Here Are the Muslim Feminist Voices, Mr. Rushdie!

hamzad #311 ``A RESOUNDING SLAP ON THE FACE OF HILLARY CLINTON as well as on the backward(``liberal``),munafique(``secular``),Mazdakee(``socialist``) and kanjarised(``modern``)westernised looseies.``

What is a liberal, and how does that equate to being backward? What is secular, and how does that equate to be munafique? I would be grateful if you could explain.

As for this Northern Alliance general, I think this lady (or her male colleagues) was on the run until the B-52s came along to lend a hand. And use of harsh language (``resounding slap``) doesnt change the fact that there is no substance behind what you say - like the empty vessels who make a spectacle of themselves every Friday, and disgrace the dignity of prayer, and the peace of the neighborhood, with their animal-like behavior.

vineet #294 ``. I shall therefore request government of Pakistan to consider adopting the currency name of dinar instead of a non-Islamic name of rupee.``

Better yet, why dont you live out your life in Saudi Arabia and leave Pakistan alone. Better yet, see if they have invented the time machine yet in Saudi Arabia - then you could go back 1400 years ago, and really be in heaven (except they didnt have oil in those days, so you may find your dinars wouldnt buy you much).

WHO is responsible for the death of thousands of Pakistani citizens in Afghanistan`s meat grinder?

Who played the pied piper leading the simple brainwashed Pakistani folks into their death march to killing fields of Northern Afghanistan --Mullahs? -- or Musharrafs? -- or both?

Here is a searing indictment of the cruel Jihadi maulanas and mullahs -- and their equally callous, ambivalent or willing crime partner – the military government --for their role in this totally unnecessary massacre of thousands of poor Pakistanis in a foreign land -- for no apparent god-damn reason:

Action against extremists

By M. Ismail Khan

Sufi Mohammad is back from `Jihad-i-Afghanistan` and has walked straight into Dera Ismail Khan jail. The Tehrik Nifaz-i-Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) chief, who had gone to Afghanistan with thousands of his armed supporters trailing behind, keen to fight a holy war against the United States, lost no time in heading home when tables against Taliban began to turn.

His `Jihad` was not against the United States only, it was against all those who supported the international coalition, including the Northern Alliance.

What made Sufi Mohammad change his mind and instead hurry back is too obvious. His zeal had evaporated into thin air once he saw he could no longer return triumphantly after fulfilling his ambitious dream of defeating the Americans on the Afghan soil.

He returned and went quietly into incarceration, without making any fuss about it.

He is a shrewd man and knows that while in prison he would not have to answer questions of hundreds of anxious families whose near and dear ones he took along to Afghanistan and who are still unaccounted for.

This is the man who is responsible for the death of hundreds of innocent Pakistanis who followed him unwittingly with the blind faith that their Amir would lead them to the heaven.

Instead they found themselves trapped in parts of Afghanistan among the bloodthirsty warlords. He should be thankful to the government for having saved him from the ire of his people.

He has more than one reason to be grateful to the government.

First, he was allowed to assemble thousands of armed people, making a mockery of the government`s deweaponization campaign and then, he was allowed to cross over into Afghanistan in total disregard of the international conventions on cross-border movement.

In fact Governor Iftikhar is on record as saying that those who wished to wage a `Jihad` were free to do so and that his government would facilitate those who wished to go to Afghanistan for the purpose.

The government obviously had its own interest in seeing the back of these people rather than allowing them create a law and order situation at home.

Can the government acquit itself from the responsibility of the deaths of hundreds of Pakistanis?

It is the responsibility of the state to protect the lives of its people.

But knowing that the Taliban could not withstand the US fire power, also knowing that the days of the Taliban were numbered the government allowed its citizens to cross over and face what looked like imminent death.

The government cannot extricate itself of the charge.

Perhaps its guilt is more than the crime committed by Sufi Mohammad.

But the government will not put itself in the dock. There is no such precedence. What it could it certainly has done - putting the TMSM Amir behind the bars for three years.

This is not a conviction or a sentence, the secretary home & tribal affairs told us. Sufi can come out any time he wants upon furnishing an affidavit of good conduct in future.

Does this mean that Sufi would be allowed to walk free and return home after giving an undertaking that he would not lead the innocent Dirojis again into death traps?

Detention of up to three years for the death of hundreds of people! Has life become so cheap in Pakistan?

Sufi Muhammad has always been a pain in the neck. Government after government have tried and failed to tackle the TNSM Amir whose campaign for the enforcement of Islamic laws in Malakand division first resulted in a bloody rebellion and later on took the shape of an annual ritual of disrupting the tourist season.

Political governments had their weaknesses and compulsions and at times out of political expediency looked on helplessly succumbing to the dictates of the TNSM Amir.

What is it with the present government? Does this government also find itself as weak as its predecessors?

