Author Archive
Story behind Imran Khan’s “Omar’s Law” – by Maisam Ali: Make-believe is emerging reality of town that is home to urban middle class of Pakistan in general and that of Punjab in particular. The town is more of a la-la land thriving on aspiring dream of a utopia that
City of slaughtered souls – by Maisam Ali: چلو آؤ تم کو دکھائیں ہم جو بچا ہے مقتلِ شہر میں یہ مزار اہلِ صفا کے ہیں، یہ ہیں اہلِ صدق کی تربتیں (Let me show you what has left in slaughterhouse of the city These are tombs
Three cups of tea: A story of betryal and butchery – by Maisam Ali: “Haji Ali spoke. ‘If you want to thrive in Baltistan, you must respect our ways. The first time you share tea with a Balti, you are a stranger. The second time you take tea, you are an honored guest.
Shia killing in Pakistan: Identified, offloaded and shot – by Suleman Akhtar: Related posts: Shia massacre in Gilgit: Media apathy and misrepresentation of Shia genocide in Pakistan Kohistan Shia massacre: Those committing genocides in Pakistan and their handlers are repeat offenders – by Dr. Mohammad Taqi Last time it happened they
Who will speak for Qaisar Hussain? – by Maisam Ali: Here on the slopes of hills, facing the dusk and the cannon of time Close to the gardens of broken shadows, We do what prisoners do, Our losses: between two and eight martyrs each day. And ten wounded. And
Celebrating Milad un-Nabi (PBUH): As you read these lines, 1.5 billion Muslims will be celebrating the birthday of their beloved prophet, a day known as Milad un-Nabi or Mawlid. Muslim love and admiration for the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) manifests itself beautifully through these
A plea of those who are less equal than others – by Suleman Akhtar: “All animals are equal, but some animals are more equal than others” – George Orwell (Animal Farm) The phrase is from George Orwell’s allegorical novella ‘Animal Farm’. A group of animals establishes a commune to safeguard the rights of
The blasphemers of darkness: “If you wish to be a ghazi, Take up your sword : Before killing the Kafir, You must slaughter the swindler.”Those were the times of turmoil and religious intolerance in Punjab when Bulleh shah emerged as a major voice
Mullah Mohammad Fazl, responsible for Shia Hazara genocide in Afghanistan, about to be released by Obama administration: Adding to the miseries of Hazara Shias, who are already living under the severe kind of persecution and violence in Pakistani provincial capital Quetta at the hands of radical Shia haters i.e. likes of Malik Ishaq who had been
Benazir Bhutto: The Eighth Queen of Bhittai – by Suleman Akhtar: If Bhittai were alive today, he would write about her eighth queen of Sindh. He would make her the queen of all the seven queens and would ask them to bow down to her. If he were alive, he
Zardari khappay! – by Suleman Akhtar: Such media frenzy over the departure of President Asif Ali Zardari to Dubai owing to medical reasons. Such are the hate speeches and death wishes for the person who, against all odds, has been serving as president of
For Shia Muslims worldwide, Karbala is not over, Ashura has not finished yet – by Maisam Ali: Karbala is infinite, eternal and ever-encompassing. This is not only the Euphrates (A river flows through Syria and Iraq) that has beheld atrociousness incarnated by Karbala, but the Nile, the Oxus, the Helmand and the Indus are also among
Hasan Nasir: ‘We, who were murdered in the darkest lanes’: Today, November 13, marks the death anniversary of Hasan Nasir Shaheed who was succumbed to death in infamous Lahore Fort’s chamber of horrors in 1960 by Pakistani state. Scion of an aristocratic family of Hyderabad, Deccan, Hasan Nasir was a
Sacrifice: Another Story – by Suleman Akhtar: There’s much distress in society that may be taken care of to some extent by succoring the flood effectees, Internally Displaced Persons, terrorism victims and destitute ones in dire need; the act that corresponds more to the spirit
The False Prophet – by Suleman Akhtar: Change we need, but not at the expense of sagacity. Change we need, but not through mere rhetoric rather sound understanding of state of affairs. Change cannot be even envisioned until unless touching upon the matter that who holds
Bulleh Shah – A voice against religious bigotry: 8th of September, 2011 marks the commencement of three-day celebrations of 254th Urs of Baba Bulleh Shah in Kasur. The man who had been refused by the mullahs to be buried after his death in the community graveyard because
From Hazarajat to Quetta: A sorry tale of Quiet Genocide of Hazaras – by Maisam Ali: The book said that my people had killed the Hazaras, driven them from their lands, burned their homes, and sold their women. The book said part of the reason they had oppressed the Hazaras was that they were Sunni
Remembering the Visionary, the Poet Ahmad Faraz: Khwab martay nahi
Khwab dil hein, na ankhein, na sanseiN ke jo
Reza Reza huwe to bikher jaiN ge
Jism kee maut se yeh bhee mar jaiN ge
Holier-than-thou Middle-Class and Anna Hazare Phenomenon -by Suleman Akhtar: Anna Hazare is personification of holier-than-thou middle class morality that aspires to see every seed blossoming overnight, despite being outright apolitical. The dilemma of middle class is that it holds the moral grounds of Jesus and fantasizes about the
Bringing Home the Desert -by Suleman Akhtar: I’m all for endorsing their policies, but what is the vindication they have of myriads of dead bodies of my country-fellows? I’m ready to relinquish Khusrow, Ghalib, Bhittai, Bhulla, Rahman Baba and Gul Khan, but can they introduce
Judiciary and Islamization -by Rab Nawaz: Brief Intro: Author is Head of Punjab Chapter of KHUDI, A counter extremism social movement working to promote a democratic culture in Pakistan, who frequently contributes to LUBP.
