Travelogue (Part III): India’s Silicon Valley
The tragedy of this first-ever visit to Bangalore was its short duration. Having said that, it is always better to have seen a city…
Travelogue (Part I) – Jammed in Delhi
The more we fight, the more similar we look. After the 2008 tragic incidents in Mumbai, the Indian and Pakistani media displayed their raw…
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.…
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…
Fatal obsession
It is a matter of public record that the founder of Pakistan had stated that Indo-Pakistan relationship will resemble that of the USA and…
Abida Parveen sings Faraz’s poem
Found this enchanting piece of music here: In his latest double CD “Paigham-e-Muhabbat” composer Muzaffar Ali, who has brought so much pleasure to our…
Saadat Hasan Manto – part II
After partition of India Saadat Hassan Manto arrived in Lahore sometime in early 1948. In Bombay his friends had tried to stop him from…
A red card for the Secular Indian Muslim
I am posting a brilliant piece (published by Indian Express) by my dear friend Rakhshanda Jalil – she is a bold yet sensitive writer…
Step across this Line
Quite a readable piece published by CARAVAN – thanks to Fizza Ishaq for sending me the link AS MUCH AS SHE MAY HAVE wanted…
Rakhshanda Jalil – Panchlight and other stories
My friend Rakhshanda Jalil is singlemindedly pursuing her interests and dreams. Her latest book of translation has attracted attention from critics as well as…
Farida Khanum Singing Raga Kamod – Manna for the Soul
I am cross-posting my dear friend Fawad’s excellent post from here. The links here are worth visiting and the music is fabulous for those who…
The tender tea house
I was quite pleased to read this piece. Aside from fact that it talks about me, the constant rememberance of Pak Tea House is…
Coffee, tea and revolution
Before his death in July 2009, KK Aziz had accomplished one mission that he had set for himself, i.e. to write about the Lahore…
Folklore sans frontiers
I was part of a delegation from Pakistan that was driving to Chandigarh to attend the SAARC folklore festival organized by Punjab’s legendary writer…
Itihaas : Was Hussaiyn bin Mansour Al Hallaj inspired by India?
By Akhilesh Mittal In the third century of its advent Islam and its world were in ferment about forms of polity such as the…
Old boys’ homecoming
Sumegha Gulati, Hindustan Times | October 10, 2009 Humayun Khan, 77, stood outside the imposing mahogany doors of the Irwin Hall inside Bishop Cotton…
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…
Jinnah Unfairly Demonised for Partition
Jinnah was a “great leader†and was unfairly “demonised†by India for his role in the Partition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh…
Mir in Lucknow
Special mention may be made of Mir Taqi Mir. On arrival in Lucknow, he went to a Mushaira (Symposium) dressed in his outdated attire…