Mia Bloom is an Associate Professor of Women’s Studies and International Studies at the Pennsylvania State University. Her focus is on terrorism through her fellowship at the International Center for the Study of Terrorism and her work specializes in Middle Eastern conflicts as well as rape in war. Mia’s studies have been featured on numerous media outlets, including CNN and CSPAN, and has been interviewed by Nightline’s Ted Koppel and PBS’ Jim Lehrer. Mia’s most recent work focuses on exposing the emergent occurrence of women and child terrorists. Her book, Bombshell: The Many Faces of Women Terrorists, brings these growing problems to light, analyzing the root causes and the direction of modern terrorism today.

Peter van Uhm is the Netherlands’ chief of defense, but that does not mean he is pro-war. At TEDxAmsterdam he explains how his career is one shaped by a love of peace, not a desire for bloodshed — and why we need armies if we want peace.

The Make A Difference Movie – The Teddy Stallard Story – by Mary Robinson Reynolds | The MasterMinding Maven® – Full Length Version.

start to make a difference today – start with clicking on the link!

An animal rights activist for nearly 8 years, Mr. Anthony Stark finally decided to do something useful in saving dogs or in this case, preventing their premature death, by starting a slew campaign against the US military for using dogs in combat. This may be the 1st time an activist from PETA has decided to [...]

PETA Activist Grows a Pair, Goes After US Military is a post from: PakMediaBlog All Rights Reserved.

Maya Khan: fired for refusing to tender an unconditional apology

Following the citizens’ campaign expressing outrage at a Samaa TV morning show’s intrusive and unethical programming, and the host  Maya Khan’s refusal to apologise unconditionally, the channel is taking her show off the air and terminating her contract. BELOW: CEO Samaa TV Zafar Siddiqi’s letter in response to our email to him yesterday. This is the power of collective, visible, non-violent action — and of the social media that helped to spread the word. This will not end here. Media consumers in Pakistan are waking up to their own power, and will continue to lobby for an ethical, responsible media.

From: <zafar.siddiqi>
Date: Sat, Jan 28, 2012
Subject: Re: URGENT: People’s Petition and Protest on Irresponsible, Intrusive and Invasive Programming by SAMAA TV

Dear All

Your feedback is appreciated. As a responsible corporate citizen, Samaa TV did what was required under the circumstances. We do not and have not in the past or intend to in the future to take our viewership or reporting requirements without the seriousness that they deserve.

You would appreciate that as an organisation with a functioning management team, we had to conduct certain legal requirements over the past week and internal review processes (which are operational in nature) before procedding further.

As a result of which I can inform you:
1. We asked Maya to apologise unconditionally which she did not.
2. The CEO asked her to do that on friday which she refused.

As a result of which the following will be put in place on Monday,Jan 30th.
1. Maya and her team will receive termination notices.
2. Her show is being stopped from Monday morning.

Our deeds and actions taken since this episode occured are there for the record and hope this will settle issues as far as the station is concerned.

A lot has been written about the race for ratings..Well, we do (not) absolve such behaviour irrespective of ratings that the show was getting.

With best regards and thank you for your understanding.Zafar Siddiqi
Chairman CNBC Arabiya
Chairman CNBC Africa
President CNBC Pakistan

Maya Khan's 'not apology'

Sent Jan 27 21012 by the undersigned, in response to his email (below)

Dear Mr. Siddiqi,

We deeply appreciate your prompt reply and assurance that the kind of show broadcast on January 17th, 2012, ‘Subh Sawerey Maya Ke Saath’ on SAMAA TV will not take place again.

We also appreciate your moral courage in ensuring that SAMAA TV made a public, unconditional apology broadcast on January 24th, 2012. However, we cannot accept Ms. Maya Khan’s words broadcast that morning as an apology. She said she was sorry ‘if’ she had hurt anyone’s feelings without any acknowledgement that what she and her team did was wrong, which involved lying to people, filming them without consent, making fun of aggrieved couples after chasing them, and demanding their nikah namas.
In fact, her nonchalant attitude and words only compounded social and emotional wounds of the aggrieved citizens as she clearly lacked seriousness and genuine concern for the people and families she has caused harm through her deceitful, defamatory, intrusive and invasive programming, a value which is in complete contrast to your assertion that SAMAA TV is a channel with progressive values.

