Pakistan – the other side, a country with more than a bunch of negative headlines

As a part of the subject project, I was wondering which country to choose and when asked for suggestion, I got an answer – Pakistan. The initial reaction was, “Yes, this sounds interesting, for I have many friends from there and this a country which is the most troubled one”. So, when it came to thinking on the issues on which I had to write and the next day, when Ma’am asked us individually as to what are we going to cover in terms of topics about the country, I had said, “Regionalism, separatism, sectarianism, political instability, radicalization, and economic slump down.” To this I’d gotten a reply, “a classical example of how international media reports third world countries, representing it as full of isms”. We were then asked give opinions about what we think when we talk about various countries, regions, political parties, issues to talk, for instance, our natural reaction on Pakistan, on Islam, on Hindutva, on Mayawati, etc. More often than not, the views that we held for each of them, are not false, but are slanted in a particular way, always leaving a room empty for the other side which is not even explored.

Thinking on these lines, I have had almost all the negative stories about Pakistan, for it is often perceived as a nation which is facing seemingly unending lists of negative headlines/labels of - terrorism, corruption, drone attacks, natural disasters, poverty, a deficit in leadership, discrimination against minorities, mistreatment of women, attacks on freedom of speech, mass tax evasion, match fixing, the murder of judges, politicians, union organizers and journalists - and that is just the tip of the iceberg and at the end the analysts would either talk about political instability and a military coup, painting again a picture of weaker democracy and perpetuating the idea of a country ruled by military. This being the last blog post, I wanted to present the softer side of the nation, which really has to offer more than just a bunch of negative headlines. We all know that Pakistan is a fucked up nation, and when asked, everybody holds the same opinion, but as much as deaths occur every day, there are some parts where life is still going and the people are still living, studying, working and a nation is progressing under a democratic government, fragile though. Pakistan is like every other normal country. Give a name of the country which is corruption free, where there are no deaths, no internal conflicts, and no pluralism in opinions of political parties. The fact that all the countries are not perfect, but in an age of global competition, each of them has to have a positive image and media plays a great role in branding any nation globally. It is not that there are no problems faced in US, but each time it is balanced off by the success stories of Apple, Google, Facebook and Microsoft, not that India is corruption free and there are two Indias- India and Bharat, but it still manages to make its name in one of the BRIC nations, also with the human development index of 127th by reporting of the Ambani brothers’ success or by the positives of the growth of the IT and branding it as “Incredible India”. All the countries promote their identity; we have seen tourism ads of many countries, why not of Pakistan? Pakistan is a beautiful and culturally rich country.

It is only through blogs and small sites, which are again very hard to find that provides some positive stories of Pakistan. Ask the Pakistani youth on Facebook about the state of the country and you’d be tongue tied with their immense knowledge, and think in the hindsight about the stereotypical image we have of them. There are social activists, online forums which are doing MUCH to provide us with a different light on the country, but hardly does it gets covered. There’s this one social activists group called, ‘Pakistan Youth Alliance’ (PYA), which initially had organized protests and rallies but quickly became more active. Its core premise and mission statement is to take a stand, to get as practically involved on the ground as possible and to exemplify the change they seek through their actions rather than merely proposing it on paper. Their main goal is to create political and social awareness among the youth of Pakistan and to unite them irrespective of their religion, ethnicity, caste, race or language on an unbiased platform through which they can engage with one another and contribute practically to building a more progressive society in Pakistan - whether through protest, social and relief work or the arts. Earlier in 2011, the group was instrumental in organizing counter protests to the hate filled ones celebrating and glorifying Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab who was murdered in January over his stance on Pakistan's blasphemy laws and his ardent defence of religious minorities like Christians and Ahmadis. Ali says he did this because: "This is not what the founder of Pakistan and 'Father of the Nation' Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah would have wanted for this country today, especially as he repeatedly stressed the importance of inter-faith unity and religious harmony." Stories like these and others bring about something much needed in international news these days - a positive, hopeful narrative against the odds, showcasing some of the good news stories coming out of places like Pakistan, which often go unreported and deserve a spotlight too.

