I think the interim president is attempting to develop a false narrative to remove focus on the university regarding the extensive sexual assault charges surrounding Michigan State's negligence in dealing with these issues. This is gross negligence by the university. There is no other way to put this and now the interim president is attempting to divert attention to other issues.
Michigan State needs to take these issues head on, no different than any other establishment in the USA. I am worried now that attitudes willing to sweep bad news under the carpet is more of the same tolerance of sexual abuse and assault that exists.
It is difficult to break down a corrupt culture. I wonder how pervasive it was with this narrative now coming to the surface.
June 13, 2018
East Lansing – Emails show (click here) the interim president of Michigan State University criticized lawyers who represent Larry Nassar’s assault victims and said a former gymnast who sued the school was probably was getting a “kickback” from her attorney.
John Engler’s remarks were made to a university lawyer in April, a month before Michigan State agreed to a $500 million settlement with hundreds of women and girls who said they were assaulted by Nassar, a sports doctor. The Chronicle of Higher Education reportedon the emails Wednesday.
Engler said he thought victims were “being manipulated by trial lawyers” and that lawyers would get “millions of dollars more” than their clients.
Engler said he thought Rachael Denhollander was likely getting a kickback from her lawyer. She has been outspoken and in 2016 was the first to publicly say she was a Nassar victim.
Denhollander says Engler’s comments reflect a “culture of abuse.”
Wednesday, June 13, 2018
A Minnesota racoon has a new name besides daredevil,"#MPRraccoon." I wonder if this is due to habitat loss?
June 13, 2018
...A daredevil raccoon (click here) has been safely rescued after leaving the internet on tenterhooks by scaling a 23-floor building in St Paul, Minnesota.
The critter, dubbed #MPRraccoon after the radio station opposite the high-rise, trended worldwide on Twitter.
Crowds gathered at the building after it went viral, and local media streamed its perilous climb for almost a day.
Twitter celebrated as it reached the roof at 03:00am (07:00 BST) where cat food was waiting inside a trap.
The raccoon has been collected by animal welfare and will be released later.
Evan Frost and Tim Nelson, journalists with Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), documented the raccoon's nerve-wracking journey on Twitter.
"One of my colleagues spotted the raccoon on, kind of the ground floor, sitting on a ledge on Monday - it looked like a brown lump, almost like a cat sitting there," Evan Frost told the BBC in the early hours of Wednesday...
There is some habitat loss in the northern counties of Minnesota, but, no in St. Paul.
...Raccoons depend on vertical structures to climb when they feel threatened. Therefore, they avoid open terrain and areas with high concentrations of beech trees, as beech bark is too smooth to climb. Tree hollows in old oaks or other trees and rock crevices are preferred by raccoons as sleeping, winter and litter dens. If such dens are unavailable or accessing them is inconvenient, raccoons utilize burrows dug by other mammals, dense undergrowth, roadside culverts in urban areas, or tree crotches....
There is a good chance #MPRraccoon was scared by someone or something and climbed to a safer perch.
...A daredevil raccoon (click here) has been safely rescued after leaving the internet on tenterhooks by scaling a 23-floor building in St Paul, Minnesota.
The critter, dubbed #MPRraccoon after the radio station opposite the high-rise, trended worldwide on Twitter.
Crowds gathered at the building after it went viral, and local media streamed its perilous climb for almost a day.
Twitter celebrated as it reached the roof at 03:00am (07:00 BST) where cat food was waiting inside a trap.
The raccoon has been collected by animal welfare and will be released later.
Evan Frost and Tim Nelson, journalists with Minnesota Public Radio (MPR), documented the raccoon's nerve-wracking journey on Twitter.
"One of my colleagues spotted the raccoon on, kind of the ground floor, sitting on a ledge on Monday - it looked like a brown lump, almost like a cat sitting there," Evan Frost told the BBC in the early hours of Wednesday...
There is some habitat loss in the northern counties of Minnesota, but, no in St. Paul.
...Raccoons depend on vertical structures to climb when they feel threatened. Therefore, they avoid open terrain and areas with high concentrations of beech trees, as beech bark is too smooth to climb. Tree hollows in old oaks or other trees and rock crevices are preferred by raccoons as sleeping, winter and litter dens. If such dens are unavailable or accessing them is inconvenient, raccoons utilize burrows dug by other mammals, dense undergrowth, roadside culverts in urban areas, or tree crotches....
