*itar (perfume) guy talking to me about an itar. I am not that fan of itars*
Guy: This is a new itar.. the smell wont wear off for 2 days!
damn! 2 days! what if I do not like it! How on earth will I get rid of it?!
*hands me the sample itar in small bottle*
Its still in front of me on the table and am staring at it.
Wednesday, December 31, 2008
Why Do I hate the Taliban
What prompted me to write this piece was this editorial in The News which said that Taliban have ordered all girl schools to be closed by January 15 - or else they will be blown up. Today, in the most beneficent manner that Taliban act, they have said that they will allow girl education till primary level. How merciful. I am teary eyed.
But, I still hate the Taliban - not as a fashion statement for some reasons.
- I hate Taliban because they do not believe in freedom of religion. Case in point, Bamiyan Buddha in Afghanistan. Since they are Deobandis by sect, so no Barelvi is accepted too. That is why they dug up the grave of Pir Samiullah, their opponent in Swat and hung his body publicly.
- I hate the Taliban because they are considered to be 'pure' muslims, the best of the breed, the ones that resemble the muslims at the time of the Prophet (horrible to say the least), the best practitioners of 'real Islam'. Bullshit of course. Taliban represent only one sub-sect of Islam, the Deobandi Sunnis. The Barelvis for example are not good muslims in front of them. Shias, damn they are infidels!
- I hate Taliban because west portrays them as manifestation of todays muslims. An ordinary muslim in Pakistan, India, Indonesia, Egypt is totally against what Taliban do and act. Yes 'every' muslim will criticise Israel and America but not one will go imposing a certain brand of Islam on others. Every act that Taliban do - the west say 'see! this is what Islam preaches!' Idiots.
- I hate Taliban because they blow up schools (115 schools in Swat, admitted by their spokesperson)
- I hate Taliban because they 'enforce' Islam. Case in point - the forced veiling of women, beating the bare ankles of women with sticks, forced closure of shops for prayers.
- I hate Taliban because they are extremely rigid to anothers point of view. You tell Tehreek e Taliban Pakistan to withdraw from violence - they say impose shariah, ask America to leave Afghanistan otherwise we will not. Nice way of going about solving things.
- I hate Taliban because they consider violence the only measure to achieve their political goals.
- I hate Taliban because they are giving extreme elements in our society a 'reason' to counter State. They are responsible for chaos. Every criminal is now 'Taliban'. Yes I agree the criminals are giving 'bad name' to Taliban (ironically) but its them who made it a point that you can take up arms against the State.
So there you go. I am full of hatred.
My Related Posts on Taliban especially Will The Taliban Take Over Pakistan?
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Benazir Bhutto 'shaheed'
Give me a break will ya. First she became 'shaheed' (I don't know what is the criteria for being eligible for 'shaheed' or martyr but she does not fit it), then we had a national holiday on December 27th to commemorate her martyrdom (I am all ok for holiday trust me!) then we had a commemorative coin released by the central bank on the same date! I don't know but I guess Pakistan Post must have come up with a stamp too! did I miss it?
The thing is.. in Pakistan.. a thing is exploited for way much of its value - Benazir Bhutto's death is just the latest example. Bhuttos are one tragic family. One feels sorry for them really the way they transferred out of earth. Father hanged, one brother killed, another one poisoned, she herself got killed. They are in essence truly 'unlucky' family of Pakistani politicians. I mean a Pakistani politician does not die like this. They are one pampered lot.
The press, tv were all praises for her. I honestly do not know why. She was a feudal. All her life she spent the life of the elite. She 'ruled' the people of her constituency. She did not give a damn about democracy. She was in a power fight, first with General Zia and then with her political foe Nawaz Sharif. She had come to Pakistan by making a 'deal' with Pervaiz Musharraf who was by anyones definition a military dictator. Yeah that was for 'democracy'! hurray! She was the 'Lifetime Chairperson' of her party! ever heard of that anywhere in world?!
