Comments on: Pakistan debates legalising alcohol http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043 Current affairs for a progressive generation Sat, 04 Feb 2012 17:02:53 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3 By: Aejaz Zahid http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-60072 Aejaz Zahid Fri, 30 Mar 2007 01:17:24 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-60072 I think all drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) should be legalised and highly taxed. The money gained from these taxes should then be used to institute education programs and media campaigns that widely, clearly and unambiguosly warn about the dangers associated with each of these drugs. It is then up to the individual to decide their own fate. I do believe that we will see fewer problems with drugs and alcohol if there were an open and honest debate about these issues, rather than hiding these issues under the carpet and fueling the culture of hipocrisy we have in our society. Regarding what the mullahs have to say about this, as far I understand Islam, at the end of the day the ultimate responsibility for ones actions lies firmly with the individual. I think all drugs (including alcohol and tobacco) should be legalised and highly taxed. The money gained from these taxes should then be used to institute education programs and media campaigns that widely, clearly and unambiguosly warn about the dangers associated with each of these drugs. It is then up to the individual to decide their own fate. I do believe that we will see fewer problems with drugs and alcohol if there were an open and honest debate about these issues, rather than hiding these issues under the carpet and fueling the culture of hipocrisy we have in our society. Regarding what the mullahs have to say about this, as far I understand Islam, at the end of the day the ultimate responsibility for ones actions lies firmly with the individual.

]]> By: HERMITPADAMJIT SINGH http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58602 HERMITPADAMJIT SINGH Sat, 17 Mar 2007 22:14:02 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58602 I strongly feel that any debate on legalising alcohol in Pakistan should be quelled. Ban on alcohol in the country for religious or secular reasons is quite legitimate. Clandestine consumption of alcohol might be the order of day but legalising it would do more harm to the fabric or body politic of societyor Nation. Keeping it under wraps would curb the menace of drinking to a far greater extent than legalising it. Legalising alcohol in the country would be an invitation to disaster. It would lead to the majority of population getting hooked to the bottle as we see it happening in the west. Muslims living in other parts of the world might be drinking alcohol. They are answerable to their Livers and their God but do not let your beautiful Pakistan to plunge into a Nation of Lotus eaters nay drunkards. PADAMJIT SINGH I strongly feel that any debate on legalising alcohol in Pakistan should be quelled. Ban on alcohol in the country for religious or secular reasons is quite legitimate. Clandestine consumption of alcohol might be the order of day but legalising it would do more harm to the fabric or body politic of societyor Nation. Keeping it under wraps would curb the menace of drinking to a far greater extent than legalising it.
Legalising alcohol in the country would be an invitation to disaster. It would lead to the majority of population getting hooked to the bottle as we see it happening in the west. Muslims living in other parts of the world might be drinking alcohol. They are answerable to their Livers and their God but do not let your beautiful Pakistan to plunge into a Nation of Lotus eaters nay drunkards.

