Monthly Archives: January 2009

PDH survey and status of women

By Zubeida Mustafa
Source: Dawn

WE as a nation shy away from the specifics. That is why numerical data is not our forte. We generalise the information available and reach sweeping conclusions.

This also explains why holding a census or organising surveys is never the first priority of governments even though policymaking tends to be lopsided without accurate statistics.
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Muted protests won’t do

By Zubeida Mustafa
Source: Dawn

PAKISTANIS have perfected the art of protest. Karachi has posters plastered on the walls calling on people to demonstrate their solidarity with the Palestinians in Gaza.

In 2007 Musharraf’s coup against the judiciary brought lawyers on to the roads until ‘democracy’ returned to this country. But why are the voices of protest so muted when it comes to Swat? To protest against such tragedies is a duty. And Swat is a tragedy that will ultimately shape the future of Pakistan.
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Voices of peace in din of war

By Zubeida Mustafa
Source: Dawn

INTERNATIONAL politics do not move in a straight line. There are ups and downs in how states manage their ties.

They move forward and backward in a zigzag movement of two steps forward, one step back which is very often reversed and becomes one step forward and two steps back. In this medley of relationships bilateral ties acquire a multidimensional character and are not all black or all white.
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