Songs of slaughter
WE all have soundtracks to our lives; background music that plays in our heads depending on our mood and situation. We know which songs we like to listen to when…
The ones left behind
CITIZENSHIP, or shehriat, is a context-dependent concept which is performed, negotiated and practised under historical, cultural, political and social legacies. The subcontinent’s political history shaped a strong Muslim identity, inspiring…
Fear of a mysterious majority
ACCORDING to popular history, Mahatma Gandhi’s proposal to make Mohammad Ali Jinnah the first prime minister of independent India to thwart partition was opposed directly or obliquely by Jawaharlal Nehru…
Tourism potential
AT a time when tourism has emerged as a major sector of the global economy, many nations have invested heavily in the industry to contribute to their GDP and also…
A movement critically poised
THE gunman half danced, half walked with a swagger towards the swarming crowd of India’s bravest women. His movements resembled a Shyam Benegal movie sequence around an obscure ritual to…
Sindh’s separation
THE epic story revolving round Sindh’s separation from the Bombay Presidency in the last century remains unknown to the people of Pakistan. The issue doesn’t concern Sindh alone: it relates…
For God’s sake, stop the war
WE are now into the month of Ramazan, a period of piety and self-reflection for Muslims, though one can’t tell that by the unravelling of the mayhem in Pakistan. It…
Floods and photo ops
WITH monster floods and a third of Pakistan submerged, world figures have expressed sorrow and promised some aid. While actual needs are huge, this at least shows empathy with victims.…
Fraud and fury in Kashmir
WHILE the world looks away, Narendra Modi’s government continues to take steps to impose more fraudulent arrangements on occupied Jammu and Kashmir. After J&K’s illegal annexation, bifurcation and integration into the Indian…
Reality of violence
The rise of Hindu nationalism, known as Hindutva, in India has fueled a disturbing wave of communal violence and intolerance, emboldened by state support. Hindutva, rooted in a desire for…
