An Indo-Pak tribute to Amjad Sabri

Posted on June 30, 2016 by beenasarwar
Nitin-Saami-PEM

Nitin Mitta and Naseeruddin Saami with the Saami brothers at Peabody Essex Museum. Photo: Beena Sarwar

My article for Aman ki Asha, “hope for peace”, the India-Pakistan peace initiative launched in 2010 by two media giants on either side, the Jang Group of Pakistan and the Times of India

The morning of Wednesday, 22 June 2016 dawned in New York with shattering news of the target killing of Amjad Sabri in broad daylight across the world in Karachi. The tragedy, devastating for millions of fans, was a personal blow for the legendary classical music maestro Naseeruddin Saami and his sons, on tour in the USA towards the end of their first ever visit to America.  Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Music | Tagged: , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Pakistani qawwals touring USA dedicate performances to Amjad Sabri

Posted on June 29, 2016 by beenasarwar
Saami-PEM-standing ovation

Standing ovation for the Saami Brothers after their performance at Peabody Essex Museum, Salem MA. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Wrote this news report the other day.; working on a more detailed report.

Pakistani qawwals touring USA dedicate performances to Amjad Sabri

Legendary classical music maestro Naseeruddin Saami and his sons, currently on tour in the USA, expressed grief at the target killing of their old friend and colleague the renowned qawwal Amjad Sabri in Karachi. Continue reading →

Filed under: Music, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Another assassination in Pakistan; just have to ‘keep on keepin’ on’

Posted on June 27, 2016 by beenasarwar

My article in PRI’s The World, June 25, 2016

pakistan_singer

Thousands of people attend the funeral procession of Amjad Sabri. Photo: Akhtar Soomro/Reuters

“They’ve shot dead Amjad Sabri” — the first words I heard on Wednesday morning marked news of yet another assassination in my beloved Karachi, still “home” despite living in the Boston area since 2011.

Sabri was one of the world’s most famous exponents of the devotional music known as Qawwali. On Wednesday, two gunmen intercepted his car and shot him dead at close range in the crowded locality near his house. Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Human rights, Music | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

RIP Amjad Sabri, symbol of a syncretic Sufi culture increasingly under attack

Posted on June 23, 2016 by beenasarwar

Amjad SabriA sad, sad day. Rest in peace, Amjad Sabri, qawwal, shot dead in a target killing in Karachi today. Shortly afterwards, the young naat-khwan, Farhan Ali Waris escaped a murderous attack on his way home from a recording where he had in fact waiting for Amjad Sabri to join him.  A continuation of the trend of killing Shia and Ahmadi doctors for their faith, now musicians…? But Amjad Sabri was not just a ‘musician’.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Human rights, Terrorism | Tagged: , , | 1 Comment »

Author of travelogue on Pakistan’s Sikh legacy experienced “nothing but love” there, grateful for visa

Posted on June 21, 2016 by beenasarwar
Amardeep Singh-book

Author Amardeep Singh shares a story from his travelogue. Photo: Beena Sarwar

“I experienced nothing but love in Pakistan,” says Amardeep Singh, author of the photo-illustrated travelogue “Lost Heritage – The Sikh Legacy In Pakistan”, published in January 2016 (Himalayan Books).  Continue reading →

Filed under: Culture, History, Pakistan-India, Travel | Tagged: , , | Leave a comment »

Muslim Americans strongly condemn the horrendous crime in Orlando, express deepest condolences to the victims and their families

Posted on June 13, 2016 by beenasarwar
Returned from a long road trip today to news of the horrendous massacre in Orlando. As details emerge about the bloodshed and condemnations pour in, some Boston-area Muslim American organisations have issued the statement below, and Mayor Marty Walsh has announced a vigil in front of City Hall Plaza at 6 pm on Monday

PRESS STATEMENT (please share widely)

Shooting attack at gay nightclub in Orlando, Florida

Photo: Phelen M. Ebenhack / AP

Muslim Americans strongly condemn the horrendous crime in Orlando, express deepest condolences to the victims and their families

