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Neelum Valley: A song of splendour and separation
My great grandfather used to narrate to me tales of a valley which was nothing short of paradise on earth. He spoke of its clear waters and chilly summers; its orange autumns and snowy winters; its...
View ArticleAfter bombs and bullets, heat preys on Karachi
Not more than a month ago, my colleagues and I were discussing the possibility of us fasting in Ramazan. April was ending and the heat was already fast on the up. We were rather apprehensive about...
View ArticleWhy can't Spider-man be black?
A new batch of documents released by Wikileaks exposes the agreement between Marvel and Sony Pictures on mandatory traits for the Spider-man character, including the requirement for him to be...
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Heatwaves: What Pakistan can learn from developed economies
It’s a silent killer that does not make waves like floods and earthquakes. Globally, heatwaves kill thousands but the media and governments often ignore their humongous death toll.The tragic loss of...
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The medicinal benefits of Mardeela
Mardeela (aka Man Pulp) is a hybrid vegetable/fruit that is becoming popular among the middle-class men of our faithful republic. The medical benefits of Mardeela have been known since ancient times....
View ArticleThe army is here because the government isn't
Five days of hell, of death.As I write this, I can say with assurance that at least 950 people in Karachi alone have died in the past five days due to heat-related medical complications. And with equal...
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Cappadocia: A Turkish delight
Where else can you take a peek into history and set foot on the honeycombed network of an underground city, complete with sleeping chambers; kitchens (even granaries with grindstones); air shafts;...
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Chasing dreams: Sahiwal's female sprinter overcomes hurdles
Nadia Nazeer, from Punjab’s Sahiwal, holds the distinction of winning five bronze medals in international 400 metre sprints. A mother of one, Nadia continues to chase her dream of becoming an...
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Khan's dhaba: A story in pictures
Originally, the term dhaba was used for restaurants on the highway, which serve local food dishes. These roadside shacks were basically mud structures with charpaais, for mostly truck drivers going to...
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Shaikh Bhirkio: 'This saint is only mine'
Last year, I went to visit the Shaikh Bhirkio shrine in a town by the same name some 30 kilometres from Hyderabad in Sindh. This was my fifth trip to the shrine, which I made for my book Sufis, Saints...
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Karachi's mighty Shiraz Coach
—Photo by author.Over the deafening roar of the Shiraz coach, my headphones comfort me with Slipknot, as I sit in a corner women's seat aligned with the chassis of the bus. It isn't my first time on...
View ArticleSafety in Ramazan
Ramazan is a month for reflection and peace; however, more often than not in the rush to get home to have Iftar with the family or to hasten to cook as many dishes as one can in a limited time, people...
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The goddess of wisdom and Maulvi Abdul Haq
The hustle and bustle of Karachi often overshadows its historical significance, but amidst its smog-filled dingy streets and crumbling edifices lies a city full of intriguing stories. The construction...
View ArticleWhy I stopped being an apologist for PTI
When in 1997 my uncle pinned the 'diya' on my shirt, my joy knew no bounds. The diya was Imran Khan's party symbol at that time. In a very PML-N-leaning locality, I wore it around proudly all day. Even...
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NJV — Sindh's first public school
If you went around in Karachi asking various students which education institutes they studied in, most would reply in acronyms like NED, DJ, DCTO and so on. Recently, just before summer break, my...
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A photowalk through historic Hyderabad
Hyderabad, one of Pakistan's most historic cities, has sadly not received the recognition it deserves. The history of this land on the Ganju Takkar hillock can be traced back to the Mauryan era...
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Food Stories: Chana chaat
Chana chaat, a sub-continental favourite, transcends borders, ethnicities, religion, caste and colour. Come Ramazan, tea time, dinners, and even at breakfast, the chana chaat is ever present. One of my...
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Khairpur's golden harvest and the women behind it
Although date palm is a developing industry in Pakistan, the country is already one of the largest producers of this fruit crop in the world. And in the business of producing dates, the city of...
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How many of Pakistan's 15 million Facebook users will plant a tree?
When you are a young university student, every evening spent at the university has a charm, but my evenings at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, are unforgettable for a special reason.I can...
View ArticleJazz, fusion and electric sitar: Pakistan's unlikely musical past
Name one industry in Pakistan that is thriving against all odds? Try music.We are blessed to have quite a rich culture of music even though the much reviled Zia era didn’t do it any favours. It could...
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