2024-01-16 08:48
It's
been over 50 years since the Civil Rights Movement of the late 1960s.
Race relations have improved significantly as has the ability of
non-whites to improve their social condition… Read More
Blog Directory > Politics Blogs > Global Affairs Blogs > The Grand Moofti Speaks global-affairs Blog >
The Grand Moofti Speaks Blog
imranwrites.blogspot.com
Imran provides a Pakistani-Singaporean's perspective on Singapore, Pakistan and other subjects of relevance ... to him.
2023-06-22 08:53
Is it
just me or is there a clear dichotomy in the rescue attempts
surrounding the Titanic
submersible vessel versus the refugee
boat tragedy off the Greek coast.
It
seems like rescuin… Read More
2023-04-15 08:21
Virtual
tours became a thing during the pandemic. I was a late adopter of
this new and innovative form of delivering tours to a global
audience. Nonetheless, after entering the
world o… Read More
2023-03-30 15:06
Surface
travel, i.e. rail, road and sea, are my preferred travel modes.
Anyone can travel by air between two cities but few take the time and
effort to soak in the landscape (or urbanscape /… Read More
2023-03-25 14:26
I visited a traditional
handicraft shop in Karachi, Pakistan a few days ago. It was a typical
upmarket "ethnic' handicraft shop one may find in many cities
around the world. However, there w… Read More
2023-01-31 12:47
Not
many people in their right mind have the desire (or privilege!) of
spending ten weeks playing in a foreign country. But spending ten
weeks twice traveling in the same country, does that… Read More
2023-01-19 04:36
At
Pakistan's Independence in 1947, the country's Jewish community
numbered between 1,000 – 2,500, with most residing in the port city
of Karachi. Based on official data, by
2019 the n… Read More
2023-01-11 04:03
Je Suis Karl may be cliched in many respects but the movie does represent the chaos, confusion and resultant dangers of our times.A scared, young survivor of an attack becomes another… Read More
2023-01-02 04:04
There are many ways to assess a year gone by, e.g. money, bonus, new cuountries visited, etc. One particularly useful way is to remember the books we read in the past year. To be sure, I did… Read More
2022-12-27 06:16
Philosophy is not easy to dumb down - or at least a sophisticated and complex philosophical world view like existentialism. Nonetheless, in this brief work, Cox has done an admirable job in… Read More
2022-12-24 02:14
It's
hard to be optimistic about Pakistan these days. The country's
multiple crises are coming together to bring about a perfect storm.
(I can't remember when the country was last in n… Read More
2022-07-05 03:33
As
we head closer to the six month mark of the
Ukraine war, the military confrontation is locked in a virtual
stalemate. Despite Russia controlling about twenty percent of pre-war
Ukraine th… Read More
2022-05-20 04:24
Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! Read More
2022-03-28 03:00
Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! Read More
2022-01-21 05:25
Hi there! Imran here with a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy) Singapore! Read More
2021-12-21 02:23
Hi there! Imran here and no this is not just another marketing pitch but rather a brief 'hello' from sunny (and often rainy!) Singapore! Read More
2021-02-23 10:55
In
the good old days the military simply had to secure key sites like the radio,
television broadcasters, airports, other transport hubs and newspaper offices.
Once the sites were under cont… Read More
2021-01-08 02:13
With
a market
capitalization of approximately SGD 800 billion (USD 595 billion)
Singapore's stock exchange (SGX) is not among the world's largest.
Indeed, within the MSCI (Developed Markets)… Read More
2020-09-25 04:52
The
COVID-19 pandemic has upended many assumptions about the world’s normal state
of being. New business trends have emerged or intensified while existing norms are
being questioned in… Read More
2020-08-26 08:39
On a trip to Karachi during the summer monsoon season 2019 the Federal Government
made loud promises about cleaning up Karachi (and its drains) within one week. To
add substance to the claim… Read More
2020-08-09 10:14
A good introduction to swing trading.
The authors do a good job identifying and explaining the multiple tools and instruments most commonly used for swing trading. Be warned, however, the… Read More
2020-06-08 05:17
“For
in war the character and personality of the leader is decisive in events much
more than questions of material.”
The Good Shepherd is a naval military classic - perhaps
sl… Read More
2020-05-16 07:24
Singapore's foreign workforce has been in the news lately. It seems to happen every so often – generally for the wrong reasons.
