The scholar, the sufi, and the fanatic – by Nadeem Paracha: Roughly speaking, the political and social aspects of Islam in Pakistan can be seen as existing in and emerging from three distinct sets and clusters of thought. These clusters represent the three variations of political and social Islam that
Punjab: Bullets in Bansri – Guest post by Bahadar Ali Khan: The rural Punjab has gone through a subtle but certainly very conspicuous change during the last two decades. The ‘new’ Punjab doesn’t resonate with its traditional and historical composition, as it used to be known for its friendliness, easy
In the name of religion – by Ghazi Salahuddin: Sunday, December 13, 2009 This insane surge in terror bombings early this week is bound to prey on our minds. Yes, the instinctive response is likely to be that of utter dejection. Still, the situation calls for some soul-searching.
Little monsters – by Nadeem F. Paracha: There is nothing new anymore about the suggestion that over a span of about 30 odd years, the Pakistani military and its establishmentarian allies in the intelligence agencies, the politicised clergy, conservative political parties and the media have, in
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
Jihadi literature – an analysis by Hamid Akhtar: Hamid Akhtar offers a detailed analysis of the jihadi literature, the role of religio-political parties in Pakistan and Afghanistan in the propagation of this literature and its implications
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
Services of General Zia-ul-Haq for Pakistan: A critical analysis by Wusatullah Khan خدماتِ ضیا الحق ! وسعت اللہ خان بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، اسلام آباد ضیا دور میں منطق کے شعبے میں بھی عظیم الشان کام ہوئے بہت لوگ کہتے ہیں کہ ضیا
Islam, Ziaism and hypocrisy: A matter of faith: A matter of faith —Salman Tarik Kureshi It is the frightful institutions General Zia-ul Haq promoted and the retrograde educational systems he erected that have polluted the intellectual atmosphere of the land and given birth to today’s bigoted, obscurantist
Political Islam and Pakistan’s Intelligence Service: By ANDRE GEROLYMATOS Professor at Simon Fraser University and Chair of Hellenic Studies. The crisis in the Middle East has inadvertently overshadowed the greater crisis in South Asia where the conflict between Pakistan and India can easily
In defence of (and against) General Zia-ul-Haq: Haroon-ur-Rasheed, famous (or notorious) for his appreciation of the ISI (right from General Akhtar Abdur-Rehman to Brigadier Imtiaz to Major Aamir, from General Zia-ul-Haq to General Hamid Gul to General Ashfaq Kayani) writes a column in
Pakistan extradites ten Taliban terrorists to China – by Amir Mir: 10 terror suspects extradited to China By Amir Mir LAHORE: Pakistan has extradited 10 arrested terrorists belonging to the pro-independence Eastern Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM) to China, an Interior Ministry spokesman confirmed to The News on Friday. The spokesman
The Return of Lal Masjid Brigade ????: Maulana Abdul Aziz AKA Burqa-posh Maulvi of Lal Masjid (Red Mosque) has got released under an agreement that he will not create any trouble for the government, however according to Dawn hate literature and militant
Dr Tariq Rahman: Talibanisation of Pakistan: The terrorists have won if peace is forsaken – Reuters/File photo. Thursday, 02 Apr, 2009 (Dawn) WHEN I wrote these lines a police training school in Lahore was under attack by armed men. Mayhem had
Munawar Hasan’s anti-Secularism and anti-democracy agenda: A cursory reading of the op-ed in today’s Daily Jang written by the newly elected leader of the Jamaat-e-Islami Syed Munawar Hasan suggests that the Jamaat has not learnt any thing from its historical and consistent rejection by the
From Jamea Hafsa to Rahman Baba – by Farhat Taj: Attack on Pakhtun culture Tuesday, March 24, 2009 Farhat Taj In February this year someone circulated an email on one of the email lists I am a member of and was talking about the possibility of any attacks by