FEAST OR FAMINE

This evening – December 10, 2011 – is still, calm, and cloudless, perfect for viewing the total eclipse of the moon.  The photographs were taken at 19:00 from the roof top of the Serena Hotel in Islamabad, Pakistan – 1:00 am on Sunday morning in Sydney, Australia.

The theme of the 2011 International Human Rights Day, observed annually on December 10, is: Celebrate Human Rights. It marks the anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (1950) against abuse and violations of human values. Human rights defenders, individually or in organizations, anonymous or celebrated, work within their communities, across their countries, or globally to end discrimination by campaigning for equitable and effective laws, reporting, and investigations into human rights violations – and to support victims of violations. They demand accountability for perpetrators and transparency in government action. The Government of Pakistan has a Ministry of Human Rights. Its vision is: “In order to fulfil the dream of Shaheed Mohtama Benazir Bhutto, the Ministry of Human Rights is committed to creating a society where democracy would be the tradition, peace would be the culture, and protection of human rights would always be the top priority.” The Mi...

A total lunar eclipse takes place on the evening of Saturday, December 10, when the Moon's orbital trajectory takes it through the southern half of Earth's umbral shadow. Although the eclipse is not central, the total phase still lasts 51 minutes. The Moon will pass through Earth's shadow. The timings of the major eclipse phases are listed below. Penumbral Eclipse Begins: 11:33:32 UT Partial Eclipse Begins: 12:45:42 UT Total Eclipse Begins: 14:06:16 UT Greatest Eclipse: 14:31:49 UT Total Eclipse Ends: 14:57:24 UT Partial Eclipse Ends: 16:17:58 UT Penumbral Eclipse Ends: 17:30:00 UT • Penumbral eclipse begins – The outer, light penumbral shadow begins to cover the moon. This phase of the eclipse is subtle. Some people say they can’t tell it’s happening, even while looking right at it. It looks like a dusky shading moving across the moon’s face. For the next hour or two, gradually more and more of the moon will be in shadow. • Partial eclipse begins – The...

The Dawn newspaper in Islamabad reports (December 5) on the engineering marvel of the new Neelum-Jhelum hydropower project in Muzaffarabad, Pakistan-administered Kashmir. When completed it will not only provide 969 megawatts (MW) of cheap electricity to the national grid, but also secure Pakistan’s water rights over the Neelum River, currently under threat from India’s “water aggression.” Of the combined 55 kilometre length of the tunnel, about 18 km is now completed, including eight smaller tunnels. Four kilometres of the 32 km main tunnel, which is to divert Neelum river water from Nauseri to Chatter Kalas, has been completed. The Neelum River has already been diverted through a smaller 500-metre diversion tunnel to dry out the riverbed for construction of a 786-foot dam in progress. The report states that with 30% of the hydropower project completed, it has already begun to change the landscape of Azad Kashmir. The small village of Nauseri in the Neelum Valley no...

On the slopes of Margalla Hills in Islamabad is the ancient Said Pur Village, known as the potters’ village. Reputed to be 400 or 500 years old, the Capital Development Authority developed the village into a tourist attraction (a model village) in 1967 with restaurants, cafes, and art galleries in order to attract people to the historic buildings and promote the local artisans. Before entering the gates to the village (with a population of about 2,000) is the goat market where hundreds of goats are sold. The grand mud archway invites tourists into the village of stone paved paths and low brick walls. Said Khan, one of the sons of Sultan Sarang, the Gakhar chief of the Pothohar region during the reign of the Mughal Emperor presented the village to his daughter. In about 1580 Mughal commander, Raja Man Singh, converted it into a place of Hindu worship with temples and gardens around the natural streams. It includes terraced walls and small ponds. Hence the architecture reflects his...

Pakistan’s Daily Times Monitor reports five unusual predictors of good health in men – and their potential to live longer. Knowing the predictors could result in men attending health clinics earlier, and more often, for regular check-ups. (1) Finger length – Researchers at the Institute for Cancer Research in London found that men older than 60 years of age with an index finger longer than their ring finger were 33% less likely on average to develop prostate cancer. Younger men with longer index fingers fared even better, with an 87% average reduction in risk. (2) Birth order – Several studies, including one by the Institute for Cancer Research in London, while not definitive, indicate that first-born boys are exposed to higher levels of estrogen at birth, increasing their risk of testicular cancer later in life. Older siblings also seem to have a greater risk of developing childhood leukemia. (3) Grip strength – According to a 25-year study, grip strength was the best p...

