We are all Tunisia in the face of repressive elites.

We are all Tunisia in the face of repressive elites.

The Arab governments and who rules them are,

without exception, thieves.

Thieves!

MUHAMMAD ibn al-Dheeb al-Ajami’s poem titled Tunisian Jasmine allegedly ‘encouraged’ the overthrow of Qatar’s authoritarian rule and also ‘insulted’ the Emir. The poem, posted online in 2010, expresses the poet’s support for the Arab Spring Tunisian uprising against the “repressive elites”. In response, the poet has been sentenced to life and is currently under solitary confinement.

Human rights observers in the Gulf and beyond have criticised the move, urging Qatar to free the poet as his poem is merely a form of peaceful criticism. The sentence, however, is very much in line with tough measures in Gulf states against any form of dissent against their rule. — Haneen Rafi

The one to be convicted was Egypt’s Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak. Ailing and brought to court in a cage for trial on charges ranging from corruption and abuse of powers to murder, Anwar Sadat’s successor, who ruled as Egypt’s strongman for 30 years, was sentenced on June 2 to life imprisonment in a verdict derided as much by his supporters as by his sworn enemies, who thought the sentence was a slap on the wrist. This prompted Egypt’s newly elected president, Mohammad Morsi, to order his retrial.

Morsi made history when he was sworn in on June 30 as Egypt’s first truly elected head of state, but not before Mubarak remnants and the military had made every attempt to sabotage democracy and nullify the people’s verdict. On June 14, the day Egypt was having the second round of its presidential election, the Supreme Command of the Armed Forces (Scaf) dissolved an elected assembly on a court order, and through a decree assumed sweeping powers, arrogating to itself the right to legislate and budget-making and denied Morsi the title of the Supreme Commander of the Armed Forces.

The president, an American-trained engineer, showed considerable political tact, marked time, consolidated his position by taking a symbolic oath first at Tahrir Square on June 29 and later in an official ceremony on June 30 and then struck. (He had defeated Mubarak’s prime minister, Ahmad Shafik, in the presidential election.)

On Aug 12, he retired Field Marshal Mohammad Hussain Tantawi as Scaf chief and defence minister, and even though he retained him in his cabinet, he sacked the three services chiefs. Moreover, he rescinded the order dissolving the 100-man constitution-making body and won a resounding victory when the first round of the Dec 15 referendum approved the new constitution.

In another placatory move, the Muslim Brotherhood president withdrew a decree that had barred courts from reviewing his actions. The opposition had called the decree “a coup against legitimacy”. Morsi also added to his stature when he played a major role in effecting a truce in Gaza.

In Gaza, Israel demonstrated its fire power by killing over 100 people in a week-long blitz in November, but it suffered a major diplomatic defeat on Nov 29 when an overwhelming majority of the General Assembly members agreed to give Palestine non-state member status, with President Mahmoud Abbas calling it Palestine’s “birth certificate”. Israel showed its hubris by announcing the building of 3,000 new houses in the heart of the West Bank.

But Syria’s agony overshadowed all other developments as forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad fought back to crush a rebellion that had been raging now for 21 months. Both sides committed horrible rights violations as the death toll reached an unbelievable 40,000. Unlike Libya, there was no direct foreign intervention, but Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar were reported to be discreetly giving material support to the rebels, most of them Syrian army deserters. In August, Assad’s own prime minister, Riad Hijab, was reported by the opposition to have defected to Jordan.

Fighting raged throughout the country, with the capital itself attacked. While Russian and Chinese vetoes came to Assad’s help in the Security Council and pre-empted sanctions, the US and the European Union warned Assad of consequences if he used chemical weapons against the dissidents. Several peace attempts, including that led by former UN chief Kofi Annan, produced no results. By the end of December, 69 foreign missions had wound up in Damascus, and most Pakistan embassy staff had been evacuated.

Meanwhile, the Iranian nuclear issue continued to defy solutions as Tehran warned it could pull out of the Non-Proliferation Treaty if Israel attacked. The Iranian warning by nuclear negotiator Ali Asghar Soltanieh came a day after the US Senate slapped more sanctions on Iran on Nov 29. With Gaza and Syria, 2012 was the Middle East’s Gotterdammerung.

