Pakistani Police Crackdown on Kite Flyers

Just a little history about this. The kite ban was enacted in March of 2006 following seven deaths.

Now, you might wonder how flying a kite could be so dangerous. Well, it seems the kite fliers in the Punjab region of Pakistan reinforce their kite strings with wire or ground glass for dueling other kites and betting on who wins. When strings cross in the congested sky, the winner cuts loose the opponent’s kite. Of course, this has become quite the rage during the two day festival of Basant (the traditional Spring festival) and it appears to have been going on for quite some time.

One descriptive reference that I found indicated that a 4-year-old boy died on March 7, 2006 after his throat was slit by a low-flying kite string coated with glass as he was riding on a motorcycle with his father. In fact, all seven deaths seem to be the mismatch between motorcyclists and wire/glass strings…

Now, disregarding the stupidity of riding your motorcycle around a bunch of kite wires and glass strings, would it not have been a more sane, logical course of action to just ban the use of wire or ground glass for dueling purposes?

One would think so, but the local authorities decided to adopt the mindset of a crack-head and ban kite flying altogether… Geez, talk about a buzz-kill…

H/T goes out to Warner, who says:

“Pakistan’s idea of prioritising. All points bulletin. — Attention all cars….attention all cars …drop the hunt for al Qaeda and Benazir’s killers …..concentrate on kite-flyers….and be warned, they are twined and dangerous !”

I’ll get onto it right away chief.

 

Police launch crackdown on kite-flyers
The Post.com.pk
M. Tanveer Tahir

LAHORE: The police have launched crackdowns against those involved in sale and purchase of kite and twine and thus violating City District Government Laws. The kite and twine dealers continue their business secretly in the different markets of the city especially in Mochi Darwaza area. The government has also directed the police, district nazims and all DCOs to put a stop to kite flying in their respective areas.

Rang Mahal Police Station SHO Muhammad Noman told The Post that the government had strictly banned the kite flying, adding, the police force was trying its best to stop the kite flying launching crackdowns against violators.

Mochi Darwaza Police Station SHO Ahmad Adnan Sultan said that the police had been ordered by the government to put a stop to kite flying for which the police launched crackdowns against those who did not obey the laws. He said that the police would immediately take action if they came to know that someone was violating the laws in their area by selling or flying kites.

Lahore Basant festival organiser Syed Zukifqar Ali shah said that it was up to Punjab Government as what date it would decide for Basant. He said Basant is a traditional festival of the Punjab and many tourists come to Pakistan on this occasion.

Muhammad Hussain, a resident of Lahore, said that Basant should be celebrated on its time but this year it is likely that Basant would be celebrated after the month of February because the government was not in favour of this traditional festival There are also fears that suicide bombers may shake the city with blasts on the eve of Bassant. The government may be delaying the announcement of a final date for Basant owing to security concerns.

Sarkozy Opposes Muslim Veils in Schools

Get ready for the inevitable whining and protesting from the “immigrants…” 

French president comes out against Muslim veil
French President Nicolas Sarkozy said there is no place in French schools for the Muslim veil. The veil in Spanish schools is at issue in the upcoming general elections.
Friday, February 08, 2008
Martin Barillas 

Spero News

President Nicolas Sarkozy of France defended his country’s quotas on immigrants while also saying “In France there is no place for veils in schools.”

The recently-divorced and recently re-married French leader added that immigrants to France are offered “a real opportunity of integration” while saying that immigrants to the country must “respect the culture, values, and laws” of France.

Making a stab at inter-cultural relations, the Gallic president also said “There is no place in France for polygamy, no place for ablations, no place for forced marriage, for veils in school nor for hatred in France. Because behind this is the law of the tribe. And, to live in France, you must respect France”, during a speech at the Elysee Palace in Paris. Ablations would presumably include female genital mutiliation, a practice of some Muslims.

Extra Benefits for Polygamous Muslims

Today’s headlines from the U.K. are all aflutter with talk about Sharia law (thanks to the recent statements of the Archbishop druid of Canterbury) and how Britain will not under any circumstance adopt such nonesense, etc. etc.  But, all of that is just talk!  If you think the U.K. isn’t going the way of Sharia Law, think again:

Extra payments to Muslim men with multiple wives
08 February 2008 – national secular society

New guidelines on income support from the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) provide for extra payments to Muslim men with multiple wives. This will benefit Muslim men who, under Sharia law are permitted up to four wives. The rules state: “Where there is a valid polygamous marriage the claimant and one spouse will be paid the couple rate (£92.80). “The amount payable for each additional spouse is presently £33.65.” Income support for all of the wives may be paid directly into the husband’s bank account, if the family so choose.

Al Qaeda Plotting Attacks on Germany?

Another case of the dog biting the hand that fed it… If you don’t understand what I’m referring to, read this article on the Nazi/al-Qaeda connection HERE

Germany Sees Online al-Qaida Activity

By MELISSA EDDY
The Associated Press – via WashingtonPost
Friday, February 8, 2008; 10:41 AM

BERLIN — German security officials have seen an increase in al-Qaida activity on the Internet aimed at radicalizing, recruiting and training potential German-speaking terrorists, an Interior Ministry official said Friday.

Stefan Paris, the spokesman for Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble, said that “German security authorities have seen a qualitative increase in al-Qaida activity on the Internet.”

Based on information studied online, Paris told reporters that German officials believe that al-Qaida has rebuilt itself among the Afghan-Pakistani border region.

“We have very clearly seen that al-Qaida increasingly uses the Internet for three components _ a massive radicalization, recruiting and the spreading of technical information on how to carry out a terror attack, including construction of explosive devices.” Paris said.

He added that officials were also seeing a “clear focus on Germany,” citing an increase in the number of German-language postings from al-Qaida over the past year.

Ahmadiyya Muslim Community Denied!!!

Well, chalk one up for the great melting pot that is America. 

I find it interesting that Martin Luther King, Jr. and others died for desegregation, and now we have religious immigrants who want to segregate themselves from the rest of society, via “Muslim Communities…”  

Walkersville Board Rejects Request for Muslim Center

February 08, 2008 – ABC7-WJLA

The Walkersville Board of Zoning Appeals on Thursday denied the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community’s request for a special exception that would permit construction of a recreation and worship center on Woodsboro Pike.

The decision came after days of deliberations, The Frederick News-Post reported. Board members expressed concerns about traffic during the annual Jalsa Salana festival, which could have drawn thousands and about the availability of fire equipment. The Ahmadiyya wanted to build two gymnasiums on the property for use during the conventions and for basketball games year-round. People attending the three-day festivals, which are traditionally held on Labor Day weekend, were to have stayed in tents on the grounds.