The rains that were
As long as I can remember, I have always loved the rain. Everything about it - from the fragrance of the air before it to the sound of the rain as it smatters against the windows. When I was a boy and it would begin to rain we would run outside in our lane and just stand there. Our arms outstretched absorbing the water like we were sponges. We would run to a small thela wala who wheeled his mouth-watering chats through our streets to sample his wares. Even when I was a teenager in the 90′s we revelled in the thunderstorms that graced Karachi. We did not have ...
Read Full PostVirtue, at what cost?
Are you are sitting there wondering what the above image is about? Its a section for women in the court marriage application form in Dubai. This has not been completely verified as I have yet to see the full document but this was tweeted by @youseftuqan this week and it kind of puts everything in perspective for me as far as Dubai and its rather contradictory laws go: “Hey, its okay to have nightclubs and serve alcohol but please, no kissing in public or off you go to jail!” However, what really sets me off is the chauvinist attitude towards women in general and female ‘purity’ in ...
Read Full PostThe Pakistani in the mirror
The people of Pakistan are a paradox. Faced with the insurmountable Taliban, the war on our city streets via suicide bombs or the staggering inflation and crushing economic debt , most would either run for the hills or try to stand up for what they believe in. Instead, we see most of us living in a bubble of our own making, where the various peculiarities of our personas and financial circumstances make unwritten barriers of identity and thus we have become totally fragmented. The “we” I refer to includes me as well, as I have started to feel day by day that I ...
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