Ziggy and Kelly: The Tale of Affection and Animosity Between Two Sister Cats

In 2015, when I came to stay in Lahore, I met Ziggy there who was a stray cat and found shelter in my cousin’s house. Too little at that time, she had a cute complexion. Though she did not belong to any noble breed, yet her looks were that of a queen. Brown eyes, white fur with some blackish spots, and beautiful little paws. With her feeble voice, she always tried to roar at me. I was also not fond of her in the beginning. That is actually no longer the case.

Then there was her sister Kelly who had lost one eye when she was quite young. Some weird kind of bacteria infected her. Although my cousin tried to cure her by using anti-biotics, she never cured. Her eye caused her immense pain especially in the summers when it was sizzling hot. Whenever she cried because of pain, Ziggy would give her good company and always strived to comfort her. They lived happily together and never quarreled.

With passing time, much began to change and not for too well. Kelly did not have kids while Ziggy did. She bore many kittens and mostly gave birth twice a year. Although Kelly did not harm the kittens, her animosity towards them was perceptible. It seemed that she might be jealous of Ziggy. So, there arose a rift between the two sisters. Kelly started to spend time outside of the house whilst Ziggy kept her kittens inside. Time and again, fierce fighting erupted between them for the reasons we could never fathom out.

The lineage of Ziggy still continues. We call her the ‘Mother Cat’. Cute kids such as Simbi, Bunty and Kippy were raised by her and not to mention late Izzi and Tommy, who were our favorites. Now Ziggy comes rarely to our house. And yes, I forgot to mention, I also shifted to Lahore in the meantime, right next to my cousin’s. So Ziggy and Kelly found a new home. But the friction between them never parted them. Both of them are loved for they are so adorable and we all care about them. I wish we could hold them forever.

Kashmir Saga: The Horror Continues

The horror continues. A Recent picture, from Indian Occupied Kashmir, of a child sitting on the dead body of his grandfather, has sparked a new fire. He was killed by Indian security forces, as per family sources and witnesses. Though the Indian government is trying to minimize the effect by twisting the facts the picture speaks for itself. Now the real onus is on the Pakistani government. The path we take today will define the future of Kashmir and for that matter, of Pakistan.

There is no end to the devastating news coming from the Indian Occupied Kashmir. India annexed the occupied Kashmir on the 5th of August. Thereby repealing Article 370 of the Indian Constitution which gave the occupied valley a 'Special Status'. Now India started to treat Kashmir just as Israel treats areas of Palestine territory. The whole world looked mum and no concrete voice was raised for the defense of oppressed Kashmiris albeit of Chinese Government: Pakistan's all-weather friend.

A number of concrete steps are imperative. Firstly, Pakistan should take up the Kashmir cause more aggressively on the diplomatic front. Special envoy for Kashmir is a must. Pakistan must use the clauses of International Law which prove that Indian occupation is 'Illegal' and must be thwarted by the combined force of the United Nations Security Council. Moreover, Kashmir's status as an International dispute must be highlighted as the UNSC resolutions over Kashmir are still relevant and the Simla agreement has not challenged them. Pakistan must use the leverage of China in great powers group to force India to end its occupation.

Apart from the diplomatic efforts, political and moral support must be continued. Military preparedness must be at the highest level to beef up maximum pressure on occupying Indian forces. This military show will also console the Kashmiri brethren that Pakistan is not leaving them behind in these hard times.

In a nutshell, Kashmir's war is for Pakistan's own survival. Losing Kashmir means Pakistan will lose the water struggle with India as India will control all the river heads flowing into Pakistan. Likewise, we have historical links with Kashmir. We have called Kashmir our 'Jugular vein'. We have fought wars for Kashmir. Will we fail them now when the time is ripe to prove our mettle in these testing times?

