Taal Matol
Tug of war
By Shoaib Hashmi
It may sound like the plot of a rollicking West End comedy but I assure you it is in dead earnest. First, the authorities announced that they were going to increase the prices of petrol because international prices of gas had gone up. Someone pointed out that actually gas prices all over the world were the lowest in years. Then they said actually they had borrowed heavily last time prices were up and the loan had to be repaid, hence the high prices.

interview
"Apologies are not enough"
Shah Zain Bugti resembles his grandfather Nawab Akbar Bugti; his shoulder-length hair and dark beard characteristic of his feudal roots and tribal nonchalance.
Brought up in Dera Bugti, Shah Zain was taken in custody after the 2006 military operation that killed his grandfather. Bugti's assassination also caused a rift in the Bugti tribe. One of his grandsons, Aali Bugti, has been appointed the successor of the tribe with the alleged backing of the government. The other grandson, Barahamdagh Bugti, has initiated an armed struggle favouring Greater Balochistan. The third major group Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) is headed by Shah Zain's father Talal Bugti.

After two and a half months of rigorous military operation, the government claims to have gained control of most of the areas in and around Swat making it safe for the people to return home. These two million people scattered all around the country, mostly in camps or with relatives, are to return in a multi-phase plan started on July 13.

According to the plan, the IDPs living in camps, south of war zone, would be repatriated in the first phase. In the second phase, those housed in schools or other government buildings would be sent back to their native towns and villages. The IDPs living in other provinces are scheduled to be returned in the third and fourth phases, respectively.

They are to be sent home by buses, trucks, pickups etc arranged by the government. According to the original plan for the repatriation, the government used 797 buses and trucks in the first two days to shift the IDPs back to their areas. However, Emergency Response Unity (ERU), a body formed to deal with the issue of the IDPs, notified the families could also go back in private vehicles. Initially, they were allowed to take the road after 1pm. According to the official data most of the families used their own conveyance to go back. A total of 2,907 families, out of 4,457 families (till July 15), had gone back in their private vehicles to Swat and Buner.

The authorities, however, have failed to keep the process as per their planning. It was planned that 2,680 people would be repatriated from Salim Sugar Mills and Palosa camps in Charsadda and Jalozai camp in Nowshera. Only 200 families were able to return home. A steep increase, nonetheless, was witnessed on the third day, July 15, of the drive when 20,195 of 2,885 families went back in a single day.

Those returning home have concerns about security situation in the valley. "We don't know about the fate of Taliban leaders, whose presence forced us to leave our houses, businesses and our valley," a resident of Mingora, Ziauddin Yousafzai, said.

The government claims to have arranged strict security measures during the repatriation. As this scribe observed, the convoys streaming intavo Swat were escorted by security forces while the choppers also hovered in the air to oversee the movement of the IDPs. Upon their arrival at entry points in Swat and Buner, the vehicles and individuals were properly checked to foil any attempt by the Taliban militants to enter the valley in guise of the IDPs. Fortunately, no untoward incident during the return of the displaced people was reported till Thursday afternoon.

"The bands of Taliban militants are still active in several villages of Kabal, Matta and Charbagh while top terrorists leaders are also alive," Swat Qaumi Amn Jirga showed its concern on July 13. Ziauddin also shared the jirga concern and fears the militants could regroup if not given a deadly blow.

Fighting and incidents of violence and arson were reported in recent days from the troubled Swat and Buner districts. Three members of the Awami National Party were killed in Pir Baba area of Buner recently. The houses of two senior journalists, Behroz Khan and Rahman Bunairee, were also destroyed which speaks volumes about the security situation in Buner.

A resident hailing from Shamozai area of Swat valley said their return is meaningless if curfew is not lifted. "We must be allowed to come out of the houses, move freely and fearlessly, have access to markets, schools, hospitals and all other facilities in order to have a normal life," he said.

Another IDP, unwilling to go back told TNS: "I had just visited my village Zarkhela. It looked haunted with a good number of houses destroyed or damaged. There was no water, electricity, telephone and other basic facilities. There is curfew on the main road and in the valley, so what is the point in returning?"

The IDPs are also concerned about their rehabilitation as consistent militancy and military operations have ruined their businesses, destroyed their houses, orchards and crops. There were also some reservations about non-provision of cash cards of Rs25,000 to the IDPs, though official figures said that 128,687 cash cards had been issued.

