Punjab By-Elections: Imran Khan’s Populist Rhetoric Wins
This is the time for Pakistan’s establishment to smell the coffee for its adventurism since 2016 has resulted in the current imbroglio. If there…
July 17 Polls: Will PML-N Survive The Challenge?
As the July 17 by-polls in the Punjab come closer, the political rhetoric of former PM Imran Khan has gained intensity indicating how the…
Imran Khan’s Ouster: Why Did The Hybrid Regime Collapse?
The dramatic events of March-April 2022 highlight the breakdown within the hybrid regime. Of late Khan’s cronies have admitted the conflict with the establishment…
News Analysis | Delay In Cabinet Formation Bodes Ill For Parliamentary Democracy
The prime minister, also known as ‘speedy Shehbaz’, should demonstrate his ‘speed’ by announcing the cabinet without any delay and involve the parliament in…
Imran Khan’s Coup Has Pushed Pakistan To Anarchy. Will The Supreme Court Act?
Systemic shocks such as the one designed and executed on Sunday, if not remedied by the judiciary, will normalise fascism and set dangerous precedents…
Pakistan In 2022: Hybrid Regime Will Unravel But Pakistanis Will Pay The Cost
The ‘hybrid regime’ that has been governing Pakistan since 2018 became hostage to internal contradictions and external pressures throughout the year 2021. The year…
From Lahore To Gwadar: Flawed Development Model Undermines Citizens’ Rights
For years, the local Baloch population has been complaining about their non-inclusion in the medium- and long-term development plans. Towards the end of 2021,…
Will Sialkot Tragedy Change The State Policy Of Appeasing Religious Fanatics?
The Sialkot tragedy should be a wakeup call for the incumbent government as well as the all powerful establishment. The brutal lynching and burning of…
Shanul Haq Haqqee: The Forgotten Literary Giant
“Don’t know whose idea it is and what the target is. My personal goals have been very limited. Nor have I ever made literature…
Fahmida Riaz’s Demise Is An End Of An Era, says Raza Rumi
In this video, Raza Rumi pays tribute and cherishes Fahmida Raiz’s memories. A fearless voice of Urdu literature, an extraordinary personality and a person…
Sufi hearts in Delhi (2009 article)
This was published in The Friday Times in the May 22-29, 2009 issue Getting a visa to India is a nightmare for ordinary mortals.…
Odd spaces and new media
June 17, 2017: Odd spaces and new media (The Friday Times) My talk to artist Faisal Anwar, whose work plays with space and time in…
The party line
My exclusive interview for the Friday Times with Kamran Asdar Ali about his book and the history of the Pakistani left Your book employs…
Farewell, Abdul Sattar Edhi
Raza Rumi on the man who defied a callous state and society, unbowed in his love of humanity The death of Abdul Sattar Edhi…
Uphill Battle
One-year review of Pakistan’s fight against extremism and terrorism Nearly a year ago, Pakistani security forces announced the killing of Malik Ishaq, leader of…
We need to talk about NAP
27 Jan 2017: We need to talk about NAP (The Friday Times) [highlighted_text]The TTP’s attack on Parachinar proves the anti-terror plan is not working [/highlighted_text]…
Islam and the Cold War baroque
When empire strikes back, but the Force remains strong in the arts and academia of contemporary Muslim countries. I spared with Sadia Abbas As…
Grace in hand
Komail Aijazuddin’s artwork marks a step beyond the earlier explorations of the baroque symbolism Komail Aijazuddin is a representative of Pakistan’s younger generation of…
Remembering Parveen Shakir (1952-1994)
My 2009 article published in The Friday Times. Parveen Shakir (1952-1994) has defined the sensibilities of several generations and beyond. At the relatively young…
Remembering Intizar Husain
.Raza Rumi remembers Intizar Husain as a colossus of letters, but also as a formative influence for himself (L-R) Jamila Hashmi, Intizar Husain, Masood…