A perusal of the history of Islamic civilisation bears testament to a time when educational systems across the Muslim world, the ‘madrassas’, were unchallenged cathedrals of religious and scientific advancement. We are told of a time, at the turn of the eleventh century, when Muslim, Christian, Jewish, and even atheist scholars from the farthest corners of the world would brave harshness of the desert and perilous months long travel to flock to Isfahan and learn…
Posts published in “Pak Media comment”
THE bloodletting in the name of faith continues, and the silence from official quarters on this needless loss of life is deafening. On Friday, Tahir Ahmed, a 31-year-old Ahmadi doctor was shot dead inside his home in Nankana Sahib, Punjab, by a teenager armed with a pistol. The attacker had knocked on the front door and started firing when the young man opened it. Other members of the family who were gathered there for prayers…
by OSAMA FAROOQ in Business Recorder, Nov 21, 2020The writer spends most of his time with farmers.Pakistan is grappling with many serious challenges – some political, some physical and some mix of both. Of these, the less talked about but one of the key existential challenge is ‘water scarcity’ as it has direct bearing on food security and we have a population of almost 208 million to be fed. Agriculture accounts for 19.3% of the…
At a crucial time in the Afghan peace process, as the war-battled country shows dangers of disintegrating once more into chaos, Prime Minister Imran Khan paid his maiden visit to Kabul on Thursday. Prime Minister Khan met Afghan President Ashraf Ghani, and held a series of talks, during which the two countries essentially agreed to strengthen cooperation and discussion on security affairs over the coming days. Significantly enough, PM Khan was accompanied by the DG…
Pakistan and Afghanistan have agreed on a timeline of actions against anti-peace elements with the help intelligence sharing, proposals for refugees’ repatriation and further enhancing regional connectivity. A time frame for these essential actions was agreed in a comprehensive document “A shared vision between Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Pakistan to support peace and stability in both countries and the wider region.” The contents of shared vision for peace and stability were discussed and finalised…
THE dreaded outcome of the state’s relentless campaign to control social media has become a reality. With the notification of the ‘Removal and Blocking of Unlawful Online Content (Procedure, Oversight and Safeguards) Rules 2020’ under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, the government now has legal cover to issue blanket bans on digital content. The rules apply to any social media company operating in Pakistan and require them to set up a brick-and-mortar presence in…
Recently, the US embassy in Islamabad retweeted a tweet of Pakistani politician Ahsan Iqbal who shared news about the US elections along with his sarcastic remarks. The tweet went viral and qualified to be controversial because of its very nature of political opinion. The embassy officially apologised through its Twitter account for what was done through unauthorised access. The fresh saga of the tweet is yet another episode of the controversy that reminds us of…
The issue of electoral reform has been talked about in the country for many years. The question however is precisely how to bring it about in an environment where there are perceptions of interference in almost every election. And even while the laws are intact, people do not believe that elections involve entirely a fair play by all those involved. This makes reform more arduous and more difficult. The prime minister’s proposals in this regard…
by Pervez Hoodbhoy in Dawn, November 21st, 2020The writer is an Islamabad-based physicist and writer.UNMARRIED men and women may live together, alcohol restrictions are gone, and honour killings will be judged a crime just as any other. This official decree took effect last week in the United Arab Emirates, a country whose social-political matters are declaredly driven by Sharia law. These new rules apply equally to expatriates (88 per cent) and UAE citizens (12pc), the…
by Ali Hazrat Bacha in Dawn, November 21st, 2020PESHAWAR: The opposition’s Pakistan Democratic Movement (PDM) on Friday vowed to defy government ban on its public gathering in Peshawar on Sunday, warning the district administration that use of force to stop the protesting citizens could spark street battles. Rallies across the country will be held as the PDM planned until the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) government is removed, representatives of the opposition parties declared while speaking at…
Politics of religious passion: by Dr. Rafi Amir-ud-Din in TNS, Nov 22, 2020
The writer is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Economics at COMSATS University Islamabad, Lahore CampusWhat can explain the fact that the TLP, which has no representation in the parliament, routinely challenges the writ of the state? Af ew days ago, Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) held a protest rally in Rawalpindi followed by a sit-in in Faizabad to press for its demand for the expulsion of the French ambassador, recalling of Pakistan’s ambassador to France…