South Asia Citizens Web

The quality of this deluge of unchecked research and studies has led to tremendously skewed analysis and hence, policy decisions. Educational reform now means madrassa reform rather than the reformation of mainstream schools. Youth attitudes are being studied only in terms of their religious aspirations. Policies such as Af-Pak peace jirgas, which reinforce cultural essentialism, or Respecting the Veil, which re-inscribe sites of gender difference and discrimination, Islamic Relief rather than Red Cross, Sufi Universities and women’s empowerment through piety, are some examples of the limiting and defining features of the new scholarship.

In a country where Shias, Sunnis, Christians, Hindus and Ahmedis are being hunted down and target-killed such a statement is all the more irresponsible and only contributes to the atmosphere being built up that condones such violence. AQ Khan should have used this opportunity to give a message which unite Pakistanis and not divide them. Geo TV and their anchor Amir Liaquat by staying quiescent have failed to the job which nation expect from them and it gives a completely wrong message to masses about Geo TV that in this channel it is completely permissive to make speech which incite hatred and perhaps violence.

Nationalist politics and official patronage to a selective narrative of Partition have not succeeded in wiping out the memory of a composite pluralistic culture

Instead of differentiating itself from Muslims in the wake of Wisconsin, the Sikh diaspora must challenge racial hatred as a whole

Many Muslims from erstwhile East Bengal settled in Assam in early 20th century. But vested interests are out to prove that their descendants today are illegal migrants.