66 research outputs found
Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistan his life and times
No full textNo individual in the history of Pakistan - indeed, few people in modern history - have achieved greater popular power or suffered so ignominious a death as Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Bhutto's political rise and fall were so meteoric that his name became a legend in the land he once ruled. Indeed, a full decade after his execution his continuing popularity ensured the election of his daughter, Benazir, to the premier position he once held. As she campaigned in Sind and Punjab, the crowds cried "Jiye Bhutto!" - "Bhutto Lives!" - and the Bhutto they meant was Zulfi. Zulfi Bhutto of Pakistani tells the story of this remarkable life in a vivid, insightful narrative. Written by Stanley Wolpert, a leading authority on South Asia and the author of the acclaimed biography Jinnah of Pakistani, the volume traces the life of this remarkable figure front the colorful days of his feudal ancestors to his imprisonment and hanging at the hands of a military dictatorshipBhutto, Wolpert writes, was a charismatic and contradictory man, a microcosmic reflection of Pakistan itself - a nation bond out of division with India which later fell victim to its own internal split with the creation of Bangladesh. Wolpert follows him from his privileged youth in British-ruled India, to his years as a student at the University of Southern California and University of California, Berkeley (where he sported a thin moustache, shiny two-tone shoes, and proved a keen, if rakish, fraternity brother), to Oxford and back to Pakistan. Bhutto climbed to the heights of power with amazing swiftness, winning a seat in the central Cabinet of Pakistan at the unprecedented age of thirty. Wolpert weaves Pakistan's turbulent politics and repeated wars with India together with Bhutto's ambitious maneuvering, tracing his rise to Foreign Minister, the founding of his own political movement, and finally leadership of the nationThe story of Bhutto's sometimes inspiring, sometimes quixotic career is a fascinating one, and Wolpert tells it brilliantly, through Bhutto's triumphant years in the mid-1970s, the military coup in 1977, and his treacherous imprisonment and execution in 1979. Like the nation he embodied, Bhutto led a sprawling, ambitious, and tragic existence. Wolpert's intensively researched, engagingly written account captures the scheming, the grandeur, and the contradictions of one of modern history's most fascinating figure
Book Review: Islam, Democracy and the West by Benazir Bhutto
No full textThe author has two aims to write this book: first, she wants an understanding whether the democrattic and autonomous institutions can grow in the Muslim world, and whether Islam and democracy are equally exclusive or not; second, she wants to analyse the existence of clash of ideals and values in different groups within Islam. The book is divided into six chapters. First chapter, the Path Back, starts with an emotional arrival of Benazir Bhutto at Quaid-i-Azam International Airport, Karachi, on October 18, 2007, after eight years exile. While putting her foot on the land of pure people-Pakistan-after a long time, tears started pouring from her eyes and she was unable to stop them. By lifting her hands in prayer, she thanked Allah Almighty in reverence. Her argument is that dictatorship breeds extremism. Bhutto is of the view that war against international terrorism coincided with the suspension of democracy in Pakistan. She points out that Islamic democracy consits of notion of consultation. Similarly, in the Western democracy consultation is the main essential in any political system. There is no any kind of negation of democracy in Islam. Thus, Islamic and Western democratic systems are compatible. In the second chapter, the Battle within Islam: Democracy versus Dictatorship, moderation versus Extremism, Bhutto emphasises that Islam is a universal religion. According to her, majority of Muslims in the world embrace a forbearing and loving raligion. However, today this religion has been misinterpreted and misrepresented by the extremists. After that, she throws light on Jihad and its kinds with the help of Quranic injuctions. She tells that Jihad is not among five pillars of Islam (except in Khariji theory). She quotes, “Jihad is a collective obligation of the whole Muslim community (fard kifaya).” According to Bhutto, imposition of the obligation duty on the community rather than on individual is very significant and involves at least two important implications. In the first place, it means that the duty need not necessarily be fulfiled by all the believers. In