Imran Kureshi

It was wartime in Africa, Uganda. Idi Amin had just been removed and Milton Obote was in charge in 1985. I was five, sleeping soundlessly in my room when I heard voices; clutching my blanket I walked out to the corridor where I was stopped by some army men, men who were ordered to shoot […]

A modern civilised society must keep its historical account accurate, whatever the likes and dislikes of the times. The current trend of our liberals these days is to criticise the army on all accounts and the attitude of our conservative and religious (to be quite frank, I will call them anti-democratic) sections. Our brainwashed, Punjabi […]

At last, with genuine dents being made in terrorism potential by army action, on our part we must be patient and realise that this is still going to take a long time. Extreme poverty in the southern Seraiki belt and tribal areas continues to provide recruits for organisations of religious violence.   On the other […]

After the capital shifted to Islamabad and, over the years, there was an influx of Punjabis and Pathans into all levels of institutions, especially the lower levels, the Mohajirs found that the Islamic national discourse was not serving to maintain their position. Also, after the MQM was formed, it found that its politicians had electorates. […]

Here is a brief take on my version of the role of Islam in our polity. First, I would like to mention a book on governance and violence in Pakistan by Dr Sagheer Hussain, of Bahauddin University, in which he also deals with this subject. Simplifying what he states and thereby no doubt doing great […]

It is a ‘Malala’ of a book, in the sense that it has won and been nominated for several international awards! It won the Bharat Shakti Award, and was shortlisted for the Mann Asia Award and FDR Award. It is probably the most celebrated English book of Pakistan. For me to praise it further will […]

The first thing a reader wants to know when he reads a book review is that is it a good book and the second thing is, is it my cup of tea? Well, in regard to this book the answer to the first query is “Of course, it’s Bapsi Sidhwa” and to the second, “Of […]

Oh boy! It really got my adrenaline flowing in November when I heard an acknowledged TV anchorman gleefully say, “The party’s over!” at the critical juncture when TV was erroneously announcing that the MQM had asked President Zardari to resign and it seemed he’d had it. And sort of like history repeating itself, I even […]