The Crisis of Nationalism: Review of Nadeem F Paracha's Article

                                Review of Nadeem F Paracha's Article published on 26 June 2016 in DAWN

                              The Crisis of Nationalism

Starting by giving examples of the American Revolution and the French revolution, the author rightly conveys his point that they were nationalists in essence. After the 30 years of war in Europe, the Westphalia Treaty was signed which resulted in the emergence of nation-states in the Western hemisphere. It totally abolished the role of religion in state affairs. Secularism and nationalism were the by-products of this system and each nation got its own territorial sovereignty. The church could no longer play any part in state affairs as it had been doing for so long. 

French Revolution

Then Author writes about the Muslim states while using the word ' Muslim imperial states', as the Ottoman Empire is usually considered by many historians as an imperial state. He claims that many Muslim activists and thinkers in the nineteenth-century started rejecting the decaying memories of their 'imperial past' and they attracted to the enlightenment era and new political theories. Especially, he cites the Turkish nationalist movement and Arab nationalism, which totally rejected the concept of pan-Islamism or ummah.

When the author turns towards the Muslims of the subcontinent, he uses the word 'Muslim nationalism' in the subcontinent which is pretty much the truth. The reason is the Muslims of the subcontinent didn't consider themselves the same as other nations like Arabs who had their own lands for centuries where the ground was fertile for nationalism based on geography and culture. On the contrary, Muslims in the subcontinent had a sole identity which was Islam. They had no specific region, their culture was mixed with Hindus, and they comprised of people from different origins mainly from Central Asia and the Middle East, whereas many were Muslim converts living there for centuries. So the differences in origins made them quite distinguishable but they considered themselves Muslims. They had no impressive geographical and cultural history.

Pakistan Movement

                                  

He also makes a correct case when he describes the situation of Muslim countries who, after the second world war, based their identity on nationalism while rejecting Islamism. Their economies started to collapse and from within some pan-Islamic movements emerged as a result; some of which later on turned violent.

The author contradicts himself when commenting on the new generation of Pakistanis and other Muslim states. The problem lies in these words. 'For example, the new generation of Turks, Egyptians, Iraqis, Syrians, Pakistanis, etc, are now completely disconnected from the original notions of their countries’ nationhood and nationalist identities'. In the same article, some lines above, he previously describes the Muslim nationalist movement which means the will of Muslims of the subcontinent to freed themselves as Muslims and not as Indians or Afghans. But then he put Pakistan with the countries who gained freedom by Nationalist movements based on ethnicity, culture, and geography. So logically speaking, as Muslims of the Subcontinent unchained themselves from slavery as Muslims, it means that they were not bounded by the modern nationalism concept. Also, many of them believed in the universalism of Islam otherwise they would not have started Khilafat Movement; they would not help Arabs in the six-day war against Israel; they would not help Syria against Israel in 1973; they would not help Bosnians, Afghans, Palestinians and other suppressed Muslims around the globe. Intentionally or unintentionally author makes this mistake, leaving his real purpose in ambiguity.   

Review : The New Great Game: Blood and Oil in Central Asia by Lutz Kleveman

Nicely explains the events which shaped the new geopolitics of Asia. Oil in Central Asia has played a vital role in attracting America towards this region and the invasion of Afghanistan was a part of it. This is the game where every player is trying its best to gain maximum profit. This book reflects that Central Asian states' hydrocarbon reserves have significant importance to date especially in the wake of the depleting petroleum reserves of Saudi Arabia and other oil-producing countries; to tackle future energy problems that have started to shatter the economies of some giants. Although it is an undeniable fact that the future is of renewable energy resources but oil and gas have yet to play their role for the coming many decades.

