RT @murtazasolangi: “Imran Aslam has transitioned into another world. He leaves behind many heartbroken friends, colleagues and family memb… Tweeted 12 hours ago
RT @TheMahiraKhan: Everyone who knew him has a story to tell of his.. a kind one, an inspiring one, a brave one. You’ll be sorely missed bu… Tweeted 14 hours ago
RT @TheMahiraKhan: I can never forget, was offered a morning show at the start of my career… I turned it down - ‘I want to be a movie star’… Tweeted 14 hours ago
RT @thewire_in: 'Never didactic, Imran Aslam's discourse was characterised by humility and wit. While fiercely patriotic, he refused to giv… Tweeted 14 hours ago
RT @fbhutto: Imran Aslam is the reason I began writing full time. He read a piece I had written for another paper and called me up and said… Tweeted 14 hours ago
RT @fifiharoon: One of my closest friends Tipu, known to all of you as Imran Aslam, the President of Geo TV has passed away. Met him when I… Tweeted 1 day ago
This is a follow up to my earlier post about physicians of Pakistani and Indian origin, already in the frontlines of the Covid19 battle in the US, stepping up in the war against a longer-running pandemic, racism. We know that racism is not limited to the US. In our home countries in South Asia, it is expressed as casteism and oppression of vulnerable communities.
Last Sunday some physician friends in the Boston area invited me to help them organise a rally under the banner White Coats for Black Lives. These rallies began last Friday with synchronised standouts taking place at hospitals and medical institutions around the United States. This may be the first one taking place at a public venue.
Dr M. Sarwar, Jan 2007. Photo: Anwar Sen Roy
I found it exciting that Pakistani and Indian physicians are joining hands for a common cause, across the political divide. I’m glad to have been able to help them and glad to see doctors becoming politically active.Remembering my father Dr M. Sarwar who believed so passionately in equality and social justice. He not only wouldn’t charge workers, artists and journalists but also gave them medicines for free. He would have approved ❤️
The event has generated a lot of support (see list of endorsing organisations below).
Thanks to the Association of Pakistani Physicians of New England (APPNE) for the opportunity to meet an inspiring young lady, 14-year old Insha Afsar of Muzaffarabad who lost a leg in the earthquake of 2005 but has risen to become a champion one-legged skier, enabled by her supportive host parents in the USA. My piece in The News on Sunday
Some weeks ago, I happened to sit at the same table as a bright-eyed, long-haired young girl with a wide smile. The only non-desis in the room were the white couple with her. I assumed they were doctors or medical representatives in that hall full of physicians and their families.
But a pair of crutches resting on the table indicated that the girl was Insha Afsar, the 14-year old from Muzaffarabad who lost a leg in the 2005 Kashmir earthquake but has become a skiing sensation as she dominates the slopes — on one leg. Continue reading →
Propagandists floated this falsely captioned photo, trying to link Malala with Salman Rushdie (it’s actually EU President Martin Schulz) and Taslima Nasreen (who complained later in her blog about how religious Malala is, and how Taslima was not being granted a meeting with her)
I was invited to speak at an event in the Boston area recently titled “Celebrating Malala”. I talked about the hostile propaganda against her in her home country Pakistan, and the need to support her regardless of misgivings about how ‘the west’ or others are ‘using’ her. Scroll down to see the slides I shared with my presentation. Below, the report I sent to The News, reproduced below with additional links:
BOSTON: Several Pakistani professional and community organisations based in New England hosted an event on Saturday night titled “Celebrate Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai”.
It was thanks to Malala that these organisations joined hands for the first time to organise an event, noted Dr Khalil Khatri, a Sindh Medical College graduate and Rotarian who conducted the event wearing a natty ajrak bow-tie. Continue reading →
Journeys to democracy 