Dr Ayesha Siddiqa Archive
A quick critique on BBC Urdu’s quality and reliability: Source: http://freespeechpakistan.wordpress.com/2013/02/11/bbc/ The following post offers a summary of an important conversation that took place on Twitter on the quality and reliability of news reports and analyses published on BBC Urdu (radio and web site). Key critics: Dr Ayesha
An edited version of Ayesha Siddiqa’s analysis of Tahir-ul-Qadri’s thesis: Note: The following piece is cross-posted from Express Tribune with some edits to take care of some minor omissions in the original piece. A closer look at Tahirul Qadri’s thesis – by Ayesha Siddiqa Almost everyone seems to want
What is Pakistan’s elite? -by Ayesha Siddiqa: A few days ago in a morning show, I saw a top journalist hold forth about the reckless elite of Pakistan. While there is no doubt about the fact that Pakistan’s elite is irresponsible towards itself and the people,
Looking back at the Lawyers’ Movement -by Ayesha Siddiqa: The protests, rallies and demonstrations by the legal community from 2007 to 2009 took everyone in and outside Pakistan by surprise. People were impressed with the perseverance of the lawyer’s from around the country in the face of a
Pakistan’s modernity: Between military and militancy – by Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: Editor’s note: We are cross-posting a thought provoking article by Dr. Siddiqa which was recently published in The Friday Times. This is an important theoretical piece, which may be used as guidance document for further analysis. It provides the
Shia massacre in Gilgit: Media apathy and misrepresentation of Shia genocide in Pakistan: Related posts: AHRC Report: It is hard to refute the accusation that military is involved in killing of Shias in Pakistan Those committing genocides in Pakistan and their handlers are repeat offenders – by Dr. Mohammad Taqi Today’s massacre
Comparing Karachi Literature Festival 2012 with Difa-e-Pakistan Conference: Source: Pakistan Blogzine Related post: “I’ve been in a rickshaw”: Some critical reflections on the Karachi Literature Festival 2011 Two key events took places in Karachi a few days ago (12 Feb 2012): Difa-e-Pakistan Conference (DPC) attended by about
Pakistan’s Modernity: Between the Military and Militancy – by Ayesha Siddiqa: In Pakistan economic progress does not automatically translate into liberal progressive modernity mainly due to the nature of the state. Pakistan’s modernity is structured along two axes: neo-liberal nationalism and right-wing radical nationalism. While the neo-liberal nationalism axis depicts
Express Tribune must not distort facts about Husain Haqqani – by Laibaah: Source: Pakistan Blogzine Related posts: Husain Haqqani, memogate and urban elites’ pandemonium on Twitter A critical analysis of Husain Haqqani vs Mansoor Ijaz saga It is now well established that by virtue of his influential position as Pakistan Ambassador
Imran Khan has arrived: A tsunami in a Punjabi teapot – by Ayesha Siddiqa: As the former cricket captain Imran Khan stood before the cheering crowd in Lahore at his rally on Sunday, October 30, he promised that support for him would prove to be a tsunami, sweeping away all that he considers
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.
Judicial relief for LeJ terrorists: A case for rethinking justice – by Ayesha Siddiqa: The Lahore High Court recently ordered the provincial home ministry to take off the names of 25 Sipah-i-Sahaba activists from the police watch-list on the grounds that there was no material evidence against them. Thus, these people were taken off the
Book Review: Maleeha Lodhi Juggling a Dream – By Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: Source Maleeha Lodhi’s edited volume is one of the few books that Pakistan military’s Inter-Services Public Relations’ head Maj. General Athar Abbas recommends to his visitors. The value of this book for Pakistan’s armed forces and establishment is
Is the youth in elite universities in Pakistan radical? – by Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: Abstract This is a study of the socio-political attitudes amongst youth in elite universities in the three major cities in Pakistan: Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. The primary objective was to see whether better education and access to resources made
PM Gilani, don’t appoint a man of doubtful integrity as head of the supreme audit institution – by Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: The 1973 Constitution seems silent on defining a criterion for appointing an auditor general. Article 168 of the 1973 constitution says that the president shell appoint an auditor general. Article 168(3) says an auditor-general cannot be removed. Perhaps, Raza
Spinning half-truths on Balochistan -by Ayesha Siddiqa: Balochistan is quite fashionable these days, especially amongst the establishment wallahs, some of whom have been visiting the place, writing about it or even getting research grants to figure out ways to make the Baloch patriotic. There are two
Taking stock of May 1: Civilian government has an opportunity to question the defence establishment – by Ayesha Siddiqa: September 6, 1965 — senior army officers in Pakistan slept as Indian troops rolled towards the Lahore border. Fast-forward and we have senior Pakistani generals apparently asleep while American SEALs launch an operation in Abbottabad. This also happened when
In support of devolving HEC – by Humza Ikram and M Usama Kabbir: The Federal Government has transferred five ministries, including the Ministry of Education, to the provinces under the devolution plan in the 18th Amendment. The ministries of Education, Social Welfare and Special Education, Tourism, Livestock and Dairy, Rural Development and
Another extension for the ISI chief – By Ayesha Siddiqa: Related article: ISI Chief’s extension: Another bad decision in offing? Another general gets an extension and most of the media scrambles to justify the move. It was comical listening to alleged experts argue on the basis of their scant
Are you there Mr President? – By Ayesha Siddiqa: Rehman Malik has yet again scattered his pearls of illogic by saying that the interior ministry was planning to impose restrictions on artists, journalists and students on scholarships travelling to India. They will now have to seek a no-objection
