Baba bulleh shah

Early life and background

Bulleh Shah is believed to have been born in 1680, in the small village of Uch, Bahawalpur, Punjab, now in Pakistan . His ancestors had migrated from Bukhara in modern Uzbekistan.
At the age of six months, his parents relocated to Malakwal. There his father, Shah Muhammad Darwaish, was a preacher in the village mosque and a teacher. His father later got a job in Pandoke, about 50 miles southeast of Kasur. Bulleh Shah received his early schooling in Pandoke, and moved to Kasur for higher education, to become a student of the prominent professor, Ghulam Murtaza. He also received education from Maulana Mohiyuddin. His spiritual teacher was the eminent Sufi saint, Shah Inayat Qadiri.
Little is known about Bulleh Shah's direct ancestors, except that they were migrants from Uzbekistan. However, Bulleh Shah's family was directly descended from the Prophet Muhammad.

Career

Tomb of Baba Bulleh Shah, Kasuri
A large amount of what is known about Bulleh Shah comes through legends, and is subjective; to the point that there isn’t even agreement among historians concerning his precise date and place of birth. Some "facts" about his life have been pieced together from his own writings. Other "facts" seem to have been passed down through oral traditions.
Bulleh Shah practiced the Sufi tradition of Punjabi poetry established by poets like Shah Hussain (1538 – 1599), Sultan Bahu (1629 – 1691), and Shah Sharaf (1640 – 1724).
Bulleh Shah lived in the same period as the famous Sindhi Sufi poet , Shah Abdul Latif Bhatai (1689 – 1752). His lifespan also overlapped with the legendary Punjabi poet Waris Shah (1722 – 1798), of Heer Ranjha fame, and the famous Sindhi Sufi poet Abdul Wahad (1739 – 1829), better known by his pen-name, Sachal Sarmast (“truth seeking leader of the intoxicated ones”). Amongst Urdu poets, Bulleh Shah lived 400 miles away from Mir Taqi Mir (1723 – 1810) of Agra.

Poetry Style

The verse form Bulleh Shah primarily employed is called the Kafi, a style of Punjabi, Sindhi and Siraiki poetry used not only by the Sufis of Sindh and Punjab, but also by Sikh gurus.
Bulleh Shah’s poetry and philosophy strongly criticizes Islamic religious orthodoxy of his day.

A Beacon of Peace

Bulleh Shah's time was marked with communal strife between Muslims and Sikhs. But in that age Baba Bulleh Shah was a beacon of hope and peace for the citizens of Punjab. While Bulleh Shah was in Pandoke, Muslims killed a young Sikh man who was riding through their village in retaliation for murder of some Muslims by Sikhs. Baba Bulleh Shah denounced the murder of an innocent Sikh and was censured by the mullas and muftis of Pandoke. Bulleh Shah maintained that violence was not the answer to violence.
Bulleh Shah also hailed the Sikh Guru, Guru Tegh Bahadur as a ghazi (Islamic term for a religious warrior).

Humanist

Bulleh Shah’s writings represent him as a humanist, someone providing solutions to the sociological problems of the world around him as he lives through it, describing the turbulence his motherland of Punjab is passing through, while concurrently searching for God. His poetry highlights his mystical spiritual voyage through the four stages of Sufism: Shariat (Path), Tariqat (Observance), Haqiqat (Truth) and Marfat (Union). The simplicity with which Bulleh Shah has been able to address the complex fundamental issues of life and humanity is a large part of his appeal. Thus, many people have put his kafis to music, from humble street-singers to renowned Sufi singers like the Waddali Brothers and Abida Parveen, from the synthesized techno qawwali remixes of UK-based Asian artists to the rock band Junoon.
Bulleh Shah’s popularity stretches uniformly across Hindus, Sikhs and Muslims, to the point that much of the written material about this philosopher is from Hindu and Sikh authors.
[edit]Modern Renditions
In the 1990s Junoon, Asia's biggest rock band from Pakistan, rendered such poems as Aleph (Ilmon Bas Kareen O Yaar) and Bullah Ki Jaana. In 2004, Rabbi Shergill successfully performed the unlikely feat of turning the abstruse metaphysical poem Bullah Ki Jaana into a Rock/Fusion song, which became hugely popular in India and Pakistan. The Wadali Bandhu, a Punjabi Sufi group from India, also released a version of Bullah Ki Jaana on their album Aa Mil Yaar...Call of the Beloved. Another version was performed by Lakhwinder Wadali titled simply Bullah. Bulleh Shah's verses have also been adapted and used in Bollywood film songs. Examples include the songs "Chaiyya Chaiyya" and Thayya Thayya in the 1998 film Dil Se. The 2007 Pakistani movie Khuda Kay Liye includes Bulleh Shah's poetry in the song Bandeya Ho. A 2008 film, 'A wednesday', had a song, "Bulle Shah, O yaar mere" in its soundtrack. In 2009, Episode One of Pakistan's Coke Studio Season 2 featured a collaboration between Sain Zahoor and Noori, "Aik Alif".