There’s also an initiative in terms of website by brothers and social entrepreneurs Majid and Mahmood Mirza who aims to emanate good stories from Pakistan and therefore they came up with a website titled Good News (www.goodnews.pk), which focuses solely on positive developments coming out of the country. They describe the idea behind the website via Skype as being "to highlight amazing, awesome and inspirational news stories coming from Pakistan, as opposed to the usual negativities that steal the headlines". Some of the stories/facts which we never knew about Pakistan have been well told by this website. For example, the international or the mainstream media in Pakistan never reported that Pakistan has become only the sixth country in the world to map the human genome, joining the ranks of the US, the UK, China, Japan and India, which have all successfully sequenced it. Or, how about the fact that Pakistan has the largest volunteer ambulance organization in the world started by "living saint" Abdul Sattar Edhi in 1948. Today, the radio-linked network includes 600 ambulances that work in every corner of the country. Or how about the recent news that Dr Umar Saif, an associate professor at the School of Science and Engineering in Lahore, has been recognized by MIT Technology Review as one of the top 35 innovators in the world - joining an elite group of researchers and entrepreneurs selected over the last decade, which includes Larry Page and Sergey Brin, the co-founders of Google, Mark Zuckerberg, the founder of Facebook, and Jonathan Ive, the chief designer at Apple. Now who has heard of those stories? Then there are serial entrepreneurs like Monis Rahman, who just four years ago set-up Rozee.pk, which is now Pakistan’s largest jobs website, with 500,000 unique visitors a month; or Karachi-born freelance designer Vakas Siddiqui laying to rest the myth that Pakistani students are limited to excellence in science and the humanities by being selected as one of the top 28 designers in the world; or filmmaker Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy who has just been shortlisted for an Oscar in the 'best documentary short' category for her film Saving Face.

Not only this, when I tried to find some more good/positive stuff about the country and asked one of my online friend, he said to me to write about charity in Pakistan. A highly intelligent LUMN alumni, working in Australia, when he told me about this, I was like, “the country is politically unstable and already facing economic crisis, how the hell even the question of charity arise”? Choosing to not believe him, I had my own views on the country until I seriously came across this, which changed my perception and it should be said that no TV channel has ever given coverage to the excellent work that some charities are doing in Pakistan. No other country in the Third World has so many non-profit organizations that help the downtrodden in so diverse fields and on such large scales, about which I found from the country’s newspaper’s blog, blogs of dawn.com. Everyone, at least in Pakistan, knows about the great job the Edhi Foundation is doing in different spheres – from running cancer hospices and ambulance services (Edhi Foundation has the largest fleet in the world, as the Guinness Book of Records mentions) to providing shelter to battered women and education to poor children. Mr. Edhi, who deserves nothing less than a Nobel Prize for Peace, is everywhere despite his old age. Wherever there is a calamity, he rushes to the site to provide help. If an unwanted child is left in one of his centers, he (and his wife, Bilqees) is there to take the infant under his protective wing.

In this age of global competition, all the countries have a need to grow economically, this happens through many ways, one of which is also through global partnerships. When a country is projected in a negative way, the economy is viewed in a negative way due to negative reporting the country is seen un unreliable one. There are about 180 million people in Pakistan, of which 65% are under the age of 25. The youth of Pakistan is its strength, it is like a sleeping giant. When we think that India is a booming nation. A stop and a second and look at Pakistan, could have much more to provide to the countries and to itself given a little help from the western world, Pakistan can become a dominant economy. I think such positive unreported stories along with the courage and creativity shown by young educated middle class Pakistanis, does reflect a phenomenal idea about the nation portrayed by them, who are increasingly globally minded and are using alternate media make their country get rid of its negative global representation and carving a path for a brighter image.

Well, that brings an end to blog posts. I’m a Hindu and an Indian by nationality, but I was told that my family had migrated from Karachi. Now, when I actually did this research about the country, I somewhat felt emotionally connected to it, may be because my forefathers belonged from that country, and this is somewhat weird but even nice, that I actually got a great feeling, like the one that I have had always get when I hear and sing the Indian National Anthem, or when India wins, a similar feeling of being a part of nation (though I’m not), when I had heard Pakistan’s National Anthem played by the sufi rock band from Pakistan, called Junoon, at the UN General Assembly. So, I’m going to end it with that!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kYrh5kEzltc&feature=related

Military, Judiciary and Executive at loggerheads with the each other- Clash of institutions in Pakistan

Since its independence, Pakistan’s political history has been stained by military dictators or corrupt politicians. The country has seen as many as four martial law regimes in power and experienced a constant friction between the civilian government, judiciary and military.

