“Failed state“, terrorism, corruption, killings and oppression are among the terms that define Pakistan around the globe. Is this all Pakistan is about? I don’t think so. So what is it about Pakistan that raises hopes, makes us optimistic, and tells us that we’re going to make it out of this temporary rough patch in the road? Even before finishing the first paragraph of this post I can see the
It happened about 35 years ago and changed the game forever. The world of cricket owes a huge debt to Kerr y Packer for launching the World Series Cricket. He brought the yet unknown elements like loads of money and fan-fare to bring the excitement back in the game. Then, in 2008, Indian Premier League (IPL) did the same and more. This new face of cricket had obscene amount of
They were only four years old [in Test cricket] but they managed what no other cricket playing nation had ever done. They beat the English in their first test series on their own soil. Pakistan has witnessed several magical moments in its cricket history (who could forget the unbelievable six by Javed Miandad in Sharjah?), but the Oval test 1954 was where the magic first happened and Fazal Mahmood was
The last time we showed some signs of life as a nation was during the lawyers’ movement for reinstatement of CJP. Once again, the time seems to be ripe for a strong push to topple the status quo (girti deewar ko aik dhakka aur do). There is no shortage of pied pipers begging to lead us to the Promised Land. But, save a few, all are tried, tested and failed
General elections are just around the corner (hopefully) and most of the discussions in the media and among the masses are occupied by two themes: disenchantment with the way things are and skepticism about any change in the future. However, there is a relatively new phenomenon that may prove to be a challenge for the political dinosaurs (or predators) in our country. I’m referring to the use of social media
There was a time when we had sporting action all year round. Teams and players from all nations loved to come to Pakistan for memorable contests and great hospitality. Then, on March 3, 2009, this all changed. The Sri Lankan cricket team was attacked in Lahore and this incident sent shock waves among sports fans and organizations around the world. This unfortunate incident had far reaching consequences for sports in
Is there any stopping to Hossein Vafaei Ayouri? A Seven-Nation Championship title only a month ago and now he’s crowned as the 13th Asian Under-21 Snooker Champion. Last year he thrilled spectators in India by winning the IBSF Snooker World Championship and once again India was the stage for his recent coronation. Let’s see how it all went down in beautiful Goa, India. Pakistani Pedigree The tournament began on Monday
What will become of your family if you die or become disabled tomorrow? A very scary thought indeed, but this thought crosses our minds every now and then. Risks are an inherent part of life; the possibility of having your car stolen, or getting involved in an accident, the chance of your house being destroyed by a fire and many other such risks are a part of our lives; especially
When someone dies in your family, what do you do? Worry about the funeral arrangements? Inform friends and family? And then of course there is the usual soyem and chehlum. This about covers it, right? In fact, no it doesn’t! There is something very important missing here. The majority of the Muslims are completely oblivious to the importance of making a written will (wasiyah). Those who are knowledgeable of its
The essence of Islamic banking lies in the rejection of interest for loaning of money and in only making investments in businesses that provide goods or services that are consistent with Islamic principles. It is a relatively new field in modern banking. The first Islamic banks appeared in the late 20th century with the help and guidance of world renowned Islamic scholars and financial experts to apply Sharia-compliant banking principles