A non-American reading of the American Declaration of Independence
The Declaration of Independence of July 4, 1776, is one of the greatest documents human history has produced. The more one reads it, the more meaningful, more insightful it becomes. Another aspect is its way of asserting certain things negatively. That is what I am interested in presenting here. Let us see whether the Declaration substantiates this sort of reading between the lines.
The first para of the Declaration states that when a People separate (or dissolve the Political Bands which have connected them with another) from other People, it is necessary to declare the causes which impel them to the Separation.
The second para asserts that there are self-evident Truths, such as i) all Men are created equal; ii) they are endowed by their Creator certain unalienable Rights; iii) among these Rights are Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. Then, it concludes that Governments are instituted among Men
Puranay Kaalum – Muhim Juoon Ki Sarzameen
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Iss Khabar Ka Kya Matlab Hay?
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Figuring out what’s happening in China
Communist Party cadres have filled meeting halls around China to hear a somber, secretive warning issued by senior leaders. Power could escape their grip, they have been told, unless the party eradicates SEVEN subversive currents coursing through Chinese society.
These SEVEN perils were enumerated in a memo, referred to as Document No. 9, that bears the unmistakable imprimatur of Xi Jinping, China’s new top leader.
Seven Western Perils:
1. Western Constitutional Democracy;
2. Universal Values of Human Rights;
3. Media Independence;
4. Civic Participation;
5. Pro-Market Neo-Liberalism;
6. Nihilist Criticisms of the Party’s past; . . .
See the full story, “China memo reveals fears of Western influence,” in the International Herald Tribune – Pakistan print edition of August 21, 2013.
That’s life!
See it negatively or positively! That’s life!
[The News, August 21, 2013]
Sahafat Ki Taqat Aur Faayeda
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Matiullah Turab – Afghan smith of metal and words
Matiullah Turab is nearly illiterate. He is a metal smith by day and poet by night. He relies on his mind to retain his poems.
“A poet’s job is not to write about love,” he growls, his booming voice blending with the ambient noise of the workshop. “A poet’s job is not to write about flowers. A poet must write about the plight and pain of the people.”
That’s Turab’s choice. He is a people of the poet.
“With his unflinching words, Mr. Turab offers a voice for Afghans grown cynical about the war and its perpetrators: the Americans, the Taliban, the Afghan government, Pakistan.”
Even in translation, his poetry exhibits brilliance:
War has turned into a trade
Heads have been sold
as if they weigh like cotton,
and at the scales sit such judges
who taste the blood, then decide the price
Or:
O flag-beareres of the world,
you
What about internal sovereignty?
The so-called nationalists maintain Drone attacks are damaging the sovereignty of Pakistan!
These nationalists include Rightists of various hues such as Jamat-e-Islami to Jamiat-e-Ulama-e-Islam (F), and other somewhat liberal elements as well. They know that Pakistan is a declared ally of the US in the war against terror, and in that case, it’s of no significance whose Drones they are and whose territory they are targeting. Also, Bob Woodward’s Obama’s wars and Wikileaks establish Pakistan’s tacit approval of the Drone attacks.
Sure, the nationalists’ anti-American stance and dubbing the present government as US-backed validate their argument. Indeed, by way of inference also, most of these nationalists lean toward the Taliban who are openly attacking the sovereignty of Pakistan. But it seems they have no idea of internal sovereignty, but are concerned only about guarding the external sovereignty of Pakistan which is in no danger by the Drone attacks.
Is a
14 August Ko Kya Hua!
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Riyasati Ashrafiya (State Aristocracy) thriving on taxpayers’ money
Taxes for what
By Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq
By Huzaima Bukhari & Dr. Ikramul Haq
The government’s yearning for “more and more taxes” has become a point of irritation for the citizens who argue where are the entitlements promised in the Constitution as quid pro quo?
Successive governments — military and civilian alike — have failed to convince the people that payment of taxes is their collective responsibility. The major reason for tax defiant culture in Pakistan is abuse of taxpayers’ money by Riasti Ashrafiya (state oligarchy) — militro-judicial-civil complex and public office holders — for plots, perquisites, personal comforts and luxuries.
