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A Letter to God

Light of my heart, help me speak so that hearts can talk. Those hearts that wear a shield of iron around them, those hearts who dare not speak their truth, hearts who believe that there is no love for them...

If God is the Same then Why is God Different?

The answer to this question came after many years of searching.

Al-Aah: The Lover's Sigh

They have tried hard to tell me you don't exist,
That you are a figment of my imagination
And what is my imagination?

Hail Obama

Surely you, who are a veritable crossroads yourself, black, white, Muslim, Kenyan, Indonesian, American and under 50, you can see further than others have been able to.

The Global Self-Help Addict

Self help is the hallmark of the global professional. Words that inspire, soothe, comfort and motivate are powerful and popular forces of support in an everchanging workplace.

Who Moved My Cheese

Mr Gore wasn’t afraid of looking foolish, he’d take his presentation wherever people would listen. His persistence ended up creating a climate of global acceptance of global warming.

Fall

Do I really have to?
Watch
The slow unwinding of leaves
As they fall ever so slowly from the branches
that nurtured them

60 Years of American DogHood

Graffiti in Karachi proclaims that General Musharraf is an American Dog who must be shot dead. (General Amriki Kutta, Tthaa!!). It’s an idea, problem is that not much of Pakistan will remain if we shoot all the American Dogs

The Secret Is: Don’t Worry, Buy Happy

Then mankind became a bit smarter and said no god. But that meant more and more people would ask questions and not do as they are told. So mankind had to be taught to believe in god again and ignore the really difficult questions of why we kill, why there

Industrial Dieting: The Myth and the Madness

The idea of a quick fix has taken hold of the global psyche through massive advertising and we struggle to buy a box, a pill, a bottle, a program, a spray and a thing to solve our problem

The Canadian Dream: Never Fulfilled

As the digital divide keeps people away from information, the immigrant divide keeps foreign qualified professionals from their profession of choice.

The Globalization of Spirituality

When Soros became socialist and Bill Gates generous, we all knew something big was happening. We theorized, we fantasized and we said,’aaha, perhaps intense consumerism leads to something good—philanthropy!’

Industrial Food

Industrial Food is not just about food production, but also about globalization. Multinational corporations affect food production all over the world. Food has been contaminated all over the world with synthetic chemicals

The Globe Is Warm

Global warming has been suspended as in global w-a-r-m-i-n-g? Like deferred taxation it is something we will reckon with whenever, if ever. Is it time for the skeleton in the closet to be acknowledged?

Connecting the Dots: From Oil Energy to Green Energy

The real question is not what if conspiracy theorists are right, the real question is why there are many holes, foul-ups and goof-ups in the 9/11 story

Documenting Anarchy

Recently—meaning in the last decade but more openly since 9/11, there is a continued effort to document people all over planet earth. From the most disorganized countries to most orderly, there is a concerted effort to account for every person on th

The Return of the Anti-hero

In keeping with India’s modern day disapproval of pacifism, Rang De Basanti's role models for a modern day freedom struggle are the fiery fighters

The Modernity Conspiracy

While the progressive Third World elevates technology to messianic levels, convinced that there is no other alternative, it is equally reluctant to give up its own gods and pre-modern moral code

Old Capitalism is Dead, Long Live New Capitalism

When ‘they’ the Walmarts, replaced the family business, some writhed, some cried but we all let it happen because we felt richer when we bought a $2 item from Walmart that elsewhere cost $20

Reinventing Pakistan: The Rise of The Left

Pakistan is a brave attempt to answer humanity’s most divisive and difficult questions such as ‘Is there a God? Whose is He anyway? Is Death more important than Life? And if so, what should we wear?

The Leveling of America

Friedman shows us how the world became flat and isolates ten flatteners of the world. The flatteners range from computer technology to changing political ideology.

