Author Archive
Different Salafi movements and the growth of ISIL in Iraq: Turkish intellectuals are largely ignorant about the new threat that is bordering Turkey. The so-called Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant (ISIL) is still an unknown entity for Turks. We have been hearing comments declaring that
Survival of the plural: A singular identity breeds violence – by Khaled Ahmed: An article in a Lahore Urdu monthly, Naya Zamana, of May 2014 by a friendly writer, Ubaidullah Ubaid — using a naming technique of the Taliban when they threaten someone with assassination — has upbraided me
Revolution in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia? – by Bruce Riedel: The overthrow of the Saudi royals is finally a possibility. In an excerpt from a new Brookings Institution briefing book for Obama’s second term, Bruce Riedel on what a catastrophe it would be for Obama. Saudi Arabia
A guide to the bitter political fights driving the Iraq crisis – by Zack Beauchamp: The ongoing vicious fighting in Iraq is often characterized as a battle between the Islamic State in Iraq and the Levant (ISIS) and the Iraqi government. Many people think of that as simply being a proxy war between
Liberal discourse on Deobandi terrorism – A Facebook Discussion: AN: 80s and 90s: SSP killed Shia en masse. Shias retaliated by target killing SSP leaders. Urban Liberals were not happy with Shias. Late 90s to 2010: Shias stopped retaliating to prove they are genuinely ‘mazloom’.
9 myths about Hinduism — debunked – by Moni Basu: Suhag Shukla knows that’s how some people outside Hinduism see her religion. As the head of the Hindu American Foundation, Shukla, 42, clarifies misconceptions all the time. Hinduism is ancient, though there is no specific date for
America’s Allies are Funding Deobandi/Wahabi ISIS – by Josh Rogin: The Islamic State of Iraq and Syria (ISIS), now threatening Baghdad, was funded for years by wealthy donors in Kuwait, Qatar, and Saudi Arabia, three U.S. allies that have dual agendas in the war on terror. The
Balochistan minority MPA shot dead in Quetta – by Syed Ali Shah: QUETTA/ISLAMABAD: Minority member of the Balochistan Assembly Handery Masieh was killed by his guard in Quetta on Saturday, an official said. He was killed in a firing incident in Nawan Killi — located in the suburbs of
اقلیتی رکن صوبائی اسمبلی کا دن دھاڑے قتل – از سید علی شاہ: بلوچستان اسمبلی کے اقلیتی رکن ہنری مسیح کو ہفتے کےدن کویٹہ میں ان کے گارڈ نے فارنگ کر کے قتل کر دیا – جان محمد بلیدی جو کہ بلوچستان حکومت کے ترجمان ہیں ان کا اس
A country of dead women – by Rafia Zakaria: Before Farzana Parveen was bludgeoned to death with bricks there was Shahida Parveen who was sentenced to be stoned. In early 1988, when democracy was new and a woman was about to take over the helm of the
The Invasion of Pakistan : The country created the Deobandi Taliban that now aims to destroy it.: Pakistan’s elites have spent decades fretting about an invasion from India, but it turns out they have invited their own invasion from within. By striking a Faustian bargain with the Taliban, the military and intelligence services have
عراق: وہابی شدت پسندوں کے کنٹرول کا دائرہ وسیع تر: عراق میں شدت پسندوں نے دو نئے قصبوں پر قبضے کے ساتھ اپنے کنٹرول کا دائرہ وسیع تر کر لیا ہے اور اب ایسا معلوم ہو رہا ہے کہ دارالحکومت بغداد کو بھی خطرہ لاحق ہو سکتا ہے۔ وہابی
The mega follies: POLITICS is all about perception. If people believe that a policy is detrimental to their interests, not even a deluge of spin, arranged news conferences, full-page advertisements and assurances by its advocates is going to change that perception. A
