Tag Archives: NayabChohan

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What is the point in having a London Mayor?

20 Wednesday Nov 2013

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Boris

Nice hair, Boris.

TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

When Tony Blair, the then British PM, put forward the idea of having a London mayor, it didn’t sound like a great idea.

Today, as the present incumbent at City Hall faced questions over the shocking number of cycling deaths over the last two weeks – six in total – the less convincing this American-style role appeared to be.

Boris Johnson brings a floppy hairstyle, colourful comments and language, as well as a buffoon-like manner to this role, all this no doubt helps to distract away from the central question about the London Mayor and the very expensive general assembly where he was being ‘grilled’, namely – ‘What is the point?’

Apart from being a talking shop – and at a time when ordinary Londoners and not the supper rich who Boris openly champions, are being squeezed like never before – a criminally over-priced one, there is little to be said for the glorified councilors who gather in the most grandiose surroundings to score points against each other.

Those who for so long despaired at Parliament and MPs may want to turn their attention to the capital and the motley crew of elected representatives that reside in a building that can only rival Athens for modern-day European-nostalgic hubris.

George Galloway’s announcement that he may be running for the role of London Mayor just highlights the utter pointlessness of this role.

For Boris Johnson of course, this is all a prep-school for bigger and better things, namely number 10 and being leader of the country.

As for the people he will leave behind – well, they will have to grin and bare another London Mayor and the promise of more council tax, higher car parking charges, VAT etc to pay for the dubious privilege.

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Leader of Pakistani Taliban ‘is dead’

01 Friday Nov 2013

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Mehsud

TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

News that the leader of the Pakistani Taliban has been killed in a drone strike will be greeted with some joy within Pakistan, and will also be seen as a vindication of the drone policy pursued by the CIA inside the ‘tribal areas’ bordering Afghanistan.

Of course, Pakistanis would argue that the Pakistani Taliban would not be attacking their country had America not conducted its highly controversial drone strikes which the Pakistan military said has killed 67 civilians, and over a thousand militants.

Pakistan’s military has been accused of conniving with America in allowing the strikes to occur. If that is so, the reason for this may not be as straight forward as many believe. Pakistan’s relationship with America in the war on terror has always been to pursue their own nation’s interests, which in this case was to pacify a lawless part of the country – a borderland where  the kidnap of young boys and girls was commonplace.

So, the drone programme is as much a Pakistani military project, as  it was a CIA one.

The slaughter of Hakimullah Mehsud – however an unpleasant and unsavory character he may have been – is however, hugely problematic for Pakistan.

The rationale behind this assassination is of course to cut off the head of the snake, a man who the Pakistan military have been itching to get at after a series a high-profile attacks on their soldiers and headquarters.

For one, where does this leave the peace talks sponsored by the elected Prime Minster of Pakistan, Nawaz Sharif – he had offered the Taliban the chance to engage in dialogue with the Pakistan government. That attempt at rapprochement was met with more attacks inside Pakistan, which left many wondering whether the Mehsud really spoke for the Pakistani Taliban, whoever they may have been.

And what does this say about the relationship between Nawaz Sharif and the Pakistan military?

But more concerning than this of course, is the fear of what is follow. How many more Mehsuds have been created out of making this evil man a martyr?

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Bangladesh War Crimes – When hating Pakistan is not enough

19 Friday Jul 2013

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Two more members of Bangladesh’s Jamaat -e-Islami party have been convicted of war crimes relating to the country’s secession from Pakistan in 1971.

That makes a total of seven – six of whom could be hanged, the other told that he escaped the noose because he was 90-years-old.

All but one of the ‘convicted’ members of Jamaat-e-Islami are accused of committing appalling crimes against intellectuals in Dhaka, alongside the Pakistan army.

Another – who was minister of social justice in the previous government – has been convicted of genocide and torture against Hindus.

More are to follow.

For their part the Islamic Party say they are being punished for siding with Pakistan. Independent observers say Jamaat-e-Islami are being gutted in an effort finish them as a political force in Bangladesh.

The War Crimes Tribunal set up by the daughter of the assassinated founder of Bangladesh, Sheikh Hasina, has been criticised for its lack of legitimacy by international observers.

Hasina’s rivals, the Bangladesh national Party, say the current government is trying to weaken the opposition by crushing one of it key allies in the run-up to forthcoming national elections.

Of course, this is much more.

By destroying the country’s leading Islamist party, Sheikh Hasina is signaling that her country’s future lies with India and the West, at a time when it may be in the country’s long-term interest to look at China and Pakistan.

