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Zero dark thirty: Entertainment, not a documentary
If ever there was an appropriate name for a film, Zero Dark Thirty is it. The title here, which is military speak for the ‘middle of the night’, not only stands for the pitch black hour at which Osama...
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Pakistan versus South Africa: Are we prepared to handle the heat?
So it’s time, again. The South Africa versus Pakistan Test series starts on February 1, 2013. Exactly a year after Misbah’s boys conquered the world number one side, they face a similar challenge when...
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Will PTV English survive?
With the much-talked about launch of the PTV English news channel, there is an interesting mix of feelings about it in the market. For most people like myself there is little doubt that the news...
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Answering some questions on World Hijab Day
Every February 1st, on World Hijab Day, there is a new barrage of outlooks and arguments on the subject. Having been a hijabi for a long time now, I am very satisfied with my decision. However, I do...
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The expat
Hammad Khan, a young aspiring Information Technology (IT) professional from Karachi, moved abroad leaving behind his family and friends in the search for a better future. The young man acquired a...
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Of course I’m going to heaven; I forwarded that SMS to 10 people!
The message blinked on my computer screen - large, bright red letters of warning. “Do not delete this message or you will be permanently banished from paradise. Just send it to 10 people and find a...
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Mr Jamshed, please don’t preach
I grew up listening to Junaid Jamshed songs, from when he was in Vital Signs, to the time he went solo. Yes, I was one of the big fans. Most of us were shocked to see him take a 180 degree turn when he...
View ArticleApparently ‘Pakistani’ in French means ‘terrorist’
I experienced it again yesterday; I re-lived what it feels like to be accused – accused when you don’t even know why you are being charged. Again, I lived through the humiliation of someone pointing...
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Why the UN fails humanity in Kashmir
Kashmir is an open-air cemetery sprinkled with corpses of hopes and dreams, ambition and laughter, on which government officials shovel piles of “investigations” to hide the truth of long-standing...
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Chicken teriyaki: A burst of authentic Japanese flavours
Contrary to the much prevailing opinion that Japanese food looks so exquisite to eat and too difficult to cook, numerous dishes can be prepared easily without following any hard and fast rule. I have...
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Shahrukh Khan’s fear is our fear
In the ‘90s when Yusuf Khan received the Nishan-e-Imtiaz— the highest civilian award of Pakistan— right wing Hindu groups led by Shiv Sena and covertly supported by its ideological brothers, protested...
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It’s not the hijab, it’s the attitude that bothers me
Legend has it that when the clock strikes midnight, a terrifying army of beasts awaken who call themselves “The Westernsteins.” They comb our cities, with the sole mission of shaming and persecuting...
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Education is not just about how many As you score
Recently, the British Education Secretary announced that students starting their A’ levels in England from fall 2015, will return to the previous system of an “all or nothing” exam at the end of two...
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UEFA Champions League returns: Here are the predictions!
February has started, which means the knockout stages of the UEFA Champions League, the biggest club competition in the world, is less than a fortnight away. Out of 32, the remaining 16 teams will...
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What makes a complete woman?
One of my teenage students stopped me on my way to class, sniffling and holding back the torrent of tears, desperate for help. She said she wished to end her life because, ‘Everyone hates me and makes...
View ArticleRevolution is in the air
I watch the electronic window, In the corner of my room, I see the cricketer promise, An exit from this doom, I see the cleric swing his fist, Throwing curses everywhere, Inhale the winds of change...
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Why the Kashmir solidarity day façade?
Since 1990, Pakistan has been observing February 5 as Kashmir Solidarity Day. The 90s was a time in Kashmir when the struggle for freedom perpetuated by the state-sponsored violence against ordinary...
View ArticleTwo toffees a day – enough to feed this seven-year-old
My friend and I were eating a burger on a Saturday evening, when a seven-year-old boy interrupted us. Boy: Bhai I’m hungry, please buy me something to eat. Me: Allah ke hawalay! Khaaney do! (For God’s...
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Ten things I hate about Dubai
Now, I know that the title makes me look like a snob who gets to go places but is just so ungrateful. However, my trips to Dubai are really never out of willingness to visit, but mandatory – mum’s...
View ArticleVigilante exposed: Meet Maria Khan – the new Maya Khan!
Meet Dr Maria Zulfiqar Khan. She hosts a program called “Baat Say Baat” on Express News, conducts “raids”, and is the new vigilante in the Pakistani media market. In her recent program, she conducted a...
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