OPINIONS - 2008
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Book Review: Schools Or Hate-Labs? By Yoginder Sikand,

Besides aiming to provide information, one of the main purposes of an educational system and the textbooks used therein is to mould students' worldviews in a particular fashion. This is what educationists refer to as the 'hidden curriculum' of education. Through it, the educational authorities of a

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Land of agriculture is facing food crisis: By Amit Dwivedi

A few years back, at an interactive session on economy in Missouri, United States President George W Bush argued that, 'prosperity in countries like India is good but it triggers increased demand for better nutrition, which in turn leads to higher food prices and food crises.' However it is not true

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SPECIAL HOLIDAY MESSAGE: Love for Jesus brings Christians, Muslims together:

"Behold! The angels said: 'O Mary! God giveth thee glad tidings of a Word from Him. His name will be Jesus Christ, the son of Mary, held in honour in this world and the Hereafter and in (the company of) those nearest to God.'"
Before searching for this quote in the New Testament, you might first a

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The compelling case of Turkey's constitution: By Liam Hardy

Turkish foreign minister and chief negotiator for the EU Ali Babacan, speaking at a NATO foreign ministers meeting recently, mentioned that the Turkish Constitution as it stands now will not help Turkey move forward with its reform agenda.
This resonates with a statement in September by the EU Com

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Obama, Bush find common ground on foreign policy: By David H. Young

Negotiating with our adversaries is a tricky business, and with President-elect Barack Obama on the way in, most observers of US foreign policy are confident that negotiating is about to become the predominant foreign policy approach — for better or worse. They are mistaken, however, if they think t

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Youth Views~ Not recognising and not knowing: two different things: By Raissa Batakji

Having discovered the wonders of Google Earth, it didn’t take me long to type in the name of what many Lebanese consider the “Forbidden City” – Tel Aviv: a city that we as Lebanese are not able to travel to, or even phone, though many of us will point out that we have no desire to.
The web page zoo

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Crop insurance is the life insurance scheme for farmers: By Amit Dwivedi

Uttar Pradesh is one of the most important states of the country in terms of agricultural production. More than 85% of its population is rural based and depends on agriculture for its livelihood. Small and marginal farmers, having less than 2 acres of land are in a majority in the state.
Uttar Pra

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Women’s rights on paper versus in practice. By Saba Jamal

In recent years, the Pakistani government appears to have made strides in protecting women’s rights. Through Article 25 of the Constitution, as well as the 1996 adoption of the UN’s Convention on the Elimination of All Forms of Discrimination against Women (CEDAW), the Pakistani government has promi

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Arabs should act, not wait for Obama; By James J. Zogby

Because expectations across the Middle East are so high and the need for change is so great, during the next two months, all eyes will be focused on the early decisions made by President-elect Barack Obama. But precisely because the need is so great, I believe that the region’s leadership should be

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'Diabetes doctor is at your doorstep' in Chunampet villages: By Shobha Shukla

The phrase 'the doctor at your doorstep' sounds incredible! But it is true. This is what the ‘MDRF-WDF Chunampet Rural Diabetes Prevention Project’ is about. Recent studies have proved that diabetes has reached a pandemic stage, not only in urban India , but its prevalence rate in rural areas is als

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Abdullah's interfaith initiative: By Aijaz Zaka Syed

Watching King Abdullah unveil a landmark interfaith initiative at the United Nations two weeks ago, one couldn’t help but recall his visit to Vatican last year. He was doing something that would have been unthinkable not long ago.
The custodian of Islam’s two holiest shrines travelled to the Vatic

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Stop the execution of 5 Baloch innocent young men: By Reza Hossein Borr

After the demolition of Azim Abad mosque in Balochistan on 27 August 2008, several students and teachers were arrested for expressing their discontent about the demolition of the mosque. Five of them are now on trial on fabricated charges of having links with the People's Resistance Movement of Ira

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PAKISTAN – what was to be and what it is: By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

Introduction:

Pakistan came into being more than sixty years ago. There are not many around who saw it happening. Some alive today though may have been born yet might not have been mature enough to grasp the politics of the time, unless they are today in their late seventies or more. How many of

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Michael Jackson turns to Islam. What then? BY AJAZ UL HAQUE

According to a report on the website of Arab-Israeli newspaper Panorama Pop star Michael Jackson has officially announced his conversion to Islam.
Mike Tyson did it once. Twice. Thrice perhaps. Princess Diana, they say was inspired by Islam and why not as Dodi might have made her count the blessin

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Effective tobacco control policies in Nepal shaping up: By Bobby Ramakant

Government delegation from Nepal is among those 160 countries' delegations currently meeting in Durban, South Africa, to negotiate guidelines for provisions of the global tobacco treaty (17-22 November 2008).
The negotiations centre on the implementation of Article 5.3, which protects the treaty an

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Special on Universal Children's Day: Whither The Sanity Of Parents? By Shobha Shukla

By resolution 836(IX) of 14 December 1954, the United Nations (UN) General Assembly recommended that all countries institute a Universal Children's Day on 20 November, to be observed as a day of worldwide fraternity and understanding between children. The day of 20 November, marks the day on which t

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Afghan widows not America’s enemy: By Susan Retik

11 September 2001: terrorists attack the United States. In the blink of an eye, 3,000 Americans are killed; my husband of six years and the father of our three young children is among them.
Americans wanted retribution. I wanted retribution.
But from whom?
We are just now coming to terms with t

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The Karzai question: By Daniel S. Markey

I watched Barack Obama’s victory speech in Kabul, where his campaign promises have had particular resonance. The stage is now set for Washington to send thousands more US troops to Afghanistan, and once Obama’s new team reviews the complexities of the counterinsurgency mission there, I suspect the U

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Psychological impact of violence on Kashmiris in India: By Kashif-ul-Huda

