Adil Najam

An Islamabad-based reader alerted me to the news about Shagufta’s tragic death at the hands of her father and brothers; but really at the hands of societal ignorance and superstition. This is a story of ‘jahalat’ in its truest, deepest, most shameful, and most repulsive form.

Why was Shugafta axed to death – and later burnt – by her family? (Her father, three brothers, and her younger sister were all differently involved.) because they all believed that she was possessed by demons!

And why would they think so? The story has layer over layer of complications and meaning about what is wrong, not just here but in too many places: supposed ‘spiritual mentors’ (pirs) instigating hatred, regressive beliefs and customs, the pressures of a postponed marriage, possibly incest, and more.

Owais Mughal

(A man’s destiny is much higher than humanity.
He can be short in height but should not be short on courage)

This photograph in Dawn (December 13, 2006) shows a homeless man on Karachi roads. The poor guy has wrapped himself in a cloth banner of a political party to save himself from winter temperatures.

Adil Najam

The Chinese men’s hockey team just recorded their first-ever victory against Pakistan. But what a victory it was; or, rather, what a defeat for Pakistan.

The Chinese team stunned everyone – not least the Pakistanis – by beating the seven-time champions 2-1 in the Asian Games semi-finals in Doha, Qatar. China will now face South Korea in the Final. The website of the Pakistan Hockey Federation has the motto ‘urge to conquer’; the urge was not strong enough in this case!

This means that for the first time in 48 years, there will be no South Asian team playing in the Asian Games finals. Maybe calling this the ‘end of Pakistan hockey’ is too dramatic. But, certainly, South Asia no longer ‘owns’ the game as it once did; East Asia now not only owns it, but dominates it at the continental level (the women’s final will be between Japan and China).