It’s happening again. The slogans of national interest are rising like smoke signals and a war-hungry people are sharpening their daggers and spikes for the showdown. Federal Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar declared that NGOs working against national interest will be shown the door. This has...
In early 2013 I ended up in a situation rather naively which didn’t go so well. I was assisting an expert on Gender who was called in to propose a policy to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf as it self-assuredly prepared to run the nation. After a presentation...
Three things can encompass the state of education in Pakistan and the respect it gets: Pakistan’s only Nobel laureate, Abdus Salam’s persecution; the bullet that was fired at child education activist, Malala’s head and consequent attempts to discredit her, and lastly the Army Public School...
Published in The Friday Times on December 7th 2012 Amidst all the growing intolerance in Pakistan, culture has been one of the first to suffer. But it is also true that in dark times our souls seek to be stirred and our spirits lifted, often leading...
Published in the Daily Times on April 30th In 2011, the World Health Organisation (WHO) said there were about 451,377 people, including 345,899 women, suffering from psychological problems in FATA. In this region, on a daily basis, people witness acts of war and trauma. Mothers...
Published in the Daily Times on April 10th 2012 There are many fellow travellers I am not proud of sharing my green Pakistani passport with but I am particularly not proud of sharing this passport with Hafiz Saeed. His organisation is a declared terrorist outfit by...