Despite the performance of the last coalition government, each and every Pakistan need to appreciate and acknowledge the courage, steadfastness and bravery of ANP, MQM, PPP, Shia and women candidates who have refused to bow down to Taliban. They are standing for democracy. The are risking it for us, for Pakistan. So, keep calm and vote anti Taliban!

On the other hand, I hope PTI realises the political mistake they are making. Jamaat-e-Islami needs no introduction but as a reminder to the readers: AlQaeda No. 2 Khalid Sheikh Muhammad was captured from Naazim of JI’s house in Rawalpindi. 2 more listed AlQaeda terrorist were also found from JI residences in Pakistan. JI held funeral prayers of Osama Bin Laden all across Pakistan. Nazim JI Mirpur was killed in a drone attack in NW with other terrorists and Qazi led his funeral prayer in Mirpur. Samia Qazi calls Taliban killers her brothers. When Govt asked religious leaders and parties to issue statements condemning suicide blasts, JI refused to do so. Munawar Hasan in his famous interview with Shahzeb Khanzada from which he ran away mid way, said that TTP is also doing Jihad and its okay to blast away Pak Govt and people if need be. The same Munawar Hassan rejected Women Protection Bill and claims if a raped woman should remain silent and sent to jail if she fails to provide 4 witnesses. PTI can definitely do better without the baggage of fascist Jamaat-e-Islami and I hope good sense will prevail in PTI.

With clear evidence of Sipah Sahaba ASWJ militants torching Christian houses and killing them in Gojra massacre of 2009 and Lahore Joseph Colony incident of 2013, why PMLN does not give powers and orders to the Police to take preventive measures? Why PMLN relies on suspending and demoting Police officials when the failure is of administration? The only answer one can think of is PMLN’s alliance with Sipah Sahaba ASWJ. A report published in DAWN 2 June 2012 complained that PMLN is reluctant to take action on Sipah Sahaba ASWJ and LeJ militants operating in Punjab despite strong evidence available at hand. The PMLN has sold off minority blood for a few seats, for the votes of ultra-right militants. Unfortunately other parties like PPP and MQM have also been found showing closeness to Sipah Sahaba ASWJ. PPP’s Qamar Kaira in one talk show defended talks and getting support from Sipah Sahaba defending them saying “are they not Pakistani?” Well, they may but so are TTP, so were the killers of Benazir Bhutto. Would you want them in the Parliament too? The MQM also visited the Sipah Sahaba’s Karachi office. Pakistan’s mainstream political parties need to realize that Sipah Sahaba ASWJ is the name of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, TTP and Jaish-e-Muhammad . They are feeding the militants which will eventually come back at them.

A session was held in British House of Commons on 25th February 2012 where Hazara and Shia Genocide was discussed with Lord Eric Avebury. The session was called by Parliamentary Committee of Human Rights which is chaired by Lord Eric Averbury himself. The session lasted for nearly 2 hours and was attended by members and leaders of Shia community, Hazara Shia community, Sunni community, legal community and representatives from some political parties, journalists and human rights activists.

For decades Shia Muslims have been killed in Pakistan and the issue has either been pushed under the carpet or obfuscated using blanket terms such as ‘sectarian violence’. Both the print and the electronic media have on purpose hidden the Shia identity of the victims. The victims are often reported as mere ‘afraad’ [persons] randomly killed, not targeted for their faith.

Most Pakistanis have been silent on the issue, not uttering a word as if speaking for the Shia will make them a Shia. However, they do have time and energy to protest for Palestinians, Burmese or Syrians. The civil society and activists on social media, or otherwise, hesitate to use the word Shia – apparently they condemn the bloodshed but are shy of using the word Shia, like the mainstream media. This does not help. This is rather part of the problem.

For years we have heard and have become accustomed to the misfit calls to Allah in the post match ceremonies. Allah gets more mention than the player responsible for winning or losing the game. Why bother with this ceremony after every match when the man of the match for every game is Allah?

After reporting on Pakistan for nearly 20 years, Anatol has developed a deep affection for Pakistan which is noticeable throughout the book as he writes about the country with concern, “a place that cries out for the combined talents of a novelist, an anthropologist and a painter.” The book provides some fresh concepts on a routinely misinterpreted country, a very interesting and essential read, full of learning and humour, provided you have a good understanding of Pakistan Army to balance out the faults on this side.

A few months back a Pakistani origin Muslim boy who was a British national as well was kidnapped from Pakistan during a family trip to the home country. One needs not to get into the details and find out how seriously the British authorities took the case. It was one life; just another immigrant Pakistani Muslim kid, but the authorities went the extra-mile and recovered the kid. This is only one of the countless examples of how democratic social welfare states care about their citizens. religion, color, caste, creed and …

Finally, a Pakistani musician condemns terrorism in the name of religion through his music.
Better late than never, they say. In a country like Pakistan with scarce opportunities for entertainment; Cricket and Music are probably the only modes of entertainment which are yet popular among the masses. Its not new in Pakistan to reach out the masses with your message through a form of art. Faiz, Jalib and NFAK have been using poetry and music for this purpose. Recently, LAAL with their debut album conveyed their Socialist message. Shehzad Roy took …

Suicide bombing inspired by religio-political ideology of the Islamists is a nightmare for Pakistanis today. I am not sure if we are desensitized or are getting used to terror when I get the question “How many?” whenever an idiot blasts himself taking life of dozens.
The first thing to do is to make sure there is no public support for this heinous crime. To achieve this, probably the best way is to use religion, something Pakistanis will most readily accept. Influential religious scholars in the country have earlier denounced terror in the name of religion …

If I am to answer what developed the most in the last quarter of twentieth century, I would say Islamic extremism. Agree or not but IslamoFascists have been in direct or indirect conflict with the west especially in this period. The radical Islamists believe that the conflict must take place on multiple fronts: militarily, economically, diplomatically and ideologically. The ideology factor becomes most critical to keep recruitment, funding and support in all forms, for this conflict, coming. This ideology is a fiercely fundamentalist form of orthodox Sunni Islam, but one …

Eye opener facts on Baluchistan. A multimedia rich travelogue of FASTRising’s fact finding mission.

“Within 48 hours of the signing of the Murree Declaration between Pakistan’s two leading political parties, we yet again have been hit by the magnitude of the internal security challenge we collectively face. The fifth round of post-election suicide bombing attacks has hit Lahore. Over 25 more of our precious Pakistani people have died and many more precious ones from the badly injured too will go. Beginning with the endless spate of 2007 suicide attacks Pakistan is now regularly bathed in blood. There is no redline left to cross now …

Ahmed Bashir
professional lawyer
one of the GOR-10 (the ‘terrorists’ captured from Justice Siddiqui’s residence)
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It was in the start of December that the concerned citizens of Lahore took upon themselves to protect the life and property of a brave and honest man, Mr. Justice M. A. Shahid Siddiqui of the Lahore High Court. Justice Siddiqui had received a notice from the registrar of the highest court of the province, of which he is still one of the highest officials, to vacate his official residence. Justice …

by Prof. Michel Chossudovsky

Global Research, December 30, 2007

The assassination of Benazir Bhutto has created conditions which contribute to the ongoing destabilization and fragmentation of Pakistan as a Nation.
The process of US sponsored “regime change”, which normally consists in the re-formation of a fresh proxy government under new leaders has been broken. Discredited in the eyes of Pakistani public opinion, General Pervez Musharaf cannot remain in the seat of political power. But at the same time, the fake elections supported by the “international community” scheduled for January …