The Rise in Fundamentalism By: Grainne Rhuad In fundamentalism one holds that one’s religious texts are infallible and historically accurate, despite contradiction of these claims by modern scholarship. In 1994in Qandahar, when Afghanistan was plagued by civil war as well as facing Russia, the world began to take note of a sect of religiously based seekers, in fact the  name  “Taliban” translates to “One who is seeking” This religious fervor was nothing new, there has ever been in every religious tradition waves of people who think outside the box or conversely too deeply within the box. While there is no … Continue reading The Randy Taliban Mullah and the Frisky Southern Baptist – partners ripe for a formal marriage!

Book review: Nuclear Pakistan — setting the record straight, again —by Afrah Jamal The Genesis of South Asian Nuclear Deterrence: Pakistan’s Perspective By Naeem Salik Oxford University Press; Pp 350 Going nuclear is a lifestyle choice. For the original five, it was a vital symbol of power. For Pakistan, it is a necessary evil. With three nuclear powers in the region, Pakistan is the only one that gives the world sleepless nights. As their least favourite (aspiring) club member, Pakistan is used to being eyed with suspicion and treated with disdain. Naeem Salik believes that current debates on Pakistan’s nuclear … Continue reading The Genesis of South Asian Nuclear Deterrence: Pakistan’s Perspective

Farhat Taj The Pakistan Army is engaged in ‘friendly fire’ with the jihadi gangs in which the civilians, poor soldiers of the security forces, especially FC soldiers, policemen and foot soldiers of the Taliban are killed. This, according to the Pakhtun perception, is in line with the scheme of things of the military-militant leadership I have been writing in these pages that there is a remarkable difference in the perceptions of the people of Pakhtunkhwa, including FATA, and the majority of people in the rest of Pakistan with regard to what drives terrorism in our country. For the latter, it … Continue reading Dangerous abyss of perceptions that excuse Pakistans rabid Mullahs

Ernest Mandel In Primitive Rebels and Bandits, Eric Hobsbawm has shown that ‘social bandits’ are robbers of a special type, whom the state (and the oppressor classes) regard as outlaws but who remain within the bounds of the moral order of the peasant community. It is significant that Spain, the country that gave the bandit story its name as a literary genre — the picaresque novel — was where the decay of feudalism was deepest and where the process of its decline was more protracted, leaving society in an impasse for centuries. Interestingly, Sigmund Freud showed great preference for good … Continue reading From hero to villain

Salman Tarik Kureshi Tearing up the Constitution, General Zia ended the civilian interregnum of Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. The eleven-year-long darkness of his satanic rule now descended. It was the script of a horror story: pain, public floggings, so many executions, people strung up and hanged on public television It is incongruous to hear the names of former Presidents Marcos of the Philippines and Abacha of Nigeria being mentioned in the context of Pakistan today. The first of these suspended his country’s Constitution and declared Martial Law. As a civilian Martial Law dictator, Marcos committed human rights violations and crimes against … Continue reading Regimental messes

Dawn Editorial The link between poverty or lack of opportunity and the growth of militancy in Pakistan is widely accepted. When a man cannot feed or school his son, he may opt for a madressah where the child would at least eat and receive instruction in religion. – Photo by AP. It’s a tricky situation with no easy way out. Pakistan’s internal security needs have never been greater and more funding is required to sustain the fight against militancy. At the same time, however, the country is faced with a dire shortage of resources. Both the government and the security … Continue reading Unkindest cut – falling for Mullahism through neglect

By Kuldip Nayar Interior Minister Rehman Malik has hinted that Indians would be discriminated against. He does not know how strongly the public has reacted against the trade-bound IPL. –Photo by Reuters From President Barack Obama to US Defence Secretary Robert Gates, the one message that is being drilled is that terrorism can destabilise the countries in South Asia. People and governments in the region do not have to be warned against the obvious. America has seldom admitted its own nefarious role. Washington decided several years ago to train and arm militants to bleed the Soviet Union during the Cold … Continue reading Tough on the peace lobby