To add salt to the wound, speaking to the New York Times on Tuesday, January 24th, 2012 (the same day as SAMAA TV broadcast her ‘apology’), Ms. Maya Khan ‘rejected her critics, calling them “an elite class that don’t even watch my show,” and said the show merely intended to highlight the dangers that unaccompanied youths face in Karachi’.” (NYT, Jan 26, 2012).

In your email to us you said, “There are certain other directives that have been put into place as of yesterday” (i.e., January 23rd, 2012). Such directives need to be made public.

Subsequent to our correspondence with you, we have been made aware of other programmes broadcast earlier as part of this appalling morning show series, in which Ms. Maya Khan pits mothers and daughters and harangues young girls in the most indecent ways along with her team (as in this show of October 2011). There are probably many other shows that you probably have not yet seen and will be horrified, as we were, on seeing, that objectify women ‘Beti ka Achar) and put them at real risk of being killed for ‘honour’ (‘Beti ki kari’). We do not accept the disclaimers that ran in some of these programmes that SAMAA TV is not responsible for the content.

In the absence of genuine apology and public information about corrective policy directives, and compensation to affected families, we will have to conclude that SAMAA TV is not sincere in its apology, and plans to continue with programming that blatantly violates the constitutional rights of Pakistani citizens as well as basic journalistic ethics and constitutes a case of journalistic malpractice.

In that case, it will become incumbent upon us, as conscientious citizens of Pakistan, to broaden our movement until corrective policies are put in place and made public along with a visible, genuine and unqualified apology from Ms. Maya Khan, specifically taking back her words and actions and accepting her misconducts, not just with regards to the show of January 17th, 2012 but also for previous shows in which she has disrespected families, media consumers and viewers alike.

We, the undersigned, as well as the over 5,000 signatories of the online petition that has been communicated to you, are ready to lobby with corporations (and their international offices if need be), that are advertising on SAMAA TV, asking them to look into this issue before advertising with this program and channel. We also reserve the right to approach to these brands if the need arises.

However, judging by your prompt response and by the apology broadcast on SAMA TV your behest, it appears that you, Mr. Zafar Siddiqi, while being genuinely well-meaning, have been misled by your producers (your senior producer Sohail Zaidi, for example, defended the program and told BBC Urdu Radio that he was not answerable to anyone).

Therefore we urge you to:

1. Make public the written corrective directives and guidelines that have been put in place, proactively leading by example as a channel with conscience which is reponsible and cares about its viewers and their sentiments.

2. Ensure a serious, genuine and unqualified apology from Ms. Maya Khan in which she accepts her deliberate misconduct and violation of the affected people, families, media consumers, viewers and the law.

3. Take this appalling show ‘Subh Sawery Maya ke Saath’ off air, as its very premise is based on the concept of moral policing and interference in people’s personal lives.

4. Ensure that Ms. Maya Khan and all your other reporters, producers and hosts comply with the new directives in future, whether they are part of the news team or the entertainment team.

SAMAA TV has many credits to its name that we appreciate, and we as media consumers, genuinely want to see this channel realise its potential as a truly progressive channel. We assure you that we will support you in the mission to translate quality into greater viewership based on dignity, fairness, respect and equal rights, not tainted by substandard hosts and programming. You may want to have a look at the code of conduct guidelines of the Society of Professional Journalists, to consult while drafting their own guidelines.

Thank you,

Sincerely:

Ali Kazmi, Student, Islamabad
Ali Taj, Hedge Fund manager, Winchester Fund, Cerritos, California
Ally Adnan, Director, Huawei technologies, Dallas, TX
Amna Chishty, marketing consultant, Canada
Asadullah Khan, Head of Programming, Capital TV, Islamabad
Asif Alam, Financial Services Executive, New York, NY, USA
Asif Sattar, Admin Operations at Kiers Facilities Ltd, Slough, England
Dr Awab Alvi, Orthodontist & Social media Activist, Karachi
Beena Sarwar, journalist, Cambridge MA/ Karachi, Pakistan
Danielle Gehrmann, linguist, Sydney, Australia
Hassan Turi, student, Agricultural university, Peshawar
Syed Hussein El-Edroos, Business Development & Training Manager, Islamabad
Prof. Dr. Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Department of International Relations, University of Peshawar, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan
Dr Kamran Iqbal, Self Employed · Karachi, Pakistan
Kamyla Marvi, Citizen, Karachi Pakistan
Meera Ghani, Concerned Citizen, Lahore
Mira Hashmi, film critic and teacher, Lahore
Mohsin Sayeed, journalist, Karachi
Muhammad Faraz Faheem, Senior Software Engineer, Karachi, Pakistan
Munnazir Aziz, video producer, Lodhran, Pakistan
Nadia Fazal Jamil, actor, Lahore, Pakistan
Nadir El-Edroos, teacher, London, UK.
Naheed Tofiq Mooraj, Proprietor of Candle Works, Karachi
Naziha Syed Ali, journalist, Karachi
Nighat Dad, advocate, Lahore
Noman Quadri, concerned citizen, Karachi
Dr. Osama Siddique, Law Professor, Lahore
Rabia Akhtar. PhD candidate, Kansas State University, USA/Rawalpindi, Pakistan
Raza Bashir, corporate banking, Karachi, Pakistan
Saadia Toor, professor, New York,
Sahar Habib Ghazi, Journalist, Palo Alto, California
Shah Hayat Ahmad, Citizen, Karachi, Pakistan
Saba Hamid, actor, Lahore, Pakistan
Sabiha Alwy, Educational Psychologist, New York
Shah Nawaz, student, Memon Goth, Malir, Karachi
Shayan Afzal Khan, concerned citizen, Islamabad
Siraj Khan, Financial Executive, Boston MA USA
Tammie Mahmud, Trainer & Education Program Developer, Boca Raton, FL

On Tue, Jan 24, 2012 at 12:05 AM, <Zafar Siddiq> wrote:

Dear All
I have travelled to Khi to look at this matter and yesterday Maya apologised in her program for this. I can assure this will never happen again. Samaa is a progressive channel.
There are certain other directives that have been put into place as of yesterday.
I thank everyone concerned in bringing this matter to my attention. It’s really appreciated.
best regards

Zafar Siddiqi
Chairman CNBC Arabiya
Chairman CNBC Africa
President CNBC Pakistan

I. A. Rehman, Director HRCP:

National Dialogue on Challenges to Democracy and Role of Civil Society in Pakistan

Joint Declaration: Any attempts to dislodge parliament will be resisted

LAHORE, January 23, 2012: Civil society representative  and concerned  citizens (Intellectuals, legal activists, journalists, women, students trade union activists, religious minorities and academia) of Pakistan from all over the country shared their deep concerns over the current political situation and crises, while talking at a national consultation held in Human rights Commission of Pakistan’s office in Dorab  Patel  Auditorium, Lahore today. The meeting was organized by the South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, to  discuss and analyze the current political situation and challenges to democracy, democratic institutions and system. The panelists were Mr. I.A. Rehman, Secretary General, HRCP, Ms Hina Jillani, advocate, Ms. Khawar Mumtaz, Director Shirkat Gah, Mr. Mohammad Tahseen, Executive Director South Asia Partnership-Pakistan, Prof. Sarfraz Khan, KPK, Mr. Jami Chandio, Sindh, Mr. Kaisar Bengali, Former Advisor to Chief Minister Sindh.

Resolution passed unanimously:

We, the representatives of the Civil Society including non-governmental organizations, labour organizations, academia, women’s rights bodies, and media persons from all over the country (including FATA and Gilgit Baltistan) express deep concern over the current political situation in the country where a crisis is being manufactured on irrelevant grounds ostensibly to subvert the Parliament and to destabilize the democratic dispensation. We unanimously resolve to resist all such attempts through mobilizing citizens of Pakistan.

We AFFIRM our conviction that the principle of parliament being the supreme authority in the land is inviolable and it must not be compromised under any circumstances. At the same time we emphasize that the right of accountability of democratic institutions vests with the people of Pakistan, who shall assert this right in the most effective democratic manner whenever the need so arises.

We REAFFIRM our adherence to the principles of independence of judiciary from the executive but also from individual and institutional biases. We also note with concern that judicial processes are being deliberately used for undermining the role of the parliament as the arbiter of national security and sovereignty. This trend must be strongly discouraged and the courts should not fee compelled to over stretch their domain at the cost of judicial credibility. We EMPASIZE that various institutions of the state must function within their defined constitutional parameters and complement each other rather than work at cross-purposes, to the determent of public interest.

