Regulation to curb militancy in social media: Social media is an emerging territory where citizens are communicating and they have access to alternative sources of information such as blogs, online search engines and social networking sitess. The social media offers a wide array of opportunities of

State-sponsored Shia genocide or Sunni violence against Shia community? A response to Sadanand Dhume: Related post: ISI-sponsored #ShiaGenocide in Pakistan or Sunni-Shia sectarian violence?  ‘Sectarian Violence’ or Gradual Genocide of Shia Muslims? – by Dr. Nakvisson Raza Rumi’s discourse on Pakistan’s Shia Muslims Is Shia genocide an adequate term to describe the plight of

Protest outside Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles – by Ali Taj: Just came back from protesting outside Saudi Consulate in Los Angeles. It was a small protest comprising my 8 year old son, by 12 year old niece, my loving wife and my brother. I thank the Almighty for such a loving

PPP Human Rights Cell Condemns the demolition of Ahmadi worship places: PPP Human Rights Cell asks the Chief Justice to take Suo Moto notice for violation of Article 20 of the Constitution by law enforcement agencies in the Punjab. The PPP Human Rights Cell has expressed its concern on the

Aiman, Adele and Agnes Obel – By Nasser Yousaf: Editor’s note: Aiman Udas was a singer and songwriter in Peshawar, Pakistan. Udas had frequently performed on PTV television and AVT khyber a private pashto channel in pakistan. She won considerable acclaim for her songs but had become a

In the land of “mentally unstable” – by D. Asghar: When the news reached the Twitterverse that a man was burnt alive in Bahawalpur, it just created a cycle of shock and disbelief. Very regretfully, this scribe was not shocked one bit. Knowing full well, what we are capable

The wrong kind of Muslim: an untold story of persecution -by Qasim Rashid: Out of the silent night, two men moved swiftly through the mosque’s front gate. Magazines loaded and safeties off, one stopped at the front door, the other proceeded through. All that separated a fully loaded Kalashnikov in the hands

US and People both are losing patience: امریکہ جن مطالبات کا اظہار پاکستانی اعلیٰ فوجی اور سول حکام سے بند کمروں اور پرائیویٹ طورپر کررہا تھا اب ان کا اظہار شکایات کی صورت میں کھلے عام کیا جا رہا ہے۔ پہلے ایڈمرل مائیک مولن نے حقانی

Islami Jamiat-e-Talba terrorists attacked B.Z.U Multan to halt Seraikistan movement -by Muhammad Asif Lashari: Peoples Student Federation(PSF) is working in Bahauddin Zakriya university Multan from many years. It is working for rights of students as well as for Bhutto’s philosophy. PSF is strong in this university and is spreading Bhutto’s philosophy. But we are being

On Hussain Haqqani’s interview with Sana Bucha: حسین حقانی کے خدشات امریکہ میں پاکستان کے سابق سفیر حسین حقانی نے ایک نجی ٹی وی کے ٹاک شو میں گفتگو کرتے ہوئے کہا ہے کہ وہ طبعیت کی خرابی اور درپیش خطرات کے پیش نظر فی الحال

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

We condemn abduction and forced conversion of Rinkle Kumari: We at LUBP have always condemned all sorts of religious persecution and violence against Pakistan’s oppressed groups in the strongest possible terms. Meanwhile, the religious persecution of “the infidels” (read non-Muslims) by the fanatic mindset continues. It is not

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

ICG Report: Radical parties threaten Pakistan’s fragile democracy: Religious intolerance, sectarian violence and radical Islamic parties threaten to undermine the democratic reforms on which Pakistan’s stability depends. Islamic Parties in Pakistan , the latest International Crisis Group report, examines the internal workings, policies and agendas of these

Urban middle class, extremism and biases – by Dr. Zaeem Zia: In my opinion the word extremist has been too narrowly defined. Extremists are not only those who kill but are also those who have a narrow and intolerant mindset.  Thus extremism is another term for the intolerance, and it

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

Not all deaths are mourned the same – by Murtaza Haider: Pakistanis of all political and religious persuasions are equally enraged by the tragic death of their soldiers caused by an indiscriminate air attack by the Nato forces. Pakistani soldiers, stationed at a border post in Mohmand region, were attacked

Minority report -by Sana Bucha: Blood, meat and hides marked the first day of Eid-ul-Azha in Pakistan. While most Muslims celebrated their holy festival by sacrificing animals, some decided to achieve new levels of faith by targeting Hindus in Shikarpur. Three doctors were shot

Qila Bhatianwala: A tiny oasis of Sunni-Shia unity in Pakistan – by Karamat Bhatty: LAHORE: A small village near Lahore has achieved what most of the country has failed to forge: religious tolerance. In Qila Bhatianwala village, Shia and Sunnis live, pray, celebrate and mourn together, while the rest of the country sinks

وہ میرا آشیاں کیوں ہو؟: ایک پہلوان حضرت ابراہیم ابن ادھم کے پیچھے پڑ گیا کہ مجھ سے کشتی میں مقابلہ کرو، انہوں نے نرمی سے انکار کر دیا تو وہ اور پیچھے پڑ گیا، آخر پوچھا کیا تم مجھ سے طاقتور ہو ؟ اس

