Alex Vatanka: Khamenei’s Iran Is A ‘Sinking Ship’ That Must Compromise To Survive

Iran’s clerical rulers resorted to unprecedented brute force to put down weekslong antiestablishment protests that posed the biggest threat to their rule in decades. Even though the clerical establishment appears to have survived the latest round of mass protests, many observers say its days are numbered. US President Donald Trump, who has threatened military action … Read more

I don’t know anything else: Nabeel Zafar jokes about doing ‘Bulbulay’ for 12 consecutive years

Nabeel Zafar, who launched Bulbulay 12 years ago, is now a household name on TV and is surrounded by fans wherever he goes. The sitcom, that is inching towards record breaking 600 episodes, has fans from all age groups, but To Be Honest host Tabish Hashmi feels its success has carried on for too long now. “You’ve been doing … Read more

Literary notes: Political and literary history as mirrored in a writer’s memoirs

ABOUT a century ago, in our villages and small towns, especially in some areas in northern Punjab, educational facilities were at best dismal. Universities were something unheard of and colleges were few and far between. But, surprisingly, these areas produced some of the finest scholars and authors we have today. Prof Fateh Muhammad Malik is … Read more