Ayesha Khan, Don't be a chicken Qureshi,

Forgive Ayesha for she does not know Hamid Mir well:

In a recent episode of “Capital Talk,” Hamid Mir suggested that in response to the Swiss ban on minarets for mosques, we, in Pakistan, should encourage our Christians to build as many churches as they like and in whatever style they prefer. This is exactly the type of openness, tolerance and respect for plurality that Islamic civilisation displayed at its zenith, at the time when it ruled as far as Spain.

When I read Ikram Sehgal I changed one word - Karzai for the co hcairman of the hand-written-will and chuckled. Would you agree?

Kim Barker confirms this: “Corruption has grown around Karzai like a fungus, touching almost every ministry and office. This pervasive culture of graft is blamed for driving a wedge between Afghans and their government — even driving some toward the Taliban. For Afghans, corruption falls into three categories: (1) first is petty corruption by lower-level government employees who are looking out for their own survival; (2) next is large-scale corruption, which is committed by ministers and relatives of top Afghan officials involved in lucrative international contracts or the drug trade; (3) last is what Karzai described as western-driven corruption, which begins with the foreign contractors who live conspicuously well in Kabul. They sub-contract work to local Afghans, who then make their own with other Afghans. The end result is that the bulk of every aid dollar is wasted. But this, at least by western
standards, is technically legal — a seeming loophole that many Afghans find absurd, if not hypocritical and offensive.” The recent presidential and provincial council elections were a disaster and there was no credibility of the election results. Rural populations were largely excluded from the political process. By empowering local communities, they must be encouraged to support the political system.

Would you agree with Talat Masood's optimism?

Tragically, the nation is paying a heavy price in blood and sweat in combating militancy. It is forcing us to reform or face the consequences of an existential threat. The cumulative impact of these developments whether it is pressure of media, civil society or the violent acts of militants is bringing about fundamental changes in the society. Feudalism and tribal hierarchy is on its way out and politicians canot fool the people, and the military is in no position to capture power. Militancy is now compelling the government to act and reach out to the tribal people whom thry neglected for 62 years. Similarly, the insurgency in Baluchistan is forcing the government to take political and economic measures that it denied to them. The military is acting against the proxies that at one time it patronised. The society is in flux and anarchic but there are several positive happenings as well.

Don't be a chicken and sit on the eggs Mr. Qureshi: show me the beef.

He reiterated that Islamabad had substantial evidence to prove that New Delhi was involved in terror activities in Pakistan. “We have got concrete evidence regarding the Indian involvement in terror activities in Pakistan,” he said.

And finally Mr Shaheen Sehbai, foggy bottom is not a nickname! But you are spot on here:

The Holbrooke camp in the State Department, insiders revealed, was banking too much on the assessments and claims of some Pakistani diplomats and pro-Zardari analysts in the US think tanks.