The Ummah and the nation-state
Contrary to the expectations of many Pakistanis, leaders of the Ummah have not come galloping on their Arabian horses, brandishing shining crescent swords, to help us in our Kashmir cause.…
Back to the good old days?
What an amazing creature our favourite political party, the PML-N, is. It can be Asma Jahangir in the morning and Zaid Zaman Hamid in the evening. Its tactical pendulum perpetually…
Political consciousness
The spectacular victory of the BJP in Uttar Pradesh (UP) has left many flabbergasted, prompting them to question the level of political consciousness among people in India. The ultra-right Hindu…
Jinns invade campuses
Last week, a workshop titled ‘Jinns and Black Magic’ was organised in Islamabad by the department of humanities at the COMSATS Institute of Technology (CIIT), one of Pakistan’s largest universities.…
This is now getting to be a farce
The Geo/ISI affair which began on a high note of patriotism is now in danger of descending from the sublime to the ridiculous. The complainant in an Islamabad court praying…
Falling one at a time
We have for some time lost the ability to prevent murderous attacks, particularly on the courageous. However, now we are fast losing the capacity to even adequately condemn them. It…
Life under Taliban
It would appear that the Taliban are broadcasting on a radio frequency most Pakistanis are not tuned into. And yet their message is loud and clear: our version of the…
Martian chronicles
A Recent editorial in this newspaper drew our attention to Mars One, an ambitious project that aims to take volunteers to the planet on a one-way trip to set up…
The ultimate destination
Clarity comes in the most unexpected places. A recent television show pitted Marvi Sirmed against Zaid Hamid after the latter accused the South Asian Free Media Association (of which Sirmed…
Varied voices
THE first Karachi Literature Festival 2010 was the crucible. Since then, each year, it has moved higher up the ladder to its present maturity as the 16th KLF, held this…
