Mast Qalandar People often describe Islamabad as a city without a soul. Actually, Islamabad’s soul is not to be found in the city itself, but on the fringes of the city. In the little hamlets and hills. Fauzia Minallah, an Islamabad based artist, has recently published a delightful coffee-table book titled ‘Glimpses into Islamabad’s Soul’. […]

Adil Najam With the PPP leadership having endorsed him and his nomination papers having been accepted, unless something dramatic happens – and in Pakistan, it always can – Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani will soon be elected as the next Prime Minister of Pakistan. Whether Mr. Gillani will become the person to harken meaningful democratic change […]

Adil Najam Addressing the Pakistan military parade today, Gen. Pervez Musharraf proclaimed that “you are seeing that a real democratic era has begun in Pakistan.” I say “Amen” to that. I remain confident as ever that Pakistan remains a democratic society trapped inside of an undemocratic state. I repeat and stand by what I had […]