Death

He died in 1757, and his tomb is located in Kasur, Pakistan.

China is not ready to take America's place

Beijing may complain about Washington, but its reliance on American debt stems from the China’s own economic policies

The Chinese sure are doing a lot of worrying these days about the stalemate in Washington. Li Keqiang, China’s Premier, told U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry that he was watching the tussle over raising the government’s debt ceiling with “great attention” in a meeting last week. He has good reason to be concerned. With a stash of nearly $1.3 trillion in Treasury securities, China is the world’s largest foreign owner of U.S. government debt. If U.S. Congress fails to lift the ceiling to allow the government to borrow more by Thursday, Washington may not have enough money to pay its bills, potentially leading to a default. That could sink the value of Treasuries — wiping out a big chunk of Chinese wealth in the process.

That possibility has caused much consternation in China. In a blistering (and highly hypocritical) editorial, state news agency Xinhua blasted what it sees as Washington’s irresponsibility in handling global affairs and called for greater say for developing nations in international institutions like the IMF and a new reserve currency to replace the dollar.

“As U.S. politicians of both political parties are still shuffling back and forth between the White House and the Capitol Hill without striking a viable deal to bring normality to the body politic they brag about, it is perhaps a good time for the befuddled world to start considering building a de-Americanized world,” the commentary recommended. “Such alarming days when the destinies of others are in the hands of a hypocritical nation have to be terminated, and a new world order should be put in place.”

Among the Chinese public, the stalemate in Washington has caused confusion and ire. Why, some Chinese are asking, have our leaders invested so much of the country’s money in a government that seems so dysfunctional? “Bought so much [American debt], now you are under the control of others,” went one typical comment posted on microblogging site Sina Weibo. “We should find out who made this decision and let him take the responsibility.”

The Chinese can blame themselves. Since the earliest days of Chinese economic reform, policies that the government has employed to create growth and exports have also made it dependent on debt issued by the U.S. Treasury. Those policies have generated huge current-account surpluses and gargantuan reserves of foreign currency that have left Beijing no other option but to invest in the U.S.

Chinese policy has generally pushed exports while discouraging imports. By controlling the value of its currency, the renminbi (RMB), to promote exports, China hasn’t allowed its exchange rate to adjust to shifts in trade in a way that would bring balance. Economist Huang Yiping once proffered that policies that reduce prices of land, energy and other costs of production also subsidize exports, and thus contribute to surpluses. Meanwhile, the government’s regulation of interest rates has favored investment and punished savers, suppressing domestic consumption.

The current-account surpluses China has notched over the years have resulted in a vault full of foreign-currency reserves — a staggering $3.66 trillion at last count. Though China’s surpluses have been declining (relative to GDP), the country is still adding to this mountain of foreign currency. In the third quarter, China’s foreign-exchange reserves jumped by the largest amount in more than two years.

To many, this ocean of foreign currency shows China’s economic strength, but at the same time, it is also a financial burden. Chinese policymakers simply don’t have many options when managing these giant reserves, and that has forced them to gorge on Treasuries. The U.S.-government-bond market is deep, liquid and reliable — the perfect (and, arguably, only) place to park all those greenbacks. Sure, the Chinese can switch some of their dollars into other currencies, but there is a limit to that strategy. Dumping the dollar would depress its value, eroding China’s own holdings. The only way for China to wean itself off its Treasury habit is to change its entire economic system.