Khaki-turned-Jihadi Adnan Rasheed Deobandi masterminded Karachi attack – by Amir Mir: Editorial note: This piece illustrates how Pakistan’s policy –conceived and underwritten by its Army which runs the national security policy without any input from the democratic governments- of supporting Islamist militants has boomeranged dramatically in its face. Pakistan
Social media goes viral over Kuwait protest: Kuwaitis gather at Irada Square, opposite the National Assembly building in Kuwait City, last evening. The opposition called for the rally where it vowed to expose major corruption scams. DOHA: The social media across the GCC was abuzz
Insurgents seize Iraqi city of Mosul as security forces flee – by Liz Sly and Ahmed Ramadan: BEIRUT — Insurgents seized control of most of the northern Iraqi city of Mosul on Tuesday in a powerful demonstration of the threat posed by a rapidly expanding extremist army to the fragile stability of Iraq and
Staring at women is an Indian pastime, even nuns get stared at: travel expert – by Prasun Sonwalkar: Reports of rape and sexual assaults on women in India continue to make headlines in the British media as the Foreign Office advisory asks women travelling to India to exercise caution and one India travel expert concludes
World Environment Day: saving small islands – by Haroon Mustafa Janjua: Despite extreme weather conditions and unpredictable rains resulting in floods and disasters, the state showed that it still remains visionless over such an important issue by cutting down the budget for environmental action World Environment Day is celebrated
Karachi airport attack: The world is not safe until Pakistan cleans up its mess – by Rob Crilly: Security at Karachi’s airport was never foolproof. Driving up to its departure terminal cars are stopped by armed guards, allowing an officer to walk alongside with something similar to one of those novelty golf ball detectors, the
Fighting Pakistan’s War – by Khaled Ahmed: Early last month, Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan confessed that “peace” talks with the Pakistani Taliban had been derailed and the committees chosen by both sides had either grown impotent through resignations or become too empowered with
Pro Taliban General Kayani wanted by Ansar e Taliban: Please refer to this tweet of Ansar Abbasi and his recommendation of Former DG ISI and Former Chief of the Army Staff, General Kayani. And yet some people would have us believe that there is a principled struggle
The ISI’s Great Game in Afghanistan – by Omer Aziz: On the evening of March 20, two teenagers entered the buffet area of the luxurious Serena Hotel in Kabul. The well-guarded establishment was a popular meeting place for politicians, diplomats, and journalists; a kind of refuge away from the
Gun and suicide attack on Shias kills 23 in Taftan: QUETTA: As many as 23 people were killed and several others injured when a suicide bomber stormed a hotel in Taftan, where Shia pilgrims were staying, and blew himself up, late on Sunday. Talking to Daily
مائنس وَن’جنگ کے اِتحادیوں میں پھوٹ – از امام بخش: ایڈیٹر نوٹ ادارہ تعمیر پاکستان یہاں اس بات کی وضاحت کرنا چاہتا ہے کہ ہم جنگ اور جیو کی جانب سے اسٹیبلشمنٹ اور تکفیری دیوبندی نواز پالیسیز کی شدید مذمت اور مخالفت کرتے ہیں مگر ہم آزادی اظہار پر
Facebook Under Fire for Temporarily Blocking Pages in Pakistan – by Declan Walsh and Salman Masood: Editor’s note: Declan Walsh writes in support of Laal and Roshni, the pro rights pages that are blocked by the PTA. LUBP appreciates that the New York Times has paid attention to the social media pages which lead the
The curious case of drone strikes in FATA – by Farooq Yousaf: According to New America Foundation’s drone database, a total of 58 high profile targets have been killed in drone strikes – making up only 2% of the total casualties in 370 drone strikes. PHOTO: FILE Peter Bergen