The Case of Cholistan’s Stolen Land – by Ayesha Siddiqa: Anyone passing through lower Cholistan, especially if they happen to be participating in the famous Cholistan jeep rally, will not fail to notice the prominent Lashkare Tayyaba (LeT) and Jamat-ud-Daawa (JuD) wall-chalkings. One of the slogans decries India for
Who is this elite? – by Ayesha Siddiqa: We are pleased to cross-post an excellent article by Dr Ayesha Siddiq on a topic of particular relevance to the LUBP’s policy and agenda. The LUBP represents aspirations and voices of moderate Pakistanis who are as weary of right-wing
The tale of ‘general’ Usmani – By Ayesha Siddiqa: This is not the story of Lt-General (retd) Muzaffar Usmani of the 1999 martial law fame, but that of an ordinary travel agent from Bahawalpur, Waqar Usmani, who eventually came to be known as ‘general’ Usmani due to his
The “epicentre” of terrorism – by Ayesha Siddiqa: So we don’t like what US Joint Chief of Staff Admiral Mike Mullen said about us: that Pakistan has become an “epicentre” of terrorism. Many have disliked the statement and consider terrorism as a temporary phenomenon linked with American presence
Taseer’s murder: This is Jinnah’s Pakistan – by Ayesha Siddiqa: One hopes that after January 4, the ruling elite will realise that the majority of people are not peaceful onlookers, but a mob which will happily condemn people to death without understanding their logic. Salmaan Taseer was against a
LUBP Interview with Dr Ayesha Siddiqa (Part II): Previous LUBP Interviews with Ayesha Siddiqa (Part I) with Nadeem F Paracha with Kamran Shafi LUBP: There is a growing perception that there has been an over-emphasis on the “feudal” tag by our urban chattering class who selectively orchestrate
Please stop pestering Dr Ayesha Siddiqa!: The LUBP team is quite worried to read the following status on Ayesha Siddiqa’s facebook account. We express our full support for Dr Siddiqa in this hour of trial, and urge the Government to take a stand. After Aasia
LUBP Interview with Dr Ayesha Siddiqa (Part I): Previous LUBP Interviews with Nadeem F Paracha with Kamran Shafi Introduction LUBP is pleased to present an exclusive interview with Pakistan’s leading political commentator and military analyst, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa. Dr. Siddiqa is a regular op-ed contributor to leading
Pakistan’s Counterterrorism Strategy: Separating Friends from Enemies – by Dr Ayesha Siddiqa: 2011 Center for Strategic and International Studies. The Washington Quarterly • WINTER 2011, 34:1 pp. 149-162. DOI: 10.1080/0163660X.2011.538362 Ayesha Siddiqa is the first Pakistan scholar at the Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars and the author of Military Inc.:
The Arabs and us: By Ayesha Siddiqua Agha One was always concerned about President Asif Ali Zardari’s rule but never expected that it would get so bad that even King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia would remark that Pakistan’s president was leading the country
The politically asexual ‘good governance and corruption mantra’ and the PPP’s ideology – by Ayesha Siddiqa: There is a growing tendency to shun politics. The response of a lot people to this it: What has it given us besides corruption and a poor image of the country in the eyes of the world? Nevertheless, I will
The Conservatively Hip – by Ayesha Siddiqa: Why are more youth, especially among the relatively affluent segments of society, embracing a greater religious identity and conservatism related to it? Why is it that we find an increasing number of young men and women among the upper-middle
The party of the old guard-Irfan Hussain: One striking aspect of the last US presidential election was Barack Obama’s ability to connect with young Americans, and draw them into the political process. Alas, this kind of political engagement is entirely missing in Pakistan. In a recent
The Green Revolution? – By Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: Source: Express Tribune Altaf Hussain has come out openly, with guns blazing, against feudalism. In his recent interview with journalist Sohail Warraich, he bemoaned the continuation in power of a class that can only offer authoritarian-feudal-dynastic politics. Is he
Viewpoint Interview with Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa: Military’s predation is an institutional feature’, Ayesha Siddiqa. A dissident’s job is always fraught with dangers. In case of Pakistan, the risks involved in criticizing all-powerful Khakis and their proxy Taliban hardly need an elucidation. Still, dissident voices keep
Sipah-e-Sahaba and Taliban: Brothers in arms – by Ayesha Siddiqa: Related posts: The growing links between Taliban and Deobandi Sipah-e-Sahaba in Pakistan – The Economist article Exposed: Links between Deobandi militants of Sipah Sahaba and Uzbek militants Sipah Sahaba and Taliban are two names of the same Deobandi militant
A perspective on Dr Shahid Masood’s dubious journalism – by Dr Ayesha Siddiqa: We reproduce below an excerpt from Dr Ayesha Siddiqa’s email (circulated in the Press Pakistan group) to Dr Moeed Pirzada explaining her perspective on Dr Shahid Masood and his style of journalism. Unlike Shahid Masood who is a medical
Where is my military coup? – by S Gulbadan: I wrote this for the Express Tribune’s sunday magazine and they published a much shorter (“mutilated”, according to the editor dude) version. General sahab, I have been a silent admirer of you and your methods for a long time
Did Hamid Mir have a conversation with the TTP? – by Ayesha Siddiqa: Source: Diary of a Politically Incorrect Vagabond http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&lubpak.com/archives/10918 The man in the tape is Hamid Mir beyond doubt. The voice and style of conversation is his. I have had conversations with him on several occasions and he breaks stories
Fatima Bhutto’s book : Fact or Fiction??: Dr Ayesha has never failed to impress me. She has rightly pointed out that BB was not a leader because of her father, she was a leader due to her own struggle. Murtaza Bhutto thought it was his right