During the first three-day of the repatriation drive, the government had returned an estimated 31,199 individuals of 4,457 families to Swat and Buner districts. An official of the Emergency Relief Unit (ERU), Adnan Khan, said that 665 families on July 13, 907 on July 14 and 2,885 on July 15 moved from the IDP camps.

The return of the IDPs is a huge task for the government. Although, there are some complaints the government seems to have managed to keep the situation under control. After all, repatriating such a large number of people in a short time is no easy task.

Fulbright Scholarships fund students from around the globe for pursuit of higher education in the United States. According to the website of the United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan, the Fulbright Program in Pakistan is the largest in the world with over 200 awards available across a wide spectrum of academic specialisations.

This means that scores of the most avid students from around Pakistan compete annually for these limited scholarships. Aspirants for this year have already submitted the first round of their applications and are eagerly awaiting calls for interviews later this summer. The chosen few will receive complete funding for their tuition, transportation and a stipend for their stay in the United States.

"It is quite difficult to get funding for masters degrees in the United States," explains Saad who is hoping to be awarded a Fulbright to pursue a degree in entrepreneurship. "Admission is easier if the university committee knows you have your own funding."

Saad says Fulbright is a particularly sought-after award since it encourages applicants in fields of study such as Journalism and Public Policy which are notoriously difficult to get funded.

Ather has graduated from FAST-Lahore in Telecommunications Engineering and is confident of securing one of these awards. "Many of my seniors have won a Fulbright in the past," he tells TNS, "so I know the general grade point average and test score range that is likely to earn you the scholarship."

But others claim there is more to a Fulbright than bearing impressive numbers. "I know people with mediocre grades who have obtained the scholarship because they wrote very insightful statements of purpose or because they convinced the interviewers that they had unique extracurricular talents that would enrich college life in the United States," says Hassaam who is hoping to get funds for masters in Information Technology Management. This seems to resonate with the Program's stated mission of "promoting mutual understanding between the United States and Pakistan through educational and cultural exchange."

The Fulbright Program for PhD candidates, set up in collaboration with the HEC, has had a cooler reception. "Doctoral studies in the United States are funded by the universities themselves," says a student planning to pursue a PhD in political science. "It makes little sense to go through the hassle of securing a Fulbright which binds you to return to Pakistan after completing your degree."

American citizens are ineligible for the award even if they have studied in Pakistan all their life. Zeeshan Iqbal Janjua graduated from the National College of Arts in 2008 and hoped to be considered for a Fulbright award. But he received American citizenship shortly before the application deadline and, hence, was disqualified from the process.

Applicants also suspect there is bias against Pakistanis who have studied abroad at any point in their career as the Fulbright Committee seems to favour those who have limited foreign experience.

During the course of their studies, the Fulbright scholars have to attend a few conferences that help them bond with each other and exchange ideas and experiences. Saleha Siddique who has just completed an MBA at the University of California, Los Angeles, attended such a conference in New York that focused on the electoral process in the United States.

Scholarship winners are expected to return to Pakistan promptly after graduating and are made to sign a hefty bond to deter them from prolonging their stay. This means that only the scholars who stay for multi-year degrees are able to benefit from foreign work experience by engaging in summer internships.

Ahsan Saleem used his Fulbright award to complete a masters degree at Carnegie Mellon University. Upon his return to Pakistan he described his first few months as "difficult". "The job expectations of returning students are very high," he admits. "Many are disappointed by the local work culture and HR processes after studying abroad. But things tend to settle down after some time."

Ahsan has settled on working as a senior consultant for IBM in Islamabad.

Many returning students find that they have developed a more academic bent and their alma maters are more than happy to employ them as faculty members. Others leverage their skills to be entrepreneurial and build their own organisations or provide consulting along the professional lines they have been exposed to in the course of their studies.

Ahsan says there isn't a formal Fulbright alumni network aside from some sparsely used email groups. But all the scholars seem to agree that the exposure they gain while abroad is invaluable and has given them an edge in building their careers.

While we may remain critical of some of the political policies of the United States, we must appreciate the exposure a Fulbright program provides to our budding scholars.

It may sound like the plot of a rollicking West End comedy but I assure you it is in dead earnest. First, the authorities announced that they were going to increase the prices of petrol because international prices of gas had gone up. Someone pointed out that actually gas prices all over the world were the lowest in years. Then they said actually they had borrowed heavily last time prices were up and the loan had to be repaid, hence the high prices.

