Beenish Javed

Pakistan’s army has ordered an inquiry into a former spy chief for co-writing a book with the ex-chief of an intelligence agency from arch-rival India that has stirred controversy on a range of issues. With the election fast approaching, it is not business as usual in Pakistan’s electoral politics. Contrary to expectations it is not because for the second time in its history an elected government is passing on the baton to another. Unexpectedly the most stable mainstay of Pakistan’s real politic, the military, is for once not in the polity’s good books. In a tale of many firsts for the boys, the list of charges against the military is rapidly getting longer. It has been targeted by Pahtun Tahafuz Movement for killing and abduction of Pashtun population. It has been blamed for running a vicious campaign against the three time elected - and as many times ousted - former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The latest dagger in its side however has been thrust from within ...

              I got a chance to interview Mark Stroh, spokesperson of the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad, for ARY NEWS. Following is the summary of the interview.              The U.S. says its not cutting the military aid of 700 million dollars nor it is freezing the aid to Pakistan. The senate has passed a defence authorisation bill, which bounds Pakistan to cooperate with the U.S. in combating the IED's, which have been a primary sources of deaths of U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan. If the defence departement of U.S. sends a report to the congress that Pakistan is cooperating than the aid money will go to Pakistan. This bill will most likely be soon signed by President Obama, and than Pakistan would be bound to control the flow of IED's to Afghanistan. Experts of International affairs, here in Islamabad have been talking about a clear shift in Pakistan's po...

We all know how hazardous can the plastic bags be to our environment. Burning them , releases poisonous gases, just throwing them away can cause sewage problems not only this, they can also be harmful for agricultural land. Yet plastic bags are commonly used in Pakistan and there is no proper mechanism to recycle them. On my recent visit to Muzaffarabad, I was pleasantly surprized to cover a project for ARY NEWS. This project is about utilising plastic bags to make useful household items. This project is sponsered by NGO,Idara e Taleem o Agahi, and the U.S. State department. Under this project, Tahir Alam, a school teacher, has guided girls of a local school of Muzaffarabad to weave plastic threads and make household items. By cutting the plastic bags in a certain way, the girls are able to get 9 yards of plastic thread. Girls have made useful items such as table mats, baskets, school bags and other decorative items by weaving plastic thead. The project head , Tahir Alam, says that th...