The writer is a member of staff.

Apart from recovering Pakistan’s lost face in diplomatic corridors, she also had to live up to the stature of redoubtable women like Abida Husain and Maliha Lodhi who had gracefully filled in the same position in previous years.

Having remained Information Minister for President Zardari, one thing Rehman knows is her way around sticky diplomatic situations. As Ambassador, she has cooed the right words at key political junctures and hasn’t taken on any fierce issues in the media, her defence line on Pakistan being dignified and well-stated.

When provoked by US Defence Minister Leon Panetta who had brazenly rejected Pakistan’s sovereignty of air space, her reply was taken as strong but tactful. An earlier apology issued by US Secretary of State on the death of the 24 soldiers and the resultant opening of the supply route to Afghanistan for Nato had also been written down as a diplomatic victory for Rehman who publicly claimed it as an historic episode.

In her first year, Sherry Rehman seems to have treaded fairly well, promoting Pakistan’s arts and culture while mingling with Washington’s upper crust – a routine she knows to perfection. Promoting Sufism’s message of tolerance at a musical evening; hosting Chaand Raat at the embassy for American officials and holding gatherings for local community leaders just might be what will redeem Pakistan.

Much has been said about Mr Zardari’s guile and his ability to strike the right deals with the right people. Clearly, the president has been found shuffling his close associates as a groping man would change his pair of glasses. The old set comprising the prime minister and the law minister is replaced with a new one and the president’s vision changes suddenly. Now he can see the merits of writing a long pending letter.

Where does this leave the main component in the old, used set? In the middle of a difficult terrain, with plenty of sympathy (reference all these ‘wow’ tweets about Gilani’s supreme sacrifice by Bakhtawar Bhutto Zardari and her siblings) and an uneasy feeling of having been ditched.

Things could have been so much different and the sacrifice so very meaningful if the parliament had turned out to be as supreme as Gilani had made it out to be. In this case the two supremes – the sacrifice and the parliament – were trumped by another entity going around wearing the same ‘supreme’ title. Gilani had taken too defiant a stance. Additionally, the case of Arsalan Chaudhry had placed the public focus on SC’s next move. The prime minister had to go.

Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani is a veteran in the old mould – from an area where Nawabzada Nasrullah Khan’s, generally, not-so-loud style of politics serves as a model. Sacked and later denied the glory of a man falling for a cause, he is required to do some urgent rebuilding.

The family’s politics, boosted by the Gilani kin who had made it to the assemblies while the elder Gilani was in office, has to be guarded before it can be further consolidated. The give-and-take formula has to be dusted and modified to strengthen old inter-family links the politics in Multan still thrives on – just as it did when the elder had begun his career all those yeas ago. The Seraiki province demand has to cast Gilani in the pivotal role.

Multan needs to be consistently reminded of all these bridges that came up during the ex-PM’s term. It is the city’s turn now to take him across. Above all and over the compliments he received from BB’s children, the party needs to be constantly reminded of Gilani’s importance to its campaign. Already, Mr Zardari has been pulled out of the presidency to cajole and reassure his restive former prime minister. More such displays of honour would be required to indicate just how indispensable Gilani is to the PPP.

A man just bitten is so vulnerable to threats and he may be liable to imagine a few around him. Of the real dangers lurking over the house of Gilanis, the one from the court trying Ali Musa in a drugs quota case is extremely significant. It is one thing to be punished for your loyalty and quite another to be convicted of corruption.

The site made news in 2012 for all the wrong reasons: it was the launching pad for an idiotic mishmash of sound and images mistakenly referred to as a film, which set the Muslim world afire due to its offensive content.

Whatever the knights of free expression say, there is really no way to justify the hateful content of that trash. It has no artistic or cultural value and was designed to rankle Muslim sentiments around the world, which it deviously did. However, in response to carrying the ‘film’, the Pakistani government banned YouTube in September and while there have been numerous reports that the ban will be lifted ‘soon’, that does not look like a possibility at this time.

Blocking access to the offensive stuff is understandable. However, continuously blocking YouTube is not. Yes, there is a lot of nasty, hateful content on the website, but there are ways to filter out any content that not only breaks national laws but is likely to inflame public sentiment. Why block the whole darned site? For example, tech geeks say it is easy to block the offensive and leave the rest of the site accessible. Yet the powers that be don’t seem to agree with this approach.