The recent events of the ‘memogate scandal’, the contempt case that the Supreme Court has slapped on Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani for ignoring its order asking the government to write to the Swiss authorities to reopen money laundering cases against President Asif Ali makes the clash dangerous.

In the letter, which is referred as Memo Gate Scandal, refuge of America was sought by the Civil Government against the Military Establishment of Pakistan. It was the American based Pakistani citizen, Mansoor Ijaz, who alleged that former Pakistan Ambassador to the United States Husain Haqqani asked him to deliver a confidential memo asking for US assistance. The memo is alleged to have been drafted by Haqqani at the behest of President of Pakistan Asif Ali Zardari. The petitioners, among them the PML-N chief, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, had earlier requested the court to order an impartial inquiry about the memo's existence, origin and implications. The court accepted this request of the petitioners by appointing a high powered commission consisting of the three senior-most chief justices of the high courts in the country. The court, which had earlier barred Mr. Haqqani from leaving the country, ordered him off the “exit control list,” and he has left the country. It has given itself two more months to investigate the matter. The court, which had earlier barred Mr. Haqqani from leaving the country, ordered him off the “exit control list,” and he has left the country. It has given itself two more months to investigate the matter.

The second case relates to the case of Court of Contempt charged by the Supreme Court on Gilani, Pakistani PM, for failing to reopen graft cases against President Asif Ali Zardari. The Supreme Court declaring the National Reconciliation Ordinance unconstitutional, a graft amnesty issued by the Mushraff Govenmet in 2007, had asked the PM to write to the Swiss Government about reviving the graft charges against the President, Zardari. The Supreme Court outlined six possible options, to be finally decided by a full bench of the court , of which one included the option of ruling the prime minister as “not … an ‘honest’ person” and as such ineligible to hold his seat in parliament.

Meanwhile, the civilian government’s tense relationship with the military continues. Gilani criticised the director-general of the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) agency and the army’s chief of staff for acting “unconstitutionally” when filing their testimonies before the high court in the “Memogate” hearings. He followed that up by firing his defence secretary, a retired lieutenant general considered close to the military, for “gross misconduct and illegal action” related to the same case. That criticism of the ISI chief, General Ahmed Shuja Pasha, and the army’s General Ashfaq Pervez Kyani prompted the military to issue a statement warning of “very serious ramifications with potentially grievous consequences for the country”.

Now what this shows is the changing role of the Supreme Court, which is seen to be acting more powerful than ever before, especially after the reinstatement of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. The judiciary under him has exercised its powers of original jurisdiction to challenge such disparate issues as rising petrol prices and government appointments. The court has also loosened the criteria used to judge whether petitions fall under “question of public importance” or relate to individual’s fundamental rights as guaranteed under the Pakistani constitution, (In fact, the “Memogate” petition currently being heard by the court was deemed admissible based on possible violations of Articles 9, 14 and 19A of the Pakistani constitution, which guarantee citizens the rights of security, “dignity” and access to information of public importance.)

The Army has been criticized by the civilian government since the U.S military raid in Abbottabad that took out Osama bin Laden. Though, it was discussed and debated that a mailatary coup might take place, in this situation, but that however, seems unlikely because: the domestic situation in Pakistan has become unmanageable, and the country is increasingly ungovernable. The economy is in down, therefore, the army would find it difficult to cope with that kind of problem, adding thefact that the military would find it difficult to attract international financial assistance without civilian faces in charge. It is also engaged in counterterrorism, and it needs civilian cover for that. The moment it assumes power, it loses that civilian cover and assumes a draconian face.

Though we see, a clash of major institutions in Pakistan, which seems to be dangerous, for the country is always known for not maintaining “the separation of powers” and thereby always breaking the lines of control and proving , "Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely”. But this time, when each of the institutions are playing its roles, there is also some sort of positivity in terms of the evolving role of the judiciary, which had never acted the way it is doing now. What is also interesting to see is that despite collided by so many problems, the democratically elected government is of present free from all charges since it is still not proved to be convict and therefore, an elected government will be seen so close to finishing its five-year term for only the second time in Pakistan's history and also making it for the first time that the transition from one government to the next will likely be effected in a democratic way.

