JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | ECONOMY | DECEMBER 7, 2009 US Retail Analysts Shell-gaming Black Friday Results More Profits Not Sales is the Pulse of the Economy It is quickly becoming evident that US retail analysts have much ado about nothing when it comes to deciphering the recent results of "Black Friday's" sales reports! In fact, one quickly gets the sense that they're shell-gaming the public media while...Read More
DR. BABUR ZAHIRUDDIN | SOCIETY | DECEMBER 7, 2009 Save the Crocodiles of Manghopir Endangered Animals of South Asia In my life time I must have visited Karachi more then 30/40 times for the purpose of leisure, pleasure, work or to attend family functions. Hailing from an orthodox religious family I have always been inspired and attracted to visit Holy places and shrines for personal Nirvana...Read More
ASMA SHAMSHAD | SOCIETY | DECEMBER 6, 2009 The Facts and Myths About Hypnosis "Your wish is my command master.." For years now, movie makers across the globe have been successful in fooling their innocent audience, making them believe one could forcefully hypnotize another and once hypnotized use their subjects to rob banks and commit murders. They have made them believe...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | GOVERNMENT | OCTOBER 27, 2009 Pakistan has Given Reverse Aid to the US Worth $5.1 billion Since 2006 "Military Expense" Incurred by the US or "Military Aid" Much hue and cry has been made out of the Aid US has given to Pakistan over the years. However, all this Aid amounts to pittance when we realize that US has given Pakistan over a period of 60 years only $8.9 billion dollars in economic assistance. This amount is less than even the remittances...Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | ECONOMY |OCTOBER 13, 2009 President Obama's Time Bomb and the US Economic Recession Tough Times for Generation Y As the U.S. President enjoys the lime light of his Nobel Peace Prize a silent tsunami of extreme proportions is slowly headed his country's way. It is "the jobs void of Generation Y" within a high pressure zone of "white collar crime without consequence"..Read More
DR. BABUR ZAHIRUDDIN | ECONOMY | SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 Jewel in the Crown: Reqo Diq Copper and Gold Deposits in the Balochistan Province of Pakistan Sold for a Song On June 14, 2008 there was a well attended demonstration outside the Quetta Press Club.This incident was well reported in the National news papers, but it did not make any headlines nor any ripples were caused in the national way of life of an ordinary Pakistani citizen. This event passed un-noticed...Read More
SHABANA KHILJI | LITERARIA | SEPTEMBER 13, 2009 Yanky Panky Celebrating 4th of July The Indies saw ships come sailing by, sailing by
And life was never the same for them
There Pilgrim Fathers sowed many seeds
Growing sturdy cops and fighting men...Read More
DR. BABUR ZAHIRUDDIN | POLITICS | SEPTEMBER 5, 2009 Why Are the Americans Here in Pakistan's Sphere of Influence Yet Again? American Ego or Hegemony? It was a very cold morning on the 15th of February 1989 that the last Soviet soldier was crossing the bridge at HAIRATAN to TERMEZ on the Soviet side. During the previous weeks thousands of RUSSIAN troops had driven up the SALANG Highway in tanks, trucks and APCs,...Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | ECONOMY | SEPTEMBER 5, 2009 De-coupling from the US Guilt-free in the Current Economic Scenario Clouds of Economic Gloom Hovering Over the US First off, I kindly request that you read my lips; “there will be no economic recovery in the United States for the next 15 years”! Any doubts about this, I suggest you visit The Lost Decade Journal and read the piece “Being like Japan Would Put Things Mildly”...Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | ECONOMY | SEPTEMBER 5, 2009 Decades After Independence, Pakistan's Railways Like India's In Dire Need of Reform Bullet Trains for Pakistan? An effective and robust transport system is a necessity for economic development. The British empire of nineteenth century knew that and to fulfill its enormous logistic requirements it built a strategically designed railways network across the subcontinent. Railroads have proved to be the most ... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | RELIGION | AUGUST 20, 2009 Management Theories from Islam Managing and Leading in Islam The management theories of Islam as espoused and practiced by the pioneers of Islam, might be centuries old but they still hold to this day as some of the best ways of managing and leading.The concept of theory Y managers is demonstrated by the Holy Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) personal...Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | POLITICS | AUGUST 19, 2009 Democrats May Crash and Burn Early Democrats and Their Myopic Economic Policies President Barack Obama, Vice President Biden, their administration and their Party all possess some outstanding qualities, as well as some impressive personnel. The president himself has said that the United States was hit by an economic tsunami that has had far-reaching consequences...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | ECONOMY | AUGUST 12, 2009 Pakistan's Energy Crunch Hits Harder Harnessing the Enormous Power of Nature to Propel Pakistan into the Future Pakistan is facing an acute energy shortage mainly caused by lack of proper planning and vision for the future. Pakistan can become a strong and vibrant economy only if we have a vision for Pakistan as a “fossil fuel-less” country. If we just ponder for a second... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | GOVERNMENT | AUGUST 11, 2009 It's "High Noon" in America The Corporation vs. The People I have found that to compress and format the socio-financial picture in the United States today has been a fleeting task, as if herding eels on dry land. Holding down two jobs simultaneously in a 60 hour week while maintaining five blog pages for free, a Twitter account...Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | GOVERNMENT | AUGUST 10, 2009 The Fox and the Weasel The Essence of Democracy The US was founded by some very brave people who believed in the rights of freedom and “happiness” for all. They did not sign the Declaration to be ruled by the wealthy, corporations, or religious idealists. In fact if one takes the time to sit down and actually read this document...Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | POLITICS | AUGUST 9, 2009 For What Gains? Commentary on Baitullah Mehsud's Demise How to Win the Insurgent War? Another successful strike by US drones leaves another top Taliban commander dead. Systematic elimination of insurgent political leadership is a proven tactic in low intensity combat and this tactic has been used very successfully in previous examples... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | POLITICS | AUGUST 8, 2009 Billion Dollar US Embassy in Islamabad and the Threat to Pakistan's Sovereignty It is Time for the US to Go Home and Leave Pakistan Alone It has been reported that the United States has been involved in creating and supporting secessionist movement in Balochistan along with promoting unrest in northern Pakistan by supporting some Taliban elements in Swat. Many news sources have mentioned that the insurgency... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | GOVERNMENT | AUGUST 7, 2009 America's Hope is Right Under It's Nose Vanishing Prosperity in America While scanning a row of empty retail space downtown, I heard a distant thunder. It was a thundering pair of feet some 60 million strong. A herd of up and coming consumers who’s presence is still not well known, yet who’s shear size is foreboding....Read More
LT COL(R) MUHAMMAD SARWAR | RELIGION | AUGUST 7, 2009 Business Ethics in Islam Islamic Perspective on How to Gain and Spend Capital Business and businessmen have always been held in high esteem in Islam. The Holy Prophet (PBUH) himself led a few business ventures and even travelled to Syria in this connection. He successfully and profitably completed the assignment given to him by the Prophet’s wife...Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | POLITICS | AUGUST 6, 2009 Sarkozy's Nazisque May See its Reckoning Religious Intolerance is Growing in Europe In a swell of shear stupidity, French President Sarkozy is clearly turning out to be the EU’s loosest cannon on deck. And his latest attacks on his domestic Muslim community may very well bring his nation’s economy to its knees...Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | ECONOMY | AUGUST 4, 2009 The Debt Trap: IMF, World Bank and Pakistan Trade Not Aid is the Way to the Future for Pakistan 14th August, a day we celebrate as our independence day is fast approaching amidst ever worsening financial condition and ever growing debt burden. The tradition of taking debt for stimulating growth in our economy was started in early years of Pakistan but these debts... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | POLITICS | AUGUST 3, 2009 Dust in the Air: The Iran Question Iran Deserves to Be Left Alone in Time of Trouble I have something to say to those of you who have asked me why I have not been making any public comments on the current conditions in Tehran. Iran's present day population is 98% Islamic. Though I have Muslim friends and I recognize their beliefs which are "peaceful" and... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | FREE MARKETS | AUGUST 3, 2009 US Recession Brings Unforeseen Changes Big Business Hit Hard by Recession In accessing data from the America’s Research Group’s May 7th press release it reflects that their new survey unearthed no discretionary spending going on in America; a recent fact coming straight from it’s CEO and founder, Britt Beemer. Mr. Beemer stated “people are not even... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | FOOTLOOSE | AUGUST 3, 2009 My Journey to Iowa - Part I The I-35 Expedition My friend from high school had invited me to visit Iowa. He had visited me in Oklahoma while I was studying in the University of Central Oklahoma. My friend had recently transferred to Iowa State University for a bachelor degree in Computer Engineering from Pakistan. My university on interstate I-35 was... Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | ECONOMY | JULY 27, 2009 The IMF Quagmire The IMF Debt Trap The Pakistan has been dependant on foreign aid and loans since decades now and the increasing debt burden never seems to end. This dependence began during Ayub era when Pakistan started its first five years plan with US assistance. Since then taking loans by successive government... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY | JUNE 11, 2009 Sherwood Forest Has Never Been Greener: Rise of the Open Source Movement Netbooks and the New Open Source Movement Converts The Open Source Movement (OSM) has come a long way since the inception of the concept by computer geeks and programmers as an alternative to proprietary software where intellectual property rights are not impugned with the use and free distribution of the software.... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | FREE MARKETS | JUNE 6, 2009 America's Messiah Drops the Ball The American Financial Crisis: Running Out of Solutions It has now become embarrassingly clear that President Barrack Obama, the promising candidate of hope has dropped America’s ball. Having inherited a ravaged landscape of “shock and awe” self destruction, created by a man who was anointed the title, “the worst American president... Read More
