Amir Husain

Few have said this, but those who have lived in both countries long enough will agree: Pakistanis and Americans share many similarities of character. Both nations are fiercely independent and value freedom, self-respect and national dignity. Unlike many in Europe, Americans still largely have a frontier spirit, trusting themselves and their own capabilities above all […]

Many years ago, my father introduced me to a quote by Aristotle that went like this, “Dignity consists not in possessing honours, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.” I was very young at the time and could not quite grasp what this meant entirely. He tried to explain it to me, and perhaps […]

Many years ago, my father introduced me to a quote by Aristotle that went like this, “Dignity consists not in possessing honours, but in the consciousness that we deserve them.” I was very young at the time and could not quite grasp what this meant entirely. He tried to explain it to me, and perhaps […]

Driving down Parmer Lane in Austin, Texas the other day, I passed by a massive 16-wheeler emblazoned with the Goodwill Industries’ logo on its side. On the left, there was a huge picture of a girl who appeared utterly lost, desperation and despair showing in her eyes. But the right side showed the same girl, […]

One might ask, why is it that when these Pakistani students go to study to Europe and the US, they do amazingly well, graduate with top honours and almost always land lucrative jobs, or go on to achieve professional success. If elite Pakistani schools are not good, why does Pakistan hold the world record for […]

Growing up, the atmosphere in our home was atypical for both the place and the time. While General Ziaul Haq’s Saudi-inspired campaign of societal regression was underway in full force, my parents were spending much of their time and resources on furthering the cause of a broad-based, enlightened education for the underprivileged in the country. […]

All political and social issues ultimately find settlement not on paper, via signed agreements or in international fora housed in fancy buildings, but in the minds and hearts of people. Lasting solutions and sustainable arrangements usually come about only when the people involved have decided to adopt a mutually tolerant line of thinking. This is […]

Pakistan lost one of its great treasures on April 11, 2013. Justice Khwaja Muhammad Ahmad Samdani is no more. He returned to his Maker, but what he leaves behind is a legacy of honesty, dignity and an absolute adherence to principles. There are few men living today for whom one can say this with any […]

Technology is perhaps the single most important force driving progress for the human race, and for those beings yet to evolve that will one day be our evolutionary successors. While we distract ourselves with the linear implications of everyday events, major technological developments bring about exponential, framework-altering shifts that re-define the contours of our reality. […]