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....
View ArticleWhy 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...
View ArticleHow 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...
View ArticleHow 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...
View ArticleHow 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...
View ArticleStadium 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...
View ArticlePublic 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...
View ArticleIn memory of my sister, Perween Rahman
Perween Rahman, Director of the Orangi Pilot Project, was killed on this day in 2013. She was a selfless and dedicated activist, a dear friend, a close comrade, a loving daughter and my younger sister....
View Article12 stops: A Do-It-Yourself tour of Karachi, Part II
It is perhaps impossible to reach a consensus on which places to include on a list of top attractions in Karachi. The geographical spread of the metropolis makes it difficult for one individual to see...
View ArticleThe fear of Hindu Rashtra: Should India's Muslims keep away from electoral...
Four months before the Uttar Pradesh election results sent Muslims in India reeling in shock, former Rajya Sabha MP Mohammed Adeeb delivered a speech in Lucknow, which, in hindsight, might be called...
View ArticleA history of Karachi’s garbage outbreaks
Photo: File photo Karachi has witnessed at least three major garbage outbreaks. At the same time, ironically, the history of the city also suggests that it not only managed to eliminate these...
View ArticleThe colourful faces and celebrations of Holi in Umerkot
Holi has become one of the well-recognised cultural and religious events across the planet. While the global status it has received might be new, the festival of course has historical significance in...
View ArticleWhy I disagree with the censorship of social media and the imposition of hijab
Pakistani representatives seem to be getting their ankle-length trousers into quite a few unseemly knots these days over unprecedented ‘slights’ against our battle-hardened culture. Under attack (as it...
View ArticleContemplating suicide at age 8: How I grew up hiding my depression
When I was eight, I heard about a three-year-old who fell in a water tank and drowned. The news shattered mothers in the small community we lived in. My own mother told me to be more vigilant of myself...
View ArticleHow I raised my perfect child with Down Syndrome
For most parents, the day their first child is born is a special moment. It is the day that marks the start of a journey full of promises, dreams, and expectations. Parents hope that their newborn will...
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