By I.A. Rehman dawn.com The real issue is what is being done to ensure that the women of Pakistan can enjoy equality of status with men. – Photo on file The reminder by civil society organisations to the government of its responsibility to implement the two new laws designed to deal with sexual harassment has not come a day too soon. However, they will have to do much more before their efforts start bearing fruit. These new laws are not the only targets of the government’s indifference to the implementation part of lawmaking; this attitude has become the rule over … Continue reading Roots of women’s woes

BOOK REVIEW: Muslims in the American frame – by Dr Mahjabeen Islam Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam By Akbar Ahmed Brookings Institution Press; Pp 528; $ 29.95 With the word ‘Muslim’ now synonymous with terrorism, Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam by Akbar Ahmed is a vital read. The cover of the book is in itself heavy with controversial symbolism. Silhouetted against a gorgeous sunrise, the flame of the Statue of Liberty seems to be reaching for the crescent and star. In what he terms a ‘Muslim Odyssey’, Akbar Ahmed and his team of anthropological researchers travelled … Continue reading Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam

VIEW: Do not apologise Fauzia! –Gulmina Bilal Ahmad Fauzia Wahab’s statement and the resultant reaction have exposed our religious-political confusion. Religion is a private matter whereas politics is public. The constitution is the mother of all laws. All man-made laws that is The entire nation is in an uproar. The ruling party’s spokesperson, Ms Fauzia Wahab, an active student and practitioner of politics since her student days and now a member of parliament, is being discussed right, left and centre. It is tragic that the three political sides, namely the right, left and centre, have competed against each other to … Continue reading Do not apologise Fauzia!

VIEW: Politics over national interest –Daud Khattak The JUI-F cares more for saving the skin of its leadership than national interests. By signalling a parting of ways with the Centre, the JUI-F leadership wants to convey to the Taliban its ‘hate’ towards the government’s pro-US policy It will be much to say that a bunch of vested interests is at work in almost all the political and religious parties of the country with some of them claiming to be mainstream parties. Party leaders always find lame excuses whenever they see their own or party interests at stake; even though such … Continue reading Political Mullahism over Muslims interest

Aliens and UFOs in the Noble Quran: ALIENS IN THE QURAN Introduction On 7th August 1996,NASA (1) scientists made an announcement that made front page headlines throughout the world.Within a Martian meteorite,they had found evidence of a microscopic lifeform that may have existed on Mars more than three billion years ago. (2) Although other studies were later published which challenged this conclusion, (3) numerous recent discoveries,for example,the discovery by the Galileo spacecraft, (4) in February 1997,of a possible red-coloured sea under the ice crust of Jupiter’s moon,Europa, (5) are raising hopes that we may soon be able to get an … Continue reading How Muslims should greet Aliens!

By Athar Parvaiz SRINAGAR – The human-rights body Amnesty International (AI) has yet to release its report on the outcome of its unprecedented visit last week to disputed Indian-administered Kashmir, but already there are doubts over its ability to come up with fair and accurate findings. A two-member AI delegation – composed of Indian nationals – arrived in Kashmir on May 18 for a six-day fact-finding visit. It is expected to release its findings within the next six months. Hardline separatist groups in Kashmir have described the AI visit as insignificant, saying the AI team, being both Indians, could not … Continue reading Doubts over Amnesty’s Kashmir delegation

By Gary LaMoshi DENPASAR, Bali – What a difference a quarter makes. United States President Barack Obama, who spent two years in Indonesia as schoolboy Barry Soetoro, was first scheduled to visit Indonesia in March, but legislative obligations pushed the highly anticipated visit back to mid-June. Over the past 10 weeks, much has changed for both Obama and Indonesia, the world’s third-largest democracy. In March, Obama had the look of a loser. The US economy was still in the tank. Healthcare reform, Obama’s major legislative initiative, seemed destined for defeat. The foiled Christmas Day bombing of a US airliner as … Continue reading Obama, Yudhoyono share a challenge

By Robert Tait His tranquil demeanor has earned him the moniker “Gandhi”, but Kemal Kilicdaroglu will need to show a more pugnacious face than that of Indian spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi’s passivity if he is to meet the rising tide of optimism unleashed by his election as leader of Turkey’s main opposition party. In just a few days, this unprepossessing mustachioed former civil servant has been transformed from obscurity into a potent symbol of hope that the long-dormant Republic People’s Party (CHP) can complete the long march from opposition to the corridors of power that were its intended destiny when it … Continue reading Turkey’s ‘Gandhi’ takes the reins

By Jing-dong Yuan MONTEREY, California – Amid major changes in global and regional security and economic environments, the second United States-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue (SED) achieved some modest results – even as few were expected. The meeting took place in Beijing this week after a brief period of estrangement this year when the Chinese government reacted vehemently to the Barack Obama administration’s decision to sell arms to Taiwan and the US president’s meeting with the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan spiritual leader. The Copenhagen summit on climate change, the Google showdown and the issue of currency revaluation have raised … Continue reading US-China gains are modest, yet vital

By Sreeram Chaulia By persuading Iran to transfer abroad 1,200 kilograms of low-enriched uranium in return for higher enriched nuclear fuel for use in a reactor, Turkey and Brazil have stolen the diplomatic high ground from Western powers at a crucial juncture. A negotiated settlement to the Iranian nuclear imbroglio is in the best interests of the Middle East and for global energy security. That Turkey and Brazil, two non-permanent members of the United Nations Security Council, could gain the trust of Iranian interlocutors and convince them to enter into the fuel exchange deal is testimony to the expanding diplomatic prowess … Continue reading Diplomacy falls on deaf ears