Instead, they have adopted a uniquely Pakistani way to deal with hairy situations: if there’s a threat, shut everything down. The past year was a perfect example of this — cellular networks, motorbikes et al. It is a crude method of managing crises, but it works. So feel the Pakistani authorities.

So, yes, the offensive film is not accessible on YouTube. But then neither are nursery rhymes for your kids, lectures for students, religious sermons or perfectly kosher entertainment. That’s a bit of a problem. In the new year, many Pakistanis will hope that the authorities figure out a way of filtering out the nastiness and restoring access to YouTube.

As emotional fools were asking TIME magazine to put Malala on its front cover as the ‘Person of the Year’, the sleuths were laying down scientific theocracies, I mean, theories that used complex quantum physics, ballistic math, advanced biology and good ol’ Adobe Photoshop to prove that the wounded girl was not shot at all.

It was a CIA ploy, you see.  Malala was an agent whose shooting was staged by the CIA so that her example could be used by the Americans to increase their drone attacks on the liberation fighters struggling against American imperialism, the tyranny of the Pakistan army, the infidelity of politicians, and, most of all, against polio drops.

Yes, Malala Yusufzai might have become a hero to millions of young (mostly non-Muslim) girls and women across the civilised world, but in what is arguably the most cultured, educated, brave and vocal bastion of Islam, Pakistan, she largely remains to be either a CIA-funded fraud, or a figment of the imagination of those unfortunate young women who had been allowed to go to school or were given polio drops in their childhood.

Whereas the real ‘daughter of the nation’, Dr. Aafia Siddiqui, was jailed by American imperialists for attempting to kill an American soldier with a snatched firearm, Malala lies comfortably on a cushy bed at a UK hospital for carrying the most dangerous weapon there can be for a gullible Pakistani girl: The school book.

Having managed to put in place an array of new measures such as the recent decision to establish a single European banking regulator, economists seem confident that the worst of the Eurozone crisis may be over. But that does not mean that the Eurozone economies will be thriving any time soon. Growth rates will remain “very low” in 2013, German Chancellor Angela Merkel said recently, adding: “We have tough times ahead that can’t be solved in one big step.”

Much has changed in Europe in the last 12 months. Germany is in the driving seat and while many in Greece and Italy balk at the extent of her power, Merkel is widely recognised – and admired – as the EU’s most powerful leader.

Mario Draghi, the head of the increasingly active European Central Bank, is also feted as a key player – as is Mario Monti, the technocrat-turned-prime minister of Italy.

In some ways, the crisis has shaken the very foundations of the EU. Initial concerns that Greece would have to leave the Eurozone have been replaced by an even stronger worry about an inevitable British exit from the EU.

Meanwhile, following in the footsteps of Scotland, Spain’s most prosperous province, Catalonia, is clamouring for independence. To counter the risk of such unravelling, many in Europe are calling for stronger progress in creating a European political union. But this does not resonate with millions of Europeans – especially young people – who cannot find jobs.

For many, the most worrying development is the emergence of extremist parties across Europe, with arguably the ‘Golden Dawn’ party in Greece causing the most concern. If Europe is to survive and thrive in the 21st Century, it will have to deal with the social and political crisis; not just the economic one.

The writer is Dawn’s correspondent in Brussels.

05 Wave of attacks kills 23 in Iraq.
06 Former chief of Turkish Army General Basbug held on charges of coup attempt.
** Suicide attack kills 25 in Damascus.
07 Kenyan jets kill 60 Islamist insurgents in Somalia.
11 Nuclear scientist killed in Tehran blast.
14 Suicide attack kills 53 in Iraq.
17 China, India sign pact to keep border peace.
19 Bangladesh army foiled coup plot.
21 Violence kills 162 in Nigeria.
** Egypt military pardons 1958 detainees.
** Muslim Brotherhood wins Egypt elections.

