South Asian Outlook
Pakistan: The Fall of Tirah in FATA
By Tushar Ranjan Mohanty
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and its local ally Lashkar-e-Islam (LI) finally overran Tirah Valley in the Khyber Agency on March 19, 2013, after nearly two months of intermittent heavy clashes with Ansarul Islam (AI) and the Kamarkhel militia, both pro-Government militant outfits. The deadly turf war, which started on January 23, 2013, ended with TTP and LI entering AI stronghold areas on March 18-19 and AI 'chief' Qari Mehboobul Haq and 'deputy chief' Maulana Izatullah Hamkhayal fleeing the area with just 25 confidants. Nevertheless, two AI supporters blew themselves up on March 19, killing 46 of the raiding TTP terrorists.
Pakistan: Sectarian Divides
By Ram Puniyani *
South Asia has been in the grip of sectarian violence since fairly long. During last three decades and more particularly during the last decade this violence has been intensifying in degree and spread. It was sad news to hear that the Christian Community of Joseph Colony, Badami Bagh Lahore was the victim of one such violence recently (March 2013).
Hazaras Under Attack
By Anurag Tripathi
Research Associate, Institute for Conflict Management
At least six people were killed and another 37 were wounded when a suicide bomber detonated a truck carrying an estimated 80 kilograms of explosives, when he was stopped by Frontier Corps (FC) personnel at a check post near Alamdar Road, a Hazara Shia dominated area, in Quetta, the provincial capital of Balochistan, on April 23, 2013. The bomber was heading to the area with the intention of targeting Abdul Khaliq Hazara, the chairman of the Hazara Democratic Party (HDP).
The Strategic Implications of Pakistani Elections
By Ishtiaq Ahmed *
The election process in now fully underway in Pakistan. Not only the Pakistani people but their neighbours and the world at large would be watching its outcome with varying degrees of anxiety.
PAKISTAN: News Briefs
TTP joins Afghan Taliban to wage spring offensive: As the Afghan Taliban announced on April 27 the launching of annual spring offensive against the US-led Allied Forces in Afghanistan, the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) has also joined them. The TTP has released a video which shows the TTP fighters belonging to the "Saad bin Abi Waqas Front" [which is named after a TTP commander] already carrying out military and suicide operations against the ISAF Forces in Logar Province of Afghanistan. The News, April 29, 2013.
Sri Lanka's Contribution to Defusing Nuclear Powder Keg
By Jantha Dhanapala
If our cricket-crazy South Asian subcontinent knows the Sri Lankan hill-country town of Pallekelle — in the suburbs of my hometown of Kandy — for anything, it is for the Pallekelle International Cricket Stadium where some of the 2011 World Cup Cricket matches were played.
Conference Urges Enhanced Nuclear Safety
By J C Suresh
Experts from more than 50 nuclear and non-nuclear countries have stressed the need for enhancing safety and security culture with a view to preventing the occurrence and minimizing the consequences of accidents in nuclear power plants. The call emerged from a four-day conference hosted by the Canadian government in Ottawa.
This was the third international conference of its kind organised by the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) since the first such gathering held in Moscow in 2006, followed by the second 2009 in Cape Town, South Africa.
91% Youth See Nuclear Weapons as Inhumane
SGI International Survey
Also read:
Japan Refuses to Sign International Document Describing Nuclear Weapons as Inhumane
On April 23, the results of an international survey on attitudes towards nuclear weapons carried out by youth members of the Soka Gakkai International (SGI) Buddhist group were released at the UN Office at Geneva (UNOG) during the Second Session of the Preparatory Committee (PrepCom) for the 2015 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) Review Conference.
Comment: Democracy in a Confessional State
By Ishtiaq Ahmed *
There is no denying that the erstwhile modernist Pakistani leadership tried to make Pakistan both democratic and Islamic, but no constitutional formula could find the proper balance
The May 11, 2013 general election is most likely to be held as planned. After nearly 66 years a milestone would be reached: an elected government will succeed another elected government with a brief interlude of a caretaker administration. The vetting process carried out by overzealous inquisitional examining officers has, mercifully, on instructions from their superiors, abated and the election commission has very wisely forbidden the invocation of religion and sect.
Viewpoint: Do Muslims Really Understand Islam?
By Abdulateef Al-Mulhim *
The total number of the Muslim population is around 1.6 billion or about 25 percent of the world population. Generally speaking, most of the Arab population is Muslims, but not every Muslim is an Arab. For example, Pakistan and Bangladesh are not Arab countries, but they have more Muslims than all 22 Arab countries combined.
