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Fables of Nationalism
Published here: The recent hullabaloo over the DelhiCommonwealth Games has been followed with much interest in Pakistan. Many have gloated over the inability of the creaky Indian state machinery to deliver in time and address the issues of quality that became apparent with the collapse of an overhead bridge. South Asia now lives in the new information age where despite the distortions created by the mainstream media, it is difficult to hide state failures Each story of corruption in Delhi has been greeted with a strange familiarity here. Essentially, all narratives of shining and marching India aside, the two nations remain hostage to a postcolonial state and embedded corruption. To cite Pankaj Mishra who wrote a rather scathing piece on the Games’ saga (New York Times, Oct 2, 2010): “Two weeks ago, a huge footbridge … Read entire article »
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S M Burke
A TRIBUTE By Samson Simon Sharaf It is impossible for students of foreign policy to carryout research on the formative phases of South Asian Foreign and Kashmir Policies without referring to Samuel Martin Burke. His books ‘Pakistan’s Foreign Policy: An Historical Analysis (1973)’ and ‘Mainsprings of Indian and Pakistani Foreign Policy (1974)’, provide an analytical insights into the dynamics that led to the partition of 1947, and understanding of the Indian mindset that prevailed in the Radcliff … Read entire article »
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The Concept of Strategic Depth: Can the Compass Move?
By Vithal Rajan Military planners in Pakistan have landed themselves in an existential mess by backing their American allies a few decades ago to convert free-living tribals into the Taliban. They took this dangerous step to help create strategic depth in Afghanistan against any Indian offensive. Now, a flaming frontier has appeared on the western border of Pakistan, and extremists from these border regions are eating away the integrity of the state through uncontrollable terrorist incursions even as far east as Lahore. Undoubtedly the people in the heartland of Pakistan, in Sind and Punjab, wish to stabilize their western frontier and bring internal peace to their country. Can the military do this swiftly enough without moving the compass 180 degrees to the locus of threat in the west? Can this be … Read entire article »
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Council on Foreign Relations: Next Steps in Afghanistan
De Facto Partition Best Result Washington Can Realistically Achieve in Afghanistan, says CFR fellow Robert Blackwill www.foreignaffairs.com/blackwill121710 “Washington should accept that the Taliban will inevitably control most of the Pashtun south and east and that the price of forestalling that outcome is far too high for the United States to continue paying,” writes Robert Blackwill, former deputy national security adviser and current CFR Henry A. Kissinger senior fellow. Instead, the United States and its partners should “let the local ‘correlation of forces’ take its course” in the Pashtun homeland, while deploying U.S. air power and Special Forces for seven to ten years, explains Blackwill. This will “ensure that the north and west of Afghanistan do not succumb to the Taliban.” Reluctantly accepting the de facto partition is hardly an ideal ending in Afghanistan, … Read entire article »
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DAILY TIMES EDITORIAL: An idea whose time has come
If it were not so tragic, the case of a blasphemy-accused doctor would have made for comic reading. Reportedly, Dr Naushad Valiyani threw the business card of a medical representative “which had his full name, Muhammad Faizan”, in a dustbin. Mr Faizan then launched a blasphemy complaint against the doctor. The absurdity of the charges against Dr Valiyani exposes the nature of the draconian Blasphemy Law, which can be misused for any purpose under the sun. General Ziaul Haq left this country with a minefield in the shape of this law, which lends itself to abuse. The case of Dr Valiyani is just one of the many cases where the complainant is crossing all lines of common sense. ‘Muhammad’ is a popular name over the Muslim world. To say that … Read entire article »
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Sherry Rahman’s Bill
By Alefia T. Hussain (Courtesy The News) The News on Sunday: Why amendments. Why haven’t you proposed repeal of these laws? Do you think the time for repeal has not yet come and conditions are not yet conducive? Sherry Rehman: My experience with repeal bills such as the hudood ordinances law that I moved in the last assembly is that there is no appetite for it in the NA and especially in the Senate. What happens then is that the bill never makes it to Standing Committee. I personally believe that the repeal option is still the best one, but the hudood amendments still give serious relief to thousands of women who are no longer every year in lock-up because of a bad law. The blasphemy laws have been rendered even more controversial … Read entire article »
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Blasphemy law: the new amendment bill
Proposed amendments to punishments under Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) Section Offence Existing punishment Proposed punishment 295-A Use of derogatory remarks, etc. in respect of holy personage— punishable with Imprisonment of either description up to ten years or with fine or with both Imprisonment of either description up to two years or with fine or with both 295-B Difiling of copy of Holy Quran Imprisonment for life Imprisonment of either description for 5years or fine or both 295-C Use of derogatory remarks, etc. in respect of the Holy Prophet Death or life imprisonment[1] and fine Imprisonment of either description for10 years, or with fine, or both Proposed addition of words to blasphemy provisions in PPC. The additional words (maliciously, deliberately and intentionally) are meant to introduce element of intention and malice to the offences under 295-C, 298-B & 298-C. Section Existing provision Proposed 295-C Use of derogatory remark etc.’ … Read entire article »
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Conflicts Analysis
