TO MY VALENTINE ON V-DAY

TO MY VALENTINE ON V-DAY (I know she wont read it & if she does, she isn’t my Valentine) 

BY MAHTAB BASHIR mahtabbashir@gmail.com 

ISLAMABAD 

I see you in silver clouds And when raindrops hit my window I feel you in the gentle breeze And when raindrops pour in the willow I see you in the crimson twilight And when soft moonlight brightens my night I hear you in the rushing streams And green valleys where beauty reigns I see you when the dawn prevails When the Sun comes up and darkness vanishes! I know that the going has been tougher on you lately, but patience will bear you the sweetest of fruits. It is the sole soother in those dark and lonely nights when your life feels like a hallucination. When all the misdeeds of past and the guilts flow down from that once-praised mind to that cherished body. You feel like banging your head but patience and the belief in God keeps you alive and going. Self-belief is what gets hurt the most but believe me no matter what happens, you are still the best and yes you can still rise again. So lift your face, feel the Sun, and take a deep breath. It will make you feel better. Yes, I know how it feels when none is ready to look at you, nobody believes in you, and when the best of moves backfire and nothing seems to be going your way. In those hard times- my friend, close your eyes and feel that I am there next to you, giving my shoulder to cry on. But, look out! These painful times should not distract you from the path of honesty, goodness and truthfulness. Because these are the things that will keep you going on and lend you the strength to put up with these stiff time. They will serve as the light in your soul which will guide you and ensure that you make it in the end. Don’t feel ashamed in letting that overwhelming sea of tears drops out of your eyes. It will only enlightened your burden, your soul. Hiding emotions and pain will only worsen it, but on the other hand, don’t let this turn into self-pity, for it will demoralise you further. Think that people who deserted you at this moment weren’t worth being with. But most importantly, I am with you- always near your heart!

Just like every dark night brings a beautiful and bright dawn, your life will soon meet the beautiful dawn. Trust in God and remember you are not alone and everything will be yours!

RAHAT FATEH ALI KHAN DETAINED AT IGI AIRPORT

Main Jahaan Rahoon/

Main Kahin Bhi Hoon/

Teri Yaad Saath Hay ...

Kehny ko saath apnay ik duniya chalti hay

Per chhupkay iss dil may ‘Foreign Currency’ palti hay …..
Bus .......

New Delhi, Feb 13: Noted Pakistani singer Rahat Fateh Ali Khan was detained at the Indra Gandhi International (IGI) airport here this evening by revenue intelligence sleuths for allegedly carrying a huge amount of undeclared foreign currency.

Khan, who is a hit Bollywood playback singer, arrived here on a flight from Karachi and was intercepted by personnel from Directorate of Revenue Intelligence acting on some prior information, official sources said.

They said the singer was carrying a huge amount of foreign currency (reportedly 100,000 US $) which he did not declare to the immigration authorities. Two other persons accompanying him have also been detained, the sources said.

Khan is being questioned and the amount of the money is being ascertained, they said. The 37-year-old, nephew of Pakistani singing legend Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, was earlier too involved in a controversy when organisers of a concert in Gurgaon filed a police complaint against him in July last year for his failure to turn up for a show.

Khan has several hit numbers to his credit and had won the Filmfare Award for Best Male Playback Singer this year for 'Dil To Bachcha Hai Ji' from the movie 'Ishqiya'.

'GOOD FRIDAY' FOR 'EGYPT' or 'MUBARAK'!

BY MAHTAB BASHIR

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

ISLAMABAD

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak finally resigned on Friday after delegating the responsibility of running the country to the Egyptian Armed Forces. Vice President Omar Suleiman made the announcement on the media. Mubarak’s decision comes a day after Mubarak’s speech for which people all over the world waited with bated breath on Thursday night. Rumours were rife before his televised address that Mubarak was going to step down. Before Mubarak’s address, US President Obama said, “We are following today’s events in Egypt very closely, and we will have more to say as this plays out. What is absolutely clear is that we are witnessing history unfold. It is a moment of transformation.” Apparently, CIA chief Leon Panetta had said there was “a strong likelihood that Mubarak may step down this evening”.

