Opinion

By Anna Mahjar-Barducci Every country in the Islamic world has its own Boko Haram.  As in Nigeria, where Boko Haram stands for “Western education is forbidden”, extremists in Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest province, are saying “no” to education.  Last May, the little-known armed group Tanzeem-ul-Islam-ul-Furqan (TIF) had warned all private schools imparting co-education and Western education toimmediately shut down in the Panjgur district.  The movement ...

By Bina Shah The terrible kidnapping of the 200 Nigerian schoolgirls by Boko Haram, a Nigerian armed group, has evoked disgust and condemnation from people all over the world. The incident happened more than a month and a half ago, yet nothing has happened to help these girls except for a Twitter hashtag campaign and the reported arrival of a British ...

QUETTA: As many as 6 people were killed and 36 others injured when a bus en route from Quetta to Kharan overturned near Nushki, on Sunday. According to the reports, the driver lost the control of the bus near Nushki at an area called Sultan Charhai. As a result, the bus overturned and left six people dead and 36 others injured. ...

By Adnan Aamir 5th July is a black day in history of Pakistan. 37 years ago on this day, a military dictator, General Zia-ul-Haq toppled a democratic government. General Zia ruled Pakistan for 11 years till his death. He destroyed entire social fabric of the society and turned Pakistan into a safe haven for terrorists, drug lords and sectarian monsters. It ...

By M.Y Kakar The socio-political life in Balochistan is under transformation, from a peace loving and nationalistic ideology towards hardcore sectarianism. The province is engulfed by religious intolerance. Specific tactics are being adopted by various outlawed organizations in order to widen the existing gaps between various communities. The proscribed sectarian organizations are continuously working to disseminate their ideology in general ...

By Shahzada Zulfiqar The closure of all private English-medium schools and language centres in Balochistan since April 25 has made headlines around Pakistan. After news of the closure broke, people across the province assumed that the Taliban, or outfits affiliated with them, had penetrated the Baloch belt which is generally known as a liberal region. But the honour this time ...

By Mir Mohammad Ali Talpur NAWAB Khair Bakhsh Marri, born on Feb 29, 1928, was named after his illustrious grandfather who, unwilling to provide Marris as cannon fodder for the First World War, fought the historic battles of Gumbaz and Harab against the British in 1918. He was also a descendent of Sardar Dodah Khan, under whom the Marris in May ...

Adnan Aamir Arsalan Iftikhar is not an unfamiliar name in Balochistan as well as in Pakistan. He has been on centre stage of controversies since March 2007 when his father, Former chief justice Iftikhar Chaudhry, was sacked by Musharraf. That was just the beginning and now once gain Arsalan Iftikhar is the main character of a controversial decision made by ...

By Muhammad Akbar Notezai Makran, which is consisted of Panjgur, Turbat and Gwadar districts of Balochistan, is the most populous division of Balochistan as compared to other divisions along with higher level of literacy rate and awareness about day-to-day issues of the province. Interestingly, the people of the mentioned division are reputed to be prodigiously talented. Panjgur has produced plethora ...

By Gul Khan Naseer I have been advocating for the rights of religious minorities and marginalized groups in my area since I became a human rights activist and a development professional. Still, there is much more to do, as it is just the beginning. It is really very discouraging for me and my friends that the indigenous Hindu community is ...