court-mandated inquiry into the property and assets of the Sharif family and the finance minister. While the "disgraced Ganja" is getting ready for a "London Holiday", "poor" Dar will be facing the music in front of the NAB. And that is how Paki politics works !
Dar had previously been summoned to appear before investigators on August 18 but the finance minister did not show up. A fresh summons was issued today asking him to appear on Tuesday. Remains to be seen whether the cycle repeats itself in this "war" of giant egos !!!
On July 28, as the Supreme Court announced its verdict in the Panamagate case that sent former prime minister Nawaz Sharif packing, the five-judge bench of the apex court also asked NAB to file four references in the Rawalpindi accountability court within six weeks on the basis of the material collected and referred to by the Joint Investigation Team (JIT) ─ which probed allegations of money laundering against the Sharif family ─ as well as that already available with the Federal Investigation Agency and NAB. There is absolutely no doubt that without this London Trained Financial Wizard ( and relative standing behind him !) Ganja Sharif would not have been able to "accomplish" much in his plans to drain to Paki Exchequer for his personal gain.
While three references are to be filed against members of the Sharif family in relation to their property and assets abroad, NAB was ordered to file a fourth reference against Dar as the JIT, in its report, had said that the finance minister possessed assets and funds that exceeded his known sources of income. It remains to be seen whether the Minister will be able to pull strings, (bribe, sifarish, etc etc ) so he can get off the hook !
The JIT, in its report, stated that Dar had invested 5.5 million British pounds in Baraq Holdings in the UAE, but the source of these funds was not disclosed; it was only revealed that around 4.97 million pounds were given to him by his son. ( And where did the son get hold of that sum of money)
In its inquiry against Dar, the bureau is expected to question the exorbitant increase in his assets from 2008 to 2009 which was pointed out in the JIT report.The bureau has already issued summons to members of the Sharif family in references related to Azizia Steel Mills and the four upscale Avenfield flats. However, Nawaz and his children are yet to appear before investigators. Every man for himself now !!!
Last week, Nawaz and his two sons ─ Hassan and Hussain ─ were asked to join investigations into the Al-Azizia Steel Mills case at NAB's Lahore offices.However, they did not appear before the NAB investigating team as it was decided they would not do so until a petition filed by the former premier in the Supreme Court seeking a review of the apex court's verdict that disqualified him from office is decided upon.
Earlier on Sunday, NAB proceeded with its inquiry into the Avenfield property as Nawaz Sharif, his children. and his son-in-law remained absent before the investigators. What is wrong with the NAB investigating team ? Is it legal in the Islamic Republic Of Pakistan to "harass" law abiding citizens in this festive season of Eid . Can't they wait for a few more weeks, until the "celebrations" (preceded by the communal prayers ) are over
Aug 18, 2017
Press Release
Washington, DC – This week, Congressman Brad Sherman (D-Sherman Oaks) sent a letter to Alice G. Wells, the Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs and David Hale, the U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan expressing strong concerns about human rights in Sindh.
Sherman is joined by Representatives Barbara Comstock (R-VA), Trent Franks (R-AZ), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Dana Rohrabacher (R-CA), and Adam Schiff (D-CA). The letter raises concerns about enforced disappearances, religious extremist attacks, and forced conversions. The letter also urges the State Department to place a priority on human rights and democracy in its interactions with the Government of Pakistan. Sherman is Chair of the Congressional Sindh Caucus, and Ranking Member on the Asia Subcommittee of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.
Text of the letter can be found here and below.
