Swinging Sialkot
Sialkot is in the news again. For the wrong reasons. As an alumnus of Sialkot, let me cast some light on swinging Sialkot of the 1960s. My father was posted…
The Pope in Iraq
The four-day tour of war-torn Iraq by Pope Francis is a significant event at several levels. Undertaken amidst serious security concerns and at the height of the coronavirus pandemic, the…
Europe’s cliff
As the campaigns for the European Parliament get underway, some of the traditional lines that formerly divided left, right, and center are shifting, making it harder to easily categorize political…
Merry Christmas!
Like other parts of world, preparations to celebrate Christmas started in Pakistan with traditional zeal and enthusiasm. Members of the Christian community are attending special services at beautifully-decorated churches where…
The ghost of communalism
When the legendary Indian leader and first prime minister of the largest democracy Pundit Jawaharlal Nehru died in May 1964, the famous Urdu poet Sahir Ludhianvi paid him glowing tribute…
Secularism at risk
During my visits to India for religious rituals, what I have observed is that Indian Muslims are as patriotic to their country as their Hindu or Christian community is. Regardless…
The carnage in Sri Lanka
The killing of 321 people, including 45 children and 36 foreigners, in the serial suicide bombings on Easter morning in Sri Lanka shocked the whole world. The attacks left more…
Minorities’ long wait
INDICATIONS that the government is planning to act proactively in addressing the grievances of the minority communities can only be welcomed. Fortunately, no time-consuming inquiry is needed to ascertain the…
Women in the minority
On this International Women’s Day, let us look at the challenges that minority women and girls face, in addition to those of an average Pakistani woman. Gender experts often use…
Broken promises
After Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan staged a successful show and managed to sign an agreement of its choice with the government, it seems the party added more feathers to its political standing…
