Trauma: The real cost of unending war and disaster in Pakistan
She cowered in a corner every time someone raised their voice.Even watching TV shows, where people debated and argued, would set her off. Her heart rate would increase and she would relive her trauma,...
View Article5 ways American Muslims should counter Trump’s narrative
Ever wondered how Hitler was elected to power? Ever thought how a democratically elected individual could discriminate so much against a certain minority?Well, now you have a refresher course in...
View ArticleAre we wrong about Mohammad Amir?
Shaharyar Khan in his book ‘Cricket Cauldron’ raises a thought-provoking question which requires great introspection.He asks if it is the tainted trio that failed us, or our society, full of corrupt...
View ArticleAamir Khan — A ‘traitor’ for fearing extremism in India?
Aamir Khan and his wife, Kiran Rao are not the only ones to have despaired and wondered, if they should leave the country because they feel vulnerable and worried for their child’s future, because of...
View ArticleClik here to view.
The on again, off again life of Pakistan’s death-row paraplegic
Abdul Basit. —Photo courtesy of ReprieveHe has come within minutes of his death before. Once, the rain delayed the execution. He waited for hours under a tin roof for the rain to stop. Eventually, the...
View ArticleHow the local government elections are strengthening democracy in Pakistan
My cousin is contesting a Union Council election in a rural constituency in southern Punjab — my family’s first foray into any kind of electoral politics.Over the years, I have encountered deep...
View ArticleClik here to view.
After the 17-year-itch: The historic 1978 Indo-Pak cricket series
Pakistan and India haven’t played a Test series for almost eight years now. As always, the reasons have been largely political.Before the current stalemate, there was a 10-year-break (in the 1990s)....
View ArticleClik here to view.
Is it time to say goodbye to the Suzuki Mehran?
—Photo Illustration by author.Some 31 years ago, engineers at Suzuki Motors Japan developed the second generation of Suzuki Alto, better known to us as the ‘Suzuki Mehran’. The first generation of Alto...
View ArticleThe war on terror and the terror of war
“Because no battle is ever won he said. They are not even fought. The field only reveals to man his own folly and despair, and victory is an illusion of philosophers and fools.” —William Faulkner, The...
View ArticleClik here to view.
15 start-ups that are changing the way Pakistanis live
These 15 start-up companies are literally reshaping the way Pakistanis work and play. These young innovative Pakistani minds are increasingly making inroads into technologically advanced ways,...
View ArticleMy Pakistani Black Friday experience
‘Hello, are you OK? Can you hear me, Ma’am?’ a fading voice asked me again as my vision began to blur, a sea of faces was closing in on me as I lay motionless on the floor.My palpitating heart was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Cut from glass: The perilous lives of Hyderabad’s bangle makers
What is that one accessory which completes the desi ensemble for the South Asian woman?Indeed, it is the glittery, shimmery chooriyaan! Growing up in Hyderabad, I remember taking long walks on chaand...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Climate justice: There is no Planet B
Last Friday morning, Islamabad’s busy Jinnah Avenue was closed off to motor cars and opened for cyclists only.Around a hundred young people from the capital city took part in the “Go Green Rally!”...
View ArticleSexually harassed at work? Meet the predators
If I had a magic wand, I would wave it over all Pakistani women so they could walk the earth with the same confidence and safety as that of a Pakistani man.Delve into Dr. Fauzia Saeed’s telling...
View ArticleIshtiaq Ahmed — Tracing Pakistan's fundamentalist transition
A few days ago, I read about the demise of Urdu novelist Ishtiaq Ahmed. I was introduced to him in the early days of my childhood when I had just discovered the pleasures of reading.My uncle, who was...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Democracy begins at home — When I voted against my mother’s party
The feeling of empowerment is the beauty of democracy. For someone like me, who, by the grace of God, belongs to a privileged background, the feeling of empowerment cannot even begin to compare to that...
View ArticleBlackberry exit: Is blanket surveillance aimed at tackling terror...or...
The news of BlackBerry Ltd. moving out of Pakistan comes as no surprise. The story made headlines after the Canadian company received aggressive demands from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority...
View ArticleClik here to view.
A fly-on-the-wall look at Pakistan’s disappointing start at COP21
After months of tedious preparation, I finally landed in Paris this past weekend to attend the UN Climate Change Conference 2015 (or COP21 since this is the 21st meeting of the Conference of the...
View ArticleClik here to view.
Pakistan-India series: Waiting for a ‘mauka’ to play again
They say cricket is our religion. Not just in India but also across the border also. We give our teams the same do-or-die pressure, we burn effigies if they don’t win and sometimes, lose the plot and...
View Article