[Dawn] WHILE on the face of it, the prime minister's visit to Washington went off relatively smoothly, American media reports indicate there were some rough patches that Mr Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... was not quite prepared for. Reportedly, at a private meeting, American politicians minced no words in demanding the release of Dr Shakil Afridi, whose fake vaccination drive helped lead the Americans to the late Osama bin Laden ... who is now beyond all cares and woe... 's hideout in 2011. In a questionable trial, the doctor was sentenced to a lengthy prison term on charges unrelated to the dubious campaign or his links with the American secret agencies -- actions which officialdom in Pakistain had said amounted to treason. However, a woman is only as old as she admits... this kind of pressure for Afridi's release could well cause the right-wing lobby in Pakistain to step up its demand for the repatriation of Aafia Siddiqui ...American-educated Pak cognitive neuroscientist who was convicted of assault with intent to murder her U.S. interrogators in Afghanistan. In September 2010, she was sentenced to 86 years in jug after a three-ring trial. Siddiqui, using the alias Fahrem or Feriel Shahin, was one of six alleged al-Qaeda members who bought $19 million worth of blood diamonds in Liberia immediately prior to 9-11-01. Since her incarceration Paks have taken her to their heart and periodically erupt into demonstrations, while the government tries to find somebody to swap for her... who was sentenced after being convicted in 2010 for assaulting and attempting to murder US nationals. Her trial was largely seen in Pakistain as lacking transparency.
The two cases are part of a larger debate on human rights ...not to be confused with individual rights, mind you... and access to a fair and free trial. But the latest barrage of criticism from Washington simply shows that the bigger picture -- and it is a terrifying one for both the US and Pakistain -- is being missed. Instead of firmly concentrating on joint cooperation and taking action against gunnies who are terrorising this region and beyond, the two countries continue to focus on misplaced priorities. Turning up the heat on Pakistain on the Afridi issue will not help if the US and Pakistain are to remain focused on the common goal of eliminating militancy. Pointing fingers is counterproductive to this goal which is becoming increasingly elusive as gunnies eye the post NATO ...the North Atlantic Treaty Organization. Originally it was a mutual defense pact directed against an expansionist Soviet Union. In later years it evolved into a mechanism for picking the American pocket while criticizing the cut of the American pants... withdrawal period as an opportunity to entrench themselves.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/30/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Turning up the heat on Pakistain on the Afridi issue will not help
So let's take some tax dollars and bust Afridi out of the jug. I'm sure there would be no shortage of volunteers. And we can recoup the costs with a made for TV movie - Escape From Pakistain. Hey, has anyone seen from Snake Plissken lately?
[Dawn] GOVERNMENTS are responsible for creating conducive environments and legal frameworks to promote gender equality and improve women's access to education, jobs, healthcare, politics and economics.
Support from civil society, the media and NGOs working to reduce gender gaps is encouraged where governments lack resources and fail to invest in women's contribution. Evidence shows that when girls' education is prioritised, it is the highest return investment that developing economies make with a multiplier effect. Educated women have fewer children, give quality nutrition to their families, experience lower child mortality, enter the workforce and are inclined to educate their children.
The World Economic Forum's Global Gender Gap Report 2013 quantifies the importance of gender-based disparities tracking country-based progress over time -- since the report was compiled in 2006, 80pc of countries have made progress in areas such as political participation and education, but 20pc have seen no socio-economic growth.
The closure or continuation of global gender gaps is connected to national policies. National competitiveness, income and economic development are directly linked to a country's gender gap as half of the population comprises women. The push for equitable resource distribution between women and men contributes towards closing the gender gap.
By providing a comprehensive framework for benchmarking national gender gaps, this report examines disparities across the four areas of education, health, politics and economics to produce country rankings. It uses the Gender Gap Index measuring proximity to gender equality rather than women's empowerment.
This year, out of a total of 136 countries, Pakistain ranked 135 on the index, moving down from 115 in 2006 with Iceland at the top for the fifth consecutive year as the most advanced country for gender equality. Nordic countries with a history of investing in people remain ahead, unlike sub-Saharan countries where women's economic roles are solely based on necessity.
The index measures gender gaps in access to resources and opportunities rather than the actual levels of available resources and opportunities in those countries: in the case of education, it grades the actual gap between male and female education not overall levels of education in a country.
The Asia-Pacific region with a 6pc change compared to 2006 makes it the best performing region on the political empowerment gender sub-index. However, some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them... the report states that Pakistain ranks second last in economic opportunity; and is the eighth worst country for equal access to education. That Pakistain is in the 129th position for education and is 64th for women's political empowerment is not unexpected. Women have shown electoral ambitions and if permitted to participate in larger numbers could push political parties to rethink female representation.
In May, Election Commission of Pakistain statistics showed a 129pc increase in women contesting general seats, although 10 million women voters remained unregistered. When maverick PML-N politician, Marvi Memon took on the PPP in Sindh, her campaign promised education, housing and employment. She lost to her rival, but the PML-N nominated her for a parliamentary reserved seat. Although political parties show low confidence in female candidates, this has not dented their confidence and will. The most marginalised and uneducated feel the need to raise their voice; her face covered with a scarf, a 53-year-old housewife from Bajaur Agency, aka Turban Central ...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth... made history as the first female candidate from Fata.
Women politicians say that addressing the gender gap perpetuated by centuries-old attitudes requires educating men regarding perceptions about women and educating women about their rights. However, some people are alive only because it's illegal to kill them... in KP and Fata illegal signed agreements by political parties kept registered women voters away. And this was not the first time women were disenfranchised.
