Voices of the Pamirs: Wakhi’s fight to survive in the digital age
By Ali Qurban Mughani As the world commemorates the 25th anniversary of International Mother Tongue Day, speakers of Xikhwor (Wakhi)—a
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Central Asia
Prince Karim Aga Khan — a visionary leader and philanthropist
by Roheena Ali Shah The passing away of His Highness Prince Karim Aga Khan marks a moment of profound global
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Pamirian Crossroads and Beyond
Prof Kreutzmann’s explorations have taken him across the mountainous terrains of Xinjiang, Gilgit-Baltistan, Chitral, the Pamir Knot, Central Asia, and cities like London and Moscow. Over the years, he has authored numerous books, articles, and chapters that shine light on the complex history and geography of Central Asia, High Asia, and South Asia.
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Tajikistan’s top court bans six Pakistani religious bodies, 23 others
Quoting reports from the Khovar news agency, the website detailed the Supreme Court’s declaration of 29 religious parties, groups, associations, and websites as “terrorist and extremist organisations” in Tajikistan. The court’s ruling led to the prohibition of their activities within Tajikistan’s territory. Additionally, the websites associated with these banned entities have been blocked, and the import of their literature has been prohibited. Among those listed are Pakistan’s Jamaat-i-Islami, Lashkar-e-Taeba, Hizbut Tahrir, Tablighi Jamaat, and the Taliban
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Rahmon visits Gorno-Badakhshan amid tight security
Rahmon’s unannounced visit from August 15-18 marked his first to the region since at least 34 people were killed in the crackdown on anti-government protests in Khorug and the nearby Rushon district in May 2022, with several activists also being arrested and sentenced to long prison terms.
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Textiles, carpets, & geometry of Central Asia
Carol Bier, a historian of Islamic art, discusses in an interview with Elvira Aidarkhanova for Voices on Central Asia the cultural aspects of geometry in Islamic art, and the beauty of its form, pattern, and structure
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Tajikistan: top security officer shot dead in Khorog
The regional authorities in Khorog city of Badakhshan autonomous province in a statement on Friday (April 28) said that the incident took place overnight in Tajikistan’s southern city of Khorog.
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‘Two Poets and a River’ – the story of love and loss
‘The Two Poets and a River’ is a film that tells the story of two Wakhi musicians, who share a language, faith, and family network but are separated by the Oxus River.
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UN concerned about situation in Tajik region
Human Rights Watch (HRW) has demanded the Tajik government “strictly observe its obligations to respect and protect people’s rights to life, and freedom of assembly and the media in any military or law enforcement operations in Tajikistan’s autonomous region.
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Tajik authorities intensify crackdown on Pamiris
Since July, the courts have handed down more than 5,000 verdicts with heavy sentences against members of a Shiite Ismaili
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GLOFs pose major threats to people in G-B, Chitral
Steve Cole, Erin Guiltenane In the largest-ever study of glacial lakes, researchers using 30 years of NASA satellite data have
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China’s BRI grapples with a mounting debt crisis
Like Sri Lanka, Kyrgyzstan also has a swelling state debt and took on billions worth of loans over the last decade from China’s Export-Import Bank for a series of infrastructure plans under the Belt and Road Initiative.
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Tajikistan puts squeeze on AKDN entities in GBAO
Authorities in Tajikistan are putting the squeeze on the Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN) organizations and companies.
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Afghan women’s woes
In addition to needing a male chaperone to go places within the war-torn country, women are now required to bring a male family member with them if they hope to study abroad.
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Documentary on Islamic extremism wins award
The 50-minute documentary titled “Islam’s Battle Within” gives a rare insight into the Jamia Haqqania Akora Khattak aka the “University of Jihad”, an ideological nerve centre of the Taliban and other splinter groups in Southeast Asia i.e. Jemaah Islamiyah
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