There is a good chance #MPRraccoon was scared by someone or something and climbed to a safer perch.
New UAW President, Gary Jones, comes from a long and succesful history in union leadership.
In 1990, former UAW President Owen Bieber and then-Secretary-Treasurer Bill Casstevens appointed Jones to the International staff. He was assigned to the union’s Accounting Department. A year later, Jones was named chief accountant of the UAW.
A UAW Local 1895 member, Jones was hired at Ford Motor Co.’s Glass plant in Broken Arrow, Okla., in 1975. He became a member of UAW Local 249 when he transferred to the Kansas City Ford Assembly Plant when the glass plant closed.
Jones is a lifetime member of the NAACP and various other civic and political organizations. Jones and his wife, Cindy, live in O’Fallon, Mo., where they are members of the First Baptist Church. They have two daughters and three granddaughters.
The USA Supreme Court seems to be a poor mood these days and workers need protection more than ever. As workers face a workplace that can be compromised in it's safety, fairness and compensation programs that cast them into poverty; it is again time for the rise of the labor union.
I never thought the day would return where labor faced such issues. It's not all happiness and joy in American labor. It is time that returns. It is definitely the time for unions to organize and return quality of life to Americans.
The teacher unions are finally finding their will to stand strong. Michigan is the next big teacher union push to better compensation packages for teachers.
June 13, 2018
Detroit — Delegates of the United Auto Workers (click here) elected Gary Jones, director of the union's Region 5 in the west and southwest United States, its new president Wednesday at its 2018 Constitutional Convention.
Jones succeeds Dennis Williams, who will retire Thursday following a single term as the union's president. Under Williams, the union posted slow but steady gains in membership, rising profit sharing payouts from prosperous automakers, and what Williams has called "fiscally balanced ... finances three years in a row."
The leadership change comes as the union seeks to rebound from a devastating defeat in organizing Nissan workers in Canton, Miss., a failed organizing attempt of line workers at Volkswagen AG’s Chattanooga plant, and a continuing federal probe into the use of joint UAW-Big Three training funds financed by Detroit’s automakers....
An article in "Mother Jones" reminds of the appalling circumstances some teachers and students face in the year 2018. Any union has to be aware of the importance of safety in the workplace that includes safety from sexual assault and sexual harassment. Teachers are all part of an important issue surrounding women and men sexually harassed in their work environment, including their students.
Unions and empowerment of their members in educational seminars to protect themselves and their students from humiliating events that take dignity away from them. The issue of sexual assault also carries with it lifelong scars if professional interventions aren't in place.
UAW President Gary Jones needs to take a good like at what exactly unions are protecting at their member factories. The UAW is not exempt in promoting fairness and gender equality in the work place.
Perhaps if Lulabel Seitz was empowered by teachers and administrators long before her speech at graduation none of this would even be an issue.
Unions are vitally important when they hold educational seminars that will empower their members and the peoples' lives their members touch.
Lulabel Seitz had freedom of speach removed from her when she began to address sexual harassment and assault on her campus.
June 6, 2018
By Hannah Beausang
...In the days following the graduation of 304 students, (click here) the event has proved polarizing. Top school administrators said all student speakers were made aware their microphones would be cut if they deviated from the speeches they submitted. Seitz, who’s headed to Stanford University this fall to study applied mathematics and economics, voiced outrage by what she called censorship.
“When they cut my mic, I was appalled at them,” Seitz said.
She said she was sexually assaulted on campus by a person she knew and she wanted to air her frustration over what she viewed as a lack of action taken by the administration.
“I thought this is a public school with freedom of speech,” she said this week in a phone interview. “This is for my class that stood up and said ‘let her speak.’ Even if the administration doesn’t give me a mic, I still want to speak.”
Students were required to audition for their speeches, and during two meetings with Seitz, Assistant Principal Deborah Richardson said she told the teen that “the expectation is that the speech you submitted is the speech you will give.”
Petaluma High School Principal David Stirrat said the school prior to graduation received an undisclosed number of emails expressing concern Seitz might go off script....