______________________________________________
August 17, 2017
The Honorable Alice G. Wells
Acting Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs
U.S. Department of State
2201 C Street NW,
Washington, DC 20520
The Honorable David Hale
U.S. Ambassador to Pakistan
American Embassy
Diplomatic Enclave, Ramna-5
Islamabad, Pakistan
Re: Human Rights in Sindh
Dear Acting Assistant Secretary Wells and Ambassador Hale:
We write to express our concerns about human rights violations in the Sindh province of Pakistan. With the United States undertaking a review of policy toward Pakistan, and the recent political leadership changes in that country, we urge you to place a priority on human rights and democracy in your interactions with the Government of Pakistan.The State Department notes that “we have a broad multi-faceted partnership with Pakistan,” but we must ensure that human rights are a priority. In 2016, Amnesty International reported that Pakistani security forces “committed human rights violations with almost total impunity,” while Human Rights Watch observed that “law enforcement and security agencies remained unaccountable for human rights violations.” The State Department itself noted that, in Pakistan, “the most serious human rights problems were extrajudicial and targeted killings; disappearances; torture; lack of rule of law…; gender inequality; violence against gender and sexual minorities; and sectarian violence.” We are concerned about a number of ongoing human rights violations in Sindh. First, advocates for political and social rights are taken into custody and imprisoned on questionable grounds. Just recently, a leading Pakistani daily wrote about continuing “enforced disappearances of political activists in the province” of Sindh. Second, the people of Sindh face religious extremist attacks. Sindh has historically welcomed peoples of all faiths and ethnicities, and is home to significant communities of Christians, Sufis, and Hindus. Yet religious extremism, and the government’s unwillingness or inability to curb groups linked to extremism, contribute to violence, including against minorities. For instance, in February this year, ISIS claimed responsibility for an attack on a Sufi shrine in Sindh that killed over 80 people.Third, there are forced conversions of Sindhi girls belonging to minority communities. While the numbers are unclear, reports suggest that every year, over 1,000 girls and young women in Pakistan, including many in Sindh, are forcibly converted upon marriage. The Pakistani government has not done enough to stop this practice, and reform measures are circumvented or not enforced. We urge you to work with the Government of Pakistan to seek the release of persons held on false charges in Sindh, to protect religious freedoms of the Sindhi people, to end the forced conversions of minority Sindhi girls and women, and to take stronger steps upholding human rights in Sindh.
Sincerely,
______________________________________________
KARACHI: The government is planning to raise $500 million to $1 billion by floating eurobond in the international debt market, sources in the financial sector said on Saturday. The government has consulted international banks to assess the likely market response. However, preparations for launching the eurobond are at an initial stage, the sources said. Recently, Iraq launched its first independent bond worth $1bn, which was oversubscribed by seven times, reflecting demand for bonds in the debt market. This "joker reporter" is comparing Iraq- with its massive oil revenue (and reserves!) with Bhooka Nanga Pakistan, swimming in debt
Pakistan has a good track record of borrowing from the international market as it has never defaulted. Pakistan should follow the advice of the late Gen Hamid Gul - who had one time suggested that Pakistan has no obligation to repay all this foreign debt. One easy way of getting out of trouble. And become an International (Economic onlee !) Pariah at the same time . (killing 2 birds with 1 stone kind of a thing !)
However, the country had a bad experience in September 2015 when it issued a 10-year international bond of $500m. Its rate of return was considerably high at 8.25pc. The government faced criticism over the launch of an expensive bond. But the Ministry of Finance said the economic downturn in China and uncertainty created by the Federal Reserve’s decision at the time forced Pakistan to restrict borrowing to just $500m. Now the latest Iraqi experience indicates that even the war-torn country can raise money at 6.75pc rate of return through the bond that will mature in 2023.
With a deepening political crisis, Pakistan’s financial position is getting weak, especially on the external front. Record trade and current account deficits, falling remittances, declining manpower exports and a steep slide in foreign exchange reserves are posing a challenge to the government. Experts in the financial sector said the bond launch should have already taken place since the country’s ability to hold foreign exchange reserves equal to three months of imports is eroding fast. The State Bank of Pakistan’s reserves amounted to $14.31bn on Aug 11, slightly higher than the value of three months of imports. Reserves of the central bank have been falling since October. They are down by $4.6bn in about nine months. Beggars cannot be choosers .!!! The "cruelty of the market" will manifest itself when the Aam Abduls will have to swallow the "bitter medicine" ( high gas and electricity, devaluation of currency, less social spending , higher food prices, more tax levies ) that will be prescribed by the international lenders, who in essence will be "sticking their neck out" - once more , for this international basket case
. This kind of (bad economic ) news has now become a "regular feature" of the Paki Media Scene "If the reserves slide further, the country will find it difficult to get loans from international lenders at low interest rates. In October 2016, Pakistan issued five-year sukuk of $1bn, which attracted $2.4bn investment. The yield on the paper was of 5.5pc. The country borrowed $4.36bn loans from foreign commercial banks in 2016-17. The Economic Affairs Division reported that the country provisionally received $10.55bn foreign assistance from multilateral and bilateral donors.
The Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) has sent a letter to the interior ministry to stop former prime minister Nawaz Sharif from going abroad until the cases against him were settled. The letter was sent by PAT leader and NA-120 candidate Ishtiaq Chaudhry to the interior secretary on Sunday. “Nawaz is fleeing from the country on August 24, while the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) references against him, for billions of rupees embezzlement from public funds, are pending,” he wrote. The leader of the PAT is none other than the Canada Based Tahir-ul-Qadri, who is "famous" for preaching Malsi in Toronto Shopping Malls. And who, of course, like the migratory snow bird flies ( by PIA) south-west to Pakistan to escape the harsh Canadian winter ! He also belongs to the cabal comprising himself , Randi-baaz Rashid and Immy , who like to see "poor" Ganja in jail ASAP
Expressing his apprehension, he said the former premier was also nominated in the Model Town incident FIR and if he was allowed to go abroad he would not return for fear of getting grilled (like a "mutton kebab" !) in NAB and Model Town massacre cases.
“The billions/ trillions of looted money is needed to be recovered from the said accused. Besides, he is murderer of 14 innocent PAT workers apart from injuring 100 other workers whose blood was flouted on the roads and streets in Model Town – the worst massacre in the history of any country where police landed straight bullets on the faces of women,” he said.
Three labourers from Rahim Yar Khan were found dead in Balochistan's Kech district on Sunday, Levies sources told DawnNews. The labourers who were working on a development project in the area had been kidnapped by unidentified miscreants four days ago, the sources said. The bodies were found with multiple bullet injuries in Kech's Hoshab area by locals. The Levies, who were alerted by the locals, reached the spot and shifted the bodies to a hospital. There was no immediate claim of responsibility for the killing. Term "collateral damage" would apply to them in the war between the Paki Deep State and the Balochi Freedom Fighters !
IT seems these days all forms of justice are served via the route of agitation and street fighting — and not having access to such tools means you are doomed. A few years ago, while I was still in government service, I wrote an article in this newspaper titled ‘What price Jinnah’s words?’ as a result of which disciplinary proceedings were initiated against me, the biggest charge being that I tried to embarrass and malign the government through my article. I was told to appear before various disciplinary committees, which I promptly did but I had already made up my mind to resign from service. Preemptive action !
However, not everyone has the same luxury. Many have already invested so much both in terms of time and opportunity cost that they have reached the point of no return.
One example is that of Rao Tehsin, former principal information officer of the Information Ministry, who is these days trying to ascertain (without much success) why he was unceremoniously removed from his post after the so-called Dawn leaks. My advice to Mr Tehsin is to ask some batchmate in the Customs and Excise Department to get him a container at a reasonable cost and promptly start a journey via GT Road. Draw public attention, and hope for some action .
Ironically, he has asked the same question that seems to be the most popular one these days. ‘Mera kasoor kya hai?’ (What’s my fault?) . In search of an answer, he has filed a petition in the Islamabad High Court to seek a copy of the inquiry report of the news leak. However, during the hearing, Deputy Attorney General Raja Khalid Mehmood Khan contended that the investigation report related to the news leak was an interim document and, therefore, could not be made public. This is indeed bizarre logic, when one considers the fact that heads have rolled in light of the same ‘interim’ report. "Rule of law" and "due process" are "hard to find" commodities in Pakistan .Another example is that of Zafar Hijazi, former SECP chairman, a perfect case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time. Why would he go out of his way to allegedly tamper with the record of cases involving ruling politicians? To be honest, he would not have had much of a choice; it was a case of being between the devil and the deep blue sea. Probably, made a scapegoat for someone else !When through decades of experience he has learnt that siding with the political bosses is the thing to do, suddenly we expect him to do the exact opposite.
Expecting a civil servant to make a choice that would have got him into trouble is asking too much from him: the civil servant is defenceless against powerful politicians. If the allegations are true, he did what almost all civil servants would have done: do as directed, and hope that no one found out, rather than refuse to comply with the powerful and invite their immediate fury.The ‘power chain’ is just like the food chain. Those who lie at the bottom do not have many choices. The species at the bottom of this power chain in Pakistan is the poor masses; I need not elaborate on their ordeal. Ganja Sharif "used to sit" at the top of the Paki Food Chain, eating his favourite foods like Paya, Chana- gosht etc etcust above them are the civil servants, spineless and with no forum to raise their voice. Suspend them, dismiss them, make them scapegoats, they can neither run away nor retaliate in any wayThen come the politicians, powerful yet vulnerable at the same time. The judiciary has moved up a few rungs and falls just below what we call The Establishment, whatever that means. The judiciary and establishment seem to complement each other and enjoy unquestioned authority, which is the envy of even the most popular politicians. It has always been said that Pakistan is a "joint venture" between the 22 business families, the zamindars of Sindh and Pakjab, The Top Bureaucrats and the Military ( "The Establishment") and after the Zia Era, the Mullahs also want a "seat at the power table"Pakistan seems to be a land quite the opposite of what Jinnah had envisaged. Over the years, we seem to have experienced plutocracy, aristocracy, kleptocracy, idiosyncrasy, ‘securocracy’, theocracy, autocracy and ‘necrocracy’, but sadly democracy has remained elusive. Maybe it’s all in the name. The author "forgot" Mullacracy
Probably the same 25 show up in all the cases.Peregrine wrote: Post demonetisation, separatists and Maoists feel 'fund-starved': Arun Jaitley"Stone pelters used to gather in thousands on the streets of Kashmir before demonetisation was announced, but now not even 25 come together for such agitations," he said.