Plunging Oil Prices: Causes and Consequences

There have been debates about the causes and consequences of plunging oil prices. Much has been said, but considering only one factor would not be wise to completely understand the whole situation. Some Analysts believe that geopolitics is playing a vital role in this process. Saudi Arabia is one of the most powerful players in the oil industry. It can fracture the objectives of its opponents who are trying their best to retain their position. One point of view is that prices have been dropped down artificially, by Saudi Arabia with the backing of OPEC, to smash the economy of Russia, and somehow of Iran too. Because Russia's economic stability is highly dependent on oil. It is also seen as a direct warning to Russia, who, according to many experts, is playing with fire in the Middle East. So in order to deal with Russians, their economy has to be shattered. This entire situation has a feel for the new Cold War. The Cold War is on the horizon and President Obama would be doing anything to stop Russia from becoming a formidable foe. Also, Saudi Arabia's strategy has clearly seen bearing fruits. The Russian ruble is crumbling. The dollar is now 77.1580 rubles, which is certainly giving Putin many sleepless nights these days.

Some experts talk about another cause for lowering oil prices. They say that besides targeting Russia and Iran, the motive is also against the Renewable Energy Technology producers, commonly known as RET. These innovators are locking horns with the oil producers. So by decreasing the prices of petroleum, energy innovators are being challenged. If the prices remained the same, consumers would have turned to alternates - coal, solar, wind - by now. So, fearing consumers' attraction towards RET, Oil giants, after weighing the pros and cons, had to take that difficult decision.

The consequences are grave. The reduction in oil prices has also affected the shale oil producers in America on a large scale. It is important to note that from August to September 2015, U.S oil production decreased by 120,000 barrels per day. And by November last year, output dropped to nearly 93000 b/d. It is an alarming situation for Shale Oil producers as they extract the oil in highly expensive ways. This has caused the removal of thousands of employees from companies and has produced a chaotic scenario for them. Experts believe that production will continue to drop till the mid of this year. This is the exact outcome that OPEC was hoping to achieve. Despite huge losses, oil cartel is aggressively pumping oil and they have not cut down their production, just to force Shale producers to produce oil on their terms. The terrifying case for the U.S is that the shale oil companies have cut nearly 86,000 jobs till last October, which is perceived as a major blow to the economy as the country is already crumbling with unemployment. It has also put oil and gas projects worth 1.5 trillion USD at risk. But experts are hopeful that with the decline in production and removal of thousands of workers, supply and demand will be balanced in the end.

This whole scenario has aspects of Geopolitics rivalry. It is more like a chess game. Every stakeholder is playing its part. Some oil giants like OPEC are old players and know each and every move, how to make, and when to make. Yes, sometimes, they do gamble. But in doing so their own economies are taking a hit. It is believed that countries with the greatest reserves and shares like Saudi Arabia will survive the shock, but are other economies capable of this too? With Iran entering into the Arena, the game has just got more complicated. Let the events unfold and time will tell us everything that we are anticipating now. 

   

National Action Plan : Our Responsibilities

In the aftermath of horrific terrorist attack at Bacha Khan University Charsadda, the outcry against the National Action plan was predictable. Many factors contributed in letting that terrible attack happen. It was, indeed, because of the inadequate security measures taken by the University administration as well as the inability of Provincial Government to force the Institutions to beef up their security ;owing to the credible information by Intelligence agencies about a possible attack on any Educational Institute in KPK, almost ten days before it.It can also be termed as a failure in bridging gaps of communication between different military and civil administration departments. After the massacre in Army school in Peshawar, whole Nation was eagerly waiting for a decisive action plan to counter militants and to end this bloodshed. The civil military unity at that time was seen as a great omen but with passage of time, some other issues raised their heads. Political parties with vicious militant wings didn’t want that happen so they started making hurdles. Some banned organizations who have been on a killing spree for decades, opposed this plan and unknowingly both religious and so called liberal extremists lined themselves as a same group. But the strict action against Militant wings in Karachi and at the same time, demise of Lashkar e Jhangvi’s head, Malik Ishaq, proved that the strategy is to kill, not spare anyone. There remained no liabilities; assets were compromised. Under the same National Action plan, National Accountability Bureau( NAB) , was given a free hand to grab big fishes. From DHA scams to decaying Departments in all the provinces, every corrupt thing is vulnerable now; stands at the mercy of accountability.Those who looted each penny from National Treasure ran away to their Palaces in Dubai and US while some who were famous for brutal killings, long hidden in London. There had been a significant decrease in terror attacks across the country. Tides were turned. Beacons of hope were lit and at last the people of Pakistan learned to dream about a safe and peaceful country. But it was in 2015. Being optimistic; I’m not saying that this can't continue but just let us think what went wrong and how the same rate of success can still be maintained.