Two areas of gender disparity are linked to economic growth: female education and work force participation. Challenged by an education emergency, with three quarters of girls out of school and education spending at less than 2pc of GDP, Pakistain will be unable to meet its Millennium Development Goals by 2015. The gender gap needs closure through private-public partnerships and with political parties committed to education for every child. Education is disrupted because of poor learning facilities and untrained teachers in public schools and violent attacks on schools and teachers.
With more than five million children out of school, Pakistain has some of the worse education indicators, spending several times more on its military than on education. Thousands of school-going children are affected by gender disparity, violence and poor quality learning in Balochistan ...the Pak province bordering Kandahar and Uruzgun provinces in Afghanistan and Sistan Baluchistan in Iran. Its native Baloch propulation is being displaced by Pashtuns and Punjabis and they aren't happy about it... and KP where Unesco estimates that 60pc of girls are not in school. Raising school enrolment for girls so they transition to secondary and college education would ensure women future choices.
Emphasising traditional roles reinforces cultural norms, limiting female mobility, education and jobs. This impacts enrolment, and when girls are taken out of school it reduces economic returns from girls' education. Parents, too, have no incentive to invest in their daughters' education. When religion is used in a way to reinforce this attitude, it becomes economically detrimental. This may vary across classes and regions, but gender discrimination (workplace harassment, acid crimes, child marriages and violent crimes against women) is custom, despite pro-women legislation in recent times for protecting women.
Posted by: Fred ||
10/30/2013 00:00 ||
Comments ||
Link ||
[5 views]
Top|| File under: Govt of Pakistan
#1
Why are all the Paki Essays on ANYthing so long winded?
Pakis just jabber on and on. I get the impression they talk so much because they are really not going to ever DO anything.
You want to know why Pakis burn down girl's schools? They are Moslems. See how short that was?
TWO words: Moslem Values.
#3
Let me not to the making of pork rinds
Admit impediments. Hate is not hate
Which alters when it moderation finds,
Or bends with the reprover to abate:
O no! It is an ever-swimming shark
That singleminded, other meals forsaken,
Lurks in the shadow of a Muslim bark
Whose worth he scorns, and dreams of Muslim bacon.
Hate's not Time's fool, though marabouts and sheiks
Within his sweeping sword's circumference come:
Hate alters not with his brief hours and weeks,
But follows chum, even to the point of dumb.
Though this be error (prove it if you can!),
Hate still recites its infidel's Koran.
#9
You go through the gate. If the gates closed, you go over the fence. If the fence is too high, well pole vault in. If that doesnt work, well parachute in. But were going to get health care reform passed for the American people.
Says it all regarding the Donk agenda--the end justifies the means in their "collective" minds.
#10
According to Wikipedia, it may not matter. The entire world will run out of lead in 42 years.
Of course by then global temperatures will have risen to the point that lead will melt. (according to Al Gore).
Posted by: Rambler in Virginia ||
10/30/2013 10:00 Comments ||
Top||
#11
As a kid I use to melt down Tire balance weights found in the street to make fishing sinkers. Is the EPA going after those? I see alot more of those in the street than bullets.
#13
I recommend a few more Gov't contracts for small arms ammo. 40-50 billion rounds might not be enough when the factories stop. Of course there's always the Chinese.
"No, we are not going to initiate additional gun legislation. We have other plans in place".
-- BHO
#14
Down in San Diego the Honorary Deputy Sheriff's department runs a pistol range for all of Southern California's law enforcement. The range is on the Mirimar Marine base. Five or so years ago they spent a boatload of money cleaning up the range to remove lead from downrange. Claimed it was potentially poisonous to the groundwater.
This is not a new idea.
I could be wrong but I think you can just replace lead with another metal in ammo. We shoudl start melting down pennies.
#17
Why so glum chum?
It's because the EPA wants to do away with plumbum,
Their misplaced zeal is so dumb,
I think I'll rest and for awhile go recumb,
I'm afraid they are all more than slightly off plumb,
All their efforts are in the name of forcing everyone to have a green thumb,
It all just makes my head numb.
#22
#17 Why so glum chum?
It's because the EPA wants to do away with plumbum,
And you can't even exercise your green thumb in peace. Envirocops, native nazis, Monsanto, HOAs, "ooh, is that plant toxic?" peawits... don't get me started on this.
As a toddler, JohnQC
Was awful fond of his Pb
He gnawed on bullets and chewed on paints
Till his governess had to employ restraints
{Fox News] The Department of Homeland Security is quietly considering lifting a long-standing ban on AQ Libyans coming to the U.S. for training in the aviation and nuclear fields, according to an internal document, raising red flags for lawmakers who say Libya is still a security threat. Have we not seen this movie before ?
A multi-volume chronology and reference guide set detailing three years of the Mexican Drug War between 2010 and 2012.
Rantburg.com and borderlandbeat.com correspondent and author Chris Covert presents his first non-fiction work detailing
the drug and gang related violence in Mexico.
Chris gives us Mexican press dispatches of drug and gang war violence
over three years, presented in a multi volume set intended to chronicle the death, violence and mayhem which has
dominated Mexico for six years.
Rantburg was assembled from recycled algorithms in the United States of America. No
trees were destroyed in the production of this weblog. We did hurt some, though. Sorry.
Nawaz Sharif
Aafia Siddiqui
...Smallest of the agencies in FATA. The Agency administration is located in Khar. Bajaur is inhabited almost exclusively by Tarkani Pashtuns, which are divided into multiple bickering subtribes. Its 52 km border border with Afghanistan's Kunar Province makes it of strategic importance to Pakistain's strategic depth...
