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Stories from Hazara

The tradition of writing historical novels in Urdu is over a century old. From Abdul Halim Sharar and Rashidul Khairi to Aslam Rahi, M Aslam, and Naseem Hijazi, there is…

A freedom lost”: Part – I

Formulating laws and creating rules from above – without broader consultations – is not a good idea. Of course, you cannot consult criminals while legislating against them but other than…

Remembering Ahmad Saleem

Ahmad Saleem, a luminary in the realm of Urdu and Punjabi literature and poetry, left an indelible mark on Pakistan’s social and political landscape. He was a mentor to many…

Crime and police

The Arabic word ‘noor’ has multiple meanings. Depending on the context, it can mean brightness, divine light, or simply ‘light’. ‘Raushnai’ is a Persian word having similar meanings, but it…

History, language and Sufism

Seldom does one come across two books by the same writer that enchant readers so deeply. As a student of history and languages, I am compelled to share my impression…

The Palestinian Holocaust

Leading global powers – aka Israel’s sponsors: the US, UK, EU, Canada – who are also the self-proclaimed champions of universal values and who Netanyahu described as “forces of civilisation”,…

The meaning of sacrifice

The ‘chehlum’ of Hazrat Imam Hussain and his devoted companions was observed on Thursday (Sep 7) where thousands of people participated in the processions held in different parts of the…

Back to the status quo

The recent hasty legislation carried out by parliament clearly indicates that the houses of public representatives have become merely a rubber stamp. It is thought that, since July 1, more…

The legacy that lingers

August 17 marks the death anniversary of General Ziaul Haq, Pakistan’s longest serving ruler. Having ousted the country’s hitherto most popular leader ZA Bhutto in a coup on July 5,…

How long to fix Pakistan?

Too much has already been said about the current Pakistani polycrisis. Nothing said so far is particularly insightful. Of course, nothing said is particularly wrong or off the mark either…