Pakistan | Reuben Brand

Zardari gags media

March 14, 2009

Pakistan’s most widely watched news channel, GEO News , has been taken off the air by the Zardari Government. GEO News has been giving minute by minute updates of the Long March – a march organised to reinstate the Chief Justice, Iftikhar Muhammed Chaudry. The last time GEO was taken off air...

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Obama wants talks with Taliban

Blog, Middle East, Politics, USA

March 8, 2009

“Mr Obama told the New York Times that US forces in Iraq had persuaded some Islamic radicals alienated by the tactics of al-Qaeda to co-operate. He said there might be similar opportunities in Afghanistan, although the situation there was more complex.”...

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Thats just not cricket!

Blog, Pakistan

March 3, 2009

How do you further destabilise and demoralise a country that is already in the crosshairs of international scrutiny? You take away their National Sport of course. Todays attack on the Sri Lankan Cricket team does nothing more than put another crack in the already fragile political landscape. The word on...

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PPP Rally in Rawalpindi

Blog, Pakistan

March 3, 2009

I found myself in the midst of a Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) rally today. “Roll, duck and cover” was never far from my mind as a dear friend phoned me to warn of another PPP protest that had just turned violent. Demonstrators converged, at the now shrine, where Benazir Bhutto was assassinated....

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Pakistan: All in a day’s work

Blog, Pakistan

March 2, 2009

Pakistan: Wednesday February 25 Whilst flying across the Pakistan/India border, the sight of a military fighter plane speeding past our rickety old passenger airliner was a foreboding omen and perhaps an interesting insight of what is too come. Day one: The Pakistani Supreme Court dismiss the leader of the...

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Pakistan: D.I.Y. Counter Terrorism

Blog, Pakistan

February 24, 2009

The Government of the North West Frontier Province in Pakistan is set to distribute 30,000 rifles to civilians as a counter measure to help curb the increase in criminal gangs operating in the region: “The government would give 30,000 rifles to civilians after proper scrutiny by a committee, headed...

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“Pakistan on the Brink”

Blog, Pakistan

February 23, 2009

The ABC’s ‘Four Corners’ program aired a report today on Pakistan’s ever increasing Taliban threat: “…if the country’s leaders were good we would not have been able to occupy this tribal territory, because of the harsh policy of the government and the army we have...

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Mustafa Qadri: “It’s like fighting quick sand”

Blog, Middle East, News, Pakistan, USA

February 20, 2009

In his latest article, Mustafa Qadri writes about the continued conflict crippling Afghanistan, its links across the border in Pakistan, the build up of US troops in the region and the recent Taliban suicide attacks in Kabul: “It’s like fighting quick sand” AFGHANISTAN – February 18, 2009...

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Pakistani base used for US drone attacks

Blog, Pakistan, Politics, USA

February 15, 2009

The following article, by Anwar Iqbal, was published in the Dawn, Pakistan’s leading English Newspaper: “WASHINGTON: Drones that attack suspected terrorist targets inside Pakistan actually take off from the Pakistani soil, a senior US lawmaker said at a congressional hearing which also heard...

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The Road to Afghanistan

Blog, Middle East, Politics, USA

February 13, 2009

As the United States increase their military might and political pressure in Afghanistan, they now find trouble around every corner. Literally. The road into the war torn country has become the latest threat for US and NATO forces, as the following article by Robert Mackey suggests. “More than 80...

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