The Cancer of the Conquered
By Mozaffar When a people begin to believe they have been defeated they have entered a bottomless pit. They continue and continue and continue to live in defeat. It is a cycle that can cripple a people not for a year, not for a century, but for a millennium. Thus we look at so many communities across the globe. These communities celebrate a distant, idyllic past, a past fueled with great heroes and accomplishments. They celebrate a past without which — they claim — today would not be today. And, these claims of the greatness of the past are to somehow bring these people on the same level as the conquerors of today. Not to be. That celebration of the past is fuel. It is fuel for … Read entire article »
A WALK DOWN MEMORY LANE
By ZEENATH JAHAN Zeenath Jahan is the daughter of late Mohammad Yousuf Khan Khattak and grand daughter of late Khan Bahadur Kuli Khan Khattak. She resides in the US and has been writing off and on. Her writings could be found on her personal website or Chowk. ************************* I returned to Pakistan before the elections after almost two years in the USA and found that everything in my country had changed for the worse. Peshawar seemed so much dirtier and so very crowded as though the population had doubled in two years and were all on the road driving Suzukis with no regard to traffic rules. On my arrival in Islamabad I found that the change was more widespread, though not as bad as in Peshawar. Inflation is rampant inspite of the previous Government’s … Read entire article »
7 Precepts for Life in Pakistan
(Saad Sultan from Lahore has contributed this post for the Pak Tea House. His initiative is welcome; and we are happy to add him to our list of contributors - Raza Rumi) ********************** The author of this article takes no responsibility for the views expressed in it. Dear readers, I regret to have to inform you that one day you will all be dead. For this reason you must never try killing yourselves. Yes, the 1st precept for Life in Pakistan is: Don’t Commit Suicide In fact, you should never try doing anything that something else will, eventually, do for you. And dying lies among the many other menial processes, such as digestion and cleaning the toilet, that, as far as we’re concerned, get done by themselves. And it is up to respectable people such as … Read entire article »
Paradise Found: Pakistan's Charakusa Valley
Found this racy travel account here – the pictures are stunning and the narrative right from the heart and informal. Our friend Kelly Cordes, who tests gear and writes copy for us, went climbing in the Charakusa Valley of Pakistan last summer and sent us some photos to share. Though Kelly and his climbing partner, Scott DeCapio, were unsuccessful on their attempt at a new line on K7, they returned with some spectacular images — enjoy! [Photo: Arrival into base camp … Read entire article »
Is there something to celebrate on women's day?
by Junaid How long will you be the object of pleasure In the harem of men’s lust? how long will you bow your proud head at his feet like a benighted servant? Last week the world celebrated International Women’s Day. So did Pakistan with a bit of fanfare on the electronic and print media. I thought of writing something but then wondered if at all there was anything to ‘celebrate’? Are women in Pakistan any better than before? no morning … Read entire article »
Filed under: Citizens, musings, Pakistan, Politics, Society, Women
cold hands at 3 a.m.
temporal credit katsetsuna ‘the heart beat is arrhythmic pressure erratic change medication wait and monitor’ close and distant relatives crowd, stare and wait ‘shukria doctor saheb, may god bless you’ the patient is slipping, will not see another dawn if i speak up now wailing will start if i hold my peace the night in quiet will pass we treat till dollar tinted hope runs dry death wins arguments no disinfectant can cleanse the ghoulish ward odors ah, well! i will go and have that tea and samosa perhaps this … Read entire article »
it is written on the clouds
temporal credit musuf it is written on the clouds how you’d smile today dress tomorrow the heart of the mirror of Truth broken in pieces ensconced and cherished reflected collective sighs grins, groans and grunts writ on the floating ships seen in the possessed shards the conundrum – why are you angry with me one day and smile the next you say that too is decreed the fog of fall with its abrahamic colors shrouds un-heavenly judgments the smoke of saffron lets no wails through nor does the miasma of fire or the smaze of voices gods are invented through the … Read entire article »
ashes to ashes jalo aur jalao
temporal photo- rumana husain flare glares burns, rages kehti hay jalo jalao jalo aur jalao fire prostrating to clay, as satan twirls moustaches this is not the ire of rome nor the liquid rave that separated noah beware for He is father of all fire, fury and furor merciful, graceful wrathful, unforgiving maloom hay humaiN yeh aag nahiN bajooz oos aag kay jo kisi aanay walay lumhay maiN sub aalamouN ko chupa laigi apnay shikanja e zeest maiN her smile a glimpse of the promised inferno big bang beginning of molten passion petrified heaven’s rage creative, consuming enraged … Read entire article »
Filed under: Heritage, History, Languages, musings, poetry, Religion, Society
Black swans and dead turkeys
by Feisal Naqvi I first started playing cards in high school. Ever since then — through college, law school and more than a decade of legal practice — I have continued to play; occasionally for profit, sometimes for a loss, and always for fun. The problem with playing cards seriously though is that you start analysing all social phenomena like a card player. What that means is that you always play the odds. In any given situation, you figure out the percentage play and then stick to it. If you go for broke, you will most likely wind up broke. If you get beat by a bad draw, that’s life. The bigger problem with thinking like a card player is that the card player’s view of probability does not necessarily apply to life … Read entire article »
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