The book covers one manifestation of authoritarianism as defined by the author and follows a set structure. There is a historical overview — in some instances beginning from the colonial era — consisting of key events which illustrate the issue.

Rizwan Qalandar has attempted to translate a song of Rahimullah Rahim, perhaps one of the most difficult contemporary poets, from Hunza. He is a free soul, a socialist philosopher who started off as a  young singer in early 1990s but more recently has turned towards deeply philosophical poetry with messages for the society. He is perhaps the only poet in …

News Desk Aijaz Ahmad, a world-renowned Marxist philosopher and political commentator, passed away at his California residence on Tuesday (March 9). He was hospitalised for age-related ailments and had returned home only a few days ago.  Aijaz Ahmad was a literary theorist and in 2017 joined Irvine School of Humanities at California University where he served as a Professor in the Department …

His teaching career spanned 50 years, during which he served as the dean of journalism and mass communication at Beaconhouse National University.

The Pamirian languages’ family comprises Shughni, Rushani, Bartangi, Roshorvi, Wakhi, Yazgulyami, Rini, Sanglichi, Munji, Sariqoli, Ishkashimi, Oroshor, and Starovanj. The languages are spoken by communities in Badakhshan provinces of Tajikistan and Afghanistan and the Toshqurghan county of Xinjiang autonomous region of China. In Pakistan, the Wakhi language is spoken in Gilgit-Baltistan’s Gojal-Hunza District, Ishkoman Valley of Ghizer District and Chitral’s Broghel Valley.

The three-volume Shina-Urdu dictionary of Kohistani dialect has been published by The Ganddhara Hindko Board and Hindko Academy.

by Waseem Altaf Writing textbooks for students who are in a formative stage is serious business. Errors and omissions on part of the writers due to lethargy, ignorance, or self-complacency are pardonable and can be corrected. However, when textbooks are written with the express aim of misguiding the pupils and indoctrinating adherence to the status quo, support for the regime …

Raza Naeem’s tribute to Pakistan’s best-known Marxist, scholar, author and activist on his birth centenary marked on April 10. Stop all the clocks … let the mourners come.— W.H. Auden by Raza Naeem While the world-renowned Marxist sociologist does not need an introduction here in South Asia, my reflections here will chiefly consist of my memories of my lone meeting …

By Tariq Siyal ISLAMABAD: Writers, academics and intellectuals of the twin cities praised the contribution of Khadim Hussain Soomro in promoting the message of love and harmony of mystics of Sindh. They described him an embodiment of Sufism. Renowned human rights defender and social worker Tahira Abdullah speaking at a literary event at the Pakistan Academy of Letters on Wednesday, …

The California-based Sadequain Foundation has published the 25th book on the 34th anniversary of the legendary artist, poet and intellectual. By Farman Ali The title cover of the new book From the Sketchbook of Sadequain. Credit: Dr Salman Ahmed Islamabad: A new book of drawings by Sadequain, an internationally-acclaimed and Pakistan’s most revered calligrapher, muralist, poet, intellectual has been published. …

by Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed Contemporary states are territorial entities whom international law invests with sovereign rights over their recognized territory within well-defined and demarcated borders. International law outlaws the violation of the territorial integrity of a state. The state enjoys the exclusive prerogative to exercise the monopoly of power over its territories and population. It means the right of states …

Beware of splashy corporate gestures when they leave existing power structures intact. by Helen Lewis Tumbrels are rattling through the streets of the internet. Over the past few years, online-led social movements have deposed gropers, exposed bullies — and, sometimes, ruined the lives of the innocent. Commentators warn of “mob justice,” while activists exult in their newfound power to change the …

https://youtu.be/Z-k1BlHYpXc Yumgan Wakhani Museum is a treasure trove of artefacts, pottery, musical instruments and various objects invented by or remained in use of the Mubarak Wakhani Farman Ali Mubarakkadam Ibn Abdullo, popularly known as Mubarak Wakhani, was a multi-faceted personality — a philosopher, poet, musician, astronomer, art teacher, and Sufi (mystic) scholar — from Badakhshan, Tajikistan. Born in 1839 in a …

British colonial officer John Biddulph’s book is considered as one of the pioneering works in English that provided an insight to the secluded societies, lifestyles, languages,  customs, marriages, festivals, ruling families and general characteristics of the many tribes that inhabited the Hindu Kush region Reviewed by Basharat Wakhani Tribes of the Hindoo Koosh written by British colonial officer John Biddulph is considered as one of the …

The case of the Shughni language by Farman Ali The Pamirian languages are spoken by people in Tajikistan, Afghanistan, Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions of Pakistan as well as Xinjiang province of China. The Pamirian Languages — a linguistic term — has been employed even before the advent of the Soviet Union, the first socialist state, by one of the pioneers …