Archive of South Asia Citizens Wire

  • Pakistan: The Exclusion of the Poor and The Unregulated Maulvi

    by Nadeem Ul Haque, 28 April 2009

    Mosques remain totally unregulated, need no zoning permission and have been actively encouraged by the state. Not surprising, the mosque is the only community centre for the excluded poor; the unregulated maulvi the only visionary

  • The BJP Dreamland

    by Jean Dreze, 28 April 2009

    sacw.net “No nation can chart out its domestic or foreign policies unless it has a clear understanding about itself, its history, its strengths and failings.” Jawaharlal Nehru could not have put it better. The author of this noble statement, however, is none other than Murli Manohar Joshi, in his preamble to the manifesto of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), signed by him as Chairman of the Manifesto Committee.
    Ironically, this statement is at odds with the preamble itself, which (…)

  • India: Menace of kangaroo courts in rural and urban Tamil Nadu

    by S. Dorairaj, 27 April 2009

    Frontline, April 11-24, 2009
    Spreading menace
    The system of dispensing ‘justice’ through kangaroo courts continues in rural and urban Tamil Nadu despite court directives to end the practice.
    A. Manoharan and his wife, Vanitha, who, along with their two daughters, have been ostracised from their hamlet, Panaiyur Periakuppam in Kancheepuram district, by the “meenavar” panchayat, a kangaroo court, over a land dispute. The Madras High Court ordered police protection to the family, but they (…)

  • Pakistani’s Against Talibanisation: Citizen’s Letter to be sent to the President, PM, CJ and COAS

    25 April 2009

    The citizens of Lahore are convening outside the GPO on Tuesday 28th April 2009 at 3pm to post letters to the President, PM, CJ and COAS to take military action against Taleban. SAY NO TO TALIBANISATION. Bring all your friends and family. The time to save your country is now. We stand for freedom of choice, liberty, equality, democracy and a progressive united Pakistan. __3__
    Text of Model Letter From Pakistani Citizens to be addressed to the highest officials in Pakistan, namely The (…)

  • Pakistan: Hazardous conditions for workers at Gadani ship breaking yard

    by Aroosa Masroor, 25 April 2009

    The News
    Gadani yard turns into death trap for hapless workers
    KARACHI: Seemingly unaware of the high health risks involved in his job, 21-year-old Muhammad Saleem, a welder at the Gadani ship-breaking yard, prefers to do his job and not ask too many questions.
    But there are many who cannot continue to ignore the string of deaths at the Gadani ship breaking yard, an important source of raw material for the steel making industries of Karachi and beyond.
    Over the past two months, four (…)

elsewhere on the web