The first round of reform talks produced a wide range of agreements and disagreements
Government should prioritise reform recommendations that help with holding the election in time.
Troubling development involving fine exemptions comes to light
Mr Asghar Ali Engineer's article London bombings, violence and Islam (DS -21.07.05)is very shocking . His credential as chief of Centre for Study of Society and Secularism, does not accord with his viewsà justifying London bombing overtly and covertly. Though he said, "Why do they resort to such operations in which, more often than not, they lose their lives in the prime of their youth? Is it because of their religious fanaticism? Can such operations be explained as mere acts of religious fanaticism? I think not. No psychologist will agree with such oversimplified explanation."...
We did not agitate and politically demand electricity during the British rule. Even in the early 1950s of the last century, punkha pullers had been at work in major offices, elitist government and private residences in which, these days, we see in use multi-patterned expensive electric fans, lights, televisions, various gadgets and air conditioners which consume electricity. Although we produce a meagre quantum of electricity, we see around electric lights of high voltage and variety in the premises of elitist residences and important public and private houses which are generally extravagantly illuminated on social and national occasions. Big hotels, restaurants, clubs, institutes, bhabans, community centres etc. where miscellaneous socio-economic and political functions including...
The Election Commission's dramatic move to invite 99 political parties to a dialogue on voter-list may be well intended but is clearly ill-conceived and failure-prone....
The series of deadly attacks at the Egyptian Red Sea resort of Sharm el Sheik, killing at least 60 and injuring over 100, has come on the heels of a second round of bombings in London, thankfully causing far less damage. While there is no evidence as yet that the attacks are linked in any way, it seems indisputable that we are now in the middle of a concerted terror offensive....
Calling the recent London blasts "a despicable act" is understating a calumny of the worst kind. On two counts, "suicide bombing" is anti-Islamic, viz (1) Islam shuns suicide for any reason, and (2) the shedding of innocent blood is forbidden, again for any reason....
The Law Minister disclosed to The Daily Star on July 7 that the government was "pondering over introducing a law on the qualifications of judges." During the last three decades or so, there have been continuous allegations of politicisation of appointment in the higher judiciary. Enactment of a law determining the criteria for appointment of judges in the higher judiciary is therefore long overdue....
Reports carried by this newspaper over the last few days have made it amply clear that adulteration of foods has assumed menacing proportions, with big brand names and well known restaurants featuring in the list of the guilty. It is no longer an errant milkman's attempt to make some extra profit....
It is worrying news that foreign airlines have lodged more than a dozen complaints about the risk factors that, according to them, have made Zia International Airport (ZIA) unsafe for landing and take-off....
The government decision to install closed-circuit televisions (CCTV) at important public places as part of intensifying vigilance against all sorts of subversive activities is a move in the right direction. There is ample reason to be worried about the proliferation of terrorism across the globe....
EXTREMISTS at Srinagar gave their reply by killing four within 24 hours of the joint resolve by the US and India to wage a global war against terrorism. In Delhi, General J.J. Singh, the Indian Chief of the Army Staff, said that 2,000 infiltrators lodged in 53 camps were waiting along the line of control (LoC) to cross into India. Intrepid Herald, a monthly from Karachi, wrote in detail how the training camps were beginning to hum in Pakistan....
