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Should she have declined the Nobel Peace Prize?
The Nobel Peace Prize is given to those who have “done the most or the best work for fraternity between nations, for the abolition or reduction of standing armies and for the holding and promotion of...
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You robbed him of trust, why the surprise then?
Another day. Another perfect state of affairs. Perfect in a picturesque Pakistani way. Why the surprise then? Because they say there is light at the end of the tunnel. But you just dragged that iota of...
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What is Abdul Sattar Edhi going to do now?
There’s something about Abdul Sattar Edhi that makes Pakistanis feel safe... almost protected, like a child feels with a parent around. He is old and frail and sickly. But he is there. He is alive. And...
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Za Pakhtoon Yum: A mind-altering foray into Pukhtun life and culture
So far, our dramas have revolved around the vicious circle of poverty, a miserable daughter-in-law suffering at the hands of her evil in-laws, societal customs, dowry issues, giving birth to a male...
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Are all Pakistani women damsels in distress?
It feels really good to be a Pakistani woman these days. It brings a big smile to my face when I see five Pakistani women in the list of BBC’s 100 women of 2014. And no matter how controversial one may...
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Another conspiracy theory, another anti-Malala day
Yesterday, when I was browsing through the internet, two headlines caught my attention. First was that of a terrible suicide blast in Nigeria that killed 47 students and second was of Pakistan Schools’...
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Pakistan celebrates Anti-Malala Day
An exclusive interview with the brains behind the anti-Malala day. Two days ago, the All Pakistan Private Schools Federation headed by Mirza Kashif Ali, celebrated ‘I Am Not Malala day’. It’s said that...
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The Nawaz Sharif and Model Town Lahore that I remember
The past is another country and my almost dementia-inflicted mind often fails me when faced with challenges of recalling timelines. I think it was back in the late 80s when my family and I moved to...
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To the Taliban, We are Pakistan and we will never forgive you
You can burn down our schools, tear the lives of families apart and ask minors to recite the kalma before you shoot them in the head. You can wage a war against humanity, impose a rule of tyranny and...
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Imran Khan: Always a crowd pleaser
It was September 22nd of last year; one of the blackest days in the history of Pakistan. It was a day when the Taliban targeted a church in Peshawar with a pair of suicide bombers who ripped through a...
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Will 2015 spare our children from the violence of 2014?
Thousands of miles away, in a candle vigil for the children of the Peshawar attack, the Mayor of Mississauga, Ontario, Canada, Bonnie Crombie said, “The children lost in Peshawar were not just...
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Showing off Pakistan’s achievements in 2014
2014 was like any other year for Pakistan in the last decade, with socio-political and religious excesses taking the lion’s share of space in the newspapers of the country. And yet, despite being...
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Can Pakistanis rise to the occasion?
It’s been a while since I last visited Pakistan; long enough that the kids I knew have now grown up to become functional, responsible adults. The friends I made are descending into the middle-age...
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The well-remembered Gandhi, but the oft-forgotten Bacha Khan
When we look back at our history, almost every country in the world has experienced some form of foreign occupation, colonisation, massive violence and bloodshed simply based on either regional,...
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A nation that forgets its heroes will itself soon be forgotten
American president, Calvin Coolidge, once said, “A nation that forgets its heroes will itself soon be forgotten.” It was a moment of relief and glory for Pakistanis when a hero, who was later turned...
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14 Pakistani women who help us hold our heads up high
Pakistan is in the grips of political turmoil, rampant corruption, fuel shortages and the threat of terrorism, yet the resilience and courage of its women are nothing short of remarkable and...
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What Naya Pakistan will be like in 2050
This is the year 2050. The Pakistan we once knew in 2015 has changed tremendously. Or has it really? Below is the glimpse of literally ‘Naya Pakistan’. 1. The government vows to end the energy crisis...
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Meet Maryam, India’s Malala
Recently, a 12-year-old Indian Muslim girl named Maryam won a contest by answering all the questions asked in the Bhagwad Gita. This is the first time in India’s history that a Muslim girl has broken...
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When will we start recognising our Women of Impact like the West does?
Pakistani women have done us proud again by securing a place in New York Time’s Women of Impact list 2015. The list honours outstanding women from around the world. It is diverse and interesting,...
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5 things I learnt after moving to Pakistan
When I made the decision to move to the notorious land called Pakistan, because of my husband’s job, there were mixed reactions from the community (to say the least). My non-Pakistani and non-Muslim...
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