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Letter from a 10-year-old girl to ‘Admin Saab in Kay Pee Kay’
The following is a fictitious letter from a ten-year-old girl to the admin of the shelter house for the Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs): Note from the Editor: This letter has not been edited so as...
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Have you forgotten all that Musharraf did for you, Pakistan?
It was just another day, on October 12, 1999, in New York City where I was an undergraduate student. Little did I realise then that it was the day that would go down as one of the most controversial...
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Seafood cravings: Lemon drizzled grilled fish steak, served with lightly...
Grilling is one of those techniques of cooking that preserve the nutrition, is quick and brings out food that is visually pleasant and tastes superb. This method seals the juices and flavours of the...
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Pakistani housewives and the economy: Converting rupees to dollars… for handbags
A couple of days ago I was confronted by an alarming fact. I was sitting with a group of housewives and was told that every month, 30% of those present, converted their pin money into US dollars every...
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Are the days of joint families over?
A family unit in its traditional form consists of grandparents, all their children, their children’s wives and their grandchildren all living harmoniously under one roof. If carried out properly, it...
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The Australian Open men’s singles: With such big stars, who will walk away...
After the break following a fascinating 2013, tennis resumes in earnest next week in Melbourne at the first of the four Grand Slams. The Australian Open provides the perfect venue for the sport’s big...
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Making Arabic compulsory in Pakistan’s schools? Why?
Arabic came into my life out of a desire to know and understand what was written in the Holy Quran. My curious, questioning mind needed answers and I now know that a one-on-one relationship with the...
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My friend was killed in the Quetta blasts last year…I still await justice
January 10, 2014 marked the first anniversary of the Alamdar Road blast in Quetta, where over 100 people were killed and more than 169 injured in a twin blast. The explosion took place near a snooker...
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Moving out of a joint family isn’t as easy as it sounds
The desire to hold the rein is one thing, to actually command it is another. At most social gatherings, we often find women complaining about how miserable their lives are and how their in-laws who...
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Eid Miladun Nabi: Creating commotion in the name of love
My slumber was abruptly bothered as if I was suffering from sleep apnea. Irritated, I stretched out my hand for my mobile phone. It read 2am and it was a bitterly cold night. Rubbing the sleep from my...
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Mirror mirror on the wall, why has Pakistan’s rowing team been forgotten by all?
“Did you know that Pakistani rowers made it to the Olympic selection event in 2013?” Almost choking on my tea, I burst out laughing at my friend’s question. Regaining my composure, I replied,...
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Prince Faisal’s visit to Pakistan
“I have not come here for any sort of deal with regards to the former president, Pervez Musharraf,” Prince Faisal declared to the media. He was sick and tired of these countless questions about his...
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10 reasons sex education has nothing to do with vulgarity
While it is truly comforting that Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif -- among many others -- is taking such lively interests in our students’ moral upbringing, he may have mistaken ‘sex education’...
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I am jealous of the US, and have every right to be
It was freezing outside. I did not have a ride and had to walk all the way home on a chilly winter evening. However, at that moment, the cold did not matter. Nothing did. My mind was troubled, and my...
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Frozen: Disney’s classic magic combined with love and snow
Disney is known for producing animated movies that last a lifetime. They have stories people can instantly connect with, and such is the case with Disney’s Frozen. Warning: Beware of spoilers! Disney’s...
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I am a woman and I can carry my own luggage, thank you
An airport can be a good starting point to begin learning about the culture of any country. Lahore’s Allama Iqbal Airport is much the same. I was motivated to write about this seemingly trivial topic...
View ArticleWhy are we being cut off from independent Pakistani films?
In the last few months, screenings of movies with a strong Pakistani connection has surged in the United States. It has been culturally very exciting and rewarding to watch these fantastic films and...
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The myth of Musharraf’s ‘economic boom’ needs to die
A recent article ‘Have you forgotten all that Musharraf did for you, Pakistan?’ by Mr Rafay bin Ali regurgitates a popular myth – dictatorship is better for Pakistan’s economy. The author uses...
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Ejaz Haider needs to understand that Aitizaz was anything but ‘ordinary’
This blog post is in response to a terrible article written by Ejaz Haider in Newsweek Pakistan titled, Aitizaz Hasan and the bomber. Initially, I was not going to bother responding to it but the more...
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Karachi is the lover, the tormentor: Mysterious, dark and hurt
It’s human nature to desire that which is not in your grasp, love which will always remain unrequited and stress about matters that are not in your hands. The worst part is that we know this. And yet...
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