Author Archive
On Benazir’s 4th death anniversary, President Zardari hits out at Teen Jeem’s conspiracies against democracy: It was one of the largest shows of political strength in Pakistan’s political history after Benazir Bhutto’s arrival from exile in September 2007 (when about a million PPP workers and supporters had gathered to receive their leader at Karachi
Pakistani Christians face alienation, discrimination this Christmas: ISLAMABAD – In one of Pakistan’s poorest neighborhoods Christmas lights are going up while artists paint holiday scenes on concrete walls. The decorations do little to mask the trash and sewage that litter the ground. “Life is tough here,” complains
A critical comment on Pakistan Blog Awards 2011 – by Mureed Bizenjo: Related posts: Social Media Summit in Karachi which never was! Aisha Aijaz and Saad Khan’s My Bit for Ahmadi Phobia I had registered myself as a guest, not as a nominee, in the Pakistan Blog Awards (PBA), obviously not
Benazir Bhutto: An honourable martyr – by Ravez Junejo: There is great honour in martyrdom, I know for I have seen it, on a cold December 27, when Benazir Bhutto achieved it. She was a lioness charging forth, among her people that day. All those souls stood enraptured,
Imran Khan says he won’t allow any militant group to operate from Pakistan: Related post: Imran Khan’s PTI joins banned terrorist groups in pro-army rally in Lahore Last month (Nov 2011), I was so hopeful after reading Imran Khan’s clear and bold stance against militant groups basd in Pakistan: Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan
Imran Khan’s PTI joins banned terrorist groups in pro-army rally in Lahore: Related posts: Imran Khan’s Vice President Ejaz Chaudhry’s links with sectarian terrorists! Imran Khan’s message to the Defence of Pakistan rally in Lahore – by Hakim Hazik Imran Khan says he won’t allow any militant group to operate from
We expected better from you, Nawaz Sharif! – by Kashif Naseer: نواز شریف سے ایسی توقع نہ تھی خاکی وردی والے کب تک مشرف کے بوجھ تلے دبے رہتے لیکن اگر زرداری صاحب آرٹیکل چھ کو بروکار لاتے اورمشرف کو محفوظ راستہ دے کر بھگانے کے بجائے الٹا لٹکا دیتے،
Balochistan: A story of discrimination – by Salma Jafar: A Human Rights Day Feature Prelude: Often I wonder how can the Pakistani rulers and civil society be happy and content as they are, when one integral part of the country not only bleeds but is pining to cut
Whom are you fooling Nawaz Sharif? – by Shah Hussain Lahori: The cat is out of the bag. Mian Mohammad Nawaz Sharif and his associates attacked the Supreme Court in 1997 and this time they attacked judicial conventions for the second time. The great Quaid of Punjab’s largest party, Sharif,
List of non-Hazara Shia Muslims killed by ASWJ-LeJ terrorists in Balochistan – by Marya Mushtaq: Related posts: Government data: From 2008 to 2012, 420 non-Hazara Shias, 338 Hazara Shias killed in Balochistan Can we combat terrorism without identifying the terrorists? Fortunately, the Sunni Hazara brothers are safe in Quetta – by Mehdi Changezi Munawar
HRW urges Pakistan to protect Shia Muslims: (New York, 3 December 2011) – The Pakistani government should urgently act to protect Shia Muslims in Pakistan from sectarian attack during the Muslim holy month of Moharram, Human Rights Watch said today. In recent years, Sunni extremist groups
Muharram, a holiday? Living as a Shia in today’s Pakistan: The ever increasing silent Saudi-ization (or Wahhabi-ization) of moderate Muslims in Pakistan, India and elsewhere has had an adverse effect on the culture of plurality, mutual respect and tolerance within the world of Islam. Thanks to the Saudi-Salafi funded
Najam Sethi parrots Deep State’s lies by equating Pashtuns with Taliban – by Salma Jafar: Related posts: Najam Sethi’s support for Pakistan army and their Haqqani Network – by Lakshmi Khatri Najam Shady ringing alarm bells – Dilshad Chandio LUBP must not consciously malign Najam Sethi On LUBP’s apology to Najam Sethi club: Why
Saudi-funded TV channels continue to radicalize Muslim youth: With billions of petro dollars to fund their global clout, the Saudi lobbies have simply brought off opposition to their continued efforts to spread Wahabism worldwide. In failing to confront Wahabism, North America and Europe remain paralysed by a combination
Danish’s crime was being a Shia Muslim – by Marya Mushtaq: Muhammad Danish Baltistani, 32, left his home in Nawan-Killi (Quetta) for University of Balochistan, where he taught in the Computer Science Department on November 29 only to be carried back home by several men. He was killed. His crime:
Jalil Reki’s murder is a test case for rights champion Sherry Rehman – by Laibaah: Cross-posted from Pakistan Blogzine While elite media and human rights organizations are currently busy in projecting Sherry Rehman (Pakistan’s new Ambassador to the USA) as a champion of human rights in Pakistan, here is a first opportunity for Ambassador Rehman
An open letter to LUBP – by Salma Jafar: Dear LUBP editors, Just a few thoughts for what they are worth. Although I am not a part of LUBP team and you have every right to define the parameters of your debate and LUBP
The case of a curious memo – by Ali Aftab Saeed (Beygairat Brigade): First published at Pak Tea House Related posts: LUBP archive on memogate LUBP archive on Beygairat Brigade Let’s start with a simple thought, why does one write a letter to someone? Clench that answer in your mind and now
Pakistan army too should learn to forgive bloody civilians: Editor’s note: We provide below extracts from two Urdu articles (from BBC Urdu and Top Story Online) in order to remind the Deep State that while Pakistani nation forgave or was forced to forgive military dictators (Generals Ayub, Zia,