Then they put a heavy surcharge on petrol prices pushing the price from Rs50 to Rs60 per litre. Next day, all the petrol pumps in town put the new prices up. Instantly the Supreme Court took notice of it, declared it illegal and next day the pumps put the prices back to Rs50. There was much jubilation all round, except perhaps in the corridors of power.

In the middle of the night the authorities issued ordinance putting the prices back up to the new scale, and the next morning the pumps put the new prices up all over again. The point is that the courts have no jurisdiction over ordinances. That did not stop the lawyers community launching a protest saying the courts must be allowed to have their say -- the lawyers community has long taken it upon itself to take up cudgels for any lost cause.

Fortunately good sense seems to be prevailing on all sides. The papers have been full of editorials all taking the sensible line that there is an elected parliament, which must be sovereign, and the supreme court too has powers but it just means Parliament must be given time to put forward its point of view before the court decides what to do. No one wants to take on the court, but everyone is of the view that Parliament must be supreme.

The good thing is the vast majority of us were too busy doing our own thing to get into any scrapes, we had Michael Jackson's funeral to attend to. It goes without saying that half the town stayed up all night watching Fox News or something showing every moment of the proceedings.

And one must admit it was worth every moment of it -- right down to the long speech by Brooke Shields and the fact that lifelong friend Elizabeth Taylor, for her own reasons, did not attend. The whole affair, however, was tasteful and dignified and none of the fears came to anything. Michael may have had his odd moments in life but his leaving of it was full of grace.

Brought up in Dera Bugti, Shah Zain was taken in custody after the 2006 military operation that killed his grandfather. Bugti's assassination also caused a rift in the Bugti tribe. One of his grandsons, Aali Bugti, has been appointed the successor of the tribe with the alleged backing of the government. The other grandson, Barahamdagh Bugti, has initiated an armed struggle favouring Greater Balochistan. The third major group Jamhori Watan Party (JWP) is headed by Shah Zain's father Talal Bugti.

Shah Zain Bugti is yet to contest general elections but heads the Balochistan chapter of the JWP. He was in Lahore last week where he met with the leaders of all the major parties including Mian Nawaz Sharif urging them to hold a joint long march towards Dera Bugti -- a "no go area" since the military operation started. Excerpts of the interview follow:

The News on Sunday: Your perspective on the current situation in Balochistan.

Shah Zain Bugti: The situation wasn't this bad before Nawab Akbar Bugti's killing. In the past three years, tens of thousands of people have been forced to flee Balochistan. There have been target killings. Thousands of people are missing. The military operation is still going on. There is no business activity. There are strikes every other day. Even we, the residents of Dera Bugti, have been forced to flee. But the dissenting voices are gradually surfacing.

TNS: Who do you hold responsible for the situation?

SZB: The culprits are right here -- Pervez Musharraf and his group including the then prime minister, interior and defence ministers, chief minister and governor of Balochistan. They could not tolerate Nawab Bugti's stance about provincial autonomy which is guaranteed in the constitution. He talked about the rights of Baloch which are being denied to them even today. I hope that these culprits are reprimanded.

TNS: Pakistan People's Party government claims to have done a great deal to resolve the Balochistran issue. Do you agree?

SZB: These are just look-busy-do-nothing policies. Even the people have stopped believing in the promises of the federal government when they see that nothing practical is being done. Making a few committees and apologising to the people is not enough. What we need is sincerity towards resolving the issue. The package announced by president Zardari is not aid, it is our right. Islamabad owes us not less than Rs850 billion against natural gas.

TNS: Your take on Greater Balochistan?

SZB: I once saw the map of Greater Balochistan by a foreign think tank whose name I am forgetting right now. It included some parts of Iran, Turkey and Afghanistan. I believe there are some foreign hands behind it and some local elements are benefiting from it. The killing of Nawab Bugti has given fillip to this demand. But, we believe this movement should be stopped along with parties like Baloch Liberation Movement and nationalist politicians like Akhtar Mengal who are trying to take political gains in the name of politics. One thing should not be forgotten that Nawaz Akbar Bugti never favoured Greater Balochistan.

TNS: You are a supporter of Baloch rights. But is the feudal ruling elite willing to take the responsibility for the deprivation of the province and its people?

SZB: I can speak on behalf of Bugti tribe since I am not responsible for other tribes or lords. During Akbar Bugti times, Quetta's famous and busy Saryab Road was doubled. There was development and jobs opportunities were created. Before the army operation in Balochistan, there were 450 schools, 20 high schools, one college, four airports, four gas fields, and carpeted roads in Dera Bugti. You can go and see for yourself.

