Author Archive

This article responds to the Secrets of Transformation multimedia series, a joint project of Bertelsmann Transformation Index and Deutsche Welle.  Banning or blocking seems to be the easiest way of denying the existence of something; this is especially true if you’re talking about countries like Pakistan. Sure, alcohol and pork are banned in the country […]

By reading this title, you might be wondering what in God’s name I mean by “Taliban 2.0.” Well, they are the people among us who pretend to be progressive but leave no stone unturned when it comes to being apologists for the very ideology Taliban carry out. You see, I […]

Just the other day I was having this rather unusual conversation with one of my American friends. I was fascinated at the depth of ‘philosophical’ ideas he had about multiculturalism and making the world a better place to live. But lo and behold, it turns out that this very friend […]

Ever wondered what fate might await a woman in Pakistan’s Taliban infested area if she played squash — or any other sport for that matter? Stoning? Flogging? Beheading? Maybe! But there’s one young Pakistani woman of Waziristan origin who has defied all the bans imposed by the Taliban on women […]

A couple of days ago, the country faced a nationwide electricity blackout for several hours when the main national grid station tripped and backups crashed. When we heard the news, the first thought that ran through the minds of many people, myself included, was that perhaps the army had overthrown […]