Don`t blame the common man if he does not take the government`s orders seriously. What happened to the deweaponization campaign.

The paramilitary forces looked on helplessly when the TNSM activists drove past the check points with guns mounted on their vehicles.

Why should the common citizens believe this government when it says that it would take concrete steps against religious extremists and then buckles under such pressures, and withdraws plans to bring about procedural amendments in the controversial blasphemy law.

Mere tough talk will not convince the people. Action speaks louder than words.

How will the government liberate the `great majority of moderate Pakistanis` held hostage by a minority of religious extremists when it cannot liberate itself from the extremists.

People remain unconvinced. They say that the establishment has not divorced its religious allies altogether. This is just a separation.

There will be a re-union once the situation cools down in Afghanistan. It will continue to need the support of the religious extremist groups for as long as Kashmir issue remains unresolved.

Notwithstanding their present hibernation, the Jihadi outfits would continue to operate, along the holy war in Kashmir.

They would continue to push political goals in Pakistan as well.

The government says the extremists stand exposed and that it plans to unveil an action plan against them in the next three weeks or so.

The taste of the pudding is in eating it.

Time will tell how sincere is the administration in taking on religious extremism.(DAWN)

Well said Ismail Khan!

``The government says the extremists stand exposed`` -- what hypocrisy!

The fact is that it is the GOVERNMENT that stands EXPOSED before the eyes of the Western world and specially – when the US -- as the HOUSE GUEST -- is finding out the sordid family secrets of illicit affairs between the military and their Jihadi Dobermen -- and between the Jihadis and their Jihadi nuclear scientists!!.

Not a good idea to invite a “snooping`` house guest like the USA – into a military-religious BROTHEL -– run by a conniving army – and plied by the bloodthirsty -- Jihadi prostitutes.

re rajanjua

she`s a klepto-psycho yup--but no different from any other politician/military man. But one reason why the Indian establishment is ``entertaining`` her is to thumb their noses at El Mush. He tried to do the same when he came to Delhi and meet the Hurriyat. I suppose that the next on this list to Delhi is that hyperpatriot who lives in the plush confines of London while egging on his MQM acolytes back in Karachi. [Perhaps he too will visit Agra on a delayed honeymoon :)] I guess what goes around comes around.

Another reason for playing up to Benazir. the press over here in the US is still besotted with her Radcliffe and Oxford debating auras. It only makes India look better to entertain the potentially future leader of an adversary country. Check out the story in today`s NY Times about her jaunt in India.

tahmed

The problem with organized religions, and particularly Islam, is that their adherents take it too seriously and end up believing in nonsense like people living inside a fish and walking on water. That, in itself, wouldn’t be all that bad if they weren’t convinced that those who don’t share in their superstitions are damned to hell and damnation. Good Muslims and Baptists alike will deny this, but you don’t have to push them far before they admit that they are flaming bigots. Even that wouldn’t be all that awful – after all the world is full of bigots – but what really kills me is that religion results in a joyless life where people end up going to taraweeh instead of watching the hockey game or drinking single-malt whiskey. Life is a terrible thing to waste on god – whether it is ganesh or whatishisname, is quite immaterial.

scout #298 - ``We should focus our attention on the real deal: platinum and diamonds.``

hear hear - i am with you on that !!

But I dont know how men do it - part with all their $$$ to get those sparklers for their women. I wouldnt do that for no man !!

aicha

Benazir is Cool. Would anyone consider Asiya Andrabi a Muslim feminist???

SRINAGAR (AFP) - Non-Kashmiris fighting Indian troops in the disputed territory are not freedom fighters but terrorists, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto said in an interview published Thursday.

‘Let me clear here that non-Kashmiris are not freedom fighters and indigenous Kashmiris are fighting for their freedom,’ Benazir told the Greater Kashmir.

‘I also call non-Kashmiri militants as terrorists,’ she told the newspaper in an interview from New Delhi, where she is on a private visit.

Benazir had been asked about India’s stand that Pakistan supports ‘cross-border terrorism’ in the form of Islamic fighters to target Indian forces.

Benazir claimed her position may eventually be adopted by President Pervez Musharraf, noting that she was ahead of Musharraf in breaking ranks with Afghanistan’s Taliban.

‘What I say first is followed by Musharraf later,’ Benazir said.

Benazir said she opposed hardline Kashmiri groups such as Lashkar-e-Taiba ‘which are trying to hijack the Kashmir movement.’

‘We believe the people of Kashmir should be given right of self-determination. They should choose their own future,’ she said.

Benazir called for India and Pakistan to resolve through dialogue all issues, including Kashmir, to avoid a repeat of conflicts such as the two-month confrontation in Kargil sector.

‘We certainly want to avoid conflicts like Kargil. We do not want it (the hostilities) to turn into nuclear war,’ she said.

