by Niala Mohammad On May 31st, 2014 the US-Taliban prisoner swap took place, just weeks after President Barack Obama announced his withdrawal strategy from Afghanistan. Reactions about the prisoner exchange have been mixed. Dr. Marvin Weinbaum, a senior Afghanistan analyst at the Middle East Institute told Deewa Radio that although Americans applaud the release of […]
Dildar Garai, Charsadda- The Epicenter of Kohl Production in Khyber Pukhtunkhwa
By Niala Mohammad & Shoaib Zada Adorning the eyes and marking the chin with ranjeh or kohl are an essential part of the beautification process for Pashtun women. Ranjeh is a staple beauty product that almost every Pashtun women has in her possession. Many poets have written about their beloved’s kohl filled “intoxicating” eyes. Hence […]
Growing Extremism Amongst Pashtun Women
By Niala Mohammad The shuttlecock burqa– and chaddar-wearing Pashtun women that once populated the streets of Khyber-Pukthunkhwa are now lost amidst a sea of women donning Arabian-styled abayas all over the city of Peshawar. These traditional forms of “pardah,” or “veils,” have been traded in for a more conservative alternative, popularly known in the region as “thorra burqa” (black […]
Stirring Up a Hornet’s Nest with Carlotta Gall
by Niala Mohammad Whether you agree with Carlotta Gall or believe that her claims are parallel to a script from a Bollywood movie, Carlotta Gall is not fazed. Carlotta herself says she is ready for the media and Pakistani government to “totally trash” her but first she wants to put her book, The Wrong Enemy: […]