Secularism Archive

A secular state is a moral state — by Ishtiaq Ahmed: The modern secular-democratic state must ensure that all individuals as well as majorities and minorities enjoy freedom of religion and conscience and the political right to choose their government In the last few weeks the Daily Times has carried
Objectives Resolution and Secularism – by Wajahat Masood: Contributed by: Aamir Mughal First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan: M.A. Jinnah, Liaquat Ali Khan, Nurul Amin, Allama shabbir Ahmed Usmani, Maulana Akram and Dr I H Qureshi My friend Wajahat Masood has tried to dig the ‘Islamic roots’ of
Workers Party Pakistan: Pakistan’s New Left – by Muhammad Ali Siddiqi: The Workers Party Pakistan should refrain from playing the role of a traditional opposition party which considers it obligatory on its part to oppose every government move. Pakistan’s New Left By Muhammad Ali Siddiqi The formation last week of
Secularism triumphs? Bangladesh Supreme Court sets an example – by Farooq Sulehria: Secularism triumphs? The Supreme Court of Bangladesh, on January 3, not only bucked an apparently prevalent trend in the Muslim world, but also dismissed a stereotype: Islam’s incompatibility with secular democracy. By ordering a ban on the abuse of
Q&A with an ordinary Pakistani – by Nadeem Khan: It has been an honor to have today a simple and honest, I bet, Pakistani with us. Let’s hear him and try to understand the conditions, situations, turmoil, achievements, developments of this unique great nation, now very popular in
The rightward march of Pakistan under the leadership of PML-N – by Nadeem Paracha: The active emergence of a revamped PML-N supplemented by an alarmist new electronic media can be detected as a more vocal arrival of the New Right in Pakistan. The rightward march By Nadeem F. Paracha Saturday, 27 Feb, 2010
Remembering Ajmal Khattak – by Harris Khalique: Sunday party In the darkness and apathy that surround us, the passing of another great man, scholar, poet and politician, Ajmal Khattak, was yet another blow to his comrades and disciples who believe in creating a modern, progressive and
Principles of policy of Pakistan’s constitution – by Mosharraf Zaidi: Principles of policy Part I February 23, 2010 In his column last week, my friend Harris Khalique quotes a small part of Article 38 of the Constitution, which is titled, “Promotion of social and economic well-being of the people”.
Was Jinnah Secular? Facts about the creation of Pakistan compiled by Aamir Mughal: I. Ideology Drama was a farce rather hoodwinking the whole Muslim Population The strength of the Muslim League in the Muslim-majority provinces was going to be put to the test during the 1945-46 election campaign. Consequently in the public
A brief history of extremism in Pakistan – by Hassan Amin: Ever since the inception of Pakistan, Extremist Mullahs have always been vying to hijack the State. When I refer to the term ‘Extremist Mullahs’, I draw a line to separate, ‘Islamist Fanatics with a Political Agenda’ from the simple
Secularism vs Islamism – by Iqbal Akhund: In a recent TV debate on this subject, the applause meter would have given the win to Islamism. The debaters, three on each side, faced a small mixed audience — quite a few girls, many wearing hijabs, also young
Back towards tolerance in Pakistani society – by Charles Ferndale and Kamila Hayat: Here are two articles highlighting the importance of re-discovering and re-inculcating the seeds of tolerance in Pakistani society and the region in general. The path to freedom Monday, February 22, 2010 Charles Ferndale Kamila Hyat, in a typically lucid,
The latest troika of Pakistan: judges, jihadis and generals – by Shoaib Mir: The question, “Why is Iftikhar Chaudhry destroying Pakistan?” is worryingly valid. A short answer could be because he’s not a politician, so the CJP is making a mess of mixing politics, which he doesn’t know, with his so-called constitutionalism.
