Meet Lulwah Al Hmoud, A Saudi artist, whose work reframes traditional Islamic geometry and calligraphy using techniques such as silkscreen printing, painting and gilding. Dalia Mogahed is an American Muslim scholar. The Tempest had the opportunity to speak to Mogahed about her work, projects, upbringing, and more. At a time when fear of international terror […]

There’s something interesting, in that facepalm sort of way, about the manner in which the South Asian female form is constructed and seen through the North American media gaze. The characterizations of the South Asian female differ from country to country in the subcontinent, from Bangladesh to Pakistan to India to Afghanistan. Despite these differences, […]

NPR looks at how religious leaders in Pakistan are misleading women about birth control and family planning: Zakaria says being poor should in no way limit having babies. Referencing the Quran, he says, “God will provide the resources and no one will starve.” “There are clear instructions in the Holy Quran, in which Allah says, […]

BHUTTO is the definitive documentary that chronicles the life of one of the most complex and fascinating characters of our time. Hers is an epic tale of Shakespearean dimension. It’s the story of the first woman in history to lead a Muslim nation: Pakistan. –Synopsis from the film’s website Duane Baughman and Johnny O’Hara’s 2010 […]

Written by Hamza Khan With the news of Mukhtaran Mai’s rapists being acquitted, Pakistan’s burgeoning news media have come down hard on the outrageous Supreme Court decision in what can only be described as the fulfillment of their role as the fourth estate in Pakistan’s political system. Every major news station and periodical dedicated their […]

The earthquake that shook Pakistan and Kashmir in 2005 killed thousands and left millions homeless. Pakistani-American Nausheen Dadabhoy felt it was her responsibility to give a voice to those affected by the earthquake. Through visits to hospitals and camps, Dadabhoy met Ruqiya and Khalida, two women whose lives had changed due to the disaster. In […]

While the state-run Pakistan Television channel (PTV) maintains its reputation as the government channel, a growing number of private channels have a tendency to sensationalize news with their shiny news desks, attractive anchorpersons and modern shows, something I have seen in channels across state lines in India.  The “masala angles” (news with dramatizations of a […]

Parts of the blogosphere appear to be in a tizzy over a recent parody of Roy Orbison’s classic “Oh, Pretty Woman.” Now a hit on YouTube, Saad Haroon’s “Burqa Woman,” tells the story of a young man’s fumbling attempt to woo a woman in abaya and niqab, who, after much cajoling, reciprocates amorously via text […]

Today’s film “captures the true essence of the protagonist’s feelings getting into an arrange marriage.” It was submitted by Sanaa Iftikar in Pakistan. What do you think, readers? You can watch the rest of the submissions at the Women’s Voices Now website.

When discussing prominent Pakistani women, references are usually made to former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, human rights activists Asma Jahangir and Hina Jilani, or even entertainers like Zeba Bakhtiar and Nazia Hassan.  Pakistani women like Mukhtaran Mai or Asia Bibi have also rightly garnered media attention for different reasons. Fatima Jinnah, sister and confidante of […]