FAISALABAD:
A Christian teenager was brutally beaten up by a mob in Jhamkay town of Wazirabad tehsil , Gujranwala on Sunday over accusations of committing blasphemy.
AS*, 16, was rescued by police and then shifted to the Ali Pur Chattha police station where he was booked under Section 295-B of the Pakistan Penal Code – punishable with life imprisonment – on the complaint of a pesh imam, Qari Rana Arshad Ali. Ali Pur Chattha SHO Malik Irfan said the cleric had told the police that AS took away a copy of the Holy Quran from the shrine of Sundhay Shah in Jhamkay and set it on fire. The time tested tactic of accusing someone ( Muslim or Non Muslim - does not matter ) of desecrating, burning, misusing, trampling , tearing, etc etc "The Holy Book" , whether true or false (does not matter ) is a sure-fire way of landing that person in jail ! The police book you under 295-B First , and then ask questions Later ( like the wild west of yesterday Massaland ! ), instead of the other way around
The complainant further claimed that AS, in the presence of a witness named Muhammad Nawaz, had confessed to his crime. Sub-Inspector Pervez Iqbal, the investigation officer of the case, said two witnesses and the complainant had testified that the teenager had committed blasphemy. The sub - inspector is not going to "risk his life " in the "cause of justice" . That is not his job
He added that AS too had admitted that he had set the Holy Quran on fire, however he was unaware as to why he had committed the act. The officer said as the suspect himself had confessed to his crime, there was no need for recording the statements of other witnesses. The officer fears for his life. The suspect fears for his life !
“The police saved him from the enraged mob,” the sub-inspector said.“His family should should be grateful to the police. The mob surrounded the police station but we pacified the protesters with the help of the notables of the area,” he added. Thank Allah for small mercies. A good example of " Malsi in action" in Islamic Pakistan
However, SM*, the father of the teenager, maintained that his son was falsely accused of committing blasphemy.
“He [AS] collects papers and used bottles from garbage and sells them to support our family. He also collects empty bottles from the shrine, which is around two kilometres away from our home,” he said.“Muhammad Nawaz alias Maju, the witness in the case, also collects papers and bottles from the shrine. He has a grudge against my son as he doesn’t want him to collect scrap at the shrine because it hurts his business,” he added.SM said his son was framed under a conspiracy that started about four weeks ago. Without verifying all the details, IMO, the father is citing a plausible explanation.
“On July 18 or 19, Nawaz claimed that somebody had burnt a copy of the Holy Quran at the shrine and made an issue out of it.”The father claimed that on August 12, AS went to a market to buy cigarettes when Nawaz caught him and started beating him up. He also gathered a crowd shouting that AS had stolen money from the tomb’s donation box. He then called up the cleric and told him that he had caught the person who had burnt the Holy Quran. A Muslim's word carries more weight than the words of an unbeliever ![/quote]“Qari Rana Arshid, who’s the pesh imam at a mosque, arrived there and without confirming anything, he too started beating up my son,” SM added. “Someone from our community called up the police helpline 15. The police arrived there and took my son to the police station.”The pesh imam, along with the mob, reached the Jhamkay police post where they barged inside the lock-up and started thrashing AS. The area’s police called up Ali Purr Chatta police station and asked them for help. The Ali Purr Chatta police arrived there and took AS into custody. The pesh imam, Qari Arshid Ali, told The Express Tribune that he was a landlord and also elected the councillor of the area.
