Johar Mir: A Tribute

by S.A Hussain

In the waning days of 2004 that Mir Qurban Ali also known as Johar Mir, a Pakistani literary icon, passed away in New York City. As is the fate of most writers and poets from the Third World he remained unappreciated and uncelebrated. It was only in recent years that his impact on Urdu literature in general and the literature of resistance in particular had been realized. He was 67.

Tariq Pervez: The Justice and now the caretaker

By Faheem Wali

In what is a positive precedent Justice (retd) Tariq Pervez has been unanimously chosen as Caretaker Chief Minister of Khyber-Pakhtunkwa in the run up to the 2013 general elections. The move by the Awami National Party dominated provincial government in consultation with other opposition leader was the first attempt in the post 18th amendment constitution of Pakistan. Previous caretaker Chief Ministers were appointed or agreed outside the democratic system and in some cases openly hostile to the previous elected governments.

Help!

Short story by Naseer Ahmad Ahmadi
Translator: Ismat Khan

The mother sat down beside her fatherless daughter and put a wet cloth upon her hot forehead. The little girl opened her dying eyes.

"How are you feeling, daughter?” the mother asked quietly. "How is your headache now?"

Habib Jalib: The word of truth

Today is the 20th death anniversary of Urdu poet Habib Jalib (Jalib was born on March 24, 1928 and died on March 12, 1993.) , additional box quotes have been added to the original article and attributed- ed note

By M. Taqi

Remembering the Frontier Post

by S.A Hussain

I write this column to mourn the brutal murder of the Frontier Post, an English language Pakistani newspaper published from Peshawar. It was not the economic hard times that are the usual reasons for a paper’s closure, but the unruly religious zealots that caused its demise. In a country where most newspapers stay clear of the explosive and controversial socio-religious issues, the Frontier Post was a class act. I was a frequent contributor to its op-ed pages for over three years.

Haseena Atom Bomb!

This definitive review on one of the greatest bits of trash cinema ever produced by Lollywood was written by Omar Khan. The review is not for those easily offended -ed note

Haseena Atom Bomb (Atomic Beauty) (1990)
Starring: Mussarat Shaheen, Badar Munir, Shaheen, Shehnaaz, Nazia Hafiz
Director: Saeed Ali Khan
Synopsis: Mindblowing experience reaching new heights of Trash art brilliance. Astounding!
Reviewed by: Omar Khan

Peshawar, Pekhawar and Pishor

By Sayed Amjad Hussain

Recently an interesting book about the old walled city of Peshawar by Dr. Raj Wali Shah Khattak, a well-known Pashto writer and poet and currently the director of Pashto Academy, was published. (An Intangible Heritage: The Walled City of Peshawar, InterLit Foundation, Peshawar, 2005). The book discusses history and linguistic and cultural traditions of the old walled city. It is a well-written and handsomely produced book but suffers from one glaring omission. The book is not about the walled city of Peshawar. The city that Khattak Sahib describes in his book is some mythical city that exists only in his fertile imagination.