روگریس رپورٹ بھیجو

شجاع جو یونیورسٹی سے اچانک غائب ہوگیا تھا کل اس سے پچیس برس بعد ملاقات ہوئی۔ اس نے بتایا کہ وہ امریکہ چلا گیا تھا۔ وہاں پیپر میرج کی، ڈپارٹمنٹل سٹورز اور گیس سٹیشنوں پر کام کیا اور پچھلے دس برس سے ایل اے میں ایک ادارے کے ساتھ وابستہ ہے جو ہالی وڈ کے ستاروں اور انہیں ستارہ بنانے والوں کو سیکورٹی فراہم کرتا ہے۔

میں نے کہا گھر چلو باقی گفتگو وہیں کرنا۔ شجاع کو ہر ٹریفک سگنل پر بھکاری بچے، پھول فروخت کرنے والی بچیوں اور اخبار فروش لڑکوں کو دیکھ کر اتنی ہی حیرت ہوئی جتنی حیرت کی میں کسی بھی بیس پچیس برس بعد وطن آنے والے پاکستانی سے توقع کرتا ہوں۔

'یار یہاں تو لوگ پہلے سے بھی زیادہ بھیک مانگ رہے ہیں۔ یار یہ کتنی پیاری بچی ہے اور کوئی اس کے پاؤں میں جوتی پہنانے والا نہیں ہے۔ یار سِول سوسائٹی اتنی بے حس کیوں ہے۔ یار حکومت کو یہ بچے کیوں دکھائی نہیں دیتے۔ یار این جی اوز کہاں مرگئی ہیں۔۔۔'

ایک ٹریفک سگنل پر اچانک شجاع چیخا، گاڑی سائڈ پر لگاؤ۔ میں نے کہا کیوں۔ وہ وہ کتنا معصوم بچہ ہے جو اخبار بیچ رہا ہے، میں اس کی مدد کرنا چاہتا ہوں۔ میں نے کسی بھی طرح کی حیرت ظاہر کیے بغیر گاڑی سائڈ پر روک لی۔

شجاع نے اشارے سے بچے کو بلایا۔ بچہ کئی گاڑیاں پھلانگتا تقریباً دوڑتا ہوا آیا۔ تم کیا کرتے ہو بچے؟ جی میں یہیں اخبار بیچتا ہوں۔ سکول کیوں نہیں جاتے؟ جی باپ نہیں ہے، ماں اور بہن بھائیوں کا بوجھ سر پر ہے۔ اگر میں تمہیں ہر مہینے سکول کی فیس اور گھر کے لیے کچھ پیسے باقاعدگی سے دوں تو پھر سکول جاؤ گے؟ کیوں نہیں بابو جی، اللہ آپ کو اس کا اجر دے گا۔ لیکن تمہیں کچھ وعدے کرنے پڑیں گے۔ وہ کیا بابوجی؟ ایک تو تم مجھے اپنے گھر والوں سے ملواؤ گے، میں خود تمہارے گھر کی حالت دیکھنا چاہتا ہوں۔ دوسرا تمہارا ایک بینک اکاؤنٹ کھلواؤں گا جس میں تمہارے لیے پیسے بھیج سکوں۔ تیسرا یہ کہ تم ہر مہینے اپنے سکول کی پروگریس رپورٹ بھیجو گے اور اگر مجھے پروگریس رپورٹ نہیں ملی تو اگلے مہینے سے پیسے بند، کیا سمجھے؟ بچے نے ایک جمائی لیتے ہوئے کہا بابو جی ایک بات پوچھوں؟ پوچھو کیا پوچھنا ہے؟

آپ کیری لوگر ہیں نا؟

taken from
bbc.co.uk/blogs/urdu/2009/10/post_518.html

Pakistan In the Eyes of a Cartoonist :2009

Obama signs KLB into law

Obama signs KLB into law WASHINGTON: US President Barack Obama signed a 7.5 billion dollar Kerry-Lugar aid package bill for Pakistan into law Thursday, after Congress offered assurances the plan did not violate Pakistani sovereignty.

Obama signed the bill, which has come under fierce criticism in Pakistan, without fanfare before leaving on a trip to New Orleans.

"This law is the tangible manifestation of broad support for Pakistan in the U.S., as evidenced by its bipartisan, bicameral, unanimous passage in Congress," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said.