Questions for pro-Jihadi judiciary and its apologists: Senator from Pakistan Peoples Party Faisal Raza Abidi has raised some pertinent questions in the wake of highly politicized and pro-terrorists judiciary that are still to be answered by the apologists and champions of independent Judiciary and media.
Islamism & the Far-Right: The Twin Faces of Terror – by Rab Nawaz: Those groups who adopt violence and abandon democracy and dialogue as a means of presenting their demands prove bankrupt on the question of legitimacy of their methods. It is thus exposed that their arguments and reasoning are nothing but
Fatima Bhutto and her songs of Blood, Sword and Fairytale -by Suleman Akhtar: There is always a fine thin line between fact and fiction and one fall prey to lose the sight of truth if hides ones personal repugnance behind the cloak of fiction in lieu of withstanding the facts.
The Phantom of vanity -by Suleman Akhtar: "We have been counting the bodies soaked in blood and wrapped in vanity and strategic depth coffins for years and it’s mounting with each passing day. If we still don’t realize that peril haunting us nowhere but within then
Politics of Drones -by Rab Nawaz: National pride or ghairat has traditionally been punch line of establishment’s version of Pakistani nationalism. It makes a lot of sense to Pakhtuns who have also been a favorite proxy for army. But the way it has been invoked
The bleeding sufi – by Suleman Akhtar: With the every bleeding Sufi the dream of tolerant and democratic Pakistan is fading away and the culture that may prove to be the final antidote to the militant Islam is slipping away into the abyss.
The liberal fiasco in Pakistan – by Suleman Akhtar: "Mocking the religious beliefs of others is not necessarily the emblem of liberalism. To assert on the liquidation of all pluralistic cultural as well as social traits cannot escalate an individual from braggart to liberal. To castigate the nasty
Salute to Tunisia: It all started a month ago when a disenfranchised university graduate Mohammed Bouazizi, 26, doused himself in petrol and set himself alight after police confiscated his produce, alleging he did not have the necessary permit. This public suicide grew
Taseer’s murder: If it takes up the extremists’ baton, liberal Pakistan is lost – by Kamila Shamsie: That Pakistan is a nation bound upon a wheel of fire is not in any doubt. The assassination of Salmaan Taseer, killed for speaking out against a blasphemy law that has been used time and again to persecute minorities and
The dilemma of identity – by Suleman Akhtar: The solution lies within our rich civilization itself. Solution lies in revival of that beautiful culture of peace and harmony marked with the distinctive diversities. Solution lies in Indian version of Islam that has served people irrespective of their
Murder of Hope – by Suleman Akhtar: The dead teach me the lesson: there is no aesthetic beyond freedom
Benazir Bhutto: an iconic figure – by Tauqeer Abbas: There are very few people who become eternal after their deaths and without any doubt Benazir Bhutto fits in that category. She is a heartthrob of millions and rules their heart and minds. We should learn lesson from her
The only way forward- by Imran Qadir Butt: I certainly believe that if Pakistanis start taking unbiased and realistic approach towards any political or social issue they will start making good decisions which in turns leads to the road of bright and successful future.
Family waits to see if mother, accused of blasphemy, will be hanged: The town cleric, who made the initial complaint against Bibi, called her death sentence one of the happiest moments of his life.
"Tears of joy poured from my eyes," Qari Salim told CNN.
The clerics tears are in stark contrast to
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