`Using religion for vested interests a norm in Pakistan’
February 20th, 2012 - 1:39 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Feb 20 (IANS) It is unfortunate that using religion for vested interests has become a norm in Pakistan, said a daily.An editorial in the Daily Times said that it ... Read more...
Posted in World |
Pakistan’s blasphemy laws misused: Daily
February 1st, 2012 - 12:53 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Feb 1 (IANS) Pakistan's blasphemy laws are not only being misused as a "weapon against minorities" but also being used to settle personal scores amongst Muslims or grab property, ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
A difficult year for Pakistan (2011 in Retrospect)
December 25th, 2011 - 2:02 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Dec 25 (IANS) The year 2011 saw Pakistan making headlines for all the wrong reasons, compounded by yearend uncertainty about the political future of a nation that is ... Read more...
Posted in World |
Protect your women, girls: EU tells Pakistan, Afghanistan
December 17th, 2011 - 2:31 pm ICT by IANS
Strasbourg, Dec 17 (IANS) The European Parliament has asked Pakistan and Afghanistan to pay immediate attention to the crimes against women and advised them to ensure better laws to protect ... Read more...
Posted in Uncategorized |
Five held in Taseer kidnapping case in Pakistan
August 28th, 2011 - 3:44 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Aug 28 (IANS) Five people have been detained in Lahore in connection with the abduction of Shahbaz Taseer, the son of late Punjab province governor Salman Taseer, police ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Zardari, Gilani assure recovery of Taseer
August 27th, 2011 - 5:30 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Aug 27 (IANS) Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani have assured the family of late Punjab governor Salman Taseer that his abducted son would ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak blasphemy law reform advocate Sherry Rehman says being scared “no longer works”
March 29th, 2011 - 5:35 pm ICT by ANI
Karachi, Mar 29(ANI): Liberal Pakistan parliamentarian Sherry Rehman, who is facing death threats for proposing a bill to reform the nation's draconian blasphemy laws, has said that being scared "no longer ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Two more eyewitnesses record statements in Taseer assassination case
March 5th, 2011 - 4:22 pm ICT by ANI
Rawalpindi, Mar 5(ANI): The Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in Rawalpindi has recorded the statements of two more eyewitnesses in connection with the Salmaan Taseer assassination case.In January, Taseer was shot dead by one ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Evidence found regarding Shahbaz Bhatti’s assassination
March 4th, 2011 - 4:03 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 4(ANI): Evidence regarding the assassination of Pakistan Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti have been found, Interior Minister Rehman Malik said on Friday.Bhatti was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Bhatti killers enemies of Pakistan: PM Gilani
March 4th, 2011 - 2:47 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, March 4 (IANS) The murder of Pakistan's minorities minister Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was another attempt by enemies of the state to defame the country and the philosophy ... Read more...
Posted in Uncategorized |
Shahbaz Bhatti’s assassination result of his own negligence towards security: Malik
March 4th, 2011 - 1:17 pm ICT by ANI
Lahore, Mar 4(ANI): Pakistan's Interior Minister Rehman Malik has claimed that foolproof security was provided to slain Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti, and that his death was the result of his own ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak lawmakers blame ‘lapse of security’ for Bhatti’s assassination
March 4th, 2011 - 12:07 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 4(ANI): A majority of Pakistan's parliamentarians have blamed a 'lapse of security' for the assassination of Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti.Bhatti was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Islamabad on ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak declares three-day official mourning for assassinated minister
March 3rd, 2011 - 5:12 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 3(ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani announced three days of official mourning on Thursday for assassinated Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti.Gilani further announced that the national flag will ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Slain Pak minister’s security squad taken into police custody
March 3rd, 2011 - 4:23 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 3(ANI): Islamabad Police have taken the security squad of assassinated Minorities Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti into custody.Bhatti was shot dead by unidentified gunmen in Islamabad on Wednesday for championing the ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak Taliban threatens to target more blasphemy law reform supporters
March 3rd, 2011 - 2:49 pm ICT by ANI
Karachi, Mar 3(ANI): The Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan, the terror outfit that has claimed responsibility for the assassination of Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti has threatened to attack all those advocating reforms to ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Sherry Rehman may be next on Pak terror hitlist
March 3rd, 2011 - 1:19 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 3(ANI): Liberal Pakistan parliamentarian Sherry Rehman, who had proposed a bill to reform the nation's draconian blasphemy laws, may be next on the Pakistan extremists' hitlist.Of the three brave Pakistani ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Christians “subjects of hate” inside Pakistan: Vatican
March 3rd, 2011 - 12:10 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 3(ANI): The Vatican has condemned the assassination of Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, and called the Pakistani Christians "subjects of hate" inside the country.Bhatti was ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Bhatti’s position in Pak cabinet will be offered to his family: Zardari
March 3rd, 2011 - 11:59 am ICT by ANI
Karachi, Mar 3(ANI): The position fallen vacant after the assassination of Pakistan's Minister for Minority Affairs, Shahbaz Bhatti, would be offered to one of his family members, President Asif Ali Zardari ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak minister’s assassins leave Taliban-linked leaflets at murder spot
March 2nd, 2011 - 3:12 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Mar 2(ANI): The unidentified gunmen who assassinated Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities, Shahbaz Bhatti, in Islamabad on Wednesday, have left behind Taliban-linked leaflets.Television stations said up to four gunmen opened ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pakistani minister shot dead (Second Lead)
March 2nd, 2011 - 2:29 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, March 2 (IANS) Pakistan's Federal Minister for Minorities Shahbaz Bhatti, a Christian, was gunned down here Wednesday as he left home to attend a key meeting.Bhatti was leaving his ... Read more...
