Pakistan
All countries-
Pakistan′s struggle with sectarianism
Enough is enough
In recent years, Pakistan, a country with a rich and varied multi-ethnic and multi-religious history, has become a hostile place for minorities. Aurangzeb Qureshi, writer and political commentator, examines how Pakistan might quell its burgeoning sectarianism
-
Pew Research Center: Islam and national laws in the Muslim world
-
Combatting violent extremism
Could Sufi Islam be the cure-all?
The world is in urgent need of a ″soft″ strategy when it comes to fighting radical Islamist ideology. Enter Sufi Islam which, argues Pakistan academic Syed Qamar Afzal Rizvi, can help us brave the challenges of curbing fanaticism, fundamentalism and violent extremism
-
Interview with the Pashtun musician Ismail Khan
"Music was the best resistance I could think of"
Pashtun musician Ismail Khan combines traditional elements of his people′s folk music with modern beats. Resisting the media image of extremism, drone strikes and suicide attacks commonly associated with the Pashtun homelands – Afghanistan and the tribal areas of Pakistan – Khan is looking to promote peace in this region riven by war and destruction. Interview by Emran Feroz
-
Politics and religion
The instrumentalisation of religion
Since time immemorial, religion has not only been used as an inspiration and a guide for life, but also as a way of furthering interests and achieving specific political ends. This instrumentalisation can be either intentional or unintentional. In this essay, Hakim Khatib looks at a number of countries where Islam has been instrumentalised in the recent past and examines the various different forms this instrumentalisation can take
-
Saudi Arabia and Iran
Defeat Islamic State - or become it
The dawn of 2016 has brought a new round of doomsday predictions that Saudi Arabia’s ruling Al Saud family cannot sustain its autocratic grip on power. The kingdom, pessimists argue, is caught in a perfect storm with economic problems, social challenges and foreign policy crises all converging at the same time. By James M. Dorsey
-
Top Pakistani religious body rules women's protection law 'un-Islamic'
A powerful Pakistani religious body that advises the government on the compatibility of laws with Islam has declared a new law that criminalises violence against women to be "un-Islamic".
-
Sunni-Shia tension
Islam versus Islam
The religious element of the conflicts raging in the Middle East today is a major reason why they are proving so difficult to defuse. An essay by Shahid Javed Burki
-
Afghan refugees in Pakistan
Underprivileged and unwanted
Pakistan has the second-largest refugee population in the world and the number of internally displaced people (IDPs) is growing too. The country is fighting internal militants and facing huge challenges. Islamabad is struggling to live up to its domestic and international obligations. By Waqqas Mir
-
Save the Children and the Refugee Council
-
Muslims in India
Nothing like equal opportunities
Despite being India′s largest minority, the Muslim community is marginalised both economically and politically. Although Muslims are frequently targeted in acts of communal violence, the government and the population at large generally associate Islam with terrorism. Ghazala Jamil examines the quest of Indian Muslims for genuine participation and representation
-
Refugees in Libya
An unlikely safe haven
Migrants and refugees from Africa and beyond find shelter in a former major smuggling route to Italy. Zuwara, once a muster point for those seeking to jump on a raft to Europe, is now proving a haven for those fleeing conflict and instability in other countries. By Karlos Zurutuza