The USA Supreme Court seems to be a poor mood these days and workers need protection more than ever. As workers face a workplace that can be compromised in it's safety, fairness and compensation programs that cast them into poverty; it is again time for the rise of the labor union.
I never thought the day would return where labor faced such issues. It's not all happiness and joy in American labor. It is time that returns. It is definitely the time for unions to organize and return quality of life to Americans.
The teacher unions are finally finding their will to stand strong. Michigan is the next big teacher union push to better compensation packages for teachers.
June 13, 2018
Detroit — Delegates of the United Auto Workers (click here) elected Gary Jones, director of the union's Region 5 in the west and southwest United States, its new president Wednesday at its 2018 Constitutional Convention.
Jones succeeds Dennis Williams, who will retire Thursday following a single term as the union's president. Under Williams, the union posted slow but steady gains in membership, rising profit sharing payouts from prosperous automakers, and what Williams has called "fiscally balanced ... finances three years in a row."
The leadership change comes as the union seeks to rebound from a devastating defeat in organizing Nissan workers in Canton, Miss., a failed organizing attempt of line workers at Volkswagen AG’s Chattanooga plant, and a continuing federal probe into the use of joint UAW-Big Three training funds financed by Detroit’s automakers....
An article in "Mother Jones" reminds of the appalling circumstances some teachers and students face in the year 2018. Any union has to be aware of the importance of safety in the workplace that includes safety from sexual assault and sexual harassment. Teachers are all part of an important issue surrounding women and men sexually harassed in their work environment, including their students.
Unions and empowerment of their members in educational seminars to protect themselves and their students from humiliating events that take dignity away from them. The issue of sexual assault also carries with it lifelong scars if professional interventions aren't in place.
UAW President Gary Jones needs to take a good like at what exactly unions are protecting at their member factories. The UAW is not exempt in promoting fairness and gender equality in the work place.
Perhaps if Lulabel Seitz was empowered by teachers and administrators long before her speech at graduation none of this would even be an issue.
Unions are vitally important when they hold educational seminars that will empower their members and the peoples' lives their members touch.
June 6, 2018
By Hannah Beausang
...In the days following the graduation of 304 students, (click here) the event has proved polarizing. Top school administrators said all student speakers were made aware their microphones would be cut if they deviated from the speeches they submitted. Seitz, who’s headed to Stanford University this fall to study applied mathematics and economics, voiced outrage by what she called censorship.
“When they cut my mic, I was appalled at them,” Seitz said.
She said she was sexually assaulted on campus by a person she knew and she wanted to air her frustration over what she viewed as a lack of action taken by the administration.
“I thought this is a public school with freedom of speech,” she said this week in a phone interview. “This is for my class that stood up and said ‘let her speak.’ Even if the administration doesn’t give me a mic, I still want to speak.”
Students were required to audition for their speeches, and during two meetings with Seitz, Assistant Principal Deborah Richardson said she told the teen that “the expectation is that the speech you submitted is the speech you will give.”
Petaluma High School Principal David Stirrat said the school prior to graduation received an undisclosed number of emails expressing concern Seitz might go off script....
This is institutionized oppression of women. Pakistan has to stop it's "elder culture" and lean into it's "youth culture."
Then it became a blog entry:
May 27, 2018
By Ahsan Zafeer
What Bahria University (click here) did is nothing new in the spectrum, but it is the latest contribution to the already alarming moral policing culture that exists in the country.
“Men and women are to maintain a distance of at least six inches while sitting/standing together.”
Imagine reading this somewhere, or hearing about it. What would your first reaction be?
Perhaps something like, “Oh my God! The Taliban are back! They must have started enforcing their version of Shariah, and are probably planning to bring the days of terror back to the country!
If so, relax! This notice wasn’t issued by those fanatics, but by a renowned semi-government university, and is applicable only within its premises.
It all began when a notice was issued by Bahria University’s (BU) director, requiring male and female students to keep a six-inch distance when sitting or standing near each other. This is not even the worst part though, as the notice also called to enforce a “no touch” policy between male and female students....
Private university or not, this is oppression of women AND men. Pakistan MUST remove all these oppressive rules and allow the dignity of young Pakistanis to prove they are moral and decent people that live to the social standard they love.