Memogate: This is not a new game the establishment is playing – by Shah Hussain Lahori: Husain Haqqani is not an ordinary diplomat. He is the finest of intellects Pakistan has produced. Despite his penchant for changing political loyalties, it is a fact that he remained loyal to the Pakistan People’s Party and its leadership
A gentle reminder: General Ayub Khan’s memo to Admiral Radford – by Kamran Shafi: Editor’s note: According to news reports, Pakistan army is quite interested in investigating about a memo delivered to Admiral Mullen in May 2011 which was allegedly authored by Ambassador Husain Haqqani on the advice of Pakistan’s elected government. An
Who will Punjab vote for? A study in the context of Punjab’s electoral history – by Ali Usman Qasmi: Imran Khan’s successful public rally in Lahore has made many tongues to wag. Political analysts are now forced to revise their earlier estimates about Imran Khan’s potential to create a niche for himself in the existing political set up
Imam-e-Kaaba ka khutba-e-hajj – by Aamir Hussaini: Aamir Hussaini offers a critical analysis of the Hajj sermon on 5 November 2011 by Abd al-‘Aziz Aal Ash-Shaikh, the Grand Mufti of Saudi Arabia. Mr. Hussaini highlights the lopsided criticism of the media, silence on discrimination and persecution
Imran Khan, tabdeeli ki hawa? – by Kashif Naseer: Source: Kashif Naseer ka blog کوئی شک نہیں کہ میدان کپتان کے لئے خالی ہے، فضاء ہموار اور نوجوان تیار ہیں، بلکہ اس سے کہیں زیادہ پورا شہری پنجاب، سرحد اور یہاں تک یہ شہر کراچی عمران خان کی
Vote for Imran Khan? – by Muhammad Anwar Ul Haq: ‘Vote for Imran, vote for change’ is THE catchphrase these days. Having heard this line several times over after the successful rally that PTI held in Lahore, I was forced to ponder over the question. While I was deliberating
Lifestyle Liberals and Political Liberals: Is LUBP a hurdle in the way of unity of liberals?: Related posts: Deconstructing Pakistani liberals: A response to Shashi Tharoor and Raza Rumi Censorship tactics and the ‘unity of liberals’ – by Alamdar Mengal The liberal fiasco in Pakistan – by Suleman Akhtar ****** I was motivated to write
Kings and kingmakers: A comment on Najam Sethi’s article on Imran Khan: Here is a quick comment on Najam Sethi’s editorial on Imran Khan (TFT: “Prince who would be King“): It is possible to identify four key issues: An uncritical recycling of the Gallup poll data: Gallup Pakistan is utterly discredited
Is PPP responsible for the Imran Khan Obsession? – by Salma Jafar: Imran Khan’s arrival at the much fraught political landscape of Pakistan should be a wakeup call to the slumbering and complacent PPP. But PPP will win the senate election with MQM support and all will be fine. PPP will
Reality check: How many in Imran Khan’s PTI rally in Lahore?: “Imran Khan’s Lahore rally was the biggest-ever show of political power in decades.” The above and similar discourse is currently being injected in Pakistani and international media in the aftermath of a PTI rally in Lahore (30 October 2011)
Imran Khan’s Lahore rally offers no hope to Pakistan’s religious and ethnic minority groups: Related posts: Imran Khan takes over Lahore – by Riaz Malik Imran Khan ke naam khula khat – by Laibaah First of all, we congratulate Imran Khan and his PTI on attracting a sizeable crowd in their public rally (jalsa)
Imran Khan takes over Lahore – by Riaz Malik Hajjaji: About the author Related post: Imran Khan’s Lahore rally offers no hope to Pakistan’s religious and ethnic minority groups Tomorrow is the DAWN that Faiz Ahmed Faiz, the Islamic Leftist poet used to refer to. Tommorow is the day
On LUBP’s apology to Najam Sethi club: Why can’t we respect free speech even if we disagree? – by Salma Jafar: The national media in Pakistan has become too sordid and boring despite the freedom it had to turn itself into credibility amongst its audience; apparently it has lost it. Because people like me no more watch the talk shows
Maligning Shaheed Benazir Bhutto on Nusrat Bhutto’s death: My attention to Murtaza Razvi’s piece on Begum Nusrat Bhutto was drawn by a fellow Tweep (@Darveshh) who referred to the article (A remarkable life story) published in Indian Express with the following comment: “No, it’s not Ansar Abbasi,
LUBP must not consciously malign Najam Sethi – Comments by Shaheryar Ali and Mehmal Sarfraz: Editor’s note: LUBP has received some critical comments on Laibaah’s post titled “Najam Sethi’s role in the Baloch resistance movement of 1970s” and also via Twitter which suggest that the assertions in that post about Mr. Sethi’s role in
Shia genocide, complicity of judiciary and the attempts to stifle dissent – by Haider Karrar: Today Pakistan is in the midst of a low grade war against its minority Shia Muslim population. This is the same Pakistan whose founder Muhammad Ali Jinnah had said: “Minorities, to whichever community they may belong, will be safeguarded.
A lonely voice: Nasir Ali Shah’s mission to save Shia Hazaras: His community, the people who elected him as their representative in Pakistan’s parliament (National Assembly), are being killed like flies in a systematic and ongoing manner. He has been highlighting the mass murders and persecution facing his community for
An incomplete justification: On Ayesha Siddiqa’s review of Imran Khan’s book: Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa, along with Kamran Shafi, Dr Mohammad Taqi, Nadeem Paracha and a few others, is one of those writers who I respect because of their principled stance on the military state, right wing extremists and urban-centric liberal-nationalists.