“We need not be theologians to see that we have shifted responsibility for making the world interesting from God to the newspaperman.” (Daniel J Boorstin) This article could have begun with an example of Yellow Journalism. A sensational headline bound to attract, opening lines to chill the spine, spicy factoids sugarcoated as facts, an agenda to [...]

When a friend from Bangladesh gifted me a jute bag with the Bangladesh flag motif painted on it, I asked her to explain the symbolism. She told me it stood for the rising sun over the green fields, reddened with the blood of liberation martyrs. After the terrible atrocities in 1971 in which many innocent [...]

Much ire has been unleashed against an awareness drive in Karachi that highlighted the concept of modesty in Islam using Quranic and Prophetic references on billboards and handbills, in the context of the February 14 celebrations. The rejection of the idea of singling out a day for the expression of amorous sentiment as odious to [...]

The bullet proof, bomb-proof, container-led revolution of Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri has concluded, thankfully without any loss of human life, but needs some reflection on its course, its aims and results. Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri claimed to bring an overnight revolution because people are sick of current corrupt system. The idea seemed fascinating but the problem remained that the [...]

I am such an idiot. I thought we should get that out of the way early. Remember September? When the whole blasphemy video issue happened? When the PPP “capitulated” to the religious right? I remember certain people, who hold sway in the media, people who claim to be on the left, being deeply scarred by [...]

I am a woman, not a sexualized commodity; I am a human being just like you are. I am a Hijabi and Hijab is my identity and my ideology. I wasn’t a Hijabi by birth, nor did it come from an oppressing ‘Mullah’ father or brother. Oh no! No one can force me to do [...]

Is safeguarding the life and rights of religious minorities a responsibility of the government? In the context of Pakistan, present or past, it appears not to be the case. So is the targeted killing and persecution of religious minorities actually a credit to the government? If you follow a certain Mr. Faisal Raza Abidi, it [...]

Cyber world has become a perpetual world where we all live in and yet we don’t. This is the next big frontier which the western masters have innovated and trying to conquer. Cyber space might be the perfect place for mind warfare. Victory here means conquest of whole mind kind. This idea must sound absurd [...]

So Ladies and Gentlemen, contrary to all expectations and despite the ever strong social media activism, Veena Malik is back in full swing to help people get over their sins -and hers- and plead and beg to the Almighty Lord to forgive them -and her- for their sins -and hers- for the moment so they [...]

Burma is burning and most of us are conveniently silent …. Some believe that death toll is not high enough to condemn the killings because  few dozens have been murdered and few women have been raped; not a big deal because they were muslims. Some others say that we are far away from Burma, so [...]