She, like her father, Mujib Islam, sees no place for Islam in the political life of Bangladesh.

As well as this, she is of course also ignoring what happened once Bangladesh won its independence – the appalling actions of Indian-trained paramilitaries on members of Jamaat-e-Islami and anyone they accused of siding with Pakistan.

In this context, the War Crimes Tribunal can be seen for what it is – the latest act of revenge conducted by a nation that really hasn’t faced-up to what really happened in 1971, and after.

And until that happens people like Sheikh Hasina’s father will never get justice, for it wasn’t the Pakistan army or Jamaat-e-Islami who threw his bullet ridden unclothed body onto the street.

That crime was conducted by Bangladesh’s own army.

And they were not the only ones.

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Nawaz Sharif’s Triumphant Return

13 Monday May 2013

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PAKISTAN-POLITICS-JUSTICE-MUSHARRAFTEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Some fourteen years after being ousted in a military coup,  self-made businessman Nawaz Sharif has secured a resounding election victory to become Pakistan’s Prime Minister once again.

The world that the steel magnate returns to is of course a very different one to the one he left in 1999, when General Pervez Musharraf seized power in a coup d’etat.

Today’s Pakistan’s economy has felt the full force of the recession that has hammered the rest of the world. The rupee has been devalued to such an extent that the days when you could say ’20 rupees make one British pound’ appear to be some distant fantasy.

The people of Pakistan are still living in a third world country where running water is a luxury for most, as is the idea of getting fed.

There is no welfare system to speak or adequate hospitals either.

All the while, some of the poorest people on earth have had to endure almost daily drone strikes in Pakistan’s so-called tribal areas, and the well-heeled urban elite have learned to stay at home as terrorists strike in the country’s main cities.

Despite all this. the people of Pakistan turned up in large numbers – turnout was reported to have been 60 per cent – to put their faith in this man.

Let’s hope he doesn’t let them down.

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⚽️ David Beckham plays for PSG against Barcelona 🥅

03 Wednesday Apr 2013

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 ANALYSIS 

In his heyday, the Paris Saint Germain player, David Beckham was known for his trademark free kicks, the ability to loft the ball to an eager forward and of course a steely nerve when it came to the penalty spot.

The first two were in evidence last night as the 38-year-old played against the greatest club team on earth.

It was great to see Beckham play in Europe, and he was not in any out of his depth, which begs the question, could he be part of the England set-up again.

The last time there was such a debate was of course over the decision to terminate the career of Kevin Keegan who went on to show that he was still a force with the then second division side of Newcastle United.

England lost something then when they so abruptly got rid of a player that still could have exerted an influence at an international level.

And on the evidence of last night, it appears that history is repeating itself in the form of David Beckham.

Champions League Quarter Final, Ist Leg, PSG 2 Barcelona 2

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’46 dead’ as protests over Bangladesh war crimes verdict reach a third day

02 Saturday Mar 2013

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TEMPLATE REPORT

Three people have been killed in Bangladesh after demonstrators protesting against the death sentence on an Islamist party leader clashed with police for a third day running.

Delwar Hossain Sayeedi was sentenced on Thursday on charges including murder, rape and torture during the war of independence in 1971.

Since then, at least 46 people have died in riots across the country.

Mr Sayeedi’s Jamaat-e-Islami party says the tribunal is politically motivated.

Mr Sayeedi is the third defendant to be convicted by the tribunal, which was set up in 2010 by Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina’s government to deal with those accused of collaborating with Pakistani forces who attempted to stop East Pakistan (as Bangladesh was then) from becoming an independent country.

Earlier this month, another Jamaat leader, Abdul Kader Mullah, was sentenced to life for crimes against humanity.

In January, former party leader Abul Kalam Azad was found guilty in absentia of eight charges of crimes against humanity and sentenced to death.

The tribunal is trying a total of nine Jamaat leaders and two members of the opposition Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP).

Human rights groups have said the tribunal falls short of international standards.

Jamaat is an ally of the BNP, which is led by former Prime Minister Khaleda Zia.

Ms Zia says the war crimes trials are politically motivated to target the opposition. The government has denied the allegation.

Jamaat and Ms Zia’s party have called for a three-day nationwide general strike starting Sunday.

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Arsene Wenger (Should he stay or should he go..part two)

27 Wednesday Feb 2013

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arsene wengerTEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Arsenal are fifth in the Premiership, four points behind third placed Spurs and two behind Chelsea. Neither of these two sides are better teams than Arsene Wenger’s men – but can that be said of the Manchester sides that sit in first and second place? And there is the root of the problem, for the manager who once set the standard finds himself playing catch up by a long way.

