Monday, September 15, 2014

Pakistan

1 hour ago
By Khalid Hasnain,  Majeed Gill, Malik Tehseen

LAHORE/MUZAFFAR­GARH/BAHAWALPUR: 
After inundating over 60 per cent area of Muzaffargarh tehsil, (click here) the violent waves of Chenab River are now posing a threat to rural areas of Jatoi and Alipur tehsils in Muzaffargarh district.
The water discharge at Panjnad headworks in Bahawalpur district was rising, but the flow of 413,000 cusecs (35.3 cusecs = 1 cubic meter/second) recorded at 9pm on Monday was stated to be within manageable limits. Irrigation authorities posted at the headworks said that a breach in the right marginal dyke, as anticipated earlier, might not be required.
“We expect that the pick will not be more than 450,000 cusecs before the water falls into the Indus River. And in Indus, there will be a maximum flood of about 500,000 cusecs that will pass Guddu and Sukkur barrages on Tuesday and Wednesday,” a senior official at the Flood Forecasting Division (Meteorological Department) told Dawn....

Historically, the Taliban has taken advantage of flooding events to bring about loyalty of the people in Pakistan. The Chenab River runs south into Punjab province. Punjab is the largest population in the area. If the Chenab River continues to flood and break dykes the people won't have a chance and the Taliban in 2014 has abandoned the area insurgency.

April 15, 2009
Author(s): Hassan Abbas

On March 30, 2009, (click here) militants launched a deadly assault on a police training center outside Lahore, the capital of Pakistan’s Punjab Province. Eight police cadets were killed [1]. Less than a month earlier, on March 3, gunmen in Lahore ambushed members of the visiting Sri Lankan cricket team, killing at least eight people. Punjab, the most populated of Pakistan’s provinces, has largely escaped the bloodshed plaguing the country’s troubled northwest [2]. Yet since 2007, violence has escalated in the province. The bold terrorist attacks in Pakistan’s heartland—within Punjab Province and in the Pakistani capital of Islamabad—show that local logistical support for these attacks is attributable to what is often labeled the “Punjabi Taliban” network [3]. The major factions of this network include operatives from Lashkar-i-Jhangvi, Sipah-i-Sahaba Pakistan and Jaysh-i-Muhammad—all groups that were previously strictly focused on Kashmir and domestic sectarian violence....

The Chenab River drains into the Indus River. The rivers will continue to swell and cause disaster.

September 15, 2014
By Owais Quarni
Twenty people, including a bridegroom, (click here) drowned when a boat carrying a wedding party capsized in rough waters in a flooded rural area near Shershah dyke. Another 18 people were rescued in a 12-hour-long operation involving helicopters and divers of the army and navy.
Muhammad Zahid, who married Mashal three days ago, chartered a boat to carry the couple and their families to their Valima in the Muzaffarabad area. Some of their relatives were on board another boat and the two were moving almost side by side. The boat, which was carrying the couple and another 28 people, went down as it attempted to cross the flooded river.
Rescuers and relatives in the second boat immediately jumped into the rough waters to save the people before army and navy helicopters and divers could reach the site. “We have recovered more bodies. The death toll has now risen to 17, two women were among the dead,” a senior rescue official said, adding that another three persons were missing and believed dead. Eighteen people, including the bride, were rescued....

A Muslim holy man stated recently, the problem with the insurgencies throughout the area had adopted Sharia and it is the Sharia Law that is the enemy and not the religion of Islam.

September 14, 2014
By Ashfaq Yusufzai in Peshawar and Dean Nelson in New Delhi 

Leader of the Punjabi Taliban, (click here) one of Pakistan's most effective terror groups, says it is to end its insurgency and embrace charity work

One of Pakistan's most deadly Taliban groups has abandoned its armed struggle and announced it will focus on a peaceful campaign calling on the country to adopt Islamic sharia law.
The Punjabi Taliban is believed to have carried out a number of significant terrorist attacks, including the 2009 assault on the Pakistan army's general headquarters in Rawalpindi, in which nine soldiers were killed; the commando raid on the Sri Lankan cricket team in the same year, and the 2011 attack on the naval airbase at Mehran in which 18 servicemen and two US-donated aircraft were destroyed.
It has also been blamed for a number of sectarian atrocities, including attacks on the country's Ahmadi Muslims and the assassination of Pakistan's Christian minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti in 2011.
The announcement is seen as a further setback for Pakistan's alliance of 'Taliban' terrorist groups, which has suffered a number of fractures in recent weeks....