We assert that Sovereignty belongs to the people who have agreed to exercise it through their representatives in a federal, parliamentary, and a democratic system. Any attempt at arbitrarily altering this arrangement is tantamount to an attack on the sovereignty of the people.

We DEMAND from elected parliament and its other institutions to attend to people’s basic needs and give priority to people’s political, social and economic rights as guaranteed by the constitution of Pakistan.

We APPEAL to the people of Pakistan to stand united and firm in support of democracy and to resist all attempts aimed at its subversion. The people of Pakistan have made great many sacrifices for the cause of democracy and they should not let any vested interests trample their right to have a democratic and an elected representative system run the country.

We agree to form a national platform for the protection and promotion of democracy and the rights of the people of Pakistan. We PLEDGE to mobilize civil society organizations for this purpose. We will continue to engage with people and all other like-minded political forces in the country, who believe in sovereignty of people and elected parliament. We will hold provincial conventions by mid-February and mobilized for simultaneous public actions for achieving these objectives. We agree to hold a week of action for saving democracy throughout the country and will mobilize citizens to articulate their resolve for democracy and rights of the people.

(ends)

recent events in Pakistan, made me write these lines

shenanigans

caesar’s people

lacking brutus

throw to the lions

the very publics

watching from the stands

the fight of brawn and gore

happy in the thought

it‘s not their turn yet

to be fed to the lions.

and caesar’s sly smile

for another day passed

his throne intact

people going home

after a day at the games

more tired of the jostling

than the gladiators themselves

who get fed a potion

and a geese

waiting with aching body

for the morrow in the rink.

no rights here

no doubts cast

no rides to take

no ides to fear

neither a friendly foe

nor to be left out the door.

just a bubble

getting larger

reflecting hues of colors

myriad

empty within

like the coffers

of the kingdom

ready to burst and show

more of nothingness.

promises broken

thoughts askew

hopes shattered

even the last

semblance of life

taken

and still

they flock to the arena

to hear the music

for the dance

must go on!

january 3, 2012. 09:30 hours

Citizens’ statement of concern about the democratic process in Pakistan democratic and safety of human rights defenders, to be released to the media on Jan 5, 2012 (to endorse, please enter your information in the form at this link)

We, the undersigned, express our grave concern that Pakistani human rights defenders are being threatened and intimidated for their stance in the ‘memogate’ case. We are also concerned at the danger this crisis poses to Pakistan’s democratic political process that had taken a step forward with the elections of 2008.

No elected civilian government in Pakistan has yet completed its tenure and handed over power to the next government following democratic elections. If the current government manages to do this, it will be a first step in an ongoing process that is essential to Pakistan’s peace, progress and prosperity in the long run.

Those under threat include former Ambassador of Pakistan to the US, Husain Haqqani, who returned to Pakistan and tendered his resignation in order to ensure a free and fair inquiry into the ‘memogate’ matter that he is accused of engineering.

The so-called ‘memogate’ affair revolves around a letter that Amb Haqqani is accused of sending to then US Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mullen allegedly at the behest of Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari, seeking American help to prevent a military coup in Pakistan. Mansur Ijaz, an American businessman of Pakistani origin, delivered the note to former US National Security Advisor Gen. James Jones to pass on to Adml Mullen allegedly at Amb Haqqani’s behest. Amb Haqqani has denied writing any such memo at anyone’s behest or asking Ijaz to deliver it to anyone.

Amb Haqqani has been barred from leaving the country, which is a denial of his fundamental right as a free citizen of Pakistan. Under threat both by the ‘religious’ extremists and the security agencies, he is currently a virtual prisoner confined for his own safety to the Prime Minister’s residence.

Also facing threats is his lawyer, former Supreme Court Bar Association President, Asma Jahangir, who has termed the Supreme Court judgment of Dec 30, 2011 a “victory” for the security establishment that she alleges is behind the case.

