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Rough justice
Lend an ear to the story of Ibrahim Koga who could never have thought introducing himself as one of the feared Taliban militants would backfire on him the way it did. For some people, the chance to...
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Shades of grey
The frequency with which terrorists are acquitted by courts is considered one of the major failings of Pakistan’s judicial system. But where does the fault truly lie? Fida Hussain Ghalvi’s long fight...
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Humor: And now a word from our (masters) sponsors
After the success of our thook pay chalnay waali gari “Aik Akh-Thoo say 100 KM” (copyright @zaalimsingh), Munafiq enterprises PVT Unlimited is proud to present our new line of stuff you know you need...
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Another view on Aurangzeb
Historians do not often agree on much, least of all about South Asian history, but there seems to be an almost unanimous consensus that the downfall of the Mughal Empire should be blamed on Aurangzeb....
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Blacked out
At a time when the very mention of Bhutto and the PPP could land one in jail, a group of protesters dared to beam their message of defiance directly into the living rooms of Zia’s Pakistan. June 13,...
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One fine October morning
I had turned five earlier that year, living in the house where I was born. It was cavernous and located in the compound of a Power House, which was in turn located on the banks of the Phuleli Canal....
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Manora: The patchwork island
Standing atop the seaward wall of an ancient fort, a soldier licks off the salty vapours carried by the dawn mist to his lips. The Talpur rulers of Sindh had built this fort to fend off foreign...
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To give is to receive
On a sunny Wednesday afternoon, residents of Darul Sukun recognise James Nadiya S Abidi, better known as Jamie, right away as she enters their building. A woman wearing a headband over her short...
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Shouting howzzat in Houston
In a country like the US where sports such as baseball, football and basketball have massive fan followings, cricket may not register in the minds of the people as more than a garden insect. In...
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Shahid Afridi: A star among us
The token Arabs in my enclosure at the Dubai cricket stadium gawked at us Pakistanis in amazement. Shahid Afridi, Lala to his fans, had just been called in to bat and all Pakistanis in attendance —...
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Hope shines through
Most children dread the thought of waking up for school, but Saira Sattar is not like most children, nor is her school like most others. “Every morning I love to wake up to the thought that I am...
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I love Pakistan
I’ve been blogging and using social media for past two or three years and since then I’ve gained thousands of readers and followers. Interacting with people from around the world and taking in their...
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Bend it like ... Babar?
Ammar Zaheer hurriedly puts on his football shoes and rushes on to the pitch to replace a teammate who’s clearly struggling under the sun. It’s a scorching 43 degrees in Islamabad and the heat crashes...
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Oil, sweat and dirt
Two men stand barefoot in a square patch of upturned earth, their bodies glistening with oil and sweat. At the referee’s signal, they start circling each other, their eyes darting to follow the quick...
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Blacked out revisited: I was there
Yes, I was there in the stadium for the Champions Trophy Finals in the Amstelveen municipality of Amsterdam when the anti-Zia demonstration took place. While millions of Pakistanis saw it for less...
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Spirits of steel dreams of gold
“If it doesn’t kill you, it only makes you stronger.” To many of us, this is just a saying; a clever quote to use in a conversation or to spice up a piece of writing. For Mudassar Baig, Naeem Masih,...
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The (wo)man eater
In 2005, a strange demon haunted the scenic Galiyat regions in Pakistan’s north. It was bold enough to prey on humans even during the day time. And so, children were prohibited from wandering off too...
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Farman Ali Khan: A man to remember
At a time when all stories from Swat came through the one lens of terrorism, 22-year-old Farman Ali Khan made headlines for saving lives. It was November 26, 2009, when Jeddah, the thriving western...
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Just google it
While people debate religion’s place in the modern world, one man decided to merge the most modern of all beliefs with the most ancient and form the Church of Google. Matt McPherson, an internet...
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Snapshot of a photo shoot
Albert Einstein said that imagination is more important than knowledge. He was talking about scientific invention but those words are just as true for a quality fashion shoot. Images on magazine...
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