She kept denying whole her life that she did not know of Surrey Palace (they were alleged to be the owners and which they were), she made a deal with Musharraf that she'll support him as president if all cases are dropped against her (NRO was the result). Her husband was dubbed Mr.10% for the commissions that he took on deal when he was Minister for Privatization in her premiership.
Its also a facade that she cared for people. She only cared for herself - just like any feudal pakistani politician. She gave lectures to west on democracy and Islam and duffers that they are considered her to be the leading light of the two issues. A 'woman' from a third wold country? especially Islamic country? unheard of! Unbelievable! so every crap she utters is gleefully accepted as true! Although I must admit we as muslim world did not use her 'marketing' potential that much because hey.. if they keep telling us their democracy is best bullshit then we can do the same too eh?
She did nothing for women. She did nothing for people of her constituency. They are in fact more poor. Please do not tell me that 'army and religious parties were against her so she was not successful'. If they are true then they are hurdles for every politician in Pakistan who wants to amend things for good in Pakistan for women or minorities - she was not God sent. And Women's Bill was put forward by the dictator Musharraf - not democrat Benazir.
So thanks for the Holiday but no thanks. Leave me out of this martyrdom crap.
The thing is.. in Pakistan.. a thing is exploited for way much of its value - Benazir Bhutto's death is just the latest example. Bhuttos are one tragic family. One feels sorry for them really the way they transferred out of earth. Father hanged, one brother killed, another one poisoned, she herself got killed. They are in essence truly 'unlucky' family of Pakistani politicians. I mean a Pakistani politician does not die like this. They are one pampered lot.
The press, tv were all praises for her. I honestly do not know why. She was a feudal. All her life she spent the life of the elite. She 'ruled' the people of her constituency. She did not give a damn about democracy. She was in a power fight, first with General Zia and then with her political foe Nawaz Sharif. She had come to Pakistan by making a 'deal' with Pervaiz Musharraf who was by anyones definition a military dictator. Yeah that was for 'democracy'! hurray! She was the 'Lifetime Chairperson' of her party! ever heard of that anywhere in world?!
She kept denying whole her life that she did not know of Surrey Palace (they were alleged to be the owners and which they were), she made a deal with Musharraf that she'll support him as president if all cases are dropped against her (NRO was the result). Her husband was dubbed Mr.10% for the commissions that he took on deal when he was Minister for Privatization in her premiership.
Its also a facade that she cared for people. She only cared for herself - just like any feudal pakistani politician. She gave lectures to west on democracy and Islam and duffers that they are considered her to be the leading light of the two issues. A 'woman' from a third wold country? especially Islamic country? unheard of! Unbelievable! so every crap she utters is gleefully accepted as true! Although I must admit we as muslim world did not use her 'marketing' potential that much because hey.. if they keep telling us their democracy is best bullshit then we can do the same too eh?
She did nothing for women. She did nothing for people of her constituency. They are in fact more poor. Please do not tell me that 'army and religious parties were against her so she was not successful'. If they are true then they are hurdles for every politician in Pakistan who wants to amend things for good in Pakistan for women or minorities - she was not God sent. And Women's Bill was put forward by the dictator Musharraf - not democrat Benazir.
So thanks for the Holiday but no thanks. Leave me out of this martyrdom crap.
Monday, December 29, 2008
The Palestenian Curry
Must be delicious for the Israelis this time. Ingredients: 300+ Palestinians, peppered with missiles and aircraft attacks. The nation of Israel needed 'protection' from the Hamas fired rockets (it would be a shame to call it a rocket. Mind you Israeli blockade can never provide Palestenians with latest rockets) so the Israelis thought better to impress upon all of us how urgent the security needs are. US as usual, sided with Israel. OIC and Arab League, as usual, the impotents.
The real winners will be the 'jihadists' who will 'remind' the fellow muslims that there is only one solution to muslim problems - hit back because no one else is going to listen to us.
The real winners will be the 'jihadists' who will 'remind' the fellow muslims that there is only one solution to muslim problems - hit back because no one else is going to listen to us.
Friday, December 26, 2008
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
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