Amb Haqqani’s wife, Farahnaz Ispahani, a Member of Pakistan’s Parliament, also threatened, is currently in the US where she had come for medical checkups. Columnist Marvi Sirmed, who has written fearlessly against the ‘religious’ extremists and in support of Amb Haqqani, has also been receiving threats, Columnist Marvi Sirmed, who has written fearlessly against the ‘religious’ extremists and in support of Amb Haqqani, has also been receiving threats, as has senior journalist Najam Sethi. There are numerous other journalists and activists who live under threat for their outspoken views; some are forced to seek politial asylum abroad. This is essentially the case with anyone in Pakistan who counters or challenges the narrative of the ideological security state.

Without going into merits of the case, obvious contradictions in the ‘evidence’, or political motivations behind it, it is evident that it is at the crux of a matter vital to Pakistan’s politics, that is, whether Pakistan is going to be run by a civilian elected government along the lines of a parliamentary democracy that ensures fundamental rights, or along the lines of a ideological narrative dictated by the security establishment that holds fundamental rights subservient to its interpretation of ‘national security’.

Too many people in Pakistan have fallen to the ideological monster unleashed by the establishment pursuing a narrow, ideological interpretation of ‘national security’. It is time for a fundamental paradigm shift in Pakistan’s politics, to allow the nation to fulfill its potential as a progressive, forward looking South Asian nation at peace with its neighbours and the world. We urge the Pakistan government, judiciary and security establishment to play their constitutional roles, cooperate with each other and focus on re-establishing the rule of law and in order to make this possible.

In the meantime, be aware that the world is watching to ensure that no harm comes to those who are taking a stand towards this end.

Endorsed (listed alphabetically; names still coming in are being updated; please endorse at this link):
• A. Chhachhi, Sociologist, Netherlands
• Abdul Ghafoor Chaudhry Social Activist Canada
• Abdul Hamid Bashani Khan, Barrister, Solicitor & Notary Public, Canada
• Abdullah Hussein Novelist Lahore
• Afzal Tahir Kashmir International Front/United Kashmir Journal, London, United Kingdom
• Ahmad Rafay Alam, Lawyer
• Ali Kazmi Student Islamabad, Pakistan
• Ali Arqam Blogger, Social Activist Peshawar
• Ammar Yasir, Marketing Head, Tea Break Networks Karachi
• Annie Syedah Student United States
• Anushka Jatoi Student Karachi
• Asif Khan Earth Day Network Washington DC
• Ayesha Humayun Khan Citizen of Pakistan Dubai
• Ayesha Jalal, historian, Boston/Lahore
• Ayesha Siddiqa, Political Scientist, Pakistan
• Beena Sarwar, journalist
• Faisal Mahmood Officer in National Bank Malir
• Faraz Sheikh, social activist, Lahore
• Farooq Tariq, spokesperson Labour Party Pakistan, Lahore
• Fazil Jamili, Poet, Journalist
• Fakhar Ul-Islam Project Manager United Kingdom
• Fayaz Ahmad Historian Peshawar
• Ghazi Salahuddin, journalist and columnist, Karachi
• Hamad Ur Rehman CEO/ a human and social rights activist. Lyallpur.
• Haris Gazdar, researcher
• Harsh Kapoor, South Asia Citizens Web (sacw.net)
• Ibrahim Sajid Malick, Technologist, New York
• Dr. Ijaz Khan Professor of International relations University of Peshawar
• Dr. Ilmana Fasih, physician, health activist, blogger Canada
• Iqbal Alavi, social activist
• Irfan Mufti South Asia Partnership Pakistan Lahore, Pakistan
• Kamyla Marvi Citizen Karachi
• Khawar Mumtaz, Shirkat Gah. Pakistan
• Kiran Nazish Journalist, Activist, Lahore
• Karamat Ali, Labour Rights and Peace activist
• Meera Ghani, Environmental and Peace Activist, Belgium
• Mehmal Sarfraz, Journalist, Lahore
• Mehr Alwy Finance Manager UK
• Michael Renner Researcher U.S. / Germany
• Dr. Mohammad Taqi, Physician & Columnist
• Muhammad Idris Khattak Researcher OSI Pakistan
• Mohsin Sayeed Journalist Karachi
• Moniza Inam, journalist, Dawn, Karachi
• N. D. Pancholi, Secretary, Indian Renaissance Institute, Ghaziabad (UP), India
• Nadeem Yousafi Businessman Peshawar, Pakistan.
• Noman Quadri, student
• Noorjehan Bilgrami Artsist Karachi
• Dr. Osama Siddique, Law Professor, Pakistan
• Pervez Hoodbhoy, Physicist
• Dr Pritam Singh DPhil, Reader in Economics, Faculty of Business, Oxford Brookes University, UK
• Qurratulain Zaman Media Consultant, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung
• S. Abbas Raza, Editor, 3QuarksDaily.com
• S. M. Naseem, economist
• Saba Hamid, Actor, Pakistan
• Saba Quraishi, activist, United States
• Sabahat Ashraf (“iFaqeer”) Communcator. Citizen. Fakir. Silicon Valley, California
• Sadiqa Salahuddin, educationist, Indus Resource Centre, Pakistan
• Saleha Haque Student University of Salford, UK
• Sana Saleem Activist, Blogger Karachi
• Sarah Suhail Lawyer
• Sehba Sarwar Writer
• Shahla Haeri, Associate Professor of Anthropology, Boston University
• Shandana Mohmand, Political Scientist, UK
• Shahnawaz Student Karachi
• Shama Noman Educationist
• Shayan Afzal Khan, Citizen and activist, Pakistan
• Shahzad Ahmad Country Coordinator, Bytes for All, Pakistan
• Siddharth Nayak Managing Director , The Jurists ; President : All India Law Students Association New Delhi
• Soulat Pasha director Titan Energy Karachi
• Tahera Ahmad Physician Germany
• Tahir Saeed Senior clinical psychologist Ireland
• Tazeen Project Director, Intermedia
• Waqas Ali CRSD Peshawar
• Yasser Latif Hamdani, Lawyer
• Zeeba T. Hashmi Citizen Lahore
• Zohra Yusuf, human rights activist
• Zulfiqar Shah, The Institute for Social Movements, Pakistan Hyderabad