That, though, is happening slowly. One strategy China is pursuing to lessen its dollar dependence is by promoting its own currency as an alternative to the greenback in global trade and finance. The government has had some success. The European Central Bank and China’s central bank recently agreed to a large swap of their currencies. And according to a recent survey from the Bank for International Settlements, the RMB entered the list of top 10 most traded currencies for the first time. Yet in order for the RMB to become a true rival to the dollar, China has to undertake far more reform.

The RMB isn’t fully convertible, nor does it trade freely around the world like the dollar, euro or yen. China is taking stabs at the sort of financial liberalization that would give the RMB an international boost — experimenting with freer capital flows in a new zone in Shanghai, for instance — but those steps are tentative at best. The Chinese government is still reluctant to throw open its financial sector and loosen capital flows and currency trading in a way that would turn the RMB into a solid reserve currency like the dollar.

“China’s policymakers remain deeply uncomfortable with allowing market forces a say in determining the exchange rate at times of uncertainty,” research firm Capital Economics said in a report on Monday. “Policymakers still see opening of capital controls as an important goal. But their actions underline that it remains a long way off.”

What this all means is that China and the U.S. Treasury remain locked in an embrace from which it is very hard for Beijing to escape. What it will take is extensive reform to China’s own economy that so far Beijing has been reluctant to undertake. So Beijing can call for a “de-Americanized world” all it wants. China is not ready to take America’s place.

Official by-election results: Voters put PML-N on top again

ISLAMABAD: Further consolidating its grip on power, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) emerged as a clear winner in the country’s biggest ever by-elections held on August 22. 

The Election Commission of Pakistan has announced the result for most of the constituencies and PML-N is leading just like the general elections, with Pakistan Peoples Party and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf coming second and third respectively.

The election authorities withheld results for two constituencies of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa where women were reportedly disfranchised.

PML-N has secured five NA seats, 11 Punjab assembly seats and two Balochistan assembly seats. While PPP one three NA seats, two Punjab assembly seats and one in Sindh assembly.

PTI on the other hand won two seats in the Centre.

Meeting security challenges: Nawaz exempts IB from recruitment ban

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Friday exempted the Intelligence Bureau from a ban on recruiting, citing the sensitive nature of its job and the urgency of the current security situation.

In a visit to the Intelligence Bureau Headquarters on Friday, Nawaz was briefed on issues of internal and external security challenges, a release said.

The Prime Minister approved different proposals and recommendations which aim to build capacity of the organisation through better human resource induction and procurement of new equipment.

Nawaz was also briefed on counter terrorism initiatives and activities of the organisation.

Ministers of Interior, Finance and Information & Broadcasting also attended the briefing.

Kalabhag dam

THIS refers to a report (May 3) wherein the thermal power’s yearly cost is about $7 billion in the form of oil imports. This is the result of not building the Kalabagh Dam which would have given us $7 billion yearly in the form of cheap power and agriculture boom.

But this was not to be due to the silly obstruction of some of our political parties that could not see beyond their nose. The plight of Pakistan with 12 to 16 hours of loadshedding resulting in industrial shutdown and massive unemployment is for all to see.

The political parties vying against each other to promise utopia for Pakistan are forgetting the basic fact that without addressing the energy problem they cannot usher in prosperity.

Everybody is oblivious of the importance of the Kalabagh Dam to solve all our economic problems and they are only giving sweet dreams to the gullible public without mentioning the Kalabagh dam which holds the key to progress in Pakistan.

A view point on the ,white paper by pti

Imran khan knows that it will be very difficult if not impossible to prove the rigging in elections that took place on 11th may as all parties accuse each other of that and we cannot turn our face from the fact that it is indeed true as every party was involve in it including pti
    Now the question arise that what is the purpose of the escalating talks about rigging by imran khan and others is it just point scoring or physiological tactics.In   my view these are physiological tactics to give there voters hope that they will win next time or acquire large number of seats at least as the reason for there loss was not the limited popularity of there polices rather it was unjust elections. It is same as blow fish as it blows itself to make itself look larger than it is.
  So the 2500 page's worth white paper is intended to cast a physiological effect more than to back up the blame game as we have seen so many times parties accusing each other of having member's with fake degrees and every time we see one after another black sheep having fake degrees come form every party including from a party which is so called the party of literate.