If the insurgency in Punjab is over, the Pakistan government has a sincere opportunity to rebuild the trust of the people in Punjab. They can best achieve that by saving their lives and providing infrastructure where flooding is least likely to happen. This region of Pakistan is sustaining these large floods every year in the same region. The people have nothing left and an impoverished population is very susceptible to radicalization.


...Punjabi Taliban chief Ismatullah Muawiya said that after consulting other Muslim leaders, the organisation would now limit its use of force to "infidel forces" and would focus on promoting sharia law.
In a video message, Muawiya said the Punjabi Taliban would continue to operate in Afghanistan but would focus on "Dawat Tablig" preaching and called on other Taliban factions to abandon their insurgencies in Pakistan.
He called on the Pakistan government to compensate those affected by its offensive in Waziristan and other tribal agencies and to rehabilitate them with "honour and dignity".
"Peace is the need of the hour to foil conspiracies against Pakistan and its people," he said....
The Pakistan government has to care for it's people, rebuild an infrastructure able to withstand the floods and eliminate Sharia. One of the best reasons to eliminate Sharia is it causes great trouble for people as it did for Malala and her family.

Malala Yousafzai was a direct victim of Sharia. Girls are not to be educated and are chattel according to Sharia. Malala is a threat to the insurgencies throughout Islam because they rely on Sharia Law as the basis of their groups. Insurgents don't have structure EXCEPT for Sharia Law. Sharia not only provides a governing directive it also levels justice. The insurgency leaders instituting Sharia are very clever. Sharia provides an automatic constitution to govern a group of men to overthrow their government. What the followers of these insurgency leaders forget is that Sharia can also kill them, too, if their leadership finds a reason.

The insurgencies in the region have proven to have no real power over any government, not even Pakistan, as they have been driven back to Afghanistan. The only power these insurgencies have is to victimize people within their armed camps to hold as hostages and then brutally killed. The people are brutally killed because it does cause a reaction from the populous of other countries, but, that is the only power they have. The insurgencies are running a war of populism and have no real power otherwise.

The Taliban remaining in Punjab are hoping to increase their following via Sharia to attempt at a later time to challenge the government again.

When one accepts the fact the insurgencies have no power than what others allow them, it is completely understandable why they want any conflict to come to them, they can't go elsewhere and be successful. They are not Genghis Kahn or Napoleon or the USA into Iraq. They have no ability to carry out a war with an invading army. They only have the power the people permit them to have.

According to the New American Standard Bible; Christendom states in Romans 12:19; Never take your own revenge, beloved, but leave room for the wrath of God, for it is written, "VENGEANCE IS MINE, I WILL REPAY," says the Lord. Christianity allows for an external governance. Sharia does not.

For a thinking person, considering all the tragedy and suffering that has become Pakistan, Punjab in particular, since the Taliban has attempted to dominate the province, it just might be the wrath of god setting it straight.

The Pakistan government needs to be the leading authority in the country and provide for the well being of it's people. To allow the Taliban to become an authority because it provides greater CHARITY than the government only sets people up for failure. That is why the tribal areas were so important to Late Prime Minister Bhutto. The tribal areas had to come to appreciate the Pakistan government over what the militants could provide.

It is why al Qaeda hated her and why they saw to her death.

The Pakistan government cannot provide for it's people with the climate crisis causing such devastating outcomes. The USA needs to do more and provide assistance in a secure 'community infrastructure.' If it is not provided this region of the world remain in flux and global stability will suffer.

The USA has not done enough to support responsible climate science and concern for citizens.

September 14, 2014
By Shahzad Anwar
The Climate Change Division (click here) is being run on an ad-hoc basis since last month as most senior positions are being additionally held by officers with low-experience.
The secretary of the division retired recently and the Establishment Division has yet to decide on his replacement. Currently, a director general-level officer is looking after day to day affairs of the CCD.  However, the officials at the division denied that any of their functions were adversely affected due to the vacancy at the top, and they believe the crunch is likely to be resolved by next month.
When the division’s water and sanitation director, Sana Hussain, retired, she was replaced by someone with an assistant director in the Data Base Management wing. The position oversees several projects related to water, sanitation, hygiene, and requires someone with a background in environment science is best suited for it....
Countries like Pakistan are overwhelmed when there is a climate event, ie: recent years flooding. They have a population that does not understand it and a government that has no clue as to how to respond.