“I haven’t seen him [AS] burning the Holy Quran, but I was told about this incident by Muhammad Nawaz,” he added.“When the mob was beating up AS, I helped the police save him,” he maintained. Most likely he will languish in jail, until his case comes up ( most likely after a long time ). If the father is able to contact a Christian NGO, who will take up his case, then the chances are he will be set free, but the family's life will be miserable until they get a ticket out of Pakiland in a foreign land !
Good attempt. Left a Commentkancha wrote:Folks, putting out a three part blog series titled 'State Sponsored Radicalization in Pakistan’s School Curriculum.'
Posted the first of the three short blog posts just now. Do have a look
Blog Link
Twitter Link
Thanks Sridhar Ji. Means a lot!SSridhar wrote:Good attempt. Left a Commentkancha wrote:Folks, putting out a three part blog series titled 'State Sponsored Radicalization in Pakistan’s School Curriculum.'
Posted the first of the three short blog posts just now. Do have a look
Blog Link
Twitter Link
All the diapers are sold out in pindi and aabpara areas...kumarn wrote:BREAKING: White House says Trump to address nation Monday night on strategy for Afghanistan, South Asia.
The AP
Together with the media blackout of the events leading to the country’s dismemberment and the creation of Bangladesh, the front pages of most Pakistani newspapers of Dec 17, 1971 — the day after East Pakistan was lost — are a sad reminder of the kind of press curbs that existed.
Dawn’s own banner headline read, ‘War till Victory,’ based on Yahya Khan’s address to the nation. Tucked away was the real news of the day, in a mere double-column spread and restricted to a couple of sentences. With the vague headline, ‘Fighting ends in East Wing’, the officially cleared report from Rawalpindi read: “Latest reports indicate that following an arrangement between the local commanders of India and Pakistan in the Eastern theatre, fighting has ceased in East Pakistan and Indian troops have entered Dacca.”
Federal authorities are investigating whether sensitive data was stolen from congressional offices by several Pakistani-American tech staffers and sold to Pakistani or Russian intelligence, knowledgeable sources say.What started out 16 months ago as a scandal involving the alleged theft of computer equipment from Congress has turned into a national-security investigation involving FBI surveillance of the suspects.
Investigators now suspect that sensitive US government data — possibly including classified information — could have been compromised and may have been sold to hostile foreign governments that could use it to blackmail members of Congress or even put their lives at risk. “This is a massive, massive scandal,” a senior US official familiar with the widening probe told The Post.
During the probe, investigators found valuable government data that is believed to have been taken from the network and placed on offsite servers, setting off more alarms. Some 80 offices were potentially compromised.
Most lawmakers fired the alleged “ringleader” — longtime IT staffer Imran Awan — in February. But Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former Democratic National Committee chief, kept Awan on her payroll until his arrest last month on seemingly unrelated charges of defrauding the congressional credit union.
For more than a decade, Awan, his wife, two relatives and a friend worked for 30 House Democrats. They included New York City pols Gregory Meeks, Joseph Crowley and Yvette Clarke and members of the sensitive Intelligence and Foreign Relations committees.
The Democrats who hired the five suspects apparently did a poor job vetting them. Awan’s brother Abid had a rap sheet with multiple offenses, including a conviction for DWI a month before he was hired, and filed for bankruptcy in 2012.
Most had relatively little IT experience. Yet they hauled in a combined $4 million-plus over the past decade. One, a former McDonald’s worker, was suddenly making as much as a chief of staff. “These lawmakers allowed an insider threat to come into the House,” the official charged. “Computer equipment was stolen, taxpayers were robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and sensitive data was compromised and possibly sold overseas.”On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted Imran Awan on four seemingly unrelated felony counts including bank fraud, conspiracy and making false statements. They also indicted his wife, Hina Alvi. FBI agents seized hard drives and other evidence from their Virginia home.
Investigators are trying to determine if any classified information was compromised. Although the network that was breached is an unclassified system, it’s possible that members or staff cleared to handle classified information inadvertently sent such information in e-mails after getting classified briefings, sources believe.“Logic dictates that sensitive data was compromised,” the senior official speculated. “An accused criminal with close ties to Pakistan had full and complete control over data that went out over the network.”
With Eid-ul-Azha around the corner, several billboards have popped up all over Karachi introducing online bakra mandis (cattle markets); however, website owners claim that they have not attracted a lot of customers as yet.Websites such as bakraonline.pk and qurbanionline.com provide sale and delivery services to citizens; however, online traders claim that they have not had the sort of response they expected. The "Pakistaniyat" factor is most probably the main culprit, IMO.
