Magazine

Editorial The hectic, perhaps even frantic, shuttling back and forth of political intermediaries between the PML-N and PTI camps had suggested that perhaps some kind of middle ground could be reached and the growing atmosphere of political crisis could be calmed down. Unhappily, neither the PML-N nor the PTI appears to be in any mood to back down first — or at least before the eleventh hour, which is nearly here. The PML-N has had the capital’s administration enforce the infamous Section 144 of the criminal code that prohibits the public display of weapons — and most importantly, curbs the public’s right of freedom to assemble. Without a shred of doubt, no matter what the PML-N leadership or the Islamabad administration ma...

August 15, 2014 at 12:02 pm | News Desk

As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf youth mantra enticed the youth to PTI like the positively phototactic moth is drawn to light, PTI held its end of the deal by opening doors to 40pc young candidates. One of these young candidates nominated by PTI, Murad Saeed, won his seat from NA-29 Swat, after defeating his senior political rivals. Saeed hails from Kabal of district Swat. During Operation Rah-e-Rast, the second battle of Swat in 2009 between Pakistan Army and the militants, a stray mortar shell had destroyed his house critically injuring his mother and brother. It served as Saeed’s call to politics as he was now determined to serve his people. So even at that crucial time, Saeed went from town to town forming ISF (Insaf Student Federation) ...

August 13, 2014 at 3:55 am | News Desk

Saleem Shaikh It has been a renewal of life and livelihood for Muhammad Naeem, a vegetable grower in north Pakistan’s Namli Mera village who was about to give it all up and move to the city after shrinking water supply and pollution had made farming unviable. But the mountain stream has revived, the water quality improved and he is able to irrigate his four-acre plot with ease thanks to an innovative watershed management programme that has saved many farmers like him. “Water supply from a centuries old natural sparkling spring in our area was shrinking, getting turbid and polluted because of rising deforestation in our mountain village. I realised that farming was no more viable and was thinking of abandoning it to migrate to ...

August 12, 2014 at 3:16 am | News Desk

Sindh government has badly failed to distribute promised 144,561 acres of land among poor, causing unrest among expected beneficiaries and civil society organizations. According to the Landless Hari Program 2008, Sindh government had to distribute 200,000 acres of land among poor farmers, particularly women peasants, but it distributed only 55,439 acres out of promised 200,000 acres. Therefore, it is the right time for Sindh government to start 3rd phase of the Landless Hari Program and distribute remaining 144,561 acres of land among women of the freed bonded laborers, who are primarily agriculture workers and can contribute to Sindh’s agriculture growth. This initiative will secure the livelihood of these marginalized people and hel...

August 12, 2014 at 2:25 am | News Desk

”Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl [JUI-F] is a moderate religious political party. We condemn all types of terrorism and extremism and we support government in its endeavor to eliminate terrorism. It is a misconception that JUI [F] is against military operation in North Waziristan, but we are trying to engage government for adopting a comprehensive anti-terrorism policy at state level”, said Jan Achakzai in an exclusive interview with Economic Affairs. You said that JUI F is a moderate political party. How you will define extremism?   Yes, JUI - F is a moderate religious political party. Maulana Mufti Mahmud who led JUI during the 70s played an important role in the formation of 1973 Constitution for Pakistan. The constitution fundamen...

July 13, 2014 at 12:55 am | News Desk

Mr Heyward is a senior career officer with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) and was until recently Assistant Secretary Africa Branch, a position he held from June 2011. Prior to this, he was Assistant Secretary, Consular Operations Branch. He has previously served overseas as Australia's Ambassador to East Timor; Ambassador to Brazil, also accredited to Colombia and Venezuela; Deputy Permanent Representative, Australian Permanent Mission to the United Nations, Geneva and Deputy Head of Mission, Australian Embassy, Argentina. Mr Heyward holds a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tasmania, and a Graduation Certificate in Management from Monash University. He is married and has two daughters. “There are many vari...

July 13, 2014 at 12:42 am | News Desk

“Dressing well is a sign of good manners” – Tom Ford fashion designer / film director A Canadian based clothing giant that opened the doors of its flagship store in Karachi offers custom made menswear (for now), touch screens to craft unique profiles, and a coffee bar to placate waiting customers.  Klauset’s ‘Made in Pakistan’ label has to be clarified since labor is local, the cloth is imported, and standards are international. The owners try to outline the process for Sindh Education Minister Nisar Khuhro, and regale him with a lesson on texture, weight, limitations (220 gms) and material (micro light, poly wool). Tuxedos that are the rage and come with snazzy cummerbunds raise some eyebrows.  It is the first taste of col...

July 13, 2014 at 12:25 am | News Desk

Ahmed Bilal Masud, an electrical engineer by profession is at the forefront of a leading telecom company, Huawei Pakistan as the Deputy CEO. After completing his degree from NUST (National University of Science and Technology), he set off for work in the telecom industry in 1997 when Pakistan had only two telecom operators. The launch of pre-paid service brought revolution in country’s telecom industry. Bilal was among those favoring the introduction of pre-paid to extend the mobile-reach to common people. However, some telecom marketers were against the move.  “They believed that the prepaid service wouldn’t be up-and-coming”, Bilal told Economic Affairs in an exclusive interview in Islamabad. The reason was that people like to...