TNS: There are differences among the Bugti tribe on the nomination of Aali Bugti as the head of the agency. Is that true?

SZB: Aali Bugti has government's support. He does not enjoy public support. There are around 450,000 people in Bugti tribe out of which 190,000 had been living in Dera Bugti but now there are only 30,000 to 40,000. Out of these only three to four thousand support Aali, which is not one percent of the tribe. A lot of people believe that he was responsible for the killing of Akbar Bugti and was later rewarded, as it has appeared in the national press too. On the other side, Brahamdagh, who was a favourite of Akbar Bugti, has started armed struggle for independent Balochistan and is gaining popularity in youth. He always supported Akbar Bugti but we do not believe in armed struggle because we believe in political struggle like our grandfather.

TNS: Your father Talal Bugti has been accused of secret association with establishment and also had troubles with Rehman Malik. What's the story?

SZB: My father has not made any deal with establishment. The federal government is giving Rs88,000 per acre land rent in Punjab and Sindh but it is only Rs17,000 in Balochistan. My father asked Islamabad to make the rent compatible with other provinces. At this the interior minister asked for a commission of Rs500 million which my father refused. My father said that this is our right and we are not asking for any favour.

TNS: Who do you think is responsible for the recent killings of Punjabis in Balochistan?

SZB: When Ataullah Mengal was the chief minister of Balochistan in 1972, he publicly said that Punjabis should be killed. My grandfather, on the other hand, stood up against him and imposed governor's rule in the province later. We try to take everyone along. We never assume that Baloch Liberation Army and other elements are doing this. But then it raises questions about the role of intelligence and security agencies. Why, then, are the security forces and the police quiet?

TNS: How would you rate the performance of the present Baloch government?

SZB: CM Raisani is a good man but he is powerless. He is dependent on the centre. Governor Magsi, on the other hand, is a continuity of General Musharraf.

TNS: Your strategy to revive politics in Balochistan?

SZB: We have met politicians including Nawaz Sharif. We have asked them to have a long march till Dera Bugti to challenge the 'no go area' status. Nawaz Sharif has asked for some time to consult with his party. We are also in contact with other political parties including Jamaat-e-Islami and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf.

 TNS: What is the solution then?

SZB: I will give you the solutions: first, lodge an FIR against Pervez Musharraf and hold an independent and fair trial for Bugti's murder; immediately stop the ongoing military operation brining the troops back to 2000 position; stop the intervention of the secret agencies; recover the missing persons and stop this phenomenon; there should be no 'no go area' in Balochistan; give, and respect, provincial autonomy; guarantee and protect the rights of the province and its people. The federal government should have only four major portfolios of finance, foreign, defence and telecommunication giving all other powers to the provinces; provide jobs and basic facilities like clean drinking water.

TNS: If I were to ask you about the future of Balochistan what would you say?

SZB: Frankly, I fear if the current situation continues, Pakistan may see some very bad times, even a crisis like Bangladesh. But I believe it is not too late. Things can be controlled if Islamabad delivers sincerely and properly.

Email: vaqargillani@gmail.com

After an alarming increase in the number of target killing incidents, including those targeting the police personnel, Balochistan's provincial government finally decided to call paramilitary force i.e. the Frontier Corps (FC) to re-establish government's writ and maintain peace in the province.

Chief Minister Nawab Aslam Raisani declared last Wednesday that the FC would remain deployed in Quetta as long as the law and order situation is restored to the government's satisfaction. It is also believed that since the deployment of FC and the transfer of Inspector General Police Asif Nawaz, the number of these incidents has reduced in Quetta and its suburbs.

Most of the victims of these target killings are Hazaras and Punjabis. For instance, in Quetta and other Baloch-dominated areas of Balochistan, Punjabi barbers were the major victims. Recently, however, some teachers of Punjabi origin, including high-scaled educationists and three principals were also killed, further raising the sense of insecurity among the settlers of other communities in Pakistan's largest province.

The Punjabi settlers have a century-old connection with the province. According to Rai Bahadur Hattura's Tareekh-e-Balochistan they first came here during the colonial period in 1878 for the construction and development of the region, especially the Quetta valley, by the British. It was the same time when the British were building Quetta as a cantonment city. The Punjabis who came with them literally built up the contours of the city including the Railway Station, the cantonment area and the main official buildings of the provincial capital besides laying down the rail network throughout Balochistan -- from Quetta to Chaman, Quetta to Mirjawah and Quetta to Sibbi.

