Peace Watch » Archive
Of Spin-doctors, Machiavellians and Kashmir
By Z. G. Muhammad Spin-doctors have a field day in Kashmir. Summer 2013, belongs to them. The phrase, first used by New York Times in its editorial is now part of global political jargon. According to New York Times columnist, William Safari ‘spin’ is ‘deliberate shading of news perception.’ Moreover, for decades the spin-doctors have been playing the role of ‘putting slants on information when it is presented to public or in press.’ The spin-doctors have been there through out history, as someone has rightly said the first spin-doctor was the Serpent in the Bible for convincing Adam and Eve that Apples were next big thing. In modern political lexicon, they are called PR pundits but their role in many situations is to put an ‘optimistic face’ in worsening situation. The spin-doctors coin … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Duping us Is easier- What brings them here?
By Z. G. Muhammad After three summers of dissent, Kashmir had three peaceful summers. Summer of 2013 is third in the row. For having ensured peace continuously for three years, men in authority have been patting their backs- perhaps they have been rightly doing so. In the recent history, having three peaceful summers in a chain is almost making a history of sorts. For stifling major voice of dissent, denying space to leaders of stature many … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
Nawaz Sharif’s Kashmir Policy?
Z.G. MUHAMMAD Democracy has started striking strong roots in Pakistan. The massive turnout of voters during the election and smooth transition of power testified it. How this massive mandate helps in putting the country back on the track and restoring its image as a key global player will depend upon commitment of the PML (N) leadership to their country and its ideology. On Wednesday, Nawaz Sharif started his third innings as Prime Minister of Pakistan- the earlier … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take
In Defence of M.A. Jinnah
Mountbatten, Jinnah and Nehru M. YUSUF BUCH To hold Jinnah “solely responsible” for the Kashmir dispute is, of course, sheer calumny but sentiment and ethics apart, it is also a breathtakingly grotesque contention. From the whole tangle of personalities, Indian, Pakistani or Kashmiri involved in the origination and hardening of the dispute either by commission or by omission, it foists blame on the one whose role was least indictable, indeed most honorable and based on perspicuous judgment. … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured, Perspectives
Who Are They To Tell You This
Books And ‘National Narratives’ Z.G. MUHAMMAD Four new books, published from Srinagar during May vied for space in my small work place. Out of them, two have been written inside the Central Jail, Srinagar by two prisoners Dr. Muhammad Shafi Khan Shariati and Dr. Muhammad Qasim. Both convicted for life. Ess Ahmed Pirzada and Shabnam Qayoom have authored the other two. The book by Dr. Muhammad Shafi Khan Shariati is an Urdu translation of controversial book ‘The Clash of Civilization and the Remaking of World Order’ by Samuel P Huntington. Translated into almost every important language in the world the book has been for past two decades at the centre of discussion in academia, passageways of power in the West and the Muslim World. Seen as gospel for Muslim bashing the adversaries of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take, Kashmir-Talk
Dr. Abdul Ahad Remembers Shameem Ahmed Shameem
REMINISCING SHAMIM AHMAD SHAMIM By Dr. Abdul Ahad Reminiscing Shamim Ahmad Shamim takes me deep down into the dark recesses of my unconscious and stimulates the bottomless alleys of my thought to have vivid recollections of the immensely pleasing native tang and aroma Kashmir was then distinctly known for throughout the world. Bringing back yesteryears scenes with both their thrill and languor, it jogs my memory of long-gone college days which, I confess, were too riotous to be … Read entire article »
Filed under: Featured
Why I Rebutted Noorani?
Z.G. Muhammad Sitting in the backroom of a shop on the fashionable Residency Road, a “friend” of A.G. Noorani, complained that I and few other columnists were not ‘just and fair’ to author of book, ‘The Kashmir Dispute-1947-2012’. Taking an exception to my column in response to the speech of the octogenarian lawyer and writer at the inaugural function of the Silver Jubilee celebrations of the Greater Kashmir he was of the view that instead of … Read entire article »
Filed under: Editor's Take