Newsline brings you a selection of articles and blog posts published on social media and its impact on politics and democracy.

Please note, the names on the signatories list will be updated as more endorsements are coming in.

PRESS RELEASE

Civil society terms “memogate” scandal an attempt to thwart democracy; Says threatening the representative system tantamount to attack on sovereignty of people.

December 17, 2011

We, the representatives of the Civil Society including non-governmental organisations, labour organisations, academia, women’s rights bodies, and media persons express deep concern over the current political situation in the country where a crisis is being manufactured on frivolous grounds, and is being referred as the so-called “memogate”. This has the potential of subverting democratically elected Parliament and the Constitution.

It is time all conspirators against democracy and the sovereignty of the people be called to account. Sovereignty belongs to the people who have agreed to exercise it through their representatives in a federal, parliamentary, and a democratic system. Any attempt at arbitrarily altering this arrangement is tantamount to an attack on the sovereignty of the people. Various institutions of the state are supposed to function within their defined constitutional parameters and complement each other but they seem to be working at cross-purposes, to the determent of public interest.

We emphasise that the role of political parties and political leaders is to represent their constituents’ interests and arrive at negotiated agreements to differences in agreed political forums.

The role of state’s security organizations is to serve the people through stipulated constitutional arrangements, under the command of the executive, and not to define what is or is not in the national interest.

The role of the judiciary is to protect the rights of the citizens from arbitrary abuse of executive power, and not to itself become a source of arbitrary executive power.

The role of the mass media is to help citizens hold powerful interests groups within and outside the state to promote their legitimate interests and hold violators of rights accountable, and not to itself act as an unaccountable interest group.

In our opinion, parliament is the appropriate forum to discuss and investigate this issue and come up with findings.

We believe that any attack on the sovereignty of the people will be unjust. It will necessarily lead to conflict and must be resisted.

We appeal to the people of Pakistan to stand united and firm in support of democracy and to resist all attempts aimed at its subversion. The people of Pakistan have made great many sacrifices for the cause of democracy and they should not let any vested interests trample their right to have a democratic and an elected representative system run the country.