JEAN-PAUL CASSONE' | FREE MARKETS | MAY 23, 2009 US Markets Propped in Delirious Toxicity Bursting Financial Bubbles: The Triple Bubble Effect With the Obama administration now showing a complete "do nothing" approach to the oversight crisis in US banking, it appears Goldman Sachs (also known to many as "Le'violette main d'Israe'l") not only has succeeded in gaining a set of personal keys of the US Treasury Department... Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | WAR ON TERROR | MAY 18, 2009 Swat Situation: The Unfolding Crisis Solutions for the Suffering of the Displaced in Swat The serene valley of Swat that was once the hub of tourism industry in Pakistan is now a war zone. The crisis has deepened with the displacement of 1.5 million people who have lost everything they owned and are now refugees in their own country. Many people think that this situation is the... Read More
AMNA BATOOL | GOVERNMENT | APRIL 21, 2009 Influence of Nightmares: Energy and Food Crises '07-'08(Part V) Food for Thought and Thought Drought Pakistan faced one of the biggest food crises in year 2007-8. There was a severe shortage of wheat throughout Pakistan despite the bumper harvest of 23.7 million tons in the previous year. There are several reasons behind this crisisIt truly is mind boggling that a country which .... Read More
ZAHRA BELAL | GOVERNMENT | APRIL 21, 2009 Influence of Nightmares: Judiciary (Part IV) Justice Denied Judiciary, one of the most respectable and vital institutions in a country’s frame work, the supreme authority in its own right but unfortunately one of the most ridiculed, manipulated, polluted and misused in our country, Pakistan. The recent crisis in our judicial system is nothing... Read More
ZAHRA BELAL | GOVERNMENT | APRIL 21, 2009 Influence of Nightmares: War on Terror (Part III) War on Terror or War of Terror? Come 1999 and history repeats itself in Pakistan. Another coup, dismissal of government on charges of corruption and maladministration. Gen Musharraf sets up an interim government ( which lasted for eight years) and repeatedly promised that elections will be held after the crisis... Read More
ZAHRA BELAL | GOVERNMENT | APRIL 21, 2009 Influence of Nightmares: Bhutto-Zia (Part II) Quest for Democracy or Power? After the tragic and disastrous events of early 70’s and the consequent break-up of Pakistan, a very charismatic man, popularly known as Quid-e-Awaam, became the prime minister. This man was Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto won unanimously from the present day Pakistan, which ... Read More
AMNA EJAZ | GOVERNMENT | APRIL 21, 2009 Influence of Nightmares (Part I) Fear Politics Welcome to the New World Order; A world where, as stated by Samuel Huntington, “global politics has become multi-polar and multicivilizational.” It is a world that sees wars not between countries, but on deeper analysis, between civilizations; a world where “countries group ... Read More
MUHAMMAD REHAN ZAFAR | ENERGY | APRIL 11, 2009 Venturing in an Energy Revolution Solar and Wind Energy One of the major concerns for today’s manufacturing and service sector alike is the soaring energy costs and energy uncertainty. Energy sector usually relies on costly multi-billion projects like massive dams, nuclear reactors and fossil fuel generators which is... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | CURRENCIES AND COMMODITIES | MARCH 14, 2009 Currency Anomalies and Commodity Boom Rise and Fall of Currencies Currency markets have had a rough year for the past twelve months where all the major currencies have declined with respect to the US dollar. Chinese Yuan is the only exception amongst major currencies. The reason for the appreciation for the Chinese currency is the strength of its export related... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | BANKING AND FINANCE | FEBRUARY 20, 2009 Islamic Banking and Finance: Historical Perspective and Future Orientation Profiting from Prophetic Teachings Islamic banking and finance had its major beginnings in the year 1975 with the establishment of the Islamic Development Bank. Islamic banking has flourished in various countries since then with Malaysia, Indonesia, UAE, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia being in the forefront. Islamic banking has also... Read More
