India Pakistan Talks

Junoon's peace concert in Kashmir has come at the right

time. But in the India-Pakistan peace context, one has

to learn not to hold ones breath.

All we need is a little flexibility and LOTS of LUCK!

Ras

Chasing a Mirage: The Tragic Illusion of an Islamic State

If I am not mistaken, Tarek used to interact on CHOWK

and possibly still does.

The problem he tries to expose is bigger than his book

attempt. Inshallah the Ummah will one day see the light.

He is right on the money on many counts. He should be

read and evaluated by more people in spite of the

reputation that he has developed.

Fatima Bhutto Fighting for Justice

William,

What is the purpose of this article now?

BB is dead and buried. Fatima is the naive daughter

of an idealistic father who just could not fit in

to the power picture. He was a fine person who due to

circumstances beyond his control developed a hot temper.

What a waste of lives and talent.

The Bhutto's lives reflect the tragedy of Pakistan too.

One can only wish Fatima well but are we not trying to

play politics here with her tragedy?

I used to see Mir,Shahnawaz and Sanam often at KGS during

the turbulent year of 1971. What tragic lives they

have had. And I don't even remember AZ at all.

Mohajirs Are People Too
What is bothersome is that this CJ-Mush-AZ&Nawaz issue is

becoming ethnically colored. The so called Mohajir community

is not united on Musharraf either so don't push them.

What is a "Mohajir" anymore? A small percentage of the

people that actually migrated from India themselves is

alive today. Many of their children are married to Punjabis

and some to Pathans. Sindhi-Mohajir marriages are also

increasing as are Sindhi-Punjabi, Pathan-Punjabi, Baluch-

Pathan etc etc...

If I am not mistaken, the largest Pathan city in the world

is Karachi. The world's largest Baluch city is also Karachi.


Musharraf may have outlived his welcome (Pakistanis get

restive after 7 years and have the maximum patience for

10 years of any leader). His time is almost up.

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries Ill treatment of minorities is the gist of this article.

Pakistan could improve on a number of fronts but especially

in this department.

Governments of a country have to represent all of is

inhabitants. I don't really care if some of them

are waiting for the second coming of the Tooth Fairy

or the Easter Bunny. People have to have RIGHTS.

If Ahmadis were declared non-Muslims, it was because

of a number of pressures. People like myself

who are not Ahmadi, came to accept the decision.

But why perpetuate their persecution?

Khaanay ko Roti nahin, Peenay to Saaf Pani Nahin,
Bijli Nahin....Pakistanis can't find anything
better to do then this continued emphasis on a small minority?

The Wrong Mix

NFP Sahib,

this is not from amongst your better articles.

It needed more meat and appears to just scratch the surface!

Ali Shariati extended Iqbal's thought processes to the

point that joint days of recognition for both had begun

to be held.

Shariati was just plain brilliant!

His "Civilization and Modernization" is a reflection of

that brilliance. I wonder how many CHOWKIES have read it?

Ras

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries
#262 ahmedmadani & #259 Urstruly

I am certainly confused.

Let me know as soon when you get a job in the Middle East

and travel there without a visa.

In the mean time I am going to hang around with

"the losers" and wait for your success.

You can have religious differences with people and still

be civil to them. I think that Pakistanis need a revolution

of tolerance.

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries
All,

I want to reiterate that my take on this issue was

specifically on persecution of religious minorities

im Islamic countries, particularly the Ahmadi.

Since I come from a family/Khandaani Deobandi Maulvi,

I have heard plenty about the Ahmadi issue from the

realm of theology and cannot refute the arguments

against....

My argument is that the Government should not be involved

in such religious matters. Leave that to the religious

leaders. The Government should represent ALL Pakistanis.

I have some strongly religious people in my family.

But after living for so many years in America, our motto

has become "Live and Let Live".

Please read about the time when Islamic Civilization

was at its peak. Read about the Abbasid period. It was

Islam that saved many minorities from oppressors.

They in turn enriched it and gave it added strength.

Again my argument is not thelogical. But Ahmadis are

Pakistanis too...

Ras

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries To start the engine here again...

The very idea of a nation state is that it is inclusive

of ALL of its people.

Individual "Mainstream Muslims" are free to believe that

the Ahmadis are Kafirs and the Ahmadis are free to return

the favor. But that has to do with RELIGION and not the

workings of the STATE.

The question can be asked whether Pakistan was a country

which was created ONLY/EXCLUSIVELY for Muslims?

Was it created for the Urstruly, the Zeemax and the tahirs

only? What about the sattar2's and others?

Islamic State is a good excuse BUT is it the business of

the Government of Pakistan to define what/who a Muslim

is?

So from the Minars of Masjids you can be free to announce

your adherance to the true path. But is that the job of

the elected MNA's and the judiciary?

But I forget, that whether the nation state exists or

not makes little difference to "real" Muslims, but its

demise will bring several tears to the eyes of the

Secularoon..

I grew up in Karachi & Dacca. Went to school with

all kinds of minorities. They are good people in the Parsi,

Christian, Hindus, Atheists, Zikiris, Ahmadis etc.

What is their stake in Pakistan?

Or are they all welcome to leave?

I am asking Pakistanis to accept that they are living in

the 21st Century...


Khandaaani/Harami up to Shaitani

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries
First and foremost I am not Ahmadi...

But I'm not sure why this declaration needs to be made!

Over the years I have done just a couple of stories

on this topic and on those occasions the response

from the mainstream has been extremely negative.

I am not promoting the religious aspects here.

My problem has been that the Ahmadis I know are Pakistanis

or of Pakistani origin and as one who has covered the

Pakistani-American community over the years, how could I

ignore them?

Media that I have written for have faced a lot of

troubles on this issue so they turned down my articles.

And that brings us to a troublesome question:

How does one define a Pakistani?

Any answers?

Ras

30 Days in Afghanistan - Dinner Conversations
Food should not be wasted especially in a food deficit area.

But beverages of all kinds should not be wasted either!

Live and let live.

Ras

Mohajirs Are People Too These so called "Mohajirs" are as good or as bad as

the rest of the ethnic groups in Pakistan. They

have their share of scum like the others.

But by and large Pakistani ethnic groups consist of

a silent majority that are basically nice people who

have been manipulated by those using the ethnicity and

religion card.

Persecution of Religious Minorities In Islamic Countries

Feroz,

Please show a little more respect for your father.


That said, I still do not know why the Ahmadis draw

such a strong response from the mainstream Muslim

community?

That said, let me add that more Hindus and Christians

have probably been killed in Pakistan than Ahmadis.

Which brings me to another question; How many Ahmadis

or Qadianis are there in Pakistan and worldwide?

Ras

Still Looking!
This was a well written (fictional?) article.

Is there a part 2 coming?

Ras

Can the Judiciary Save the Coalition?
Yeh Munsif Bhi to Qaidi Hain
Humain insaaf kiya dain gey
Likha hai in key chehron par
Humain jo faisla dain gey
Yeh munsif bhi to Qaidi Hain...

(written by the Late Habib Jalib)

Nipa Chowrangi
Well written Shandana,

But the ending is a bit vague

for us non-artsy types.

Ras