The last time Singapore's foreign worker presence… Read More
2020-04-12 01:42
French author Emile Zola (1840 – 1902) was above all a social observer. His works provide a window into the nineteenth century. The Ladies Paradise, first published in 1883, is a so… Read More
2020-04-02 05:42
Once upon a time the world – or at least the Free World - was led by Reagan, Thatcher and Mitterand. Leaders with presence, standing and most important of all, respect. They were e… Read More
2020-01-06 00:35
Anyone who
presents regularly understands eloquence is not innate. It is a learned skill
requiring much practice. Indeed, it can be compared to acting in that public
speaking requires rehear… Read More
2019-12-27 07:09
Over
the years the China-Pakistan relationship has become a virtual constant in foreign
policy matters pertaining to South Asia. Yet it is a relationship about which
little is known. That is… Read More
2019-09-22 10:56
As the Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan arrives in New York for the latest session of the United Nations General Assembly it's necessary for Pakistanis to ask exactly what the country… Read More
2019-09-07 03:12
A
few days ago a friend in the United States asked for my opinion on recent
events in Hong Kong (HK). He prefaced his question with Chinese claims about
international (read ‘Western&rs&hell…Read More
2019-05-20 12:02
From Gaziantep it was onwards to Mardin. Mardin was high on my visit list as it is at the confluence of several religious and cultural inflection points. Among others, Mardin is a cocktail o… Read More
2019-05-18 08:26
It's
a short bus journey from Adana to Gaziantep. Antep, as the city is
informally known, is almost 200 kilometers east of Adana and not far
from the Syrian border - Aleppo is less than 100… Read More
2019-05-17 06:08
The
Girl on the Train directed by Tate Taylor based on the best
selling novel by Paula Hawkins was perhaps better left as a novel.
For the first hour of the almost two hour long movie it was… Read More
2019-05-08 16:38
From
Konya
it was onward to Adana. Adana is a nice sized city of 1.75 million
persons located 35 kilometers inland from the Mediterranean coast.
The Seyhan River flows through the city… Read More
2019-05-04 09:00
Spending
ten weeks in any country outside your own is a commitment. It costs
money, requires energy and, most importantly, the country must tickle
your fancy. And, it uses ten weeks of your… Read More
2019-05-03 15:09
I watched the movie thinking it might be a suspenseful thriller. I was mistaken. The movie was slow to begin with but after about 30 minutes I felt committed and saw it through to the end… Read More
2019-04-24 08:14
After
Eskisehir, next stop was Konya. We traveled by a Turkish Railways
high speed bullet train - yes, Turkish Railways have high speed
trains running on several key routes connecting Ankara… Read More
2019-04-15 15:21
From
Bursa our next destination was Konya. However, exploring Turkey at
leisure meant the long direct journey to Konya was conveniently
broken at Eskisehir. Eskisehir is on the main high spe… Read More
2019-04-13 13:54
Istanbul's
Ottoman Turkish monuments and architecture are well known. Istanbul
buildings like the Blue Mosque (Sultan Ahmet Mosque) and the
Sulemaniye Mosque, Topkapi Palace, even the Hagia… Read More
2019-04-04 07:02
There
is a historic – mainly Ottoman – Istanbul in the Sultan Ahmet district. Then there is the
rest of Istanbul. Within 'the rest' is a neighborhood on the Asian side
called Kad… Read More
2019-03-24 17:46
Turkey
is a long way from Singapore. And despite 97 percent of the country's
land mass and approximately 90 percent of Turkey's population being
in Asia – it's a stretch to consider Tu… Read More
2019-02-11 13:45
Recently, a
user posted a multimedia presentation about Pakistan’s tourism potential. Through
a comment I shared my experience while showing foreign guests around several tourist sites… Read More
2018-12-21 10:01
After
watching the first season – Deutschland 83 – I was excited
to see the second season available on Netflix. Compared to
Deutschland 83, this season was a slight disappointmen… Read More
2018-12-13 08:50
Occupied
is a Norwegian television series which tells the story of a series of
political events leading to the Russian military occupation of
Norway.
A
Russian military occupation o… Read More
2018-11-28 05:04
For anyone wishing to do good - and who doesn't - this is a wonderful book!