PADAMJIT SINGH

]]> By: Fawad Khattak http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58597 Fawad Khattak Sat, 17 Mar 2007 21:28:24 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58597 First, the premise that PAKISATN IS NOT A TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE, is debatable because hardly any one can REALLY DEFINE A TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE;definations vary from TALIBAN'S AFGHANISTAN to SAUDI ARABIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF MONARCHIES to SUDAN and IRAN'S style THEOCRACIES. Through out the Muslim world ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY has its distinct SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT peculiar to the various countries. In her own SOCIO-CULTURAL(ERRONOUSLY CALLED HER MISCONCEPTION OF ISLAMIC THEOLOGY!) context PAKISTAN IS 100% a TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE----MUSHARRAF'S DEMEANOUR OF LIBERAL REFORMS ACTUALLY IS THE REAL EXHIBITION!IT HARDLY SEEMS TO BE SINCERE OR INFLUENTIAL. IN PAKISTAN'S SOCIO_CULTURAL MILIEU consumption of alcohol in the elite circles has ALWAYS been a norm! EVEN AMONG THE COLLEGE STUDENTS!!!But then 42% of Pakistan's masses live below the poverty line and majority of Pakistan's religious are dirty poor!Another 25 to 30% of the SO-CALLED LOWER MIDLLE classes too can't afford the expensive bootlegged wines! Unfortunately Pakistan DOESN't have a REAL MIDDLE CLASS larger than 3%!;ANOTHER REASON FOR RISING TIDE OF EXTREMISM AND INTOLERANCE.And I KNOW FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE that the Muree breweries and others of the ilk don't produce quality wines---TRY AN IMPORTED AS WELL AS A LOCALLY BREWED glass of wine AND YOU WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE! Pakistan's is an explosive capitalist economy where ALL THE REFORMS are tailored to benefit only the upper minority of the rich and winning the international goodwill through much hyped NON-REFORMS that don't really challange te intolerant,exploitative socio-economic culture. Raising prohibitions that won't REALL affect MUCH of Pakistan's population should be seen in THAT context alone! First, the premise that PAKISATN IS NOT A TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE, is debatable because hardly any one can REALLY DEFINE A TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE;definations vary from TALIBAN’S AFGHANISTAN to SAUDI ARABIA AND THE PERSIAN GULF MONARCHIES to SUDAN and IRAN’S style THEOCRACIES. Through out the Muslim world ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY has its distinct SOCIO-CULTURAL CONTEXT peculiar to the various countries.
In her own SOCIO-CULTURAL(ERRONOUSLY CALLED HER MISCONCEPTION OF ISLAMIC THEOLOGY!) context PAKISTAN IS 100% a TRADITIONAL ISLAMIC STATE—-MUSHARRAF’S DEMEANOUR OF LIBERAL REFORMS ACTUALLY IS THE REAL EXHIBITION!IT HARDLY SEEMS TO BE SINCERE OR INFLUENTIAL.
IN PAKISTAN’S SOCIO_CULTURAL MILIEU consumption of alcohol in the elite circles has ALWAYS been a norm! EVEN AMONG THE COLLEGE STUDENTS!!!But then 42% of Pakistan’s masses live below the poverty line and majority of Pakistan’s religious are dirty poor!Another 25 to 30% of the SO-CALLED LOWER MIDLLE classes too can’t afford the expensive bootlegged wines! Unfortunately Pakistan DOESN’t have a REAL MIDDLE CLASS larger than 3%!;ANOTHER REASON FOR RISING TIDE OF EXTREMISM AND INTOLERANCE.And I KNOW FROM MY PERSONAL EXPERIENCE that the Muree breweries and others of the ilk don’t produce quality wines—TRY AN IMPORTED AS WELL AS A LOCALLY BREWED glass of wine AND YOU WOULD KNOW THE DIFFERENCE!
Pakistan’s is an explosive capitalist economy where ALL THE REFORMS are tailored to benefit only the upper minority of the rich and winning the international goodwill through much hyped NON-REFORMS that don’t really challange te intolerant,exploitative socio-economic culture. Raising prohibitions that won’t REALL affect MUCH of Pakistan’s population should be seen in THAT context alone!

]]> By: justforfun http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58227 justforfun Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:38:17 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58227 BB - Thanks for the link. Damn - now I have no excuse not to buy the expensive malts as presents. Justforfun BB – Thanks for the link. Damn – now I have no excuse not to buy the expensive malts as presents.

Justforfun

]]> By: bananabrain http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58222 bananabrain Thu, 15 Mar 2007 17:07:01 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58222 jff - no, i was just referencing pink gin's "colonial past". nothing more subtle than that. as far as the kashrut of whisky is concerned, i can do no better than point you to the following link: http://www.jeremyrosen.com/halacha/scotch.html which is a detailed treatment of the issues involved by my own eminently sensible rabbi. feel free to ask any further question raised by his article and i will endeavour to give satisfaction. b'shalom bananabrain jff – no, i was just referencing pink gin’s “colonial past”. nothing more subtle than that. as far as the kashrut of whisky is concerned, i can do no better than point you to the following link:

http://www.jeremyrosen.com/halacha/scotch.html

which is a detailed treatment of the issues involved by my own eminently sensible rabbi. feel free to ask any further question raised by his article and i will endeavour to give satisfaction.

