Posts Tagged ‘Extremism’
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 an authoritarian and top-down model of economic and [...]
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 is also the disregard for other’s opinion particularly when you assume others to be naïve and just a bunch of mislead [...]
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 نے جواب دیا ہاں، یہ [...]
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 1,500 years ago the Gandhara region, which surrounded present-day Peshawar, was an [...]
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 (HT), the fundamentalist Muslim group, like to emphasise the non-violent nature of their party. As [...]
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 to clear the air of negativity and misunderstandings. However, could there be real bridges built between masters and slaves? Bridges are [...]
Extremism thrives under dictatorship -by Saria Benazir
A number of interrogations about the causes of extreme radicalism & terrorism in Pakistan occupy every psyche – from a lay man to the ruler of the state, no one considers his life secure in this country. Indeed, that is a genuine concern. However, rolling the folios of the precedent enables one to grasp some facts about its underpinning, and [...]
The Phantom of vanity -by Suleman Akhtar
Narcissus, in Greek mythology, was the son of river god Cephissus and the nymph Liriope. He was distinguished for his beauty. His exceptional proud and vanity drew upon him the vengeance of gods. Nemesis (the goddess of Rhamnous) attracted Narcissus to a pool where he saw his own reflection in the waters and fell in love with it, not realizing it [...]
Human rights report: 2010 a ‘cataclysmic year’ for Pakistan, says Amnesty -by Saba Imtiaz
Unprecedented flooding, extrajudicial killings, terrorism and attacks on journalists in Pakistan are summarised in Amnesty International’s 2011 report ‘The State of the World’s Human Rights’, which was released on Friday. The report paints a grim picture of the state of human rights and security situation in Pakistan during 2010, with [...]
I’m a better Muslim than you -by Meera Ghani
In Pakistan being a Muslim isn't enough anymore. You have to be a certain type of Muslim, constantly having to prove your piety and religiosity to others (by religiosity I mean public religiosity). We seem to have gone so far as a society that senseless violence justified by religion is becoming part of our culture. Once you go down that path [...]
The bleeding sufi – by Suleman Akhtar
And he was asked, “What is Love?” “You will see it today, tomorrow and the day after tomorrow.” He answered while smiling. They killed him that day, burned him the next day and threw his ashes to the wind the day after that. That’s how Farid ud Din Attar, a Persian poet and theoretician of Sufism, described the death scene of Mansur [...]
Emotionalism, extremism and Pakistani media – by Rameez Karamat Ali
“I am standing in a victim’s house where YOU CAN SEE an eight year old and the only son of a local teacher is killed in suicide attack, yesterday. Now you can see the situation here and we are trying to have a discussion with mother of the child but AS YOU CAN SEE she is in a state of shock,” and especially, that sad background music. Well, [...]
Is the media fanning extremism? —by Yawar Abbas
Giving more airtime to apologists and sympathisers of militants and very little time to their critics and exposing audiences to the fanatical views propagated by semi-educated anchor-persons and politicians is by any standard yellow journalism and is reflective of an irresponsible media. The assassination of Salmaan Taseer at the hands of a [...]
Right wing media and conspiracy of silence
"Control your 'flight of imagination and avoid fabrication'. the smarter the journalists are, the better off society is." Warren Buffett . Today, Pakistan is facing troubled times where people are dying of terrorism around the country. In a conflict ridden country media responsibilities are become doubled, here journalists have two roles; [...]
Views on Muddiness in Punjab – by Hassnain Jamil and Hukam Singh Siasi
Courtesy Daily Aajkal and Awami Jamhori Forum
As Pakistan battles extremism, it needs allies’ patience and help – by Asif Ali Zardari
Source: Washington Post, 6 March 2011 Two months ago my friend Salman Taseer, the governor of Punjab, was cut down for standing up against religious intolerance and against those who would use debate about our laws to divide our people. On Tuesday, another leading member of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Shahbaz Bhatti, the minister for [...]
Farewell to George Fulton
Is Pakistan a livable country? That is the question in the minds of many Pakistanis. Most of whom had no choice in deciding to be a Pakistani citizen. Whereas George Fulton - who we all recognize from "George ka Pakistan" - had that choice. A man who embraced Pakistan and became one of its citizen, is now finding it hard to even reside in his [...]
The liberal fiasco in Pakistan – by Suleman Akhtar
Related article: Selective ray of hope emanates from Veena Malik to Declan Walsh – by Sana Jokhio “We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.” (Section II, United States [...]
Salman Taseer’s assassination: can Pakistan survive as a viable state?
After Salman Taseer murder Pakistani Society seems very much divided. A cold and calculated assassination, not only highlights political turmoil in country but it also raises very fundamental questions related to the viability of state. And it appears the hardline & political interpretation of religion has become the most imminent threat to [...]
LUBP Interview with Olaf Kellerhoff, Resident Representative Pakistan at Friedrich Naumann Foundation for Freedom
Related Interviews: LUBP Exclusive: A critical interview with Nadeem F. Paracha LUBP Interview with Kamran Shafi LUBP Interview with Dr Ayesha Siddiqa (Part I) LUBP Interview with Dr Ayesha Siddiqa (Part II) Brief Introduction: LUBP is pleased to present an exclusive interview with Mr. Olaf Kellerhoff Resident [...]
WASHINGTON DIARY: We hypocritical Muslims —by Dr Manzur Ejaz
Aasia Bibi’s case does not make much sense. Having lived with many rural Christians — who are mostly very poor and are considered untouchables — I know that these poor souls are incapable of committing the crimes they are accused of. Most of the time, the grudging ‘Muslim masters’ register such cases to punish them for disobeying or [...]