These types of oppression invite extremism and remove dignity and diversity on a college campus. College and university campuses are where students are exposed to all kinds of culture and ways of thought. It is good and it is healthy for university students to direct their own social climate. Of course, there are rules ranging from ethics rules to criminal rules, but, such a silly rule invites criminal disaster into a student's social life.
Imagine the most talented student on campus with a very promising career sits next to another student in the library and all of a sudden the future of that student is erased for silly social rules. This is not necessary. Ladies and gentlemen abound in colleges and universities. The best way to address these concerns is through the health office and meetings with educational content about dating dangers.
Pakistan MUST decriminalize all social rules and allow citizens the right to diverse thinking, the education of social dangers in dating and intimacy and paths of choice that encourage career building and a better future.
Providing all the athletes make their way out of Russia (ie: LGBTQ) the USA MUST end the southern border so called problem.
The United States of America needs to end the drug cartel presence in Mexico. If there are going to be international games in Mexico and it is affiliated with the USA and Canada, there needs to be a concerted effort to end the drug cartels.
Mexico is currently a mess. Even the once tourism is being destroyed because of poverty, drugs and crime networks. Something has to be done and the US Congress needs to pay attention, otherwise, Miami is the next step for these crime networks and drug cartels.
To be clear, the crime networks in Mexico's most beautiful cities that once were tourist havens are not ONLY connected to the drug cartels. The drug cartels are a problem, BUT IN ADDITION, there are crime networks that have developed out of poverty now ravaging the tourist cities of Mexico.
Understand? Not all the crime networks in these cities are connected to drug cartels. There are two huge problems in Mexico, the drug cartels AND the criminal networks that grew out of poverty. BOTH have to be addressed before the World Cup shows up to carry out it's mission which goes on a long time. The World Cup is conducted far longer than Olympics. So, this is a huge commitment.
The US Congress needs to get real about Mexico and cleaning up the country and instilling an economy. Mexico's emigrants will stop as soon as there is a real economy that provides "blessed lives."
GET FOR REAL, USA! No more human rights abuses in the USA and real partnerships with Mexico that changes the balance of power into the hands of the government. Any form of government corruption has to end as well. No more killing students because they are in the way of a political campaign.
June 13, 2018
By Martin Rogers
Moscow — The United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup (click here) after its three-way bid – along with Mexico and Canada – was granted staging rights during a vote here on Wednesday.
Mexico is currently a mess. Even the once tourism is being destroyed because of poverty, drugs and crime networks. Something has to be done and the US Congress needs to pay attention, otherwise, Miami is the next step for these crime networks and drug cartels.
To be clear, the crime networks in Mexico's most beautiful cities that once were tourist havens are not ONLY connected to the drug cartels. The drug cartels are a problem, BUT IN ADDITION, there are crime networks that have developed out of poverty now ravaging the tourist cities of Mexico.
Understand? Not all the crime networks in these cities are connected to drug cartels. There are two huge problems in Mexico, the drug cartels AND the criminal networks that grew out of poverty. BOTH have to be addressed before the World Cup shows up to carry out it's mission which goes on a long time. The World Cup is conducted far longer than Olympics. So, this is a huge commitment.
The US Congress needs to get real about Mexico and cleaning up the country and instilling an economy. Mexico's emigrants will stop as soon as there is a real economy that provides "blessed lives."
GET FOR REAL, USA! No more human rights abuses in the USA and real partnerships with Mexico that changes the balance of power into the hands of the government. Any form of government corruption has to end as well. No more killing students because they are in the way of a political campaign.
June 13, 2018By Martin Rogers
Moscow — The United States will host the 2026 FIFA World Cup (click here) after its three-way bid – along with Mexico and Canada – was granted staging rights during a vote here on Wednesday.
The “United” bid, that will see 60 of the tournament’s games held in the U.S., with Canada and Mexico getting 10 each, beat out the underdog campaign of Morocco to bring soccer’s biggest show back to American soil.
The U.S. previously hosted in 1994 and the potential for a highly lucrative tournament, plus the existing stadiums and infrastructure, likely played a major role in swaying voters.
