Author Archive

DawnNews’ Wired and Active show brings you this question of the week: Are newspapers a thing of the past? Journalism as we know it is undergoing a transition. Prestigious newspapers in the United States are losing up to US$ 1 million a week. It is estimated that in the coming year, eight of the 50 largest newspapers in the US will cease publication. Already, publications such as The Christian Science Monitor are publishing only on the web. And...

According to a senior official in the finance ministry, Pakistan’s inflation rate could be higher than indicated by government figures. Inflation is measured on the basis of consumption patterns, which are surveyed every five years. However, the government has delayed for at least one year a revision in consumption patterns, thereby concealing actual inflationary pressures. Currently, Pakistani inflation is measured on the basis of consumption...

The King of Pop, Michael Jackson, died of cardiac arrest on Thursday, but his musical legacy is here to stay. He released 13 No.1 singles, won 13 Grammy Awards, put out Thriller, the biggest selling album of all time, and sold 750 million records worldwide. His repertoire is sheer genius, each album breaking new musical ground, innovating new musical styles and setting the tone for a generation. Is it possible, then, to have a favourite Michael Jackson...

The Pakistan Army is closing in on South Waziristan, the stalking ground of Tehrik-e-Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud. In recent days, the military has been using airstrikes, artillery and blockades to attack suspected hide-outs and training camps in the tribal agency in an effort to weaken Mehsud’s position before launching a full-scale attack. The authorities also turned a blind eye to tribal infighting, in the hope that Mehsud’s rival...

DawnNews’ Wired and Active show brings you this question of the week: Should the Pakistan Army – and other military outfits around the world – be more worried about cyber attacks? The Pentagon, for example, uses more than five million computers on 100,000 networks in 65 countries. For the past few years, the Pentagon networks have suffered numerous attacks, with hackers copying terabytes of military data. And yet, America’s...

Karachiites in many parts of the city continue to suffer without electricity, as power has yet to be fully restored after a fault developed on the main supply lines on Wednesday evening. In some areas, power has been returning sporadically on Thursday afternoon only for short intervals. At workplaces across the city, employees are yawning, complaining about the stifling, sleepless night they had to endure. People are comparing the longevity of their...

DawnNews’ Wired and Active show brings you this question of the week. Is the relief effort for internally displaced persons (IDPs) by the Pakistani state and international donors enough? In recent weeks, the Pakistani government has launched special financial packages for the IDPs and earmarked Rs 50 billion for their rehabilitation. Meanwhile, international donor agencies are stepping up relief efforts and launching innovative programmes to...

Dawn.com invites its readers to discuss current affairs in this forum. Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has called for more international aid to combat extremists, claiming that the Taliban could move into India and the Gulf if the financial support to stem their movement is not made available. He has asked for 2.5 billion dollars for emergency relief and reconstruction aid for the north-west of Pakistan, where military operations...

Dawn.com invites its readers to discuss current affairs in this forum. Earlier this week, President Asif Ali Zardari urged India to resume the process of composite dialogue without any conditions to jointly address common problems, including Kashmir and terrorism. Now, Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for a peaceful partnership with Pakistan, which he argues is in his country’s vital interest. On Tuesday, Dr Singh said, ‘I have...

Dawn.com invites its readers to discuss current affairs in this forum. On Sunday, Iran closed its border with Pakistan at Taftan. The decision follows a suicide bombing last week in Zahedan, which killed 25 people and left over 125 injured. The Iranian government’s decision has led to the suspension of trade in the region, causing tribes on both sides of the border to suffer food shortages. What are the political implications of Iran’s...