The lessons of historyon July 22, 2019Whatever goes into the past is a matter of history, which remains in the making until somebody sits down to record it. Studying history is important because it allows us to understand our past, which in turn allows us to understand our present. Studying history can provide us with insight into our cultures of origin as well as cultures with which we might be less familiar, thereby increasing … [Read more...] about The lessons of history
Is social media killing creativity?on July 13, 2019The amazingly easy access to knowledge has changed the whole culture of the world.Our world has changed enormously. Until the late 1960s, the internet was unknown to the world. The people generally became aware of the internet in the mid of 1989. Since then, it has changed our lives immeasurably; providing the information that we once used to gather by sulking in libraries for days and weeks … [Read more...] about Is social media killing creativity?
‘One may Smile and Smile and be a villain’on July 5, 2019Some years ago when I visited the United States, two factors left a dominant impression on my mind. One was their obesity, and the other was the broad smiles with which they welcomed every passer-by particularly in their morning walks.Americans are one of the most obese nations in the world. The obesity rate in average adult American was estimated at 32.2% for men and 35.5% for women. While … [Read more...] about ‘One may Smile and Smile and be a villain’
A women’s victoryon July 1, 2019Last week,the Islamabad High Court declared it mandatory to seek permission from the arbitration council for contracting second marriage, even if the husband had prior permission from the first wife.This landmark judgment was pronounced by the IHC's Chief Justice Athar Minallah The Honourable Judge ruled that, "A man who intends to contract another marriage during the subsistence of an … [Read more...] about A women’s victory
Teaching languages in Pakistanon June 26, 2019Who could have imagined that the language spoken by Anglo-Saxon tribes, living on the shores of the Baltic and the North Sea, would one day travel across continents and assume a global presence?English became the official language of the sub-continent in 1857. It stayed here even though the British left seven decades ago.English has become the lingua franca of the world. It is the only … [Read more...] about Teaching languages in Pakistan
Is violence ever justified? (Part II)on June 19, 2019Forty years later, tragically, the statement is still true. The U.S. war on Iraq in 2002 caused over 1 million more deathsin Iraq than the casualties of the preceding decade. All this was done by the American leaders for the specific purpose of controlling the largest supply of oil in the world.What of the violence that is not organized by the state? What about domestic abuse? What about armed … [Read more...] about Is violence ever justified? (Part II)
Is violence ever justified? (Part-I)on June 18, 2019When I first became faced with the preposition: "Is violence ever justified?" it instinctively gave me the impression as if someone had asked me, "Is the birth of a baby possible without the mother suffering labour pains." But in the present case, let us not take anything for granted and look into the matter leaving all possibilities open. Nature is too elusive for our puny minds to jump to any … [Read more...] about Is violence ever justified? (Part-I)
The sole spokesman – a critiqueon June 11, 2019Much has been written on Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the circumstances leading to the partition. But the book titled, The Quaid, The Muslim League and the Partition by Dr Ayesha Jalal, stands out far above the rest, other than the biographies. It was written by the author for her doctoral dissertation that she submitted in the Cambridge University. It was, therefore, natural that it had to first gain … [Read more...] about The sole spokesman – a critique
Reading patterns and changing timeson June 2, 2019Writing in newspapers is both good and bad. Good, because the stuff printed in them pertains to the day-to-day events and gives people knowledge. Bad, because newspapers are a perishable commodity and have an average age of no more than 24 hours.Nobody wishes to read old newspapers. They are sold as trash.As Khalid Hasan pointed out, they are "only good for wrapping of fried fish or … [Read more...] about Reading patterns and changing times
What went wrong with us?on May 22, 2019In our daily life, we witness the culture of the people living in the Western hemisphere because of media and the Internet. The startling scientific and technological advancements of the West have left us far behind in almost all spheres of life. Compared to them, we seem to still live in the medieval ages. That compels every intelligent Pakistani Muslim to think: what really went wrong with … [Read more...] about What went wrong with us?