Online cattle market operators believe that the concept is still new and a majority of the citizens prefer to personally visit cattle markets to buy sacrificial animals that fit their budget. At these online cattle markets, sacrificial goats are sold in the range of Rs25,000 to Rs45,000. Rates for cows start at Rs80,000, while the rate of camels range from Rs 125,000 to Rs 175,000. A single share in the sacrifice costs Rs24,000.
Online traders are also advertising their animals on social media, while others are selling animals through trading websites like OLX and Bolee.com. However, they too have failed to attract many buyers. “People do not like to purchase sacrificial animals online, as some traders have previously used cheap tactics to sell animals,” a spokesperson for bakraonline.com told APP, adding that this lack of trust ( AKA "Pakistaniyat" ! It is like a virus . Here it is manifested at the personal level . POTUS Trump is trying to "handle" this at the national level
However, he remained hopeful and said that the demand for online markets will eventually pick up. Hope is always eternal !
“We have just started, and as word spreads, people’s perceptions will change,” the spokesperson said, adding that people like going to the cattle markets with friends and children to have their prick from the large variety of animals on display. The owner of qurbanionline.com, Muhammad Ali, said that the venture had sold more than 40,000 animals last year, but a majority of these animals were sold at brick-and-mortar display centres and only a small number were actually bought from the online market
He also revealed that overseas Pakistanis used sadqa, aqeeqa and qurbani services to send meat to Pakistan’s less fortunate communities and orphanages. Abdul Majeed, a buyer, believes that online businesses are likely pick up in coming years. Another citizen said that the abundance of technology will eventually change people’s views about online markets and online animal trading will pick up in the next few years as “everyone looks for ease.” Technology in the service of Malsi ! Are the Mullahs "on-board" ? Has a "fatwa" been issued regarding this matter
“The trend of online buying of sacrificial animals will grow; [even its existence] is a reminder of how fast Pakistan is moving towards a digital future," he added. Pakistan has embraced IT ( the other kind !) wholeheartedly since its inception
Ramana @ramana_brfFalijee wrote:IT staffers may have compromised sensitive data to foreign intelligence
Federal authorities are investigating whether sensitive data was stolen from congressional offices by several Pakistani-American tech staffers and sold to Pakistani or Russian intelligence, knowledgeable sources say.What started out 16 months ago as a scandal involving the alleged theft of computer equipment from Congress has turned into a national-security investigation involving FBI surveillance of the suspects.Investigators now suspect that sensitive US government data — possibly including classified information — could have been compromised and may have been sold to hostile foreign governments that could use it to blackmail members of Congress or even put their lives at risk. “This is a massive, massive scandal,” a senior US official familiar with the widening probe told The Post.During the probe, investigators found valuable government data that is believed to have been taken from the network and placed on offsite servers, setting off more alarms. Some 80 offices were potentially compromised.
Most lawmakers fired the alleged “ringleader” — longtime IT staffer Imran Awan — in February. But Florida Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz, the former Democratic National Committee chief, kept Awan on her payroll until his arrest last month on seemingly unrelated charges of defrauding the congressional credit union.For more than a decade, Awan, his wife, two relatives and a friend worked for 30 House Democrats. They included New York City pols Gregory Meeks, Joseph Crowley and Yvette Clarke and members of the sensitive Intelligence and Foreign Relations committees.
The Democrats who hired the five suspects apparently did a poor job vetting them. Awan’s brother Abid had a rap sheet with multiple offenses, including a conviction for DWI a month before he was hired, and filed for bankruptcy in 2012.Most had relatively little IT experience. Yet they hauled in a combined $4 million-plus over the past decade. One, a former McDonald’s worker, was suddenly making as much as a chief of staff. “These lawmakers allowed an insider threat to come into the House,” the official charged. “Computer equipment was stolen, taxpayers were robbed of hundreds of thousands of dollars, and sensitive data was compromised and possibly sold overseas.”On Thursday, a federal grand jury indicted Imran Awan on four seemingly unrelated felony counts including bank fraud, conspiracy and making false statements. They also indicted his wife, Hina Alvi. FBI agents seized hard drives and other evidence from their Virginia home.Investigators are trying to determine if any classified information was compromised. Although the network that was breached is an unclassified system, it’s possible that members or staff cleared to handle classified information inadvertently sent such information in e-mails after getting classified briefings, sources believe.“Logic dictates that sensitive data was compromised,” the senior official speculated. “An accused criminal with close ties to Pakistan had full and complete control over data that went out over the network.”
