#Pakistan: A hashtag nation
It's true: we are a hashtag nation. It means our attention span is only as long as the time a hashtag survives on Twitter’s trending list. We do not have serious discussions or educated discourse on...
View ArticleClik here to view.
From the children of Pakistan: A message delivered by a fighter pilot
PAF pilots wrote this message from the children of Pakistan on bombs. — Photo by author“Riz, you have a phone call,” were the first words I heard as I entered the air-crew room after a mission.I...
View ArticleCan these 36 questions help you pick the best rishta?
It’s a bit of a crazy idea but one that has received a fair bit of media coverage in recent days, with articles in both the New York Times and The Guardian. In short, it is claimed that asking a set of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Who won 2014 in Pakistan?
Who won 2014 in Pakistan?By Ahmer Naqvi and Hassan CheemaWelcome to the “Who Won 2014 in Pakistan” blog, which uses cutting-edge science and advanced sabermetrics to determine which person, event or...
View ArticleAdrenaline rush: Dr Jamali holds her own when all is chaos
At the best of times, there is chaos at Jinnah Hospital’s emergency ward, and since Karachi is no stranger to violence and accidents, the ward is the busiest in the country.Amidst the gurneys being...
View ArticlePrime Minister 2.0: Harder, faster, stronger
In just a couple of weeks, thousands of Pakistani youth will sit through one of the most rigorous tests of human memory, in the form of the annual Central Superior Services (CSS) examination. In the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Kit unveiling: Selfies, star power and crass humour
Last week, I had a chance to fulfill one of my lesser fantasies as a Pakistan cricket fan – I was invited to attend the launch of Pakistan’s official World Cup 2015 jersey. Hosted by #PepsiCricket and...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Wandering in wonder: A new way to visit Karachi
'Marwat Coach' was our Super Karachi Express MinibusOne of the consequences of Karachi’s turmoil, I feel, is one that is experienced daily but seldom addressed by the state, its citizens, or the...
View ArticleWhy Deepika's fearless disclosure is important for South Asia
Last week Bollywood actress Deepika Padukone publicly admitted to suffering from depression, anxiety, and panic attacks throughout the past year.With two of the highest grossing Bollywood films of all...
View ArticlePetrol crisis: If no one will step up, someone needs to step down
It takes a special breed of people to create situations like these.The perpetual energy crisis was always there. But with sheer ineptness and commitment to cronyism and tireless efforts at mismanaging...
View ArticlePetrol crisis: Someone has to step down
It takes a special breed of people to create situations like these.The perpetual energy crisis was always there. But with sheer ineptness and commitment to cronyism and tireless efforts at mismanaging...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Food Stories: King of the Pakistani tea trolley
The Shami is the king of the tea trolley in Pakistan; may it be Eid or a casual drop-in at a friend’s house, the delicious delight is always a hot accompaniment. The kebab, with the hot pepper, red...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Here lies nobody ...
The grave of fast bowler Fazal Mahmood, titled 'Oval Hero' for his exploits in a 1954 Test played against England.On a tombstone in a derelict graveyard in Lahore, are written the words: “My wife, my...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Celiac disease and the trials of an allergy family
“Mama, can I eat this ... how about this?” my daughter asks for the 10th time as we cruise through the aisles. “Check the ingredients,” I reply. We do this every time we shop, because we are an...
View Article33% stronger: A Pakistan without terrorism
If incompetence and corruption of the ruling elite were not enough to derail the economy, Pakistan’s sustained bout with terrorism did the rest.Recent research shows that in the absence of terrorist...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Confessions of a ‘cultural critic’
The clerics and the warped reactionary mindset empowered by the Zia dictatorship never did go away. The truth is, things in this respect, actually got worse after Zia’s demise in August 1988.What he...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pakistan's porn uproar – click[bait] this India "bird sex" analysis
Sex (or controversy) sells. Couple it with Pakistan, and you have got a big story. Pakistan was caught being naughty again. In what seems to have become a regular occurrence, several news sites, global...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Tony Mahmood: A soldier's service, individuality, love
ServiceOn the morning of January 27, 1966, on my seventh birthday, I was handed a postcard from my father, Mir Ijaz (Tony) Mahmood. He had fought like blazes in the 1965 war and, in the span of a few...
View ArticleA parent's dread: Sending them back to school
"Is today the day I shall send my kids to school and regret for the rest of my life?" is the dilemma that parents in Pakistan wake up to each morning now. The looming shadow of terrorism that hovers...
View ArticleA cautious eulogy for Saudi Arabia's departed king
I have taken up the task of penning a eulogy for King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, who has passed away at the age of 90. One may have to pardon my insufficient zeal, which is somewhat blunted by the...
View Article