Gulmina Bilal Ahmad

The art of intellect, I have been told, is not just to answer questions; it is sometimes reflected better by asking the relevant questions. Some will even go as far as declaring that the important distinction between being a big mouthed, word chewing pseudo-intellectual and reflecting a questioning mind is to ask a relevant question. […]

Another gruesome act of terror, another innocent killed, along with lots of lives and communities devastated. This is the assassination of a man who believed in Pakistan, while the rest have fled the onslaught of terror. He was a person who had faith that Pakistan could be pulled out of the clutches of extremism and […]

Blasphemy was the word of the month for January. Everyone talked about the implications of the blasphemy law in Pakistan. Of course some talked in favour, while others against it. This word even took the life of a liberal voice in Pakistan, Shaheed Salmaan Taseer. The religious right took to the streets and issued warnings […]

Pakistan is going through one of the toughest times in its history. There are problems of every possible nature. But as I see it, the most troubling problem is the intellectual degradation of our society. A society’s intellect represents its willingness to grow and expand on solid grounds. But unfortunately, our society has been hijacked […]

Nowadays, Tunisia and Egypt are making headlines in every newspaper and on every television channel. The images of street protests and clashes with armed security personnel have been projected everywhere. The talk on the street is about a revolution of the same kind in Pakistan. This thought is not only limited to tea stalls or […]

Jihad is considered as one of the most complex and misinterpreted concepts in today’s world. Both Muslims and others are to be blamed equally. This idea is even hard for us Muslims to understand because so-called religious leaders with extremist viewpoints are misguiding the majority on the idea of jihad and its conditions. One way […]

In a recent news report printed in a daily, it was reported that only five out of 54 Muslim countries have strict laws related to blasphemy. There are other countries that have blasphemy laws, but do not imply strict punishments and cover all the religions including the minorities. Saudi Arabia and Pakistan’s blasphemy laws are […]

It was not a security lapse. At least not all of it. Neither was it a planned conspiracy. Perhaps not all of it. As investigators, security analysts and armchair activists would undoubtedly discuss each and every angle of it, I remain dumbfounded and scared. For me, it was the death of tolerance. Voltaire said, “I […]