The Victorian architecture

The most popular style of architecture prior to the Victorian era was the Greek revival. This style was used almost exclusively for public buildings where simplicity and dignity were considered the most important attributes. By the 1840s the Greek style was no longer fashionable for a private residence. Its popularity had waned about the time Victoria became Queen. Many early cottages were built as summer residences only, with no wadding, yet the underlying surfaces were of solid construction. Architects and builders often submitted alternate designs for a house where the floor plans were identical, and only the facades varied. But when frame construction came along, houses were built quickly and complex details were added later. Many early homes had neither kitchens nor bathrooms. As is typical of these early homes, additions often house the kitchens and baths. Most of the early homes, especially those built in England, were built of stone, and enhanced with decorative "stone tracery". The number of full-blown Gothic stone mansions was never large. Only the wealthy could afford such homes which required the labours of highly skilled stone carvers. The costly Gothic style was eventually translated into wood, and thousands of "Carpenter Gothic" houses still stand. The homes are planned from the inside out - the layout of the rooms and the traffic pattern determines the outward look. Inside they have a happy hide-and-seek quality of surprise.
The Victorian architectural period mostly spans the period of roughly 1825-1900. The Victorians drew deeply from history, nature, geometry, theory, and personal inspiration to create their designs. Prior to 1890, designers, though properly trained in the academics of standard architectural systems, still managed to employ their own creative ideas.
Early Victorian structures were relatively simple in style, while those built after the Civil War became more complicated. They combined styles as they saw fit. The end result was often a stunning visual effect. The building styles of post-Civil War America were elaborate and flamboyant, very much fuelled by new industrial society.The latter part of the nineteenth century brought a new attitude toward colour. Before then, the houses of the tract builders tended to be painted all one colour, usually white, beige or gray. By 1887, many people were painting their houses in lighter, brighter colours. The vibrant colours are one of the more easily identifiable features of Victorian architecture today.

Today, many homes from the Victorian architectural period still stand and are considered among the most beautifully rustic in almost any neighbourhood. Many have been turned into bed and breakfast inns, hotels and some just opened to the public as historic sites.

Prajakta Kavde

3749

THE MESSAGE: A WALK THROUGH THE RELIGIOUS INTERIORS OF NAJAF WITNESSING THE POWER OF ALI

Iraq, a land well known for its conflict, unsteady political atmosphere, and invasion by superpowers, holds extremely significant to the Shiite population who ensure a pilgrimage to the holy cities of Karbalah and Najaf at least once in their lifetime. In a country where the value of life is close to nill, and bombings are a usual affair, one feels instant peace when visiting the shrines of the Prophets son-in law Ali, and Ali’s son Hussain.

Islam began in 600 AD. After the death of the prophet, Maulana Ali, undertook his journey to Najaf and settled there. Islam began spreading once again under his leadership, and Maulana Ali was seen as greatly powerful and influential. In the 7^th century, the Kufa masjid was built in Najaf, it was from this mosque that Maulana Ali spread his sermons and led the daily namaaz. The mosque is historical for numerous reasons. the first being that it was in the qibla of this mosque, which is where the imam leads his prayers from, where Maulana Ali was killed. Ibn Muljim, belonging to the Kharijite clan, was amongst the many enemies of Islam. The spread and popularity of Maulana Ali, drove him into killing the Imam. It was in the month of Ramazan on the 19^th day that Maulana Ali was attacked while in the midst of his fajr (morning) prayer. Ibn Muljam hid in the shadows of the mosque with a poisonous sword in his hands and as Maulana Ali bent down in sajdah to acquire blessings from Allah, Ibn Muljim hit the sword on his head, leading to Maulana Ali being fatally injured. He succumbed to his injuries on the 21^st of Ramazan, and then began the start of the rise of his beloved son Hussain.

Another reason as to why the Kufa mosque is considered monumental is because it is believed that 1200 prophets have prayed here, including Abraham and Noah. One prayer in this mosque is worth a thousand prayers in one’s lifetime. The 11,000sqm of Kufa is embedded with history in every crevice, and a visit there is liberating.

The 52^nd Da’i-al-Mutlaq of the Dawoodi Bohra community, Dr. Syedna Mohammed Burhanuddin Saheb undertook the renovation of Kufa, which was completed in the year 2010. The mosque is grand, with two golden domes, and four minarets adorned with gold. The sehen (courtyard) of Kufa, is made up of marble tiles from Greece which ensure a cool surface even during the scorching heat of summer. The insides are adorned with 1400 lanterns, commemorating the 1400^th year of Islam according to the lunar calendar. The qibla of the mosque where believers bow down and pray, has excerpts from the Quran written in diamonds and rubies. There engraved, are 12 ruby teardrops each having the words ‘Ali’ carved into them. Believers ensure they pray in this mosque at least twice, on their visit to Najaf.