the second place, the imposition of the obligation on the community rahter than on the individual made possible the employment of Jihad as a community and, consequently, a state instrument. Third chapter, Islam and Democracy: History and Practice, deals with democratic norms and values in Islamic context. She justifies her stand by qouting the Quranic injunction that suicide bombing is by no means acceptable in Islam and in the eyes of God. Bhutto argues that along with preaching tolerance of other religions, the Quran also acknowledges that salvation can be achieved in all monotheistic religions. Through out in the book, she elucidates things both from Quran and her experiences from Pakistan. The author feels pity that with the passage of time, many Muslim societies have turned intolerant while the Western nations have become more accommodating and tolerant. However, Islam itself is a religion of tolerance and pluralism. She also discuses about sects, women rights and dress code revealed by Islam. She explores that the equality of women does not only apply in terms of political and cocial rights but also in religious terms. She is against the idea that Muslim society should be ruled in the way Medina was governed in the first century of Hijri. Indeed the author wants to convey that democracy is the heart of Islam and dictatorship is contrary to it. Thus, Islam and democracy are not contrary to eachother. She has proposed a model for the Countries of the Third World. In the fourth chapter, The case of Pakistan, she thinks that the real picture of Islam has been distorted and exploited by the extremists. The author traces back the roots of international terrorism, and how America had been supporting Pakistani General Zia-ul-Haq. She further points out that Zia-ul-Haq was the man who deteriorated the political system in the country. He done away with an independent judiciary and suspended human rights. It was during this period that Pakistani ISI got involved in supporting Afghan Mujahideen. According to the author, all the Muslims across the globe are at the crosroads between past and future, between education and ignorance, between peace and terrorism, and between democracy and dictatorship. In the fifth chapter, Is the clash of civilization inevitable?, Bhutto takes into account Samuel P. Huntington and other propagators of the Clash of Civilizations for their stance that the confrontation between the West and militant Islam, after the cold war, was inevitable. She criticizes them and argues that this clash was resolved. However, she wants these clashes and conflicts to be resolved through the Islamic world itself. Moreover, she has spelled out by quoting few examples that clash of civilizations do not exist between Islam and West, rather it is within Islam itself: modernism vs. regression, reformist vs. traditionalist, freedom and education vs. oppression and ignorance. Bhutto is ambitious and aspired to resolve the crises within the Muslim world and the problems between the Muslim world and the West. For this, she proposes that the potential solutions to these crises lie in tracing their root causes. The author portrays a reflection of modern Islam that confronts the harmful caricatures often perceived in the West. She has explained how West had been engaged in the countries of Middle East. As a result, corruption and dictatorship dominated the whole region. The last chapter, Reconciliation, deals with the internal clash within Islam. She talks about sectarian divisions between Sunni and Shias and the failures of the leaders of the Muslim countries to face down the misrepresentation of Osama Bin Laden. Bhutto argues that it is the al-Qaeda which has distorted the image of Islam. Moreover, she emphasizes to have a reformist, pluralistic and modern Islamic society. Then she presents the examination of various countries like Turkey, Egypt, Tunisia, Iran, Mali, Kazakhstan and India. She goes across the most contentious and hot debates both within the Muslim world itself and its relationship with West. On the whole, I found, Reconciliation: Islam, Democracy and the West by Benazir, Bhutto a worthwhile and informative Book. Bhutto is correct in her over all thesis that dictatorship and western interference in Muslim countries have retarded the development of democratic norms and values. This has helped in generating the Islamic extremist threat to Islam itself and the West. Bhutto’s analysis of democratic growth across the Muslim world and the history of interference in of the West in Muslim affairs is very good. She provides firsthand account of Pakistan’s democratic political development, and the forces that have worked for and against democracy there. She is also clear about the goals of Islamic extremists, militants and fanatics and their supporters within the Pakistan military intelligence services. The good thing about the book is that she has discussed beautifully how the democracy can be created in the Islamic world. According to the author, economic development can be made by investing income of major oil producing countries. The book ends with a recommendation for a better-off world as she foresees a Marshall Plan for the Muslim World which could be applied to the poor Muslim nations
