Mehdi Hasan: King of kings
Mehdi Hasan died today. There are no words to capture his influence on my generation and the ones before me. I am posting a…
‘The government should investigate the source and nature of threats to Asma Jahangir’s life, and take appropriate action’
‘The government should investigate the source and nature of threats to Asma Jahangir’s life, and take appropriate action’ Here is an interview with Ali…
Half citizens? The Ahmadiyya community of Pakistan
Temporary headstones of victims at an Ahmadi Muslim graveyard in Chenab Nagar, northwest of Lahore in 2010 (Reuters) After today’s ghastly attacks on the…
As soon as you clear your hearing
The voice of a saviour will shortly be heard as soon as you clear your hearing don’t drink now this polluted water the elixir…
Two poems from the work of Faiz Ahmed Faiz
Faiz Ahmed Faiz (1911-1984) was a prominent revolutionary Indo-Pakistani poet. In a brief career with the British Indian Army he was promoted to the…
Lahore’s lost spring
Lahore, a centre for the arts and learning in the early 20th century, has been the custodian of a plural, vibrant culture for decades.…
Pakistan: Will the Court punish officials who violated their oath?
“We cannot have an army or intelligence agencies that constantly destabilise governments. We cannot have rogue elements incessantly violating their oath and plunging the…
‘On the wings of time, grief flies away’
Salma Mahmud’s new book is not a just a readable memoir, it sets a standard for fine writing. Perhaps the most memorable time of…
“A rights-respecting federation can only be created through negotiation” – an interview on Balochistan
Ali Dayan Hasan, Pakistan Director, Human Rights Watch, was one of the few people who recently gave testimony to US Congress on the issue…
It is time to engage with the Baloch nationalists
There seems to be a serious dearth of imagination while searching for solutions on Balochistan As Dr Pervez Hoodbhoy recently wrote, “Men like Rohrabacher…
One live flame
“if your beloved has the life of a fire step in now and burn along in a night full of suffering and darkness be…
Book Review: Indian Mass Media and the Politics of Change
Making sense of the rising Indian mass media and its ubiquitous nature, its articulation of a middle class vision, and how through this process…
Book review: “Lahore -Topophilia of Space and Place”
There is no city like Lahore/ Everything that is wrong is set right here It is a mystery as to how a layered city…
Addicted to subtle discussions
We’re quite addicted to subtle discussions; we’re very fond of solving problems. So that we may tie knots and then undo them, we constantly…
Final round of survival? It’s do or die
Tehelka story last week: Government in final round of survival game: It’s do or die Either the government will withstand the pressure from the…
All I have to offer…
Rest your cheek, for a moment, on this drunken cheek. Let me forget the war and cruelty inside myself. I hold these silver coins…
Magic moments – incredible photos on mysticism
Today, a magical photographer and a brave journalist Iason Athanasiadis, wrote to me after reading some of my comments in NYT. This is such…
Each Note
Advice doesn’t help lovers! They’re not the kind of mountain stream you can build a dam across. An intellectual doesn’t know what the drunk…
The sufi solution
“…The Chishti school of Sufism did not exclude any religion and gave way to a plural Indian identity. This is why the extremists in…
A season of quotes
Never a dull moment. And, increasing requests for quotes, opinions and reactions. Sometimes I wonder if it makes a difference? I am putting some…