Pakistan to declare Holi, Diwali, Easter as holidays
Source: The Indian Express The Pakistan National Assembly on Tuesday passed a resolution to take steps to declare Holi, Diwali and Easter as holidays for minorities in the country. “This […]
Pakistan parliament adopts resolution for Holi, Diwali, Easter holidays
timesofindia.indiatimes.com/world/pakistan/Pakistan-parliament-adopts-resolution-for-Holi-Diwali-Easter-holidays/articleshow/51423609.cms Hindu Devotees light oil lamps in a temple in Pakistan’s Multan on the eve of Diwali festival. LAMABAD: For the first time, minority communities in Pakistan will have public holidays on Holi, Diwali and Easter festivals after the country’s parliament on Wednsday adopted a resolution to this effect.The National […]
Pakistan: My Father’s Killer’s Funeral
MARCH 11, 2016 Aatish Taseer By AATISH TASEER ON Feb. 29 — a bad day for anniversaries — Pakistan executed my father’s killer. My father was the governor of Punjab Province from 2008 until his death in 2011. At that time, he was defending a Christian woman who had fallen […]
Is Pakistan Saudi Arabia’s gun for hire?
Dawn: Heads of state do not typically flock to oversee military exercises in which their country’s troops are participating. But war games in Saudi Arabia are clearly an exception. Our prime minister and army chief last week joined dignitaries ranging from Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi to Sudanese President Omar […]
Captors freed Taseer’s son of their own will, says inquiry
Source: Tribune ISLAMABAD / QUETTA: An inquiry committee has concluded that Shahbaz Taseer was not rescued in a security operation, rather he was freed by his kidnappers of their own will. […]
Pakistan: Wrong turns of the right wing
UMER ALI Full of contradictions The hanging of Mumtaz Qadri united all religio-political parties last week as together they protested against it. Blocking roads, closing down markets forcibly, thrashing journalists and attacking media houses for not covering their protests – all was done to send a message that come what […]
Drunk PIA Pilot Irfan Faiz Jailed In Britain
A Pakistani pilot has been jailed for nine months in Britain for being drunk before he was due to fly a plane with 156 people on board. Irfan Faiz, 55, was found to have three times the legal amount of alcohol in his blood, prosecutors told Leeds Crown Court. http://news.sky.com/story/1172391/drunk-pia-pilot-irfan-faiz-jailed-in-britain […]
Pakistan’s prime minister is defying the clerics — very carefully
Source: The Washington Post ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — During a speech to international business leaders here in late November, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif shocked the country’s powerful religious community by calling […]
Shahbaz Taseer to reach home today
Source: Daily Times LAHORE – Shahbaz Taseer – the abducted son of former Punjab governor Salman Taseer – will reach home on Wednesday (today) nearly after a gap of five […]
When will Pakistan’s clergy celebrate our women?
Dawn: The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has once again decided to dampen the celebration of empowerment in the country — this time by claiming that the Punjab government’s Women Protection Act is against the lawand that some clauses are not in compliance with the Shariah. The council has also […]
Top Pakistani religious body rules women’s protection law ‘un-Islamic’
Source: Reuters A powerful Pakistani religious body that advises the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam on Thursday declared a new law that criminalizes violence against women to […]
Pakistan: An execution, Not a Policy Turnaround
02/29/2016 Aparna PandeDirector, India Initiative, Hudson Institute The execution in Pakistan of Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri — the bodyguard who in 2011, under influence of religious zealots, killed secular Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer — has strategically coincided with the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue taking place in Washington DC. Given Pakistan’s history […]
Sharia in Action
Suggested Reading Shariah and Constitution: A Personal Journey
Pope accepts PM’s invitation to visit Pakistan
Daily Times: LAHORE – Pope Francis has accepted Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s invitation to visit Pakistan this year, a media reported said on Thursday. The last pope to have visited […]
In Pakistan, religious right criticizes women’s protection law
(RNS) Some right-wing Islamist leaders in Pakistan are denouncing a newly passed law criminalizing violence against women in Punjab province, saying it contradicts the Quran and will increase divorce rates. “This law is in conflict with the Holy Quran, the life of [Muhammad], Constitution of Pakistan and values of our country,” Maulana […]
Pakistan Salman Taseer murder: Thousands mourn at Mumtaz Qadri funeral
Source: BBC The funeral is taking place in Pakistan of the former bodyguard executed for killing Punjab’s governor over his opposition to blasphemy laws. Security was tight as about 50,000 […]
Pakistan: An execution, Not a Policy Turnaround
Huff Post: The execution in Pakistan of Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri — the bodyguard who in 2011, under influence of religious zealots, killed secular Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer — has strategically coincided with the US-Pakistan strategic dialogue taking place in Washington DC. Given Pakistan’s history of embracing Islamist extremism, the […]
Honor Killing in Pakistan movie wins Oscars
Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy delivered one of the most powerful speeches as she won another Oscar for Pakistan at the 88th Academy Awards on Sunday. Sharmeen Obaid-Chinoy poses with her Oscar for Best Documentary Short Subject, “A Girl in the River: The Price of Forgiveness,” in the press room during the 88th […]
Beauty and the beast
Waseem Altaf Beauty and the beast Women are inferior to men and husbands have every right to beat disobedient wives. Wani (exchange marriage) can be overlooked and fixing a minimum age of marriage for girls is un-Islamic. Obscenity is all due to women and acid throwing can be neglected. […]
Jinnah chair to be established at London School of Economics
The Express Tribune: by Abdul Manan A file photo of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. PHOTO: AFP ISLAMABAD: The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE) is considering establishing a ‘Jinnah Chair’ at the institute in recognition of the achievements of the founder of Pakistan, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah. This was informed by LSE Director […]