Articles Archive for January 2009
News & Politics »
Mullahs, maulvis, imamas, or ulema-i-karam as many of them prefer to call themselves, have never had the kind of influence or social standing that they enjoy now. A large part of Pakistan is enthralled by this new generation of evangelists. They are there on prime time TV, they thunder on FM radios between adverts for Pepsi and hair removing cream. In the past few years, they have established fancy websites with embedded videos; mobile phone companies offer their sermons for download right to your telephone.
Sports »
Sohail Tanvir represents a new breed of international cricketer – one who makes his name and fortune in the helter-skelter world of Twenty20 cricket.
Editorial, Opinion »
As the clock struck twelve and fireworks, punctuated by the shots of gunfire, rent the air on December 31, it didn’t quite feel like the New Year’s Eve that one has looked forward to every year. Firepower and gun power have become so much a part of our lives now that any sound akin to it merely sends a chill down one’s spine. A grim reminder of what life in Pakistan has been reduced to by the self-appointed custodians of religion. Bombings, burnings, beheadings, kidnappings and constant intimidation – all in the name of religion.
News & Politics »
By any standard, 2008 was a year marked by instability and violence. From Mumbai and Kabul to Europe and Africa, terrorism, riots and crises reared their ugly heads. But amidst all the devastation, there were uplifting signs. The Olympic spirit was evident in all its glory as the summer games went off without a hitch and the hosts dazzled the world. Then, in November, American voters ushered in a new era as they voted for Barack Obama in a stark repudiation of the Bush era. Hope and change were the buzzwords of the year. But with wars raging, divisions widening and economic calamity threatening to make everything worse, fear and hope were neck and neck by the end of the year.
News & Politics »
Jamaat-ud-Dawa claims that it is a charity organisation that is being wrongly accused of fronting for their banned militant parent organisation, the Lashkar-e-Tayyaba.
News & Politics »
Pressure on the Jamaat-ud-Dawa increases as India persuades the UNSC to impose sanctions against them for their alleged involvement in the Mumbai carnage.
News & Politics »
The miserable plight of the Bugti and Marri tribesmen, who were forced to flee their homes following the army operation against the insurgents in Balochistan, has failed to draw the attention of both the government and humanitarian organisations.
News & Politics »
As police and maritime authorities turn a blind eye, Bengali fishermen become easy prey for numerous small-scale pirates.
News & Politics »
It’s as if a switch has been pulled in the Muslim psyche. It’s hard to say whether something has been switched on or something else has been switched off. This urge to indiscriminately take the lives of others is, naturally enough, considered unacceptable outside the fold of Islam
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