Bin Laden’s ashtray

A few months ago I met the man who demolished Osama bin Laden’s last hide-out – the three-storey villa in Abbottabad where the al-Qaeda leader was shot in the face at short range. Shakeel Ahmed was selling off the bricks in bulk for building projects or giving away handfuls to souvenir hunters. His yard had all sorts of salvaged treasures. Bin Laden’s baths were rusting in a heap of weeds and a homemade TV aerial – made from what looked like a few coat hangers – was leaning against a wall.
I pointed to a raggedy piece of wood, carved into a sort of holy grail design and asked “What’s that?”
“Bin Laden’s ashtray.”
“How much do you want for it?”
“It’s for you a gift.”
So one day, when you see a raggedy piece of wood carved into a sort of holy grail design come up for sale on eBay, you’ll know that a former Pakistan correspondent is retiring.

Shafilea Ahmed

Here’s what I’ve been reading on Shafilea Ahmed‘s murder

• Shafilea Ahmed’s death was not the fault of liberal lefties – political correctness was not to blame, according to Barbara Ellen, who says the problem was not a fear of confronting parents from different religion and culture
• The left cannot remain silent over “honour killings” - Sunny Hundal says it’s time for an inclusive narrative of integration and discussion of what it means to live collectively in UK, what can be tolerated in society
• ‘Honour’ and ‘Killing’ – two words that don’t belong together – truly honourable parents and families would seek to support, guide and encourage their children through life, says Mike Farrell-Deveau
• Shafilea Ahmed’s murder is a crime meshed in migration and modernity - Jacqueline Rose in The Guardian says it’s more complicated than backward parents killing their Westernised daughter
• Shafilea’s honour killing: Will we ever learn? – It is, says Zab Mustefa on The Express Tribune blogs, who asks: “Why can’t we put honour to one side and understand our children first?”
• UK ‘honour’ killing verdict – Britain needs to update Norman Tebbitt’s cricket test, asking Muslim immigrants to prove that they will respect the rights of everyone, according to The Express Tribune

Is Joseph Kony hiding in Darfur?

The first rule of news is that any headline ending in a question mark invites the certain response “No.” Otherwise headline would have been “Joseph Kony is hiding in Darfur”.

And when the blog post continues:

Warlord Joseph Kony and his militarized terror group the Lord’s Resistance Army (LRA) are likely getting shelter from the Sudanese government in Darfur, according to credible reports coming out of Sudan, the Enough Project said…

When you know the source is an organisation dedicated to regime change in Khartoum, which has consistently exaggerated and manipulated the evidence coming out of Sudan, then there’s no need to read any further.

This story crops up every six months. And I’ve yet to see any credible evidence.

All the peacocks have died

Letter in The News today,

I have been following news reports in the press and the electronic media about the magnificent peacocks of the Thar Desert in Sindh dying of some mysterious virus. It reminds me of some lines from a poem written by the great Sufi Sindhi poet, Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai. The English translation is as follows:

All the peacocks have died, and not one of the geese is left

Their empty nests have been taken over by owls

The country has reverted back to the grips of deceiving ravens.

That just about sums up the present situation in Pakistan as well. No further comment or elucidation is needed.

Ameer Bhutto

Larkana,