Boy strangulated after being tortured – by Obaid Abbasi: Police believe the 10-year-old boy was sexually assaulted before being killed. PHOTO: FILE ISLAMABAD:The body of a 10-year-old seminary student was found in the Koral area late on Wednesday. He had allegedly been sexually-assaulted by an unidentified person
ملاں نئیں کہیں کار دے،شیوے نہ جانن یار دے – از عامر حسینی: روشنی سے ڈرے ہوئے لوگ-یہ میرے گذشتہ بلاگ کا عنوان تھا میں نے اسے سماجی رابطے کی ویب سائٹ فیس بک پر بھی پوسٹ کیا تو میرے ایک چھوٹے بھائی آصف رضا نے اس پر ایک کمنٹ کیا تو
Education and Human Life – by AZ: All of us are here to serve a cause which is greater than us. Our own existence becomes significant only when we become aware of our reliance on others from the early development of our personality brought about
سپاہ صحابہ کی مساجد – بارود اور دہشت گردوں کے ٹھکانے: یہ رکشہ میں بارودی مواد یا تو مدرسے میں لایا جارہا تھا یا وہاں سے کہیں آکے منتقل کیا جانا تھا اب یہ کسی وجہ سے پھٹ گیا اور پولیس اس کو خود کش حملہ آور کہہ رہی ہے
Let’s debate secularism, not rubbish it – by Hasan Suroor: All that has happened is that a certain kind of secular politics has been rejected and it will be wrong to deduce from this that the idea of secular India itself has been rejected. Yet, this is
US troops were ready to enter Pakistan to secure Bergdahl’s release: US Army Sergeant Bowe Bergdahl (R) waits before being released at the Afghan border, in this still image from video released June 4, 2014. — File photo American troops were fully prepared to enter Pakistani territory in order to
Gilgit-Baltistan: Nexus of a New Asian Economic Corridor – by Senge H. Sering: Both Pakistan and India are showing signs of opening this remote area to trade and investment. History was made the day Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, flew to New Delhi to attend the swearing in of India’s Prime
امریکی فوج برگڈال کے لیے پاکستان میں گھسنے کو تیار تھی – از برجیش اپادھیائے: پینٹاگون کے ایک سابق اہلکار کا کہنا ہے کہ سارجنٹ برگڈال کی رہائی اس وقت مشکل ہو گئی جب انھیں قید کے بعد پاکستان منتقل کر دیا گیا پینٹاگون کے ایک سابق افسر کا کہنا ہے کہ سارجنٹ بو
مولوی مشتاق سے آج تک انصاف کا معیار – از عمار کاظمی: شہید بھٹو کی پھانسی سے پہلے بھی عدلیہ قابل فخر نہیں تھی تاہم پاکستان کے معروضی حالات میںوہ تاریخ اب غیر متعلقہ ہوچکی ہے ۔لیکن بھٹو کی پھانسی کے بعد کی تاریخ آج بھی متعلقہ ہے۔بھٹو کے عدالتی قتل
دفاعی اعتبار سے اہم ترین خطہ گلگت بلتستان کے عوام ہفتہ سے سراپا احتجاج –: افسوس کی بات ہے کہ پاکستانی میڈیا جہاں خبر کی تلاش میں مارے مارے پھرتے ہیں لیکن ایک خطہ ایسا ہے جسے قانونی طور پر پاکستان کا حصہ تصور نہیں کیا جاتا – جہاں کے عوام کی وفاداریوں کے
Migrant workers face brutal conditions at NYU’s Abu Dhabi campus – by Isaac Finn and Fred Mazelis: Controversy and opposition continue to swirl around the construction of the main campus of New York University Abu Dhabi (NYUAD), which is scheduled to open this year. An article in the New York Times several weeks ago exposed
Book Review : An ideological army, jihad and greed – by Dr Mohammad Taqi: Fair’s assessment of the Pakistan army is out: it is an ideological war machine that is not amenable to any inducements or assuaging of its security concerns. Professor C Christine Fair, a security studies expert at Georgetown
Republicans question U.S. prisoner swap with Taliban – by Warren Strobel: (Reuters) – U.S. politicians questioned whether the deal that freed Bowe Bergdahl in exchange for five Taliban militants amounted to a negotiation with terrorists as the U.S. soldier was flown out of Afghanistan to a military hospital in
Saudi king’s sons well-placed for transition – by Bruce Riedel: Saudi Arabia’s King Abdullah bin Abdulaziz, who will turn 90 this summer, has quietly placed his own sons in positions of power and influence in the kingdom. His sons have increasing authority in the Foreign Ministry, National Guard and two key