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At the age of five, I experienced sexual abuse
It all started when I was about four or five years old. I used to live in a small rural area located near Mirpur Khas in Sindh, Pakistan. I stayed there for nearly a decade. By means of introduction, I...
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IPL: A league of extraordinarily corrupt gentlemen
Players are fixed, umpires are fixed, team owners are fixed, and perchance the whole Indian Premier League (IPL) has been fixed and compromised by vested interests out to subvert the beautiful game of...
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Will Imran Khan end corruption in K-P in 90 days?
With the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government formed in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), a lot is expected from the political party. Successfully governing such a challenging region would be nothing less...
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Electricity woes: Is this KESC versus SSGC or Karachi versus Lahore?
We all expected it. We all knew that with the election of the Punjab government, Karachi would have to pay the price - like it always has. I don’t plan on venting my frustration out on Karachi Electric...
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The Reluctant Fundamentalist: A must watch!
Set against the social and political upheaval following the infamous 9/11, Mohsin Hamid’s book is skilfully brought to life in the movie The Reluctant Fundamentalist. Instead of the somewhat stilted,...
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May 28: Remembering the bomb, forgetting the people
Today marks the best of days and today marks the worst of days. May 28 or as a true patriot would call it “Youm-e-Takbeer” marks the day when Pakistan registered its might in modern warfare and arsenal...
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The Gujrat bus tragedy: Children burnt to death in a country that just...
Glimpses of mothers wailing, the smoke from burning school bags and the funeral of at least 16 innocent angels still haunt me. They lost their precious lives when their school van caught fire – an...
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IPL6: Finally, it’s Mumbai’s turn
Lately, off the field controversies have stolen the limelight and it seems as if everyone has forgotten about the IPL 6’s final that took place on Sunday. This match was played between two of the...
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Kalabagh dam: PML-N’s solution to our energy crisis?
Pakistan, after the elections, is once again faced with perhaps the most divisive political issue- the construction of the Kalabagh dam. One of the many expectations from the Pakistan Muslim...
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Baby 59: The newborn who was flushed down the toilet in China
They say there is no creature on earth like a mother frightened for her kids. The almost animal instinct to protect your offspring from harm is borne almost immediately inside a woman, along with her...
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Another polio worker killed: Will we ever kick the disease?
Despite some gains, the fight against polio is facing mammoth challenges in the form of refusals by parents to vaccinate their children and the ban imposed by militant groups on polio vaccination...
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Why I cancelled my vote
You know that awkward personal moment right after offering your prayers, when you are supposed to say a dua, ask for something and you really can’t come up with anything. So you say, “Allah Mian, you...
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A day in the life of 78-year-old Riaz
It’s Monday morning. The alarm has started wailing in its almost cynical tone as per the daily routine. It is time for Riaz to drag himself out of bed and face another listless and robotic day at work....
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A Pakistani boy in the kitchen: Chasing my dream with a pinch of salt
Three years ago, roughly around this time of the year, I told my parents what I wanted to do with my future. I still remember that day. My father and I were searching for seafood at the infamous Delhi...
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Random Access Memories: Daft Punk’s new album hit a home run for me
Random Access Memories (RAM) is the fourth studio album released by the French duo, Guy-Manuel and Thomas Bangalter - better known to the world as Daft Punk. After a sabbatical of eight years since...
View ArticleBehind the scenes: A heartfelt interview with Ranbir Kapoor
I caught up with Ranbir Kapoor on his recent visit to London for the promotional tour of Yeh Jawaani Hai Deewan (YJHD), his much awaited release this weekend. Ranbir Kapoor is the quintessential star...
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Kalyan Das temple: An abandoned shelter for the blind
A trek through the old areas of Rawalpindi reveals many examples of ancient architecture; silent testimonies of our heritage, narrating tales of our past and stories of our land. Unfortunately, these...
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Fatwas against science and semantics
Pakistan is a strange country. Considering the fact that 70% of the population comprises of youth, there is no Council of Youth Affairs to safe guard their rights. A great majority of the population...
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A dire need to end teen smoking
While informally talking to a World Health Organization (WHO) official in Islamabad during a seminar, I was told that Pakistan is among the few countries that have taken no serious measures to...
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Urdu and I: A love affair
In grade six, I handwrote Ibne Insha’s “Kal Chaudvin Ki Raat Thee” and gave it to a girl I firmly believed to be my soul mate. Her lack of enthusiasm at replying with an equally moving ghazal (or even...
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