Nawaz Sharif, a veteran of Pakistan’s political tumult
CNN’s Jethro Mullen weighs in on Nawaz Sharif The strongest contender to become the next Pakistani prime minister is hardly a newcomer to the country’s political stage. Nawaz…
‘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 my career as a…
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 Pakistan, especially the Taliban,…
Travelogue (Part II) – Yeh hai Bombay meri jaan
Things had changed. Bombay has metamorphosed into Mumbai (shining India is also more parochial); Sahar airport had been renamed (as Chatrapathi Shivaji International Airport) after the great Maratha…
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”, “Militants in Lahore struck…
Mystical Form of Islam Suits Sufis in Pakistan
A NYT piece where I was quoted. By SABRINA TAVERNISE – LAHORE, Pakistan For those who think Pakistan is all hard-liners, all the time, three activities at an…
Let the cynics froth and fume
This is the magic of Lahore and its deep-rooted cultural mores. No other city can boast of such individuals, movements and trends. Hopefully, the music will live on.…
Extracts from Empires of the Indus by Alice Albinia
From The Guardian In a land where it seldom rains, a river is as precious as gold. Water is potent: it trickles through human dreams, permeates lives, dictates…
Build The Peace Consensus
By Sadia Dehlvi The trail of terror continues with cricketers as the latest target. The Mumbai and Lahore attacks, public executions and the murder of over a thousand…
Reclaiming melody
Izzat Majeed was raised in a household where good music was an object of reverence. His late father, Mian Abdul Majeed was an avid music fan, and from…
Rediscovering Zahoor ul Akhlaq (1941-1999)
Raza Rumi asks if Pakistani state and society are ready to reclaim the great artist on his tenth death anniversary Ten years ago, on a grey, brutal January…
9 Is Not 11
I am completely under the spell of this fabulous piece of writing, brutally honest and eminently sensible. 9 Is Not 11 (And November isn’t September) By: ARUNDHATI ROY…
Data Ganj Baksh: Lahore’s oldest guide
Perhaps the greatest of the experiences at Data Darbar is to find oneself connected to a stream of humanity, shoulder to shoulder, with a shared sense of spirituality…
Islamabad: This too shall pass
Bemoaning Islamabad’s fall from grace Not long ago, Delhi and Lahore were vulnerable to hordes of foreign invaders. The Mongol fear was overwhelming and indeed Delhi, the capital…
Living Lohawarana – a Lahori rambling
My piece for Himal Magazine’s October issue There was a Lahore that I grew up in, and then there is the Lahore that I live in now. Recovering…
No One Is Left Hungry at Ajmer
“No one goes hungry in Ajmer during Ramadan” – NDTV – New Delhi, India By Rajan Mahan, For Muslims of south Asia, the Sufi Dargah at Ajmer stands…
Hyderabad – Past And Present
The Untold Charminar -Reviewed By Asif Noorani Way back in 1954 when I greeted a grand old lady, who had migrated to Karachi from what used to be…
The sway of the Bauls: Oblivious minstrels of soul
“The sway of the Bauls: Oblivious minstrels of soul” “By Ratnadeep Banerji – Organiser – New Delhi, India Weekly issue: August 17, 2008 Baul etymologically arises from Sanskrit…
Kabir, Bulleh and Lalon – Petals of a mystic lotus
The subcontinent during the 15th century witnessed the coming of age of a process that started brewing with the arrival of Central Asian Sufis, those eternal travellers who…
The invisibility of the Mughal princesses
Painting by A.R Chughtai | Chughtai Museum My piece published by the Himal Magazine The limitations of Southasia’s historical record can be seen in the indifference towards two…