Twenty years of violence between Indian Army and Kashmiri militants has resulted in at least 20,000 deaths and 4,000 displaced, according to the government figures. But the toll is even greater in terms of psychological damage to the population. A recent study that looked at the psychological health

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The fate of crickter Mohammad Yousuf. By Nazir S Bhatti

On November 8, 2008, The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) served legal notice to Mohammad Yousuf to repay the 10 million rupees it had spent on him in a court battle with the unofficial Indian Cricket League who rejoined the ICL earlier this week.
Saleem Altaf, Director General says "The PCB hereby ban

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World Diabetes Day (14 November): Caring for children and adolescents with diabetes: By Amit Dwivedi

The theme of this year's World Diabetes Day (14 November) is diabetes in children and adolescents. The global awareness campaign aims to bring the spot light on diabetes and highlight the message that no child should die of diabetes. It also aims to increase awareness in parents, caregivers, teacher

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Obama and Mayawati: a Comparison in Contrast. By SR Darapuri

It will be apt to mention in the beginning that a comparison between Obama and Mayawati (Dalit woman Chief Minister of UP state in India) is not very appropriate because there is a world of difference between their personalities and deeds. But some over enthusiastic followers of Mayawati have starte

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A role for religion in Turkish and Pakistani politics? By Özlem Gemici and Rehan Rafay Jamil

Pakistan and Turkey stand at a crossroads in their political evolutions. The democratically elected Justice and Development Party (AKP) in Turkey and Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) in Pakistan control both the presidencies and parliaments of their countries, ostensibly making them amongst the stronge

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Sadia Dehlvi on Fatwa against Zakir Naik “Don't give in to pretenders”

Something good is happening in the Muslim world. A man with a half-Muslim parentage will soon take oath as the American President. The Malegaon blasts are being fairly investigated. Recently, Muslim scholars, activists and clerics got together and issued fatwas delinking Islam with terror. An 18-coa

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Climate change is impeding agricultural production in Uttar Pradesh, India: By Amit Dwivedi

During the last one decade, Indian state of Uttar Pradesh has been witness to many climatic changes. Eastern Uttar Pradesh has faced severe floods, while Bundelkhand region has faced one of the worst famines of the last decade. Thus, the impact of climate change has adversely affected agricultural p

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Getting Pakistan out of the grip of extremism: By Saiqa Qureshi

With backing from the United States, the Pakistani government started military operations to chase out terrorists following 9/11, thereby increasing civilian resentment first against their own government, and subsequently against the United States, for all the civilian casualties during operations.

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Global Recession: One of the Several Crises facing Human Society: By Dr Rahul Pandey

I do not remember witnessing this kind of global panic in my lifetime. Probably the twin towers crash generated a reaction of similar magnitude as the recent financial meltdown and recession.
Among others, a lot of well off people are going to be directly affected by the current financial crisis,

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Why the fight in Balochistan matters: By Saba Jamal

The scarred Pakistani province of Balochistan has been suffering from conflict with the central government since the country’s inception in 1947. Steeped in violence and deprivation, bitterness, hunger and frustration are everyday realities.
Apart from the humanitarian aspect of this conflict, why

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Beware of non-violence; it’s dangerous! By Jonathan Power

The non-violent tactics of Mahatma Gandhi and Martin Luther King are pushing at an open door. Even the Pentagon has begun to look at their value in situations of conflict and political impasse.
Today’s news is covering the essentially non-violent struggle of the opposition in Zimbabwe to push aside

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Living on the outside: The impact of diabetes-related stigma: By Amit Dwivedi

"Who will marry my daughter who has diabetes?" asks Ram Anuj, a native of Ganga Jamuni village, Bahraich district in India. Ram Anuj's 14 years old daughter Munni (name changed) has type 1 diabetes and needs daily insulin injections.
The family members stopped sending Munni to school when other chi

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Whither The Light Of Democracy: Shobha Shukla writes on a special view of Deepawali festival

Deepawali is the festival of lights which is celebrated all over India . It marks the advent of the winter season and signifies peace and prosperity and the victory of truth over evil. This year's Diwali (it falls on 28th October) is a bleak one indeed.
As I peer hard through the darkness of hatred

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The Depraved World of Jihadi Child Porn: By Stephen Brown

Besides their well-known penchant for anti-Semitism, misogyny and nihilistic violence, Muslim extremists are also gaining a disturbing reputation among British security agencies as collectors of child pornography.
According to a report on The Times website last week, police in Great Britain are di

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Care for children and adolescents living with diabetes; By Amit Dwivedi

"Diabetes is a deadly disease, and each year, almost 4 million people die from diabetes-related causes. Children, particularly in countries where there is limited access to diabetes care and supplies, die young", according to International Diabetes Federation (IDF) which is an umbrella organization

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Indian Muslims and 'Terrorism': Some Searching Questions: By Yoginder Sikand

Although the so-called mainstream Indian media carefully ignores this, enough evidence exists to suggest that at least some of the killer bomb blasts that have rocked various parts of India in recent years might not at all have been the handiwork of Islamist outfits or of Muslims seeking revenge for

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Islam in German schools: By Claudia Mende

Saphir, a textbook for Islamic religion classes, presents the fundamental issues of Islam in 15 chapters for fifth and sixth grade pupils. Themes include the concept of God, the Prophet Muhammad, and the structure of the Qur’an, as well as issues such as the rights of children and social responsibil

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Bombardment of Balochistan, Iran, on 11, 12, 13 October 08 by Iranian forces: By Reza Hossein Borr

After visiting his uncle, Nader Baloch began walking towards his home. He saw a huge smoke and fire was coming from the neighborhood where he lived with his parents. As he moved closer he realised that the smoke was coming from his own home. A large number of people gathered in the neighborhood.