In the heart of the old city lies the ‘heart’ of the Islamic world, Maulana Ali’s shrine. The Imam, was said to have been buried secretly as he did not want his enemies to know the place where he finally lay. It was the 6^th Imam, Ja’far-as-sadiq who discovered Maulana Ali’s grave, and it is here that 120 million Shiites flock to attain spiritual blessings and do dua. The Dawoodi Bohra community is the singular community that does not believe in giving a face to any of the Imams and the Prophet, however, the Iraqi’s have a bunch of flags, pendants, and posters of a sketch of Maulana Ali outside the shrine. One has to pass four security check points before entering the shrine, where major frisking and checking is done.

The area of the shrine is magnificent, surrounded by four large walls adorned with blue, yellow, and white stones, each hand placed to form various designs. A clock tower with a golden dome, stands above the main entrance leading to the shrine. The shrine itself is glorious, made completely out of gold, it stands as a towering structure, in front of which one truly feels like they are standing in front of the son of God. On the pillars of the shrine, are designs made in ruby and diamond.

The shrine was first built by the Iranian ruler the Daylamite Fannakhosraw Azod ad Dowleh in 977 over the tomb of Ali. However it was destroyed by a fire, and was later rebuilt by Seljuk Malik Shah I in 1086. Recently it has been newly renovated by Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin Saheb.

On entering the shrine, one witnesses the passion and devotion Maulana Ali has filled believers with. Shiite Muslims worldwide sit in numerous groups, each practicing their own form of prayer and matam (beating the chest in mourning). To see so many sects of Muslims, all gathering at one holy place for the same cause, is truly overwhelming.

To reach the walls of the grave, ironic as it may seem, feels like one has entered into a mini-war zone. Even though the men and the women are separated, one can get crushed in the midst of all the desperation to reach the wall. Whether one visits at 11pm or 4am, the crowd never seems to die down, hence proving the overwhelming power of Ali.

The grave, financed and built by Dr. Syedna Mohammad Burhanuddin Saheb, is magnificent in itself. The jaali of the grave is golden, while the door has words inscribed in diamonds and emeralds. The jaali has grape vines and deers carved into it, as it was said that Maulana Ali was very fond of both. The top of the grave has leaves with Ali written in them, surrounding the entire periphery. The area has a prayer room, with a complete crystal ceiling, where people sit for hours in peace and complete silence.

It is true that the shrine has received its share of battering. In 2004, a car bomb exploded outside the shrine killing a 100 people. The bombings seemed to be the work of Abu Musab al-Zarqawi, a militant from Jordan. It was in the same year that the Mahdi army ceased the area of the shrine and used their base for carrying out attacks against the government, Iraqi police, and the coalition forces. In the latest attack in the year 2006, a suicide bomber was responsible for the death of 45 people outside the shrine.

As a city, Najaf is well developed and progressing. However the charm of the old city, the markets, and the lanes leading to the shrine makes one aware of the history that took place on these very roads centuries ago. One feels a different sort of aura on these roads, which they are sure to keep within them even after they have left.

ZAHRA AMIRUDDIN (3742)

Italy: Tourism and the Environment

Every year there are close to 43.2 million tourists that visit the beautiful country of Italy. Although many might think that that the main attractions in Italy are its various monuments, cuisine and art there is also Italy’s Mediterranean climate that attracts scores of tourists year after year. It goes without saying that a large part of Italy’s Gross Domestic Product comes from tourism; it is a $47.2 billion industry in the country.

Tourism in Italy began with the introduction of the ‘Grand Tour’. The tour included a sort of sight seeing all across Italy’s most famous cities like Naples, Florence, Milan and Sicily. The tour included people from the upper classes like priests, scholar’s academics and other important people, they came to admire Italy’s famous art and monuments and also enjoy the climate. This continued till the 17^th century. In 1840 however rail transport was introduced, this made traveling easy and the masses gained access to cheaper and better travel. That in turn resulted in an increase in tourism across Italy. There were crowds of people from all walks of life that came to Italy every year. Initially the tours would comprise of cultural visits, however the country soon became more popular for its climate and rich bio-diversity. A large number of the tourists that came to visit were from colder countries.