Adding meteorologists in Pakistan is not enough. Pakistan needs to have political speech that includes the concern for the average citizen facing drastic and dangerous realities when it comes to climate. The people of Pakistan have no concept to what is causing their problems and cannot act to prevent them or the danger that enters their lives.

The people of these regions of the world are just as intelligent as the people of the USA. Their political leaders will understand how to transcend local culture, speech and jargon to bring about the understanding of the danger. There is nothing wrong with citizens holding their government leaders responsible for their dire circumstances when rain and cold are found to be a killer. When the people demand a safe homestead they will be better served, but, when they simply assign these horrible outcomes to a higher power the danger continues unabated. 

There are measures every government can take to prevent what occurred in Kashmir. I am confident there is a television somewhere in the area, a phone or a radio that can receive information regarding climate and how people are in danger. This is ridiculous. Country leadership is allowing their people to die. The USA is responsible for at least 25% of the carbon now in our atmosphere it is time to own up to it and provide measures of protections for these populations. 

Women's sport enthusiasts have more work to do than simply complain about abuse.

September 15, 2014
By Jen Hale
...Peterson (click here) will fully participate in this week's practices and meetings and is expected to play this Sunday in New Orleans for the Saints home opener, as he deals off the field with a child abuse charge stemming from an incident in which he spanked his 4-year-old-son with a switch....

The change in society that has to occur to focus on parents abusing their children vs discipline that works occurs when parents demand changes in their state legislature. It is completely outrageous to realize Texas allows corporal punishment. The state allowing such standards within their citizens and schools is a defense for parents that use severe disciplinary acts. 

There are many states in the USA that do not allow corporal punishment and defer to other forms of discipline. Anyone ever hear of a Time Out Chair. That is just the beginning. Foster Care have definite guidelines regarding physical discipline. Foster Care primarily steers away from physical discipline.

Physical Discipline(click here)
In order to learn successful ways of teaching children, there needs to be a basic understanding of physical discipline and how it can affect a child. Children in foster care have frequently come from dysfunctional families and often do not have a foundation of knowing “right” and “wrong”. The following are important to realize about physical discipline of foster children:
  • Physical discipline is ineffective for children in general.
  • Physical discipline is particularly traumatic for children in foster care placements whose background   is one of abuse or neglect.
  • Physical discipline of foster children is prohibited in Wisconsin.
The messages that hitting a child can give are:
  • In this family, I must fear adults and will not feel safe.
  • Violence is an acceptable way to get what I want. I can hit younger children and take what I want from those who are weaker.
  • I am not worth caring for, I am unlovable.
  • Adults cannot be trusted.
  • I must not let adults know when I do something wrong.
  • It was ok for my parents to physically abuse me.
Discipline is guidance. When we guide children towards positive behavior and learning, we are promoting a healthy attitude. Positive guidance encourages a child to think before he acts. Positive guidance promotes self-control. Different styles of discipline produce results that are different. Discipline requires thought, planning, and patience....

Sports heroes count in a young person's life. They look up to them as a role model. To allow physical abuse to exist in the identity of that sports professional only invites others to practice it. That dynamic happens everyday in the USA and the identity of these sports professionals matter. 

Parents and women can't simply verbalize their disappointment, they have to take action to change the law regarding abuse. Movements work, they can work in states that haven't changed to the times we live in.

"Good Night, Moon."

September 8, 2014
By Patricia Dougan

Kiwi astronomers (click here) got a rare chance to witness an asteroid travel across the sky above New Zealand this morning.

The whale-sized asteroid, which was only discovered around a week ago, was nicknamed Pitbull because of its small size but potentially threatening path, as it flew within 40,000km of Earth.


Officially named 2014 RC, the celestial object was closer than weather satellites,
Stardome Observatory astronomer Grant Christie said.
When it was first discovered, on August 29, it was initially thought it would directly hit Earth, he said.
Stardome staff tracked the asteroid from around 7pm on Sunday to after 3am on Monday, making observations and snapping images....