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Special on World Food Day: India should strengthen its public distribution system to reduce food scarcity. By Sarika Tripathi

The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of United Nations has recently issued a report which reveals that currently there are 75 million (7.5 crore) people in the world who have fallen victim to famine and if the current crisis of price rise persists this count may reach the total of 920.25 mill

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A role for Mecca in Afghanistan? By Michael Shank

Wandering seven long years in the mountains of Afghanistan with hardly an end in sight, the United States has just been offered a most fortuitous fix. It likely eludes America’s current president and queuing candidates, Barack Obama and John McCain, but not for long.
The fix is found in Mecca, Saud

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So they are terrorists now? By Dr Shabir Choudhry

When a head of state makes a statement it is regarded as an official policy of the country; and now it is official that Kashmiri struggle is 'terrorism' and all those associated with it, including leaders of APHC are 'terrorists', claims President of Islamic republic of Pakistan, Asif Zardari.
It

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The Wrath Of God: By Shobha Shukla

The wrath of gods seems to be descending on the religious Indian masses with perilious frequency as stampedes at pilgrimages kill more people (361 in 2008 alone, and 875 in the last ten years) than even bomb blasts.
The latest in this series was the early morning stampede this month on the first da

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Struggling Against Sectarianism: Shia-Sunni Ecumenism: By Yoginder Sikand

In an unprecedented move, last week thousands of Sunni and Shia Muslims gathered together in Lucknow to collectively offer prayers to mark the festival of Eid at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. Two men were behind this monumental effort, both Lucknow-based Islamic clerics—the noted Sunni sc

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Helping the needy knows no boundaries: By Mohammad Ali Salih

This Ramadan, I joined volunteers from Burke United Methodist Church, near my home in Fairfax County, a Washington, DC suburb, to provide hot breakfast for some of the homeless in the county. I wasn’t prepared for what I would see.
I felt sad and scared.
Sad because I live in one of the richest c

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India embraces smoke-free policies on Gandhi’s birth anniversary: By Bobby Ramakant

India has boldly enforced the smoke-free policies banning smoking in public places and private areas with public access from 2 October 2008 – the birth anniversary of the father of nation Mahatma Gandhi.
The government of India and countless people who have been advocating the enforcement of public

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Madrasas and Sectarian Conflict: By Maulana Waris Mazhari and Translated by Yoginder Sikand

Among the various internal challenges facing madrasas today is the pressing problem of sectarianism and sectarian conflict. Some people claim that in the last ten or fifteen years there has been a decline in the sectarianism actively promoted by madrasas. God knows better, but I feel that if indeed

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Beirut celebrates International Peace Day: By Alexandra Sandels

Each year on 21 September, individuals, communities, nations and governments around the world are asked to come together to highlight efforts to end conflict and promote peace in response to a 7-year-old United Nations initiative.
“The International Day of Peace shall henceforth be observed as a da

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Let the Qur'an define itself: By Naif Al-Mutawa

In the Arab world, it is held as an unadulterated truth that the Qur’an is best read in its original classical Arabic. But is keeping it closed off to further translation supporting God’s will or suppressing it?
Many believe that what differentiates the Qur’an from other holy books is that it is u

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GeoTV's Aalim Online abets Terror in Pakistan: By Sohail Husain MD

As we in the US commemorated the tragedy of 9/11, there were calls to end world terror. But it is disturbing to know that the situation in Pakistan is not any better. On September 7th, GeoTV, a leading Pakistani television channel that has also wide viewership via cable networks in North America, ai

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Pakistan: 2008 Report on International Religious Freedom, released by the Bureau of Democracy, Human Rights, and Labor of USA

The country is an Islamic republic. Islam is the state religion, and the Constitution requires that laws be consistent with Islam. The Constitution states that "subject to law, public order and morality, every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice, and propagate his religion"; however, i

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Getting smart on Pakistan: By Robert M. Hathaway

The inauguration earlier this week of Asif Ali Zardari as Pakistan’s president offers the possibility – but hardly the certainty – of a new beginning for Pakistan, and a new era in US-Pakistan relations.
Zardari’s election gives Pakistanis an opportunity to move beyond the passions and antipathies

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Thoughts on Terror: By Yoginder Sikand

As in the case of many previous deadly blasts across India over the past decade or so, there is much speculation about the real masterminds behind the recent blasts in New Delhi. Depending essentially on who you are—which these days has largely come to mean for many people which religious community

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World Ozone Day (16 September) and our commitments: By Vasu Shena Misra

September 16 every year is observed as "World Ozone Day". The celebration of this day is made to pay our homage to the ozone layer that saves our earth from the harmful ultra-violet radiation of the Sun.
The life on the Earth, depends on the energy provided by the Sun in the form of various radiati

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Russian-Georgian conflict impacts Middle East: By Rayyan al-Shawaf

An embattled Russia cornered by the West would never forgive NATO member Turkey. As a result, Russian-Turkish relations would plummet and Russia might even stop providing Turkey with natural gas. In casting about for allies, Russia could find a similarly isolated Iran to be amenable to giving the tw

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Violation of human rights continues in Baluchistan, Iran: By Reza Hossein Borr

Following the arrest of 5 Baloch human rights activists on Sunday, 7 September, two more civil society campaigners were arrested today, 10th of September. Mohammad Hussain Khalili and Mohammad Reza Rakhshani who run a cultural society were violently arrested and taken to an unknown location.
This n

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Teachers' Day: The Sacrificial Goat: By Shobha Shukla

Once again the nation will gather dutifully this year on the 5th of September to pay tribute to the hard work put by the teachers all year long. Once again teachers will be exhorted to show exemplary competence, dedicated hard work and unwavering commitment in their onerous task of nation building.