The writer of this article knows nothing about politics....  :-p

Nawaz sharif a political history

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif takes on the helm of affairs at a time when Pakistan is suffering from numerous problems, ranging from a stagnant economy to growing militancy and a crippling power crisis.
Having served as prime minister twice before, Nawaz belongs to an influential industrialist family. He is a graduate of the Government College Lahore and has a law degree from Punjab University Law College.
Nawaz rose to prominence when he was inducted in the Punjab cabinet first as finance minister during General Ziaul Haq’s regime and later served as chief minister of Punjab in the 1980’s for two consecutive terms.
He was first elected as prime minister in November 1990 under the banner of the Islami Jamhoori Ittehad – a conglomerate of different right and centre-right political parties – succeeding former prime minister Benazir Bhutto, whose government was sent packing in 1990 after less than two years in power.

Nawaz at the very outset espoused privatisation, reversing the policy of nationalisation pursued by the founding leader of PPP Zulifikar Ali Bhutto in the 1970’s.
He also initiated major road construction and other infrastructure projects, including South Asia’s first motorway. Other initiatives of his first government included introducing market reforms and pro-business regulations.
But with pressure from within the ruling coalition and PPP accusing IJI of coming to power with the support of the military establishment, differences between Nawaz Sharif and then president Ghulam Ishaq Khan started to emerge, leading to an unceremonious dismissal of his government in 1993.

Nawaz was elected prime minister for a second time in 1997 with a so-called “heavy mandate” following the dismissal of Benazir’s second government. With a two-thirds majority, Nawaz used this clout to push through several amendments in the Constitution, including taking away key powers from the Presidency.
His second term is best remembered for conducting Pakistan’s first nuclear test in 1998 in a tit-for-tat response to India tests a few months prior.
A peace initiative with India in the shape of the Lahore declaration with then Indian premier Atal Bihari Vajpayee did not last long, as a few months after signing the friendship pact the now nuclear-armed rivals were engaged in the Kargil war.

Then followed the military coup of 1999, when Nawaz’s government was toppled by General (retd) Pervez Musharraf, whom he had appointed as the army chief.
After a brief incarceration, he went in exile to Saudi Arabia in 2000 after an alleged agreement under which he was barred from returning and engaging in politics for the next 10 years.
Amid the mayhem of the 2007 emergency imposed by Musharraf and the sacking of Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Nawaz got permission to return and his party was allowed to take part in the 2008 elections.
After securing second place in the polls behind PPP, the two parties initially formed a coalition government which barely lasted a few months.
The PML-N parted ways with the PPP-led coalition since the two could not see eye-to-eye on the issue of reinstating Chief Justice Chaudhry and other judges who were sacked by Musharraf.
In March 2009, Nawaz started a long march against the PPP government to press for the restoration of the sacked judges, which was successful as the judges were reinstated.
Nawaz remained a vocal critic of President Zardari and his party during its government, even though he was often accused by his political rival Imran Khan of being a ‘friendly’ opposition leader.
1980
Nawaz rose to prominence when he was inducted in the Punjab cabinet first as finance minister during General Ziaul Haq’s military regime and later served as chief minister of Punjab in the 1980’s for two consecutive terms.
1990
He was elected Prime Minister in November 1990 for the first time under the banner of Islami Jamhori Ittehad (IJI)-a conglomerate of different right and center-right political parties succeeding Benazir Bhutto’s government which was sent packing after less than two years in power in 1990.
1997
Nawaz came to power again in 1997 following dismissal of Benazir Bhutto’s second government with so-called “heavy mandate” having a two-thirds majority in the parliament. Using the clout he brought several amendments in the constitution that made him a very powerful prime minister.
1999
On October 12, 1999 Nawaz Sharif’s govt was toppled by General Pervez Musharraf. Nawaz was sent to Attock fort and was charged in a plane highjacking case. Benazir Bhutto was already in exile and the former foes became allies when Nawaz moved to London from Saudi Arabia after five years.
2000
He went into exile to Saudi Arabia in 2000 after an alleged agreement under which he was barred from returning and had to keep away from politics for ten years.
2007
In 2007 Nawaz got permission to return home and his party was allowed to take part in elections that were due in January 2008. These elections were delayed for a month due to assassination of PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto in a bomb and gun attack during the election campaign.
2008
February 2008 polls brought PPP into power with PML-N becoming second largest party. The two parties initially started a coalition government that hardly lasted a few months.
2009
In March 2009, Nawaz started a long march against the PPP government to press for reinstatement of the sacked judges.