Afghanistan – A Friend or Foe

The border between Pakistan and Afghanistan is sensitive in nature for a variety of reasons and for different sects of people across the border. Looking deeper, when late and recent ancient history is reviewed, we find different power poles crossing the Hindukush mountains and invading the subcontinent and this continued throughout the course of regional…

Read More

The Vision of Islam

IntroductionIn the last issue of DJ, “Tanzih and Tashbih” were discussed, the key concepts in Islamic theology representing God’s dual nature of incomparability and similarity. Tanzih means declaring God’s incomparability, emphasizing that He is free from all imperfections and unlike any creation. It highlights God’s transcendence, as in the Quranic verse “Nothing is like Him”…

Read More

PTM/TTP Nexus & Terrorism

Recent developments in Pakistan are worrisome for fellow citizens due to a multi-dimensional nexus that points towards Indian financial support to the Afghan Taliban regime in Afghanistan and the violent attitude of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) that is also backed by the Afghan Taliban regime. It is now absolutely clear that the Afghan Taliban…

Read More

Paradigm Shift

Throughout the recorded human history war has been a constant feature of our lives while there is also ample evidence to show that war existed even before humans could record and communicate their experience in language. As historian Michael Howard notes, the documented evidence indicates that war has been the universal norm in human history….

Read More

The Vision of Islam

The Vision of Islam – Extract-10So tell the tale — perhaps they will reflect. [Koran 7:176] Tanzih and Tashbih In the technical language of theology, especially as it developed after the seventh/thirteenth century, two terms are commonly employed to express the contrast between the perception of God’s nearness and mercy and that of his distance…

Read More

Advancing Human Rights

In the intricate tapestry of Pakistan’s human rights landscape, the parliamentary institution emerges as a central pillar, entrusted with the solemn duty of safeguarding the fundamental rights and dignity of every citizen. As Pakistan enters a new chapter in its journey towards human rights advancement, the spotlight turns to the parliament, beckoning it to chart…

Read More

The Incredible Turan Renaissance

Historical Perspective Turan is referred to as a specific region in Central Asia and the term Turan is perceived as denoting lands inhabited by Turkic-speaking tribes. Turan appears next to Iran on numerous maps of the 19th century to designate a region encompassing modern Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and northern parts of Pakistan and…

Read More