Cultured lives
Good news may seem hard to come by, but in large part that is because it does not sell newspapers or grab headlines. This is not a local phenomena but…
Demons we must fight
Sometime back in these columns I had argued that if Islam were to sue for libel, many of its followers would find themselves in the dock. No faith has suffered…
Battle of the porridges…and the hope for miracles
The coming elections are not about the next government. If it were just that, it wouldn’t matter. One great humbug or the other, we could live with the consequences. But…
Life and literature
FOR five days in the month that ends today a fairly large number of Pakistanis had the opportunity of looking at themselves through the glasses of quite a few worthy…
Less politics, more art
These days preparations for the Karachi Literature Festival are underway, a happy time for those of us who want to turn our minds from politics and towards the arts. Yet…
Political jugglers (Part I)
Asadullah Khan Ghalib was an indomitable and versatile figure. He could, in simple verse, express human characteristics in all aspects. The following verse is a masterpiece in describing the contradictions…
End of a dream
So it was not to be. Not because the people of the city were cruel – shehr ke log zaalim na thay – but because they were just indifferent. They…
No sustained dialogue
“He fought himself until his blood was extinguished. Only then was he worthy of his people.” — Pablo Neruda In 1969, Pablo Neruda commented that he never saw a division…
Literature is losing adherents — Jazib Qureshi
With eight poetry collections and half a dozen books of criticism as well as an autobiography to his credit, Prof Jazib Qureshi stands out among the scores of his contemporaries…
Searching for a redeemer
People who are familiar with Urdu and read and enjoy its poetry know how sweet and captivating a language it is. Those familiar with our cultural heritage and can enjoy…
