Do you need a DJ?
Enjoy thumping electronic beats? Live in the Australian Capital Territory? Thinking of hosting a party? Looking for that something extra to spice up the night (or day)?
If you answered yes to all those questions then why not give DJ Cadre a call? He can play all styles of modern dance music, has all the equipment and his one-off fee is ridiculously low. For more info send me an e-mail! (My address is available in my profile)
posted by Iqbal Khaldun @ 8:18 AM
3 comments
3 Comments:
Yeah of course fire away. Mind you I'm no expert on Baluchistan!
No worries. Ok like I said I am no expert, but here are my thoughts on the situation. Pakistan like most nation states (especially third world ones) is a relatively artificial social construct. It's a collection of four provinces with roughly four ethnic groups and many diaspora Indians. Baluchis are the main ethnic group in Baluchistan and they have historically been fiercely independent. I vaguely remember reading about the Baluchis giving the British a difficult time during the Raj. Pakistan's central government has from the very beginning had difficulties reigning in some ethnic groups, particularly the tribal ones like the Baluchis and the Pathans. For example, at least until a few years ago (aka I haven't checked for a long time) most of the tribal areas would get electricity for free. Because they practise their own laws and, probably more importantly, have lots of guns, the Pakistan Governmeht has been unwilling or unable to force them to pay. Things may be changing now however. With the support of the United States, Pakistan has ostensibly been hunting for terrorists seeking regufe in the tribal areas. Baluchistan has a lot of ex-Taliban in it, and the population is generally sympathetic (the same is probably true of Al Qaeda too). I think the Pakistan Government has used this situation and the backing of the US as an opportunity to increase its control over this historically quite independent region.
As to taking care of visitors, well I've never visited the place so I can't really common. But for example if you're talking about protecting Al Qaeda or other militants the Government is hunting I imagine the answer is yes and no. Yes they would often protect visitors because it is a matter of honour in such tribal societies. And no, because politics is politics and I imagine if it is in their interests to hand visitors over to the Pakistan Government then they would probably hand them over (cf many Taliban warlords changing sides or warlords and tribes sympathetic to the Taliban nevertheless handing them over to the US because a handsome reward was involved and they had realised that the geopolitical winds had changed).
Hope that makes sense. Would be interested to know why you ask!
All difficult questions. First things first don't assume we're talking about an homogenous or single group of people. Yes they are fiercely independent, often violently so, but I think in large part this reflect the relative lack of development in the area. It's lawless and undeveloped, so people are likely only to listen to you if you've got something to intimidate or harm them with. I'm not so sure 'they' want independence, maybe the warlords and chieftains do, but that merely reflects the standard interest that powerful people have in avoiding regulation or control of their activities.
The ISI (Inter-Service Intelligence) did set up the Taliban and was generally involved in arming and training and organising Islamic militant groups from a time after the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It is worth noting that the present day militancy can pretty much be traced back to this. Viz, the recent Islamic flavour of the militancy is relatively new. Still, based on my very limited experience of tribal Pakistan, I can say that the place is packed to the brim with inconsistencies. I don't think religion fundamentally (pun intended!) fuels the militants. I think expediency does. For example Peshawer in Pakistan, only an hour's drive from the Afghan border, is a very conservative, Islamic city. Yet one can relatively easily find cakes of heroine and scotch whiskey for sale. There is also a thriving local pornography racket and the 'honour'-related rape of 'recalcitrant' women is endemic. None of this points to a cohesive, religious independence movement. Just, excuse my French, to a very fucked up region of the world.
Post a Comment
<< Home