VIEW: Stop blaming the West Shahid Ilyas The only legitimate and viable way of existence for a state is that it is based on the idea of public welfare, democracy, pluralism and the rule of law “Whereas sovereignty over the entire universe belongs to Allah Almighty alone and the authority which He has delegated to the State of Pakistan, through its people for being exercised within the limits prescribed by Him is a sacred trust…” This is a citation taken from the Objectives Resolution — the guiding principles for lawmaking in Pakistan — that was presented by Prime Minister Liaquat … Continue reading Stop blaming the West and look within!

VIEW: New zones for militancy –Arif Ansar The emerging collaboration between the TTP and Punjabi Taliban of southern Punjab means that one cannot end the war by simply driving terrorists out of the tribal areas and that Pakistan must prepare itself to fight on several fronts The most disquieting aspect of the recent spate of terrorist activity in Pakistan (including Friday’s massacre in Lahore) and abroad is that the planning seems to be the work of the Pashtun Taliban and Punjabi groups originating in southern Punjab, possibly at the behest of al Qaeda. Apparently, the North Waziristan operation will not … Continue reading New zones for militancy

WASHINGTON DIARY: For the love of humanity –Dr Manzur Ejaz The common New Yorker believes that jihadists carried out 9/11. Despite that, when the Muslim community applied for constructing an Islamic centre alongside the planned memorial, the overwhelming majority of the committee approved it Panic has set in, smoke plumes in the air. The adjoining building of Punjab Assembly, the Wapda House and Alfalah were heavily bombed, leaving behind deep craters as shadows of the buildings that once were. Two assailants evaded police but were finally apprehended, as investigators conducted forensics of the body parts of the cohorts and victims … Continue reading For the love of humanity

COMMENT: Pak-China security cooperation Dr Rashid Ahmad Khan The Chinese ambassador to Pakistan has publicly stated that separatist elements responsible for trouble in Xinjiang received training in Pakistan’s tribal areas and Afghanistan during the 1980s While bilateral military ties between Pakistan and China remain strong, the two countries are looking forward to expanding the parameters of their cooperation to address new security concerns that threaten not only the peace and security in the region but also pose a serious challenge to the national security interests of the two countries. This was evident from the accords reached between the two countries … Continue reading Pak-China friendship needs to be more strong

COMMENT: Last Friday –Munir Attaullah Is there any doubt that the Ahmedi community is the victim of state discrimination through specific legislation, and active persecution by fanatic religious elements that the authorities turn a blind eye to? Last Friday’s horrible act of senseless terrorism conveyed more than one message to this allegedly basha’oor nation. How many of us have understood it, given the powerful hold of right wing and religious ideologies on our minds? Weighing up the media coverage, is it worth my discussing the matter also? The answer to the latter question is a resounding “Yes”. It is the … Continue reading Last Friday and the rabid Mullah

Chess or chequers? thenews.com.pk By Dr Maleeha Lodhi The writer is a former envoy to the US and the UK, and a former editor of The News. Fighting terrorism should be like a game of chess but the US approach has been more akin to playing chequers, says Bruce Hoffman, an American scholar who has spent years studying the phenomenon. A chess-game approach means understanding the threat and enemy and being able to anticipate and thoughtfully respond to how it changes and adapts. This means a strategy that uses reason and guile, not just brute force. Chequers (known as draughts … Continue reading Radicalisation and games

COMMENT: A bridge to cross —Shahzad Chaudhry In General Zia’s time it was ordered to replace secular slogans with Islamic inscriptions as emblems of identity and motivation in the army units; once in place, no amount of ‘enlightened moderation’ has been able to change that one single factor of committing the soldier to his task in the name of religion Both Faisal Shahzad and the Facebook episode have brought to the fore the centrality of how the Muslims, of Pakistan at least, contend with the issue of religion. There is no doubt that the state and religion have, over time, … Continue reading Pakistans sacred cows!

Why You Should Care About the Psychology of Disgust by: Joe Brewer, t r u t h o u t | Op-Ed Are you someone who struggles to understand why people behave the way they do in politics? Perhaps you’ve been confused by all the fervor against gay marriage. Or maybe you’re taken aback by the strong emotions waged against government-sponsored health care. To understand political behaviors like these, you’ll need to become familiar with the psychology of disgust. Researchers have learned a lot about it in recent years, such as: Disgust – like all emotions – is biological and … Continue reading Psychology of Disgust

The 8 world’s most prominent hyper-realist sculptors Ron Mueck Evan Penny Patricia Piccinini Marc Sijan Jamie Salmon Maurizio Cattelan Carole Feuerman Adam Beane AUTHOR’S WEBSITE http://blogof.francescomugnai.com/2010/04/the-8-worlds-most-prominent-hyper-realist-sculptors/ Continue reading Hyper-realist sculptors

Inciting Intolerance dawn.com “I’ll tell you this — if you do build a mosque, I hope somebody blows it up. I hope the mosque isn’t built, and if it is, I hope it’s blown up.” Those comments aired live on the radio, less than 36-hours before half-a-dozen terrorists armed with automatic weapons, grenades and suicide jackets stormed into two Ahmadi places of worship in Lahore, killing at least 95 people and injuring over a hundred worshipers. But that message of hate wasn’t aired in Lahore or even in Pakistan. It was aired live across Houston, Texas. The man behind the … Continue reading How Americans are being radicalised to fight Muslims