South of West

• The race for Tripoli

  Posted: February 28, 2011, 10:06 pm by Rob Crilly

  It’s beach towels on sunbeds at Ras Jedir, where the world’s media are waiting to see if the Tunisian border with Libya opens up in the same way that Egypt did last week. Once you have your spot, you hold … Continue reading →

• Crisp Diplomacy

  Posted: February 20, 2011, 2:32 pm by Rob Crilly

  Me, I like a packet of crisps. Cheese and onion is my favourite, if you are asking, but generally I need no invitation to sample a new flavour. So I was easily led by Lay’s cricket world cup tie-in, featuring … Continue reading →

• Valentine’s Day: Saints and Sinners

  Posted: February 15, 2011, 8:51 am by Rob Crilly

  Found yesterday’s showering of affection on Mumtaz Qadri rather confusing to say the least… The confessed killer of a liberal Pakistani governor pleaded guilty Monday to a murder he said was justified under Islam, while outside the court supporters bearing … Continue reading →

• TV, Tunneling and Tosh

  Posted: February 14, 2011, 8:49 am by Rob Crilly

  I generally take a dim view of expats that try to recreate home life in their chosen country of work, teaching the staff to cook shepherd’s pie, asking the driver to wear a cap and blazer, QBP (the Queen’s birthday … Continue reading →

• Muddled PR on Raymond Davis

  Posted: February 9, 2011, 5:54 pm by Rob Crilly

  The strange case of Raymond Davis poses some desperately difficult questions for Pakistani and American officials who would all rather like the whole thing to disappear pretty fast. Who the hell is he? What was he doing in Lahore? Why … Continue reading →

• Karachi Literary Festival Stuff

  Posted: February 8, 2011, 4:12 pm by Rob Crilly

  Sorry to have missed the Karachi Literary Festival at the weekend, particularly as there was gossip and backbiting of the highest order on display… along with the books. British officials were aghast that while the Brit High Commissioner’s wife flew … Continue reading →

• Extremism on the streets in Lahore

  Posted: February 6, 2011, 4:17 pm by Rob Crilly

  An unpleasant series of banners and posters dots Lahore, celebrating Mumtaz Qadri, the killer of Salman Taseer, and calling for the death of Asia Bibi, the Christian woman convicted of blasphemy and now awaiting her appeal. Take the example above… … Continue reading →

• On a Lighter Note…

  Posted: February 3, 2011, 11:22 am by Rob Crilly

  Thinks have taken a turn for the worse in Cairo. Pretty miserable scenes last night. So let’s cheer ourselves up: How to write about Egypt: …Whatever you choose, your first paragraph must mention at least one of four things: the … Continue reading →

• Books Stuff

  Posted: February 2, 2011, 8:44 am by Rob Crilly

  The South Asia Reading Challenge continues apace, with a contribution this week from Agnija. My list is finalised (well ish) but came back from London at the weekend with a fresh handful of books on the region, as well as … Continue reading →

• What Sort of Diplomat Carries a Loaded Gun?

  Posted: February 1, 2011, 3:39 pm by Rob Crilly

  It’s difficult to know which country is in more of a tizz, Pakistan or the US, following the arrest of an American “diplomat” for shooting dead two Pakistanis in Lahore last week. It is desperately embarrassing for both and could … Continue reading →

Blah blah blah

Fish cakes

Alas a fish cake.

Yet more fish cakes

Guess what ... yeah ... fish cakes.

The end of the fish cakes