Unfortunately, Hosni Mubarak surprised not just Obama and Panetta but the whole world when he refused to step down till a political transition takes place in September. It was ironic to see Mubarak telling the Egyptians that “the blood of your martyrs and injured will not go in vain. I assure you that I will not relent in harshly punishing those responsible” when he himself is solely responsible for the deaths of innocent Egyptians. Mubarak further said, “We will prove that we are no one’s servants, that we do not take instructions from anyone, and that only the demands of the citizens and the pulse of the street take our decisions.” It was astounding to see the stubbornness of a dictator who had not been able to read the writing on the wall: the people of Egypt wanted him to leave. But then again, all dictators are not just delusional, they cling to power for as long as possible.

The mood in Cairo’s Tahrir Square after Mubarak’s Thursday speech was full of despair and anger. On top of that, Vice President Omar Suleiman addressed the nation and told the protestors to “go home” and “unite and look to the future”. Suleiman’s words were akin to adding insult to injury. Hundreds of thousands of Egyptians took to the streets all over Egypt yesterday, a day dubbed as ‘Farewell Friday’ — which proved to be just that. In the face of all the anger, Hosni Mubarak decided to flee the hotbed of Cairo and landed in the salubrious surroundings of Sharm el-Sheikh while Suleiman broke the news of Mubarak’s resignation. The Egyptian military announced on Friday that the 30-year-old state of emergency would be lifted “as soon as current circumstances end” and asked the protestors to go home and resume normal life. The military also confirmed “the need to resume orderly work in the government installations and a return to normal life, preserve the interests and property of our great people”.

Egypt’s military is one of the strongest in the Arab world. Hosni Mubarak was able to crush the voice of the Egyptian people with the help of his military and secret police. At the beginning, the military was relatively impartial between the regime and the protestors and did not take any action against the latter. It seems that the armed forces wanted to give Mubarak a safe exit. It now remains to be seen whether they will bring in a new interim leader to oversee the transition. Such a leader, to be efficacious, would have to be acceptable to all. However, if the military decides to hold on to power itself, more chaos may ensue. In such a scenario, a little spark can ignite a huge fire and if the unrest in Egypt continues, it could become a self-fulfilling prophecy of descent into chaos and bloodshed.

LOVEBIRDS ALL SET TO FLUTTER THEIR WINGS

By Mahtab Bashir
mahtabbashir@gmail.com
Islamabad

Valentines Day is just around the corner and so is the Spring. It is that time of the year in which love is in the air. Couples around the Federal Capital shall be celebrating Valentines Day in their own special way on 14th of February. However, there are a few places in and around the city that are worth checking out. Daily Times highlights places that have been popular over the years, some that are new additions to the city scene, and few that are yet to be explored.

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2011%5C02%5C11%5Cstory_11-2-2011_pg11_9

Though country is gripped with the uncanny hands of extremists and radical forces looming threats to such activities yet love needs no restrictions- as per lovers.

It is not quite surprised with the preparations, sales and the crowds that were all geared towards this event. The whole of Islamabad's Super Market (F-6), Jinnah Super Market (F-7) and F-10 Markaz seem to be celebrating it in full swing. The Illusions gift and CD/DVD store shown above had changed the whole theme of the store to that of red hearts. The store's lighting was a shade of pink and giant hearts dotted the floor outside. Most restaurants and bookstores had also made similar adjustments to their look and feel.

The rear side of Rawal Dam situated at Murree Road lead to Rawal Lake, and Lotus Lake at the foothills of Shakarparian- both lead the way through a vista of falling leaves of tree are those unknown spots for most couples in the city. It can be amazingly romantic during afternoons again and just sitting under a tree beside the lake can be quite an experience. The best part about these places are that people don't bug you much, although there may be a few looks from curious onlookers, so cool it down a bit. Looking towards Murree Hills is also a great spot to go for a drive, it's one of the best places to celebrate the occasion but not usually in solitude.

