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Audio
Reassertion of Judicial Independence?
Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi discuss the the deadly cyclone Yamyin on Pakistan's southern coast, which killed over 200 people and left tens of thousands homeless, and its handling by the government. Also: Is the judicial movement in Pakistan already showing its impact, and is the judiciary asserting its independence by questioning the conviction of a civilian by a military court in Pakistan? Ethan Casey wonders aloud how the lawyers' movement and the movement by the hardliner clerics of the Lal Masjid in Islamabad compare, and which has more popular support?
Desparate Times for Musharraf?
Are these desperate times for Musharraf? What is behind the promulgation of the draconian new PEMRA ordinance attempting to gag the media? Will the crisis that began in Islamabad on March 9, and that reached a tragic crescendo in Karachi on May 12, find a resolution in London, where Imran Khan is bringing charges of terrorism against MQM chief Altaf Hussain? How do expat Pakistanis in the US respond to these events? The Pak|Cast team brings the passion of the Pakistani diaspora and the diversity of its views to the table, carrying forward a conversation begun in email by Beena Sarwar, Nasir Aziz, Danial Noorani and others.
The Role of the MQM
Pak|Cast¹s coverage of the judicial crisis in Pakistan, and the ensuing carnage in Karachi, prompted passionate responses from listeners. Keeping with our custom, Pak|Cast opened up the debate to welcome all views. Listen to a lively discussion between Shahab Ahmed, representing an MQM supporter’s view of the Karachi bloodshed, with Pak|Cast panel. The discussions touch on important points about ethnic politics in Karachi and the MQM¹s role in Karachi and Pakistani politics over the last 20 years. Has the MQM promoted the cause of the Muhajir community in Karachi, or did it hurt their cause? Is Karachi better off after 20 years of MQM leadership? What roles did the MQM and opposition parties play in the May 12 political violence?
The Streets of Karachi
May 12, 2007, the day over 40 innocent citizens of Karachi lost their lives to political violence, is a date that will live in infamy. In a lively and heated discussion released ahead of Pak|Cast's regular weekly schedule, Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi debate what happened in Karachi that day and who is responsible for it, and read emails from listeners in Karachi and elsewhere. Who was the instigator, and who were the victims? What roles did the MQM, Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, and President Pervez Musharraf play? What were the real reasons behind it? What turn will the judicial crisis take after May 12? Is this the beginning of the end for Musharraf?
Media and Pakistani Society
Asad Faizi updates the judicial crisis; Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi respond to questions from master's candidate Naveed Malik at Harvard University's Kennedy School of Government, on the role of the media in Pakistan and particularly the "what-if" of how the current situation might have played out differently; Professor Saadia Toor of the City University of New York raises questions about NGOs and the World Bank that are pertinent in Pakistan and worldwide.
Siddharth Varadarajan on PakCast
Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Keith Snodgrass interview Siddharth Varadarajan, Deputy Editor of the Indian national newspaper The Hindu and editor of the book Gujarat: The Making of a Tragedy. The lively 30-minute conversation, which took place March 9, 2007, addresses contemporary geopolitical issues ranging from Iran to China to Kashmir, to India's growing role in the world.
The Necessity of Law
Following the judicial crisin in Pakistan, Pak|Cast convened a roundtable of Seattle-based Pakistanis, representing a range of views as diverse as Pakistani society itself. The roundtable participants were Terry Minhas, Sam Chughtai, and Shahab Ahmed. Terry Minhas called the current crisis a turning point in Pakistani history and the beginning of the end of President Musharraf's rule; Sam Chughtai asserted his hope that Musharraf will remain in power another 10 years.
American Assumptions, Pakistani Realities
Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi discuss a challenge in the Supreme Court to MMA MNAs' educational qualifications, the US military's attempts to recruit Muslim soldiers, President Musharraf's annoyance at US claims that Pakistan is doing too little about a Taliban resurgence, and flak Jimmy Carter is catching for using the word "apartheid" in his new book about Palestine. In a new "Readings" feature, Ethan Casey recommends a forthrightly critical article critiquing US smugness by the venerable American political columnist William Pfaff.
The General and the Law
A discussion by Nausherwan Lahori, Khalid R Hasan and Haroon Rashid, as well as an extended comment from Islamabad-based law lecturer Ghazala Minallah, whose father, Safdar Shah, went into exile after refusing to vote with the Supreme Court majority that sentenced Z.A. Bhutto to hang. "Today I am reminded of that black period in our judicial history," she says. "Once again our Constitution has been abused and so has our judiciary, and we as a nation are at a cross-roads just as our judiciary is.". For more Pakcast discussions, click here.
Burma, Bangladesh and the Karachi Connection
Nasir Aziz, Therese Caouette and Ethan Casey travel to IslandWood (http://www.islandwood.org/) on Bainbridge Island near Seattle to interview Edith Mirante, human rights advocate and author of the travel books Burmese Looking Glass and Down the Rat Hole. The conversation ranges from the plight of Rohingya Muslim refugees from Burma in Bangladesh and as far afield as Karachi, to the political crisis in Bangladesh, to the role of Burma's huge army, which has ruled the country since 1962. For more Pakcast discussions, click here.
President for Life?
Keith Snodgrass of the University of Washington's Jackson School of International Studies joins Nasir Aziz, Ethan Casey and Asad Faizi to discuss a possible new five-year term for President Musharraf and other issues facing Pakistan in 2007. For more Pakcast discussions, click here.
Pakcast: Afghan Refugees in Pakistan and Refugee Problems...
The Pakcast crew of Nasir Aziz and Ethan Casey join Human rights advocate Therese Caouette, who has worked with refugees in Thailand and Pakistan, for a lively discussion of refugee issues, including their impact on host societies. Ambreen Ali contributes a podlumn on Domestic Violence in South Asian Communities. For more Pakcast discussions, click here.
Extreme Weather Patterns Doubled in Central India
A team from Center for Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences and the Indian Institute of Tropical Metrology has analyzed data from five decades in Central India to point out that the number of extreme weather incidences has almost doubled in the country and that policy makers need to understand this to make plans for rescue and rehabilitation to minimize losses to life and property.
Lahore Youth Hold Peace Event
Maryam, a Pakistani student at Boston University, talks to us about a youth event in Lahore earlier this year and her experiences in helping organize the event. This audio interview is part of an evolving effort of Radio South Asia.
Who is Terrorizing the Balochis?
The SouthAsian spoke with Hasil Bizenjo, a leader of the Balochistan Nationalist Movement, on the situation in Balochistan, the events leading to the murder of Nawab Bugti by the Pakistani government and the lack of international solidarity.
Why are Political Activists Disappearing in Pakistan?
While the Pakistani President talks about peace and end of terrorism, Pakistani journalist Aslam Khwaja talks about the disappearance of peace activist Asif Baladi - allegedly by government agencies - and of hundreds of other political activists in Sindh and Balochistan.
Why Are Varanasi Weavers Committing Suicide?
The SouthAsian spoke with Ashoka Fellow Lenin Raghuvanshi about the problem and he speaks at length about the effect of WTO and the collapse of the weaving and handloom industry, the feudal system of contracting labor, of their efforts to build a democratic capitalist model and of preventing communalization. You can listen to the interview here.
On the Right to Water Campaign
In an interview with Nandlal on the first day of the Jal Adhikar (Right to Water) Yatra, we learn about the goals of the yatra, the importance to right to water and evidence of Coke's role in the rapidly dropping water levels in Mehdiganj. |
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