Pakistani media coverage of Daniel Pearl’s abduction and assassination in Karachi – by Kazim Aizaz Alam
American journalist Daniel Pearl was killed in early 2002 in Karachi. This essay will review the coverage of the abduction and assassination of the Wall Street Journal’s South Asia bureau chief in Pakistani newspapers. It will also discuss the reasons behind the angled media coverage of Pearl’s assassination. A brief background: At the [...]
Pakistan’s Institutionalized Discrimination Against Religious Minorities -by Rebecca Buckwalter Poza
In June 2009, a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, brought water to Muslim women working in a field with her. They rejected the water because a non-Muslim had touched it, and an argument ensued. In the aftermath of what should have been a minor incident, the leader of the local mosque accused Asia of blaspheming against Islam -- a charge she denies. She [...]
President Zardari stays execution of Asia Bibi
President Asif Ali Zardari on Friday stayed the execution of a Christian woman who was sentenced to death on charges of blasphemy. The woman, Aasia Bibi, was given the death sentence by an additional sessions judge in Nankana Sahib district a week ago on charges of committing blasphemy. President Zardari on Friday directed federal minister for [...]
The divorce of religion and politics —by Dr Manzur Ejaz
Sufis were witnessing the misuse of religion by qazis and other ‘pillars’ of religious institutions. They were aware of the corruption, nepotism and injustice being practiced in the name of Islam. Therefore, to save the spirituality of religion, they preached the separation of religion from the state and other worldly affairs. Once again [...]
Bush faults Pakistan on extremism
WASHINGTON — Former US president George W. Bush has written in a new memoir that he became convinced Pakistan would not act against Islamic militants and all but admitted he ordered drone strikes on its soil. In his book "Decision Points" published Tuesday, Bush said he had "complex" relations with Pakistan and its former military leader [...]
A tale of two orthodoxies -by Adnan Rehmat
Imagine a former British colony where most citizens practice a religion that has become tightly knit with both national identity and bitter anti-British feeling. After a violent war for independence, the new country's earliest leaders align themselves with religion through law and start to exercise censorship of any narrative or discourse that [...]
Latest Lahore Incident, By Amjad Rashid
After the cruel incidence of Buttar village Sialkot, another instance has happened in Fruit Market Lahore some hours before. A man was alleged as thief in fruit market by some hawkers and middle men in fruit market and they caught the man. Instead of giving the man to the police, they began to hit him with rods and stones badly. They [...]
Frenzied mob mentality, By Farahnaz Ispahani
All Pakistanis should have their heads lowered in shame. We appear to be still medieval rather than part of the 21st century. At a time when we reach out to the international community for aid to help our citizens after the devastating floods, we are still living through mob lynching. This is not digestible, leave alone acceptable at any moral [...]
Generation Axe – by Nadeem Farooq Paracha
Generation Axe by Nadeem F. Paracha Source: http://blog.dawn.com/2010/08/08/generation-axe/ It does pain me to see a lot of ground-level PPP workers being pushed into a corner by their party leader’s nonchalant ways. They seem and sound helpless and exhausted in trying to defend their leader who has become the target of an [...]
Recognising Taliban narratives — by Gulmina Bilal Ahmad
The Taliban are very intelligently shaping the narrative and we are falling in line, so to speak. What is a Punjabi Taliban? Or for that matter a Pakhtun one? It is being turned into an ethnic fight based on narrow understandings and considerations of provincialism Public relations officers have a rule that they live by. The rule is that if you [...]
Those who sell hate in the name of religion – by Farhan Q
مذہب جن کا پیشہ ہے مسلہ سارا یہ ہے کہ مولویوں نے حقوق کی جنگ کو اسلام کی جنگ بنادیا ،اور حکومت کرنا جو ایک اتظامی معاملہ ہے ،اسے بھی اسلامی بنا دیا امریکا سے لڑائی چین کی بھی ہے اور روس کی بھی پر [...]
A tribute to Syed Ali Hajveri – by Kashif Naseer
First published at: Kashif Naseer ka blog زکر انکا جو سید علی کی آغوش میں سر رکھ کے سو جاتے تھے دل کسی غم سے دکھا ہوا ہے، جگرکسی زخم سے چھلنی ہے اور اعصاب کسی سوچ کو سوچ سوچ کر شل ہوچکے ہیں کہ گویا آج میرا پورا وجود [...]
“No Muslim can do this” – by Dr Khawaja Muhammad Awais Khalil
Attack on Data Darbar is a continuation of the same events in which Pakistanies are under attack by the few 'Faithfuls'. Its not an event in isolation and its not a solitary attack on Braylvies. Its essentially the same wave of attacks in which Christians, Hindues, Shiites and Ahmedies were targeted in the past. After the attack, watching the [...]
Textbooks – Source confusion and extremism – by Junaid Qaiser
Pakistan's poor education system and its bias curriculum that often incites intolerance and violence has increasingly become a matter of international concern. The government-mandated curriculum is a major concern for Western observers who say it encourages intolerance, anti democracy, anti freedom, anti minorities and anti peace and a narrow [...]
Beyond Madrasas: assessing the Links Between Education and Militancy in Pakistan – report by Rebecca Winthrop and Corinne Graf
Report published by the Brookings Institute: Overview: Increasing educational attainment is likely to reduce conflict risk, especially in countries like Pakistan that have very low levels of primary and secondary school enrollment. Education quality, relevance and content also have a role to play in mitigating violence. Education reform must [...]