Recently developed by CDA, Lake View Park is all set to become a very popular hang-out during Valentines day. The place brings a new experience to all Islamabad dwellers and couples from around the city visit it everyday. Rawal Lake was always a popular place for couples, and the Park brings a new touch to the lake. The idea of drifting down the water in a paddle-boat seems distinctly romantic for couples. The best time to visit the place is when the spot is under the twilight Zone.

The restaurants, café, hotels and guest rooms may be a stereotyped dating places, all around the cities but we still say few of restaurants at Margalla Road are worth visiting on Valentines day. The atmosphere definitely suits the love-is-in-the-air occasion and offers a nice place to talk to your loved one. We are almost certain that the place shall be flooded with couples on the 14th, but we also think that if you have issues that need to be sorted out, these are spots to be.

Tonga Ride at Saidpur Village can also be a nice way to spend some time together. Although one may have to face a bit of fright from being spotted by elders, Tonga ride is always pleasant and so is the atmosphere at Saidpur Village, that has emerged as an hot picnic spot over the few years. Visiting the village means spending time at modern and village at a time that may be quite pleasant, however try to abstain from crowded spots.

Islamabad’s new found high skyline, has created new places for couples to date. Many love-birds date on the roof of restaurants, and cafes located in Blue area and almost every downtown plazas of the city. Sometimes this gets quite risky. However, risks are always enjoyable!

Different outlets of Ice Cream parlours in various sectors are also nice places to date at times. We also presume that these branches shall be filled with people. We also think that it is not the best season for ice cream, but do try out the coffee.

Love stuck valentines visit the College and University campuses as well. There is nothing much to do in the campus but to sit around, exchange of romantic words and gifts, a quick refreshment at campus cafeteria can also be enjoyable experience.

Fatima Jinnah Park (F-9) has its fair share of mushy valentine's couples every year. This park is said to be the most popular place amongst lovers from all parts of the city. The eating outlets and the greenery must have something to do with all of this. Couples from different walks of life sit and chat here in each other's arms with no idea of the time.

Taking a drive out of the city on Valentines Day is definitely a great way to spend the occasion. Amongst all the places to go, Bhurban and Nathia Gali seem to be the best options. Bhurban can be quite romantic during the afternoon and the drive there can be a great way to spend some time together with a loved one.

Besides these, Shakarparian Hills, Damn-e-Koh/ Pir Sohawa, Pakistan Monuments, Margalla Hills Tracks, Visit of Zoo, Lok Virsa, Saidpur Village, Shahdara point, Chattar Park, and even Faisal Mosque is one of the favourite spots for lovebirds to celebrate the V-day.

Although there may be many other ways in which the love-struck community celebrates Valentine’s Day, Daily Times hopes that these places may suit your wants. However, wherever you may spend your time, remember that it's the ‘spirit of the occasion’ that is the most important.

UNCERTAINTY REIGNS IN CAIRO, AS MUBARAK REFUSES TO QUIT

By Mahtab Bashir

mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Islamabad

Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak’s decision to remain in office has drawn widespread criticism although he has been bolstered by the backing of the country’s army. Anti-government protesters demonstrate prior to the televised speech of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, in which they believed he would step down, at the continuing anti-government demonstration in Cairo, Egypt. Mubarak refused to step down or leave the country and instead handed his powers to his vice president, remaining president and ensuring regime control over the reform process, which stunned protesters demanding his ouster, who waved their shoes in contempt and shouted, "Leave, leave, leave."

Mubarak was widely expected to stand down last night, bringing an end to his 30-year rule.

However in a televised statement he said he would pass some of his powers to his vice president, intelligence chief Omar Suleiman, who would oversee a transition ahead of elections in the autumn. The precise details of this remain unclear.