The new issue of PIPS research Journal “Conflict and Peace Studies” has been published. The issue entitled “Conflicts Analysis” is the first part of PIPS series of research journals intended to explore the dynamics of internal conflicts in Pakistan. A comprehensive study on Balochistan provides understanding of the conflict and carries in detail assessment of multifold security challenges, the province is facing. The journal also carries 4 in-depth papers on conflict in Pakistani tribal areas.Visit san-pips.com for details. … Read entire article »
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Some called for changes
By Asad JamalSherry Rehman, Member of National Assembly, has through a bill proposed amendments to certain sections of Pakistan Penal Code (PPC) along with a suggestion to introduce two new sections. These provisions prescribe punishments for Offences Relating to Religion. Her bill also includes changes to Code of Criminal Procedure (CrPC) regarding arrest, cognizance and trial of offences under these provisions. Proposed changes to punishments Section 295-A was introduced in 1927 apparently after the Ghazi Ilm Din episode to provide punishment for deliberate and malicious acts intended to outrage religious feelings of any class by insulting its religion or religious beliefs. The maximum punishment under section 295-A was two years’ imprisonment of either description till 1991 when it was increased to 10 years. The bill proposes it to revert it to a … Read entire article »
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Shame on us
From Daily Times By Yasser Latif Hamdani After my article ‘Aasia Bibi and due process’ (Daily Times, December 6, 2010) last week, Muhammad Zubair of Business Plus invited me to speak on his show along with Dr Meraj-ul-Huda of the Jamaat-e-Islami on the issue of the Blasphemy Law. The good doctor waxed eloquent about how those opposing the Blasphemy Law had no faith in the constitution and the courts. However, when I pointed out some of the grounds on which the law, in its current form, was entirely unconstitutional, he dropped nothing less than a bombshell as someone who claims to defend the constitution. The senior Jamaat-e-Islami leader claimed that parliament had no right anymore to amend the Blasphemy Law. This blatant denial of the rights of the elected representatives of Pakistan, rights … Read entire article »
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Minorities in Pakistan: Living a marginalised reality
By Nicholas Sharaf (Originally a blog on Express tribune) I’ve found the reaction to Pakistan’s current blasphemy laws surprising. Not because I think the whole Aasia Bibi (and more recently Naushad Valiyani) issue has been blown out of proportion but because of how long it has taken Pakistan to acknowledge the malicious nature of the blasphemy laws. I feel that our nation’s reaction is luke warm – one that has flourished just so most of us can sleep at night feeling good about ourselves as genuine ‘online philanthropists’. … Read entire article »
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The Blasphemy Charade
By Taha Kehar Recent developments in what can aptly be dubbed “The Blasphemy charade” highlight that a law which should ideally be targeted to root out heretics is being utilized as a mechanism for retaliation. Naushad Valiyani, a doctor from Hyderabad, was taken into custody on charges of blasphemy after a medical representative who frequented his clinic launched a complaint with the police. According to the medical representative, Muhammad Faizan, Valiyani threw his business card – which bore his full name, Muhammad Faizan – into a dustbin. A dispassionate analysis of the situation implies nothing more than a misinterpretation of the penal code. Within Pakistan’s Penal Code, Section 295-C indicates that the use of pejorative remarks – through words or actions – against the Holy Prophet is punitive and “liable to a fine”. … Read entire article »
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Husain Haqqani speaking at Rice University, USA
Husain Haqqani speaking at Rice University, USA … Read entire article »
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Mulla: the real problem of Pakistan
By Bilal Ahmed Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, on September 11, 1948 Mr. Jinnah passed away. Just after six months of his death on March 12, 1949 Objective Resolution was passed, literally it buried Jinnah’s legacy and initiated unchecked authority of mullas in Pakistan. After it in every development in political corridors of our country, our mulla had a stake and an opinion. It blocked land reforms by calling it un-islamic, it exploited religion to serve its masters whether they were military rulers or elected one. It supported killings of innocent Bengalis in 1971 by justifying it from religion. Even today many atrocities and rape allegation are present against our army and religious military units. During Bhutto’s government it compelled it to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims, Bhutto did it thinking … Read entire article »
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Taliban Exposed by Embedded Journalist in Riveting CNN Documentary
By Michael Hughes CNN provided me with an advance copy of the film and helped arrange a discussion with the steel-nerved filmmaker, Norwegian journalist Paul Refsdal, who risked his life embedding himself in a Taliban fighting unit in Kunar province – a move supposedly blessed by Taliban leadership. However, as Refsdal described to CNN’s Anderson Cooper in the video, his heart-rending experience of going from invited guest to kidnap victim certainly forced him to question his decision. Although Refsdal did escape, it was not before converting to Islam in an effort to save his own life after an Al Qaeda member informed him he would be executed as a spy. But it is interesting to note that, to this day, Paul still considers himself a Muslim. Refsdal is no stranger to combat zones, … Read entire article »
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PTH biweekly Cartoon
Picture of the Week
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Sunrise at the Arabian Sea, Charna Island
24 Dec 2011
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