However, the present non-Baloch dwellers of Balochistan don't feel safe in the province mainly due to the increasing incidents of target killings. Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo of the National Party believes that since Punjabis have been living in Balochistan even before Pakistan came into being, they are as much a part of the province as any other community. If they are forced out of it, he believes, it wouldn't be good for the province itself. He also condemns the killings, saying his party is against all kinds of target killings including religious and ethnic. He opposed the recent spate of murders of teachers in Quetta, Khuzdar and the rest of the province.

People from different parts of Punjab such as Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jhelum, Faisalabad and Lahore came to Balochistan which offers a good number of employment opportunities. But now the value of real estate, especially of Punjabi-dominated areas, has fallen since they are selling off their property and moving out of the insurgency-hit province.

Shaikh Omar Hayat, a settler, says he has spent his "life in this province. My family cemetery is here. I have grown up in this city and love it from the core of my heart. It would be very painful for me to leave the city where I have spent all my productive and professional years. I would give my life but not leave the city."

The issue was also raised at the floor of the provincial assembly in its last session. The House was told that the Punjabi community is facing a dilemma where neither Balochistan not Punjab is willing to accept them. It has been learnt that several thousand government servants in different departments have tendered their requests for transfer to other provinces. In the University of Balochistan alone, over 130 non-local educationists are looking for NOCs from other provinces to relocate themselves in the same capacities. However, the university administration has banned the issuance of NOCs to keep their staff from leaving the institution.

A non-local teacher of the University of Balochistan, on condition of anonymity, told TNS that if professors and professionals who hail from other provinces are not protected or they are forced to leave (Balochistan), many important institutions in the province will remain stagnant. "Teachers serve the humanity regardless of their religious, national, linguistic and racial affiliations. They should be protected and given respect if a society is to progress."

According to the police records, in all the 201 heinous crimes reported from different parts of the province from January 1 till May 21, 2009, 156 people, including 22 policemen, were killed and 392 injured. In the reported 32 incidents, the police was targeted, killing 22 personnel and injuring 25 others. In different terrorist incidents, 16 personnel of the Frontier Corps (FC) were killed and 95 others injured while 32 settlers lost their lives with 41 others injured. Moreover, in different incidents of sectarian violence, 25 people were killed while nine were injured. In other incidents, 60 people were killed and 219 injured in different parts of the province.

Sana Baloch of Balochistan National Party (BNP) points out different reasons behind these killings. "One is the flaws in security system and the other is the presence of a large number of immigrants in Quetta."

He is of the view that no struggle can be successful in which the unarmed individuals are targeted.

I will not bore you with a list of what happened in and around the country over the past week. You may (or may not) know of it and besides much of it is -- as many readers are wont to say -- quite depressing. Instead, I will try and not bore you that much by presenting a list of interesting events that took place around the world -- most of these I managed to come across while traversing the Internet in search of odd and quirky stories and some of these came directly into my email inbox.

Item 1: An Iranian man was sentenced to five years in prison for reciting the Holy Quran in "a western and anti-Islamic style." The man was reported to a court in Tehran. The court found the man guilty for having breached "Islamic morality."

Item 2: According to Hamas, Israel was distributing 'libido-increasing' gum in Gaza. The group claimed that Israeli intelligence operatives were selling this to retailers in Gaza and that the objective was "to destroy" the young generation. A police spokesman was quoted as saying that intelligence agents from Israel were behind this. The report also said that "a number of suspects" had been arrested. According to the police, the matter came to light when a local man filed a complaint that his daughter had chewed the said gum and had since experienced the alleged side effects. The police spokesman also said that the police had recently seized "large amounts of drugs and alcohol" attached to the underside of cars passing through Erez crossing.

Item 3: Instead of fighting the Taliban, the recently launched 'Operation Khanjar' (according to The Washington Post) was seeking to "protect communities". The report said that around 4,000 American soldiers were two weeks into the operation and that this was apparently a new tactic. "We'll be successful when we can walk up and down that street and most shops will be open, there will be a flow of commerce, there will be a recognisable and functioning government, there will be kids in school and doctors in the clinic," a US army captain said.