February

01 Egypt fans invade soccer pitch after match, killing 73.
02 Britain appointed first ambassador to Somalia for 21 years.
04 Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria.
** Tens of thousand s Russian protest in Moscow demanding fair election.
** Syrian forces kill hundreds of people in Homs.
06 Syrian forces attack protesters, killing 50.
** Earthquake kills 43 in Philippines.
07 Maldives President Nasheed resigns after three weeks of opposition protest.
08 Maldives president says he was forced to quit.
10 Car bomb kills 28 in Syrian city of Homs.
13 Israeli embassy car catches fire in a bomb attack in New Delhi.
19 Suicide bomber kills 20 Iraqi policemen.
21 Violent protest erupts in Afghanistan over Quran burning.
22 Two Western journalists among 26 killed in Homs, Syria.
23 President Obama apologises over the burning of Quran in Afghanistan.
24 Violence in Syrian kills 39.
28 North Korea agrees to suspend nuclear activities as part of a deal with US.

March

04 Blast in Congo arms dump kills 200.
** Clashes between Yemeni soldiers and militants kill 30.
05 Suspected Al Qaeda men kills 27 policemen in Iraq.
07 Blast in Afghanistan kills six British soldiers.
09 US signs deal transferring the Bagram prison to Afghan control.
10 Air strikes in Yemen kill 45 Al Qaeda militants.
11 US soldiers kill 16 Afghan civilians in Kandahar.
13 President Assad calls parliamentary elections in May.
14 Swiss bus carrying a Belgium school party meets accident; 22 dead.
15 South Korean author Shin Kyung Sook wins Man Asia Literary Prize.
16 Isaf-operated helicopter crashes in Kabul; 14 dead.
17 Blasts kill 27 in Damascus.
21 Indian Maoists kidnap two Italians.
23 UN Human Rights Council passes resolution, ordering a first probe of Israeli settlements.
** Military coup in Mali topples President Toumani.
26 Nuclear Security Summit starts in Seoul.
27 Wrapping the nuclear security summit, world leaders agree to work on securing nuclear material by 2014.

April

02 Hungarian President Pal Schmitt resigns after uproar over plagiarism.
** Russian plane crash leaves 31 dead.
04 US charges Khalid Sheikh in 9/11 case.
** Suicide bomber kills 12 in Afghanistan.
07 Joyce Banda sworn in as Malawi’s president.
09 Al Qaeda militants kill 60 in Yemen.
10 Suicide attack kills 19 in Afghanistan.
19 India tests missile capable of hitting targets across China.
22 Air raids kill 20 Al Qaeda suspects in Yemen.
25 Religious parties banned in Libya.

May

01 US President Osama signs strategic pact with Afghan President Karzai in Kabul.
02 In Egypt, 20 killed in anti-military protest.
06 Francois Hollande elected French president.
07 Syria holds first election in 50 years.
** Vladimir Putin sworn in as Russian president
12 India signs howitzer guns deal with US.
13 Senior Afghan peace negotiator Arsal Rahmani shot dead in Kabul.
17 Washington police chief allows turbaned Sikhs to serve as police officers.
20 Nato Chicago summit on Afghanistan begins.
21 A Yemeni soldier blew himself up in the middle of army battalion, killing 96 troops.
23 Turkmenistan signs agreements with Pakistan and India to deliver gas through a new pipeline that will pass through Afghanistan.
** Egyptians cast their ballots in the first presidential vote since 2011 uprising.
26 Syrian troops kill 90 in Houla area.

June

02 Egyptian former president Hosni Mubarak gets life term.
03 Nigerian passenger plane crashes; 153 dead.
04 Rebels kill 80 Syrian soldiers.
05 Russia, China sign diplomatic and trade accords.
06 Nato air strike kills 18 in Afghanistan.
09 Taliban suicide bomber kills four French troops in Afghanistan.
13 US-based nuclear company signs deal with Indian firm.
** Bombing and shooting in Iraq kill 72 pilgrims.
14 US, India sign pact for holding regular trilateral talks with Afghanistan.
** Violence kills 52 in Syria.
16 Myanmar leader Suu Kyi accepts Nobel Peace Prize after 21 years.
18 In Nigeria, 21 killed in church blast.
23 Violence in Syria kills 100.
24 Mohammad Morsi declared Egyptian president.
27 Prime Minister David Cameron plans to replace Britain’s 700-year-old House of Lords with an elected body.
30 Morsi takes oath as Egyptian president.
** Al Qaeda-linked militants destroy ancient shrines in Mali.

