‘British Policy in India 1858-1905’— a detailed account of changes in policies on April 8, 2018The first chapter of the book deals with the post war period (1858-1869). Discussion is unbolted with a discourse on the successful end of war of 1857 which was titled by British a large scale ‘mutiny’ even ‘more than a mere mutiny’. Study explored that Bengali troops were mostly Brahmans and Rajputs, and their families […]
The “Mullah” Republic of Pakistan on March 31, 2018Religious fundamentalism is posing an existential threat to the sovereignty of the country. During and after the Afghan war, clerics trained many young men and radicalised them on the pretext of jihad. The jihad has ended, but its repercussions on the social fabric of society have lingered and continue to flare sectarianism. Furthermore, religious extremism […]
Forbidden truth: Ahmadis in the social fabric of Pakistan on March 13, 2018What kind of Pakistan did the founder, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, want? Did he want a liberal democratic Muslim state or a fundamentalist Islamic State? Raja of Mahmudabad, a renowned League member, once probed Mr. Jinnah whether Pakistan was an Islamic State that would run according to Sunnah and Shariah. Quaid-i-Azam turned red and said, […]
Sir Muhammad Zafarullah Khan: a man of his own on February 26, 2018On 6 February 1893 in Daska (near Sialkot), Ch. Nasrullah Khan and Husain Bibi were blessed with a child, Ch. Muhammad Zafarullah Khan. The child had a promising future of a distinguished jurist, lawyer, diplomat and a key person to determine the fortune of ‘nations’ by conferring and practising his worthwhile competences. After completing his […]
1947 to AK-47 on February 21, 2018In Pakistan, the debate over religion dates back to the very formation the country in 1947. Quite ironically, the faith of the founding father himself, Mr Jinnah also remained questioned. To a typical question, that whether he adhered to Sunni beliefs of Islam or Shiite, he would respond with a counter-question, “was the Holy Prophet […]
John Keay’s ‘chronological elaboration’ spans five millennia of stories of the people of the subcontinent on February 4, 2018‘India: A History’ by John Keay opens with a comprehensive discussion on The Harappan World, in historical perspective. The author traces the various religious beliefs i.e. Christianity, Judaism and Hinduism, down to floods, as consequences of “Divine Displeasure” or “Natural Occurrence” behind the destruction of the Harappan World. Kea ycomprises an extensive description on “fantasy” […]
Ahmadia persecution in Pakistan: a matter of faith on January 23, 2018According to Article 20 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan, every citizen has the right to profess, practice and propagate his or her religion. Every religious denomination and every sect have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions. Unfortunately, there are many in Pakistani society who considers the religious beliefs of individuals […]
Is the PML-N a gang? on January 16, 2018On December 30, 1906, Muslim elites of the time founded the Muslim League in Dhaka to safeguard the rights of second largest community of united India, the Muslims. According to history, the Muslim League remained a party of elites for the rest of its existence. Prominent Nawabs, Khans, Khan Bahadurs and Sirs relished the political […]
Pakistan — an unjust land on January 1, 2018The fact that many of the founding fathers of Pakistan all had legal backgrounds suggests that respect for law must be well rooted in the country. Furthermore, justice is the basis of all Islamic teachings. This is expected to be acknowledged in a Muslim society. A society cannot survive in the absence of an appropriate, […]
Pakistan and the hijacking of Islam on November 21, 2017Although Pakistan came into being in August 1947, after effectively gaining independence from British rule, it has never truly known freedom. Today, the country is still beholden to what may be best termed as global imperialism. Before Partition from India, the very concept of a separate Muslim homeland faced much opposition from religious groups such […]