With the breakdown of voting results made public, the United bid claimed 134 votes, with 64 giving their support to Morocco and one country voting for neither bid....
The hottest political topic in Pakistan is water.
If Pakistan can afford a nuclear weapon program, it can afford clean water and electricity first.
June 2, 2018
Karachi: As K Electric (K-E) (click here) and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board remained unmoved, the residents of Karachi continued their protest over non-supply of water and hours-long interruptions of electricity in different localities of the metropolis.
At least three protest demonstrations were witnessed on Friday in the metropolis as citizens swarmed took to the streets in multiple areas to protest against power outages and water shortage.
A large number of residents of Sector 11.5, the Pakistan Bazaar area of Orangi Town gathered and blocked the roads to stage a protest against power outages and water shortage in Sector 11.5 and its surrounding areas....
...Ramazan started as we are facing load-shedding of over 10 hours a day as well as water shortage,” ...
...Similarly, residents of Quaidabad, Muslimabad Colony, Muzzafarabad Colony, Sherpao Colony, Majeed Colony, Swati Muhalla and Landhi also staged a protest against power outages and water shortage within their localities.
The residents of the affected areas gathered after Friday prayers and reached the National Highway in the form of a rally and blocked traffic on the highway for vehicular traffic for hours in protest. A large number of protesters burnt tyres on the roads in protest and shouted slogans against the K-E and water board. The protest caused a massive traffic jam on the highway...
The incumbents have a high success rating. Which seems odd as the problems are occurring now.
June 13, 2018
By Zafar Bhutta
Islamabad: Choosing not to blame (click here) the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for prolonged power outages, Caretaker Minister for Energy Ali Zafar has said apart from other factors, it is also the weak power transmission and distribution system that is causing load-shedding.
“The electricity generation is higher but the transmission and distribution system is not able to pick it,” said Zafar while addressing a press conference in the federal capital on Tuesday.
The PML-N government says it has ended load-shedding – a claim belied by the continued power outages across the country since the start of hot weather. Later, former premier Nawaz Sharif and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif had held caretaker government responsible for power load-shedding....
When looking for votes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
June 11, 2018
By Danish Hussain
Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) (click here) (all the political parties use abbreviations of their names rather than the name itself. Probably causes some folks to vote for people they never intended to vote for. Just a guess.)
...announced countrywide demonstrations on Tuesday (June 12) to protest against hours-long load-shedding in the country.
The party has demanded that the interim government intervene and take immediate steps to overcome the issue of excessive load-shedding. “Interim government should take immediate steps to ensure betterment in day to day worsening situation,” PTI chief Imran Khan said....
This election even has the attention of an old President. I thought Mushy was up on charges of treason. Go figure. The former President-General had his strangle hold on the country dissolved with the work of Condi Rice under "W." Well, he's back. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was the primary driver behind that accomplishment. She wanted to run for office and the power structure needed better definition and less corruption. But, she was shot by al Qaeda a few months later when she first returned to Pakistan. She is missed, even today.
June 13, 2018
The Supreme Court (SC) (click here) on Wednesday gave former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf till Thursday to appear before the court.
A three judge bench, headed by the chief justice, had summoned Musharraf on June 13 in connection with his petition against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict in 2013 for his lifetime disqualification and assured him that he would not be arrested from the airport till the court premises....
There are old parties and new parties, but, women are starting to run for office to bring about resolution to the problems the country face. I mean give me a break. This is 2018 and the Pakistanis haven't got reliable clean water and electricity; but they have a nuclear weapon capacity. Really?
June 4, 2018
By Ali Salman
For the first time in 30 years, (click here) since it was established in 1988, a PML-N government completed its term in the federal government last week.
Largely given the mandate to govern the country to recover economic growth and gain energy security in 2013, the party’s economic performance is being intensely debated.
Presenting highlights of the government, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has highlighted the following facts to defend government’s economic performance. It provides with a good measure to evaluate the five-year economic track record....
But, this entire water problem is sincerely a worry for Pakistan. It has gotten to be such a worry it even started to involve India and the World Bank. So, considering there is a peace agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan it raises concerns to the pressure on Pakistan leaders to even enter into a stronger presense in the region.