July

01 Gunmen attack churches in Kenya, killing 17.
** Spain wins European Championship title.
04 European Centre for Nuclear Research (CERN) discovers sub-atomic particle.
07 Libya’s first free national elections held.
** US designates Afghanistan as major non-Nato ally.
08 Donors’ meeting for Afghanistan held in Tokyo.
09 Myanmar opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi attends parliament session.
14 Suicide bomber blows himself in wedding hall in Afghanistan, killing 23.
18 UAE plans to start nuclear power plant.
** Syria defence minister dies in blast.
19 Russia, China veto UN resolution on Syria.
20 Gunman kills 12 inside a cinema hall in Colorado.
21 Syrian clashes kill 90.
23 Violence kills 100 in Iraq.
26 Iraqi forces kill 19 militants.

August

02 Egyptian Prime Minister Hesham Kundi and his cabinet sworn in.
05 Gunman opens fire at a Sikh temple in US, killing seven.
** Suicide bomber kills 45 in Yemen.
** Philippine school bans Muslim hijab.
08 Egyptian army bombs militants in Sinai, killing 20.
09 Google fined $22.5 million for violation the privacy of people.
11 Two earthquakes strike Iran, killing 180.
15 Air raid kills 30 in Syria’s rebel-held town.
16 OIC agrees to suspend Syrian membership.
18 Al Qaeda attacks Yemeni intelligence headquarter, killing 19.
24 Norwegian anti-Islam warrior Brevik jailed for 21 years.

September

01 Iran, North Korea sign agreement to cooperate in science and technology.
02 Egyptian government retires 70 generals.
06 Explosion by an accidentally-dropped hand-grenade in Turkish ammunition department kills 15 soldiers.
** Migrant boat sinks near Turkey’s western Aegean coast; 60 dead.
07 US designates Haqqani network a foreign terrorist organisation.
** Canada suspends ties with Iran over support for Syria.
09 Terrorist attacks across Iraq kill 88.
12 US ambassador, three embassy staff killed in militant attack in Libya.
14 Demonstrations against anti-Islam film in Arab counties kill five.
16 Nato strike kills eight women in Afghanistan.
18 Afghan woman suicide bomber kills 12.
27 South Sudan and Sudan sign deals on security and cooperation.
30 Rioters torch Buddhist temples and homes in Bangladesh in protest over anti-Islam photo posted on Facebook by a Buddhist.

October

03 Suicide bombings kill 34 in Syrian city of Aleppo.
05 Jordan Islamists demonstrate for democratic reforms.
07 Kuwait’s ruler orders dissolution of parliament.
** Libyan parliament passes no-confidence vote to oust Prime Minister Mustafa Ambuhagur.
** West Indies wins World Twenty20 Cup.
14 Ali Zaidan elected Libya’s prime minister.
15 Moro Islamic Liberation Front signs peace deal with Philippine government.
18 Syrian jets blast rebel-led town, killing 44.
21 Russian army kills 49 militants in Caucasus.
** Dubai court sentences to life Austrian doctor in euthanasia case.
23 Qatar’s Amir Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani visits Gaza.
26 Suicide bomber hits Eid congregation; kills 40 in Afghanistan.
29 Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh overhauls cabinet.
30 Storm Sandy kills 38 in US.

November

01 An Indian village bars girls from using mobile phones.
** Syrian rebels kill 28 soldiers.
05 Car bomb kills 50 in Syria.
** Voting begins in US presidential polls.
06 Sri Lankan parliament admits motion to impeach Chief Justice.
07 Barrack Obama wins presidential elections for a second term.
10 Suicide blast kills 20 in Syria.
14 Israeli air strikes on Gaza kill top Hamas military commander Ahmed Jaabari.
15 Communist Party of China appoints Xi Jinping as the new leader.
18 Israeli air strikes on Gaza kill 23.
** Sri Lankan army recruits 100 Tamil women.
** D-8 meeting begins in Islamabad.
21 Gaza ceasefire takes effect.
** Ajmal Kasab hanged in Pune’s jail in India.
22 Rebels seize key military base in eastern Syria.
22 D-8 Declaration stresses on energy security.
23 Proceedings to impeach Sri Lankan CJ begin.
26 Garment factory fire kills 112 in Bangladesh.