Scottish lawyer Aamer Anwar has spoken of the "horrific abuse" he received online after speaking about being caught up in the Barcelona attack, reported BBC news. Thirteen people died when a van hit crowds in the Las Ramblas area. Mr Anwar, who was in the city for a conference, said online abusers had wished him dead. He told the BBC: "[There was] all sorts of vitriolic abuse about me being a Muslim, being part of the plot, the planner."
The rector of Glasgow University said that he would not normally respond but he felt he needed "to call it out" this time.
He explained: "I have been the victim of hatred by the far right. Tommy Robinson, the ex leader of the English Defence League called me out, claimed I was an ISIS lawyer which is complete and utter lies and following that there has been several hundred online abuse by many people wishing that I was dead, people wishing I had been there 10 seconds earlier." Mr Anwar added: "I am a Muslim and I have said for many years that my community has no immunity from the bombs, from the bullets, from people who drive vans into crowds. I was caught up in it and for some reason they just don't want to accept that." He believed that the solution was to "stand together". "His community" is not being targeted by the Muslim terrorists in Europe and most other countries !
Mr Anwar said: "Every race, creed and religion was represented on Las Ramblas - 34 countries from which the victims came, from the age of three to the age of 80 - and then to be subjected to such horrific abuse."
General Sir Syed Zaid Zaman Mahdi Hamid, pbuh, just found another reason to live.Gagan wrote:Col. Purohit just got bail!
Djinnah's Direct Action Day, anyone? How can an average paki give up that right?Falijee wrote:Former Civil Servant Laments The Scapegoating Of Bureaucrats In Present Day Pakiland .
All but democracy
IT seems these days all forms of justice are served via the route of agitation and street fighting — and not having access to such tools means you are doomed.
President Donald Trump has finally made a decision on his new policy for Afghanistan
There is certainly no good news for Pakistan with several US media outlets reporting that officials are speaking about Trump’s strategy which sees sending nearly 4,000 additional troops to Afghanistan while all military aid to Pakistan could also be stopped.
No good news for the chinis either.The publication points out that it was in this meeting that “Trump learned of the enormous wealth buried beneath Afghan soil: perhaps more than $1 trillion in untapped mineral resources in the form of copper, iron, and rare-earth metals.”
The Operation Khyber-4 that was launched on July 15 has been successfully completed today, the Director General Inter-Services Public Relations says on Monday.
the ground targets had been achieved in Rajgal and Shawal areas
253 kilometers of land had been cleared from terrorists
52 outlaws were killed, one arrested, 31 sustained injuries while four blew themselves
The security forces had seized a material being used in manufacturing the improvised explosive device (IED) bore a label of "Made in India"
The wild west has been tamed. The new sheriff, Waste Bajwa, just declared the territory open for pakjabi settlers to move westward ho! Blamed India, of course for the delay.He rejected the Indian allegation that Pakistan had hoisted the national flag -- the highest in South Asia -- on the Wagah border to gather intelligence information
Two players of China national cricket team will represent Peshawar Zalmi in the next edition of Pakistan Super League (PSL) T20 Cricket to be played next year, China Representative, Amir Suhail Afridi said on Sunday.
That last part sounds more like a threat than a promise.He said Pakistanis have been living in this county and adjoining YiWu city for the last 20 years and introducing Pakistan culture to the local population.
According to the Ministry of Finance, every single Pakistani is owing Rs95,000 in debt. The foreign debt and liabilities of Pakistan are currently standing at $58 billion which is around Rs6.11 trillion. This information was transmitted to National Assembly on Friday by the finance ministry. If 95,000 is "openly" being admitted, the real figure is probably much higher
According to the document which was present in the assembly by the ministry, Pakistan’s domestic debt stood at Rs12.31 trillion or $117 billion as of 31st December 2016. As per the statistics, each Pakistan is now liable to pay Rs94,890 in debt.The document further revealed that the government borrowed Rs819.1 billion from banks from 1st July 2016 to 31st March 2017. The government took a mammoth loan of Rs734.62 billion from the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) out of the aforementioned amount. Rest of the Rs84.50 billion were borrowed from commercial banks.
It is noteworthy to mention that the government of former Prime Minister of Pakistan Nawaz Sharif secured new loans of colossal $35 billion during the 4-year period. The reason of borrowing such hefty amount was to repay the maturing debts. Moreover, another reason was to keep the foreign reserves at a steady level to give the investors a (wrong !) notion that there is economic stability in Pakistan.
