Sermons Alone wont work – Babar Sattar talks about the ruling on Karachi Violence

Babar Sattar drills holes into the Supreme Court ruling on the Karachi violence – it is high on rhetoric, light on (relevant) substance. The Karachi suo motu case has affixed responsibility for the violence, death and destruction in the city on the federal and provincial governments, political parties and individuals perpetrating crimes. And while it [...]


Conspiracy theories: Mystery Murder or a blatant Assassination of Dr Imran Farooq

Guest Blog by Barrister Amjad Malik The killing of a Pakistani politician and an ex parliamentarian Dr. Imran Farooq, a former convenor of the MQM on 16 Sept 2010 at a busy area of Mill Hill London. Dr. Farooq, 50, was a leading member of Pakistan’s Muttahida Qaumi Movement party and fled to the UK in [...]


MQM Leader Imran Farooq Assassinated in London

Reports are coming in that Dr. Imran Farooq an MQM leader based in London may have been knifed to death while coming out of his house in London. My personal differences with the MQM aside this is totally not acceptable, I offer my condolences to the MQM supporters and their families on this loss. He [...]


CPLC in the midst of a Political Turf Battle

Two days back the Governor Ishrat ul-Ibad had issued a Press Release recommending the appointing of businessman Mr Ahmed Chinoy, as the new head of Citizens-Police Liaison Committee (CPLC) replacing the outgoing Sharfuddin Memon whose appointment has come to an end. The Governors request was forwarded to the Home Ministry so that the request can [...]


Mesmerization of Pakistani Politics

Guest blog by Agha Haider Raza Politics in Pakistan mesmerize me. Not only does one enjoy the daily dose of rhetoric that is spewed from the mouths of our beloved politicians, but the one track mind of those in and out of government baffles the mind. Politics in Pakistan, much like the political parties themselves [...]


Targeted killings and the Land Mafia in Karachi – Open Letter by SHEHRI

An Open Letter to Rehman Malik by Shehri Mr Rehman Malik has been making rather interesting statements about stopping the “targeted killings” in Karachi. The simple fact is that the land mafia of Karachi is behind a number of these murders and the motive for these assassinations is money. Let us take the case of [...]


Survey – Who is responsible for Bolton Market Tragedy?

Please take part in this survey designed by Omar Javaid – Critic Magazine, to decipher the public perception of the 28th December Bolton Market Bomb blast – Survey Form As of my last response there were about 96 people who had filled in the survey showing an overwhelming majority of 84% respondents thinking that the [...]


MQM’s 3800 Criminal Cases withdrawn under the NRO

The NRO mudslinging competition continues to go on, each party/individual boldly underplaying his/her own association with the controversial bill. What seriously amazes me, is that we still do not have access to the full and complete list of beneficiaries and are at the receiving end of confusing reports where the totals have seemingly fluctuated from [...]


Laidbackshow Episode 6

Show Notes After the jump


The NRO (Dis)Honor Roll

Much has been discussed about the in-famous National Reconciliatory Ordinance where 5,800 crooks were pardoned by the then President Pervaiz Mushrraf as an attempt to broker a deal for his own extended stay as the President of Pakistan. This NRO in effect opened the flood gates to allow thousands of white collar criminals and murderers [...]


Supreme Court overturns Nov 3rd Emergency by Musharraf

In mammoth decision yesterday late evening – the Chief Justice of Pakistan Honorable Iftikhar Mohammed Chaudhry and a bench of 12 Supreme Court Judges passed an order declaring the actions of Nov 3rd 2007 Invalid and unconstitutional. This comes after a struggle of over one year and 270 days since that fateful date in November [...]


Sindh Assembly honors Michael Jackson with a Minute of Silence

As I write this blog post I have been at a loss of words, I was shocked to read at the PKKH website that today [Saturday 27th June] the Sindh Assembly kicked off its session with a minutes silence in honor of Michael Jackson, yes you read that one correct ‘the moonwalking maestro – Jacko’ [...]


War is welcome, IDPs aren’t

Guest Blog by Kazim Aizaz Alam Violence has gripped Karachi once again. People are scared and all markets are closed in major parts of Karachi as I write these lines. The MQM is up in arms against the Pakhtuns as its alleged goondas on Saturday burnt [*] a woman and a girl alive in an [...]


MQM’s Haider Abbas Rizvi challenges with his MNA seat?

Yesterday on ARY in the show ‘Off the Record’ with Kashif Abbasi he interviewed Imran Khan and MQM MNA Mr. Haider Abbas Rizvi.  In the heated debate around the 26th minute of the telecast Haider Abbas Rizvi entangles with Imran Khan challenging him to prove with documentary evidence that the Canadian Courts may have declared [...]


Imran Khan banned from Sindh again for the 4th time

Imran Khan was scheduled to arrive in Karachi today aboard a PIA flight from Lahore – but it seems that the Sindh Government feels that he is unwelcome. Protests by PTI workers are being held on Shahrah-e-Faisal and the members are heading towards Karachi Press Club to show their protests. The question is that why [...]