Stones Hold Water

Zakia R. Khwaja

So many of us — women, especially — would nod in agreement at a grandmother admonishing a young girl to tie back her hair at sunset, because that is when the djinns come out. Such familiar themes make up the poems in this debut collection, which celebrates the Indus Valley culture, mourns religious extremism and explores the personal and political through a multilingual, female experience.

Life Literally: 25 Eventful Years of a Writer’s Journey

Dr Erum Hafeez

A compilation of writings published in Pakistan’s leading national newspapers, magazines and websites from 1996 to 2001, this book encompasses the author’s well-researched thoughts on a host of diverse subjects, from the dazzle of “imported” spouses for a desi bride or groom, to scam vocational training centres, to an education system that’s pushing students into the pits of despair.

Sahabzada Yaqub Khan: Pursuits and Experiences as Prisoner of War

Maj Gen Syed Ali Hamid

Much is known of Yaqub Khan’s life as a lieutenant general, diplomat and, ultimately, the foreign minister of Pakistan. Based on Khan’s war logbook, with additional research, this is an account of a period of his life he rarely talked about: three years spent in an Italian prisoner of war camp during the Second World War.

Religious Parties and the Politics of Civil Liberties

Vineeta Yadav

Political parties built on a religious foundation are increasingly taking over governments, especially in Muslim countries. The big debate at the centre is: will the success of religious parties in any country lead to declines in the civil liberties of its citizens? The author tries to figure out an answer, using systematic data covering Muslim majority countries over 40 years.

Published in Dawn, Books & Authors, January 15th, 2023