When I see this kind of thing being introduced into a country where there are profound problems, I first believe this is not the World Bank's problem so much as a political excuse for the problem. These type of excuses then are parlayed into confrontation and war. Jammu and Kashmir do not need more instability or as an excuse for poor performance by the government to solve problems. The guns need to come off the streets in these regions of the world and real world solutions sought.
May 22, 2018
The Kishanganga project was started in 2007 but on May 17, 2010, Pakistan moved for international arbitration against India under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan has raised with the World Bank (click here) the alleged violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, which inaugurated the Kishanganga hydro project in Kashmir, as the multilateral lender sought opportunities within the treaty to find an amicable resolution of the issue.
The four-member Pakistani delegation, led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met the World Bank officials here yesterday, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir.
The inauguration of the hydroelectric project was held amid protests from Pakistan which claims that the dam on a river flowing into Pakistan will disrupt water supplies....
This is the hydroelectric project being used for political posturing. It is a little bit too late for Pakistan to complain. Pakistan has to seek major infrastructure improvements to solve the water problem and at the same time solving the electricity problem. This dam that was part of India's infrastructure project is an excellent proof do how electricity production and water is provided for people at the same time. But, to blame India's project now that it is completed, is nothing but convenient potlical posturing.
I want to see plans for Pakistan's water and electricity needs among the candidates. Posturing is old world politics. There needs to be solutions for the people and it may mean cutting funding for nuclear weapons capacity and denuclearization.
A private vehicle crosses a bridge as excavators are used at the dam site of Kishanganga power project in Gurez, 160 km north of Srinagar.
Pakistan (click here) and the World Bank have failed to reach an agreement on a way forward to address the former’s concerns over violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, as a strong Indian lobby in Washington again frustrated the latest push to stop New Delhi from violating the treaty.
“An agreement on the way forward was not reached at the conclusion of the meetings” between the Pakistani delegation and the World Bank officials, announced the Washington-based lender on Wednesday.
It added that several procedural options for resolving the disagreement over the interpretation of the Indus Basin Treaty’s provisions were discussed by both the parties....
June 2, 2018Karachi: As K Electric (K-E) (click here) and the Karachi Water and Sewerage Board remained unmoved, the residents of Karachi continued their protest over non-supply of water and hours-long interruptions of electricity in different localities of the metropolis.
At least three protest demonstrations were witnessed on Friday in the metropolis as citizens swarmed took to the streets in multiple areas to protest against power outages and water shortage.
A large number of residents of Sector 11.5, the Pakistan Bazaar area of Orangi Town gathered and blocked the roads to stage a protest against power outages and water shortage in Sector 11.5 and its surrounding areas....
...Ramazan started as we are facing load-shedding of over 10 hours a day as well as water shortage,” ...
...Similarly, residents of Quaidabad, Muslimabad Colony, Muzzafarabad Colony, Sherpao Colony, Majeed Colony, Swati Muhalla and Landhi also staged a protest against power outages and water shortage within their localities.
The residents of the affected areas gathered after Friday prayers and reached the National Highway in the form of a rally and blocked traffic on the highway for vehicular traffic for hours in protest. A large number of protesters burnt tyres on the roads in protest and shouted slogans against the K-E and water board. The protest caused a massive traffic jam on the highway...
The incumbents have a high success rating. Which seems odd as the problems are occurring now.
June 13, 2018
By Zafar Bhutta
Islamabad: Choosing not to blame (click here) the outgoing Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government for prolonged power outages, Caretaker Minister for Energy Ali Zafar has said apart from other factors, it is also the weak power transmission and distribution system that is causing load-shedding.
“The electricity generation is higher but the transmission and distribution system is not able to pick it,” said Zafar while addressing a press conference in the federal capital on Tuesday.
The PML-N government says it has ended load-shedding – a claim belied by the continued power outages across the country since the start of hot weather. Later, former premier Nawaz Sharif and PML-N chief Shehbaz Sharif had held caretaker government responsible for power load-shedding....
When looking for votes, if you can't beat 'em, join 'em.
By Danish Hussain
Pakistan Tehreek-e-insaf (PTI) (click here) (all the political parties use abbreviations of their names rather than the name itself. Probably causes some folks to vote for people they never intended to vote for. Just a guess.)