June 12, 2014 at 5:56 pm | News Desk

Tausif-ur-Rehman Hussain Ahmed Fazal, the Director of Hussain Textile Mills joined the family business of textile milling at an early age and with his hard work, passion and vision developed not only the infrastructure of the company to meet the changing business environment but improved sales as well. When he joined the company, there were around 14,000 spindles and now it stands at 90,000 spindles and 131 air jet looms while the turn over last year stood at PKR. 15.764 billion. His textile mill is now the largest producer of organic cotton yarn in Pakistan having a production capacity of 816480 kg per month. It manufactures all kinds of dyed fabrics including PFGD, PFP, PFD bleach and printed. The company enjoys the privilege of bein...

June 12, 2014 at 5:23 pm | News Desk

Sexual deviancy is not a protected civil right. Sexual deviancy exists and is noted by clinical psychiatrists.  But deviants should not receive hugs at the White House and a welcomed berth in the military. President Barack Obama is the  Commander-in-Chief of the combined military forces of the United States of America.  He maintains an unusual focus on detrimental policy changes that weaken the traditions and  morale of a  professional standing army. Why such intense personal interest? The door was closed the day that my Navy  OIC (officer in charge) sat with me and the ten year (mandatory) review of a secret clearance landed on his desk. The officer under review was in my department and under my direct command. He had an incident ...

June 12, 2014 at 2:55 am | News Desk

New dawn for the street children footballers In April 2014, the street children from Pakistan had made the nation proud by finishing third and beating our eastern neighbor in the Street Child Football World Cup held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. The Pakistan Child Football Team returned home with a bronze medal. To honor the much-celebrated-street-footballers from Pakistan, Mr. Afredo Leoni, the Ambassador of Brazil to Pakistan, hosted a ceremony at the Embassy of Brazil in Islamabad on May 19th 2014, as the 2014 FIFA World Cup draws near which will be held in June and July this year. It is the second time Brazil is hosting and the 20th FIFA World Cup overall. Among the participants of this ceremony were all members of Pakistan footbal...

June 12, 2014 at 2:50 am | News Desk

On this particular day in April 2014 I walk hurriedly into a building in Blue Area, which is the head office of Utility Stores Corporation (USC), an organization that operates chain stores throughout Pakistan. The appointment with the Managing Director (MD), Khaqan Murtaza, has been rescheduled due to consumption of the previously appointed slot on his timetable. As I walk into the office, I become acquainted with the MD who is seated across the table with huge piles of paper files stacked on it. The office is set in a total bureaucratic style, very spacious with vast windows overlooking Jinnah Avenue in Islamabad. Buffered between hoarding and profiteering, the USC network is spread across every nook and corner of the country.  It pro...

May 10, 2014 at 3:28 am | News Desk

Now that Islamabad has its first solar powered car, we wonder what more could our engineers do.  Ahmad Aslam, who is an electrical engineer by profession, has designed and manufactured a two-seater solar vehicle which runs at the speed of 80 kilometers per hour. Besides being charged by solar panels, its batteries could also be charged by direct electricity source consuming only 1 PKR of electricity per kilometer which is astonishingly low. The quest to know more about the features of this car drove the Economic Affairs team into the office cum experimental lab of Aslam Azad, located in Blue Area, who happens to be the investor of this solar car. Shiraz Nizami What are the features of this solar car? This is the world’s first ever...

May 9, 2014 at 5:49 pm | News Desk

A veteran stylist, Laiqa has done it all and seen it all. With nearly two decades in the industry, Laiqa is a force to be reckoned with. Pakistani stylists, Pakistani Fashion Shows, Designer Boutiques. Information of Pakistani fashion stylists, boutiques and popular fashion brands at fashioncentral.pk. Click here for more information Fashion Central stylists Feed

May 7, 2014 at 5:35 am | News Desk

 Prof. Dr. Moiz Hussain (Ph.D) is internationally acknowledged in the field of mind sciences and sufism and has been sharing his knowledge and expertise in mind sciences and sufism to people of all ages, professions and nationals through his workshops, seminars, lectures and theosophical sittings all over Pakistan as well as in USA, UK, Saudi Arabia, UAE, Germany, Austria, Switzerland, India and many other countries. He is a certified Psycho Orientologist and a Clinical Hypnotherapist from USA. Urooj Moiz, his daughter, has joined his team since the last 10 years and has become a very popular and trusted counsellor. Besides hosting many informative TV shows on mental health and psychological issues, the duo of father and daughter appear re...

April 4, 2014 at 1:44 am | News Desk

Mushahid Hussain Sayed is a journalist, geo-strategist, politician, an avid writer and reader. Currently, he is member to the Senate of Pakistan and also the Chairman of Senate Standing Committee on Defense and Defense Production. He is the Secretary-General of the Pakistan Muslim League (Q). Prospects of Pak-Russia ties Almas Haider Naqvi “The defence cooperation between Russia and Pakistan couldn’t be fastened because of two reasons. Firstly, Russia isn’t inclined towards Pakistan due to its long-lasting relationship with India and secondly Russians believe that some Chechen commanders who are at war with Russia are harboring in the tribal areas of Pakistan bordering the Durand line”, said Senator Mushahid Hussian Sye...

April 4, 2014 at 12:52 am | News Desk