Civilization is the corpse lying on the world’s pavet. All civilizations are under fire: so Mohsin Hamid, Pakistani writer known for “The reluctant fundamentalist” has opened his speech at Lahore Literary Festival 2015, which saw 75.00 visitors in three days, from 20th to 22th of February. The number is not a joke, in an armored city, which reacted in this way to suicide attack that took place in the days before and the many others who almost daily hurt Pakistan. The other truth is just as dramatic: the rights and wrongs of the dead do not talk, in fact, the… read more →
A friend who, like me, has worked in areas of war, told me a few days ago – in the face of mutual impressions of our lives of everyday “normal”, in countries where few people would set foot – that the experience is a little ‘how to be long hospital patients, where after the first few days you get used to a daily rhythm procedures that make sense only in there and that in no time they appear normal, because it is our brain that adapts itself quickly to difficult solutions, extreme, and it looking adjustments useful for survival. I saw… read more →
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that good night. Good men, the last wave by, crying how bright Their frail deeds might have danced in a green bay, Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Wild men who caught and sang the sun in flight, And learn, too late, they grieve it on its way, Do… read more →
Monday evening while cooking, I am listening SkyTg24: the main news is about the suicide of a Moroccan woman in Rome, she first killed her children as they slept. Her husband was wounded by the same wife, he went to the hospital (leaving the kids at home alone with her?), saying that he had been assaulted in the street, and then admitting he was lying “to protect his wife.” A third daughter is still serious suffering after a long surgery. The investigation has just begun; we will understand later as it is consumed this family drama. While listening, the… read more →
Malala Yousafzai was hit in the face by two Taliban bullets while she was in the bus, back home from school. The event, without doubt dramatic, it has become a case, as was that of Amina, the Nigerian sentenced to stoning for adultery and then pardoned because of the global campaign in his favor, which fortunately saved her life, now almost ten years ago. Malala was taken to UK and rescued and in the meantime media were working on the case. The Taliban as well were “working” on it, because by the time they changed their means of communication… read more →
For two months, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) of Imran Khan (along with the PAT Qadri) is helding a sit-in permanent in Islamabad demanding the resignation of Prime Minister and denouncing fraud in the previous election (we have already written on this blog about it). Last Sunday, PTI has organized a rally at the stadium in Multan. The disorganization of the men of the party and the carelessness of the police resulted in the deaths of ten people and injured many others. My friend Taimoor Ahmed Khan has been there and he tells how really went into the stadium. I am… read more →
Haseeb is a dear friend. Usually for various reasons I never write the names of my Pakistani friends, but with him than I do because he deserves it and does not run and hide hypocritically like many in this masculine and strongly repressed society. I don’t have female friends here (except for a young reporter in Karachi- a twitter friend): as I wrote other times they find difficult to confide in you and in many cases consider you a bomber for their husbands. Haseeb is the best friend of a complicated male acquaintance, with whom to relate was one… read more →
La versione italiana è disponibile su www.donnealtri.it A western tourist could swap Islamabad of the last month for a seat for a performance at Biennale of Architecture in Venice: 500 containers were in fact placed at key points in the Pakistani capital, used to protect government buildings, luxury hotels where foreigners are staying, embassies and major arteries into the city.
Let our soul in peace: the veil is not for us. We non-Muslim Western women, I mean. It ‘a matter of fashion, glamour, Bia Sarasini would say that: yesterday she wrote a post commenting on the presence in Switzerland of young women in jeans, veil and accessories and that for years she has held on Noidonne a column of fashion that I still regret).
Time Zone. Five intercontinental travel in six months, even if the time zone is not huge two hours three hours back and forth have their effect. When I go back to Italy from Pakistan and the Emirates I sleep for a whole day; if the stop over is in Dubai there are two hours difference with Pakistan and one with Italy; but if I stop to Doha there is an extra hour. So always I wrong the time boarding and at night no longer I recognize the bed where I sleep, and I always put my feet on the wrong… read more →
