Written by Niala Mohammad and Wagma Jalawan “Don’t Think Just Because You are a Girl You Can’t do Something.” This tenacious tribalite has done more than climb rocks. She has challenged the cultural norms of a society where women are hidden in the shadows of men. Her goal is to win an Olympic gold medal […]
The Grand Bazaar-Turkey
Posted July 16th, 2014 at 5:02 pm (UTC+0)
By Niala Mohammad Walking through the streets of the Grand Bazaar feelings of nostalgia overcame my senses. The Turkish people’s features and mannerisms starkly resemble those of the Pashtuns. The smell of grilled corn being sold on the corner reminds me of local “waghey waala” or corn vendor in Peshawar. For a split second I […]
Khyber Pukhtunkhwa: From Tobacco to Lethal Addictions
Posted June 17th, 2014 at 8:25 pm (UTC+0)
By Niala Mohammad and Wagma Jalawan According to a recent UNDOC survey conducted in Pakistan, 5.8% or 6.45 million people of the population in Pakistan between the ages of 15 and 64 use drugs. The thought of a third world country and its people entrenched in war, terrorism and poverty almost justifies these staggering statistics […]
The US-Taliban Prisoner Swap
Posted June 6th, 2014 at 3:30 pm (UTC+0)
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
Posted May 29th, 2014 at 8:15 pm (UTC+0)
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
Posted May 23rd, 2014 at 3:18 pm (UTC+0)
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
Posted May 13th, 2014 at 4:24 pm (UTC+0)
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: […]