Before the World War II Italy was mostly an agrarian country and however the mass destruction due to the war rendered the land unfavorable for producing crops. Slowly but steadily Italy began its transformation into a more industrial nation. Although industries developed, there were and still are several regions in Italy where agriculture flourishes. However it is still largely dependent on tourism as the main source of income for a large number of people, making it the fifth most visited country worldwide after France, Spain, United States and China.

Along with the boom of tourism post 1840 there has also been a significant effect on various aspects of Italy’s culture, environment and also the economy. The biggest impact however is seen on the environment. Most of the European countries like France, Spain and Italy are regions that are very rich in bio-diversity; this is one of the reasons that make the regions so appealing. People across the globe are drawn towards the beautiful climate and exotic locations. The region of Italy in specific is home to endangered species of animals. People do not realize that tourism is one of the gravest threats to a region so rich and bountiful it’s in natural resources.

As far as the environment goes the shorelines in Italy are one of the most affected areas in the country. There have been mass development projects that have been undertaken in order to boost tourism. A Mediterranean holiday would not be complete without the beautiful beach bungalows overlooking the endless blue seas. To make space for more for these romanticized locations a large part of the coastline has come to be more urbanized. Hotels, vacation homes and other tourist locations have been undertaken. Three-quarters of the sand dunes that were previously found on the coastlines of Sicily have disappeared. Tourism especially along the coastlines has a tremendous impact on the seas. The seas along the coast of Italy are noted to receive close to 10 billion tonnes of industrial and urban waste per year. Most of it never gets cleaned. This in one way or another affects the marine life of the region. Tourism has to an extent also affected culture of Italy; many believe that culture has had both negative and positive impact on Italy. In a positive way it makes the people become more open to different people from across the world and rid their minds of any prior stereotypes. Negatively however the region becomes more cosmopolitan and it affects the local way of life of the people.

Tourism might temporarily be seen as a way for development of the economy but it has severe long term hazards that threaten that very source of increase in the GDP. Over exploitation of natural resources and large sale development and urbanization will sooner or later show adverse ill effects on the environment and further the risk of global warming and other environmental concerns.

Trishann Henriques 

Qawwali and Sufi music in Pakistan

The qawwal is a singer or singing musician (in Arabic, “one who speaks well”) of the Chishti tradition of India and Pakistan. Qawwali is linked with the history of the Chishti Order, which was founded in Chisht, in Khurasan, and brought to the Indian subcontinent in the 12th century. Qawwali, from the Arabic word qual, meaning utterance, are the songs intended to stimulate religious ecstasy and trance. The qawwal voices the spiritual message of Sufism, a mystical extension of Islam.

Qawwali music has been developed from the inversion of Indian ragas: vocals and harmoniums are layered on top of rhythm. The vocals reach their greatest intensity when some of the singers take turns singing while the others are breathing. This creates the illusion that they are singing without taking a breath. The harmoniums too operates in a same way.

Qawwali developed as the major Sufi music genre through the careers of a number of prominent qawwals like Munshi Raziuddin, Baha-ud-din, Santoo Khan, Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan’s father, Fateh Ali Khan and uncle Mubarak Ali Khan, Aziz Mian, Sabri Brothers and Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Qawwali had a healthy steady patronage from the shrines of Sufi saints which have large established followings who shower money on qawwals performing on various auspicious occasions.

One of the famous Sufi singer and often know as the Qawaal star , 'Pakistan's Pavarotti', Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan. Khan said: "When I sing for God, I feel myself in accord with God, and the house of God, Mecca, is right in front of me".

He had taken qawwali training from his father and other family elders of the Jullundhri qawwal family - was endowed with a keen sense of innovative composition and was lucky to be noticed by some of the leading experimental contemporary world musicians like Peter Gabriel who provided him the break that he needed. His musical experiments were frequently criticized by the contemporary purist qawwals who considered use of western instruments and the fusion experiments carried out by Nusrat somewhat blasphemous. His use of certain techniques of western polyphonic composition in his orchestration was also not supported by these quarters. He also brought to Pakistan some of the latest recording equipment and was always busy composing and recording in his studios. His strength also lay in complex use of rhythm, a wide knowledge of traditional range of raagas and a very sound intimate living knowledge of folk music which he used in some of his most well known compositions.

Khan was one of the truly great cross over artists who was able to bridge geographical, religious and cultural divides with his powerful voice and traditions.

