I was quoted in this NYT article on Lahore
Still, Raza Rumi, a writer and blogger who takes great pride in his city, insisted that “Islamic extremism has had very little appeal here.” The cultural life of Lahore goes on, as it has for centuries.
He said that a recent stage play, ‘Hotel Moenjodaro,’ whose theme was against religious fundamentalism, drew a packed audience. “It was very encouraging,” Mr. Rumi said.
Nonetheless, he said, the Hall Road incident and the juice store blasts were alarming. “If the traders, the merchant class, which forms the bulk of the middle class of Lahore, becomes Talibanized, then the whole complexion of the city will change,” he said. “That’s a fear amongst the secular intelligentsia and elite of Lahore.”
Full story here
