Filed under: Human rights, Interfaith, Pakistan | Tagged: #FindRaza, due process, enforced disappearance, Human rights, missing persons, rule of law | 1 Comment »
Raza Khan with a copy of the One Million Signature Campaign against violence against women, Pakistan
On Saturday, peace activist Raza Khan, 37, went “missing” in Lahore shortly after he had organised a public discussion about the recent ‘dharna’ (sit-in) on the country’s capital that ended in ignominious surrender to those seeking power in the guise of religion. He is a law-abiding, passionate campaigner for peace in the region particularly India, for gender equality and interfaith harmony — all of these are anathema to the keepers of Pakistan’s ‘ideology’. Please sign the online petition urging the government of Pakistan to find him. Share your thoughts on social media using the hashtag #FindRaza. A twitter campaign for Raza is planned at 4 p.m. (Pakistan time today, Dec 5), hashtag #FindRaza. More case details below. Continue reading
Filed under: Art and activism, Blasphemy Laws, democratic political process, fascism, Freedom of expression, Human rights, Pakistan, Pakistan-India, Peace, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: #FindRaza, Aaghaz-e-Dosti, dharna, disappeared, Faizabad, India, missing person, Pakistan, Peace activist, rule of law | 1 Comment »
Benazir Bhutto, arrival in Karachi, 2007. Photo: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
A new fellowship at Harvard University to honor the late Pakistani political leader Benazir Bhutto, member of the Harvard College class of 1973, is now accepting applications. Continue reading
Filed under: Education, Gender, Pakistan | Tagged: Benazir Bhutto, Fellowship opportunity, harvard, Kennedy School, Leadership, women | 3 Comments »
Last week I wrote this short piece below for Aman ki Asha (hope for peace) after the Indian border security forces returned a young, inadvertent border-crosser to Pakistan. Today, there’s news that the Pakistan government will allow the wife of the Indian national and alleged spy Kulbushan Yadav to meet him “on humanitarian grounds”.
This raises hopes that the parents of another Indian prisoner Hamid Ansari will finally also be allowed to meet him. In fact, as the Pakistan-India People’s Forum for Peace and Democracy has said, the families of all cross-border prisoners should be given access to their loved ones in prison across the border. Continue reading
Filed under: Pakistan-India, prisoners, Uncategorized | Tagged: kulbhushan yadav, pooja, Satyasheel Yadav | Leave a comment »
I wrote this piece for The Wire on Oct. 24, after hearing that the young journalist-activist Zeenat Shehzadi who “disappeared” over two years ago, has been recovered. A brief re-cap of what happened and how her case is linked to that of a young Indian man whose case she had been following after his “disappearance” in Pakistan.
The Pakistani journalist-activist – who had gone missing in August 2015 – has paid a heavy price for wanting to uphold humanitarianism and the principles of social justice.
Five days before she was due to testify before Pakistan’s Commission of Enquiry on Enforced Disappearances in August 2015, 24-year-old journalist-activist Zeenat Shahzadi herself became a disappeared person. She remained missing until her parents received word on Friday – October 19, 2017 – that she had been recovered.
Shahzadi’s mother has spoken to her and reported that she was alright. The family would like to be left alone and not pressed for more details. [Read more…]
Filed under: Freedom of expression, Human rights, Pakistan-India, Uncategorized | Tagged: Activism, disappeared, Hamid Ansari, India, journalism, missing, Pakistan, Peace activism, social media, Zeenat Shehzadi | 1 Comment »
Gauri Lankesh, Sabeen Mahmud.
My piece for The Wire on the assassination of journalist Gauri Lankesh in Bengaluru, that reminded me of the target-killing of my friend, activist Sabeen Mahmud in Karachi. I traced the patterns and similarity behind these murders.
A spoke in the wheel of this “intellecticide” is the ‘anti-intellectual’ nature of the vote for Donald Trump who shares a host of similarities with Modi in India despite differences. The rise of white supremacy in a nation of migrants built after virtually annihilating indigenous populations is a continuation of ongoing racism in the US.
