‘Blood on the streets’

Posted on January 9, 2016 by beenasarwar

Part one of a series I am working on. NOTE: Post later updated to add the other parts below.

Student mtg 1951 or 52

M. Sarwar addressing a meeting in Karachi, early 1950s, Khaliqdina Hall. Seated left: Rehman Ali Hashmi.

Looking back to look forward: The DSF-led movement of the 1950s eschewed party politics, was inclusive, and focused on student unity. Besides students from medical, engineering and and law colleges, it involved students from girls’ and boys’ high schools, and women’s colleges. 

Below, an extract from my forthcoming memoir on the struggle for democratic spaces in Pakistan. This is from the chapter about the student movement of 1953 that shook the country and laid the foundations for the University of Karachi, published in The Friday Times, Jan. 8, 2016. Thanks to Raza Rumi for pushing me to share this Continue reading →

Filed under: Dr M Sarwar, Progressive politics, Student politics | Tagged: , , , , | 1 Comment »

Remembering the historic January 7 student movement

Posted on January 8, 2016 by beenasarwar

Sharing a blogpost that’s so relevant today, about the 1950s student movement led by the Democratic Students Federation

beenasarwar's avatarDr M. Sarwar (1930-2009)

DSF poster Jan 2016Message from DSF: In memory of the great struggle and demands day led by the then Democratic Students Federation of 1950’s, the present cadre of Democratic Students Federation Sindh is holding a program to highlight the achievements of that struggle and movement. Please join us on 9th January 2016 5.00pm at Railway High School, Kotri, Hyderabad. The program will be marked with speeches from student activists, trade unionists and Political activists – DSF secretary.

Remembering the historic January 7 student movement – by Shahid Husain in The News, Jan 6, 2016. Text below:

View original post 978 more words

Filed under: Uncategorized | 1 Comment »

Travels though history with a rural archivist

Posted on January 5, 2016 by beenasarwar
Sainath at MIT, explaining the concept behind PARI. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Tracing the footsteps of rebels like Kartar Singh and Sita Ramaraju with a rural archivist, the iconic P. Sainath… Wrote this piece to mark his groundbreaking initiative PARI’s first anniversary; published in The News on Sunday, Jan 3, 2016. Text below with links and additional photos.

Continue reading →

Filed under: History, Uncategorized | Tagged: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

A year after Peshawar APS massacre; Islamophobia and yes, Humanity Trumps All

Posted on December 21, 2015 by beenasarwar
Rev Joe Robinson speaking at a protest in Boston against the APS massacre and Islamophobia. Dec. 21, 2015. Photo: Beena Sarwar

Last Sunday as we geared up to commemorate the Peshawar APS massacre of Dec 16, 2014, when Taliban killed 144 schoolchildren, a bomb blast in Shia-majority Parachinar at the lunda bazar (second-hand market) killed over 22 people, most of them poor.

We talked about that at our gathering that afternoon at Harvard Square where Reverend Joe Robinson and members of the Christ Church in Cambridge joined us in solidarity, as did many others from the local Pakistani and Indian communities. Rabbi Neal Gold of Temple Shir Tikvah couldn’t join us but we read out his letter of support and solidarity to the Islamic Center of Boston.

Many friends joined us from another rally in Providence, R.I., an hour away, attended by some 3-400 people of all faiths, including Muslim, Jewish, Christian and agnostics.

Here’s a link to a piece I wrote for Scroll.in on the issue: #NeverForget: A year after Peshawar school attack, voices rise in solidarity around the world

Continue reading →

Filed under: 'War on terror', Violence in the name of religion | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

When information and awareness leads to change

Posted on November 27, 2015 by beenasarwar

The Punjab government has directed the provincial Human Rights department to amend existing service rules (see scan of letter dated Nov 6, 2015) according to which “Only non-Muslims/ Persons who belong to Minorities” are eligible for the position of sanitary workers or sweepers (see attached scan of Service Rules below).

Punjab govt Order-Nov 6-2015Researcher and writer Asif Aqeel who emailed this update today thanks parliamentarian Mary Gill for bringing the issue to the notice of the government and pushing for the change. Continue reading →

Filed under: Human rights | Tagged: , , | 2 Comments »

Remembering Shahab Ahmed

Posted on November 17, 2015 by beenasarwar

IMG_8355

The Orkestra Marhabba: haunting Turkish sama’a music. 

Colleagues, students, family and friends of the late Shahab Ahmed gathered on Nov 15  evening at an elegant and dignified memorial where speakers remembered him as a friend, a brother, a scholar, a poet, a translator and a seeker of Truth (his first book, What is Islam? has just been published).  Continue reading →

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

Pakistani scholar Nasser Hussain laid to rest

Posted on November 15, 2015 by beenasarwar

Nasser HussainSo sorry to have to share this news, about the younger brother of a childhood friend. Obituary below. Also see this article by one of his former students that so elegantly sums up his passions in life.

BOSTON: Karachi-born Nasser Hussain, professor of law, jurisprudence and social thought at Amherst College, USA, passed away in the early hours of Nov 9 after an extended illness, at the residence of his brother Omar Hussain in the Boston area. He was 50.

Scholars, friends and family from around the world including his elderly mother Sultana Hussain from Karachi, gathered for his funeral on Friday. His father Captain (Retd.) Tajammul Hussain, Pakistan Navy, passed away in January 2014. Continue reading →

Filed under: Obituary | Tagged: , | 3 Comments »

Haider, jigar, are you at peace now?

Posted on November 12, 2015 by beenasarwar

Haider in Gilgit-fb pageMy article on a journalist, activist, humanist, friend, eternal optimist and conflicted human being who left us forever recently. Illustrations by Feica. Scroll.in published a slightly abbreviated version titled ‘Journalist, optimistic rebel who stood up to General Zia’s excesses’, breaking the text up with sub-heads that I’ve used in the full text below. Their intro: “Haider Rizvi was a Pakistani journalist and activist who passed away in Lahore on October 29. His three-decade-long journalistic career began in Pakistan. He moved to the US in the mid-1990s and covered the United Nations, before returning to Pakistan in 2013 and taking up a job as a lecturer. He was 52.”
Continue reading →

Filed under: Human rights, Media, Obituary | Tagged: , , , , , , | 2 Comments »

‘More Than My Religion’: Reclaiming the narrative

Posted on November 10, 2015 by beenasarwar

imageMy article for The News on Sunday, Nov 8, 2015 on the ‘More Than My Religion’ (Oct 8-Nov 17) at City Hall, Providence RI – a unique exhibition showcasing art by American Muslims that aims to break stereotypes and build bridges — and help the homeless. Continue reading →

Filed under: Art and activism, Peace | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

A Spanish love song from Quetta

Posted on November 8, 2015 by beenasarwar

Still from the video of an impromptu performance by students in Quetta

Still from the cellphone video of an impromptu performance by students in Quetta.

This little music video just made my day when a friend sent it to me yesterday: a Spanish love song by his cousin Hamza Khan, with co-singer Syed Zaryab and guitarist Naveed Ahmed. Students at Balochistan University of Information Technology Engineering and Management Sciences, BUITEMS, a leading private university in Quetta, they are also members of the Artists’ League Quetta (ALQ), a platform for the arts started by fellow student and self-taught dancer Farrukh Shaikh earlier this year. The group includes students from different departments in the University – including girls.

Continue reading →

Filed under: Freedom of expression, Music, Peace | Tagged: , , , , , | 1 Comment »

« Previous Page — Next Page »