Obama signed the legislation after his administration and U.S. lawmakers sought to allay concerns in Pakistan over conditions linked to billions of dollars in U.S. aid, while making clear the legislation would not be changed.

Gibbs said Obama wants to engage Pakistan on the basis of a strategic partnership "grounded in support for Pakistan’s democratic institutions and the Pakistani people."

"This act formalizes that partnership, based on a shared commitment to improving the living conditions of the people of Pakistan through sustainable economic development, strengthening democracy and the rule of law, and combating the extremism that threatens Pakistan and the United States," he said.

It also came hours after the latest wave of attacks on the Pakistani police force by militants who killed 40 people, underscoring the insurgent challenge to the government the US package is intended to help meet.

"This law is the tangible manifestation of broad support for Pakistan in the US, as evidenced by its bipartisan, bicameral, unanimous passage in Congress," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in a statement.

The package is intended to bolster Pakistan's battle against extremism as it faces the increasingly bloody domestic insurgency and has been placed by Obama at the center of the US battle against Al-Qaeda.

The measure offers 1.5 billion dollars a year for five years to improve Pakistani schools, to fund groups that defend the rights of women and children, and money to train and modernize the Pakistani peace force.

It also includes an attempt to cement civilian control in nuclear-armed Pakistan, and supports voter education, civil society and improvements in the functioning of parliament.

But opponents in Pakistan balked at what they saw as conditions on how the money could be spent, including calls for action in curtailing the anti-Indian militant movements Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed.

The bill also called for a cut-off in security assistance if Pakistan fails to crack down on extremists.

The requirements sparked uproar in the Pakistani parliament, and were used by opponents of the government's anti-terror alliance with the United States to hammer President Asif Ali Zardari.

Fears for the package's future were quelled when Senator John Kerry and Representative Howard Berman, who head committees handling foreign relations in Congress, gave Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi a document stating that the plan did not impose conditions or infringe on Pakistani sovereignty.

Qureshi, after huddling Wednesday with Kerry and Berman for the third time since last week, hailed the document as "historic" and "a step forward in our relationship."

"I am going back to Pakistan to tell my parliament and conclude the debate on the note that our relationship can move forward -- we will deepen it and we will strengthen it," Qureshi told reporters.

The lawmakers' statement said the aid was meant "to forge a closer collaborative relationship between Pakistan and the United States, not to dictate the national policy or impinge on the sovereignty of Pakistan in any way."

"Any interpretation of this act which suggests that the United States does not fully recognize and respect the sovereignty of Pakistan would be directly contrary to congressional intent," it said.

Obama signed the bill hours after militants unleashed coordinated attacks on Pakistani police in which 40 people died, storming offices in Lahore and bombing a northwest station to escalate 11 days of carnage.

The coordinated assaults underscored the power of armed radicals to strike in the heart of Pakistan, and the weakness of poorly equipped security forces, despite promises of a new offensive against the Taliban.

Pakistan is reeling from two years of Taliban-linked attacks that have escalated such that over 160 people have been killed since October 5.

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Kerry-Lugar Bill: full transcript of the bill

WASHINGTON: The following is the text of the Kerry-Lugar Bill passed by the Senate on Thursday, Sept 24, 2009. It will now go to the House of Representatives and if passed without amendments, will be sent to President Barack Obama for signing into law:

S.1707

Enhanced Partnership with Pakistan Act of 2009 (Engrossed as Agreed to or Passed by Senate)

SEC. 203. LIMITATIONS ON CERTAIN ASSISTANCE.

(a) Limitation on Security-related Assistance: For fiscal years 2011 through 2014, no security-related assistance may be provided to Pakistan in a fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification required under subsection (c) for such fiscal year.

(b) Limitation on Arms Transfers: For fiscal years 2012 through 2014, no letter of offer to sell major defence equipment to Pakistan may be issued pursuant to the Arms Export Control Act (22 USC 2751 et seq.) and no license to export major defence equipment to Pakistan may be issued pursuant to such Act in a fiscal year until the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, makes the certification required under subsection (c) for such fiscal year.