The Speech of Mr Sri Chandra Chattopadhyay in Opposition to Objectives Resolution, Constitutent Assembly of Pakistan, 12 March 1949: This is a historic speech and a document that posterity will re-examine because of its ever increasing influence on the amalgamation of religion and politics in Pakistan. Seldom has one piece of legislation caused so much trepidation. Here is
Farewell, Ajmal Khattak: September 15, 1925 – February 7, 2010 With the death of Ajmal Khattak, a renowned leftist-nationalist politician, poet and writer, another chapter in history has closed. Khattak was greatly influenced by Bacha Khan, the great Pakhtun nationalist leader 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
Badshah Khan: The unsung champion of federalism and democracy – by Nadir Ali Dirojay Pukhtunyar: The Pashtun homeland in the south and east of Afghanistan and the north-west of Pakistan has become synonymous with terrorism and violence. Certain quarters suggest that the Pashtun region and society is intrinsically violence driven. The Pashtuns have a
What is it to be a ‘true’ Pakistani? — by Zaair Hussain: The new Pakistani In a country where a Senator has stood before the House and declared, with a gall that must surely have blotted out the sun, that the respectable tradition of burying women alive should not be unduly
Pakistan Peoples Party and Importance of its Founding Documents – by H.A. Khan: The PPP was launched at its founding convention held in Lahore on November  30 – December 01, 1967. At the same meeting, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto was elected as its Chairman. Among the express goals for which the party was
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
Abdul Ghaffar Khan, Islam and non-violence — by Ishtiaq Ahmed: Abdul Ghaffar Khan was a man of peace. He approached Islam in the hope of finding a complementary message to Gandhi’s interpretation of Hinduism as Ram Raj and ahimsa (non-violence) and he found it
Situation of Minorities in Pakistan – by Junaid Qaiser: After the tragic events of 9/11, Pakistani establishment finally had to set aside its traditional ideological hangovers, and instead raised a different slogan, “Pakistan First”. It was a matter of coercion or choice one can’t say with a degree
Is MQM a secular and liberal party? Reality vs fantasy – by Mosharraf Zaidi: Related articles: MQM Right Wing Alliance MQM: reality vs fantasy When bodies start piling up in Karachi, the gut reaction of the Pakistani mainstream outside Karachi is to blame the MQM. This is a twenty-five year old problem. The
Leftist (taraqqi pasand) parties unite on one platform – Utho meri dunia ke gharibon ko jaga do: Leftist parties unite on one platform * Progressive parties criticise US policies on Pakistan, condemn right-wing elements By Hussain Kashif LAHORE: As many as 14 progressive political parties and groups got together on Friday to present their stances and
Pakistan, Islam, General Kayani and One-Unit-Faith – by Nadeem F. Paracha: Smokers’ Corner: One-unit-faith By Nadeem F. Paracha Recently, while giving a speech to the Peshawar police, General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani said that no one could separate Islam from Pakistan. One wonders what prompted the army chief to digress, and
Book Review: Islam and the Secular State:: Is future of sharia with secularism? —by Khaled Ahmed Islam and the Secular State: Negotiating the Future of Sharia By Abdullah Ahmed an-Naim Harvard University Press 2008 Pp324; Price $35 The author links the concept of civic reason with
Secular Blunders – by Nadeem Paracha: Secular blunders Nadeem F. ParachaSunday, 05 Jul, 2009 | 01:44 AM PST Instead of containing the Islamist parties, ZABs constitutional concessions only emboldened them. — File Photo The late President Anwar El-Sadat of Egypt was assassinated in 1981 by
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
Tahira Abdullah Arrested: A Talibanic Analysis: Tahira Abdullah: The Pakistani right-wing enjoys a free ride upon the shoulders of the left-wing? HR activist Tahira Abdullah arrested and released March 11, 2009 ISLAMABAD: Human rights activist Tahira Abdullah was arrested on Wednesday. Talking to Geo News, Tahira
Threat to secular Balochistan? How real is the issue of Talibanisation in Quetta?: Threat to secular Balochistan? By Malik Siraj AkbarMonday, 09 Mar, 2009 NOTHING embarrasses and irks Pakistani spymasters more than the issue of Talibanisation in Quetta. Over the years, Afghan President Hamid Karzai has repeatedly protested against the alleged protection
Let’s sing Iqbal’s Tarana-e-Hind-o-Pak to fight religous extremism – by Aakar Patel: Mr Zardari, tear down this wall Sunday, March 08, 2009 Aakar Patel Allama Iqbal imagined Pakistan as a utopia in northwest India where Punjabis would do ijtihad and read Nietzsche. The Quaid-e-Azam ordered a Pakistan where religion would cease
Liberal Fascism versus Religious Fascism: An interesting conversation: The common belief in Pakistan is that Islamic radicalism is a problem only in FATA, and that madrassas are the only institutions serving as jihad factories. This is a serious misconception. Extremism is breeding at a ferocious rate in
In Balochistan Taliban supporters, both covertly and overtly, help extremism against the secular parties: The hinge Monday, January 12, 2009Once again eyes turn towards Balochistan – the largest, least populated, poorest and, by a terrible irony, most resource-rich province of the federation. Concerns are growing that the process of Talibanisation which has created
Baloch protest against ‘Talibanisation’: The Balochistan National Party (BNP) Information Secretary and former senator Mr Sanaullah Baloch told Daily Times on Sunday that “supporters” of the Taliban had “captured land worth Rs2 billion in the eastern and western parts of Quetta” to “undermine
An interesting conversation between a Jinnah hater and a Jinnah lover: digitalmaster: I am not a historian so cannot comment on the personality of Jinnah. For all I know he was from a religion respected family. He firmly believed in a separate state for MUSLIMS … does that translate as
Do we need science or Islamic science? What do pro-liberal and pro-jihadi Pakistanis think?: Ghost of TK says: December 23rd, 2008 at 2:34 pm Beardo’s are cargo-culters. Look at Ajmal Kasab (who I did think at the time looked like a pacific islander) … this is a man who allegedly joined some group
Stop dirty propaganda against the Pride of Pakistan Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy…: Introduction of Dr. Pervez Hoodbhoy Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy (born 11 July 1950) is Professor of High Energy Physics and the head of the Physics Department at Quaid-e-Azam University, Islamabad, Pakistan. He graduated and also received PhD from MIT and
In defence of a secular state: Thursday, December 18, 2008Dr Rubina Saigol The mere mention of the word ‘secular’ immediately creates anxiety in the minds of many and defensive reactions are induced from the self-proclaimed defenders of Pakistan’s ideology and foundational theories. The knee-jerk reaction
10 lessons all Pakistanis must learn – By Hassan Baig: “Mulk khud hi chalta rehay ga” (approximate translation: the country doesn’t need our contribution to thrive) is a sentence many Pakistanis are prone to saying. I confess that till a few years ago, I myself was confident of this