Mujahideen in Kashmir criticised Benazir’s comments.

Leading female leader Aasiya Andrabi said that Benazir, ‘who knows nothing about Islam, has no right to pass comments against the Mujahideen.’

‘Kashmiris will never tolerate people dubbing great warriors as terrorists,’ she added.

Andrabi praised foreign groups for their struggle in Kashmir.

‘Be it Lashkar-e-Taiba or Jaish-e-Mohammed, it is because of the sacrifices of their cadres that Kashmir issue is on everyone’s lips,’ said Andrabi, who heads the Dukhtaran-e-Milat (Daughters of Faith) political group.

sadna,

Could you imagine how the multinicked interactor`s office worker would have to answer the phone? ``Hello, 15 Heads are better than one!Um, no that personality cant come to the phone now, they are online...can I take a message? You`re calling from the FCC? Actually, the person you are trying to reach has left the country. Pakistan, I believe. No, I don`t know when he/she is coming back... `` Or perhaps an automated phone system message would be better; ``For Aamir, press 1. If you`d like to speak to Bapu, please enter 2. For Studebaker, press 3. To reach Bijli, press 4 now. For Fatimah, press 5. For Deepika, press 6. For Shah, press 7. If you`d like to speak to Sadhna, press 8. To speak to Faiza, press 9. For Brad Cruise, dial 10 now. For Arrested Development, press 11. For Bhardwaj, press 12. All new and developing personalities, press 13. If you`d like to hear a recording of randomly punctuated and capped screeching, please hold. If you`d like to kill yourself instead, please push the pound key. Otherwise, please hold.`` Muzak is piped in.

regards

studebaker,

{{In contrast ,at least from islamic scripture ,i have known GOD(Allah)as the most beneficient most mercifull,benvolent & no less than our parents .In most cases ,they want us to suceed,would NOT CAUSE US TO FALL IN THE DITCH to teach us lesson.That is a very mean representation of god,why most aethist ,or irreligous like to think that way.}}

I`m glad to hear that. Parhaps you should give this sermon to your fellow muslim Asif Naqsbandhi. The way he writes, it seems he`s so s *it scared of God`s wrath that he twists & contorts in apologising to Him, just in case his words or thoughts could be misconstrued by Him. As if God does`nt understand what is in his mind!

Maybe his sect reads a different scripture. Maybe his sect is not ``pure muslim``, like yours..

George Harrison was a spiritual individual and devotee of the Hare Krishna movement.

He began following the principles of Hare Krishna after meeting founder AC Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, who was a house guest of John Lennon in 1969.

Mantra

George often chanted the `Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna` mantra, which is supposed to cleanse the mind and free devotees from their anxiety and illusions in their worship of Krishna.

He shouted the phrase to try to ward off an attack by crazed fan Michael Abram in his own home, and chanted it during the trial to calm his nerves. And he once claimed it saved him as he took a nightmare plane journey during an electrical storm.

George often said that he did not seek fame or riches, and it was the pursuit of his own space which led to his interest in the Hindu religion.

Sitar

In the Beatles Anthology, George reflected on his search for religion saying: ``When you`ve had all the experiences - met all the famous people, made some money, toured the world and got all the acclaim - you still think `is that it?`

George developed an interest in India after meeting the renowned musician Ravi Shankar in the 1960s. Shankar invited him to learn to play the sitar and he spent six weeks understanding basic musical techniques.

And it was George who persuaded the other Beatles to fly to India and sit at the feet of the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi.

Fund-raising

His studies had a deep effect on his music and his beliefs. He showed his devotion to the movement on his post-Beatles hit My Sweet Lord, in which parts of the mantra are repeated.

Shankar`s friendship with George led to the pair working together on their fund-raising extravaganza The Concert For Bangladesh in 1971, which raised almost $250,000 for starving youngsters in the country.

George convinced Ringo Starr, Eric Clapton and Bob Dylan to perform at the show in New York.

tahemdji#295;

[In the fine tradition of muslim invaders throughout history, I decided to fight idolatary by taking the lady god off the shelf (after paying for it, unlike the invaders) ]

LoL hahaha!

:)

Say a prayer for George Harrison

may he rest in peace

..................................................

Any other Beatles fans out there?

Studebaker # 302

Of course not. If God finds out I am a Pundit, He is going to demand a higher standard of behavior from me :)

I am the last person to blame God for anything at all. I was making another point...Kal afternoon mein, when the moon shines in the east for a minute or two, and then disappears again (lol...dont ask me to explain that...I have a very special moon that shines bright when it is afternoon for me), I will try to clarify...

Regards.

Prem

Marriage & Motherhood End Womens Academic Goals.