December

08 Hamas leader Khaled Meshal makes his first visit to Gaza.
09 Uganda begins peace talks with rebels.
10 Syrian rebels seize key army base in Aleppo.
14 Gunman kills 26 at a US school.
15 Egyptians vote on draft constitution.
17 Landmine kills 10 in Afghanistan.
20 US Federal Trade Commission updates online privacy laws.
21 John Kerry nominated as US secretary of state.
23 Constitution wins approval in Egypt referendum.
** Syrian army kills 60 rebels.
26 Shinzo Abe returns as Japanese PM.

Compiled by Sabahat Kalim

03 Supreme Court warned the government of action if its verdict on NRO was not implemented by January 10.
05 Taliban kill 15 FC personnel in North Waziristan.
05 ICRC official Dr. Diale kidnapped in Quetta.
09 Militants hand over bodies of 10 missing soldiers in North Waziristan.
** Three girls killed in a stampede during a musical concert at Al-Hamra in Lahore.
10 SC issues short order in NRO case.
** Bomb blast in Khyber Agency kills 30.
11 Armed men ambush FC troops in Turbat, killing 14.
13 Militants attack checkpost near Peshawar, killing 10.
14 NAB reopens all cases terminated under the NRO
15 TTP leader Hakimullah Mehsud believed killed by a US drone attack on January 12.
16 SC issues show cause notice to PM Gilani for contempt of court.
17 SC suspends licenses of Babar Awan.
18 Ambassador Sherry Rehman presents credentials to President Obama.
19 National Assembly passes Women’s Commission Bill.
** SC postpones by-election until verified voter lists are complete.
21 Retired officers of armed forces announce establishment of non-political pressure group, The Pakistan First Group.
24 Mansoor Ijaz refuses to come to Pakistan over security issue.
26 Gunmen attack checkpost in Dera Bugti, killing six.
** Iranian forces kill six Pakistanis on their side of border.
27 Unknown miscreants fire rockets on Pakistan Military Academy Kakul.
** SC seeks ISI and MI reports on Balochistan killings.
30 SC gives two-month extension to memo commission; lifts Haqqani travel restriction.
31 Clash with militants kills 43.

February

01 Military kills 38 in Orakzai and Kurram agencies.
02 Senate adopts bill to set up Women’s Rights Commission.
03 Militants attack Kurram checkpost, killing eight.
06 SC suspends 28 legislators elected in post-18th Amendment by-elections.
08 Military contacts with Nato and Isaf resume.
09 US drone kills five in Miramshah.
10 SC rejects PM Gilani’s appeal in contempt case.
13 PM Gilani charged with contempt of court.
14 NA unanimously passes the 20th Amendment bill.
20 Senate adopts 20th Amendment bill.
22 Mansoor Ijaz gives testimony in Memo case through video link.
25 Law enforcement agencies raze Osama’s compound.
26 Sharmeen Obaid Chinoy wins Oscar Award.
29 FIA sends a formal request to Interpol to issue red warrants for Pervez Musharraf.

March

05 SC issues judgment in contempt of court case.
08 SC takes up Asghar Khan’s petition.
** SC gives March 21 deadline to Prime Minister Gilani for writing Swiss letter.
09 Lt-Gen Zahir ul Islam appointed ISI chief.
** US drone kills 19 in South Waziristan.
10 Nayyar Hussain Bukhari named Senate chairman.
** Government bans three more religious groups.
11 Suicide attack on Peshawar funeral kills 16.
13 Industrial and Commercial Bank of China stops providing financial advisory services for gas pipeline project.
** US drones kill 14 in northern and southern Waziristan.
15 Suicide attack kills SP and his guard in Peshawar.
16 Balochistan decides to withdraw 28 cases against Brahaamdagh Bugti.
17 Military planes in Orakzai Agency kill 23.
** President addresses joint session of parliament.
19 Parliament begins to review ties with US.
24 Violence kills seven in Balochistan.
25 Clashes in South Waziristan kill 35.
27 SC orders against anti-women jirgas.
27 Karachi violence kill 10; 40 vehicles torched.
29 Sectarian violence kills eight in Quetta.
30 US-based Pakistani Ghulam Nabi Fai sentenced to two years over Kashmir lobbying charge.
** SC scrapes deals on rental power plants.
** US drone kills four in North Waziristan.

