I recently participated in the Harvard Pakistan Forum (HPF) 2017. I was invited as a keynote speaker to present my views on the Kashmir issue. While my views are public, I was certain that no one in the audience, mostly young students, had any idea of what I was to talk about. The conference organisers, […]
A Pakistani bloom amid an Indian boom
I have often felt that there is much that Indians and Pakistanis do not know about each other. With deteriorating relations, mutual distrust, and rising jingoism on both sides of the border, there is limited space to learn about the other side. India-Pakistan relations matter greatly to me and to my fellow Kashmiris. But, even […]
Peace in Kashmir: India cannot wish away Pakistan
It is a milestone nobody can celebrate. As Kashmir’s current crisis nears 50 days, I am left despondent by the scale of anger and suffering in Kashmir. As I write, close to 70 people, mostly young, have been killed, and thousands injured. Scores, if not hundreds, may not see paradise again. Not that Kashmir has […]
The way forward for the Congress Party
Now that the post-election dust has settled, it is time to look to the future. I will not focus on analysing the election results and the underlying numbers. The broad perception is that the Congress has weakened, BJP has gained ground and regional leaders remain strong. Even so, “Congress Mukt Bharat” is extremely unlikely. While […]
Unhealthy democracy
Warning: graphic content. The first paragraph is a partial truth. The remainder will be fact-based opinion. If you are a victim of a sexual assault or domestic violence, please read no further. Thank you. The news of an unimaginable crime first entered the regional media market of Colorado Springs, Colorado, via their hometown paper, The […]
Indian Muslim: being pushed over the edge?
An expert on Islamic affairs working in the United States recently observed: “I’ve been very struck by the lack of a strong, indigenous jihadist movement in India. What do you think explains its absence?” I had no immediate response. If you review some of the commentary from influential Indian writers, a jihadist cataclysm seems imminent. […]