Catch 22

SCHOLARS TAKE DROPOUT DOOR



BY MITA MUKHERJEE



Calcutta, Nov. 29:

When Sutapa had joined Calcutta University as a research scholar of botany five years ago, she was driven by the dream of completing her research in four years and then working as a scientist. Marriage and motherhood have put an end to that. Today, her research remains incomplete. Her scholarship has been discontinued after she failed to submit her thesis within the stipulated period…

Madhavi, of the university’s physiology department, had to surrender her UGC scholarship one year into her research as marriage took her away to north Bengal…

Sutapa and Madhavi are just two of the “promising women scholars” on the list of research dropouts that has left Calcutta University’s science department worried. At present, 75 per cent of post-graduate students and research scholars in the university are women. The majority of young men with brilliant records steer clear of academics, say varsity officials.

“While screening applications, we invariably find women with more impressive academic records than the male aspirants. The women also fare better in the entrance tests,” says Manab Kumar Sengupta, secretary of the science and technology faculties of the university. “It is a matter of concern that we are losing such high-performing students, who could turn out to be good scientists if they complete their research and stick to the profession.”

Worried by the trend, university officials have even made it a point to remind women candidates during the “final interviews” that they must submit their theses within the stipulated time, despite family factors.

Subjects where women research scholars outnumber the men by far are chemistry, botany, zoology, physiology, psychology, chemical engineering, applied chemistry and applied physics.

The other side to the dropout rate among women research scholars is the “waste of financial resources”. With the likes of Sutapa and Madhavi availing of the UGC scholarship — which ensures a minimum monthly remuneration of Rs 6,000, plus other allowances — and then failing to complete their research, is a “drain” of government funds.

“The practice needs to be stopped. We can’t afford to lose good students in this manner, as this affects the overall research output of the university,” says Sengupta. “The process to motivate women students to complete their research and contribute to the profession has begun,” he adds.

Varsity officials, meanwhile, have contacted their counterparts in Delhi, Mumbai and Andhra Pradesh to discuss the matter. “But in no other university did we find such a high enrolment of women research scholars, and so the problem is not as acute,” a CU official said.









VOLTE-FACE ON WATERBODY



BY OUR LEGAL REPORTER



Calcutta, Nov. 29:

The high court-appointed special officer, who had declared a wetland — the controversial Padmapukur in Dum Dum — as “not a waterbody” about a year and a half ago, changed his mind on Thursday while submitting the second report to the judge. The new report says: “Padmapukur is six feet deep and full of clear water.”

Padmapukur hit the headlines a few months ago when the state fisheries department claimed it was a wetland and announced that the area had been distributed to fishermen for pisciculture on a co-operative basis.

But, a city-based businessman, Arun Poddar, claimed that he owned Padmapukur, spread over 3.75 acres.

The status of Padmapukur attracted attention in the wake of the murder of Dum Dum municipality chairman Sailen Das, who reportedly wanted to ward off any construction on the waterbody.

Special officer Dilip Seth, in his report a few months ago, had said that Padmapukur was full of hyacinth and aquatic grass and “only ankle-deep water was found in the north and north-west corner of the plot.”

Seth’s volte-face on Thursday raised eyebrows in the legal circles.

Poddar moved court a year and a half ago, demanding its intervention in the dispute.

He claimed that he had bought the area, which was shali (a plot where construction can take place) from one Jyotirmoyee Devi of Calcutta, to set up an engineering college and a housing complex.

He also told the court that Kalyani University had already granted affiliation to the proposed college. The petitioner said that the housing department had decided to build a complex in the area and that there was no bar to construct buildings on the land.

Appearing on behalf of the state, junior standing counsel Debasish Kar Gupta opposed Poddar’s move and said that the petitioner had bought the land by paying Rs 4 lakh only and had not paid the stamp duty at the time of the purchase.

“So, his purchase was not in accordance with the law and the government does not recognise him as owner of the plot,” Kar Gupta claimed.

He also said that the state government had requisitioned the plot for 10 years and was initiating a dialogue with the owner of the land to acquire it.

“If the claims of the petitioner are true — that the area is shali land — then the law will not permit him to own such a large plot in an urban area, as it will violate the Land Ceiling Act. If the land is under ceiling, then the government has every right to acquire it for a better purpose,” Kar Gupta added.

sherdil

“I`m going to expose my ignorance here ... but what exactly is the 12-headed monster? I don`t see any posts by someone with that handle, so what is it? Is it another internet abbreviation? Can anyone explain? “

….sherdil, ignorance is bliss…..TRUST me on this one….

Poonwala ji,

Adaab, swagatham, namaskar.

Jaisa ki aap dekh rahe hain, it will take a little time for you to establish your ``authenticity`` here. That`s nothing against you, it`s just the way it is here :)

As to Junoon, I beg to disagree. I am told they are losing their old touch, but they have been an amazing success. So Pakistanis have a good reason to be proud of them. Don`t you think?

Regards and welcome.