Karachi – “Bright Lights”
Each time one visits Karachi the sprawling metropolis seems more run down. Crumbling infrastructure, notwithstanding the recent improvements, and a sense of neglect are…
Visiting Dhaka- “We are strangers now?”
The warmth of people and the magic of old Dhaka overwhelms you. Having said that, Dhaka is bursting on the seams with a gushing…
Amrita Shergil’s Lahore
Khalid Hasan writing for the Friday Times: Amrita Sher Gil was once asked by Iqbal Singh, who was to write her biography 43 years…
Kafka Country
Kafka Country Surprised by what is happening in the land of the pure? Stop jumping, life is business as usual in the Islamic Republic…
Feryal Ali Gauhar – femme fatale
Conversations with novelist, filmmaker, feline aficionado, and femme fatale, Feryal Ali Gauhar, as she prepares to launch her second novel Who doesn’t know Feryal…
Mughal Princess Zebunnissa – Lady of the age
Mughal history ignores women of the empire, including Emperor Aurangzeb’s daughter Zeb-un-Nissa: patron of the arts, poet, and a keeper of several lovers –…
The invisible Princess Zebunnisa
A lesser known character from the Mughal Empire is princess Zebunnisa, the eldest daughter of Emperor Aurangzeb. Unlike her puritanical father, Zebunnisa was a…
Amrita Pritam: 1919-2005
Amrita Pritam never woke up on the afternoon of October 31, 2005 and the world is emptier without her musings. She embodied the fullness…
Bulleh Shah and Rumi
The works of Bulleh Shah and Rumi echo the emotions of a growing global audience We are the mirror as well as the face…
Marvels of Malaysia
“Muslim societies can learn from the plurality of race and religions in Malaysia” says Raza Rumi A few days spent in Malaysia are enough…
Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi (1916-2006)
“Ab aik baar to qudrat javaabdeh thehre hazaar baar ham insaan aazmaaye gaye” Now Nature must be held accountable at least once We humans…
The sea, the sea – a holiday at the beach
I wasn’t sure if I had posted this old piece here. Just found it in my records and thought I should share it…. The…
Citizen of the world
He wanted variety and could not confine himself to a uni-dimensional career or vocation. Other than being a rare blend of East and West,…
2005 Earthquake: What lies ahead
Ever three weeks have passed and Pakistan is still weighted down by the debris of the October 8 earthquake. The human tragedy has been…
Mustafa Zaidi – A poet remembered
Why would a poet of Mustafa Zaidi’s stature decide to end his life? Thirty five years ago, Mustafa Zaidi, a poet of notable standing…
Qurratulain Hyder – Writer’s muse
Conversations with renowned author Qurratulain Hyder In my otherwise uneventful life, something significant has happened. It may seem unimportant to some people but it’s…
More on the Urdu poet Mustafa Zaidi
I wrote a piece on Urdu poet Mustafa Zaidi six years ago. Since then I have received immense feedback. Zaidi’s relatives, friends and admirers…