April 1, 2008 Source by News Agencies Under Pakistan Breaking news BRUSSELS: North Atlantic Treaty Organization Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer congratulated Pakistan's new prime minister after the ...
Adil Najam
This has to be an April Fool’s Day joke. Or is it?
Like so many others, the three Metroblogs in Pakistan - Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad - are my daily visiting haunts. Today, however, I find this notice there from Sean Bonner from the “Metroblogging Headquarters.”
KMB taking a break
By Sean BonnerDear Readers of Karachi Metblogs,
It is with a sorry heart that we at the Metroblogging headquarters in Los Angeles have to announce that Karachi Metblogs will be shutting down for a while while we decide what is the best future for it. While I could certainly try to sugar coat this and blame corporate restructuring, the truth is we are just sick of the constand bitter rivalry within the ranks of the authors which has lead to absolute chaos on the site.
Adil Najam
I am in Islamabad for a short trip right now and all that anyone can talk about is the new Prime Minister and his new cabinet. Indeed, the place is abuzz with talk of the “new” politics of Pakistan. But, in typical Islamabad style, mixed with the unending cynicism about just how “new” this newness might be. One hears (or sees on TV) very little of Gen. Musharraf right now but the place is also abuzz about the “new” Asif Ali Zardari and he “new” Nawaz Sharif.
This is Pakistan, so there is no dearth at all of varied opinions on all of the above. Does the new cabinet represent a spirit of experience and reconciliation? Or is it old wine in new bottles? Will the chumminess between Nawaz Sharif and Asif Zardari last? Or is it simply a common enemy that brings them together? Will Gen. Musharraf leave himself? Or will he be made to leave? If so, by whom? What is the meaning of the unanimous vote of confidence for Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gillani? Just how revolutionary is his plan for his first 100 days? These are some of the many - too many - questions that abound. The conversations go on and on and on. Much of what one hears is rumor, gossip, and even slander. There is more sloganeering than analysis. Maybe even a denial of the gravity of the multiple crises the country faces. Sometimes I wonder if we are a bit too interested in politics!
NEW CABINET SWORN IN
Pervez Musharraf swore in the 24-member federal cabinet today. No real surprises. Shah Mehmood Qureshi and Ahmed Mukhtar of the People’s Party (PPP) are, respectively, foreign minister and defense minister. Their public positions have largely called for a continuity in the government’s war on terror and relations with the United States. Another major player in the foreign affairs ministry will be Husain Haqqani, who leaves Boston University and the Hudson Institute to serve as ambassador-at-large. He will likely become ambassador to the United States in July, when Mahmud Ali Durrani’s term expires. Durrani, a former military general appointed by Musharraf, was also close to Benazir Bhutto and will likely take up a post in Islamabad with the new government.
Apparently, an interior minister was not appointed. Aftab Sherpao, the previous, non-interim interior minister, has been the target of multiple assassination attempts. The interior minister becomes target number one of the militants as he is in charge of the domestic Intelligence Bureau, Federal Investigations Authority, and the Frontier Corps. The post of interior minister, however, will effectively be held by Rehman Malik, who served as the late Benazir Bhutto’s security adviser and has also called for continuity in Pakistan’s war on terror participation.
In short, the major defense, foreign policy, and security positions have gone to the PPP. In contrast, the PML-N will take on Pakistan’s other great challenge: the economy. Ishaq Dar and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are, respectively, the new ministers of finance and commerce. Ahsan Iqbal is the new minister of education and Tehmina Daultana is the minister of culture.
The PPP’s Sherry Rehman, a former newsmagazine editor, is the new information minister, while the PML-N’s Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan is senior minister for communications.
Farooq Naik, the Bhutto-Zardari lead lawyer, is the minister of law and justice. Naveed Qamar of the PPP is minister of ports and shipping (and privitization and investment), while Rana Tanvir Hussain of the PML-N is minister of defense production.
This is the first phase of cabinet appointments. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) could gain representation in the next round.
CIA DIRECTOR: ‘CLEAR AND PRESENT DANGER’ FROM AQ IN PAKISTAN
On Sunday’s Meet the Press, Michael Hayden, the director of the Central Intelligence Agency, stated that al-Qaeda’s leadership is based along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border and called them a “clear and present danger” to the United States. Whereas Deputy Secretary of State John Negroponte denied that the U.S. had engaged in unilateral strikes on Pakistani soil, Hayden was not willing to confirm or deny the reports.
TALIBAN TALK
Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani invited militants who give up their arms to talks. Leaders of the Tehreek-e Taliban Pakistan stated they would be open to talks if Pakistan gives up its pro-Washington stance. Meanwhile, a recent bombing–believed to be a U.S. strike from Afghanistan–seemed to target Mullah Nazir, a pro-government and anti-al-Qaeda Pakistani Taliban figure.
NEW NATIONAL ACCOUNTABILITY BUREAU?
The National Accountability Bureau, the government’s anti-corruption arm that has also been used for political intimidation, has been abolished by the new government. But there are reports that a new accountability office could open. It remains to be seen how this institution would be apolitical, unless the new government also goes after its friends and not just its foes. Since corruption in Pakistan is widespread, it is foolish to believe in the capacity of self-policing alone. The Gillani government should also embrace greater transparency, enabling civil society and the general public to play a role as watchdog.
Whenever we travel to a new country and we see any reference to Pakistan, it naturally catches our attention. Recently this ATP ka numaainda (representative) was in China. I saw following subtle references to Pakistan in Beijing.
(1) 
Whether we liked her or not; whether we agreed with her or not; the fact remains that she is the single most known person outside Pakistan. I was browsing in the book store of Guanghua School of Management at the Peking University when I found this Chinese edition of ‘Daughter of the East’. Price RMB 28. This was the only book related to Pakistan that I was able to find in that book store.
(2) While in China, do as Chinese do. I did that for 6 days. On seventh day the craving for Pakistani food became so strong that I went looking for a Pakistani restaurant in Beijing. A quick internet search revealed there was only one Pakistani restaurant in Beijing and of all the names in this world, it was called ‘The Mughal Beijing’. Following is its signboard.
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The federal cabinet of the new government comprising 24 ministers took oath of their offices on Monday. President Pervez Musharraf administered oath to the cabinet at a ceremony held at Aiwan-e-Sadr.
The ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani, Chairman Senate Muhammadmian Soomro, and civil and military officials.
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Pakistan’s deposed top judge who has became a focus for opposition to President Pervez Musharraf got a hero’s welcome in his hometown of Quetta on Monday at the beginning of a tour of the country to meet lawyers.
Former Supreme Court chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry and nine colleagues were freed from nearly five months of house arrest last week on the orders of new Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani.
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General Hayden also said the terror network, which over the past 18 months has established a “safe haven” in Pakistan’s tribal areas along the Afghanistan border, has shed its operational reliance on mastermind Osama bin Laden.
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The people behind Nilaam.pk finally went through the formal process of walking me through their app and agreeing to let me do a preview a couple of weeks before their hard launch date..
One thing I like about Nilaam is that these people seem to be very clear on their focus on being a platform for P2P commerce rather than being a product. Within this focus, they are looking to work on a number of different things....March 30, 2008 Source by News Agencies Under Pakistan Breaking news LAHORE: PPP Co-Chairman Asif Ali Zardari vowed on Sunday that the coalition government would change the entire system with the supremacy of ...
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