Undersigned (in alphabetical order by first name)

1. Abdulrahman Rafiq, Founder & Operations Coordinator http://SARelief.com
2. Abrar Qazi, Awami President Awami Jamhori Party
3. Adam Malik, Human Rights Activist
4. Adnan Rehmat, Executive Director Intermedia
5. Aisha Gazdar, documentary filmmaker
6. Ali Asghar Khan, Aman Ittehad Pakistan
7. Ali Raza, Shirkat Gah
8. Amir Aziz Syed, businessman
9. Anis Haroon, Women Action Forum
10. Arif Hasan, Architect, Urban Planner,
11. Arshad Mehmood, Executive Director Society for the Protection of the Rights of the Child
12. Arshid Mirza, Baidarie Sialkot
13. Asad Mufty columnist daily Jang.
14. Asad Rahman, Sungi Foundation
15. Asad Sayeed, Director, Collective for Social Science Research, Karachi
16. Ayesha Tammy Haq, Journalist
17. Aziz Abbasi, President Watan Dost mazdoor feder
18. B. M Kutty, Secretary, Pakistan Peace Coalition
19. Babar Ayaz, journalist
20. Beena Sarwar, Independent Journalist
21. Bushra Khaliq,
22. Danial Noorani, social worker
23. Dr Haroon Ahmed, President Pakistan Mental Health Association
24. Dr. Abid Qayoum Suleri, Executive Director Sustainable Development Policy Institute
25. Dr. Aly Ercelan, Senior Development Economist
26. Dr. Arif Azad, Development Consultant and Campaigner
27. Dr. Badar Siddiqui, Ex-President, Pakistan Medical Association,
28. Dr. Jaffar Ahmed, Irtiqa Institute of Social Science,
29. Dr. Kaisar Bengali, Senior Economist
30. Dr. Manzoor Ahmed AwanDirector Program OperationsSungi Development Foundation
31. Dr. Mohammad Taqi, Columnist/Physician
32. Dr. Pervez Tahir, Economist
33. Dr. Taimur Rahman, Laal
34. Faiza Haswary, Lecturer, Hameed Law College, Karachi
35. Farooq Tariq, Spokesperson, Labor Party Pakistan
36. Fatima Zafar, National Focal Point, Youth Peer Education Network Multan
37. Fauzia Viqar, Shirkat Gah
38. Ghulam Fatima, Executive Member BLLF,
39. Haider Nizamani, Human Rights Activist
40. Haris Gazdar, Independent Economist
41. Harris Khalique, Development Consultant,
42. Hassam Qadir Shah, Lawyer
43. Hoori Noorani, Publisher
44. Human Fouladi, Aman Ittehad Balochistan
45. Ibrahim Malick, Technologist, Social Entrepreneur
46. Idrees Kamal, Idrees Kamal Coordinator Pakhtunkhwa Civil Society Network
47. Iqbal Alavi and Friends of Irtiqa and National Council of Academics
48. Iqbal Tareen
49. Irfan Ali, Aman Ittehad, Balochistan
50. Irfan Mufti, South Asia Partnership -Pakistan
51. Ishaq Mangrio, Independent Journalist,
52. Jaffar Memon, We Journalists,
53. Jami Chandio, Executive Director, Centre for Peace and Civil Society,
54. Jugnu Mohsin, The Friday Times
55. Kamran Noorani, Businessman
56. Kamran Shafi, Columnist
57. Karamat Ali, Executive Director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research,
58. Kausar S. Khan, Women Action Forum
59. Khawar Mumtaz, Shirkat Gah,
60. Lala Hassan, Co-convener Asian Muslims Lawyers Human Rights Network for South
61. Lateef Mughal, General Secretary, Peoples Workers Union KESC
62. Mansoor Ahmed, SAP-Pakistan
63. Maqbool Dal, President, Village Community Development Organization Mirpur Khas
64. Marvi Sirmed, Columnist Daily Times
65. Masood Punjabi, trade union activist Sweden
66. Mehnaz Rehman, Regional Director Aurat Foundation,
67. Mirza Abdul Shakoor, Executive Director, Community Development Concern, Sialkot
68. Mirza Yusuf Agha
69. Mohammad Ali Shah, Chairperson Pakistan Fisher folk Forum (PFF)
70. Mohammad Tahseen, Executive Director, South Asia Partnership Pakistan,
71. Mohammad Waseem, IRC Lahore
72. Mohsin Sayeed, journalist
73. Mola Bux Leghari, Executive Director, SPEACH Development org, Dadu, Sindh
74. Mumtaz Mughal, Aman Ittehad Punjab
75. Naeem Mirza, Aurat Foundation
76. Naeema Malik, South Asia Partnership -Pakistan
