“Father of the Taliban” Assassinated

Episode Notes:

On Friday, Maulana Sami ul-Haq "Father of the Taliban" was assassinated in his home in Rawalpindi. The killing occurred while violent protests by Sunni hardliners swept Pakistan after its Supreme Court acquitted a Christian woman accused of blasphemy.

Joshua White, Associate Professor at Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies and a Fellow at Brookings, details Sami's life and waning influence. (~10 minutes)

[ 0:20 ] Intro
[ 0:48 ] Personal account of Sami
[ 2:16 ] The complexity of his legacy
[ 6:06 ] Engagement in current political affairs
[ 7:25 ] Who is responsible
[ 8:20 ] Who loses