General Zia-ul-Haq Archive
Glory, piety and politics – by Nadeem Paracha: With Pakistan’s two main political parties looking exhausted by being made to play a continuous game of cat and mouse with the establishment, the new generation of young Pakistanis began to look elsewhere. Many young Pakistanis, who in their
Time to wakeup for PPP- by H.A. Khan: If you have some love with the history and the current affairs of Pakistan, then it is very easy to assess some important things going around. Certain things that are happening around these days are making some more clarity towards
Seven Blasts in Lahore: New agenda of Punjabi Taliban and PML-N – by H.A. Khan: A Pakistani woman mourns a death of her family member in a suicide bombing in Lahore Photo: AP Wake up my people, Wake up my people, They are the extremist elements; they want to put their flag in my country.
A ‘friendly’ Afghanistan? — by Shahid Ilyas: The risk of failure and backfiring are much higher in trying to install a friendly government in a foreign country than in attempts to develop friendly relations with an incumbent government. The failure of Pakistan’s Afghan policy is a
Today we wear our religion on our sleeves and shout it from the housetops. – by Ayaz Amir: The misery on our faces Times may be hard but why add to the sum of national misery? Some of our afflictions, like the economic downturn and the war raging along the Afghan frontier, may be beyond anyone’s control.
Judicial coup in Pakistan – by David B. Rivkin Jr. and Lee A. Casey: Source: Wall Street Journal- ASIA EDITION When U.S. President Barack Obama sharply challenged a recent Supreme Court decision in his State of the Union address, prompting a soto voce rejoinder from Justice Samuel Alito, nobody was concerned that the contretemps
Military judiciary nexus is a threat to parliament – by Junaid Qaiser: Good news for Pakistan’s undemocratic forces and bad news for Pakistan’s Parliament and its supremacy: Government accepts judiciary’s recommendations. We are continuously moving towards judicial dictatorship. Pakistan army has always played an integral role in Pakistan government and politics
The Greater Game of Rightist Establishment: What we are today witnessing is a completely de-politicized youth of Pakistan trying to define Pakistan’s politics in a haste and in black and white. There are many grey areas in politics too. Our youth today needs to understand
It smells like General Zia – by Ahsan Abbas: مطلع میں آ پڑی ہے سخن گسترانہ بات ‘ججز بحران‘ کی جڑوں کو یہ لکھ کر تن آسان اور سہل پسند عوام کے سامنے لا کھڑا کروں کہ ’اس میں ضیاءالحق کی بو آتی ہے‘۔ یہی وہ نایاب الفاظ
Insight of a Leader – by Usama Bhutto: Lucy Komisar writes: Twenty years ago, on a campaign trip in rural Pakistan in October 1987, Benazir Bhutto told me of her concern about the long-term effect of Afghan refugees who had set up safe houses, stored munitions and
The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism in Pakistan – by Hamza Alvi: Thanks: Hamza Alavi Internet Archive Religious fundamentalism has become a powerful and dangerous force in Pakistan, due mainly to the opportunism of successive political leadership that has pandered to it. Militant sectarian religious groups and parties, led by half-educated
Secularism does not mean atheism or la-deeniat: Here are two excellent articles on this topic. The first one has been written by Anand Krishan in Indonesian context, and the second one by Munno Bhai in Pakistani context. Promoting faith-based secularism Anand Krishna Jakarta – 01/18/2010 When
Right click for revolution: the laptop revolutionaries of Pakistan – by Nadeem F. Paracha: Right click for revolution Anyone questioning the padded extremism and soft authoritarianism peddled by enlightened moderation is a liberal extremist who is undermining religion and promoting corrupt politicians and violent ethnic thugs. Just what exactly was Pervez Musharraf’s ‘enlightened
Amendments for a secular constitution — by Babar Ayaz: Many analysts and rightist politicians scoff at the idea of a secular state. They have failed to understand that mixing of religion with politics has brought us today to the most violent juncture of our history. It gives enough
Asma Jahangir vs Justice Ramday – by Khalid Wasti: ذہنی عدم بلوغت اور منافقت ۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔۔ افسوس کہ من حیث القوم ہم ابھی تک بالغ نظر کہلانے کے حقدار نہیں ہیں ۔ ہماری ذہنی سطح اس حد سے اوپر تو اٹھ ہی نہیں رہی کہ جو شخص سپریم کورٹ
Detailed NRO Verdict and Zia-ul-Haq’s Children in the Supreme Court – by Abdul Nishapuri: The condemned soul of Pakistan’s Islamofacist dictator General Zia-ul-Haq will be extremely pleased today after reading some of the passages in the Supreme Court of Pakistan’s detailed verdict on the National Reconciliation Ordinance (NRO). In its expected judgment, a
A request to the Peoples’ Government – by Usama Bhutto: The Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Memorial at the Rawalpindi Central Jail Gallows. The four pillars symbolyse the four Federating Units of Pakistan. Gallows of the old Rawalpindi Central Jail continue to haunt the Military Headquarters, where Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was
Klashni-country: A brief history of the Kalashinkov culture in Pakistan – by Nadeem Paracha: By late 1979, markets in the tribal regions of Pakistan were flooded with AK-47s, smuggled across by Afghan refugees. – File photo The famous Russian assault rifle, the Kalashnikov, also called the AK-47, or Klashni in the street and
Terrorism: A legacy of General Zia-ul-Haq – Guest post by Naseer Ahmed: Here is a guest post by our valued visitor and contributor Mr Naseer Ahmed highlighting the roots of terrorism in Pakistan.
