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Where did all the music go?
The dire state of Pakistan's music industry is largely due to absence of awareness, and a mechanism to pay for music.
Arieb Azhar
US and Pakistan: More alike than you think
I still hold that there are more similarities between our societies than the average American or Pakistani is aware of.
A history of booze
Since prehistoric times, no one has been able to enforce a complete prohibition on alcohol through the use of force.
Utopistan - A revolution of ideas
"There is enough in the world to provide for man’s need, but not enough to provide for his greed."
The revolution that never happened
Through a flicker in the eyes or a nod of the head, even now, members of the Communist Party of Pakistan share a secret.
Proud to be Meeraasi
The degradation of this word over time, speaks volumes about the devolution of our own cultural values.
Bulleh Shah: Neither am I virtuous nor a sinner
You can hardly blame the media for giving negligible airtime to one of the greatest poets of the subcontinent.
The soul of Sevdah
This type of folk music is a living tradition, which is why it hasn't been documented or researched outside of Bosnia.
Roma Gypsies: The original travellers
The features of the Roma people stand out in Europe. They look more Indian and Pakistani than anything else.
My name is human
We live in a country where every aspect of a person’s political and personal life is judged upon the basis of religion.
Discovering Carlos Castaneda
His writings can either inspire or antagonise, but I can promise that they will not leave one feeling indifferent.
On black and white and conspiracy theories
Where there are laws that are just and being implemented, it’s because better people have made their influence felt.
Your task is not to seek for love ...
In today’s Pakistan, I see less people who seem comfortable in their own beliefs than when I was growing up.
Attunement
We consider ourselves to be civilized. Yet, we are no closer to eradicating poverty and war from the face of the earth.
Recurring stories
In trying to entrench ourselves into a presumed identity, we forget how closely the world's mythologies are connected.