Half of the total loans of roughly $17 billion which was borrowed in the last four years was used to repay the previous debt; as stated in the finance ministry’s document. Rest of the $18 billion were added by the government in Pakistan’s total external debt and liabilities. As a result, it became the highest external debt amount by any government during its tenure. The Pakis are banking on the notion that the World will not allow a unstable "nuclear takaat" to go under . So the "debt pit" is bottomless, as far as they are concerned
ISLAMABAD - The United States is adopting a carrot and stick approach towards Pakistan as President Donald Trump has conditionlised friendship with Pakistan to Islamabad’s efforts to achieve Washington’s goals in the region, The Nation has learnt. Senior officials at the foreign ministry told The Nation that the US had made it clear to Pakistan that Washington would only help where Islamabad delivered for the US. Pakistan has earned a "solid" reputation of being a rentier state, so there is nothing wrong with this, IMO
“The Trump Administration has bluntly told us that they will not pay us for our own [Pakistan’s] war against terror but will help where Pakistan can achieve their [US] goals. For example, peace in Afghanistan. [They mean] carrots when we work for them and sticks when we don’t fulfil their expectations,” a senior ministry official added. The official said the Trump administration’s decision to conditionalise friendly ties with Pakistan would only create more misunderstandings. “Unless we trust each other, we cannot help each other achieve the common goals,” he explained. This POTUS does not believe in "diplomatic niceties", and he has made it known that he cannot tolerate Paki perfidy no more !
Chief of the US Central Command General Joseph Votel visited Pakistan over the weekend and discussed the Pak-US ties with the civil and military leadership.
Beside meetings with Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi and army chief Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa, General Votel visited the tribal belt where the Pakistan military is fighting the militants.A US embassy statement, quoted General Votel as saying: “Military cooperation, and even stronger cooperation with Pakistan, is very important, and we deeply appreciate the hospitality and willingness to continue an honest and open relationship.” So, the same "McCain Tour" was given to the General . Hope the General will however make a more blunter statement than the cancer ridden Senator
The US general stressed that Pakistani soil should not be used to plan or conduct terrorist attacks against its neighbours, the US embassy said.Trump’s administration is reviewing a proposal under which the US could possibly designate Pakistan a state sponsor of terrorism unless it takes action against the top Taliban leaders and the Haqqani network. IMO, it will not amount to that; Massa still needs Pakistan to do "some dirty work" for them !
India and Afghanistan have been instrumental in pushing Trump against Pakistan. Trump himself had demonstrated a tilt towards India even before his election. If the US goes on to designate Pakistan as a state sponsor of terrorism, Pakistan could face sanctions, end to economic assistance and a ban on arms sales.Another official at the foreign ministry said General Votel had conveyed promises and warnings. “It is a carrot and stick policy. They want us to do more for rewards and be prepared for action if we do not come up to their expectations. He repeated the US policy that the US did not want to lose Pakistan,” he told The Nation.
Defence Analyst Lt General Ghulam Mustafa (r) said General Votel’s visit was important as the US was reviewing the Afghan policy. “Washington is playing a game with Pakistan. They have allowed the ISIS to take roots [in] Afghanistan and now they are planning an operation against the ISIS,” he maintained.General Mustafa said General Votel’s visit to Pakistan was a part of President Trump’s new policy. “The US is set to bring around 7,000 contractors in Afghanistan,” he added. Former ambassador Ross Masood Hussain said sending contractors in Afghanistan would be a “foolish decision” of the US. “They should try to understand us [Pakistan]. We have been saying peace in Afghanistan is in the interest of Pakistan but Afghanistan should also stop playing in the hands of India,” he said.
Falijee Ji :Falijee wrote:https://pakwired.com/wp-content/uploads ... Report.jpg
Cancel Pakistan Debt ! or else.......(fill in the blanks)
KARACHI: It has become an everyday occurrence now for the bearish trend to dominate the Pakistan Stock Exchange.
The stock market ended its third consecutive session in the red zone on Monday as political uncertainty and cement stocks once again dragged the index down.
The KSE-100 index plunged 1,062 points to hit an intra-day low of 42,016.87 – an all-time low for this year. It made a slight recovery later, but the market still ended the session in negative. The index has receded 20% so far since hitting the all-time high at 52,876 points on May 24, 2017.
CheersAt close, the benchmark KSE 100-share Index recorded a decrease of 925 points or 2.15% at 42,153.38.