(c) Certification: The certification required by this subsection is a certification by the Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, to the appropriate congressional committees that: (1) the Government of Pakistan is continuing to cooperate with the United States in efforts to dismantle supplier networks relating to the acquisition of nuclear weapons-related materials, such as providing relevant information from or direct access to Pakistani nationals associated with such networks;

(2) the Government of Pakistan during the preceding fiscal year has demonstrated a sustained commitment to and is making significant efforts towards combating terrorist groups, consistent with the purposes of assistance described in section 201, including taking into account the extent to which the Government of Pakistan has made progress on matters such as (A) ceasing support, including by any elements within the Pakistan military or its intelligence agency, to extremist and terrorist groups, particularly to any group that has conducted attacks against the United States or coalition forces in Afghanistan, or against the territory or people of neighbouring countries; (B) preventing al-Qaeda, the Taliban and associated terrorist groups, such as Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed, from operating in the territory of Pakistan, including carrying out cross-border attacks into neighbouring countries, closing terrorist camps in the Fata, dismantling terrorist bases of operations in other parts of the country, including Quetta and Muridke, and taking action when provided with intelligence about high-level terrorist targets; and (C) strengthening counterterrorism and anti-money laundering laws; and (3) the security forces of Pakistan are not materially and substantially subverting the political or judicial processes of Pakistan.

(d) Certain Payments: (1) IN GENERAL- Subject to paragraph (2), none of the funds appropriated for security-related assistance for fiscal years 2010 through 2014, or any amounts appropriated to the Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32), may be obligated or expended to make payments relating to (A) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-YAD signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006; (B) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-NAP signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006; and C) the Letter of Offer and Acceptance PK-D-SAF signed between the Governments of the United States of America and Pakistan on September 30, 2006.

(2) EXCEPTION: Funds appropriated for security-related assistance for fiscal years 2010 through 2014 may be used for construction and related activities carried out pursuant to the Letters of Offer and Acceptance described in paragraph (1).

(e) Waiver: (1) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, may waive the limitations contained in subsections (a), (b), and (d) for a fiscal year if the Secretary of State determines that is important to the national security interests of the United States to do so.

(2) PRIOR NOTICE OF WAIVER: The Secretary of State, under the direction of the President, may not exercise the authority of paragraph (1) until seven days after the Secretary of State provides to the appropriate congressional committees a written notice of the intent to issue to waiver and the reasons therefore. The notice may be submitted in classified or unclassified form, as necessary.

(f) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined: In this section, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (1) the Committee on Foreign Affairs, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Foreign Relations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

SEC. 204. PAKISTAN COUNTERINSURGENCY CAPABILITY FUND.

(a) For Fiscal Year 2010: (1) IN GENERAL - For fiscal year 2010, the Department of State’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Capability Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32), hereinafter in this section referred to as the `Fund’, shall consist of the following: (A) Amounts appropriated to carry out this subsection (which may not include any amounts appropriated to carry out title I of this Act).

(B) Amounts otherwise available to the Secretary of State to carry out this subsection.

(2) PURPOSES OF FUND: Amounts in the Fund made available to carry out this subsection for any fiscal year are authorised to be used by the Secretary of State, with the concurrence of the Secretary of Defence, to build and maintain the counterinsurgency capability of Pakistan under the same terms and conditions (except as otherwise provided in this subsection) that are applicable to amounts made available under the Fund for fiscal year 2009.

(3) TRANSFER AUTHORITY: (A) IN GENERAL - The Secretary of State is authorised to transfer amounts in the fund made available to carry out this subsection for any fiscal year to the Department of Defence’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund established under the Supplemental Appropriations Act, 2009 (Public Law 111-32) and such amounts may be transferred back to the Fund if the Secretary of Defence, with the concurrence of the Secretary of State, determines that such amounts are not needed for the purposes for which initially transferred.

(B) TREATMENT OF TRANSFERRED FUNDS: Subject to subsections (d) and (e) of section 203, transfers from the Fund under the authority of subparagraph (A) shall be merged with and be available for the same purposes and for the same time period as amounts in the Department of Defence’s Pakistan Counterinsurgency Fund.

(C) RELATION TO OTHER AUTHORITIES: The authority to provide assistance under this subsection is in addition to any other authority to provide assistance to foreign countries.

(D) NOTIFICATION: The Secretary of State shall, not less than 15 days prior to making transfers from the Fund under subparagraph (A), notify the appropriate congressional committees in writing of the details of any such transfer.

