News: Just days after all parliamentary political parties in Pakistan reached a consensus over the establishment of military courts to try terrorists, voices of concern rang out in the Senate over the proposal. PPP leader Mian Raza Rabbani said military courts had different standards of proof, offered fewer protections to the accused and when its relatively abrupt systems are applied to the civilian environment, they could lead to great miscarriages…

News: On 25 December 2014, Pakistan's Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif felicitated the Christian community on celebrating the Christmas and reiterated that the government would protect their legal rights and interests. In a message to the Christian community, the prime minister said, "Pakistan is committed to the worthy pledge given by the founder of our nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, to irrevocably safeguard the legitimate rights and interests of the minorities."…

In the past few months, I have attended more janaza prayers than in any comparable time in my life. A reminder that life is short and death is certain. They have been janazas of the fathers of my friends, acquaintances and some converts to Islam. The converts included a Chinese sister named Ayeesha and another brother whose janaza prayers were in Mosques near me. As their friends and family spoke…

Pattern of "Do More" Followed by Barbaric Attacks In the wake of the barbaric attack on a school in Peshawar, US State Department said on 19 December 2014 that Washington would welcome increased cooperation with Pakistan in the fight against terrorism. "We have been working closely with all levels of the Pakistan government," the State Department's spokesperson Jen Psaki told a briefing in Washington. As for the purpose of the…