Top CHUP Articles

Although this blog is equipped with archives, filing over a year’s worth of articles on various topics related to Pakistan, I thought it important to highlight the posts that have garnered the most responses, received the most viewership, and that I feel are the most significant:

• Hey Sista, Go Sista, Flow Sista – A post on Maria Toor, Pakistan’s top female squash player [February 2010]
• The India-Afghanistan-Pakistan Conundrum – A contribution by Tariq Tufail on the regional chess game between India and Pakistan that is playing out in Afghanistan [February 2010]
• Violence in Karachi 101 – A backgrounder on the upsurge of violence in Karachi, specifically in Lyari [January 2010]
• Visiting Dhaka’s 1971 Liberation War Museum – The first post in a series on the 1971 War, an opportunity to explore and research my own heritage [January 2010]
• Say Hello to My Rubber Glove – A piece discussing the new airport security guidelines following the pantybomber episode [January 2010]
• The Blasted Culture of Scapegoating – An impassioned post on our leaders’ frustrating apportioning blame on everyone but themselves [December 2009]
• The Root of Our Ills – A very opinionated but well-written contribution by Tariq on Pakistan’s military [December 2009]
• Should Pakistan Rock Out Against the Taliban? A post on Adam Ellick’s NYT video that garnered much discussion [November 2009]
• Fashion Week Anything but “Under the Taliban’s Shadow” – An excellent contribution by Saba Imtiaz about Pakistan Fashion Week [November 2009]
• Clint(on)’s Visit: The Good, the Bad, the Ugly – A post detailing Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s visit to Pakistan, which was later cited by the Economist [October 2009]
• South Waziristan Offensive 101 – A backgrounder on FAQs about the current military operation in South Waziristan, and what you need to know [October 2009]
• KLB or Bust – This post delves into the controversy surrounding the Kerry-Lugar Bill in Pakistan [October 2009]
• Wading in the Back Channels of Diplomacy – A piece on Indo-Pak backchannel dipolomacy; delving into past efforts and the opportunity for continued efforts today [September 2009]
• Investing in Law & Order – An interview with Qasim Tareen, a young Pakistani who recently left the journalism field to take the civil service exam to become a police officer [September 2009]
• A Lollywood FAIL Moment – Commenting on the oh-so-ridiculous Meera (of Lollywood fame) controversy [September 2009]
• Commenting on the Gojra Burning – Coverage of the incident in Gojra, where an angry mob killed 7 Christians and set fire to 50 houses [August 2009]
• The India-Pakistan Border Ceremony – A piece on the Wagah border ceremony that generated many hits [August 2009]
• Pakistan’s Flirtation with Cyber Crime – Delving into Pakistan’s controversial cyber crime bill [July 2009]
• Predator Drones: The Best Worst Option? – Analyzing the U.S. policy of drone strikes in Pakistan, a piece republished in The Huffington Post [July 2009]
• We are the T20 Champions! – Fantastic contribution by Shaheryar Mirza on Pakistan’s win the Twenty20 World Cup match [June 2009]
• Analyzing the Assassination of Beitullah Mehsud’s Rival – Delving into the implications of supporting Mehsud’s rivals [June 2009]
• Obama Speaks to the Muslim World – Coverage and analysis of Obama’s speech in Cairo [June 2009]
• There is No Red Button – A brilliant contribution by Heather on Pakistan’s nuclear security and what we don’t have to worry about [May 2009]
• The Issue of Radio Jamming – Assessing the counterinsurgency strategy of radio jamming FM stations in Swat Valley [May 2009]
• The Status of Pakistan’s IDPs – My first of many posts covering the status of the Internally Displaced Persons in the country and burgeoning humanitarian crisis [May 2009]
• Pakistan’s Silver Lining – Frustrated with the daily onslaught of negative developments in Pakistan, this post focuses on the positive news, i.e. the silver lining [April 2009]
• Cell Phone Video of Taliban Flogging – This development set off concern around the world about what Sharia law really means in Swat Valley [April 2009]
• Everyone Poops – An interesting cartoon done by the World Bank’s Water & Sanitation program [March 2009]
• Kashf : The Lifting of the Veil – Interview with Ayesha Khan – Interview with filmmaker Ayesha Khan on her fantastic movie, Kashf an English-language feature film that focuses on Sufism in Pakistan [March 2009]
• PM Gilani: CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry Restored March 21 – My analysis after Pakistan’s Long March concluded. I was really involved with the live chat and twittering of the days’ events, so this post was a bit cathartic for me to write [March 2009]
• Pakistan: Another Cambodia? – Delving into the media’s comparison of Pakistan and Cambodia in the Vietnam War scenario [February 2009]
• The Human Cost of Conflict – An article that discusses the status of the people impacted by the conflict in FATA and specifically in Swat [February 2009]
• An Expeditionist’s Perspective on Pakistan – Probably one of my favorite interviews, with Roland Stevenson of RiverIndia, who led a team on an expedition down the Indus River in Pakistan [February 2009]
• Obama Addresses the Muslim World – Interesting discussion thread on the post about President Obama’s first public interview – with Al-Arabiya Television [January 2009]
• Visiting Pakistan’s Adiala Jail – A spotlight on Women Aid Trust, an NGO that provides legal aid and rehabilitative services for women and juveniles in six Pakistani prisons [January 2009]
• Mumbai Attacks: Ramifications for Pakistan – A post written after the November 26th attacks in Mumbai, which is significant more for the discussion thread than my commentary [November 2008]
• An Interview with Shuja Nawaz – A conversation with the author of Crossed Swords on the military’s counterterrorism strategy and civil-military relations [November 2008]
• Mustafa Kamal: The World’s Second Best Mayor? – A fantastic piece written by CHUP contributor/correspondent Jackie on the controversy surrounding Karachi’s Mustafa Kamal’s alleged award of being the world’s second best mayor [November 2008]
• Responding to the Balochistan Earthquake – My response to the earthquake that struck Balochistan province [October 2008]
• The Indus Water Dispute – A great contribution by Syed Zain ul-Arifeen Shah that breaks down the issues surrounding the Indus Water Treaty and the subsequent conflict that has ensued between India and Pakistan [October 2008]
• Recalling the Marriott Hotel Bombing – A compilation of four interviews with people describing their reactions to the Marriott Hotel bombing in Islamabad [September 2008]
• Making Ourselves Accountable – An excellent contribution by Shaheryar Mirza on the Marriott Hotel bombing [September 2008]
• Zardari Tells Palin She’s “Gorgeous” – Piece written after President Zardari told then-VP candidate Sarah Palin that she was gorgeous – garnered a lot of responses [September 2008]
• Dr. Afia Siddiqui Extradited to U.S. Court – Post that discusses the Dr. Afia Siddiqui case with links to recent developments [August 2008]
• Zardari the Godfather? – An analysis comparing Asif Ali Zardari [before he was president] to Marlon Brando’s character in The Godfather, Vito Corleone [June 2008]
• Insight into the Problems Facing Pakistan’s Textile Industry – An excellent contribution by Abida Mukhtar [April 2008]