By Mary Kaldor

Afghans suffer at the hands of everyone - the Taliban, the Afghan security forces, the international forces, and the warlords or drug barons - sometimes in combination. In language that is reminiscent of the way young people are talking in other parts of the Middle East, they want to reclaim their dignity.

By Irfan Husain

On a brief visit to Karachi last week, I attended a mass dedicated to Shahbaz Bhatti, the assassinated minorities minister, with my brother.

Held in St Patrick’s Cathedral, the ceremony was dignified and deeply moving. I had half-expected to see a few politicians, diplomats and members of our civil society at the occasion, but spotted just one old friend.