Naeem Bokhari – More sinned against than sinning
Yesterday, All Things Pakistan published my little protest against the uncalled for treatment of the much maligned Naeem Bokhari. A few excerpts here.. We…
The distasteful side of fedual shrine culture
In a story entitled Punjab grants divine man obscene rights, Hamid Asghar of DAWN had written this report about the way the Sufi descendants…
Finally some filmi cooperation..
Interesting developments in Pakistani cinema: first the release and accolades that a newly released Khuda Ke Liye (In the name of God) received and…
A damning UN report
The revelation contained in a recent UN report on Afghanistan that “more than 80 per cent” of suicide bombers in Afghanistan are recruited and…
On the “death of Pakistani culture”
Khaled Ahmed is the endangered variety of writers. A true man of letters proficient in world languages, histories and cultures, he is a journalist…
Inhospitable Reception
“While the ‘easy-white-woman’ stereotype is being reinforced, how can Pakistan become a tourist destination?” Conversing with Charlotte is always a pleasure. She’s original and…
Saving Kahoo Jo Daro
Read this impassioned appeal in the press – it also alerted me to the situation that haunts this ancient relic. The city is built…
Anyone listening?
Thanks to my friend Temporal, I had a chance to read this account of contemporary Pakistan – The diary of a border crosser –…
Darlymple on India and Pakistan
William Darlymple’s article published in the Guardian is an insightful piece that attempts to be unbiased and reflects on some pertinent issues that afflict…
On Half truths – Guest Post by Ali Eteraz
Today, Jahane Rumi is publishing a guest post by Ali Eteraz who is well known in the blogopshere. Eteraz is a gifted, fiery writer…
Nazmain Chand – Poems for 15th August
Happy Independence day to the Indian friends and readers! Today’s post comprises a few poems that may capture several moods and facets of the…
60 Years of Independence – some links
Found these great links on the internet: Freedom at Midnight by VK Joshi Bombay Stock Exchange – Epitomizing India’s Growth by Nayanima Basu Raising…
Du’aa (Prayer) on the Independence Day
This moving poem by Faiz was written forty years ago and still sounds so fresh and relevant… Du’aa (Prayer) — A nazm for Pakistan’s…
Healing the wounds of Partition ..
I read this interesting, albeit a little contentious, piece by Ravinder Kaur that examined the impact of partition on settling the communal question. The…
Becoming Pakistani
A fine piece of writing at Opendemocracy: As a small child, Maruf Khwajas life was transformed by the carving of his mother country into…
‘Gandhi, My Father’ – humanising heroes
It is an interesting coincidence that the new Bollywood film, Gandhi – My Father has been released days before the subcontinent celebrates sixty years…
Tum bilkul hum jaisey nikley – Fahmida Riaz
Guest Post by Raza Rumi After reading some of the recent posts and comments on the communal politics and the [ab]use of religion, I…
Disaster (once again) – an appeal for help
Life must be a living hell for the millions made homeless by the recent cyclone and floods in Pakistan. It reminds one of the…
Dhaka by degrees
How poor are they who have not patience! What wound did ever heal but by degrees. -William Shakespeare I grew up in the post-East…
When sorrows come…
Thought of Shakespeare while being depressed with events in Pakistan. When sorrows come, they come not single spies, but in battalions!…