Wakkas Khan’s off-message past Riazat Butt guardian.co.uk, Wakkas Khan is one of 13 unpaid advisers who will, according to Communities and Local Government (CLG), help improve the relationship between faith communities and the state as well as assessing the impact of certain policies on these groups. While the very concept of a “faith panel” has offended the National Secular Society – which describes the new body as an insult to non-religious Britons – Khan’s appointment has caused the most alarm because of his background. It is not his contributions to Comment is free that have upset some parts of the … Continue reading The background of a new government ‘faith adviser’ has raised eyebrows. Does it matter, if all he’s going to produce is hot air?

Imran Khan: from playboy to politician By Danae Brook ‘My mission is to cure my country of endemic corruption’ Photo: PHILIP HOLLIS I drive to meet Imran Khan through the white silence of Richmond Park in the snow. Deer loom out of the dusk, antlers like reindeer. “I love nature,” says Khan when we meet. “I am an outdoors man. I love coming here because I can play outside with my children.” On the day we meet, Khan has just stepped off the plane from Islamabad, and his sons, Sulemain, 13, and Kasim, 10, have been playing in the park. … Continue reading Imran Khan has offered to broker a deal between the Pakistani Taliban and his government.

Muslim police officers have rebelled openly against the Government’s anti-terrorism strategy, warning that it is an “affront to British values” which threatens to trigger ethnic unrest. By By Robert Winnett, Deputy Political Editor TELEGRAPH Published: 10:32PM GMT 20 Jan 2010 Photo: JOHN TAYLOR The National Association of Muslim Police (NAMP) claimed that ministers were wrong to blame Islam for being the “driver” behind recent terrorist attacks. Far-Right extremists were a more dangerous threat to national security, it said. The officers told MPs that Muslims were being “stigmatised” by the Government’s attempts to tackle terrorism, which was adding to “hatred” against … Continue reading Muslim police say Islam not to blame for terror attacks

// // // // // // <!– Remove following to not show photographer information –> (Channel 4) <!– Remove following to not show image description –> Ambreen Sadiq <!– Remove following to not show enlarge option –> <!– –> // Ruth Gledhill, Religion Correspondent // the times <!– –> Few girls, let alone Muslim girls, can expect to be encouraged to pick up a pair of boxing gloves and go out fighting. But Ambreen Sadiq, a 15-year-old schoolgirl from Bradford, has overcome opposition in her community to win her latest fight and aim for the 2016 Olympics. Hailed tonight as … Continue reading Ambreen Sadiq, British Muslim girl boxer, aims to combat prejudice to succeed in the ring

Tories say Foreign Office memo shows officials have been ordered to work up plans for cuts due to falling value of pound guardian.co.uk, Glenys Kinnock: foreign minister. Photograph: Dylan Martinez/Reuters The government is said to be drawing up a secret hit list of embassies to be closed as the effects of the sharp fall in the pound on Britain’s spending plans abroad are felt. David Lidington, the shadow junior foreign minister, said that an internal Foreign Office memorandum claimed that officials had been ordered to work up plans for substantial cuts “which could be implemented soon after the election”. The … Continue reading UK Government accused of drawing up secret hit list of embassies to close

Farooq Sulehria Hi! Honestly, I wasn’t surprised at Der Spiegel’s recent report that between 2004 and 2008 your members killed eight times more Muslims than non-Muslims. During this period, “Al-Qaeda claimed responsibility for 313 attacks resulting in the deaths of 3,010 people,” the German newspaper said in the report. These attacks also included terrorist incidents in Madrid (2004) and London (2005). Of the casualties only 371 (12 percent) were Westerners. In fact, such report should not surprise anyone. In Iraq, for instance, the number of Iraqis killed by your suicide bombers far exceeded the number of body bags dispatched to … Continue reading To Al Qaeda – time to be good!

Robert M Gates Nearly 25 years ago, in 1986, I arrived in Islamabad for my first visit to Pakistan to meet with this country’s military leaders and see firsthand the training of the Afghan resistance along the border. At the time, our two countries were working together in unprecedented ways to combat a common foe. As part of this effort, our militaries went to school together; our intelligence services shared insights; and our leaders consulted each other on strategic issues. The long-standing friendship was based on a great sense of mutual commitment, purpose, and benefit. I was still in government … Continue reading ‘Our commitment to Pakistan’

Zafar Hilaly After grabbing the larger part of Kashmir by force Nehru, in mid-November 1949, out of the blue offered to conclude a no-war pact with Pakistan. Taken aback somewhat, Liaquat Ali Khan recovered his composure to tell Nehru that rather than a no-war declaration the best way of removing both the causes and the fear of war was to settle major outstanding disputes between the two countries. Even if disputes could not be settled, Liaquat Ali Khan added; let us agree on a procedure for settling them so that both countries would have entered into firm commitments which in … Continue reading Pacts for the gullible

Ideological indigestion Posted by Nadeem F. Paracha  The La La Land Internal Jihad Movement of Pakistan (also called LLIMP) is a hybrid vegetable/fruit that is becoming popular among middle-class health food fanatics. The medical benefits of LLIMP have been known since ancient times. The Neanderthals are known to have used it to treat everything from general boredom to ideological indigestion. In his book, ‘LLIMP: the Natural Secret for a Vigorous Jaw & a Full Fat Moustache,’ Hakeem Shahid Masood states that LLIMP has been used as a medicine in Saudi Arabia, Yemen, Babylon, Gujranwala and Planet Zion for at least … Continue reading La La Land Internal Jihad Movement of Pakistan – aka Mullah Front for the destruction of Pakistan

British Prime Minister Gordon Brown leaves 10 Downing Street, in central London, as he prepares to attend the weekly Minister’s Question time in the House of Commons. -AFP Photo LONDON: Prime Minister Gordon Brown insisted Thursday that Britain’s spending on counter-terrorism measures in Pakistan was increasing despite the fall in the value of the pound. “Counter-terrorism expenditure in Pakistan and generally is increasing this year and will increase next year,” Brown said. He added: “It is important to recognise our counter-terrorism effort is also linking up the efforts of our police forces here and our border control system, which is … Continue reading Britain increasing Pakistan anti-terror spending: Brown