April

03 Riots erupt in Gilgit and Chilas; 14 dead.
07 Siachen avalanche traps 124 soldiers and civilians.
** President Zardari visits India.
12 Parliament agrees for resumption of non-lethal Nato supplies to Afghanistan.
14 Violence kills eight Hazaras in Quetta.
15 Dangerous militants among 384 who escaped after Bannu jailbreak.
20 Bhoja Air flight crashes; all 127 on board dead.
25 Ballistic missile Hatf IV test-fired.
26 PM Gilani convicted for contempt of court.
27 Body of kidnapped ICRC official found in Quetta

May

08 SC issues judgment in contempt of court case.
** PM Gilani visits United Kingdom.
09 Sindh National Front decides to merge with PML-N.
10 US Congress proposes sanctions on Pakistan unless Islamabad re-opened Nato supply routes.
13 Pakistan, Afghanistan and Isaf commanders meet in Islamabad.
** Lightning strikes technical department of Kahuta installations.
15 Pakistan scientist Dr Chishti arrives in Islamabad after 20 years in Indian jail.
17 The SC indicts Babar Awan in contempt case.
** Two PAF jets collide, killing four.
21 Three Navy officers penalized in Mehran base attack case.
23 Assistant political agent in Bara sentences Dr. Shahid Afridi for 33 years in treason case.
24 NA Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s ruling saves PM Gilani from disqualification.
25 Pakistan, India agree on liberal visa regime.
** SC suspends Farahnaz Ispahani’s assembly membership.
26 US drone kills four in North Waziristan.
28 PML-N and PTI file petitions in SC, challenging the ruling of NA speaker.
29 Government gives power to Balochistan’s chief minister to deploy FC.
30 Special court in Islamabad indicts Hamid Saeed Kazmi in Haj corruption case.

June

04 SC suspends Rahman Malik’s Senate membership on dual nationality issue.
06 SC starts hearing of Arsalan Chaudhry case.
08 Bomb rin Peshawar kills 19.
11 Siachen talks begin in Islamabad.
12 Siachen talks fail.
14 SC issues order in Arsalan-Riaz case.
16 Bomb in Landi Kotal kills 23.
18 Power riots erupt In Punjab.
19 Supreme Court disqualifies PM Gilani.
22 Raja Pervez Ashraf elected new PM.
25 PM designates Chaudhry Pervez Ilahi as Deputy PM.
28 Indian spy Surjeet Singh released after 30 years.

July

01 US drone kills six in North Waziristan.
03 Pakistan re-opens Nato supply routes.
04 Pakistan, India foreign secretaries hold talks.
05 Cabinet approves draft of new Contempt Law.
08 Bill seeking ISI’s accountability submitted to Senate.
09 Parliamentary Committee approves Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim as CEC.
09 NA passes Contempt of Court bill.
10 Government introduces Dual Nationality bill in Senate.
12 Terrorists kill nine in Lahore.
** Cross-border attack by Afghan militants kill 12.
13 Fakhruddin appointed new CEC.
20 Doctor associated with anti-polio campaign shot dead in Karachi.
21 Terrorists attack Pakistan Coast Guard near Gwadar, killing seven.

August

03 SC declares Contempt of Court Act unconstitutional.
** Military sentences five officers for links with militants.
05 PML-N unveils parts of election manifesto.
16 Terrorists attack Kamara air base, killing nine.
** Sectarian attack in Mansehra leaves 19 dead..
18 Suicide blast kills five FC men in Quetta.
22 Drone kills six in North Waziristan.
24 Drone attack kills 18 in North Waziristan.
25 Taliban Bajaur chief Mullah Dadullah killed in a Nato strike in Afghanistan.
26 Twenty militants and a soldier killed in fighting between Afghan militants and Pakistan forces.
29 Indian SC confirms death penalty for Ajmal Kasab.
30 SC appoints Shoaib Suddle as a one-man commission to investigate Arsalan-Riaz deal.

