Pakistani Actor “Lives Long and Prospers” in Star Trek

In Hollywood, actors of Middle Eastern or South Asian descent are often typecast as the villains, particularly with the recent onslaught of films and television shows centering on terrorism. What is refreshing therefore, is the casting of Pakistani actor Faran Tahir as Captain Robau in the recent box office hit Star Trek. Tahir has a [...]

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U.S. Seeks to “Super-Size” Pakistan Embassy

A friend passed on an interesting story from McClatchy News today. U.S. officials told the news agency Wednesday, “The U.S. is embarking on a $1 billion crash program to expand its diplomatic presence in Pakistan and neighboring Afghanistan, another sign that the Obama administration is making a costly, long-term commitment to war-torn South Asia.” The [...]

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Lahore’s Bombing: Demystifying the Taliban

On Wednesday, at least 23 people were killed and nearly 300 were injured in a suicide bombing in Lahore. According to the NY Times, the attack was “a failed attempt to strike at the nearby provincial headquarters of Pakistan’s powerful intelligence agency.” Dawn reported: The incident took place at a heavily guarded entry point to [...]

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Politicizing a Humanitarian Issue

According to UNHCR, the number of displaced people formally registered by local authorities since May 2 following the military’s offensive in Lower Dir, Buner, and Swat, has surpassed 1.7 million.  About 200,000 of this number are in camps, while the rest are staying with their families and friends or in schools and other communal buildings. [...]

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Lashkars Fight Against Taliban Expansion

On Friday, Dawn reported that tribesmen near Swat Valley are forming militias, or lashkars, to prevent the Taliban from expanding their influence in the region. Maj. Gen. Sajjad Ghani, who is leading the offensive in the upper part of Swat valley, told the news agency, “They are resolutely defending against the advance of the Taliban. [...]

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Text Your Donations for Pakistan’s Displaced

Today, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton announced the U.S. will provide $100 million in emergency humanitarian assistance to the growing number of Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) in Pakistan. Clinton, in the White House press briefing Tuesday, told reporters, “We face a common threat, a common challenge, and now a common task. We have seen an [...]

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Mushy Visits Fareed Zakaria

If you didn’t get a chance to watch Sunday’s interview with former President Pervez Musharraf on Fareez Zakaria’s GPS, here is the transcript from the show, and below, is the first third of the segment. Musharraf, in the above clip, addressed the constant criticism of Pakistan. He ultimately defended the military and the ISI, noting, [...]

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The Realities of Pakistan’s Displaced – An Interview with Abdul Basit, HRF

As the military offensive in Pakistan continues, an increasing number of people from the country’s northwest are left displaced, a topic I have consistently covered on this blog, [see this past CHUP post]. According to the BBC News last Friday, “The total number of people internally displaced within Pakistan over the past 12 months has [...]

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Pakistan’s Nuclear Security: There is No Red Button – Heather Williams

In the United States, talk of the rise of militancy in Pakistan has become synonymous with fears that the country’s nuclear arsenal will fall into the wrong hands. Recent articles and books, particularly from the NY Times, have further probed this topic, leading many to question just how much control Pakistan has over its nuclear [...]

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Mission Impossible – Highlighting the Issue of Drug-Resistant TB

The NY Times’ Adam Ellick, who brought you the widely circulated Pakistan sex toy story, “Cracking the Whip”, reported on the presence of drug-resistant Tuberculosis in Karachi. The piece is both informative and telling of how cultural barriers can act as an impediment to tackling disease. The rise of drug-resistant TB has become a serious [...]

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