A colleague and I decided to walk up one of the nature hiking tracks in the nearby Margalla Hills, the backdrop to the picturesque Islamabad. We were advised to head for Track #5, about 5 km long, less popular than Track #3 and reputedly more beautiful. So we took the road less travelled. The Margalla Hills is a range at the base of the Himalayas in Islamabad, Pakistan, believed to be 40 million years old. The elevation is 685 metres at the western end and 1,604 metres at the eastern end. The vegetation comprises deciduous and evergreen trees, such as pines, eucalyptus, mulberry and oaks, with a range of shrubs. It is particularly green and lush at this time of year. Wildlife includes Rhesus monkeys, jackals, birds (such as eagles, hawks, crows, and sparrows), snakes, wild boars, porcupines and mongoose. We were warned about the aggressive monkeys that have increased in number over the years, and their habit of expecting food from hikers or rummaging through the litter bins. ...

Destination Peace – “aman ki asha” is a commitment by the Jang Group of Newspapers, Geo, and The Times of India Group to create an environment that brings the people of Pakistan and India closer together, contributing to genuine and durable peace with honour between the two countries. The News, Islamabad, on Wednesday November 30, 2011, published a full one-page promoting the “aman ki asha” initiative. It reported on the visit of the Mumbai Press Club (from India) to the Karachi Press Club in Pakistan and a delegation of Pakistani youth visiting Mumbai for a seminar on “Breaking down barriers to cross-border dialogue.” The Pakistani university student delegation to Mumbai – women from Lahore and Islamabad – organized by Mumbai University’s sociology department focused on discussions about youth in Pakistan and India speaking against violent extremism. The delegation is from Sisters against Violent Extremism (SAVE), an organization for terror victims, especially women, who h...

The Dawn newspaper in Islamabad reports that around half a million new names will be added to the Pakistan Election Commission voter list. The Election Commission has acknowledged the dual voting rights of Kashmiris living in Pakistan. The Election Commission has ordered the enrollment of the citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir who are living in Pakistan and possess Computerized National Identity Card (CNICs) issued by the National Database and Registration Authority. The Commission accepts the application of these citizens and has ordered provincial election commissioners to issue instructions to the enumerators/verifying officers and AROs to enroll the citizens of Azad Jammu and Kashmir on the fresh electoral rolls whose process is still in continuation provided they fulfill the conditions of Section 6 and 7 of the Electoral Rolls Act (1974). The proposal to grant dual voting rights to the Kashmiris was under consideration for months while legal advice was being reviewe...

A three-day Kashmir Art Festival from November 28-30 will be held at the Rawalpindi Art Council (RAC). RAC has collected works from artisans of Srinagar and other cities of Indian-held Kashmir who have settled in Pakistan for the last 50 years. Their traditional artwork will be on display. The artwork includes papier mache, Kashmiri embroidery, shawls, frames and paintings. The origins of papier mache work in the region are said to be 600 years old. Layers and layers of paper are molded into shapes and designs, then painted and lacquered (shown in the photograph). The artisans hope that their talents will be promoted world-wide and generate tourism to Kashmir.   Martina Nicolls is the author of " Kashmir on a Knife-Edge "

Women from four provincial assemblies and civil society organizations in Pakistan called to protect the provision of reserved seats for women in the National Assembly, Senate, and provincial assemblies in accordance with the Constitution. Female parliamentarians also demand that political parties develop consensus among themselves to amend the Political Parties Act to provide a mandatory quota of 10% of general seats for women in order to mainstream them into the electoral process. They would like this to happen before the next elections. They maintained that the provision of the reserved seats for women was the Constitutional right of women in Pakistan under Articles 25, 34, 51, and 106. The female parliamentarians maintain that their role in assemblies helped to initiate debates on issues of women’s empowerment both within and outside legislatures, and eventually lead to a key role in law-making on crucial issues which concern all citizens, especially women and the disadv...