(b) Submission of Notifications: Any notification required by this section may be submitted in classified or unclassified form, as necessary.

(c) Appropriate Congressional Committees Defined: In this section, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (1) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives; and (2) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, and the Committee on Foreign Relations of the Senate.

SEC. 205. REQUIREMENTS FOR CIVILIAN CONTROL OF CERTAIN ASSISTANCE

(a) Requirements: (1) IN GENERAL - For fiscal years 2010 through 2014, any direct cash security-related assistance or non-assistance payments by the United States to the Government of Pakistan may only be provided or made to civilian authorities of a civilian government of Pakistan.

(2) DOCUMENTATION: For fiscal years 2010 through 2014, the Secretary of State, in coordination with the Secretary of Defence, shall ensure that civilian authorities of a civilian government of Pakistan have received a copy of final documentation provided to the United States related to non-assistance payments provided or made to the Government of Pakistan.

(b) Waiver: 1) SECURITY-RELATED ASSISTANCE: The Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defence, may waive the requirements of subsection (a) with respect to security-related assistance described in subsection (a) funded from accounts within budget function 150 (International Affairs) if the Secretary of State certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is important to the national security interest of the United States.

(2) NON-ASSISTANCE PAYMENTS: The Secretary of Defence, in consultation with the Secretary of State, may waive the requirements of subsection (a) with respect to non-assistance payments described in subsection (a) funded from accounts within budget function 050 (National Defence) if the Secretary of Defense certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that the waiver is important to the national security interest of the United States.

(c) Application to Certain Activities- Nothing in this section shall apply with respect to (1) any activities subject to reporting requirements under title V of the National Security Act of 1947 (50 U.S.C. 413 et seq.); (2) any assistance to promote democratic elections or public participation in democratic processes; (3) any assistance or payments if the Secretary of State determines and certifies to the appropriate congressional committees that subsequent to the termination of assistance or payments a democratically elected government has taken office; (4) any assistance or payments made pursuant to section 1208 of the Ronald W. Reagan National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2005 (Public Law 108-375; 118 Stat. 2086), as amended; (5) any payments made pursuant to the Acquisition and Cross-Servicing Agreement between the Department of Defense of the United States of America and the Ministry of Defense of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; and (6) any assistance or payments made pursuant to section 943 of the Duncan Hunter National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2009 (Public Law 110-417; 122 Stat. 4578).

(d) Definitions- In this section (1) the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Foreign Affairs of the House of Representatives and the Committees on Appropriations, Armed Services, and Foreign Relations of the Senate; and (2) the term ‘civilian government of Pakistan’ does not include any government of Pakistan whose duly elected head of government is deposed by military coup or decree.

TITLE III—STRATEGY, ACCOUNTABILITY, MONITORING, AND OTHER PROVISIONS SEC. 301. STRATEGY REPORTS.

(a) Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report- Not later than 45 days after the date of enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report describing United States policy and strategy with respect to assistance to Pakistan under this Act. The report shall include the following: (1) A description of the principal objectives of United States assistance to Pakistan to be provided under title I of this Act.

(2) A general description of the specific programs, projects, and activities designed to achieve the purposes of section 101 and the respective funding levels for such programs, projects, and activities for fiscal years 2010 through 2014.

(3) A plan for program monitoring, operations research, and impact evaluation research for assistance authorized under title I of this Act.

(4) A description of the role to be played by Pakistani national, regional, and local officials and members of Pakistani civil society and local private sector, civic, religious, and tribal leaders in helping to identify and implement programs and projects for which assistance is to be provided under this Act, and of consultations with such representatives in developing the strategy.

(5) A description of the steps taken, or to be taken, to ensure assistance provided under this Act is not awarded to individuals or entities affiliated with terrorist organizations.

(6) A projection of the levels of assistance to be provided to Pakistan under this Act, broken down into the following categories as described in the annual `Report on the Criteria and Methodology for Determining the Eligibility of Candidate Countries for Millennium Challenge Account Assistance’: (A) Civil liberties. (B) Political rights. (C) Voice and accountability. (D) Government effectiveness. (E) Rule of law. (F) Control of corruption. (G) Immunization rates. (H) Public expenditure on health. (I) Girls’ primary education completion rate. (J) Public expenditure on primary education. (K) Natural resource management. (L) Business start-up. (M) Land rights and access. (N) Trade policy. (O) Regulatory quality. (P) Inflation control. (Q) Fiscal policy.

