DAWN Archive: Micro-finance in Pakistan

A Micro-Credit Success Story
By Zofeen T. Ibrahim

When Shamim Akhtar’s 20-year-old daughter developed an acute case of ulcers, last year, and had to be hospitalised, she had little choice but to approach a neighbourhood moneylender and borrow Rs20,000. Her husband was unemployed at that time.

At 200 percent interest rate, it meant that she had to pay Rs.2,000 to the moneylender every month. In 18 months she had paid Rs36,000 as interest, but the principal amount she owed the moneylender remained unchanged.

DAWN Archive: Saudi-Pakistan Relations

A Historical Perspective of Saudi-Pak Relations
By Anon.

The year 1940 heralded the commitment of the Royal Kingdom of Saudi Arabia for creation of a separate homeland for the Muslims of the sub-continent. The historic visit of the then Crown Prince H.H. Saud Ibn Abdul Aziz to Karachi served as a landmark for a brotherly overture towards the political cause of the Muslim League leadership. This Saudi delegation comprised of important luminaries including H.H. King Faisal, H.H. Saad, H.H. King Fahd, H.H. Mansoor and H.H. King Abdullah. This diplomatic initiative lent a new life to the struggle of Muslim League through the Saudi's moral and humanitarian support. The Saudi humanitarian assistance of GBP10,000 in 1943 on the request of Mr. Jinnah to H.E. King Abdul Aziz set the stage for formal and brotherly relations between the Kingdom and the would-be Islamic Republic of Pakistan.

DAWN Archive: US fear of China

China security concern: US
By Tahir Mirza

WASHINGTON. June 2: Two senior US foreign policy and defence officials are reported to have told a visiting delegation of Japan’s ruling coalition parties on Friday that Washington views China as the biggest security concern for the United States in Asia and urged Japan to work closely on security issues.

According to the Japanese Kyodo news agency, Taku Yamasaki, secretary-general of Japan’s Liberal Democratic Party (LDP), said US Deputy Secretary of Defence Paul Wolfowitz and Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage outlined the US concern in separate meetings with the three secretaries-general of the ruling Japanese coalition.

The three have been in Washington since Wednesday for talks with senior Bush administration officials.

DAWN Archive: Goodbye Shahzadi (Book Review)

BB's Cordon Bleu
By Anjum Niaz

Journalist Shyam Bhatia's entitlement to being in Benazir Bhutto's cordon bleu is hotly disputed. (The word originated from the sky-blue ribbon worn as a badge by knights of the highest order of the French knighthood under the Bourbons.)

In BB's case, the only people entitled to such a distinction are her hardcore circle of Oxford friends. I called up one of them in London to comment. Victoria Schofield succeeded BB as the President of the Oxford Union in 1977. Their friendship spans a period of 33 years. Up at Oxford I don't remember meeting Shyam nor did Benazir ever mention him as a close friend," she said.

Bashir Riaz, better known as 'Bash' by BB and all who know him is another angry man today. "Bhatia would never dare call BB 'Shahzadi'or 'Pinkie' nor did she give him open access as he claims. Bhatia used to pester me to arrange a meeting with BB. He would call me several times a day. If he was so close to her as he wants the reader to believe, why did he always have to go through me?"

DAWN Archive: Gita Simoes (Obituary)

Courtesy: Daily DAWN Newspaper

Shamshad Junejo (1927-2012) - The Story of My Grandfather

At London Bridge; July 1998.

My maternal grandfather (referred to as 'Nana' in South Asian languages) Shamshad Ahmed Junejo, Advocate, Sindh High Court, passed away on March 26 this year. Nana was survived by his three sons and two daughters, the youngest of whom is my mother. Both his wives died when he was still alive. His first wife, Begum Munawar Shamshad Junejo, died in 1968 when my mother was just three years old.

Since a very young age, I had learned that my Nana had lived a very interesting life. I always sought to have a more detailed conversation with him that I could commit to paper and later flesh out as a book. But my academic difficulties were a major obstacle in that objective among many others. Therefore, I shall now put down here all that I can remember about my Nana and his life that I learnt from him. All else is sadly lost to us now forever!

These rememberances have been reproduced chronologically.

A NEW YEAR. A NEW DECADE. A RENEWED HOPE.

 I began this blog in the latter half of the year 2010 hoping to post something different in my first attempt. However, academic obligations and the complexity of beginning this platform have moved this first post into the early hours of the year 2011 and a new decade of the 21st century. Therefore, I thought it appropriate to begin this blog with a message and prayer for hope and change.