BOSTON: The community and leaders of the Islamic Mausemeen Center of New England, Imamia Muslim Foundation and Masumeen Trust join all Americans in condemning the senseless act of violence perpetrated in Florida today against fellow human beings. Such criminal acts against any human beings are against all belief systems of the world.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Resistance | Tagged: , , , | Leave a comment »

Harsh Mander and his vision of “a world of new solidarity”

Posted on June 12, 2016 by beenasarwar

My column in Himal Southasian, published 10 June 2016 –  Harsh Mander on why we should raise our voice against injustice

By Beena Sarwar

Harsh Mander: Committed, consistent and soft-spoken. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Cross-border solidarity isn’t exactly a new idea. The rallying cry, “Proletarians of all countries, unite!…” that emerged in 1848 from The Communist Manifesto has resounded around the globe in many forms since it was first articulated.

Meeting Harsh Mander, one of India’s foremost activist-intellectuals and a courageous former civil servant, again revived the idea for me, but this time, beyond workers. I had first met the soft-spoken Mander in Karachi, when I worked for Geo TV. He had been part of a small delegation from India visiting Pakistan in early 2004, a visit aimed at improving understanding between India and Pakistan, organised by the social-cultural group Act Now for Harmony and Democracy (ANHAD).

Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Gujarat 2002, Human rights | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Pushing forward the cart that says “Educate Pakistan!”

Posted on May 15, 2016 by beenasarwar

My piece about the TCF fundraiser in Boston last weekend, published in The News on Sunday, May 15, 2016

Adil Najam, Nargis Mavalvala-Ateed Riaz-Beena Sarwar

Adil Najam, Nargis Mavalvala, Ateed Riaz at the speakers table. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Pitching in for education in Pakistan from Boston and beyond

Beena Sarwar

“The Citizens’ Foundation is doing an amazing job, and I’m honoured to be here,” said Nergis Mavalvala, giving the keynote address at the sold-out Third Annual The Citizen’s Foundation (TCF) Boston Fundraiser on Saturday, 7 May, 2016.

Propelled to celebrity status by her role in the recent breakthrough on gravitational waves predicted by Einstein, the Pakistani-American astrophysicist at MIT added, “TCF is fantastic – give generously”. Continue reading →

Filed under: Education, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

Nergis Mavalvala to be keynote for TCF Boston fundraiser

Posted on May 5, 2016 by beenasarwar

Nergis Mavalvala

Nergis Mavalvala: “The key to my success is the education I got as a girl in Pakistan”

Mavalvala to be keynote speaker at fundraiser for high-quality, low-income schools in Pakistan

BOSTON, May 04: Nergis Mavalvala, the Pakistani-American astrophysicist at MIT known for the part she played in the breakthrough on gravitational waves, will be a keynote speaker at the Third Annual The Citizen’s Foundation (TCF) Boston Fundraiser on Saturday, May 7, 2016. Continue reading →

Filed under: Education, Human rights, Terrorism | Tagged: , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment »

Sabeen Mahmud: Inclusive spaces and #tree4Sabeen

Posted on May 3, 2016 by beenasarwar

In Karachi last week, I wrote about Sabeen Mahmud and the Creative Karachi Festival held to commemorate her life and work. PRI published it with the title Remembering a Pakistani woman who died because she wanted everyone to have a space to speak freely along with my radio interview with Marco Werman of PRI’s The World. Below is the unabridged text including with more links and photos. Also see our friend Afia Salam’s tribute to Sabeen in The Wire, Why Sabeen Mahmud Will Always Matter.

ckf-stalls20partition

A poster with Sabeen’s photo at CKF 2016 on a divider between a stall and walkway at the Alliance Francaise. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Beena Sarwar

Early on Sunday morning in Karachi, a small, eclectic crowd converged at The Second Floor, the iconic coffee shop-cultural hub founded by my young friend Sabeen Mahmud in 2007.  Continue reading →

Filed under: Balochistan, Freedom of expression, Pakistan, Peace, Progressive politics, Resistance | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 3 Comments »

« Previous Page — Next Page »