Pakistan’s first ever Literary Festival for Children was held on Friday November 25 in Lahore. Dignitaries, teachers and students attended the festival. The festival aimed to promote the habit of study and reading, particularly among the large population of youth, but also to address issues such as the protection of the book. Pakistan is currently experiencing a drastic demographic change as the population of young people is increasing rapidly. According to the United Nations, 60% of Pakistan’s population comprises people below the age of 25 years. It is predicted that this group of people will reach up to 70% within a decade. This means that a gigantic portion of the population will be aspiring to be engaged in education. It is imperative that the government can meet their education demands, particularly in numeracy and literacy. Currently Pakistan is undergoing difficulty in meeting the nation’s basic education needs. The government’s Education Task Force reveals that mor...

The Nation in Islamabad reports that sporting ties between India and Pakistan may resume which could lead to broader relationships. The three most popular sports played between India and Pakistan includes cricket, hockey, and wrestling. However, international sporting contests have been predominantly suspended in Pakistan due to security concerns and cross-country tensions. The Mumbai attacks in November 2008 were believed to be carried out by Pakistani militants, thus heightening tensions between the two nations. A gun attack on the Sri Lankan cricket team in Lahore in early 2009 brought an end to international matches in Pakistan. However, the arrival of two Indian sporting teams to Pakistan in the past week – for wrestling and a blind cricket series – are said, by Nation, to be the first signs of renewed sporting ties between India and Pakistan. Organizers of cricket and hockey say talks are underway to bring mainstream Indian teams back to Pakistan for sporting competit...

Indian film actor, Sharad Kapoor, has underlined the need for cultural exchange between India and Pakistan for improved relationships, understanding, shared experiences, and networking. Currently in Pakistan, Kapoor said in a press conference in Lahore, “I am feeling at home here in Lahore. People are amazing here and there is warmth in the air in this city.” He was not in Pakistan for work, but used the opportunity of the personal visit to promote the idea of cultural exchange.

Female law enforcers are less than 1% of all law enforcers in Pakistan (0.86%). In comparison, female officers make up 33.38% of the total Australian Federal Police workforce in Australia (September 2010), with a Workforce Diversity Plan to increase recruitment. In November, 2004, Australia appointed its first Muslim police officer, originally from Lebanon. She wears a navy, lightweight hijab specifically designed for her occupation that fits underneath her police hat. A four-day International Islamic Women Police Conference from November 21-24 in Islamabad, Pakistan, brings together women police officers from more than ten Islamic countries to build synergies and discuss context-specific gender issues. These include gender perceptions of police culture and policing practices, progression of women in the police force, invisibility of women in mainstream policing, opportunities for professional development, and challenges of the job. In Pakistan, there are 18 women polic...

India plans to sell 500 megawatts of power to Pakistan. Officials of the two countries are scheduled to meet in December to finalize the tariff and grid connectivity, reported the Indian newspaper, The Telegraph. India and Pakistan have reached a formal understanding on the sale of electricity. The finer details still need to be finalized. Electricity trading with Pakistan is part of a larger plan for a South Asian transmission link which will help countries in the subcontinent to harness energy. The sale of electricity to Pakistan will help reduce the country’s outages. The officials indicated that both countries are considering setting up transmission infrastructure in a joint ownership. Lahore in Pakistan has complete transmission lines and grids, which is near the grid in Punjab in India, so it would be economical to transfer power through Amritsar. There is a political will among the leaders of both countries to enhance trade ties. South Asian electricity trade is bein...

The Deal, November 2011, documents a study in the Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin that has identified a disadvantage in being attractive in appearance. It found that being good looking was not an asset in job interviews when interviewed by someone of the same sex who sees a candidate as a threat. The authors found that attractive candidates were preferred over less attractive candidates only when interviewed by members of the opposite sex (which they said was true for both women and men). But attractive candidates were at a disadvantage when interviewed by same-sex interviewers who viewed them as a threat in the workplace. There was no significant difference between how men and women judge candidates – instead, the key influence was the self-esteem level of interviewers. Therefore, the researchers found that male interviewers who see attractive males as a threat will select an unattractive male or an attractive female (the study did not state which one would be more fa...