Daughters and Fathers in Memoirs: Najla Said and Fatima Bhutto
No full textThe father-daughter relationship has always been crucial in shaping the identity of the daughter. Daughters inevitably inherit their fathers’ personal trauma, and in the case of the daughters of activists, national trauma as well. Throughout childhood, adolescence, and adulthood, daughters struggle to depoliticize their famous fathers, as well as assert their individuality amidst the overshadowing activism of their fathers and conflictual history of their nations. To heal the daughters’ identity fissures, they embark on a journey to chronicle memories of their fathers throughout their lives and critically assess their fathers’ cultural, social and political heritage and identity. This thesis will explore motifs such as: the personal and national intergenerational transmissions from fathers to daughters; the daughters’ exploration of their personal and communal identities, as well as national and filial duties. The memoirs examined in the thesis are: Looking for Palestine: Growing Up Confused in an Arab-American Family (2013) by Arab-American author Najla Said and daughter of Edward Said, as well as Songs of Blood and Sword: A Daughter’s Memoir (2010) by Fatima Bhutto, Pakistani poet, daughter of Mir Murtaza Bhutto, and granddaughter of the late president of Pakistan Zulfikar Ali Bhutto
PCR-based efficacy assessment of hepatitis B core antibody and hepatitis B surface antigen screening tests in the blood donor population
No full textObjectives: To assess the screening efficacy of HBsAg and HBcAb serological assays in comparison with Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR), as the gold standard.Methodology: This was a cross-sectional prospective study was conducted from November 2019 to February 2020, at the Department of Pathology and Transfusion Medicine, Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Medical University, Islamabad, Pakistan. A total of 7,550 donations were screened for HBsAg through Chemiluminescence Microparticle Immunoassay. Out of 7,550, 186 HBsAg reactive, and 208 HBsAg non-reactive samples were selected randomly for the study. The screening tests for HBsAg and HBcAb were run in parallel with PCR as the gold standard. In the statistical analyses, the specificity, sensitivity, and positive and negative predictive values were calculated using the PCR results as the gold standard. Kappa agreement was also calculated. Results: A total of 394 blood samples were tested with reactivity rate of HBsAg (n= 186) 47.2% (186/394), HBcAb (n= 210) 53.2% (210/394) and PCR (n= 188) 47.7% (188/394). Kappa agreement for HBsAg and HBcAb were calculated as 0.961 and 0.886 respectively. The results showed 5.5% false positive results by HBcAb test.Conclusion: HBcAb screening showed false-positive results. HBsAg screening found to be the best possible choice that can give credible results, considering the high cost of the molecular assays
KINETIC STUDY OF THE OXIDATWE DECOLORIZATION OF XYLENOL ORANGE BY HYDROGEN PEROXIDE IN MICELLAR MEDIUM
No full textThe Saga of Benazir Bhutto’s Premiership 1988-90 and 1993-96
No full textThis article is an attempt to explore, investigate and analyze the political leadership of Benazir Bhutto and her role as ruler/Prime Minister of Pakistan in 1988-90 and 1993-96. She remained one of the main players in the corridor of politics in Pakistan for about thirty years and contributed immensely for the peace, prosperity, security and integration of Pakistan. Further, it encapsulatesthat Benazir Bhutto possessed rare leadership traits which enabled her to come into power and also discusses her leadership traits, attitude, behavior and decisions as a political leader during her premiership (1988-90 and 1993-96). The endurance, valor and courage were such main characteristics of her personality that she faced during military suppression that was unleashed byZia led regime. However, she neither succumbed to all odds and challenges during and after military rule in Pakistan. Moreover, this paper summarizes that Benazir Bhutto emerged as a female leader as well as Prime Minister; in a