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Oxfam ups the response to Bihar floods: By Amit Dwivedi

Senior Rashtriya Janta Dal (RJD) leader and Union Minister of State for Water Resources Jaiprakash Narayan Yadav accused the Bihar government of massive flood in the state by being "totally negligent" in taking preventive measures.
According to a media briefing on 3 Septemer 2008, Yadav alleged tha

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Pictorial warnings on tobacco products in India from 30th November: By Bobby Ramakant

All tobacco products will display approved pictorial warnings and nicotine-tar levels from 30 November 2008, as per a notification issued by the Indian Ministry of Health and Family Welfare (dated 27 August 2008), in accordance with the Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of advertise

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The Qur’an cannot be usurped: an interview with Amina Wadud. By Martina Sabra

German freelance journalist Martina Sabra interviews Amina Wadud, a visiting scholar at Starr King School for Ministry in California renowned for leading a gender-inclusive Muslim prayer in New York in 2005, about her spiritual journey up to this controversial event and her ideas about “Islamic femi

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United States and Pakistan: friends in need. By Muqtedar Khan

General Pervez Musharraf’s resignation on August 18 brings to an end an era of unprecedented Pakistani cooperation with the United States on foreign policy and security needs. It also marks the beginning of a new negotiation between the two allies as the United States seeks fresh reassurances of Pak

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A short walk between Jews and Muslims: By Rabbi Burton Visotzky

New York City is divided by Central Park into an East and a West Side. We New Yorkers joke about the cultural differences between the two parts of town: how society ladies dress up to go grocery shopping on the East Side, while famous writers wear blue jeans to the theatre on the West Side. But ther

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The Year to Break Silence (Autobiographical). By Dr. Stephen Gill

Normally, I forget numbers, especially years and dates. In spite of this weakness and a lapse of substantial time, the year 1999 is secure in the locker of my memory. One reason for its security is Shrine that was released by World University Press in 1999. Even in 2008, after nine years, Shri

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Ahmadi Muslims claim Jesus Christ in Kashmir? By Watson Gill

Dear Brother and Sisters in Lord Jesus Christ. We are facing invisible adversaries around us. What a senseless theory of Ahmadi´s Qadiyani´s about the Jesus Christ .They are busy with there shameful desire. As we know about there so-called affirm! Love for all hate for none. Actually they are

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30 Days Prayer Focus for the Muslim World drafted: By Jeanne Swartz

Dear Christian friends, I am writing today to ask you to join in this major effort called the 30 Days Prayer for the Muslim World, starting this 1st September. (Following are excerpts from the official 30 Days booklet)
This prayer focus coincides yearly with Ramadan (a holy month to Muslims). Th

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Muslim Women: The Dangerous Triangle: By Nigar Ataulla

Over four years ago, I was invited to an inter-faith dialogue programme in Bangalore organised by a Christian human rights group. Speakers from different religious communities were on the panel and they were to talk about the concept of social justice in their own religious traditions.
After my b

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Execution and mass arrest in Baluchistan: Balochistan Peoples Front

Yaqoub Mehrnehad, the Baloch peaceful political activist, journalist and writer was executed today, the fourth of August 2008 along with another young Baluch human rights activist, Abdolreza Taheri Sadr. He was sentenced to death some time ago. When his family was allowed to meet after that he sai

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India is, no longer the Guru, only a military state: By Dr Sandeep Pandey

A lot of people didn't understand the hurry that Manmohan Singh was in in taking the safeguards agreement to International Atomic Energy Agency and requesting the United States President to pursue the matter with Nuclear Suppliers' Group. Even those who support the Indo-US nuclear deal are perplexed

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Is Morocco a model for curbing extremism? By Helen Wilkinson

The British government's recent announcement about tackling religious extremism by giving young Muslims "citizenship lessons" among other things is an interesting one. It's easy to sneer at initiatives in the face of the omnipresent threat of Muslim religious extremism worldwide, but Britain is not

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Dubai: a true home to many: By Natasha Bukhari

I was recently on holiday away from Dubai in the United Arab Emirates. As customary, I was bombarded with questions by both friends and acquaintances gathered around the dinner table one evening about how I could possibly bear to live in this desert and "unbearably" hot country.
Well, putting the

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A River, A Man: The State Responds to Dr GD Agarwal's fast to save Ganga: By Dr Sanat Mohanty

In a response, the likes of which we have not seen in the last few decades, both the Government of Uttarakhand and the Government of India responded to 76 years old Dr. G. D. Agarwal's fast-unto-death. Retired professor of Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Kanpur, Dr. Agarwal, was protesting plan

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From politics of representation to the politics of numbers: By Medha Patkar

Time for the politics of people's movements to prevail
The game of numbers was never at its vulgar ebb as it is today. It is clear by now, more than ever before that electoral politics is nothing more than valueless and opportunistic arithmetic. Votes and candidates, parties and parliamentarians ar

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Did G8 Summit provide answers to the Global Energy Crisis? By Dr Rahul Pandey

The recently concluded G8 summit in Japan placed rising fuel and food prices, besides climate change, at the top of its agenda. While fuel crisis is enough to stoke panic, it has also partly induced the food crisis due to both high fuel cost of producing and transporting food as well vast bio-fuel c

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Help Aamir Khan to keep promises and quit smoking: By Bobby Ramakant

Last week the bollywood heartthrob film-star Aamir Khan was found smoking after the launch of the latest blockbuster movie 'jaane tu … ya jaane na'. Earlier in June 2008, he was reported saying that he is back to smoking due to 'stress' related to the forthcoming release of 'jaane tu … ya jaane na'

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Surviving the Turkish political minefield. By Diba Nigar Goksel

Two weeks ago, the Turkish police detained an additional round of suspects for their affiliation with Ergenekon, described as a mafia-like gang of largely ultra-nationalist Turks, many of whom are linked to various state institutions. It is rumoured that they are plotting to bring down the governmen