77. Najam Sethi, anchor, Geo TV
78. Najma Sadeque, Women Action Forum
79. Naseer Memon, Chief Executive, Strengthening Participatory Organization, SPO,
80. Nasir Iqbal, Lahore Social Forum
81. Nasir Mumtaz, Kashf Foundation
82. Nasreen Azhar, Women Action Forum
83. Nausheen Ahmad, Advocate
84. Naziha Syed Ali, journalist
85. Nazim F Haji, industrialist, Former Chief Citizens Police Liaison Committee,
86. Nazir Ghazi, Godh Lahore
87. Nazish Brohi, Women Action Forum
88. Nighat Saeed Khan, ASR Resource Centre and Women Action Forum
89. Noman Quadri, student, Karachi
90. Omar Ali, Columnist and Moderator Asia Space
91. Peter Jacob, National Commission for Peace and Justice
92. Prof. Arfana Mallah, President Sindh University Teachers Association,
93. Prof. Dr. Ijaz Khan, Chairman, Department of International Relations, University of Peshawar
94. Punhal Saryo, President Sindh Hari Porhiat Council,
95. Qamar Hayat, Executive Director Sahara Development Foundation,
96. Rabia Khan, Women Rights Activist, Karachi
97. Raja Abbas, ANCE Lahore
98. Rana Bilal, Youth Parliament Pakistan
99. Rana Riaz Saeed, Development Activist and Lobbyist
100. Rashida Dohad, Omar Asghar Khan Foundation
101. Raza Rumi, writer/columnist
102. Raziq Fahim, Director College of Youth Activism and Development
103. Rehana Shaikh, Institute of Social Policy
104. Rubina Jamil, NTUF
105. Sabahat Ashraf, “iFaqeer” Communicator, Citizen
106. Sabiha Shaheen, Bargad Foundation Gujranwala
107. Saeed Ahmed Rid, Commonwealth Scholar, Peace Studies, University of Bradford, UK & Lecturer, National Institute of Pakistan Studies (NIPS), Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad.
108. Saeeda Diep, Institute for Peace and Secular Studies
109. Salima Hashmi, Artist and Academician
110. Samina Khan, Executive Director Sungi Development Foundation
111. Samina Khan, Sungi Foundation
112. Sayed Masud-ul Hassan
113. Shahzad Ahmad, Country Coordinator, Bytes for All, Pakistan
114. Shaikh Tanveer Ahmed, Chief Executive HANDS Pakistan
115. Sheema Kermani, Tahreek –e- Niswan,
116. Sheen Farrukh, Inter Press Communications,
117. Syed Ali Abbas Zaidi, Chair & Founder Pakistan Youth Alliance, Central Executive Committee, Khudi Pakistan
118. Tasneem Ahmed Siddiqui, Chairman, Saiban, Former Chief Secretary Sindh,
119. Ume Laila, Home Net Pakistan
120. Uzma Noorani, Council Member HRCP
121. Waseem Akram, SAP-Pakistan
122. Zahid Islam, Director, SANGAT-Lahore
123. Zia Banday
124. Zia Rehaman, AWAZ CDS Multan
125. Zubaida Noor, Noor Education Trust, Peshawar
126. Zubair Faisal Abbasi, Development Consultant
127. Zubair Malik, STEP, Khushab
128. Zulfiqar Halepoto, Sindh Democratic Forum,
129. Zulfiqar Shah, Institute for Social Movements Pakistan

glad to have angela king as a friend and to be concerned about the same things together

http://lifeafterhate.org/2011/12/lest-we-forget/

Rarely do we realise that it takes only a few months for the world to change in a *radical* way. Not so long ago, the United States, the world’s leading superpower was concerned about radical extremists, now it seems the … Continue reading →

anonymous extraordinaries, invisible children, and other information, interesting and worth the 13 minutes.

forced me to think, that although there is no study on this issue, i personally know that children are abducted, brainwashed, and families blackmailed in Pakistan to make the children suicide bombers.

this is neither anonymous, nor extraordinary, but certainly it is invisible an ostrich head in the sand or the pigeons eyes closed syndrome – just another ordinary act on just another ordinary day! only we do not care.

Talks | TEDx – Natalie Warne: Being young and making an impact