Time for Introspection

Introspection is good. Mind set to protest is the next.

Interesting article - Had I not known you for a while now, I would have taken the writer of this article to be a sayanim, sitting at some Indian consulate located near an American base in Afghanistan but since I know you too well for this, I would just try to respect your views with a strong hope of seeing a friend look beyond this jargon.

aftab please move to usa or israel and fight with them in the trenches...defending them from the comfort of your home is not called loyalty!
and we hear enough of this bull propoganda on the tele so we are not moved by any of your arguments.
and remember that as a muslim saying things without research is strictly prohibited also it says in the quran that do do rely on shady sources (i.e modern day media) when talking of issues.. so i wonder where you got your research done..
sometimes saying things against islam, islamic law and mujahedin can put one out of the circle of islam.
as for your claim about the park, no one had any sticks and just a group of ppl came from the mosque at asr and requested and they came again at maghrib and requested and at isha they came again and demanded that the music be stopped... the point you are missing in your dread of sticks and swords is; why was a a music concert being held in a mulsim country? and suppose we are so far gone that we have forgotten whats haram atleast we should observe common decency during prayer times.
anyways, hope allah gives you the strength to see the right path.

Glad to see that some one from Pakistan has the courage and the decency to speak truth! Pakistan has been in the denial mode from day one.Since 1947 we have blamed all our misfortunes on India, USA and the all time whipping boy the YAHOOD-O-Nasara and never ourselves! Ironically even today some very educated people believe that everything wrong in Pakistan is the work of some mysterious non Muslim agents and Muslims just cannot do anything wrong!why do people forget that Militant Muslim organizations lik the Laskar-i-Toiba, Jaish-i-Mohd, Sipah-i-Sahaba, Harkat ul muslim and many more were created ay before 9/11 and sectarian killings were going on in Pakistan much before the American action in Afghanistan or Iraq

Re: # 5
akc...
in the latest version of shermon (I guess, you are referreing this as kutba), India is also included....

anyhow, it is not unusual to pass the buck....I can recall, our ex-CM (veteran communist leader Jyoti Basu) used to blame Congress govt. at centre for every ill plauging West Bengal (Kenda dichhe na- centre is depriving us)

Aftab,
Are you really a Pakistani?

First try to figure out WHO U R?

U DONT HAVE ANY SUBCONTINENTAL EXAMPLE SIR?
UR NATIONS HISTORY STARTS FROM SAUDI ARABIA AND (THROUGH UNITED STATES) ENDS IN CHINA? HA HA HA.
THIS IS THE MOST BASIC PROBLEM.

Re: # 11

Madani: "I find lots of negative attitude detrimental to nation. There are problems and they will be reduced. Do you not think it is time to concentrate on positive things."

I think it's important to celebrate the good things without distracting attention from the serious challenges Pakistan faces today. The powerful challenges have been a part of almost every nation's life throughout history. Ridda wars in Arabia right after the passing of Prophet Muhammad in Arabia, American civil war, Japanese struggle to modernize from the closed society with Samurai/feudal culture to a more open, industrialized society, China's long march and cultural revolution prior to Deng's embrace of capitalism, are all examples of challenges the nations overcame. Pakistanis can do the same if they get focused and determined to emerge stronger, more prosperous and economically developed from the current difficulties.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

Re: # 10 Prof.Riaz Haq.....Whatever done is done it can not be reversed. I find lots of negative attitude detrimental to nation. There are problems and they will be reduced. Do you not think it is time to concentrate on positive things. This negative talking leads to succession of more gloom and failure and KSE is example.
Did you read this news by UN. ( Arjun gave some nonrelated polls by prejudiced peoiple)

Pakistan fastest growing telecom market: UN

Where is arjun and Author Aftab Zaidi. Have they have to say anything different than gloom and doom ?
Good morning every body, bye

Pakistan’s ruling elite, including a long list of politicians from left and right during its 60 year history, have been too willing to make deals with the extremists who believe in a very harsh and punitive version of Islam. They see no room for reason or Ijtihad to adapt to the realities of the world today. Zardari is not alone in enabling these abominations, such as the beatings in Swat. ANP, the progressive party that won the mandate over the religious right, is equally culpable, if not more so. It was ANP that made the deal with Sufi, Zardari endorsed it.
Riaz Haq, PakAlumni Worldwide

read a similar and even better article in Dawn (1/4/09)by Irfan Husain.

Aftab-bhai,

my guess is that you will be called unpatriotic/unmuslim etc. Good luck with that !

In the meantime here is a good article by a reasoname US commentator:
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2009%5C04%5C01%5Csto ry_1-4-2009_pg3_2

[quote]
There is one piece missing, and that involves the Pakistani mindset toward India. There are a number of analysts (include me on that list) who believe that until the India-centricity of Pakistani foreign and security policy is substantially modified, the country will find it very difficult to adjust its sights to the real danger the state of Pakistan faces from the West. This adjustment not only involves the army, though it is a critical actor in this drama, but the whole of civil society itself.

The India-centric focus of much of society and the military is, arguably, responsible for much of Pakistan’s deficiencies as a state, a nation, and a society. That is a subject that I may take up in some future column. This one is about President Obama’s strategy to help Pakistan overcome the existential challenge it faces.
[\quote]

Zaidi Sahib

Well said but does it really matter, people like myself the already converted are a minority, majority is not listening nor are they even considering alternative ideas. I a, sorry, but the time for words has passed, either we take them on literally or say goodbye.

#1 Posted by samar1982 on April 2, 2009 11:00:57 pm

pakis have that common with egyptians..a country built around denial...

just took me back a few years ... I was roaming about outside 'masjid-e shohada' in Lahore, at the time of the jumaa khutba ... the maulana was delvering the khutba in the vernacular ... the subject of 'american conspiracy' came up as someone asked a question in the front row ... question was related to us blaming all our ills upon the 'outsiders' so to speak

... I still can't forget the maulana's reply ... he said categorically and clearly and I quote "if there were two fish at the bottom of the ocean fighting over scraps, I have a firm belief that somewhere the americans, the brits and the jews are involved"!!

this was followed by a 'naara-e takbeer' etc!

such is the state of denial ... pitiful really