Pak Tea House » Archive
Monitor the Juma prayer khutbas for hate speech: An excellent initiative
We have been forwarded the following statement via Facebook “There is HOPE!!!! Altaf Hussain has instructed all MQM workers to monitor Juma prayers khutbas all over Karachi. If any cleric is guilty of inciting hatred and violence, the worker must check openly him then and there, report him and leave the mosque. This is just one step the MQM has taken among several to curb …extremism and lawlessness which will be revealed later. Yayyyyyy! Mullah gardi naheen chalay gi. I request you all to copy paste this status and spread it as far as possible.” The above is a welcome initiative by Citizens of Democracy which is a civil society group. We at PTH feel that at this time all the liberal elements should join forces and ensure that no clergy is … Read entire article »
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Are We Misunderstanding and Underestimating the Problem?
By Raza Habib Raja Muhammad Hanif is one of the individuals I like most when it comes to journalism and writing. For those of you who have had the opportunity to read “A case of exploding mangoes” would agree on his amazing wit and exceptional story telling ability. Muhammad Hanif is also a true liberal journalist and his BBC columns provide incisive analysis. I had the opportunity of listening to him on the electronic media. The anchor person asked him several questions about the recent murder of Salman Taseer and as usual he made some very pertinent observations. However, there was one point where I had to particularly disagree with him. Muhammad Hanif reiterated what I have heard a number of times that masses by and large are not bigoted because their … Read entire article »
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Salman Taseer’s death provides a parable of why his country, which promised so much, has slipped so far
From the Economist A good man who did something Jan 6th 2011 | from PRINT EDITION IN HIS first speech to Pakistan’s constituent assembly, on August 11th 1947, the country’s president, Muhammad Ali Jinnah, made clear his belief that religious toleration should prevail in the country he had brought into being. “You are free; you are free to go to your temples, you are free to go to your mosques or to any other place of worship … Read entire article »
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Philosophical Musings on Salman Taseer’s death in Pakistan
By Shaireen Rasheed Will the real Moderate Muslim Please Stand Up: Making Sense of Salmaan Taseers’s Assassination? I think we all are trying to grapple and come to terms with the latest tragedy surrounding the assassination of Salmaan Taseer. The response in the media and civil society has been overwhelming. Liberalism is a word that is being used as our last resort to combat ‘extremism’. In trying to understand the big picture I wonder if to quote Kelly Oliver regarding the war on terror, “we are taking the theater of war globally,” (Oliver, 2007). War is everywhere and at once. The space and time of this war has become infinite because the enemy is infinite. Furthermore perpetuating a systemic ideology that further divides the Us vs. Them mentality. By pitting the extremists … Read entire article »
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I am a Pakistani and I condemn violence
By Tahmena Bokhari Like many others, I sat in shock as I read the news of the Governor of Punjab, Salmaan Taseer, being murdered for supporting the revision of the blasphemy laws. I am a staunch advocate for doing away with these unjust laws and I am in favour of a progressive, liberal and tolerant Pakistan. As I saw the various news reports by so-called leading spokespersons, the two main analyses that seemed to have surfaced … Read entire article »
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Indian Muslim Intellectuals Condemn Pak Punjab Governor’s Killing
STATEMENT CONDEMNING THE KILLING OF SALMAN TASEER We are shocked by the killing of the Governor of the province of Punjab in Pakistan, Salman Taseer by a member of his bodyguard force. He had dared to support Asia Bibi sentenced to death for having committed Blasphemy according to the infamous Blasphemy law of Pakistan. He was one of the liberal and democratic voices in Pakistan who have been fighting for the repeal of this reprehensible law. More appalling than the killing is the cynical and vocal support of a section of the society of Pakistan to the killer of Governor Taseer. We are worried by the trend of increasing religious intolerance in Pakistan and feel that if not fought with resolve and courage, it might lead to a deathly silence in Pakistan … Read entire article »
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PAKISTAN: Government must file FIRs for attempted murder against the religious leaders calling for the killing of innocent persons
ASIAN HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION – URGENT APPEALS PROGRAMME —————————————————— PAKISTAN: Government must file FIRs for attempted murder against the religious leaders calling for the killing of innocent persons ISSUES: Blasphemy law; religious intolerance; death threats; impunity; no rule of law Dear friends, The Asian Human Rights Commission received information that on 9 January 2011 according to police officials over 40,000 people gathered in the streets of Karachi, the capital of Sindh Province for a rally. The speakers of the rally announced over their public address system that anyone showing support for the amendments to the blasphemy laws should face the same fate as Salman Taseer. No officer of the law enforcement agencies or government officials including at least 3,000 members of the police, who were present at the meeting area, moved to silence them or … Read entire article »
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کاش انہیں ضیا مل جائے
