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The rise of narcissism We live in an era of narcissism distinguished by fear of intimacy, pseudo self-insight, loss of historical time, and self-absorption....		Indian propaganda Arguably, no country in the modern world has faced so many setbacks and crises as Pakistan has. It has suffered on many counts, the greatest being on account of poor diplomacy and lack of favourable media projection....
Valley of death The year was 1961, when my family and I visited Kashmir — then the valley of beauty and tranquillity. We embarked from Dar-es-Salem, Tanzania, for Bombay from where we took a...		Fat phobia The other day, my friend sent me an advertisement with the picture of a female wearing a silver coloured metal ring. The advertisement said: “Fat-be-dissolved ring.” The instructions were very simple....
Return of a Swiss diplomat The fortification for blocking illegal entry or terrorist incursions was not as elaborate or thick as at the Runnymede, Clifton, which houses the British Deputy High Commission close by. But then...		A long summer The weather is a serious topic of conversation in England. Spring arrives like a lion and goes out like a lamb. In the natural scheme of things, spring should be succeeded...
Changing values An extremely disillusioned friend of mine gave me her tenebrous “life is pointless” speech the day Britain released its dossier on Iraq. She said that no matter how many issues are...		The dilemma of working women Amber and Tahir met when they were both studying for their Masters’ degree at one of the local universities. It was love at first sight. They were inseparable throughout their time...
A dangerous pass The army has been true to true to track in its love for democracy. Not once has its intervention produced anything other than controversial results. Its attempts to dislodge elected governments...		A vista of inspiration Driving from Peshawar to Swat, one traverses some of the most picturesque panorama in northern Pakistan — lush green valleys, imposing mountains, and a churning river that keeps flowing by the...
Pockets of mental edification When did you last visit a library, if you are not a college or university student? Do you have a small personal collection of books of your own? Don’t you find...		Blasphemy! “There will be a time when religion will become a hot coal in your hands or a foam on the ocean waves,” is the saying of our Prophet Mohammad (Peace be...
Beginner’s cut Life in a foreign land is never easy. Our rupee-based frame of reference throws us into mild shocks every time a dollar expense has to be incurred. As a student, I...		Parliament House over the years WITH the country now back on the road to democracy, the Parliament House is once again the focus of attention, marked by a lot of activity to enable it to receive...
Sarod: a victim of neglect Musical instruments have always aroused curiosity, amazement and admiration among individuals who have invented, played and listened to them. Before he made any instrument, a man’s body served as his first...		CHAPTERS FROM HISTORY: Of stability and security “Pakistan’s origins shaped its outlook as a near garrison state,” remarked Wayne Wilcox, a sensitive observer of Pakistan’s political developments till his tragic death (1974), in a 1967 article....
New trends in Sindhi poetry Literature is a reflection of life, a true mirror to the age; the representative of hopes, fears, dreams and aspirations. Poetry is a medium that defines the real essence of the...		POINT OF VIEW: How prolific can a poet be? I was gratified to receive from Zafar Iqbal his newly-published collection of ghazals, Tafawat. But the next moment, I was flabbergasted as he informed, rather warned me: “This is only the...
Too late for a heroic exit In The Legend Of Bagger Vance, there is a scene where Junuh turns to his caddy, Bagger, after miscuing another tee off into the sand pit, and says softly: “This is getting embarrassing.” Bagger whispers back: “Sir, it’s been embarrassing for quite some time....		There is more to it than pressure LAST Saturday was, indeed, a bad day for Pakistan sports in general. The national cricket team surrendered meekly in Sharjah, and their counterparts in hockey lost it against Malaysia. Both the...
THROUGH THE COVERS: Playing to their true potential THE good thing about writing these lines today is that the initial shock of that disaster in the desert has given way to rationality. Not that it has taken care of...		Will the KCR remain a dream? What would you do if you owned a costly asset that could be put to efficient use with the expenditure of a modest amount: use the asset or acquire a new...
NEWSMAKER SHOCKING results abound the political landscape of the country as Pakistan’s much-touted, free and fair elections finally came to an end....		Know thy stress Aided by the latest scientific inventions, life is getting easier by the day. The distance of a thousand miles can be covered in comfort within a few hours and we can...