Burhan is no more

He was a small kid with sparkling eyes.
“His name is Burhan” Lali had said when introducing him to all of us. It was the wedding of Javed mamu and all of us were so young. We didn’t know what is grief and pain. We were loved and protected. Lali is the younger sister of my mother and this [...]

Forced happiness and women of Pakistan

Women in Pakistan suffer in a variety of ways. Young, marriageable girls in Pakistanwho are given education to increase the ‘rishta’ value are the victims of a new wave of caste/clan-holiness-better-than-thine-happiness phenomenon. Girls are outnumbering boys in the academic pursuits and recently announced results of graduate exams show a pathetic 5:1 ratio of high success [...]

Obedience in Islam: Misuse and distortions

Islam in Pakistan has been marred and disfigured mainly by the ex army ruler and usurper of power, Gen. Zia ul Haq during his reign of terror (1977 – 1988). He was the guy who deposed the only elected prime minister of the united Pakistan and was later the key player in his judicial murder. He, [...]

WOMEN IN TODAY’S PAKISTAN

Western media and people think they are all veiled, kept behind bars (or locked doors) and serve as objects of pleasure in a modern, enlighted Pakistan under the equally enlightened leadership of army generals and feudal lords who hardly have anything with the name of vision in their minds or brains, well, except for the [...]

Odd couple

July 7, 2006, the court of an additional session judge was in order. Outside the courtroom it was sweltering hot. No drinking water or shade was there for the accused or their families, convicted and their loved ones, lawyers, their ‘munshis’ all looked the same. Tired, disillusioned, sick and greedy. They are tired and sick [...]