Founding Editor: Daya Varma (1929-2015)
Editors: Vinod Mubayi (New York) and Raza Mir (New Jersey).
Editorial Board: Ram Puniyani and Irfan Engineer (Mumbai); Pervez Hoodbhoy (Islamabad); Dolores Chew (Montreal); Vamsi Vakulabharanam (Amherst); Ajay Bhardwaj (Vancouver).
Circulation/website: Feroz Mehdi (On behalf of Alternatives, Montreal).
EDITORIAL: ELECTIONS IN PAKISTAN
Vinod Mubayi and Raza Mir
The elections in Pakistan are over. There were sporadic and horrific incidents of violence, especially in Baluchistan. Initial results indicate that former cricketer Imran Khan’s party Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (Justice Party) will obtain the largest number of seats although it may fall short of a majority and will have to form a coalition with smaller parties. It is likely, however, that Imran will be installed as Prime Minister in the coming days. Read more…
ANATOMY OF A POLITICAL MOMENT
Sarah Eleazar and Sher Ali Khan
What kind of freedom is this?
You are deaf to our voices.
What KIND of freedom IS this?
Our young men keep getting killed.
What KIND of freedom IS this?
– ‘Da Sang Azadi Da’ by Shaukat Aziz Read more…
INTERVIEW: IMRAN KHAN IS PAKISTAN’S DONALD TRUMP – AND THE ARMY’S MAN, SAYS ACADEMIC PERVEZ HOODBHOY
Ajaz Ashraf
When former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his daughter Maryam Nawaz landed in Lahore on July 13, Pakistan was agog with excitement. Nobody had expected them to ever return to Pakistan. After all, just a week ago, a court in Pakistan had convicted the two of corruption in connection with the purchase of luxury apartments in London. It had sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison and Maryam Nawaz to seven years. Read more…
THE RISE, FALL AND RISE AGAIN OF IMRAN KHAN, PAKISTAN’S NEXT LEADER
Jeffrey Gettleman
LAHORE, Pakistan — Imran Khan, a charismatic cricket star who has fiercely criticized American counterterrorism policy in a region plagued by extremism, appeared poised on Thursday to become Pakistan’s next prime minister. Read more…
“NO REAL CHOICE” AT THE BALLOT BOX FOR THE PEOPLE OF PAKISTAN
Interview with Tariq Ali
SHARMINI PERIES: It’s The Real News Network. I’m Sharmini Peries, coming to you from Baltimore. Read more…
INDIA: ALL INDIA SECULAR FORUM STRONGLY CONDEMN THE ATTACK ON SWAMI AGNIVESH
All India Secular Forum strongly condemn the attack on Swami Agnivesh, a 80 years old Highly respected social activist and Right Livelihood Awardee considered alternative Nobel Prize. Read more…
INDIA: 13-FEET WALLS NOT ENOUGH: STEALING YOUR AADHAAR DETAILS COSTS JUST RS 125
Anand Venkatanarayanan
That the central Aadhaar database has never been breached and can’t be breached is an often-made claim, especially by the Unique Identification Authority of India (UIDAI) and its CEO. Read more…
ON THE ‘URBAN MAOISTS’
Anand Teltumbde
Even in these times of a growing sense of hopelessness in the country under the present regime, the arrests of five activists by Maharashtra’s Pune police have stunned many due to the blatant misuse of power and impunity that it reflects. The continuing spate of condemnation by scores of people within and outside India does not affect the regime that parrots the statement that the law will take its course. Read more…
MOB LYNCHING: LET US ACT NOW
Irfan Engineer
Mob lynching has drastically increased in recent years, particularly since the election of the BJP government. There has been fourfold increase in cow related violent incidents from less than 5% of incidents communal violence in 2010 to 20% in 2017 (Subramanya, 2017). Read more…
WAS EMERGENCY IN INDIA AKIN TO HITLER’S REGIME?
Ram Puniyani
On the eve of 43rd anniversary of the Emergency, which was imposed on the country in 1975, BJP has come out strongly condemning the event, has issued half page advertisement and Modi said that it was imposed to save the power of a family. Read more…
STOP THE WITCH-HUNTING OF TRADE UNIONISTS AND HUMAN RIGHTS DEFENDERS
The New Trade Union Initiative condemns the baseless allegations, that are fabricated and defamatory, made against Comrade Sudha Bharadwaj leader of the Pragatisheel Cement Shramik Sangh and Jan Aadharit Engineering Mazdoor Union in Chhattisgarh of having ‘Maoist’ links, receiving funds from ‘Maoists’ and creating a ‘Kashmir like situation’ by Republic TV Managing Director and anchor, Arnab Goswami. Read more…
NATIONAL PROTEST BY LEFT PARTIES ON MURDER OF DEMOCRACY IN WEST BENGAL AND TRIPURA ON JULY 24
[Released from CPI(M) Central Committee office]
An open daylight murder of democracy is taking place in the states of West Bengal and Tripura. Human rights and political freedom have come under severe strain. Read more…
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