September

01 Sectarian violence kills seven Hazaras in Quetta.
05 Cabinet approves Fair Trial Bill 2012.
07 Indian foreign minister arrives.
08 Pakistan, India agree on liberalised visa regime.
11 Service extension to Gen. Kyani is challenged in IHC.
** Factory fire kills 21 in Lahore.
** Fire erupts in a Karachi factory, killing 22.
12 Karachi factory fire toll hits 298.
15 Floods leave 600,000 marooned in Balochistan.
** SC annuls COCA 2012.
20 SC verdict on dual nationality issue disqualifies 11.
21 Pakistan, India sign three trade pacts.
** Violent protest in Karachi against anti-Islam film.
27 Akhtar Mengal submits Six-Point plan on Balochistan.
29 Sindh government issues SPLGO 2012 notification.

October

09 Malala Yousufzai shot and injured.
10 SC approves the draft of Swiss letter.
12 SC issues interim order on Balaochistan situation.
13 Car bomb in Darra Adam Khel kills 16.
17 Senate passes Drug Regulatory Authority bill.
18 Five religious parties revive MMA.
19 SC issues short order in Asghar Khan case.
23 SC begins hearing case on Karachi killings.
25 SC orders reduction of CNG price by Rs30 per kg.

November

01 PPP suspends basic membership of Aslam Raisani.
** PML-N files a petition in SC against Altaf Hussain, who, the petition says, is a foreign national.
06 US court upholds conviction of Dr. Afia Siddiqui.
08 SC issues detailed verdict in Asghar Khan case.
** Federal government files review petition in Balochistan case.
09 Government launches primary literacy programme.
13 Aslam Raisani wins vote of confidence in Balochistan Assembly.
14 Foreign Office and Afghan High Peace Council agree on CBMs to invite Taliban for reconciliation.
** Federal cabinet approve tax amnesty scheme.
16 International Center for Settlements of Investment Disputes issues verdict on Reko Diq mine case.
17 Government files review petitionin Asghar Khan case.

December

03 President signs act for extending LG system to Provincially Administrated Tribal Areas
** Maulana Ismail among seven killed in Karachi.
05 Commission submits report in Arsalan-Riaz case.
07 SC dissolves Suddle Commission, closing the case.
10 Embassy closed in Damascus.
** Unicef launches Malala Fund for Girls’ Education.
14 Pakistan, India sign visa accord in New Delhi.
** SC issues contempt notice to MQM chief.
15 Terrorists attack PAF base inside Peshawar airport.
17 Tax amnesty bill introduced in NA.
18 Five women polio workers killed in Karachi.
19 Khyber Pakhtunkhwa attack kills three polio workers.
20 NA passes Fair Trial Bill.
** Makhdoom Ahmed Makhdoom nominated new Punjab governor.
22 ANP leader Bashir Bilour, seven others die in Peshawar suicide blast.
27 Benazir’s fifth death anniversary observed.

Compiled by Sabahat Kalim

The year continued with protests waged either by the liberal faction who would protest on the interim government’s delay at announcing elections, or by the Islamist parties who would create an uproar by coercing lawmakers to dominate the new panel of the Constitutional Assembly.

In between these disturbances, the Presidential elections were held and by foul or fair means Mohammad Morsi of the Muslim Brotherhood was elected Egypt’s President – not a happy outcome for the liberals. With the assumption of power by Morsi – following a very narrow win – the liberals felt their core issues of women and minority rights were under threat once again.

Matters went from bad to worse when protesters streamed on to the historical concrete of Tahrir Square yet again; this time to dispute the elected President’s high-handed attempt of passing Egypt’s new constitution – which validates his broad powers – by putting it to a referendum in December.

Blood again flowed freely as the Islamist and secular parties clashed with bare hands, rocks as well as Molotov cocktails in front of the Presidential Palace. President Morsi was publicly blamed for this riot and three of his senior advisors resigned in protest.

Despite the dissent, the constitution was voted in and it gives the Egyptian president extensive powers and undermines the rights for women and minorities besides giving the President control over the Judiciary. That was the last cruel cut for liberal Egyptians who will welcome another New Year fighting for freedom.

The protests, the physical sacrifice of countless Egyptians and the tussle for free expression seems to have no immediate end.

Tahrir Square remains a bloody protest site for the second year going while the country’s transition to democracy remains threatened.