People say if the government cannot protect their life and property, it has no right to collect taxes. In a democratic polity, taxes are collected for providing the citizens universal entitlements e.g. health, education, housing, transport, and civic amenities etc. The valid argument against paying taxes in Pakistanis is that it constitutes extortion by
Ik Mulk Bana Be Dar Dekha
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Google and Pakistan’s Independence Day – August 14, 2013
Today, on Pakistan’s independence day, www.google.com – how beautifully used the image of Urial and its horns! Fantastic!
Karachi Ka Akhlaaqi Muqaddar
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The perils of judicial populism – II
“Judges rule on the basis of law, not public opinion, and they should be totally indifferent to pressures of the times.”
[Warren E. Burger (1907-1995), Chief Justice, US Supreme Court]
If the Chief Justice’s case was before the country’s highest court of law, what was the need for the lawyers, civil society organizations, political activists and ordinary people to come out to the streets? This is the trickiest question that must be answered to understand the July 20 judgment. Also, this brings us to the first context: what transpired before the reference was filed against the Chief Justice.
There were / are attempts at finding answers to the question. Their focus is the judiciary’s past character. The boldest statement in this regard termed judiciary as B team of Pakistan Army; and appealed to it to act instead as A team of people. The first step towards this transformation of the
The perils of judicial populism – I
“Judges rule on the basis of law, not public opinion, and they should be totally indifferent to pressures of the times.”
[Warren E. Burger (1907-1995), Chief Justice, US Supreme Court]
The best thing that best explains Supreme Court’s July 20 judgment is: it’s never too late to mend!
As is being claimed it’s historic, it’s daring, it’s a people’s verdict, it’s a turning point in Pakistan’s history; of course, it is all these or may be more than that! But things are meaningful only in a context. Without context, they lose their import also. So, they must needs be put in their proper context to be understood rightly.
This is more so with Supreme Court’s judgment that unanimously reinstated Mr. Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of Pakistan, setting aside the presidential reference against him. Besides its own significance, what make the judgment unusually extraordinary are the reservations, apprehensions and
Kalum Nigaron Ki Kalum Chingariyan
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Riyasati Ashrafiya (State Aristocracy) and the monopolization of wealth and resources in Pakistan
In another article, Deadly debt trap, Huzaima Bukhari and Dr. Ikramul Haq talk of Riyasati Ashrafiya’s plundering and monopolization of wealth and resources of Pakistan.
They write:
“The way the government is moving our foreign debt would reach US$75 billion in 2015 and domestic debt would be Rs22 trillion. The policies of appeasement towards tax evaders, money-launderers and plunderers of national wealth and monopolisation of resources by Riasti Ashrafiya (state aristocracy) have pushed the country towards disaster.”
And:
“The present crisis testifies to the failure of power-hungry, money-greedy politicians and incompetent, inefficient and corrupt bureaucrats. Even the so-called technocrats always take the first flight to Washington after creating mess — where are Shaukat Aziz and Abdul Hafeez now? In this bleak scenario, Riasti Ashrafiya is not ready to surrender extraordinary perks and privileges enjoyed by them at the cost of taxpayers’ money. How can rulers and bureaucrats living in
Big governments and high taxes – a unique blog
My Filipino friend, Nonoy Oplas, runs a blog, Government and Taxes, hitting hard at the tax exacting governments. It provides a discussion venue about the role (and misrule) of big government and high taxes.
… Visit the blog: WWW.FunWithGovernment.blogspot.com
Kashmir Se Aik Sitam Zareefaana Khabar
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Forsaking institutional sovereignty
A larger section of the sovereignty lobby tries to evade the real issue of institutional sovereignty facing Pakistan; rather it appears that their crying over the spilt milk of external sovereignty is a ploy to that effect.
This larger section includes so-called nationalists mostly from the Right and the Center. They all glorify a militarized Pakistan. Despite that Pakistan is an ally of the US in the war on terror, they want Iqbal’s Mamula (a little bird) to fight Shahbaz (a hawk). In their vision, they see Pakistan militarily confronting US, then US collapsing and Pakistan emerging victorious replacing the US.
Not only does this lobby play down the idea of internal sovereignty, they also negate the notion of institutional sovereignty. This they may defend as if by requiring an army they mean to conquer the whole world.
Be that wishful thinking as it may! Countries and nations are not