The American Nightmare: No Exit, No Entry

Black Pakistan and White Pakistan

Black Pakistan is largely unknown and undefined. Like Voldemort it rises unannounced to strike and then disappears we know not where. It is among us yet we know nothing of it. It seems quiescent but we don’t know if it is vanquished or if it will ri

Sex and Pakistan vs. Rape and The World Media

The safe image of ‘us poor but creative Indians making a living’ is not Pakistan’s. The safe image of ‘us hardworking Chinese—open a factory?’ is also not Pakistan’s lot. The fact that Pakistan is about meat curri

SAJA Convention: Chowk Insights

Whether the South Asian fashion trend is a stage towards assimilation or a permanent condition with political ramifications in USA remains a huge debate.

Book: The Moghul

This saga begins with a scene at Agra, where Humayun is trying to keep his empire intact against the everlasting intrigues of his brothers and of the
Afghan lords in India.

Growing up Muslim

In a few months, the father was sure that his girls will become sexual beings, westernized and depraved

Tunnel Vision

the status quo perpetuates like a surreal drama in a house of mirrors

Saira Votes for Peace

The police didn’t let the incident get into the papers—and the only news that made it was about the bomb.

The Election Burp

Don’t stand around wondering what to do, trying to please everybody—take a stick and throw it.

Military, Musharraf and Magic

Political experts can opine all they want. They can criticize Musharraf, the Military and the short-term nature of US support.

The Pattern of Hatred

people don’t choose to be born where they are born

Ideas and Identities Melt Here

Happy Birthday Chowk. May you live long and keep talking.

Movie: Lagaan

starved for some light and air in their dull cubicle lives

For a few words of love

my god is better than yours

Book: Passport Photos

We are now Citizens of General Electric.

Chowk: What does it mean to me?

Chowk is real-time journalism

What is it that Pakistanis want?

Indian skulls, American goods, Peace or a piece of Kashmir?

The Leasing Sector in Pakistan and its Role in Capital Investment

A perspective on lease financing in developing countries

Buta, Pattey and Allah Chowrangi

In a lonely December night four men died in the city of Karachi ...

Gulabo and the Courage of Our Convictions

Someone told me the other day that we now live in a democracy

A Courier With Urgent News

Out there, up there somewhere is tomorrow and tomorrow will make today okay

The Judge

It was an ordinary summer in a very hot country. Life was full of possibilities and poetry.

So, We Are Nuclear Too!!

Scenes from a nuclear world

Old Socks

oh! what about the right color to match
these argyle socks are the worst
so many colors to match.

Phool Na Loon to Kiya Karoon?

This article or rather bunch of ideas was inspired by the debate on capitalism and inequitable distribution of wealth raging on Chowk...

The Sindhi Ajrak: An Ancient Art Form

An informative reference article on the Sindhi Ajrak.

A Child Is Born

She felt that she was in a vast place. Much bigger than the warm cocoon she had been slowly growing in, always sleepy, soothed by the beating of her mothers heart. She opened her eyes ...

Bebee Phool Ley Lo

... you have three classes amongst the educated: The gora goras, the kala goras, the kala kalaas. Which one will save the country? ...

Lest It Spread into the World

I and you will go together down the hill …

Threadbare

Its a little lump of cloth pulled from the weave, rough when my fingers glide over it

A Letter to T.H.E Chowkwala

Perhaps the small humans over by the side of the Naali don’t exist because they don’t ’think’ and are therefore powerless. Society has discarded them as negligible noise.

Where is Prince Charming?

If we as a nation have started questioning the very basis of the nation, we probably won’t remain Pakistani for very long.

Humpty Dumpty and The Third World

As a reluctant Third World nation we always speak of foreign investment (the King), ideology (the wall) and always a conspiracy (the great fall)

Pygmalion Revisited

Yes! you have given me life…

Say Something Let’s Talk

I want to ask why we don’t know how much we love something till we lose it? Is that what will happen with Pakistan? I want to ask why Winnie the Pooh’s little red jacket never quite covers his tummy.

Saima Shah

• Articles on Chowk: 56
• First article: Aug 25, 1997
• Latest article: Apr 26, 2009
• Times read on Chowk: 866768