Posted in Uncategorized |
Qadri killed Pak Punjab Governor in his own capacity, says head of probe team
February 24th, 2011 - 11:52 am ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Feb 24(ANI): The investigation into the Salmaan Taseer assassination case has been completed and it has been confirmed that Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri had killed the then Punjab Governor in his ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Minorities committee asks Pak Govt. to pursue Taseer murder case ‘properly’
February 20th, 2011 - 5:33 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Feb 20(ANI): Pakistan's National Assembly Committee on Minorities has demanded that the government must pursue the Salmaan Taseer assassination case properly.Last month, Taseer was assassinated by Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, one ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak film lauds ‘death for blasphemy’ in name of Islam reminiscent of Taseer’s murder
February 17th, 2011 - 5:24 pm ICT by ANI
Lahore, Feb 17(ANI): An upcoming Pakistani movie lauds extra-judicial killings in the name of Islam, in a grim reminder of last month's killing of liberal Punjab Governor Salman Taseer by one of ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Taseer’s assassin should be punished only for violating law, not murder: Qari Hanif
February 15th, 2011 - 6:49 pm ICT by ANI
Rawalpindi, Feb 15(ANI): Slain Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer's assassin Malik Mumtaz Qadri should be punished by the court only for violating the law, not on murder charges, Qari Hanif Qureshi has said.Qari ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Gilani forces Sherry Rehman to withdraw Pak blasphemy law amendment bill
February 3rd, 2011 - 1:29 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Feb 3(ANI): Pakistan parliamentarian Sherry Rehman will withdraw the bill seeking amendments to the country's blasphemy law as per the party's directions, Prime Minister Syed Yousuf Raza Gilani has said.In ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Sherry Rehman withdraws bill for blasphemy law amendment
February 3rd, 2011 - 7:30 am ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Feb 3 (IANS) Former cabinet minister and member of the ruling Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Sherry Rehman has withdrawn a bill tabled in the national assembly proposing amendments in the ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Hafiz Saeed publicly slams Pope, defends blasphemy law
January 30th, 2011 - 8:21 pm ICT by IANS
Islamabad, Jan 30 (IANS) In a rare public appearance, Jamaat-ud-Dawa chief Hafiz Muhammad Saeed Sunday addressed a rally in Lahore, capital of Pakistan's Punjab province, and vowed to resist any change in ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Sherry Rehman working on ridding Pak of fundamentalism through liberal resurgence
January 29th, 2011 - 4:51 pm ICT by ANI
Karachi, Jan 29(ANI): Sherry Rehman, a progressive Pakistani parliamentarian attempting to amend the country's controversial blasphemy laws, says she is working on a liberal resurgence there.Rehman sees the current political crisis ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak Govt ‘routinely violates basic rights, persecutes minorities under cover of law’:HRW
January 25th, 2011 - 1:12 pm ICT by ANI
New York, Jan 25(ANI): The Pakistan Government's response to terrorist attacks in the country has 'routinely violated basic rights', Human Rights Watch has said .Thousands of Taliban suspects have been held ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak ATC shocked over ‘absence of prosecution lawyer’ in Taseer murder case
January 25th, 2011 - 12:39 pm ICT by ANI
Rawalpindi, Jan 25(ANI): The anti-terrorism court hearing the Salmaan Taseer assassination case has expressed surprise over the absence of any prosecution lawyer in the case.Hearing the case in Pakistan's Adiala Jail, the ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Islamic fundamentalists expanding their grip on Pakistani society: Report
January 21st, 2011 - 1:57 pm ICT by ANI
Rawalpindi, Jan 21(ANI): The assassination of liberal Pakistani politician Salmaan Taseer for his vocal opposition to the country's blasphemy law and the warm reception for his killer has exposed the rising influence ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak Govt to protect minorities at all costs: Zardari
January 21st, 2011 - 1:12 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Jan 21(ANI): The Pakistan Government will protect the country's minorities at all costs in accordance with the vision of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah and the Constitution of Pakistan, President Asif Ali ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Pak Court dismisses plea seeking quashing of FIR, ATC trial against Taseer’s assassin
January 21st, 2011 - 1:11 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Jan 21(ANI): The Islamabad High Court has dismissed a petition seeking quashing of the FIR and the trial against Malik Mumtaz Hussain Qadri, the assassin of late Punjab Governor Salmaan Taseer.On ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
US focussing on “possible discriminatory applications” of Pak’s blasphemy law: Posner
January 19th, 2011 - 1:41 pm ICT by ANI
Washington, Jan 19(ANI): In the wake of the controversy surrounding Pakistan's blasphemy law, US Assistant Secretary of State for Democracy and Human Rights Michael H. Posner has said the United States believes ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |
Taseer assassination case to be heard in-camera to prevent earlier media fiasco
January 18th, 2011 - 3:04 pm ICT by ANI
Islamabad, Jan 18(ANI): An in-camera hearing into the Salmaan Taseer assassination case will be conducted at Adiyala Jail on January 24.Earlier this month, Taseer was assassinated by Malik Mumtaz Qadri, one of ... Read more...
Posted in South Asia |