Filed under: Gender, Health, Pakistan-India, Southasia, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: aurat azadi march, Aurat March, CAA, coronavirus, mera jism meri marzi | 1 Comment »
In December 2019, when I visited Dr Mubashir Hasan at his home in Lahore, I read out to him a Statement on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act, drafted by a friend in Kathmandu. Dr Saab readily endorsed it, probably his last public comment (see below). He is the first person who talked to me about pushing for a South Asian Union along the lines of the European Union. He passed away today, aged 98. A great mentor, leader, guide and friend. May he rest in peace. More later.
Statement on India’s Citizenship (Amendment) Act by 14 independent South Asian citizens
26 December 2019
Continue readingFiled under: Southasia | Tagged: CAA, CAB, Dr Mubashir Hasan, fascism, India, persecution, south asia, Southasia | 2 Comments »
Something I wrote about sexual harassment and abuse, published inThe News on Sunday. It was a difficult piece to write, took a lot of thought, time, and research, and forced me to introspect on uncomfortable ideas. I went through a learning process that I’ve have tried to share. One idea links to the concept of restorative justice. Another is that, regardless of whether or not guilt is proven, such cases are forcing society to re-evaluate acceptable behaviour. This, in fact, may be the #MeToo movement’s most enduring contribution.
Filed under: Art and activism, Freedom of expression, Gender, Human rights, Pakistan, Southasia, Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: #metoo, ali zafar, aurat azadi march, child abuse, dialogue, forgiveness, jami, meesha shafi, Mukhtiar Mai, rape, restorative justice, sexual abuse, sexual harassment, shazia khalid, veena hayat | Leave a comment »
Post updated to add the programme just received from Delhi; gratified that it includes the poem I posted here earlier, “Palwashe Muskurao”.
Great to know that friends in Delhi are organising this wonderful event to commemorate the great poet Fahmida Riaz – Fahmida Khala to me, she called my father Sarwar Bhai. I love the poem of hope and inspiration she recited, Palwashe Muskurao (Palwasha, smile), at the commemoration we organised for him and the student movement he led. Here’s information about the upcoming event in Delhi, fittingly, on Valentine’s Day, that I put together for the Aman Ki Asha website.
_____________
Happenings 
What: ‘Transcending Boundaries, Defying Taboos:
The Poetry of Fahmida Riaz’
When: Thursday, 14 February 2019, 6.30 pm
Where: India Habitat Centre, Delhi
Who: Open and free to the public
Co-hosted by the PIPFPD and India Habitat Centre.
______________
Tum bilkul hum jaise nikle
Ab tak kahan chhupey they bhai!
(You have turned out to be just like us
Where were you hiding till now, brothers!)
Fahmida Riaz wrote her prescient poem in 1996 when the BJP first emerged as the single largest party in the Lok Sabha. When she recited it nearly twenty years later before an Indian audience in April 201, “it carried a weight equal to the history of South Asia itself” say members of the Pakistan India People’s Forum for Peace & Democracy. Continue reading
Filed under: Gender, Pakistan-India, Progressive politics, Resistance, Southasia | Leave a comment »
“Shahidul is free !! ধন্যবাদ !!! Thank you for your support!!” – message from Dhaka. Best news of the day 🙂
Press statement from the Commonwealth Human Rights Initiative and
South Asia Media Defenders Network
Dhaka, November 20– After day-long wrangles today between his lawyers and jail authorities in Dhaka over purported “discrepancy” in the prison’s address, internationally acclaimed Bangladeshi photographer Shahidul Alam was set free on bail to joyous scenes this evening. Continue reading
Filed under: Southasia | Tagged: Bangladesh, Shahidul Alam | Leave a comment »
Shahidul Alam in Central Park, New York, 2012. Photo: Beena Sarwar
The Washington Post published my opinion piece about Shahidul yesterday. Below, a slightly earlier version of the final edited piece for those unable to access WP.
Filed under: enforced disappearances, Progressive politics, Resistance, Southasia | Tagged: Bangladesh, censorship, crossfire, extrajudicial killings, persecution, protest art, Shahidul Alam, social media | 1 Comment »
Navjot Singh Sidhu has a visa to attend Imran Khan’s swearing in ceremony. Why can’t visas be easy for everyone? Image courtesy: CatchNews
August 17 this year marks 30 years since the mid-air explosion that killed the military dictator General Ziaul Haq in 1988. This year, Zia’s death anniversary ironically took a back seat to the election of the country’s new prime minister. Today, the 342-seat National Assembly voted on the prime minister, who of course was Imran Khan. His speech and that of Shahbaz Sharif were sadly marred by sloganeering in the gallery from their opponents. Everyone listened attentively to Bilawal Bhutto’s maiden speech in parliament – well spoken, reminded the speaker and prime minister-elect of their responsibilities and paid tribute to those who have given their lives for democracy. Very much hope both PTI and PML-N observe more decorum in coming sessions. Also worth listening to: Mohsin Dawar’s maiden speech, courageously calling for accountability beyond politicians and parliament. Tomorrow, Imran Khan’s oath-taking ceremony will be attended, among others, by Indian Punjab minister for culture and tourism, Navjot Singh Sidhu, himself a former cricketer. That, and former Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s passing away yesterday are sharp reminders of the urgent need for peace between the two countries. I wrote about Vajpayee and his significance in terms of this issue for the India Today Group Digital, published in Daily O today (text below). Whatever his flaws and political moorings, when it came to building peace in the region, Vajpayee showed the kind of moral courage and political will that today’s leaders would do well to learn from.
Filed under: History, Pakistan-India, Peace, Southasia | Tagged: Agra Summit, Assembly session, democracy, kargil, Lahore, Lahore Declaration, PML-N, PTI, religious tourism, vajpayee, Vajpayee Minar-e-Pakistan visit | Leave a comment »