male chauvinistic social structure, under suppressive military leadership, outspoken religious Ulemas and vindictive politics of opposition mainly because she was a charismatic leader. She accepted all challenges and responded accordingly.Moreover, different theories have been applied to have a better understanding of Benazir Bhutto’s leadership qualities and administrative abilities. Therefore, in this study, the author tries to find answers to the following; What were specific leadership traits which enabled Benazir Bhutto to emerge as a main political leader and as a Prime Minister of Pakistan? What were diverse challenges faced by Benazir Bhutto as a Prime Minister twice? How did she respond to variouschallenges as Prime Minister? How does the prism of female leadership unfold the personality of Benazir Bhutto as a female leader
Wives, Mistresses and Matriarchs
No full textThis work examines the issues facing women in Asia. Against a background of the current economic and political situations in Asia, the author presents interviews with a wide range of women, from leaders such as Bhutto to female Tamil soldiers and the mistresses of prominent Indian politicians
Impact Of Modifiable Risk Factors On Outcome In Patients With Perforated Peptic Ulcers: A Local Experience
No full textObjective: This study aims to determine the impact of modifiable factors in perforated peptic ulceration on reducing mortality at our local setting of Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, over two years.
Methods: All the patients who were admitted and managed for perforated duodenal ulcer at the emergency department of the Surgical Unit 1 at Benazir Bhutto Hospital, Rawalpindi, from 01-11-2021 to 31-10-2023 were included in the study. The possible causes, co-morbidities, and complications were noted, and data were recorded on a specified proforma.
Results: Among thirty-two patients of perforated duodenal ulcers, 63% were smokers, a history of NSAIDs use was present in 37.5% patients, and co-morbidities were present in 25.00% patients. All patients underwent exploratory laparotomy and repair of perforation. The average hospital stay was 5 days, with a range of 1-15 days. The mortality rate in our study was 28.12%.
Conclusion: Perforation is still a prevalent complication of peptic ulcer disease. Smoking, increased NSAIDs use, and stressful life play an important role in such cases. Mortality rate is very high in perforated duodenal ulcer cases despite increased understanding of post-operative care
James Norris Oliphant distinguished speakers.
No full textRecorded in Ithaca, NY by Cornell University., Sponsored by: Cornell University Program Board,Center for International Studies,Sigma Phi Fraternity,Division of Campus Life,Cornell United Religious Works,Asian Studies, Dept. of,South Asia Program,Women's Studies Program,Program on International Development and Women,Pakistan Students Association., Speaker(s): Former Prime Minister of Pakistan, author of Policy in Perspective and Daughter of Destiny., Lecture, January 31, 1991, 8:00 pm, Bailey Hall.51 minutes1_thr3aew51_dwyy5ld
Physicochemical Analysis of Different Cigarettes Brands Available in Pakistan
No full textThe exposure to nicotine, sugar and trace elements in tobacco are associated with health risks including inflammation, sensitization and carcinogenesis. The aim of this study was to investigate the physicochemical properties of tobacco used in the cigarette brands available in Pakistan. Physical properties such as moisture, volatile matters, ash, pH, conductivity, and total reducing sugar were measured using standard procedures. Heavy metals, toxic metals, and nicotine were determined using atomic absorption spectrophotometer, flame photometry, and liquid chromatography, respectively. Local, and local branded samples were found to be rich with iron and magnesium and safe in terms of lower copper content when compared with the branded samples and other reported data of different countries of the world. Significant differences (p < 0.05) have been observed in the values of ash, conductivity, iron, zinc, copper, nickel, cobalt, magnesium, lithium, sodium, and potassium in local, local branded and branded samples. The samples of different brands were discriminated and characterized on the basis of metal contents using statistical techniques such as multivariate analysis, and analysis of means. The properties of the local samples were found close to that of the local branded samples showing the same origin of tobacco leaves. On the basis of conducted study, it is concluded that more strict regulations are needed for import and export of cigarettes
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