Benazir Bhutto, arrival in Karachi, 2007. Photo: Daniel Berehulak/Getty Images
A new fellowship at Harvard University to honor the late Pakistani political leader Benazir Bhutto, member of the Harvard College class of 1973, is now accepting applications. Continue reading
Filed under: Education, Gender, Pakistan | Tagged: Benazir Bhutto, Fellowship opportunity, harvard, Kennedy School, Leadership, women | 3 Comments »
Jimmy Engineer stands with protestors at the 4th monthly remembrance for Peshawar school massacre, in Boston. Photo: Ehsun Mirza
An article I wrote for The News on Sunday about the artist, humanitarian and peace worker Jimmy Engineer, The artist and more, May 3, 2015. Reproduced here with additional links and photos.
“There is a long list of people who are activists and who take up causes who get killed. It’s an endless list, and it’s a senseless list,” says Jimmy Engineer.
I’m talking to this Pakistani artist and philanthropist on the phone, having him met a few times in the Boston area. Based in Karachi, he’s visiting the USA, currently in Houston where his parents live. I’ve called to ask if he heard about the murder of activist-entrepreneur Sabeen Mahmud in Karachi.
He puts the tragedy in perspective as part of the perennial struggle between good and evil. “There will always be those who try to improve things and raise a voice to create awareness. There will always be those who want to destroy them. This happens everywhere in the world. Nature also takes its toll. Along with all the positive, there’s always a negative, like the Nepal earthquake.”
Sabeen herself well understood herself and exemplified this philosophy, accepting that negativity and evil exist but yet continuing to strive to do what is possible on a personal level. Life is a never-ending struggle and we each need to do what we can. Continue reading
Filed under: Freedom of expression | Tagged: art, harvard, Harvard Grad School of Education, Harvard SAI, India, Jatin Desai, Jimmy Engineer, Nirmala Despande, Nirmala Didi, Pakistan, Parsi, Quetta, Special needs, Walk for peace, Zaheda Hina, Zoroastrians | 1 Comment »
Samina Quraeshi: always dazzling. Photo by Andreas Burgess
My article in The News on Sunday today about Samina Quraeshi (October 12, 1944-September 25, 2013), who will be treasured as a movie maker, photographer, designer, architect, writer, city planner, storyteller, and on and on… See her introduction to
By Beena Sarwar
While in Pakistan nearly a year ago, filming for her documentary, ‘The Other Half of Tomorrow’ on the complexities and empowering aspects of the lives of Pakistani women, Samina Quraeshi suffered a stroke that doctors feared she would not recover from. Miraculously, she did. Her own indomitable spirit, the best medical care, and undoubtedly the love and prayers of countless friends and well-wishers pulled the vivacious, versatile writer, artist, and designer back from the brink.
Her right side was left paralysed, but she carried on with her characteristic zest for life, even though, as she said sadly, “I can’t even hold my granddaughter.” Continue reading
Filed under: Pakistan | Tagged: Activism, Andreas Burgess, art, artists, Cassim Shepard, film, harvard, HDS Greenway, kuch khaas, Kyra Montagu, Oklahoma City bombing, Other Half of Tomorrow’, Pakistan, Poppy Afzal Khan, Richard Shepard, Roger Mandle, Sadia Shepard, Samina Quraeshi | 1 Comment »
Mohali, Chandigarh: Pakistan captain Shahid Afridi and Indian captain M S Dhoni smile ahead of the opening ceremony
Posted to my yahoogroup earlier:
I don’t usually post articles that haven’t been published yet, but will make an exception for what I’ve written ahead of the ‘mother of all matches’ in Chandigarh on March 30, 2011. If you are not Indian or Pakistani and don’t follow cricket, this may mean nothing to you. If you are, it doesn’t need explaining. My two short pieces to be published in The News on Mar 30th (Mohali: let it be an ‘aman ka chakka’ and “Something happening in Mohali today?” Salman Ahmad, rocking to a cross-border beat – ‘tension leney ka nahi’), below for the weekly Aman ki Asha page.
But before that, a news flash: Aman ki Asha’s Milne Do campaign against visa restrictions for Indians and Pakistanis wanting to visit each other’s countries won Best Campaign award at the APNS awards ceremony last night.
Back to Mohali: My uncle Zawwar Hasan, a retired sports journalist, predicts India will win. My aunt says that all his predictions so far have been wrong, so the odds in favour of Pakistan winning are high 🙂 heh Read his lively commentary at his blog
My favourite placard from the 2004 series: "NO nuclear test, NO missile test, just TEST CRICKET"
Some blogs I came across that reflect the spirit we’d like to see prevail:
Cricket – An Opportunity For Peace Between India & Pakistan (Loud Thinking)
Boom Boom Cricket! (Mullah, Military & Media, by )
May the Best Side Win! (Silsila-e-Mah-o-Saal, by Sabahat24)
These blogs are from Pakistan, but it was two Indian journalists (Shivam Vij & Dilip D’Souza) who courageously started a facebook ‘event’ called “Indians who want Pakistan to win the Mohali semi-final and vice-versa” -. Not a very popular position, but incredibly, it gained over 100 ‘likes’ in one day. More popular on facebook, with over a 1500 likes already is “Together We Shall Win“ started by two Indians and two Pakistanis, mentioned in my article below:
SHORT PIECE – 1
Mohali: let it be an ‘aman ka chakka’
Many, including Aman ki Asha, will cheer both sides, be happy for the winner Continue reading
Filed under: Cricket, Pakistan-India | Tagged: #cwc, #wc11, 2004 test series, @IndoPak_Peace, @itwittthere4iam, @Khan_Zubair, @pathan_, @RR2303, Aman ki Asha IT Committee, Amin Hashwani, ghoom taana, harvard, india pakistan semi-final, Juhi Chawla, junoon, Kajol, Mehmal Sarfaraz, mohali, Rahim Lalani, Ravi Dhariwal, salman ahmad, Salman Khan, shahram azhar, shubha mudgal, Together We Shall Win | 4 Comments »
Journeys to democracy 