Hoping for Shahbaz Taseer’s early Recovery
By Raza Rumi: I fervently hope that Shahbaz Taseer is back by the time these lines are published. However, the past few days have…
Towards a decentralised Pakistan
Without civil service reform, devolution of policy setting will be unachievable and the current reform may just not achieve its intended purposes On July…
Interview with Mohammad Hanif: “Love is not yet a taboo in Pakistan”
In a few days, Mohammad Hanif’s new novel will be available in Pakistan. Last week, I met him at his house in Karachi. The…
In Karachi, the political and ethnic violence that’s killed hundreds of people since July
In Pakistan’s largest city and commercial capital, Karachi, the surge in violence that began in July and has killed many hundreds of people, continues.…
Myth and reality of extremism
Pakistan needs to undertake research on militancy for effective policymaking A recent attempt to understand militancy, “Poverty and Support for Militant Politics: Evidence from…
Chisht? Sufis in the Sultanate of Delhi (book review)
When the shrine of Baba Farid Ganj Shakar in Pakpattan was attacked last year, the real significance of the incident was not fully understood.…
The peace process: The way forward
By Subhojit Goswami Kolkata, Aug 1: “A dialogue process is not about ‘who wins’ but about empathetic understanding”, came the strong words from Pritha…
“Better than Cabbage Soup”
Rumi on the deeper meanings of fasting in Ramzan What sweetness lies in an empty stomach! Man is like a lute: no more, no…
Ramzan – A month of Piety
Contributed by Sadia Dehlvi As children we aimed our eyes at the horizon trying to spot the small sliver and once the Ramzan moon…
The tragic story of Urdu
What makes translating Urdu literature a rare indulgence has also kept it closeted from global appreciation. Ralph Russell, the legendary British scholar of Urdu…
The lives of others
The first half of the 20th century witnessed a transformation in Urdu literature with the emergence of the short story as the choicest medium…
In Pakistan, drone attack victims pursue criminal charges against US government officials
While the US military continues its campaign in Afghanistan, in neighboring Pakistan, there is continuing opposition to the CIA’s drone strikes. Activists, lawyers and…
Karachi continues to bleed
Karachi needs democratisation of power and robust accountability mechanisms Karachi’s mayhem in the past few days has exposed, once again, the primary issue of…
Kabir dohas
Bhagat Kabir has composed many Dohas (hymns) and some of them have also been included in Sri Guru Granth Sahib Ji: || 1 ||…
The most Dangerous Place for Journalists (a short interview)
I was interviewed in Karachi last month; here is the intro and the link- Recently, the journalist Saleem Shahzad has been killed in Pakistan…
What needs to be done in Karachi
By Raza Rumi The recent escalation of violence and senseless butchery in Karachi serves to remind us once again just how the state is withering away…
A Shifting Political Landscape
By Raza Rumi: If there is any single constant in Pakistani politics it is perennial instability. More so when fledgling democracies struggle to change…
Faiz Ahmad Faiz: 1974 Interview from Radio Pakistan Archives
Faiz Ahmad Faiz In Program Fun aur Funkar = Panalist Sufi Ghulam Mustafa Tabassum, Hameed Akhtar, Qayyum Nazar, Sajjad Baqar Rizvi, Anees Nagi, Intizar…
Pakistan Floods: Making the same mistakes?
Rarely have countries been so incapable of responding to challenges, as is the case with Pakistan. Last year, the worst flood in our history…
The enigma that is Pakistan (book review)
Anatol Lieven’s new book is not just a contemporary account of Pakistan, it also attempts to present an alternative narrative of what is often…