Options for Pakistan: No to Ziaist Policies – Guest post by Ahmad Nadeem Gehla: This is with reference to Ijaz Ul Haq’s two-part article “Options for Pakistan” (December 24, 25, The News). I agree with Mr Haq that “Pakistan has vital interests and serious stakes in Afghanistan”. Every state has
A perspective on Shaheed Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder: Nazir Leghari offers a perspective on Zulfiar Ali Bhutto’s judicial murder, which was a handiwork of the Mullah-Military-Judiciary Alliance in Pakistan:
A requiem for freedom – By Ayesha Siddiqa: Religion must be reinterpreted, not to make it acceptable to the rest of the world but to breathe life into the Muslim world itself…. Such people, who subscribe to the ideology of Hameed Gul — Pakistan’s indigenous version of
Let’s fight against Zia-ul-Haq’s children: Taliban terrorists and their supporters: Latif Chaudhry’s op-ed in daily Express and Nazir Naji’s op-ed in daily Jang:
Jamaat-e-Islami – Cain in Culpable Terrorism in Pakistan – Guest post by Aftab Alam Advocate: Here is a guest post on the complicity of Jamaat-e-Islami in jihadi and sectarian terrorism in Pakistan. The post has been written by Aftab Alam Advocate (HIGH COURT), President District Bar Association Swat. JI – Cain in culpable terrorism
Consequences of Zia’s misrule and Talibanization: Wasted youth: Reflections on the British Council report By Nadeem F. ParachaSaturday, 21 Nov, 2009 Released today (Saturday 21 November), the Pakistan British Council’s hefty report titled, Pakistan: The Next Generation, encapsulates the economics, demographics and, more importantly, the
A PSF perspective on Pakistani politics – by Ahsan Abbas Shah: POSTED BY: JARRI MIRZAGUEST BLOG: AHSAN ABBAS SHAH (A PSF LAHORE ACTIVIST)
Kidhray na paindiyan dassaan: In memory of Faiz Ahmed Faiz: vs Faiz Ahmed Faiz (February 13, 1911-November 20, 1984) Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto Not much has been written about the relationship between Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto. Here are a few pieces which demonstrate
Fazail-e-martial law wa khabais-e-jamhooriat: Here is a column by the unofficial spokesperson of the Ziaist (military) establishment in Pakistan, Haroon-ur-Rasheed in defence of the military establishment and against democracy. Mr Haroon-ur-Rasheed has in the past written an official history of Islam, titled ‘Fateh’,
Government of Sindh orders inquiry into the murder of Nazir Abbasi: Nazir Abbasi ….. Killers of Nazir Abbasi Bad news for Ziaist pro-Taliban elements in Pakistani media and establishment.Government of Sindh has ordered inquiry into the murder of Nazir Abbasi. Nazir Abbasi was a courageous Sindhi student leader who was
General Zia-ul-Haq’s legacy: The axis of evil in Pakistan: Crime in the name of conspiracy —Mehmal Sarfraz Conspiracy theory is the only industry in Pakistan that runs round the clock and the production quality as well as product variety are absolutely out of this world Conspiracy theory is
Pakistani heroes of the Berlin Wall – Rauf Klasra: “I met General Gul, who is now retired, in his house in a military district of Rawalpindi, near Islamabad, where he lives in spacious comfort. I was shown into a reception room, and I sat on a sofa waiting
‘Bring back Jinnah’s Pakistan’ – By Ardeshir Cowasjee and Munno Bhai: By Ardeshir CowasjeeSunday, 01 Nov, 2009 (Dawn) Had the Mideast and S.Asia heeded Jinnah’s advice on religion and state the world may have been in better shape today. —Photo by AFP Of late, amidst the murder and mayhem accompanied
Frankenstein’s Monster and General Zia-ul-Haq’s jihadis: Frankenstein’s Monster revisited —William B MilamI was struck that the Pakistani government seemed unable to formulate or articulate a public argument for a bill clearly meant to strengthen Pakistan’s democracy and foster the many common goals that should unite
This is our war – An analysis by Ayaz Amir: A make-or-break moment for Pakistan Islamabad diary Friday, October 23, 2009Ayaz Amir Kashmir 1947-48 was the only necessary war we fought. It gave us the parts of Kashmir now in our possession. The 1965 war was a delusional general’s
The attack on Islamic university in Islamabad: From General Zia to Imran Khan: IIU, me and you The Pakistan report card Thursday, October 22, 2009Fasi Zaka Several months ago, I was invited to speak at a seminar at the women’s campus of the International Islamic University (IIU). It was, to say at
With thousands killed in jihadi and sectarian violence, Pakistanis still consider terrorism to be a secondary problem?: Leaving sanity By Nadeem F. Paracha Friday, 09 Oct, 2009 (Dawn) With thousands that continue to die so harrowingly in bomb blasts and suicide attacks year after year, Pakistanis still consider terrorism to be a secondary problem? —AFP Photo
Jihad and the state: By Ayesha Siddiqa Friday, 09 Oct, 2009 Pakistan’s support is critical in reducing the size and subsequently the threat posed by terror networks like Al-Qaeda. –Photo by AP Pakistan’s support today is central to winning the war on terror.
Beards: a trim history: Beards: a trim history By Nadeem F. Paracha Sunday, 04 Oct, 2009 (Dawn) It seems after all these years of searching for some kind of identity, many young Pakistanis
What is the ideology of Pakistan’s military?: The military’s ideologyBy Ayesha SiddiqaFriday, 25 Sep, 2009 (Dawn) PAKISTAN observers often wonder what the Pakistan military’s