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This March 23rd, admit that you do not love Pakistan
I do not believe that patriotism and the expression of love for our country ought to be limited to just a couple of occasions like March 23rd or August 14th. Yet here I am, writing a piece for one of...
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Downing Street raises the Belgian flag and we tweet for Brussels – but where...
Yet again Europe has been shaken by the impact of a terrorist attack – and, once again, it has responded in a way that we have come to see as tragically routine. On social media we have Facebook safety...
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‘Gurus’ like Sri Sri Ravi Shankar and Ramdev are a bad influence on society
Spirituality is no guarantee of salvation; it does not make you immune to the ordinariness of life. The yellow garb or white robe does not lift you from your prejudices and pettiness. Sri Sri Ravi...
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Will we ever be able to fill in the gaps in Pakistan’s social fabric?
A recent poll done by BBC World Service, found that people are more likely than ever to identify as ‘global citizens’. According to Globescan, which conducted the poll and interviewed more than 20,000...
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Aziz Ansari: Why Trump makes me scared for my family
“DON’T go anywhere near a mosque,” I told my mother. “Do all your prayer at home. Okay?” “We’re not going,” she replied. I am the son of Muslim immigrants. As I sent that text, in the aftermath of the...
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Would you buy your children a Malala inspired Bratz doll?
Nothing in our world happens without meaning or impact. In every moment, we absorb different forms of energy from whatever our surroundings hold, especially in the tender stage of childhood. Toys, for...
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Why are our advertisements advertising stereotypes and not the product?
Just recently, whilst watching a talk show on a news channel, I came across something horrific. Don’t worry, I am not delivering horrible news, we have plenty of news channels to do that already. It...
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I made 44 friends in Kenya’s prisons and they taught me more than I taught them
When I arrived in Nairobi on New Year’s Eve in 2015, I didn’t know what to expect. A city I had never visited before or had any familiarity to was going to be my home for a year. Its people,...
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#ETBlogsPicks 21 amazing women this International Women’s Day
This International Women’s Day, let’s remind our little girls that it’s not about being princesses, and damsels in distress. Let’s tell them instead that they should foster to be literary legends,...
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Belle is beautiful, but just a little too perfect to be completely relatable
“My dear Belle, you’re so ahead of your time. This is a small village, and it’s small-minded, as well. But small also means safe”. Emma Watson radiates positivity as Belle in her new movie Beauty and...
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Asma Jehangir, a force to be reckoned with
Growing up, I was filled with loathing for Asma Jehangir and yet somewhere deep down I had a sense of respect for her, however grudging it may have been. Today, I have come full circle and openly admit...
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The only nation where Malala Yousafzai is a contentious figure is her own
Of the numerous fault lines that exist in our society, none is as divisive as society’s opinion about Malala Yousafzai. A revered symbol of liberation and women empowerment across the world, sadly the...
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Why Mussarat Ahmad Zeb and Pakistanis still find it difficult to accept...
The attack on Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai was staged, read a tweet last week. This wasn’t a social media troll or veteran conspiracy theorist. This was a Member of the National Assembly (MNA),...
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Before boycotting Khaadi and fruit vendors, get your consumerism habits in order
I am often left speechless when asked to name a superstar from Pakistan who is unconditionally loved by the majority. I can’t think of a name like Shah Rukh Khan, whom people from around the globe...
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PML-N is cultivating a sexist and misogynist culture, but PTI is no better...
A few weeks ago, I had written an article lamenting the misogyny in our politics, which is actually a more accentuated reflection of the level of misogyny in our entire society. The Javed Latif...
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Honour is our national shame, not Mahira Khan
It’s 2017, which means every day one wakes up to a new outrage on social media – it is simply the way of the world now. You pick a side and tweet incessantly until the next outrage-inducing news comes...
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Benazir Bhutto can wear western attire at Oxford and be praised for her...
One can often witness how wearing hijab becomes an obstacle for women here in Pakistan. Be it at work, school or university, you will always be judged and scrutinised for everything you do. However, I...
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Our reaction to Muniba Mazari vs Khurram Shahzad is proof that in Pakistan,...
It is almost frightening to see how we are left with only a few role models now. Some have died, some were killed, and others have their status hanging in between. Passing away is not always physical –...
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Whether for smoking, wearing jeans or saying #MeToo, 2017 was a year of...
It’s finally that time of the year, when you get to cuddle up in a blanket on the sofa while you sip on hot chai (tea), and reflect on the past year. In fact, I’m doing just that as I write this. As...
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For a nation surviving on dharnas, Pakistan does not know how, when or what...
On January 17th, with the attendance and acceptance of Imran Khan and Asif Ali Zardari, two of the most powerful men in Pakistani politics, Tahirul Qadri boldly declared the collective opposition push...
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