SAIRA YOUSAF | FREE MARKETS | JANUARY 5, 2009 IMF Loans to Pakistan: History and Current Prospects IMF Loans and Binds IMF loans have been an important source to manage the financial problems of Pakistan such as balance of payment deficits, stabilization of currency, rebuilding international reserves, managing liquidity problems along with enabling the respective countries to meet their short term needs... Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | FREE MARKETS | NOVEMBER 17, 2008 Opportunities for Pakistan in the Global Financial Slump Light at the End of the Tunnel The whole world is undergoing a major financial crisis which has caused the downturn of almost all the developed world economies with job losses, bailouts and financial losses becoming the order of the day. In such unprecedented times of financial trouble the developed world is... Read More
UMER SIDDIQUE | LITERARIA | NOVEMBER 14, 2008 Phantasmagoria House of Illusions His stony gaze beheld his reflection in the crystal clear water that shimmered in the golden rays of the sun. His reflection appeared to be shimmering with it, floating atop the transparent film of water, wobbling with every eddy of the current that disturbed the calm and placid flow of the stream... Read More
SAIRA YOUSAF | GOVERNMENT | NOVEMBER 6, 2008 How to Employ the Pakistani Youth for the Betterment of Governmental Organizations in Pakistan? How to Overcome the Stagnancy of Governmental Organizations in Pakistan? From the time when I heard my father saying that Pakistan is prospering and will definitely be among the best nations in the world, it always used to make me feel proud. And it still does, but what are the factors which are forcing everybody to think so pessimistically that...Read More
UMER SIDDIQUE | LITERARIA | OCTOBER 23, 2008 Metalloid Steel Heart, Steel Body He puffed a thick plume of steamy white smoke out of the rusty, metallic chimney perched at an angle on his head like some burlesque hat. The smoke slowly drifted away with the evening breeze, drawing countless indescribable shapes in the air and writing strange...Read More
AYESHA AKHLAQ | LITERARIA | OCTOBER 18, 2008 SOS Village: Learning Life A Unique Opportunity to Make a Difference The summer break had started. I thought I would go interning with some big company this summer, tried for a couple of companies, got into a good one eventually. But then I was having second thoughts: maybe that wasn't how I wanted to spend this...Read More
UMER SIDDIQUE | FOOTLOOSE | OCTOBER 14, 2008 As I Fade Away... Diary of a Nomad The other day I saw a group of nomads. It was dusk and their hazy forms were silhouetted against the crimson haze that radiated from the horizon. They had just uprooted their camp and were heading towards some unknown destination; some distant land, where...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | FREE MARKETS | OCTOBER 10, 2008 Pakistan's Market Policy "No" to Floor Removal from KSE Pakistan’s main index, the Karachi Stock Market (KSE) has witnessed a dramatic fall in market capitalization during the year 2008; falling from a high of approx 16,000 points in April in a steep fall to 9,000 points in a span of a few months. Resultantly, the Karachi Stock Exchange (KSE)...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | SEPTEMBER 22, 2008 Commies in Washington? End of Free Markets When Pakistan’s central bank blocked foreign currency accounts to control the flight of capital to foreign banks in the aftermath of nuclear tests that it conducted, it was considered as interventionist and the measures were considered anti-economy and opposed to what free markets were all about. A similar thing...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | SEPTEMBER 12, 2008 Pakistan's New Strategy Curtailing supplies as a mean of deterrence. In the light of the worsening situation at Pakistan's tribal areas and the repeated violation of the international border of Pakistan by the US, it is imperative that Pakistan evolve a strategy that would stop the gung-ho American crusader cowboys at their tracks. American policy of attacking Pakistan's...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | ENERGY | JULY 14, 2008 Pakistan's Energy Crunch How to work through Pakistan's high energy demands? Cheap and reliable sources of energy are the driving force for any economy. In the current climate of the world where the limited supply of fossil fuels and the high energy demands is already causing havoc to the world economy, it is about time we thought of alternative sources of energy...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | APRIL 29, 2008 Pakistan: A Case for Small Government Who will monitor the monitors? “Who will monitor the monitors?”, a famous quote from the movie “Enemy of the State" starring Will Smith fits well with the case for small governments all around the world. Pakistan’s way of dealing with its problems of ensuring quality is the same. Create one authority after another...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | GLOBALIZATION | APRIL 27, 2008 China, the World's Factory: From a Producer to a Consumer Economy When a sale is not good enough. They say that making a thing is easy, but selling it is the more difficult part. China not only makes products for the entire world but sells it too. It is no surprise that China’s economy has been growing with a double digit growth rate for the past twenty years...Read More
SAAD SARWAR MUHAMMAD | ECONOMY | APRIL 26, 2008 Pakistan's Currency's Downward Spiral How to save the spiraling rupee? Pakistani rupee has been spiralling downwards against the dollar in the past few weeks touching Rs. 65 to a dollar. This at a time when most currencies in the world, including those of the developing countries are showing a rise in value to the dollar. Some of this decline...Read More
