Damadam mast Qalandar is a cry of rebellion against established orders
Sehwan is different. Unlike the more officially-accepted shrines of Pakistan, such as the Data Ganj Bakhsh in Lahore, Bari Imam in Islamabad, and the lustrous tombs of the Suhrawardi sufis in Multan,...
View ArticleHina Shahnawaz's murder shows Pakistani men won’t let women break free of...
Work and what it means for the female franchise — independence in industry, social emancipation, progress from our primitive psychology and a need to be better than the women before us — has belittled...
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As Pakistan cracks down on love, hate makes deeper inroads into the country
The Pakistani state has a unique ability to find itself in farcical situations.On Monday, February 13, the Islamabad High Court banned Valentine’s Day celebrations across the country on the eve of the...
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The breathtaking ruins of Mohenjo-Daro have an ancient tale to tell
Mohenjo-Daro is one of the oldest settlements in the Indus Valley Civilisation. It is believed to have been built 5,000 years ago in an area which today is in the Sindh province of Pakistan. Most...
View ArticleA world without written words: the remnants of Pakistan's oral tradition
A few years ago, I had gone on a long trip to south Punjab in Pakistan, where I wound my way through various Sufi shrines belonging to several traditions, some similar and others distinct. I was...
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Jhulay Lal's cradle of tolerance
This article was originally published on June 3, 2015. One of my colleagues asked me some time ago:‘Can you believe that Hindus and Muslims can pray at the same place simultaneously?’‘Well, of course...
View ArticleIt's time we stopped using 'kala' as an insult and respected the...
February is Black History Month in the United States. It originated in 1926 with the efforts of the Association for the Study of African-American Life and History, founded by historian Carter G....
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Why we should be concerned that our children are growing immune to terrorist...
We don’t realise how terrorist attacks affect our children indirectly. Have we ever stopped to think how it is changing our younger generation’s behaviour pattern?I will never forget the conversation I...
View ArticleHow Pakistan can save more lives at the site of bomb blasts
As a doctor who has worked at sites of suicide bombings, I have realised that Pakistan is in a far more deplorable state in terms of emergency medical assistance than I had thought. Countless lives can...
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How the Illuminati, a revolution, and American English are invading us
Photo credit: Wikimedia Commons Wife: Puppu pass hogaya.Husband: Really?Yes. Please congratulate him when he comes back from school.How do you know that?Know what?Pappu pass hogaya.I have his report...
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How India-Pakistan wars tore apart the social fabric of Umerkot
The imposing entrance of the Umerkot Fort. Wars have a way of creating false or incomplete histories. The tales of heroes and victories often obscure the plight of the common person caught in the war...
View ArticleAnimal hunting in Pakistan deserves no applause
This article was originally published on March 13, 2015.An Italian national flew 5,157 kilometers to Pakistan, travelled 234 miles north to Gilgit-Baltistan, trekked through the mountainous terrain to...
View ArticleI was handcuffed and tied but it was worth my fight against One Unit
50 years ago, 4th March, 1967 marked a watershed event in the post-Partition history of Sindh. It was the day when 207 students were arrested en masse at the G.M. Barrage between Jamshoro and Hyderabad...
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How this lesser known festival is celebrated annually by Hindus in Sindh
The Indus is a mainstay of the Indian civilisation. For the people of Sindh especially, its mythical status penetrates each and every aspect of Sindhi life. The mention of River Indus, or Sindhu, goes...
View ArticleI was sucked into my husband’s narcissistic world, but came out of it stronger
I quickly got up from my chair as I heard a loud thud and a door slamming shut across the hallway from my apartment. I looked out and saw my neighbour sitting in the corridor, bursting into tears.As...
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Stadium stories: Famous Pakistan cricket grounds
Gaddafi Stadium City: Lahore (Punjab)Constructed: 1959First Test Match: 1959 (Pakistan vs. Australia)Original Name: Lahore Stadium. Changed to Gaddafi Stadium in 1974.Seating Capacity: 27,000Home...
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Public misogyny: Chronicles of a boy on Karachi's streets
This article was originally published on January 22, 2016. This piece consists of snippets chronicling gender roles on the streets of Karachi through a male gaze, and also tells part of the story...
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Has Lahore forgotten why January 26 was chosen as India's Republic Day?
The Ferozepur road, one of Lahore’s arterial thoroughfares, evokes a lot of nostalgia. Starting from the Walled City, connecting several small ancient hamlets on the way, including Ichra, Mozang, Amar...
View ArticleI'll never forget the day Burhan Wani was killed
This blog was originally published on October 29, 2016.The news first broke when I was in the north of Kashmir in Vijbal, a town of less than a hundred households.My cousins had invited me for dinner...
View Article'Security situation' is the reason Taimur was shot. What is 'security...
In a police state, we all live on a knife’s edge. And the slightest error in judgment on part of a citizen may have lethal consequences. This ever-present fear is inconsistent with our vision of a free...
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