South East Asia

Militants attacked Pakistan army leaving at least 35 dead

On February 2, a group of 40 militants attacked the army of Pakistan near the town of Serai Naurang in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province in northwest of the country, leaving at least 35 people dead after hours of battle. Around 12 militants, 13 security personnel and 10 civilians have been killed …

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Pakistani government to have dialogue with cleric that leads protests

Tahir ul Qadri (the leader of the anti-government protesters) gave the President of Pakistan a deadline for negotiations on Thursday, but the president hasn’t responded to his demand. However, the government recognized the protests and decided to send a delegation on Thursday to hold a dialogue with Qadri. Four ministers, …

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Protests in Islamabad demanding dissolution of Pakistan’s government

Thousands of supporters of a Muslim cleric, Tahir ul Qadri, that is asking for dissolution of the government have gathered near the parliament building on Tuesday after a deadline set by the cleric for his demands expired. The police clashed with the protesters for 10-15 minutes, but then the crowd …

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Protest In Saudi Arabia, 11 Women Held

A group of women protesters detained by the Saudi Arabian authorities must be released unless they are charged with an internationally recognizable crime, said Amnesty International. At least 11 women are still believed to be in detention in the central city of Buraida as well as in the capital Riyadh after …

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MEMRI’s South Asia Studies Project Director Tufail Ahmad On Impact Of Democracy On Indian Muslims

In a recent op-ed, MEMRI’s South Asia Studies Project Director Tufail Ahmad examined how the recent appointment of Syed Asif Ibrahim as the first Muslim chief of India’s Intelligence Bureau reflects the maturing of democracy in India and its beneficial impact on Indian Muslims. “India is the only country where …

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Saudi Columnist: Substantial Political Reforms Are Necessary In Saudi Arabia

Khalid Al-Dakhil, a columnist for the London-based Saudi daily Al-Hayat, devoted two columns to the potential repercussions of the Arab Spring for Saudi Arabia. He argued that the country cannot disassociate itself from the changes wrought by the Arab Spring in the region, and must not be complacent. Rather, he …

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