b’shalom

bananabrain

]]> By: justforfun http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58212 justforfun Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:35:16 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58212 Jagdeep - for a moment I thought you had lured Anas to the dark side for our clan gathering. BB - do you mean its OK as long as the cask is 2nd hand and had only been used previously for sherry (or brandy), and not a 3rd hand cask where before the sherry (or brandy) it had been used for grape drinks other than sherry or brandy. I was led to believe all all malts use ex-sherry casks, as the juices in a fresh virgin cask would overpower the subtle tastes in of a whiskey. As well as the economics of the sherry trade - lots of spare casks in England from all that sherry imported and a ready market up north for the Gaels to put their whiskey in. BB - have you ever sat in a planter's chair? not the doggy doggy but missionary position - but maybe thats the basis of the joke? Having never smoked ganja , I ask - can you actually dance after smoking it? None of my friends can - are they whimps or have the the wrong stuff? Justforfun Jagdeep – for a moment I thought you had lured Anas to the dark side for our clan gathering.

BB – do you mean its OK as long as the cask is 2nd hand and had only been used previously for sherry (or brandy), and not a 3rd hand cask where before the sherry (or brandy) it had been used for grape drinks other than sherry or brandy. I was led to believe all all malts use ex-sherry casks, as the juices in a fresh virgin cask would overpower the subtle tastes in of a whiskey. As well as the economics of the sherry trade – lots of spare casks in England from all that sherry imported and a ready market up north for the Gaels to put their whiskey in.

BB – have you ever sat in a planter’s chair? not the doggy doggy but missionary position – but maybe thats the basis of the joke?

Having never smoked ganja , I ask – can you actually dance after smoking it? None of my friends can – are they whimps or have the the wrong stuff?

Justforfun

]]> By: bananabrain http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58211 bananabrain Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:34:32 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58211 someone gay thinks i have good taste? perhaps there is hope for we benighted fundamentalists yet. hur hur hur. actually, i myself am less than observant of the halakhic rules on wine and grape-based products, partly because there is a principle at stake: part of the reason that non-supervised wine is prohibited is the theoretical risk that it has been used in an idolatrous ceremony and my definition of idolatry is extremely, extremely strict, on principle. wine that isn't vegetarian, though (like anything that uses an animal product like sturgeon blood as a fining agent) i really shouldn't drink. then again, i still eat (vegetarian only, though) in non-kosher establishments, partly because i can't bear to put up with only-kosher restaurants for the rest of my life and partly because it would prevent me eating out with or at the homes of the vast majority of my friends and family. my spirituality is not kashrut-led. however, i'm 1000% strict over passover, when there is extra reason to be. 85% lindt i find doesn't actually taste like chocolate at all. at 99%, you might as well eat cocoa powder out of the jar. b'shalom bananabrain someone gay thinks i have good taste? perhaps there is hope for we benighted fundamentalists yet. hur hur hur.

actually, i myself am less than observant of the halakhic rules on wine and grape-based products, partly because there is a principle at stake: part of the reason that non-supervised wine is prohibited is the theoretical risk that it has been used in an idolatrous ceremony and my definition of idolatry is extremely, extremely strict, on principle. wine that isn’t vegetarian, though (like anything that uses an animal product like sturgeon blood as a fining agent) i really shouldn’t drink. then again, i still eat (vegetarian only, though) in non-kosher establishments, partly because i can’t bear to put up with only-kosher restaurants for the rest of my life and partly because it would prevent me eating out with or at the homes of the vast majority of my friends and family. my spirituality is not kashrut-led. however, i’m 1000% strict over passover, when there is extra reason to be.

85% lindt i find doesn’t actually taste like chocolate at all. at 99%, you might as well eat cocoa powder out of the jar.

b’shalom

bananabrain

]]> By: Jagdeep http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58208 Jagdeep Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:27:53 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58208 Bailey's is Mrs Jagdeep's favourit drink, and it is actually very pleasent with crushed ice after a hearty meal. There's another drink called Amarula, which is from South Africa I believe, that is like Baileys and also quite pleasent. Bailey’s is Mrs Jagdeep’s favourit drink, and it is actually very pleasent with crushed ice after a hearty meal. There’s another drink called Amarula, which is from South Africa I believe, that is like Baileys and also quite pleasent.