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Opium Flowers: By Ms Farhat Akram, Assistant Research Officer, Islamabad Policy Research Institute (IPRI)

Whilst the world was celebrating World Anti-Narcotics day on Jun 27th, by organizing seminars and conferences with loud woes of resolve to end the menace, in the south of Helmand province of Afghanistan Gul Bibi,18, was being sold to the local land owner as a “ opium bride’ by her father for just

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Who speaks for European Muslims? By H. A. Hellyer

Who speaks for European Muslims? It is a pressing question as far as policy makers in Europe are concerned. Even prior to 9/11, they were interested. After the 7/7 London bombings, finding an answer to the question has become imperative.
Before the attacks of 9/11, I had decided to map out the Musl

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Iran: The Baloch Movement is not supported by the US. By Reza Hossein Borr

Dozens of different authors, Think tanks and web sites have claimed that the Baluch struggle for establishing democracy in Iran is somehow financed or supported by the United States of America, Western Europe or Arab countries. These claims are totally false and fabricated. These are either claims

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What should Energy Security mean to India? By Dr Rahul Pandey

Energy security is a function of the ability of a nation to satisfy energy needs of current and future generations of all citizens in an affordable manner without adverse impact on the environment and sustainability.
Such an energy policy must be centered on a wide mix of renewable energy options

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Indo US Nuclear Deal: Why this hurry and at what cost? By Dr Sandeep Pandey

Amidst protests against price rises of essential items throughout the country, the PM Manmohan Singh has again started harping on the issue of the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. The Deal has been pushed forward in India in an anti-democratic manner without approval of the Parliament - in fact in the teeth of

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From heartache to Afghanistan: By Beth Murphy

"Have you ever worn a burqa before?" asked the Amnesty International representative.
One by one, the journalism students in the class I was teaching at American University of Paris took turns trying on a burqa, a piece of clothing that fully covers a woman's body, head and face. When it was my turn

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Bollywood filmstars should 'beedi bujhaye le' otherwise face legal action: By Bobby Ramakant

Despite of the India's legally-binding Cigarette and Other tobacco products Act (2003) and repeated appeals of India's Health and Family Welfare Minister Dr Anbumani Ramadoss to bollywood film-stars to refrain from on-screen smoking, there seems to be less compliance in the guise of 'creative libert

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NAPM opposes the Indo-US Nuclear deal also demands immediate closure of the Counter-Insurgency and Jungle Warfare School at Vairengte in Mizoram. By Bobby Ramakant

Amidst protests against price rises of essential items throughout the country, the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has again started harping on the issue of the Indo-US Nuclear Deal. Activists of National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM) - the largest network of people's struggles in India - oppo

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Religion like breath in Indonesia: By Mujtaba Hamdi

It's a very disappointing day for democracy when supporters of religious tolerance are publicly beaten. But that is precisely what happened this month in Jakarta when 200 activists of the Islamic Defenders Front (FPI) suddenly stormed the Monas Square where supporters of the Alliance for Freedom of

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Wrestle TB with the support of gigantic bludgeon of Awareness: Report prepared by Jawad Mazhar and compiled By Khadijah Shah

Several programs were held by the co-operation of the Asia Foundation Pakistan, the benefactor agency and the Rays of Development Organization (ROD), at different institutions of Sargodha.
The Asia Foundation Pakistan (TAF) is a private organization, which is functioning since 50 years in different

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Kalabagh Dam: Betwixt Economists and the Statesmen: By Mohammed Akmal Pasha

In the greatest interest of the economy, the rolling back of the plan of Kalabagh dam sounds a hasty, myopic and detrimental decision to economists, to statesmen only opportune one.
The economists lament arguing that, pathetically the per capita surface water for irrigation which equaled 5260 cubi

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Social Isolation and Mental Health: By Obaidul Haq, The Aga Khan University Karachi

“Friendship is a buffer”. Social contacts are important for us in our life. It helps us in getting support and empathy from others as well as provides us opportunities to discuss our problem and difficulties with others. Others are important in one’s life either in the form of friends, coworker, nei

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Muslim world speaks out on Obama: By Yasser Khalil

US Senator Barack Obama represents a phenomenon that has drawn global attention and captivated the minds of Muslims around the world as he wages a spirited campaign to become the next president of the United States. In spite of the campaign's heated debate and some controversial rhetoric regarding I

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Pakistan Budget: The Rich Mole May Not Budge: By Mohammed Akmal Pasha

The Federal Budget 2008-2009 must not potentially worsen the plight of the poor if it does not ameliorate lot of the rich. Whether it is pro-poor or pre-poor, the budget was desired to go parallel with the two Misery Indices: 1) considering the rate of consumer-price inflation and unemployment rate

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Indian Deobandis Against Terrorism: Reiterating a Historical Tradition: by Yoginder Sikand

Following the massive anti-terrorism convention organized by the Dar ul-Ulum Deoband two months ago, literally dozens of such public meetings have been held by Muslim groups, particularly those led by Deobandi ulema, across India. Ulema who have addressed these rallies have insisted that terrorism h

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Does America have a role in Ankara? By Ariel Kastner

The recent announcement that indirect peace talks between Israel and Syria are being conducted in Turkey has led many to ask whether this round of negotiations represents anything more than political games. Given that Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is facing a deepening corruption investigation

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Is Iftkhar Mohammad Chaudry a Judge, a Politician or a back door for Islamic Extremists to Islamic Bomb of Pakistan? By Nazir S Bhatti

Deposed Chief Justice of Pakistan Supreme Court, named Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudry is leading rallies for his restoration! He is addressing gatherings!! He is challenging dictatorship in press conferences!!! Have you ever seen such a judge around globe? Have you read or heard any news story like this

