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.

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 in …

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 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 world. Both groups …

Yamga 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 small village …

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 …

There was an uncanny similarity between the lives of Pushkin and Manto, writes Raza Naeem. Both were largely unrecognised in their own lifetimes, despite believing unapologetically in their own greatness, achieving immortality only after death   Herald Report On May 11, Google celebrated the 108th birthday of renowned short story writer Saadat Hasan Manto with a doodle. Saadat Hasan Manto was …

By Lorenzo Alfano Antonio Gramsci died on April 27, 1937, after eleven years in fascist prisons. We remember his revolutionary life and his contributions to the struggle against capitalism. It’s late at night on Turin’s Via dell’Arcivescovado. A man with a Southern accent shows up at L’Ordine Nuovo’s office, insisting on speaking with the lead editor. For L’Ordine Nuovo is not only the workers’ …

  by Harris Khalique | | It is indeed a matter of profound privilege and great pleasure to deliver this speech at the closing ceremony of the 11th Karachi Literature Festival. Particularly, because this city by the sea is my birthplace and although I have not been living here for long, “to my soul/ the streets anywhere are the streets …

In his book, Nomads and Soviet Rule: Central Asia under Lenin and Stalin (I.B. Tauris, 2018), Alun Thomas examines the experiences of Kazakh and Kyrgyz nomads in the NEP (New Economic Policy) period and demonstrates the Soviet state’s treatment of nomads to be far complex and pragmatic. He shows how Soviet policy was informed by both an anti-colonial spirit and …