The Lost Fishermen of India and Pakistan

For The Wall Street Journal: Nawaz Ali Muhammad, a fisherman from the small village of Shah Bunder in southern Pakistan, went missing during a cyclone over the Arabian Sea in 1999. His wife believed he was killed in the storm. But six years later, she heard he was alive, in an Indian prison. A fellow Pakistani fisherman had been released from the prison, and upon returning to Pakistan said he had met Mr. Muhammad. It took another year for the Indian government to acknowledge that Mr….Continue Reading “The Lost Fishermen of India and Pakistan” →

Why It Matters That Osama Bin Laden Was Once Pulled Over for Speeding

For The Atlantic: A report claims Pakistan’s security agency overlooked clear evidence that the terrorist was hiding in plain sight. The American raid that killed Osama bin Laden was a huge embarrassment for Pakistan’s military and intelligence services. They had failed to report that bin Laden — the world’s most wanted man — was living one kilometer away from the country’s top military academy. And there was astonishment among Pakistanis that a complex foreign operation could take place so deep inside Pakistani territory without a…Continue Reading “Why It Matters That Osama Bin Laden Was Once Pulled Over for Speeding” →

Mission creep? The scope of Obama’s drone war

For Foreign Policy: In a wide-ranging counter-terrorism speech in May, President Barack Obama indicated that he would be scaling back the war that the United States has engaged in since 9/11. And he said the targeted killing program that has become a major component of this war is aimed at “al Qaeda and its associated forces,” and “specific networks of violent extremists that threaten America,” using a legal standard put forth in the 2001 Authorization to Use Military Force to justify the strikes. The President…Continue Reading “Mission creep? The scope of Obama’s drone war” →

Pakistan wants to talk to its Taliban, but doesn’t know what to say

For the Christian Science Monitor: Despite the Pakistani Taliban’s recent deadly attack on 10 foreign climbers, many Pakistanis still want to hold talks with the group to end a decade long conflict that has killed more than 50,000 people, mostly civilians. Pakistan has a broad consensus in favor of talking to the Taliban. A May 2013 Pew survey found only 35 percent support using the military against the Taliban, and 64 percent saw the US as more of an enemy than a partner. Anecdotal evidence…Continue Reading “Pakistan wants to talk to its Taliban, but doesn’t know what to say” →

Seeking New Leadership, Millions of Egyptians Take to the Streets

For The Atlantic: On June 29, 2012, Egyptian President Mohammed Morsi stood before millions crowding Tahrir Square on the eve of his inauguration, telling them “you are the source of power and legitimacy. There is no person, party, institution or authority over or above the will of the people.” A year later, millions of Egyptians have gathered in cities across the country demanding his resignation. Morsi won the country’s first free elections, but since then he and his party, the Muslim Brotherhood, have alienated one…Continue Reading “Seeking New Leadership, Millions of Egyptians Take to the Streets” →

Egypt's top religious authority: It's not anti-Islam to be anti-Morsi

For the Christian Science Monitor: As the Egyptian opposition’s demands for the resignation of President Mohamed Morsi and fresh elections gain momentum, the beleaguered president’s supporters are slamming the opposition as secular and hostile to Islam. In the deeply religious country, it is a serious criticism, and it has brought many Egyptians to Mr. Morsi’s side. But his opponents point to support from the leading voice of the Sunni establishment in Egypt. Earlier this month, Ashraf Abdel-Moniem, a conservative preacher and a vocal supporter of…Continue Reading “Egypt's top religious authority: It's not anti-Islam to be anti-Morsi” →

In Asia’s Largest Slum, Development, Danger

For the Wall Street Journal: According to the United Nations Development Program, more than 60% of Karachi’s residents live in illegal housing areas, many in unplanned slums like Orangi. These settlements are off the grid and often the scene of deadly shootings between rival gangs. Orangi’s residents are now turning to confront who owns the land they live on and OPP has expanded its work to help residents get rights to land and clean water. But by widening the focus, the NGO says it has…Continue Reading “In Asia’s Largest Slum, Development, Danger” →

Searching for God and Justice in Mexico’s Rebel State

For The Revealer: The city of San Cristóbal de las Casas sits at more than two thousand meters above sea level, surrounded by cloud-topped green mountains, its innermost streets paved with beautiful pink stone that has been smoothed by five hundred years of pedestrian traffic.  Ciudad Real, as it was called for centuries, was established as a base for Spanish conquistadors as they went about subjugating the last Mayan resistors in this, the southernmost part of Mexico. San Cristóbal is the cultural capitol of the…Continue Reading “Searching for God and Justice in Mexico’s Rebel State” →

Marshalling smartphones, gravediggers to fight dengue in Pakistan

For the IRIN News Agency: LAHORE, 10 May 2013 (IRIN) – On the frontline in the fight against dengue fever in Lahore, Pakistan’s second largest city, the authorities have a sharp eye for spare car tyres. “When the police show up, we will throw all these tyres into the basement,” said Rohil Ayub, 18, who runs a downtown repair shop. “The police fine us a lot, thousands of rupees every time,” he said. Every few days, police inspectors fine anyone who leaves tyres outside –…Continue Reading “Marshalling smartphones, gravediggers to fight dengue in Pakistan” →

Injured Pakistani politician Imran Khan still holds followers in thrall

For The Globe and Mail: Imran Khan, Pakistan’s charismatic populist candidate for prime minister, tumbled 4.5 metres from a platform at an election rally this week, three days before the country’s historic elections. But his ambitious campaign may still see his party through the polls on Saturday. Unable now to glimpse Mr. Khan on stage – his injuries are said to be not serious, but they have kept him off the campaign trail – thousands of well-wishers instead await him outside a hospital in Lahore….Continue Reading “Injured Pakistani politician Imran Khan still holds followers in thrall” →