Women, pilgrimage and nation building in South Asian Sufism
Came across this interesting abstract of a paper entitled Beyond division: Women, pilgrimage and nation building in South Asian Sufism authored by Pnina Werbner.…
My candle burns at both ends
Who will listen to the tale of my woeful heart? Far and wide have I wandered on the face of this earth And I…
‘My life-achievement’ – karnama e hayat
Mera karnama-e-zindagi
Meri hasraton kay siwa nahi
Yeh kiya nahi, woh hua nahi
Yeh mila nahi, woh raha nahi. :D…
Islamabad tragedy – a close call
While we were landing, it makes me shiver that another aircraft had lost contact with the control tower in Islamabad and was about to…
Pakistan: Ungoverned Spaces
My paper published by CIDOB – Barcelona Centre for International Affairs Even after more than six decades since its inception, Pakistan has been unable…
Six Skeletons Sitting on the Sidewalk
Airyn Lentija’s poem entitled Six Skeletons Sitting on the Sidewalk laments the plight of street children in the Philippines and across the globe. On…
Wikileaks and our fantasies
Pakistanis are not interested in what the west likes or dislikes. We are concerned for our security, especially for the burgeoning youth of this…
Redefining national interest
There is simply no alternative to information flow and dismantling the iron curtain. Let the disputes remain, but allow media access across the borders.…
Blog it out
Published in The News Haneya H. Zuberi writes on how the influx of blogs has made writers — or bloggers — out of the…
Media freedoms versus responsibility (holy cow syndrome)
Published in The News Much has been said about media accountability and the dire need of a regulation framework for Pakistan’s new power centre.…
A secular-minded government rejects excessively religious dress in school
The Economist reports: Take it off Jul 15th 2010 | Damascus AS MEMBERS of France’s parliament voted to outlaw the public wearing of the…
Devising a new framework for Indo-Pak peace
The next 12 months are critical: an Afghanistan settlement has to take place, the water issue needs to be explored and Kashmir back channel…
No alternative to peace with India
It is clear that regional stability is a foremost priority for India given its focus on achieving a 10 per cent growth rate. Pakistan…
A beatific vision – Nizamuddin Auliya
A beatific vision – Nizamuddin Auliya, originally uploaded by Jahane Rumi. There is something unique, almost magical about this place. Otherwise a tiny space…
Saving the Capital
My piece for The News: The recent decision of the Supreme Court to order closure of a multinational food chain restaurant in Islamabad is…
Lahore death toll is increasing
I am still devastated -the death toll is increasing. There seems to be no end to this reign of terror – Pakistanis are now…
Bleak prospects
My op-ed published in Express-Tribune today It is evident that the Pakistani state faces a crisis of legitimacy and survival. Twelve years ago, on…
Suicide Bombers Strike Sufi Shrine in Pakistan
I was quoted in this piece – wish the references were made in a less tragic context. “Suicide Bombers Strike Sufi Shrine in Pakistan”,…
Suicide bombers kill dozens at Pakistan shrine
Declan Walsh in Islamabad reporting for the Guardian At least 42 killed and 175 injured in blasts at Sufi shrine in Lahore where thousands…
Lahore attack strikes Sufism, a tolerant blend of Islam
A France24 story By Leela JACINTO (where I was quoted) The attack on the landmark Data Darbar shrine in the eastern Pakistani city of…