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Discussing Democracy in Islamabad: By Yoginder Sikand

One of my many major grouses with the 'mainstream' Indian media (and this applies to the dominant Western media as well) is the despicable way in which it treats Pakistan. It is as if bad news about Pakistan is always good news for the media. It is also if there is nothing at all good in that countr

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Pakistan through the lens of Iraq: By Marvin G. Weinbaum and Edward P. Joseph

"There is no military solution in Iraq, only a political one." General David Petraeus's aphorism is about the only thing on which war proponents and opponents agree. The question is why so few American policy makers hold the same view about Pakistan.
As Pakistan's recently elected government negot

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The end of President Musharraf: How Soon, How Bad? By Murtaza Shibli

In May 2006 while sitting at the house of Kashmiri resistance leader, Syed Ali Shah Geelani in Srinagar on the Indian side of Kashmir, Geelani told me about his interesting meeting with President Musharraf at Pakistan High Commission in New Delhi. After talking about the lack of international suppor

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Sooner the Martial Law is better to save the country. By Shafiq Khan

In last 100 days, after 18th February elections, the leaders of Nawaz League, Peoples Party, Lawyers, Judges, Civil Society, Ex-Servicemen and leaders of the parties who didn't take part in the General Elections, Like Qazi Hussain Ahmed and Imran Khan have literally taken the country to a bankruptcy

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The photographer from Kabul: By Martin Gerner

Photographers occasionally share the same lot as literary translators – people know their work, but not their names. Massoud Hossaini, for instance, has had his photos emblazoned across the front pages of international newspapers in Hong Kong, New York, and Germany. The 28-year-old Kabul native work

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Darfur casts shadow that is slowly fading, Darfur will soon go, and along with it Africa, China’s importance outweighs Sudan’s plight: By Robert Terpstra

Once again the Dark Continent is being forgotten. Its most outspoken advocate for intervention is in the form of a has-been actor who writes periodic op-ed articles in the Wall Street Journal that are heavily edited and badly written.
Darfur, which, in case most have forgotten the place’s significa

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Love is patient, Love is kind, Love is the greatest gift you’ll ever own: By Robert Terpstra

Love is patient. Love is kind. Love is not jealous. Love does not boast. Love is not proud. Love is not rude. Love is not self-seeking, or selfish. Love is not easily angered. Love does not keep any records of wrongs. Love does not delight itself in evil, but rejoices in the truth. Love always prote

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In Pakistan, a dark trade comes to light. By William Sparrow

Prostitution in the Islamic nation of Pakistan, once relegated to dark alleys and small red-light districts, is now seeping into many neighborhoods of country's urban centers. Reports indicate that since the period of civilian rule ended in 1977, times have changed and now the sex industry is bustli

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“PakTurk Schools” Mesut Kacmaz, Principal of PakTurk Schools and Colleges, respond to Robert Terpstra.

In reference to Mr Robert Terpstra’s article published on the 7 May 2008 issue of the Pakistan Christian Post, I should say that I am simply shocked to read a tirade of prejudiced and misinterpreted points which also involves the school system to which I belong.
What Mr Terpstra has done is inserti

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Give US-Iranian theological diplomacy a try: By Bishop John Bryson Chane

Politicians in both Iran and the United States have been divisive, disrespectful, and inflammatory in their condemnations of each other, in effect increasing the likelihood of a US military intervention by the United States. As the Episcopal Bishop of the Dioceses of Washington, DC, who has travelle

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Moroccans shun violent extremism: By Vanessa Noël Brown and Andrew Kessinger

Between Afghanistan and America, situated at the crossroads of Eastern and Western civilisations, lies a low-key ally in the fight against religious intolerance and extremism: Morocco.
Despite the headlines painting this region as the new front on terror, Moroccans object to their country becoming

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Remembering a mother so close to her son's heart, The most important call on the most important of days: By Robert Terpstra

This past Sunday I placed a very important phone call, and indeed, people in many countries did the same.
On the second Sunday of the month, May 11, Mother's Day was celebrated in Canada, in Pakistan, as well as in nearly 60 other countries.
This past Mother's Day turned out to be very special fo

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Understanding Pakistan's tribal areas: By Frankie Martin and Hailey Woldt

The vows of the new Pakistani coalition government to begin a dialogue with militants has turned many heads. To Washington's dismay, the new government led by Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari seems to have a different perspective on fighting terrorism. Here's why we should

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Pakistan revolutionized by moderate thought, New educational initiative in Pakistan raises controversy: By Robert Terpstra

An interesting article in the New York Times on May 4 highlighted a trailblazing, controversial effort that is occuring in Pakistan.
It is work that is trying to combat what the Times reports as a less than 10 per cent literacy rate in Balochistan and specifically Quetta. The work defies what an in

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Islam's Women Scholars: By Yoginder Sikand

One indicator of the development of a society is its female literacy rate and, related to this, the number of its female scholars. On both these fronts, India's Muslims are among the lowest of all the communities in the country. This unfortunate fact provides a basis for negative stereotyping of the

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Iran: The necessary cog for the Democratic nominee. By Robert Terpstra

And so we move on to Indiana and North Carolina. The pronoun 'we’ could refer to a host of persons involved in the U.S. Democratic race for the presidential nomination. Primarily, the ‘we’, is the two combatants, Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama. Often times, you will hear their respective political

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Importing imams: By Aftab Ahmad Malik

While it is commendable and encouraging that the British government is making a concerted effort to work with Muslims to combat the scourge of radicalisation, its recent proposal to draft moderate imams from Pakistan indicates that there is still much to learn.
Far from being breeding centres of ra

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Minorities Representation in Pakistan; By S P John