(7) An analysis for the suitable replacement for existing Pakistani helicopters, including recommendations for sustainment and training.

(b) Comprehensive Regional Strategy Report: (1) SENSE OF CONGRESS: It is the sense of Congress that the achievement of United States national security goals to eliminate terrorist threats and close safe havens in Pakistan requires the development of a comprehensive plan that utilizes all elements of national power, including in coordination and cooperation with other concerned governments, and that it is critical to Pakistan’s long-term prosperity and security to strengthen regional relationships among India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan.

(2) COMPREHENSIVE REGIONAL SECURITY STRATEGY: The President shall develop a comprehensive interagency regional security strategy to eliminate terrorist threats and close safe havens in Pakistan, including by working with the Government of Pakistan and other relevant governments and organizations in the region and elsewhere, as appropriate, to best implement effective counterinsurgency and counterterrorism efforts in and near the border areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan, including the FATA, the NWFP, parts of Balochistan, and parts of Punjab.

(3) REPORT: (A) IN GENERAL- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report on the comprehensive regional security strategy required under paragraph (2).

(B) CONTENTS- The report shall include a copy of the comprehensive regional security strategy, including specifications of goals, and proposed timelines and budgets for implementation of the strategy.

(C) APPROPRIATE CONGRESSIONAL COMMITTEES DEFINED: In this paragraph, the term `appropriate congressional committees’ means (i) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and the Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence of the House of Representatives; and (ii) the Committee on Appropriations, the Committee on Armed Services, the Committee on Foreign Relations, and the Select Committee on Intelligence of the Senate.

(c) Security-related Assistance Plan- Not later than 180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the Secretary of State shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a plan for the proposed use of amounts authorized for security-related assistance for each of the fiscal years 2010 through 2014. Such plan shall include an assessment of how the use of such amounts complements or otherwise is related to amounts described in section 204.

SEC. 302. MONITORING REPORTS.

(a) Semi-Annual Monitoring Report- Not later than 180 days after the submission of the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report pursuant to section 301(a), and every 180 days thereafter through September 30, 2014, the Secretary of State, in consultation with the Secretary of Defense, shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that describes the assistance provided under this Act during the preceding 180-day period. The report shall include—

(1) a description of all assistance by program, project, and activity, as well as by geographic area, provided pursuant to title I of this Act during the period covered by the report, including the amount of assistance provided for each program or project, and with respect to the first report a description of all amounts made available for assistance to Pakistan during fiscal year 2009, including a description of each program, project, and activity for which funds were made available; (2) a list of persons or entities from the United States or other countries that have received funds in excess of $100,000 to conduct projects under title I of this Act during the period covered by the report, which may be included in a classified annex, if necessary to avoid a security risk, and a justification for the classification; (3) with respect to the plan described in section 301(a)(3), updates to such plan and a description of best practices to improve the impact of the assistance authorized under title I of this Act; (4) an assessment of the effectiveness of assistance provided under title I of this Act during the period covered by the report in achieving desired objectives and outcomes as guided by the plan described in section 301(a)(3), and as updated pursuant to paragraph (3) of this subsection, including a systematic, qualitative, and where possible, quantitative basis for assessing whether desired outcomes are achieved and a timeline for completion of each project and program; (5) a description of any shortfall in United States financial, physical, technical, or human resources that hinder the effective use and monitoring of such funds; (6) a description of any negative impact, including the absorptive capacity of the region for which the resources are intended, of United States bilateral or multilateral assistance and recommendations for modification of funding, if any; (7) any incidents or reports of waste, fraud, and abuse of expenditures under title I of this Act; (8) the amount of funds authorized to be appropriated pursuant to section 102 that were used during the reporting period for administrative expenses or for audits and program reviews pursuant to the authority under sections 101(c)(2) and 103; (9) a description of the expenditures made from any Chief of Mission Fund established pursuant to section 101(c)(5) during the period covered by the report, the purposes for which such expenditures were made, and a list of the recipients of any expenditures from the Chief of Mission Fund in excess of $100,000; (10) an accounting of assistance provided to Pakistan under title I of this Act, broken down into the categories set forth in section 301(a)(6); (11) an evaluation of efforts undertaken by the Government of Pakistan to (A) disrupt, dismantle, and defeat al Qaeda, the Taliban, and other extremist and terrorist groups in the FATA and settled areas; (B) eliminate the safe havens of such forces in Pakistan; (C) close terrorist camps, including those of Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Mohammed; (D) cease all support for extremist and terrorist groups; (E) prevent attacks into neighbouring countries; (F) increase oversight over curriculum in Madrassas, including closing Madrassas with direct links to the Taliban or other extremist and terrorist groups; and (G) improve counterterrorism financing and anti-money laundering laws, apply for observer status for the Financial Action Task Force, and take steps to adhere to the United Nations International Convention for the Suppression of Financing of Terrorism; (12) a detailed description of Pakistan’s efforts to prevent proliferation of nuclear-related material and expertise; (13) an assessment of whether assistance provided to Pakistan has directly or indirectly aided the expansion of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons program, whether by the diversion of United States assistance or the reallocation of Pakistan’s financial resources that would otherwise be spent for programs and activities unrelated to its nuclear weapons program; (14) a detailed description of the extent to which funds obligated and expended pursuant to section 202(b) meet the requirements of such section; and (15) an assessment of the extent to which the Government of Pakistan exercises effective civilian control of the military, including a description of the extent to which civilian executive leaders and parliament exercise oversight and approval of military budgets, the chain of command, the process of promotion for senior military leaders, civilian involvement in strategic guidance and planning, and military involvement in civil administration.

