Srinivas Padma: Personal Musings on Life, Growth, and Connections

Islamabad: Defying a growing crackdown on dissent by President Pervez Musharraf, young Pakistanis are using blogs and social networking sites such as Facebook to hit back at a state of emergency. Plans for "flash" protests in Islamabad, Karachi, Lahore and other cities are being posted at the last minute to skirt a ban on all political rallies under repressive emergency laws. The Internet has become a vital tool for them, with the government shutting down the country's biggest two private television news channels on Sunday and rounding up thousands of Opposition leaders. "We are coordinating protests with other universities across Pakistan using Facebook , using blogs, cellphones and text messages," Ahmad, a student in his 20s from Lahore, said. He asked that his full name not be used in case he is traced by the authorities. Protesters can face jail if found guilty of inciting unrest, especially since Gen. Musharraf ruled that civilians can be tried i...

October 19, 2007 (Karachi): Two massive blasts rocked former Pakistan Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's motorcade in Karachi early on Friday morning, killing at least 135 people and injuring over 545 others .The blasts, which reports indicate were suicide attacks, took place a few feet away from Bhutto's convoy.Witnesses said they heard an explosion that was followed by another one that occurred just to the left of Bhutto's armoured truck. Bhutto had left the unprotected, open-air perch of the truck and gone below just before the explosions took place. The first bomb exploded from the left side of the truck, causing party workers to fall on each other; then the second blast struck when people were trying to get up and many were injured as they leapt off the truck when it caught fire.Pakistan People's Party spokesperson Farhatullah Babar has confirmed that Bhutto is safe and has reached her home Bilawal House in a police car. However, Rehman Malik, one of Bhutto's adv...