Strategising to counter ‘blasphemy law’ hype

Posted on December 27, 2010 by beenasarwar

We had a good meeting yesterday in Karachi, convened by the newly formed Citizens for Democracy, to strategise about developing a long-term strategy to counter the ‘blasphemy law’ hype that has been created in Pakistan.

Some press reports this morning that used the info we sent them.

1. The News – lead story on City page today by Shahid Husain – ‘Tough struggle needed to reform blasphemy law’

2. Express Tribune: ‘Citizens for Democracy’ alliance formed to amend blasphemy laws

3. Daily Times used the info like a press statement: Citizens For Democracy meet at PMA House

Email sent to Citizens for Democracy e-group about the meeting yesterday: Continue reading →

Filed under: Blasphemy Laws | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments »

PERSONAL POLITICAL: Welcome home Mr Ghanshyam

Posted on April 3, 2010 by beenasarwar

Kathak dancer Babar with his Ustad Sheema's Ustad Mr Ghanshyam, and Iqbal Alavi of Irtiqa Institute for Social Sciences at the last day of Tlism. photo: beena sarwar

Karachi, March 27, 2010 – Personal Political column for Hardnews, India

Beena Sarwar

One thing is for sure. Life is never dull in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif, leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) at the last minute backtracked from his support to the proposed 18th Amendment to the Constitution. Talk about bursting a bubble. Continue reading →

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See what Nawaz Sharif stymied… Zardari’s speech that never was

Posted on March 27, 2010 by beenasarwar

The proposed Constitutional amendment package that Nawaz Sharif backed away from at the 11th hour (after having promised to support it) was to have restored federalism, provincial rights, and Parliamentary sovereignty, besides doing away with the President’s powers to dissolve assemblies.

Here’s a front page report from The News, Saturday, March 27, 2010:

Zardari’s speech that never was

By our correspondent

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari was all set to deliver the speech before a joint sitting on Friday to take the lead in announcing the omission of Article 58(2)b, empowering the president to dissolve the National Assembly.

The draft of the speech (available with The News) nullifies the rumours that the president may have been reluctant to give away his power to dissolve the Assembly. Sources say that the president did not even interfere in the affairs of the constitutional committee leaving its head Senator Raza Rabbani absolutely independent in deciding things. Continue reading →

Filed under: Progressive politics | Tagged: , , , , , , | 1 Comment »

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