وسعت اللہ خان بی بی سی اردو ڈاٹ کام، کراچی اس کرہِ ارض کی آبادی چھ ارب نوے کروڑ ہے۔اس میں ایک ارب ستاون کروڑ مسلمان ہیں۔ یعنی دنیا کے ہر چوتھے شخص کی وابستگی اسلام سے ہے۔ باون ممالک اور خطوں میں اکثریتی آبادی مسلمان ہے۔ اس دنیا کے تریپن فیصد مسلمان پندرہ ممالک میں بستے ہیں۔ (ایک) انڈونیشیا کی پچیس کروڑ آبادی میں سے چھیاسی فیصد کلمہ گو ہیں۔انیس سو پچھتر میں قائم ہونے والی انڈونیشین علما کونسل شرعی قوانین کے نفاز میں حکومت کی رہنمائی کرتی ہے۔دو ہزار چھ میں انڈونیشیا میں چھ مذاہب کو سرکاری عقیدہ تسلیم کیا گیا۔اسلام ، کیتھولک ازم، پروٹسٹنٹ ازم ، بدھ ازم ، ہندو ازم اور کنفیوشس ازم۔انڈونیشیا کے پینل کوڈ کے آرٹیکل ایک سو چھپن اے کے تحت توہینِ مذہب اور مذہبی منافرت پھیلانے … Read entire article »
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History of secularism in the Muslim World
By Taha Kehar Although the PPP-led government has established its reluctance to amend the Blasphemy Law, the human rights violations surrounding Aasia Bibi’s conviction are still as potent as before. They not only reinforce the delusion of democracy that has plagued Pakistan’s history but also brings to the fore key debates about the extent to which religion can influence the political fabric. The JUI-F’s equally undemocratic support of the widely misused Blasphemy legislation has also added fuel to these long-standing arguments. The growing schism between the proponents and critics of this law has intensified. It is thus important to terminate these divisions by understanding the relevance of secularism in the Muslim World and, consequently, its impact on the affairs of the state in Pakistan. … Read entire article »
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Well Done Bilawal Bhutto Zardari
By D. Asghar Although personally, I am against the dynasty politics, but Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s recent statement is commendable. A 23 year old has the guts to say what should be said by every real living breathing Pakistani. The bold statement made by BBZ in favour of all minorities and calling the people celebrating the death of slain Governor, the real blasphemers, speaks volumes about the young man’s character. We need people like him, who can speak from their heart and mind. The recent showdown in the electronic and print media of this being a liberal and conservative issue is absolutely inaccurate. It seems like Bilawal repeated the lines that are running through many sane Pakistani heads. It is absolutely a right versus wrong issue. As a nation, we are an inclusive … Read entire article »
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Death of Pakistani Secularism Much Exaggerated
By Juan Cole There has been a lot of hand-wringing about religious extremism in Pakistan in the wake of the assassination of Punjab governor Salman Taseer. On Sunday the fundamentalist religious parties held a rally some 40,000 strong in the southern port city of Karachi against repealing Pakistan’s blasphemy law, as the Pakistan People’s Party MP Sherry Rahman proposes. It would be foolish to deny that Pakistan has a problem with religious extremism. But outsiders do not actually understand the country very well and have no sense of scale, so it is hard for them to judge the significance of these events. Here I want to offer five ironies of religious extremism in that country, in an attempt to signal that the story is more complicated and requires more nuance than you … Read entire article »
Filed under: Pakistan, secular Pakistan, secularism
Meher Bukhari has Salman Taseer’s blood on her hands as well
Zia Ahmad The brutal assassination Salman Taseer has opened a can of worms in an already contaminated social landscape of Pakistan which is struggling with modernity in the second decade of the 21st century. The odious adulation over the extremist security turned homicidal goon Qadri is as disturbing as it is, the media was also not far behind in scoring sensationalist ratings on the Taseer/Asia Bibi fiasco. Below are two clips from Mehar Bukhari’s show on Samaa TV where she interviewed the late Governor on the 25th of November 2010. Observe the rabid antics of the above mentioned TV anchor and her uber-provocative assault on Mr Taseer. The media must draw a line on their point scoring, foaming behaviour and a call for the said TV anchor to take a fraction … Read entire article »
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ghar ko aag lag gayee ghar kay chiragh say
By YLH I read Aitzaz Ahsan’s “Indus Saga” and instantly became his fan. Here was our answer to Jawaharlal Nehru. Here was a secular liberal Pakistani nationalist who believed in Jinnah’s Pakistan and a democratic civilised polity. Indus Saga remains in my view one of the finest books on the creation of Pakistan written by a Pakistani politician. When Aitzaz Ahsan took on the cause of the Chief Justice, I followed him for he appeared to be … Read entire article »
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What Will Become Of Pakistan’s Moderates Now?
By Daud Khattak A woman lights a candle next to an image of the governor of Punjab, Salman Taseer, during a candlelight vigil near the site of his assassination in Islamabad. It has been three days since the killing of Salman Taseer, governor of Pakistan’s largest federal unit, Punjab, by a lone assassin in the country’s fortified capital of Islamabad. While the high-profile killing leaves a serious question mark hanging over the security arrangements for state VIPs and raises fears … Read entire article »
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Bilawal Bhutto’s speech on Salmaan Taseer’s murder
Chairman PPP Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has taken a strong public stand on the assassination of Governor Punjab Salmaan Taseer “Beware! If anyone dare oppress a member of a minority or has usurped his or her rights, or tortured, or took away something forcibly, I will fight on behalf of the minority against the Muslim on the day of Judgment”. These are the words of my beloved Prophet Mohammed (PBUH). No one should ever imagine that any Muslim would ever allow our Holy Prophet or our religion to be insulted or blasphemed. My mother embraced martyrdom while defending our faith. She was martyred during her jihad against those who had hijacked our religion. Her’s was a peaceful jihad. She did not resort to violence. She was martyred because she spoke against the … Read entire article »
Filed under: Islam, Pak Tea House
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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