The pendulum swings of history ushers in periods of the rise of the ‘Right’ or the ‘Left’. We are witnessing the rise of the militant Right at this moment with its ensuing bloodshed in India, Pakistan, the US and elsewhere.
But what will continue to rise inexorably, despite bloodshed along the way, are human aspirations to basic rights, equality and justice. There is no going back, no matter how fiercely the chaddis, topis or kluxies fight it.
Read more: In Life, and in Death, Gauri Lankesh and Sabeen Mahmud Battled Powers Fearful of Change
Protest at Harvard Square: Commemorating Gauri Lankesh’s murder and ongoing Rohingya massacre. Photo: Beena Sarwar
Filed under: Balochistan, Blasphemy Laws, Communalism, Human rights, Pakistan-India, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: Activism, Balochistan, blasphemy, cow vigilantism, Extreme right, Gauri, India, intellecticide, Mashal Khan, Modi, Pakistan, Rakesh Sharma, Sabeen, Trumpism | 1 Comment »
“Defend Moslems. Stop Trump.”
He’s not shouting or holding up placards. Just sitting atop a green box by the Park Street Station at Boston Common, hands clasped around knees drawn up to his body. Wearing a bicycle helmet, purple rimmed reflector sunglasses, black t-shirt and shorts, sneakers.
“Stop racism,” he says to no one in particular.
I turn back to talk to him, and later notice the posters on the wall a few feet away from where he’s sitting. Fight for Socialism. Rent Control. Fight Fascism. Continue reading
Filed under: Progressive politics, Resistance | Tagged: boston, feminism, Howard Zinn, Malala, racism, Socialism, trucker, Trumpism, white supremacy, workers rights | 3 Comments »
What an incredible outpouring of love and respect for each other as Independence Day comes up for Pakistanis and Indians. What’s remarkable about these efforts is the altruism of those involved, lack of commercial motivation, using their own resources.
One of the most moving expressions of these aspirations for peace between the two countries, is the Indian acapella group Voxchord’s courageous gesture of singing Pakistan’s national anthem uploaded to Youtube by Ram Subramaniam in Mumbai (Voice of Ram, @VORdotcom) on Aug 11 that quickly went viral on social media.
On August 12, Voice of Ram shared another spine-chillingly beautiful Peace Anthem, a video of the united national anthems of India and Pakistan sung by artists of both nations that is also being shared widely – see below. Continue reading
Filed under: Pakistan-India | Tagged: 1947 Partition, Independence Day, India, Joint Independence Days for Peace, music, Music for peace, Pakistan, Peace activism | 1 Comment »
Haroon Khalid, author of Walking with Nanak, will participate in a live Youtube discussion on Monday, 7 August.
As Pakistan and India commemorate 70 years of their existence as independent nation states, what is striking is the people’s desire for peace and how those who govern them continue to thwart these aspirations. As media highlight the tensions what goes largely unreported is people on the ground continuing their efforts to push for peace. Below: a few on-the-ground upcoming happenings I compiled that seek to further understanding between the two nations. At the very least, they are all expressions of the desire for normal relations. Continue reading
Filed under: Pakistan-India, Uncategorized | Tagged: 1947 Partition, Activism, India, Pakistan, Peace, peace calendar | Leave a comment »
I wrote this piece last week for The Wire about the ongoing campaign for peace between India and Pakistan. I argued that while the move is unlikely to lead to any great policy change, it is time the citizens of both countries came together to encourage the resolution of all bilateral issues through dialogue. A request to readers who agree to please sign and share the online campaign if you haven’t already done so. Thank you. Also see this powerful call for both countries to talk, from Abdul Basit, the outgoing Pakistan Ambassador to India: Pakistan and India must return to the negotiating table, without further ado and preconditions
Hyderabad launch on July 1 – Magsaysay awardees Admiral L. Ramdas and Jayaprakash Narayan at the launch. Courtesy: Mazher Hussain, COVA
Filed under: Pakistan-India | Tagged: 1947, Activism, India Pakistan 70 years, partition, Peace Now and Forever | Leave a comment »
Journeys to democracy 