In Europe, they were taken apart by a clinical Bayern Munich side that made it look ridiculous easy despite being away from home.

Theo Walcott who recently secured another highly lucrative contract is still a yard short when he comes up against world-class opposition.

Nothing new in seeing Premiership sides fail in the Champion’s League – all  English sides have struggled in Europe, even Chelsea’s victory last season was more down to luck than their superior football skills.

But if the board at Arsenal are serious about a replacement – then there needs to be credible alternative.

Celtic’s Neil Lennon wouldn’t be a bad choice – his Celtic team failed against AC Milan because of a lack of word class firepower up front – something a rich club like the one based at the Emirates would be happy to oblige him with.

Of course, even now with Arsenal twenty-one points behind Manchester United in the Premier League and a humiliating FA Cup defeat to Championship side Blackburn Rovers behind them, no one is seriously talking about letting go of the great man.

And that’s that.

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Winning the Peace

23 Friday Nov 2012

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A man in his 20s, named as Anwar Qdeih has been killed today, and at least 10 other people injured east of Khan Younis, near the no-go area of Gaza

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Anyone who looks at the map of the Middle East, can not fail to notice the size of the land of the people of Israel. And whats more, she is wedged between the West Bank and Gaza, land like that of East Jerusalem, which is technically Palestinian. So, when Israel speaks of being threatened and surrounded by hostile neighbours, she does have a point. However, since the six-day war of 1967, she has been winning wars, and has been backed politically, economically and of course militarily by a Superpower that has always regarded her as special case.

The latest Gaza war and the obvious powerlessness of any of the Arab nations, including Turkey and Iran, to muster any kind of military response has meant that she remains the preeminent power in the region.

Yet, policy makers in Tel Aviv are going to have to face reality – they can not continue to behave in an appalling way towards the Palestinians, who remain the people without a land living on a land from which they wer displaced.

The astonishing thing about the Palestinians, according to those who meet them, is how little malice they actually hold towards Israel, considering how much they have suffered and had to endure since the proclamation of the Jewish state on May 14, 1948.

Even now, Israel’s leaders have an opportunity to solve the Palestinian Question.

It could start with a viable Palestinian state in Gaza, West Bank and East Jerusalem with the long-term view to breaking down the borders to create a single whole Israel-Palestine where Jews, Muslims and Christians co-exist in the much the same as they have for centuries.

Of course, the extremists will oppose it, and unfortunately the ones who live in and control Israel’s political system are less accommodating than are Hamas.

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Gaza War 2012: Facts and Figures

22 Thursday Nov 2012

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Roberto Di Matteo is fired

21 Wednesday Nov 2012

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TEMPLATE ANALYSIS

Chelsea were simply outclassed last night against a Juventus team that was sharper and far more creative than the Champion League Cup holders.

And their slide from the top of the Premier League was a clear indication that they had come off the boil, and would struggle to get back there even against two Manchester teams that are still not firing on all cylinders.

Even at the beginning of the season there were worrying signs – remember that 4-1 drubbing by Atletico Madrid at Monaco?

So, it should not be a surprise that owner Roman Abramovich was not happy.

However, the speed and ruthlessness of the sacking of the former head coach has taken everyone by surprise.

Di Matteo of course is in good company – even the special one himself suffered the indignity of the axe from an owner who wants to see his team play like Barcelona, and blood players of the calibre of Lionel Messi from its own ranks.

Truth is English clubs look out of their league when they play in Europe and even when they win the trophy there’s always that feeling that they were lucky – that the performance did not merit the outcome.

That a man like Abramovich is losing patience is a good thing for English football – our national side needs to shaken at its core, we need men like Abramovich to remind our underperforming  multi-millionaire Premiership players that a fat pay cheque does not mean that you have made it, only that you are lucky.

CHELSEA’S FALLEN MANAGERS

Claudio Ranieri: Sep 2000 to May 2004

Jose Mourinho: Jun 2004 to Sep 2007

Avram Grant: Sep 2007 to May 2008

Luiz Felipe Scolari: Jul 2008 to Feb 2009

Guus Hiddink: Feb 2009 to May 2009

Carlo Ancelotti: Jun 2009 to May 2011

Andre Villas-Boas: Jun 2011 to Mar 2012 (Click here for Template Report)

Roberto Di Matteo: Mar 2012 to Nov 2012

 Click here and here for Template Commentary about Chelsea Champions League win.

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