Hafeez Khan

Filling gas balloons is a routine nowadays for party events. Helium canisters are readily available. It was not so six decades ago. The balloon vendor would show up with his wooden cart and a gas tank and announce his arrival by ringing a bell. I along with my cousins and other youngsters would congregate forming […]

“Nai reesan shahr Lahore diyan” is part of Lahori folklore. It translates as “Lahore has no comparison”. A bold statement repeated over generations. Diehards insist on adhering to it even though the city has exploded beyond recognition. It is over five decades since I adopted Lahore, even though I belong to Lyallpur. The metropolis has […]

“Mera jhuga te bach gaya, baqi khair aay,” said Mannah, a peasant farmer after a devastating flood. “My hut has survived, so all is fine”. That is the prevailing attitude in all the citadels of power and cushy fortified residences of the corrupt elite. They have buried their heads in the sand, as the fate […]

In a recent meeting with Chairman Imran Khan, I saw him limp in pain walking at a slow pace. It brought back memories of IK climbing stairs with a leap, taking two steps at a time while we mortals struggled to keep up. It brought a lump in my throat. This cruel assassination attempt that […]

Capitals worldwide are the pulse of what is happening in a country; a deduction from decades of travel. My recent visit to Islamabad was an eye-opener. Government is poor and rather bankrupt, but the people are rich. When I say people, it means the top 1-2 per cent, who controls 90 per cent of this […]

My heart skips a beat or two every time I enter Lyallpur, which is incorrectly named Faisalabad for a very good reason; I have tons of fond childhood and youthful memories associated with this city. Be it the rising dust from our grandfather’s car on a dirt road being chased by village kids and stray […]

“Lalchee nu jhuta marda aiy” a Punjabi saying, translates as “greedy’s undoing is a liar.” Rustic wisdom that has been passed down through generations now has a new twist. “Lalchee” and “Jhuta” have teamed up as PDM, an unholy alliance harming Pakistan’s future. The nation is on the brink of financial disintegration, yet their top […]

Pakistanis are creative and enterprising. They find ways of coping, whether surviving in abject poverty or developing their future, if given an opportunity. Few nations are blessed with these traits. Having lived abroad and being exposed to different peoples, this entrepreneurial spirit is quite rare. Generally folks seek regularity and routine that provides security. Living […]

Living in Riyadh in the eighties had its challenges. The workplace was fulfilling and challenging; however, there was a void in home entertainment. There was one TV channel in Arabic. This vacuum was filled by enterprising businessmen; Indian movies and Pakistani dramas on VHS tapes appeared for rental. They were surreptitiously distributed from concealed counters, […]

It is the season of giving amongst those practising the Christian faith around the world. Many go above and beyond their means to buy gifts for their loved ones. It is an expression of affection, care and gratitude shared with family and friends. This holiday season celebrates Christmas and ushers in New Year. There is […]