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Every time you buy a stolen phone, you take a life
Early last Sunday I was awakened by a call from a cousin. “My nephew, Abdul Ghaffar, has been killed.” Considerably shaken, I said, “What? How?” A reply came my way, “Cell phone robber shot him when he...
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An open letter to the Sindh Chief Minister: Tharparkar needs you, Sir
Dear Sir, I wonder how you sleep at night, because I am, honestly, having a tough time sleeping peacefully these days. I have visited Tharparkar a few times. And every time I came back, it took me a...
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Is David Moyes the end of Manchester United?
Manchester United has by far been the most successful team from England. They have 20 league titles and 11 Football Association (FA) cups in their trophy cabinet to prove their dominance – more than...
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“Ask for ‘permission’ before taking a second wife? That is out of the question!”
Suddenly the head of the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) has claimed that it’s against the tenets of Islam for a man to seek permission from his wife before taking another one. The question that...
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Remembering Jalib, remembering his fight against dictatorship
There was a man who audaciously used to say, “Mai nahi Manta” (I refuse to accept) He was neither a bourgeois nor a feudal and surely, he was not patronised by any ‘third force’ (Teesri Quwwat) that...
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9 things you should know about the missing Malaysian Flight MH370
The disappearance of Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 has proven to be an absolute mystery with more questions than answers. The Boeing 777 plane, which was carrying 227 passengers and 12 crew members,...
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Shahid Afridi: The face of sexism?
In the land of the pure, apparently, one cannot be a man and a feminist at the same time. The two seem to be mutually exclusive. Usually, this disconnect is attributed to the misconception that...
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Before blaming the Islamic Council, look at your own nikkahnama!
I am befuddled by the outrage caused by Maulana Muhammad Khan Sheerani’s statement on the issue of second marriage. I am amazed at the public hypocrisy. When will #CII concentrate on rights of woman,...
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The quickest and most delicious Nutella Mousse you’ll ever make!
I recently filled up ‘Homemaker’ in a form which had a field called ‘Occupation’. And soon after I was asked, “So what else do you do apart from staying at home and ensuring nutritious meals for your...
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Banish the CII
In a more civilised society where progress is equated with innovation, technological advancement and competitiveness, the recent ‘suggestions’ put forth by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) and its...
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Pak sarzameen shaadbaad
“Pak sarzameen shaadbaad” (Blessed be the sacred land) The old, rusty metal door made a creaking sound when the hunched attendant with crooked teeth and clubbed, callous fingers with dirty nails,...
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Embellish it all you want, it will still be ‘lawn’, stop making it unaffordable!
“Which designer lawn are you wearing?” This is the most commonly asked question among ladies when it comes to summer wear. This lawn craze has really picked up pace in the last few years. Even before...
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Hasan Nisar and nude beaches in Pakistan
A well-known journalist, Hasan Nisar was recently criticised by religious extremists and individual zealots from all over the country for a statement he made on a TV show. The most circulated...
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The Rachel Canning case and why Pakistani parents should be worried
Whoever is raising children in this present age can only applaud the decision taken by the judge in the strange New Jersey case of 18-year-old Rachel Canning suing her parents for kicking her out of...
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Bahria Town project and it’s invisible hands
It was back in October last year, when I first noticed the crowd around the Bahria Town Karachi office at Shahre Firdousi. Having physically witnessed the extravagance of Bahria Town (BT) projects in...
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The ‘place’ for women is not just ‘the kitchen’
The term ‘male-dominated society’ does not mean (against common misconception) the subjugation of women to physical violence or having biases towards them. However, to say that it is nothing will also...
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Saying “Children die every year in Thar” doesn’t make it acceptable, Sharjeel...
The Information Minister of Sindh, Sharjeel Inam Memon, has been advocating a conspiracy of false hype regarding the Tharparkar draught and claiming that the media is wrong. He even expressed his views...
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The problem with our drama industry and its depiction of Pakistani women
The troubled image of modern Pakistani women conjured up by Pakistani dramas is extremely distorted and single dimensional. Stories, it is said, are a subtle yet are the most influential way of...
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Of biased history: Wait, wasn’t Nehru the bad guy?
“Oh Jinnah sahib? Suna hai ke woh Nehru ki takkar ke thay.” (Oh, Mr Jinnah? I have heard that he was quite the equivalent of Nehru.) Stunned by the honest answer to my question by my Indian friend, I...
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Pakistan cannot be an ‘Islamic’ republic, not if women are being raped everyday!
On March 13, 2014 a girl from Muzaffargarh set herself on fire outside the local police station when justice was not served to her. This innocent girl was allegedly gang raped by five rapists, who were...
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