(b) Government Accountability Office Reports:

(1) PAKISTAN ASSISTANCE STRATEGY REPORT: Not later than one year after the submission of the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report pursuant to section 301(a), the Comptroller General of the United States shall submit to the appropriate congressional committees a report that contains (A) a review of, and comments addressing, the Pakistan Assistance Strategy Report; (B) recommendations relating to any additional actions the Comptroller General believes could help improve the efficiency and effectiveness of United States efforts to meet the objectives of this Act; (C) a detailed description of the expenditures made by Pakistan pursuant to grant assistance under section 23 of the Arms Export Control Act (22 USC.

CDGK CNG bus project: My experiance

Finally.......... I had a chance to take a ride in the CDGK (City District Government Karachi) launched project of Green buses. Currently only 2 roots are available for the buses and it is said these two roots are on experimental basis, and if things went according to the plan the CDGK planes to lauch more routs and I must say the routs are choosed quite wisely . It is been said that the CDGK has already started planning for buying 1000 more busses (unconfirmed).

My experiance of traveling in the bus was wanderfull (even I was never able to catch a seat). Staff was friendly, did not have to wait long for my bus even I missed one while purchasing my ticket, reached there in time I mean no un-wanted delays by the driver and above all driver was well following the trafic rules and its a good thing. Despite this I do noticede few draw backs that might cause some problems later own for the CDGK to run this service efficiently, one of the major problem that may arise soon is the excessive no. of staff members and extra expenses occoruing on maintaining the ticket booths as the government property is the 1st to be damaged in case of any un-pleasent incident. 1 more thing I noticed that there is no concession of students and senior citizns I mean its government funded project and if CDGK will not take this into consideration then what we can expect from private bus owners.

Despite all this its a wonderfull step by the CDGK and I must appreciate the CityNazim on this and it should not be politicize, but I must add there is still plenty of work that need to be done in this area.

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Have u ever seen machine gun factory...?

15 of the Most Iconic Newspaper Headlines Ever Printed

15 of the Most Iconic Newspaper Headlines Ever Printed

These shocking and occasionally uplifting headlines summarise but a few of the major historic events that have occurred since newspapers became popular and accessible to people worldwide. Extraordinary headlines such as these are incredibly powerful, thanks in large part to their brevity: in just a few short words, each conveys a message of history-changing significance to a potentially huge audience. Reading these headlines today, we are emotionally transported back to how we felt when we first heard this news.

It’s a sad reality of the human condition that big news is usually bad news: only five of the headlines we explore here accompany positive stories. Headlines are there to sell papers, and it seems that death is more profitable to the press than hope or success. Nevertheless, alongside headlines of war, natural disasters and murders, below you’ll find headlines of hope and the overcoming of adversity.