The announcement of Pakistan’s Prime Minster to uplift the religious minorities of Pakistan and to ensure protection of their rights with equal representation in different fields has been taken with great gratification and joyfulness by the minorities of Pakistan.
Minorities applaud the 100 days pr

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Christian Representation and Dual Voting; By S P John

The announcement of Pakistan’s Prime Minster to uplift the religious minorities of Pakistan and to ensure protection of their rights with equal representation in different fields has been taken with great gratification and joyfulness by the minorities of Pakistan.
Minorities applaud the 100 days pr

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The better angels of our natures: By Daniel Abdal-Hayy Moore

Rivalry seems to be hardwired into human nature. Whether we take the Darwinian view or the theological one, it doesn’t bode well for peace on earth, good will toward men. “Why can’t we all just get along” might be the mantra of human history, resounding through all political systems as well as belie

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Doctors man the front lines of battles in Pakistan, Terror finds a willing host in medicine. By Robert Terpstra

An interesting article in a prominent magazine this month has shed light on perhaps how Muslim fundamentalists and jihadists are deceptively able to spread their message. The vehicle and the manner in which they do so may be surprising.
As pointed out in the Middle East Quarterly by Stephen Schwart

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Message to Pakistan: Do not boycott Olympics: To Beijing with Love, the world is sending its athletes. By Robert Terpstra

The Olympics come but once every two years, however in India, Pakistan and for that matter, the rest of south Asia, the time gap is double the amount.
Boasting some of the highest and treacherous, snow-capped peaks in Pakistan K2 and Nepal Everest, it should be noted that the region doesn't churn o

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Combating Fitna: By Ibrahim el Houdaiby

Last week, Dutch MP Geert Wilders released his movie Fitna, attacking Muslims and the Qur`an, amidst wide international worries that airing the movie would only lead to further cross-cultural tensions, and perhaps violence. Influential Muslim figures, including some Salafi Saudi scholars, had threat

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Is Islam being portrayed unfairly? What needs to be done for the sake of Islam? By Robert Terpstra

A number of incidents within the past six months have once again magnified the potential the part that Islam despairingly plays out its role in a Western world-dominated globe. Often times, the image innocently cast is despicable, baseless and bordering on racial hatred and indecency. What few reali

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Why Tiananmen no longer matters in China? By Robert Terpstra

Scores of articles, essays and op-ed features hark back to a time when most readers were going through their midlife crisis. So why do two justifiably news shattering events continue to make headlines and footnotes 20-30 years later?
Often when discussing China as the next global superpower, the fa

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Democratic Norms. By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

Musharraf has been too often castigated for being a dictator, imposing a one-man rule and acting beyond the constitutional authority, by the black coats, the politicians and the media. Therefore, with the change to the democratic rule one naturally expects the new rulers to govern strictly in acco

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What will happen when Musharraf falls? By Robert Terpstra

What will happen when Musharraf falls? The very timeline and the answer to that question are still up for debate. Many had predicted the Pakistani leader would retire to his villa long ago. However, now, after committing several acts of political suicide, it seems only a matter of weeks before the f

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Emergence of an eTurkey. By Itir Akdogan

Helsinki - For more than 40 years Turkey has been taking certain measures to reach the European Union criteria of a member state. As part of a drive to increase innovation in and access to technology, the EU has allocated more than 100 billion euros for the i2010 Programme to create a "Single Europe

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Take a Step: By James Kushi

To be a Christian in Pakistan is not a good experience. Every other day we are the victims of human rights violations, atrocities and hatred. The Muslim majority looks us down upon. As a result of the gloomy history of the Christians in Pakistan, the word "CHRISTIAN" in Pakistan is attached with the

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“Behind the 1940-41 Ban on the Khaksar Tehrik” In Memory of the Khaksar Martyrs of March 19, 1940. By Nasim Yousaf

On March 19, 1940, the Khaksar Tehrik (Movement) was banned by the Government of Punjab in British India, and Allama Mashriqi, his sons, and a very large number of Khaksars were imprisoned. In 1941, the Movement was banned on an all-India basis. Investigative research reveals that the ban on the Kha

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Living Under The Cross. By Rev. Dr. Patrick Augustine

We proclaim Christ crucified, a stumbling-block to Jews and foolishness to Gentiles, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the wisdom of God. For God’s foolishness is wiser than human wisdom, and God’s weakness is stronger than human strengt

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Flame” of Stephen Gill is ray of peace in darken cloudy nights of terrorism explosion. By Nazir Bhatti

When sound of explosion of dynamite and roars of mortar is deafening society and dance of death by terrorists is threat to our liberty, the “Flame” of Dr. Stephen Gill is sprinkler of peace. In rising blaze to swallow humanity, “Flame” leads to end terror and fear of terroris

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Gaza: The afterthought in the Middle East. By Robert Terpstra

What has happened to Gaza? In two weeks time, this author will be taking the perilous trek across the Israeli-controlled border at Eraz and witness for himself the worst humanitarian disaster in the region in 40 years.
What will most likely be witnessed are long line-ups at fuelling stations, not f

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Firaq Gorakhpuri and Stephen Gill as poet. By K.K.Srivastava

Words and ideas rarely make ideal bedfellows. When they do, they give birth to excellent literary pieces. To me, poetry is the highest form of art that requires a rare quality of intellectual skills. In the pursuit of their Nirvana, poets are haunted by what haunted Kafka for long, wondering wher

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Indonesia’s interfaith exchanges: By Arian Fariborz

The Catholic cathedral in Jakarta is just across the road from the city`s largest Muslim place of worship, the Istiqal mosque. The church is often full, with hundreds of Christians gathered in its inner courtyard for prayer. But only a few weeks ago, the scene was not quite so peaceful.
During the

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People must appreciate President Musharraf on his promise of transparent election. By