Item 4: China to attack India by 2012, says Indian defence expert, as reported by an Indian news site (www.siliconindia.com). The report says that China will "attack India by 2012 to distract the attention of its own people from 'unprecedented' internal dissent, growing unemployment and financial problems quoting Bharat Verma, editor of the Indian Defence Review. The 'expert' was quoted as saying that the worldwide recession had had a significant impact on China's economy, especially by severely cutting back its exports and that this was creating "unprecedented internal social unrest" and that this was "severely jeopardising" the grip of the Communist Party over the country. "The most attractive option [for China] is to attack a soft target like India and forcibly occupy its territory in the Northeast," the man was quoted as saying.

Item 5: According to the alternative news website www.rawstory.com a group of 13 doctors in the UK claimed that Dr David Kelly, found dead in 2003 after being revealed as a mole which embarrassed the then government of Tony Blair over the issue of weapons of mass destruction (WMDs) in Iraq claim did not commit suicide -- something that the British government has been saying ever since. The report, which in turn quoted a report in the mainstream Daily Telegraph, said that the doctors were mounting a legal and political campaign to overturn the suicide verdict in Dr Kelly's death. The report said that the group's actions were in fact "renewing" earlier suspicions that the doctor had been in fact killed for exposing the British government's hollow claim that Iraq had WMDs. The doctors, the newspaper said, thought that a cut on Dr Kelly's wrist -- which had been cited as the cause for him bleeding to death -- was not enough to have led to bleeding of the magnitude needed to kill a person.

Item 6: The Pentagon has launched a study costing some $200 million to find out why the people of Iraq want the US to leave.

Item 7: According to The New Scientist, researchers at the Hong Kong University of Science and Technology are working on the optical properties of "so-called metamaterials," which can bend light in almost any direction. Such a material could be designed to bend light in the same way as a spoon would. So the light hitting the material would be distorted to make it look as if a spoon were there. "Metamaterials are difficult to build. Their components need to be much smaller than the wavelength of the light they distort, which for visible light is less than a micrometer. It would also be challenging to design both parts of the device so that they don't interfere with each other". Lest one thinks this is balderdash, the man behind all of this is a physicist at Imperial College London, who pioneered 'invisibility cloaking' in the 1990s, according to the magazine.

Item 8: A review in the Daily Telegraph of the book Kill Khalid: the Failed Mossad Assassination of Khalid Mishal and the Rise of Hamas (by Paul McGeough) said that the idea came from Binyamin Netanyahu. At that time Mishal was living in Amman and two Mossad agents disguised as Canadian tourists entered the Jordanian capital armed with a specially designed camera, loaded with poison. When Mishal's bodyguards dropped him outside his offices, one agent approached and knelt down in front of him -- then rose suddenly and sprayed the liquid in Mishal's ear. He and his accomplice tried to escape but the bodyguards gave chase and eventually surrendered them to Jordanian custody. Mishal, meanwhile, was starting to feel unwell. The poison was a nerve toxic, designed to slowly paralyse his nervous system, and cause a slow death.

The review went on to say that when King Hussein was told of the plot he was angry, not least because Jordan had signed a peace treaty with Israel in 1994 and the blame for Mishal's death would go on him (the king) directly. Sensing that the stability of his regime was under threat, he "bypassed diplomatic protocol and made a direct call to [then] US president Bill Clinton."

Meanwhile, the Israeli agents were being questioned by the Canadian ambassador, who established they were foreign agents because they were asked to sing the Canadian national anthem and couldn't. However, they refused to reveal the antidote to the poison. After King Hussein's call, though, Clinton then contacted Netanyahu and made him give the antidote to the Jordanian authorities. The book says that Hamas is popular because many Palestinians "regarded the Oslo peace process as creating little more than another corrupt Arab dictatorship." It also noted the irony in that while "most Hamas voters saw resisting Israel as their priority" a mere "one per cent" wanted to see religious law implemented.

Item 9: Indians and Pakistanis are the same, says Shahrukh Khan -- according to the India Abroad News Service. The actor said this in the UK after receiving an honorary Doctor of arts degree from Bedfordshire University. He said: "We belong to -- I know it's a bit of a cliché but -- one world. Specifically I think, India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka all of us, we're the same. I really believe we are the same…. My mother is from Hyderabad in India and father is from Peshawar…. Especially when you come away from India or Pakistan you realise there is no Indian or Pakistani we're all together." Asked by a journalist if he wanted to visit Pakistan, he said that he did, and that he had family there.

The writer is Editorial Pages Editor of The News. Email: omarq@cyber.net.pk