DhartiPakistan – Pakistani News blog

Khaled Ahmed – political analyst, journalist and editor of several major Pakistani newspapers such as The Nation, The Frontier Post, and The Friday Times – discusses the struggle between radical and reformist schools of Islam and the rise of religious fundamentalism in Pakistan. He explains in detail: (a) the ancient clash between orthodox and reformist thinking; (the former believe in a literal reading of Quran while the latter emphasize contextual interpretation); (b) the factors responsible for regression in Muslim societies from free-wheeling thought to medieval orthodoxy; (c) the impossibility of economic development under implementation of Sharia (ie. medieval jurisprudence); (d) the ideology of the Pakistani state and late General Zia-ul-Haqs motivation in Islamizing society; (e) the role of Saudi Arabia and CIA in introducing radical (ie. Wahabi) Islam in Pakistan during the Afghan war against Soviet Union; (f) the spillover of Afghan “jihad” into Indian Kashmir via Pak military and intelligence groups; and (g) the ability of Western countries to help bring about change in Pakistani Establishment’s thinking and policies. This interview was recorded in February 2002 but is still very relevant today.

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Duration : 0:10:15

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