The nation has given its verdict. Many an unexpected surprise has been sprung upon some of the political stalwarts considered invincible. In spite of the apprehensions and fears in most parts of the country by and large the turnout of the voters was better than expected. People have rejected the p

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A flower of Passion from the garden of Indo/Canadian writing has disappeared. By Dr. Stephen Gill

On the 25th of January I thought of phoning Lino Leitao to pass on a piece of information that I had received from Dr. Rollason Christopher,, a professor of literature and a writer from France. In his newsletter, Dr. Christopher wrote about the latest issue of Pegasus that carried an article by

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Who speaks for Islam? By John L. Esposito and Dalia Mogahed

Extremists and terrorism have too often monopolised the media coverage and thus the message coming out of the Muslim world. But what do the vast majority of mainstream Muslims really believe, think, and feel? What are their hopes, fears, and resentments? Why is it that a robust anti-Americanism see

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Suicide Bombing and the Press. By Mike McCray

The greatest ally that Islamist terrorist organizations using suicide bombers have is the press. The primary goal of suicide attacks is projecting power. These attacks are always reported either in print, over the Internet, on television or radio. If terrorist’s power is demonstrated and a go

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Being understood – a basic human right: By Jamal Al-Tahat

During a session at the first conference for the UN`s Alliance of Civilisations held in Madrid on 15-16 January 2008, I presented a new dimension of human rights, namely the right of human beings to be understood. The conference was an initiative of the Spanish Prime Minister and represents an attem

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Curbing Pakistan’s rising militancy: By Abdullah M. Adnan

Military rule and the “war on terror” are the two main culprits for the rise of militancy in Pakistan. A third factor, a dictator-foreign nexus â€" whereby a Western power covertly or overtly supports dictators or military rulers â€" adds fuel to the fire.
Militancy surges under m

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Responses to Islamic Awareness: The Queen of Sheba and Sun Worship: By Andrew Vargo

Introduction
I am somewhat skeptical of the various "moon god" theories. However, there are a number of issues in the "Islamic Awareness" article "The Queen of Sheba and Sun Worship" (*) which require some comments concerning the facts and the stacking of evidence.
In this article, the "Islamic A

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Islamic feminism in Morocco. By Martina Sabra

Islam and feminism are not incompatible according to Moroccan doctor and writer Asma Lamrabet. In 2004, she founded a working group for women`s issues and intercultural dialogue in Rabat. The initiative has now become well known throughout the Arab world as well as in some western countries.
Lamra

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Death of Ms. Benazir Bhutto: By Bishop T. Nasir

27th December 2007 will be remembered as a very sad day in the history of Pakistan. On this fateful day, Ms. Benazir Bhutto, a high profile politician and Chairperson of Pakistan People’s Party was killed in a “suicide bomb attack” out side historic Liaqat Park, Rawalpindi, where

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An Exclusive Interview with Munir Malik by Baber Ayaz for Asian Human Rights Commission

We are publishing an interview with Munir Malik, the former president of the Supreme Court Bar Association who was imprisoned and given drugs under the pretext of painkillers which caused him renal failure and liver damage, but who continues to be an inspiration for the movement for the independence

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After Bhutto: By John Esposito

The world will long remember Benazir Bhutto as a modern Muslim woman who served two terms as Pakistan’s first woman prime minister: bright, attractive, articulate, talented, courageous, charismatic, an astute politician and political leader who called for a secular democratic Pakistan. Benazi

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Pakistan doing little to aid fight against terror, Can the situation in Pakistan become any worse? By Robert Terpstra

The following is a part analysis of a January 7 article in the International Herald Tribune entitled ‘In Musharraf`s shadow, a new hope for Pakistan rises’ written in part by Carlotta Gall, one of the foremost commentators on Pak politics and author of the book, Chechnya, Calamity in th

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Indian government fails to extend incentives to attract NRI,s investment comparing to China: Dr. Stephen Gill

The government of India has dedicated the 9th of January to celebrate the overseas compatriots. The story goes back to the BJP (Bhartiya Janta Party) Government that was defeated in 2004 general elections. When in power, the BJP Government approached the Indians abroad, using the word NRIS (non-resi

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Unfinished journey of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto: By Iqbal Tareen

I have been trying to reconcile with the tragic departure of our beloved leader and Sister Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto. I attempted to write about it many times but ran into constant indignation, frozen thoughts, and total mental block. I did not know what to say and howto say it. I still don`t know if

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Are Our Elections Realistic? By Col. Riaz Jafri (Retd)

Some time back President Musharraf created a furore when in an interview to the Fox News TV he counter-questioned the interviewer as to what was more important â€" the constitution of Pakistan or the Pakistan? No sooner this controversy subsided, a wave of tumultuous fervour for the elections to

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Syarif Oppusunggu, an Indonesian Poet pays homage to Benazir Bhutto by his poem “Goodbye, Warrior of Democracy...”

For Former Pakistan Prime Minister, Benazir Bhutto, and the family she left.



“A friend loves at all times,
and a brother is born for adversity.
Greater love has no one than this,
that he lay down his life
for his friends”
(Proverbs 17:17 and John 15:13)


And we are yo

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Science, Islam, and Christianity: By Robert Spencer

On Christmas Eve, the Guardian published an odd commentary piece by Ajmal Masroor, the director of Communities in Action. It was odd because Masroor was openly proselytizing for Islam, wondering why former British Prime Minister Tony Blair did not convert to Islam rather than to Catholicism. One doe

"Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" By Nazir S Bhatti

On demand of our readers, I have decided to release E-Book version of "Trial of Pakistani Christian Nation" on website of PCP which can also be viewed on website of Pakistan Christian Congress www.pakistanchristiancongress.org . You can read chapter wise by clicking tab on left handside of PDF format of E-Book.

nazirbhattipcc@aol.com , pakistanchristianpost@yahoo.com