New York Times: “Titanic Sinks Four Hours After Hitting Iceberg” [16th April 1912]

This was one of the few accurate headlines printed on the day following the sinking of the Titanic. Journalists at some other papers were still in denial that a ship thought to be unsinkable could have failed so catastrophically: The Daily Mirror reported, “Everyone safe”, and the Daily Mail, “No lives lost”.

Daily Mail: “Greatest Crash in Wall Street’s History” [25th October 1929]

The Wall Street Crash of 1929, fuelled by uncertainty following an artificial share price boom, was the worst in U.S. history. On 24th October, panicked investors traded an astonishing 12.9 million shares.

The News Chronicle: “Hitler Dead” [2nd May 1945]

On 2nd May 1945, The News Chronicle, which later became the Daily Mail, published this bold headline. At the time, nobody could be sure if this news was true. The accompanying article claimed that Hitler had been killed in action, although it later transpired he had committed suicide in a bunker under Chancery in Berlin.

Daily Mail: “VE Day- It’s All Over” [8th May 1945]

This headline appeared on the day the World War II Allies accepted Nazi Germany’s surrender. It marked the end of the War and Adolf Hitler’s Third Reich.

Chicago Tribune: “Assassin Kills Kennedy: Lyndon Johnson Sworn In” [22nd November 1963]

John F. Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated in Dallas, Texas. Five years later, his brother Robert Kennedy was shot dead in a Los Angeles Hotel. The headline in the Daily Mirror following that event was simply: “God! Not Again!”

Daily News: “Martin King Shot to Death: Gunned Down in Memphis” [5th April 1968]

This shocking headline was printed the day after Martin Luther King, Jr. was shot and killed on the second floor lobby of the Lorraine Motel, Memphis, Tennessee. He was 39-years-old.

Evening Standard: “The First Footstep” [21st July 1969]

Neil Armstrong became the first man to step foot on the moon. As he touched the ground he famously declared: “That’s one small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.”

The New York Times: “Nixon Resigns” [9th August 1974]

President Richard Nixon, fearing impeachment following the Watergate scandal, became the only President to ever resign from office. Gerald Ford later pardoned him, but he was never truly forgiven.

The Sun: “King Elvis Dead” [17th August 1977]

On 16th August 1977, “The King of Rock ‘n’ Roll” was found dead on his bathroom floor. As the subheading in the accompanying article reads: “He was 42 and alone”. He had been using the toilet at the time of his death.

Los Angeles Times: “Beatle John Lennon Slain” [9th December 1980]

At 10.49pm, on the day prior to this headline running, John Lennon was shot in the back four times by Mark David Chapman, a fan who had been stalking him for 3 months.

City Press: “Mandela Goes Free Today” [11th February 1990]

State President F.W. de Klerk reversed the ban on the ANC on 2nd February 1990. Shortly thereafter, Nelson Mandela was freed from prison, where he had languished for 20 years. On 27th April 1994, Mandela and the ANC won South Africa’s first multi-racial election.

The Daily News: “Diana Dead” [31st August 1997]

Princess Diana died after her Mercedes Benz S280 crashed into a pillar in the Pont de l’Alma tunnel, Paris. She was just 36. Her friend Dodi Al-Fayed was also killed in the collision.

The Daily Telegraph: “War on America” [12th September 2001]

On 12th September 2001, there was, of course, only one story dominating the headlines. On the previous day, terrorists had hijacked four commercial passenger jet airliners, crashing two of them into the Twin Towers and a third into the Pentagon. “War on America” was voted the most memorable headline of the last 100 years.

The Times Of India: “We saw the sea coming, we all ran. But God saves little” [28th December 2004]

Just after midnight on 26th December 2004, an earthquake off the west coast of Sumatra, Indonesia, triggered a huge tsunami, which killed over 225,000 people in 11 countries.

New York Times: “Obama: Racial Barrier Falls in Decisive Victory” [5th November 2008]

Barack Obama, promising change for the USA, defeated John McCain in the 2008 presidential election to become the non-white President of the United States. He was later inaugurated on 20th January 2009.