Protesters in Cairo’s Tahrir Square who were watching the statement reacted angrily to Mubarak’s comments, raising their shoes as a sign of disrespect towards their president, reports the BBC.

President Obama issued a strongly worded statement in response saying it was “imperative that the government not respond to the aspirations of their people with repression or brutality”.

This morning, the Egyptian army’s Supreme Military Council appeared to indicate that they would not take issue with the transition timeline being proposed by President Mubarak but said they would guarantee free and fair elections when they do take place.

The army also said they would repeal the country’s 30-year-old emergency rule when the “current situation has ended”.

But they called for a return to normal life despite thousands of protesters returning to Cairo’s symbolic Tahrir Square.

LET THE COURTS DECIDE, NOT GOVERNMENT!

By Mahtab Bashir
Islamabad
mahtabbashir@gmail.com

Mr Davis belonged to a country where the Second Amendment to the constitution gives citizens the right to bear arms. Assuming Davis is a diplomat, his behaviour displays scant regard for Pakistan and its regulations, coupled with the violent gun culture of the US. Excluding self-defence or temporary insanity for the moment, if we consider the question whether Davis would have adopted the same course of action if he were stationed in France, it is reasonable to guess that it is highly unlikely that he would. If robbed in Paris, he would probably not reach for his gun, but rather would have had a criminal complaint registered. However, in a country where vigilantism is encouraged tacitly, rather glorified overtly, Mr Davis decided to shoot two people who had apparently attempted to mug him. He was certainly also aware of the constant grossly generalised venom indiscriminately directed against the Americans as a people. This does not in any way justify the conduct of Davis, and the law should take its course, holding him accountable.

The government is in a classic catch-22 situation. In Raymond Davis’ case it has very difficult options. The employee of the US consulate in Lahore had shot dead two Pakistanis in Lahore, ostensibly in self-defence, an incident whose motives and details remain murky. The status of Raymond Davis is also far from clear. The US is seeking diplomatic immunity for him, but things have been complicated for the government — which may have been inclined to grant immunity to save its relations with the US — by the reaction of the right wing forces and now the suicide of the widow of one of the murdered Pakistanis.

After weeks of rallies by religious outfits in support of the blasphemy laws, which are now gradually losing wind in the face of a firm denial by the government that any such move is afoot, releasing Raymond Davis may add fresh fuel to their reactionary agenda. They may view it as a golden opportunity to whip up anti-American sentiment among the public and pit them against the government. Currently, Davis is in the Punjab government’s custody and a court is hearing this case.

This has not gone down well with the US, which has heightened efforts to get him released. US Ambassador Cameron Munter has met President Asif Ali Zardari and sought his release. To send a firm signal to Pakistan that it means business, the US has postponed all bilateral diplomatic contact till this happens. Already the implications of this impasse have started making themselves felt. Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi postponed his visit to Munich, Germany, where he was scheduled to attend a security conference, because Pakistan has been informed that Secretary of State Hilary Clinton might not be able to meet him there because of this dispute. President Asif Ali Zardari’s visit to the US next month too has been jeopardised because of this issue. If Pakistan fails to comply with the US’s wishes, its position will be compromised in the trilateral negotiations involving the US, Pakistan and Afghanistan. In addition, painstaking diplomatic efforts by the US to reach out to the people of Pakistan and the ensuing strategic dialogue initiated last year are at risk. Moreover, various aid packages from the US, on which Pakistan is heavily dependent, are also in jeopardy.

The shooting in Lahore by an allegedly American diplomat Raymond Davis has been the subject of much controversy. The primary focus has rightly been on the legal position governing an incident like this. The diplomatic status of the shooter has not been clarified yet. The extension of the Vienna Convention’s immunity is being debated, although for any concrete determination, the facts surrounding the incident including diplomatic status, self-defence and the criminal antecedents of the shooter and the victims are imperative. There, however, remains a broader question relating to the incident: what would prompt a foreign diplomat to resort to such means (excluding self-defence) in a country with an evidently hostile population?