...announced countrywide demonstrations on Tuesday (June 12) to protest against hours-long load-shedding in the country.
The party has demanded that the interim government intervene and take immediate steps to overcome the issue of excessive load-shedding. “Interim government should take immediate steps to ensure betterment in day to day worsening situation,” PTI chief Imran Khan said....
This election even has the attention of an old President. I thought Mushy was up on charges of treason. Go figure. The former President-General had his strangle hold on the country dissolved with the work of Condi Rice under "W." Well, he's back. Former Prime Minister of Pakistan Benazir Bhutto was the primary driver behind that accomplishment. She wanted to run for office and the power structure needed better definition and less corruption. But, she was shot by al Qaeda a few months later when she first returned to Pakistan. She is missed, even today.
The Supreme Court (SC) (click here) on Wednesday gave former president General (retd) Pervez Musharraf till Thursday to appear before the court.
A three judge bench, headed by the chief justice, had summoned Musharraf on June 13 in connection with his petition against the Peshawar High Court (PHC) verdict in 2013 for his lifetime disqualification and assured him that he would not be arrested from the airport till the court premises....
There are old parties and new parties, but, women are starting to run for office to bring about resolution to the problems the country face. I mean give me a break. This is 2018 and the Pakistanis haven't got reliable clean water and electricity; but they have a nuclear weapon capacity. Really?
By Ali Salman
For the first time in 30 years, (click here) since it was established in 1988, a PML-N government completed its term in the federal government last week.
Largely given the mandate to govern the country to recover economic growth and gain energy security in 2013, the party’s economic performance is being intensely debated.
Presenting highlights of the government, Prime Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has highlighted the following facts to defend government’s economic performance. It provides with a good measure to evaluate the five-year economic track record....
But, this entire water problem is sincerely a worry for Pakistan. It has gotten to be such a worry it even started to involve India and the World Bank. So, considering there is a peace agreement between Pakistan and Afghanistan it raises concerns to the pressure on Pakistan leaders to even enter into a stronger presense in the region.
When I see this kind of thing being introduced into a country where there are profound problems, I first believe this is not the World Bank's problem so much as a political excuse for the problem. These type of excuses then are parlayed into confrontation and war. Jammu and Kashmir do not need more instability or as an excuse for poor performance by the government to solve problems. The guns need to come off the streets in these regions of the world and real world solutions sought.
The Kishanganga project was started in 2007 but on May 17, 2010, Pakistan moved for international arbitration against India under the provisions of the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan has raised with the World Bank (click here) the alleged violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, which inaugurated the Kishanganga hydro project in Kashmir, as the multilateral lender sought opportunities within the treaty to find an amicable resolution of the issue.
The four-member Pakistani delegation, led by Attorney General Ashtar Ausaf Ali, met the World Bank officials here yesterday, days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated the 330 MW Kishanganga hydroelectric project in Jammu and Kashmir.
The inauguration of the hydroelectric project was held amid protests from Pakistan which claims that the dam on a river flowing into Pakistan will disrupt water supplies....
This is the hydroelectric project being used for political posturing. It is a little bit too late for Pakistan to complain. Pakistan has to seek major infrastructure improvements to solve the water problem and at the same time solving the electricity problem. This dam that was part of India's infrastructure project is an excellent proof do how electricity production and water is provided for people at the same time. But, to blame India's project now that it is completed, is nothing but convenient potlical posturing.
I want to see plans for Pakistan's water and electricity needs among the candidates. Posturing is old world politics. There needs to be solutions for the people and it may mean cutting funding for nuclear weapons capacity and denuclearization.
May 24, 2018
By Shabaza Rana
By Shabaza Rana
Pakistan (click here) and the World Bank have failed to reach an agreement on a way forward to address the former’s concerns over violation of the Indus Waters Treaty by India, as a strong Indian lobby in Washington again frustrated the latest push to stop New Delhi from violating the treaty.
“An agreement on the way forward was not reached at the conclusion of the meetings” between the Pakistani delegation and the World Bank officials, announced the Washington-based lender on Wednesday.
It added that several procedural options for resolving the disagreement over the interpretation of the Indus Basin Treaty’s provisions were discussed by both the parties....
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