Political change — now or never on June 22, 2018Like it or not, Imran Khan has become a symbol of political change in Pakistan. He has followed a classical script, “First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.” However, since his wedding, Khan has made one mistake after another. Is it because of personal failings and […]
The wrath of Reham Khan on June 14, 2018Reham Khan has been in the news since the story of her wedding to Imran Khan broke out. Her behaviour has since bemused and often flabbergasted people. The wedding, unfortunately, did not last long and ended as abruptly as it had begun. The recent storm about her unpublished book is a continuation of the saga. […]
The fallacy of miracles on June 8, 2018Muslims consider Ramazan a month of miracles. Miracles are what the faithful are seeking by indulging in fasting, prayers and charity. I have expounded the Qur’anic view of fasting and prayer in previous articles. It is time we examine miracles. A miracle is a marvel that provokes bewilderment and cannot be explained by nature or […]
Ramazan — a different view on May 30, 2018Fasting may be defined as abstinence from eating or drinking or both for religious, ethical or health motives. It has been practiced among the mankind since time immemorial, as recommended by physicians, Prophets, and activists against injustice. Religious fasting was traditionally practiced by priests before approximating the deities, for repentance of sins and by mystics […]
The dynamics of prayer on May 23, 2018All of us have been brought to our knees on occasions by the overpowering certitude that we have nowhere else to go. We, therefore, pray. A prayer can be a solace for the persecuted, a shoulder to cry for the forlorn and last hope for the doomed. Some also pray in the fullness of their […]
Language, culture and the national discourse on May 11, 2018If you are like me, we identify ourselves in our language. It is a measure of our ideas and wishes experienced through poetry and prayers. We subsist at the level of our language as it moulds our emotions and experiences into knowing and naming the world around us. If imagination is thinking beyond language, the […]
Sexual harassment versus entrapment on April 30, 2018Since Harvey Weinstein’s despicable exposés of sexual harassment and #MeToo campaign, men have literally gone into hiding. This is understandable because they need to pay for their failings and the silence, which promoted such behaviours. Some older female celebrities took a different stance from the self-revealing approach of #MeToo but they were beaten into submission. […]
The enemy within on April 13, 2018Many years ago, I used to play a game with friends. We sat on the 3rd floor of Oxford Circus in London and spotted Pakistanis among the crowd on Oxford Street. Beyond their profiles, there was something about their body language which gave them away. I tried doing the same last Christmas and failed miserably. […]
Dealing with ‘Janu German’syndrome on April 7, 2018I confess that recently, I have been curious about what is referred to as ‘Janu German Syndrome’. I now understand that it is not a disease, but something much worse. It is our national habit of optional amnesia (forgetfulness) about painful realities. It is also about having a fake exterior. Rather than help when people […]
Shoe on the other foot on March 15, 2018When I saw Nawaz Sharif take evasive action for the shoe thrown at him, it seemed like an action replay of how he had mocked Tahirul Qadri regarding a startling reaction. The incident, nonetheless, is another sign of lack of respect for everything and everyone in this country. It also reminded me of an old […]