Baithak Desi May 10: Fatehas, Rafia Zakaria, Isa Daudpota, Fawad Aslam, Price Chart, Cartoons, Headlines

Who will publicly read the Fateha in London, Islamabad, Dubai, the world over for the mothers and young men committing suicides?

Who will read the Ghaibana Namaz e Janaza for the "civil society" being starved to death and dying slowly while the white-washed billionaires and millionaires living in air conditioned luxuries unabashedly talk of restoring the judiciary and scoring brownie points?

PPP, MQM alliance to strengthen Pakistan: Altaf Hussain
LONDON: The Chief of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Altaf Hussain has said alliance between Pakistan Peoples Party and Muttahida Qaumi Movement is for the stability of Pakistan.

He said during his meeting with Asif Zardari, issues like national stability, increasing prices of electricity and flour were discussed.

While reading Parallel justice by Rafia Zakaria I kept scanning for the word kangaroo. These "qazi courts" elsewhere in the sub continent were in essence "small claims court" or a modified "panchayat" courts. The would settle local and minor issues. And in that they served a useful purpose. By removing them from the jurisdiction of High and Supreme Courts, in essence is bestowing the "007" license to these "qazi courts" - the license to kill - as was witnessed recently.

Instead of extending the federal writ over these areas, this is akin to a retreat and abdication of duty.

Grass roots "cultural" or "traditional" justice systems have a need, but they should not be empowered to mete out "capital" punishments. That should remain the realm of the uniform higher courts of the land.



Ruining Pakistan's Capital Islamabad [thanks ID]


My mother remarked one day that it was time for a revolution. Revolutions eventually tend not to focus on; 'why don't I have that?' but rather on 'why does he have that?' I said that our house may symbolize inequality for the nearby slum dwellers and be taken over. Again, it is all relative. Bus No 1 has made me thankful to Allah. Disconnect with reality is dangerous. Once in the ministers' enclave, it would be difficult to grasp the plight of the homeless. When dining at a thousand per head, one would be unable to comprehend the economics of a loaf of bread. When one will sense the seemingly unbridled power of illegal wealth, one will not appreciate the virtue of lawful income. One always tends to look at those who are better off and forgets those who are not. Fawad Aslam

Just curious: how many of you in Pakistan are really aware of this? Do you shop for your household?

Price Chart

Saturday, May 10, 2008 Prices quoted in January, 2008 Current prices 1. Pulses i) Masoor pulse (Red) Rs73/kg Rs90/kg ii) Masoor pulse (Sabit) Rs62/kg Rs80/kg iii) Moong pulse Rs48/kg Rs50/kg iv) Moong pulse (Chhilka) Rs44/kg Rs42/kg v) Mash pulse (Washed) Rs60/kg Rs62/kg vi) Arhar pulse Rs77/kg Rs82/kg vii) Gram pulse Rs44/kg Rs65/kg 2. Chickpeas i) Kabuli Chickpeas Rs60/kg Rs75/kg ii) Black Chickpeas Rs38/kg Rs60/kg 3. Rice i) Rice (Kernal) Rs85/kg Rs135/kg ii) Rice (Saila) Rs70/kg Rs100/kg iii) Rice (Tota Basmati) Rs44/kg Rs54/kg 4. Flour Rs16-18/kg Rs22/kg 5. Sugar Rs25/kg Rs27/kg 6. Basin Rs45/kg Rs60/kg 7. Sooji Rs25/kg Rs25/kg 8. Ghee Rs114/kg Rs130-145/kg

Headlines

Read, read in the name of...Proprietor of National Booksellers arrested
Wise words: Forget May 12, move on, Marri says
SWEAT?: Akhtar Mengal released, sweat distributed
Good query: What’s the complexity?
If you want to know: How oil prices rose over the years
Yeah yeah yeah: Judges issue put on hold for another day
PEMRA test? SC issues notice to Geo TV
Is this good news or bad? Gen Hood will now work in CENTCOM HQ’
Wait till the coalition goes on junkets: Soomro's 'royal pilgrimage' cost PIA $2.8m