Pakistan Military's Strong Message To America & Its Pakistani Loyalists

The Pakistani military rebukes US Ambassador Anne W. Patterson and America's Pakistani loyalists and warns Washington that Islamabad alone has the right to decide its national interest in accordance with its priorities and not in accordance with those set in the US capital.

By AHMED QURAISHI

Wednesday, 8 October 2009.

ISLAMABAD, Pakistan—Top generals of the Pakistan Army issued an indirect but strong warning to Washington and the pro-US government in Islamabad to step back from infringing on Pakistani nation's right to decide its national interest and priorities.

"Pakistan is a sovereign state and has all the rights to analyse and respond to the threat in accordance with her own national interests," said an unusually strong statement issued by the Inter-Services Public Relations [ISPR], on Oct. 7. It came at the tail of a daylong conference of the commanders of the main corps of the Pakistani armed forces, chaired by the Chief of the Army Staff General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani.

Analysts said this was an indirect rebuke to US Ambassador to Pakistan Anne W. Patterson and other US officials who have been pressuring Pakistan to take a number of actions that fall within the sovereign domain of the country. This includes the decision on whether to launch a military action in the tribal belt adjoining Afghanistan; Pakistan's role, if any, in helping US eliminate opponents of its eight-year long occupation of Afghanistan, and whether America's war in that country should become Pakistan's top national security priority superseding the threat from India.

The military also indirectly rebuffed several US loyalists in the Pakistani government, including President Zardari, his foreign minister and his envoy to Washington who have been fierce advocates of the Kerry-Lugar aid bill that stops short of declaring Pakistan a terrorist state and designates the southwestern Pakistani city of Quetta as the headquarters of the Afghan Taliban leadership, all without providing any evidence to back this serious allegation. Other conditions contained in the US aid bill virtually give Washington the right to oversee the smallest details in the workings of the Pakistani civilian and military institutions..

Sources suggest that General Kayani told the commander of the US forces in Afghanistan Gen. Stanley McChrystal, who was briefly in Rawalpindi on Tuesday, that US Ambassador Anne Patterson's recent statements, where she indirectly threatened war against Pakistan, were unacceptable and will not be tolerated in the future.

Not that Ms. Patterson is taking it lying down. She reportedly met yesterday a local politician from Balochistan whose fugitive family member is leading a separatist terror campaign from a safe haven in US-controlled Afghanistan, where the separatist terror movement receives money and financing from US allies in Kabul and also from Indian intelligence operatives based in Afghanistan.

The stance of the Pakistani military on the Kerry-Lugar bill and the US ambassador's statements accurately reflects the feelings among a majority of Pakistanis. This leaves the elected government, with its unusually strong pro-US position, isolated in the country. The elected government, which came to power through a US-brokered deal that whitewashed illegally obtained wealth, is effectively using Washington to confront the Pakistani military and enforce the US agenda for Pakistan and the region.

Almost all the major Pakistani politicians – President Zardari, Altaf Hussain of MQM, Asfandyar Wali of ANP, and now Nawaz Sharif of PMLN – are now directly conducting their own foreign policies with Washington. This has made US a direct player in Pakistani politics, a level of meddling unprecedented in the history of Pak-US relations.

But despite this, the Pakistani military made it clear in the statement that it believed the Pakistani parliament is the right forum to decide the fate of the US aid bill in accordance with the wishes of the Pakistani people.

This is the text of the statement issued by the military on Wednesday:

Press Release

No 396/2009-ISPR Dated: October 7, 2009

Rawalpindi - October 7, 2009: 122 Corps Commanders Conference was held at General Headquarters today. The Chief of Army Staff (COAS), General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani chaired the day long meeting. The participants were given a comprehensive briefing on the current security situation in the country and the region. COAS in his opening remarks dilated upon various issues related to national security and impending challenges faced by the country. COAS reiterated that Pakistan is a sovereign state and has all the rights to analyse and respond to the threat in accordance with her own national interests. Kerry Lugar bill also came under discussion during the conference. The forum expressed serious concern regarding clauses impacting on National Security. A formal input is being provided to the Government. However, in the considered view of the forum, it is the Parliament, that represents the will of the people of Pakistan, which would deliberate on the issue, enabling the Government to develop a National response. COAS in his concluding remarks reiterated that Pakistan stands committed to global and regional peace, and wishes to live in harmony with her neighbours.

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