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Asia

Pakistani textbooks filled with hate: Study

Earlier this year a study of Pakistani public school textbooks revealed that Pakistani textbooks negatively portray religious minorities and suggest that these minorities are untrustworthy and inferior The study which was sponsored by the U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) reviewed 78 Pakistani textbooks and discovered religiously prejudice and bias in 24 books. Mr Azhar Hussain, president and founder of Pakistan-based NGO Peace and Education Foundation (PEF) presented the report. USCIRF Chairman Robert P. George. said: “Pakistan’s public school …

U.S. Embassy denies visa-free entry for Pakistanis as a hoax

On Monday the U.S. Embassy in Islamabad denied reports that claimed Pakistan had been added to the “U.S. Visa Waiver program”. Thew news story which was first posted on various social media sites was picked up and printed by Pakistan’s leading newspapers including Jang, Express & Dunya. The reports were based on an update to the U.S. Visa Waiver Program, which required travelers to carry a valid electronic passport. The reminder was intended for Travelers who are already eligible under …

Canadian PM Justin Trudeau sends Independence Day greetings to Pakistanis

Canadian Prime Minister, Justin Trudeau, today issued the following statement in recognition of Pakistan’s Independence Day: “Today, we join the Pakistani community – here in Canada, in Pakistan, and around the world – in celebrating Pakistan’s 70th Independence Day. “I look forward to working with Prime Minister Sharif to further strengthen the relationship between our two countries, and to working together on global issues including, peace, security, and development cooperation. “On this day, I invite all Canadians to recognize the …

Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community pays tribute to Abdul Sattar Edhi

Worldwide Head of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community His Holiness Mirza Masroor Ahmad has offered his condolences over the sad demise of Abdul Sattar Edhi. Edhi, who was a prominent Pakistani humanitarian and philanthropist passed away on Friday. In a statement released on Sunday, the Fifth Khalifa (Caliph), His Holiness, Hazrat Mirza Masroor Ahmad said: “I was very saddened to hear about the passing of Mr Abdul Sattar Edhi. On behalf of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, I would like to extend my …

Pakistan Police arrest 12-year-old terror victim for terrorism

Police in Pakistan’s southern district of Badin have arrested a terror victim for terrorism after he was injured in a terror attack. 12-year-old Imran Gurgez was arrested along with 4 of his family members after a pipe bomb was thrown at their house. Gurgez belongs to the minority Ahmadiyya sect of Islam which is heavily persecuted in Pakistan. Imran’s uncle Akbar Gurgez said “Imran was sitting on the roof when a plastic bag was thrown onto the roof, the bag had a …

Hamza Abbasi faces death threats over support of Ahmadiyya Muslims

Pakistani film and television actor, Hamza Ali Abbasi has landed himself in hot waters after calling for equal rights for the country’s minority Ahmadiyya Muslims during his Live show on AAJ TV and is facing death threats after questioning Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadiyya laws. During his Ramadhan show on Pakistan’s AAJ TV, Hamza Ali Abbasi said “I want to say on Live TV that I will be discussing two things on the last day of Ramadhan; One will be the Ahmadi community and …

Ahmadi man shot dead in Karachi

A Man from the minority Ahmadiyya Muslim Community has been shot dead in Pakistan’s seaport city of Karachi. 49-year-old Chaudhry Khaliq Ahmad was a doctor of Homeopathy and was was tending to his patients at his clinic in Gulzar Hijri area of Karachi when unknown gunmen opened fire. Two bullets hit him in the head and he died on the way to the hospital. The assailants managed to escape. Karachi has seen a rise of violence against Ahmadis, 55-year-old Dawood Ahmad …

MQM chief Altaf Hussain condemns killing of Ahmadi Muslim in Attock

Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) Chief Altaf Hussain has condemned the brutal murder of an Ahmadi man who was shot dead on June 4th in Pakistan’s northern city of Attock. 65-year-old Dr Hameed Ahmad was approaching is home in Islam Colony when by two unidentified attackers opened fire, killing him on the spot. MQM chief Altaf Hussain released a statement the very next day and said “In Pakistan extremists are specifically targeting those of different beliefs and faiths. The brutal killing …

55-year-old Ahmadi man shot, killed in front of his house in Karachi

Dawood Ahmad was shot dead Tuesday night in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi. He was shot 3 times by unknown assailants in front of his own home. Ahmad was waiting for his friend outside his house in Gulzar e Hijri neighborhood of Karachi when two unidentified men on a motorbike approached him, one of them disembarked and opened fire. Both men fled on the motorbike afterwards. Ahmad was hit by 3 bullets, one in the chest and two in the …

Ahmadis have it the worst: Asma Jahangir

Pakistan’s leading Human Rights activist Asma Jahangir has said that Ahmadiyya Muslims are the most persecuted religious minority in Pakistan. Jahangir made the remarks while speaking at the Hudson Institute on May 18th, in Washington D.C. The event was moderated by Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani. Answering a question about Pakistan’s anti-Ahmadiyya laws Jahangir said: The supreme court in one of the cases many years ago had given a judgement on the Ahmadi issue which I find revolting in terms of …

Pakistani nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan’s family named in Panama Papers

Names of 4 Family members of Pakistani Nuclear scientist Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan revealed in Panama Papers. Khan is believed to have sold nuclear secrets to North Korea and Iran. A list released by Pakistani news channel Geo TV linked Khan’s brother Abdul Quiyum Khan, daughters Ayesha Khan, Dina Khan and Dutch wife Hendrina Khan to a Bahamas based company Wahdat Limited. The company was incorporated in 1998 and defaulted just after two years in January 2000. According to U.S intelligence …

How a Pakistani Immigrant to the U.S. is trying to fight religious intolerance at home

A young Pakistani Muslim immigrant to Washington has built a platform for fellow immigrants to come together and do their part to promote peace and tolerance in Pakistan. Her biggest motivation is an unbreakable bond with the country she grew up calling home — in spite of the systemic persecution her community has faced there for decades. Zaineb Majoka, 28, grew up moving across small towns in Pakistan’s Punjab province, now considered a hotbed of religious extremism in the troubled …