A study conducted by The National Bureau of Economic Research in 2006 through a Berkeley and Columbia professor, focused on exploring the relationship between illegal car parking by foreign diplomats in the New York City and corruption in their home countries. Diplomatic immunity means there was essentially zero legal enforcement of diplomatic parking violations, which allowed for the examination of the role of cultural norms of the home country. In essence this means that consular personnel and their families benefit from diplomatic immunity, a privilege that allows them to avoid paying parking fines. The study generated a revealed preference measure of corruption based on real world behaviour of government officials, all acting in the same setting. According to the study, the act of parking illegally fits remarkably well with a standard definition of corruption by Transparency International, i.e. “the abuse of entrusted power for private gain”, suggesting that the comparison of parking violations by diplomats from different societies serves as a credible measure of the extent of cultural norms of corruption. The results found persistence in corruption norms: diplomats from high corruption countries (based on the existing survey-based indices) had significantly more parking violations. Incidentally, relevant to current events, Egypt has been the worst offender, racking up 17,633 tickets due to illegal parking by its diplomats in New York between 1997 and 2009 for a total of $ 1.9 million.

The cultural norms of a country affect the behaviour of its foreign diplomats. Equally significantly, the study revealed that officials from countries that survey evidence indicates have less favourable popular views of the US committed significantly more parking violations than those having more favourable views. This illustrates the role that sentiment, affinity and perception play in economic decision-making and diplomatic behaviour. The seminal point relevant to the Raymond Davis incident is that the perception of the country and its laws where a diplomat is stationed influences his behaviour and inclination to respect and comply with the domestic regulations of that country. A particularly interesting finding of the study mentioned above is that countries with larger proportions of Muslim population experienced particularly pronounced declines in parking violations in the months following the September 11 attacks in New York City.

The response to the incident manifests the typical knee-jerk reactions permeating our public discourse. The Foreign Office should clarify his diplomatic status and his permission to carry firearms. Mr Davis, if he legally can be, should be investigated for the deaths of three Pakistani citizens. It should not, however, be posited as a crusade against the US. The unfortunate incident in Lahore should be viewed as an opportunity to emphasise our ability as a state and a nation to comprehend, enforce and comply with the laws, both domestic and international, rather than brandishing our imaginary, fragile national ego.

It is not that Washington’s own interests would not be hurt by this impasse in relations. Pakistan is critical to the US’s involvement in Afghanistan. The likelihood is that Pakistan will take help from the court. The government will try to defuse the situation by creating a fait accompli. The Foreign Office may declare Raymond Davis a diplomat by presenting relevant documents in the court. If Raymond Davis is spirited away in this manner, this will ruffle quite a few feathers among the religious and other rightwing parties, which are keen to pounce upon any opportunity to create instability. However, so much is at stake for both Pakistan and the US that there is greater probability that they will retreat from the brink. In real life when David met Goliath, he won, but a client state like Pakistan does not have the option of standing up to the Goliath that the US is.

IT'S OFFICIAL: NO 10 IS FULL OF NITS

DAVID Cameron has admitted there are nits in No 10 - after two of his kids came home from school with head lice.

The PM warned journalists visiting Downing Street that if their scalps started itching it was down to his daughter Nancy, seven, and son Arthur, four.

The youngsters have been treated with medication and are using an extra fine comb to get rid of the blood-sucking lice.

Asked about the nits, Mr Cameron told the reporters: "If you find them when you get home I apologise. Let me know and I'll send you a comb and some ointment."

The news comes a week after pest control experts were called to Downing Street to get rid of rats. A rodent had been spotted outside No 10 on TV news.

But nits are not associated with dirty heads - they live in any hair where they can feed on the scalp. They are normally caught by children when they attend primary school.

The PM's spokesman was asked if the Cameron children's head lice problem had spread to other members of the family - David, wife Samantha or baby Florence, six months.

He said: "It's contained at the present time."

THE SUN