Anwar Ibrahim on religious harmony

Malaysian Opposition Leader, Anwar Ibrahim, talks about the urgency of interreligious dialogue, how to deal with religious pluralism, the need for open debate amongst Muslims, and the true meaning of sharia, of Islamic law.

Multireligious lifeline for Afghans

Afghanistan has a rich history that could be pivotal in the much-vilified South-Central Asian country’s restoration. (Hector Welgampola, UCA News)
With links to ancient India’s Gandhara civilization, part of the area was immortalized as Kandahar, a name some Westerners trace to Iskander, or Alexander the Great. The Macedonian warrior stretched his empire in 334 BC to [...]

The Catholic Church in Pakistan - an overview

Catholics are less than 1% of a total of over 160 million (in Pakistan). There are two archdiocese in the country, four dioceses and an apostolic prefecture. A small minority but active and appreciated for efforts in education, helping the poor, health care and emergency interventions (AsiaNews.it).
Pakistan … is the second largest Muslim country in [...]

Islamization and pluralism in Pakistan

[Pakistan's founding father Muhammad Ali] Jinnah set a pluralistic model for Pakistan to grow as a modern Muslim state. After his death in 1948, however, this model was largely ignored and incumbent leaders in Pakistan, which is 96.5 percent Muslim, have often used religion as a tool to divide rather unite. (Haroon Nasir, The Daily Star)
In 1949, [...]

‘Body-snatching’ practice divides Malaysia

The sudden death of Malaysian Mohan Singh, 41, came as a shock to his family. But worse was the nightmare that followed: the country’s religious authority confiscated the body, saying the man converted to Islam in 1992 and had to be buried according to Muslim rites.
‘He was a practising Sikh until the end,’ his family [...]