There were considerable wide gaps between what was planned and what really done. NGOs reforms, Madrassah Reforms processes took so long and they are still at dead pace. Why is NACTA still not active? Is funding to all militant organizations have been cut down completely? Reforms in criminal court system? And above all the why there are still communication problems between Civil and Military departments?

Then comes the role of Public. It is quite clear that no Army can win a war without strong backing and unshakable resolve of its own people. What role should have been played by us and what we did? Pathetically, we were so quick to make fun of Ch Nisar [ referring to Tandoor and Bread example ], even when he was reminding us of our obligatory duty to keep an eye on any suspicious activity around us so that any imminent attack could be thwarted but senselessly we responded by cracking jokes on him. That is just one example.Pakistan needs its people.We should form committees on every level for security of our colonies and houses ; leave no stone unturned in doing best to never let bad events happen by at least keep our eyes and ears open .We, as one Nation, has to stand up now against this menace to completely wipe it out before it is too late.

It is important for everyone to understand that we are living in difficult times. We are in a state of war with many fronts. Some fronts were opened by ourselves while many were opened against us by those enemies whom Gen Asim Bajwa referred to as “ Faceless Bastards”, although they are no faceless. We know our enemies and must find ways to get us out of this quagmire. Let’s split this NAP into facets. Every stakeholder, including Government, Army, Public, Bureaucracy and other departments, have to play their role, control their facet in every aspect possible and with these collective efforts, we can make Pakistan a peaceful country. May Allah bless Pakistan with His Blessings. Pakistan Zindabad !  

The Beauty of Pakistan

Pakistan is blessed with magnificent beauty. Rivers, deserts, and mountains of this region have no equal on earth. Just Imagine, Pakistan has all four seasons. Summer, Spring, Autumn, and Winter. The amazing point is that when the hottest part of Pakistan hits by the temperature of 55 degree, the Icy mountains of Karakoram and Himalayas ranges of the same country attract tourists from all over the world.

Let me suggest some important and splendid visiting sites in Pakistan which are explored every year by a large number of tourists. Let me take you to a ride on a nice and cozy car ( Just like the spacetime ship used by Neil deGrasse Tyson to discover Cosmos) to discover my wonderful Pakistan. First of all, we are going to the deserts of Pakistan.

CHOLISTAN :

This is my hometown. I used to visit this desert since childhood. It has a very rare species of Deer known as Black deer. There is a long road in the desert which provides fascinating scenery of a vast area. Different species of Plants and Animals are found here.

Historical Sites : 

Pakistan is home to some of the most ancient Civilizations known to this Planet Earth. It includes Gandhara civilization and Indus Civilization. Mohenjo Daro, Mehargarh and Harappa are some of the oldest cities of Indus Civilization. Taxila, Swat, and Julian are the oldest cities of Gandhara civilization. These remains reflect the great culture of these civilizations.

NORTH:

Here comes the Pakistani North. North The Splendid, the Marvelous, The Glorious. I couldn’t imagine a single person who visits north and not entrapped by the beauty of Fabulous Mountains, Bare lands, deserts and Lush green fields. North is the hometown of three greatest mountain ranges known as Himalayas, Karakoram, and the Hindu Kush. Many Mountaineers fell In love with the bare beauty of Nanga Parbat and with the white snows of Rakaposhi. K2 needs no introduction either. Its name says it all. Swat valley is called the Switzerland of Pakistan. Chitral valley has the traditions of its own. It shares a border with Afghanistan. Kaghan valley is what is called Love. When I took a breath there the first time, I felt like a newborn baby. Every scenery is so perfect, so awesome.

May Allah protect my Pakistan from all odds.