Under the drone sky reactions to the terrorist attacks in Paris, Brussels, and Bamako have been different. The first is always the distancing, the differentiation between good and bad Muslims, even though commentators, journalists and even private citizens are as confused as we are too, and many of them feel responsible for the West to reject religion and Islamic culture and see terrorism as inevitable results. Numerous those worried that their ability to have a visa for Europe is greatly reduced. Nobody, but nobody, thought to have stereotypes and prejudices against the West. Under the drone sky for three days… read more →
Be husband and wife in Pakistan. I confess I did not understand well yet what the deeper meaning and what in fact it is in everyday life. After more than two years of living in the country, I enjoyed both in big cities than in rural areas have seen numerous engagements, weddings, family relationships and conflicts. I could say anything different from what I see in my home or in Europe, but no: not taking anything away from our relational crisis (we are talking only of women and men because gay and lesbian couples certainly do not see in and… read more →
The Italian-American Joe Bastianich is often said that the world is divided into two categories: Italians and those who dream of it. A statement would sound so arrogant if Bastianich was not one of the entrepreneurs of the business of food among the most famous in the world. And no doubt, like China, that Italy is synonymous with food everywhere you go. Nothing new here, except for the fact that (for once let us write in favour of expats) in some countries (such as Pakistan, in this case) some Chinese cookers are, while those Italians far fewer. In Pakistan, I… read more →
It all started one night at dinner in the restaurant of a hotel: the people ordered more food than we could eat, the offer was richer than there was really need. And so that Sayyeda Zoone Abbas and hes family began to think of the enormous waste of food that plagues Pakistan as the rest of the world, and the consequent inequality in the distribution of the same. At Sayyeda parents have asked to finish studies before to help her give birth Tha-li (www.thali.org.pk ), the organization that since 2007 works in Islamabad and Rawalpindi to collect surplus food and… read more →
Other that sexist propaganda in our regional elections. The women candidates of which I speak have decided not to show their face during the campaign: in place of those husbands, fathers, brothers, who have called on voters to support wives, daughters, sisters. Yet they are candidates and ran a big risk. This is not a joke, this is the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, beauty, alias KP, the most “mangy” province of Pakistan, politically won in 2013 by the former cricketer Imran Khan, who with his party PTI (Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf) is creating problems the central government. A liberal man, or at least he… read more →
Is it possible to sell a country as a commercial product? Obviously it is. The process applies to consumer goods, people, famous brands, why not for a country? But what happens if that country is called Pakistan? They have spoken recently in Islamabad at a conference organized by Brand Pakistan (http://brandpakistan.pk ). Pakistan is a country of incomparable natural beauty: lakes, mountains, a rich fauna. And of course fascinating archaeological sites (such as the city of Multan, just as an example, and Lahore that winds), and mix different cultures, colorful festivals, hockey matches and bullfights … .So some respects it… read more →
A curfew imposed can not be only formally: the cities close for safety reasons (Kabul, for example), you come back at home at 23 and can succeed only after 6 in the morning. No, the city can be closed a bit ‘at a time, in a semi-formal way, taking measures that force those who live in non-circulation living. A few days throughout Pakistan (in a city with 22 million inhabitants as Karachi, as well as in a small district of Balochistan) shops must close at 8 pm, restaurants and other cafè officially at 11. Reason: the shortage of electric… read more →
It has been somehow a holy week. In Lahore last weekend there was the most famous festival of the spring season, the Mela Chiraghan or Lights Festival, celebrating the death of the Sufi poet and saint Shah Hussain. The festival is held in the sanctuary dedicated to him and in the beautiful Shalimar Gardens. It is called the Light Festival because people carry lighted candles at the shrine and illuminations are placed in the park and along the canals. The sanctuary is located in the old part of the city, streets clogged with stalls of food vendors, necklaces of flowers… read more →
The world tries to hide the persecution of Christians, Pope Francis said yesterday commenting on the massacre that took place in two churches in Lahore, which caused 15 deaths and numerous injuries. In fact, while it is true that the close of Islamic fundamentalism is claiming victims even in the Christian world (even if the majority of the dead is still Muslim, remember), Pakistan comes on the pages of our newspapers only this last event, precisely because on the Christian community (nearly one million only in Lahore). It makes us feel more than usual because, our generations never had seen… read more →
To M, who will not sleep this night Islamabad, the Spa of a large hotel, the best known of the city. We go there in many, Pakistanis and expatriates (already own those “ex-patria”, which change the country every time they change jobs or destination and never know how they feel). It has a very nice outdoor pool and although it is still cold here, you swim in heated water; and then there are gym, sauna and turkish bath, everything as expected. In these non-places there is no control over the mode of behavior: I mean been secular, Christian or Muslim,… read more →