]]> By: A councillor writes http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58205 A councillor writes Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:17:20 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58205 Well, as a gay mixed-nationality person (Irish and British), I'd be happy to come along :-) bananabrain has lovely taste in whisky to say the least, but I've just remembered two more delights of my cupboard. Glenfiddich Solera Reserve (which I suspect isn't kosher) but is the only Glenfiddich I've ever had that I liked and Highland Park 18 year old. When we have our constituency summer barbeque, we deal with the problems by having separate "carnivore", "halal" and "vegetarian", we would do kosher, but our only Jewish members do not follow kashrut. Oh and Bailey's is an addition to poor quality coffee. Oh and 70% Lindt is for wussies, I like the 85%, but I find the 99% a bit much. Well, as a gay mixed-nationality person (Irish and British), I’d be happy to come along :-)

bananabrain has lovely taste in whisky to say the least, but I’ve just remembered two more delights of my cupboard. Glenfiddich Solera Reserve (which I suspect isn’t kosher) but is the only Glenfiddich I’ve ever had that I liked and Highland Park 18 year old.

When we have our constituency summer barbeque, we deal with the problems by having separate “carnivore”, “halal” and “vegetarian”, we would do kosher, but our only Jewish members do not follow kashrut.

Oh and Bailey’s is an addition to poor quality coffee.

Oh and 70% Lindt is for wussies, I like the 85%, but I find the 99% a bit much.

]]> By: Kismet Hardy http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58201 Kismet Hardy Thu, 15 Mar 2007 16:12:21 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58201 Civilisation started in Bangladesh. Fact. Civilisation started in Bangladesh.

Fact.

]]> By: Jagdeep http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58193 Jagdeep Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:58:25 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58193 Some people say 'bhangra' is derived from bhang. Makes sense to me, if you go to the Punjab countryside ganja plants grow everywhere, and getting high on bhang at celebrations for the end of harvesting season or at celebrations and melas then dancing sounds about right. Some people say ‘bhangra’ is derived from bhang. Makes sense to me, if you go to the Punjab countryside ganja plants grow everywhere, and getting high on bhang at celebrations for the end of harvesting season or at celebrations and melas then dancing sounds about right.

]]> By: Sid Love http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58192 Sid Love Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:54:03 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58192 No bhang lassi is the cool refreshing cannabis/yoghurt drink. Derived from the work <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bhang" rel="nofollow">bhang</a> which means cannabis. And lassi which is, erm, lassi. No bhang lassi is the cool refreshing cannabis/yoghurt drink. Derived from the work bhang which means cannabis. And lassi which is, erm, lassi.

]]> By: Jagdeep http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58191 Jagdeep Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:50:38 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58191 Yeah I think that's where it comes from Kismet Yeah I think that’s where it comes from Kismet

]]> By: Kismet Hardy http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58189 Kismet Hardy Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:38:04 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58189 is bang lassi from bangladesh because my Russell comics told me bangladesh means land of the hemp people Fact. is bang lassi from bangladesh

because my Russell comics told me bangladesh means land of the hemp people

Fact.

]]> By: sonia http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58186 sonia Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:15:54 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58186 heh heh sid heh heh sid

]]> By: Sid Love http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58184 Sid Love Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:10:44 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58184 <a href="http://www.royalmilewhiskies.com/product.asp?pf_id=0010000002645" rel="nofollow">interesting</a> name for an Irish whiskey. Will Pakistan be developing a single malt called, er, Paki? [ducks] interesting name for an Irish whiskey.

Will Pakistan be developing a single malt called, er, Paki?

[ducks]

]]> By: Kismet Hardy http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58183 Kismet Hardy Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:09:37 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58183 For my sins, that is For my sins, that is

]]> By: Kismet Hardy http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58182 Kismet Hardy Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:09:11 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58182 Well I did never pay Well I did never pay

]]> By: Jagdeep http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58181 Jagdeep Thu, 15 Mar 2007 14:04:15 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58181 That must have bankrupted you Kismet That must have bankrupted you Kismet

]]> By: Kismet Hardy http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58178 Kismet Hardy Thu, 15 Mar 2007 13:59:11 +0000 http://www.pickledpolitics.com/archives/1043#comment-58178 Pink champagne was what stopped me taking speed. Pink champagne was what stopped me taking speed.

]]>