Honduras: The Coup of 2009

On June 26, 2009, the Supreme Court of Honduras ordered the military of the country to arrest the then- President, Manuel Zelaya. The military (allegedly aided by the Pentagon) obeyed, and two days later, took the President at gunpoint from his house, put him in a plane and dropped him off on a runway in Costa Rica, in the middle of the night, in his pyjamas.

Zelaya had been growing increasingly unpopular among the people in the prior months, and there had been increasing fears of his trying to capture more power than he had. The Honduran people for years had been battling myriad, interconnected problems such as privatisation of water, transnational mining, powerful drug cartels and a corrupt and brutal police. It has a long history of military and authoritarian rule, which is why the most sacrosanct features of the Honduran Constitution are the Unchangeable Articles, which prohibit, among other things, re-election of the President for a second term. Zelaya had been re-elected in 2005, amidst widespread protests and allegations of a rigged election,

Hence, when in March 2009, Zelaya started talking about putting together a Constituent Assembly with the power to amend the constitution, alarm bells began ringing across the country. Interestingly, Zelaya (called the “egalitarian” President by his admirers) wanted this done democratically. His idea was to take it forward after popular approval, which is why, during the November 2009 elections, an extra ballot box was to be put at every polling centre for the people to vote for/ against the assembly. The ‘cuarta una’ or the ‘fourth box’, however, created a wave of suspicion, opposition and debate in the country. This was mainly because the Constitution was not an extremely rigid one, and had been amended many a times before. The people couldn’t see why Zelaya would want the Constitution more malleable than it was, so close to the general elections, if not to tamper with the re-election clause and come to power yet again. Such was the public reaction against it that a public referendum was decided upon, to be held on June 29, to understand what the people really wanted. On that very day, however, came the “coup”, backed by the Supreme Court, the Attorney General and the national Congress.

The coup took the entire country by surprise. Despite the fact that tensions had been growing, no one had expected the President to be whisked off and abandoned in another country in the middle of the night. Not many were happy about it, either. There was a fear of having turned full circle to yet another military regime after some years of democracy, and public outrage was immediate and immense. Youngsters, teachers, farmers and different factions of society took to the streets, braving severe police and military repression and organising itself gradually into what is today called the Resistance. Frente Nacional de la Resistencia Popular (National Front of Popular Resistance, FNRP) is an organised body of social workers, journalists and other strong voices, working towards regaining democracy in Honduras. It holds the authority to criticise the current regime and put forth its demands before it, and be heard. Its initial demand was the return of Zelaya to the Honduras from Brazil, where he had been given sanctuary.

This call was echoed by the international community, especially by Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and Colombian President Juan Manual Santos. The two were on extremely good terms with Zelaya, and had been special guests at his swearing- in ceremony.

On the other hand, US President Barack Obama’s statements denouncing the coup and demanding Zelaya’s return were taken with a pinch of salt by most parties concerned. There are allegations that the US has been steadily strengthening its military bases at different locations in Honduras since the coup. More importantly, Michael Parenti, in a 2009 article, alleged that most of the military officers involved in the coup had been in trained in the USA, in the Pentagon’s School of the Americas. In Parenti’s words, “The Honduran military is trained, advised, equipped, indoctrinated, and financed by the United States national security state. The generals would never have dared to move without tacit consent from the White House or the Pentagon and CIA.”

Political pressure against the coup grew steadily. Honduras was expelled from the Organisation of American States, an organisation of all the democratic states in North, South and Central Americea. Aid was cut off, not only by the OAS but also by other countries. Interestingly, the USA, which has a law against giving financial aid to governments- by- force, continued aid to the country.

Manuel Zelaya finally returned to Honduras in May 2011, after spending almost two years in exile. By then, power had already exchanged hands, though not drastically. In an election that saw a turnout of 60%, Perifiro Lobo had been chosen the new President of Honduras. Zelaya had opposed the elections vehemently, as had Brazil, Venezuela and many other countries. The USA called it “a significant step”, though “not sufficient”.

Meanwhile, the resistance continues. Under the current rule of the government led by President Perifiro Lobo, the human rights situation is worsening by the day. More and more critical voices, be it journalists, judges, civilians or even policemen, are being stifled. In the capital city of Tegucigalpa, daylight murders of critics of police corruption and the drug cartel have become regular incidences. In May 2010, four lower- court judges who had criticised the 2009 coup were dismissed from office. Honduras retains the title of the crime capital of the world.