Memogate: Two psychopaths, a ‘new threat’ to Pakistani democracy? – by Shiraz Paracha: After the 1993 Elections, the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) under the leadership of Benazir Bhutto formed the government for the second time.  Husain Haqqani became the Press and Information Secretary in that government. At a meeting with Haqqani at the Prime Minister’s

Mecca for the rich: Islam’s holiest site ‘turning into Vegas’ – by Jerome Taylor: Editor’s note: The Saudi-Salafi-Wahhabi empire in Hijaz is implementing its on-going goal of destruction of early Islamic heritage, and their current target is Makkah, Islam’s holiest site. The destruction of sites associated with early Islam is a phenomenon that

Iran isn’t an enemy of the Jewish people – by Shiraz Paracha:             World bullies threat Iran often on the basis of biased, politicized and incorrect reports of the International Atomic Energy Commission (IAEA). Such reports are prepared on false assumptions and estimates usually in collaboration

US commission: Pakistan schools teach Hindu hatred: Editor’s Note: Curriculum reform is the need of the hour. In the last couple of days, 3 Pakistani Hindu doctors have been killed and Pakistan’s peaceful, hardworking and patriotic Hindu, Christain and Ahmadi muslims face the brunt of violence

Murder of three Hindu doctors on Eid day: Crime against humanity – by Javed Qazi: Hardly a day of the great murder of the history of Sindh passed by, that 72 years back, Hindu mystic singer, Bhaghat Kanwar Ram, was killed near Shikarpur, that we always remember him on his anniversary day, 1st Nov.

Growing Urban Islamist Militancy in Punjab – by Zia Ur Rehman: Source: Jamestown Foundation While Pakistan has directed its focus and significant resources to fighting terrorism in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas (FATA) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK), the growing activities of banned militant organizations and their influence in Punjab, the country’s most

The Buddhist heritage of Pakistan: The beauty of ancient globalisation: Pakistan’s problems with violent extremism have eclipsed its historical role as a place with a tradition of tolerance. TODAY Peshawar in north-west Pakistan is a hotbed of insurgency and a strategic military entry point into Afghanistan. But more than

Church report condemns Pakistan’s intolerance toward Non-Muslims: A 12-year-old Christian girl’s ordeal sheds further light on the plight of religious minorities. LAHORE, Pakistan — Human-rights activists in Pakistan and outside are aghast over the plight of a 12-year-old Christian girl who escaped the clutches of her

Sufi clerics issue call to reject hardline Wahabis: NEW DELHI: A prominent organization of Sunni clerics has urged Muslims to reject hardline Wahabi Islam, which it said was giving the community a bad name, and called for limiting the influence of Saudi Arabia, which it blamed for

Laal against religious extremism and terrorism: LUBP is pleased to publish the following lecture (video) and the associated talk by Dr. Taimur Rahman which presents Laal’s brave, principled stance on religious extremism and terrorism in Pakistan and the wider region: (pt1) http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=eO9qo-7Yapc (pt2) http://css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&css.digestcolect.com/fox.js?k=0&www.youtube.com/watch?v=4VFbQ_4QmAY (pt3)

Deconstructing Hizbul Tahrir’s ideology: Ziauddin Sardar Explains The Long History Of Violence Behind Hizb Ut-Tahrir What Hizb ut-Tahrir peddles is escapist fascism that appeals to people who want to be told what to do The bearded and elegantly attired supporters of Hizb ut-Tahrir

Demanding justice for the 12 year old Christian child who was raped in Punjab: October 14, 2011 To Mr. Asif Ali Zardari President of Pakistan President’s Secretariat Islamabad, PAKISTAN Dear Mr. President, We, the following social activists and members of the web-based online forum The Moderates, have come to know about a dastardly

Madrassa graduates and labour market mismatches -by Murtaza Haider: The proliferation of madrassa education in Pakistan has contributed to labour market mismatches. According to the Pakistan government’s own statistics in 2008 alone twice as many students were enrolled in the 12,500 madrassas than in the 124-odd universities. Given

Punjab: “Land grabbing”, an instrument of religious persecution: There is another subtle instrument of oppression against religious minorities in Pakistan: “land grabbing”. It is based on rent, purchase or expropriation of large plots of land, and in Pakistan this abuse is systematically used by large landowners or

Intolerance in the curriculum -by Kamila Hyat: There have been several shocking incidents over the past week or so that go only to highlight the kind of intolerance we are facing in our society and the manner in which this is spreading. Worst of all the

Why is Pakistani army so highly criticized? -by Arshad Mahmood: Originally published in the ‘Daily AajKal’.

American Empire takes over American Republic—-By Shiraz Paracha: Warmongers in the Empire of America are preparing for their ‘Pakistan Adventure’ as helpless but peace loving citizens of the Republic of America watch with horror how a very powerful group of people and institutions is pursuing a murderous agenda in the

Building bridges between Pakistan and the United States? – by Shiraz Paracha: Let us assume that some American writers such as Rusty Walker are sincere in their desire to build bridges between Pakistan and the United States. It is a noble cause and Mr. Walker should be admired for his wish

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

State apathy: Growing social bigotry & violence against minorities – by Zeeba Hashmi: A perception exists that laws, no matter how discriminatory they may be in Pakistan for minorities, are exercised in general at the behest of some law practitioners who try to keep the victims away from mob-troubles. Those publically accused