Let me clarify, this book is not a standard 'self-help' book. It is a practical manual for those who… Read More
2018-10-20 03:33
Since
the refugee crisis hit Europe issues pertaining to migration and population
flows have moved up the global agenda. Back home in Singapore, the Little India Riot
in 2013 was a shocker (… Read More
2018-09-27 03:18
It has been
a long time since I have read an entire novel from start to end in one sitting.
A few days ago I did exactly that with Theriault’s book, The Peculiar Life of a Lonely Postm… Read More
2018-09-24 01:01
Secrets of State, a novel written by former US diplomat Matthew Palmer,
is a sophisticated work of fiction. In his book Palmer weaves together a
believable plot involving an US and Indian &l&hell…Read More
2018-09-12 04:09
I watched Gato Negro hoping to get an idea of post-war
Argentine society. Instead, I got a blend of a period drama, thriller, crime and
social piece woven into one slow moving film.
Unfo… Read More
2018-09-10 04:26
Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehrik-Insaf (PTI) government's recent collapse in facing down Islamist radicals over the appointment of Pakistani Princeton University economist - who happens to be… Read More
2018-08-22 03:37
The Art of Social
Media is an easy
read. The book is organized using clear headings and subheadings allowing
readers to skip sections not relevant to their interests. The book is aimed at
so… Read More
2018-08-17 05:38
As the
euphoria surrounding former cricket star Imran Khan’s election victory begins
to fade in Pakistan, the country’s economic managers must deal with the hard
tasks ahead. Imm… Read More
2018-08-04 10:26
State
of Emergency by Jeremy Tiang is that new breed of Singapore novel
which treads gently into areas which have hitherto remained
untouched, perhaps because of the country's so called Out… Read More
2018-07-23 11:51
Think
your life is complicated? Try figuring out the Syrian war. Only then
can one really know what complicated means.
Burning
Country: Syrians in Revolution and War, coauthored by Rob… Read More
2018-06-24 09:02
Having
lived in Singapore for almost twenty years and as a licensed Singapore Tour
Guide I know Singapore well. Academically and ‘in theory’ at least.
However,
since I did no… Read More
2018-04-23 04:57
Bill
McGowan and Alisa Bowman’s book is a prescription for public speaking success.
It hits the mark though more so for those with some prior public speaking
experience. For novices, t… Read More
2018-04-09 07:25
After
reading this book, it seems amazing to try and understand modern human history without
any familiarity with cities, urbanization and the development of the
metropolis. In many ways, ur… Read More
2018-03-17 01:18
Self-improvement
books are a nice way to make one feel good. They energize one while reading.
Indeed, we make all sorts of mental promises to implement the many wonderful
suggestions contain… Read More
2018-02-26 05:29
Reading
and writing about Marx is a nostalgic experience for me. As a young man
communism held great appeal to me. Perhaps it was the naiveté of idealistic
youth or maybe the desire t… Read More
2018-02-07 07:58
The
world is a complicated place, more so after the events of 9/11. Especially if
one happens to be from the Muslim world. Especially, especially if one happens
to be from Pakistan.
Sin… Read More
2017-11-26 16:05
World
history is conveniently divided into periods. It is likely September
11, 2001 marked the end of the post-war period and the beginning of a
new era. The events of 9/11 are a handy refer… Read More
2017-11-15 07:54
Almost
one million people live in Tando
Allahyar district located in Pakistan's Sindh province. One
million is not a small number but the population is spread over many
villages and towns ac… Read More
2017-10-16 16:29
After
the last few Jack Higgins novels disappointed me, I was apprehensive
about starting The Bormann Testament. I kept the faith as the
subject, i.e. the Nazi movement in 1960s post-war Ger… Read More
2017-10-12 14:46
Like
any large urban metropolitan area Karachi has a little of everything:
wealth, diversity, excitement, danger, humanity, crime and a lot
more. Nonetheless, Karachi has no comparison with… Read More
2017-10-08 14:46
It
is a sad day when in 2017 a Nobel Peace Prize winner presides over a
process which the United
Nations refers to as ethnic cleansing. Unfortunately, there is no
doubting the harsh reality… Read More
2017-09-24 11:02
New
towns are not born. They are created. Though it is not often a new
town's inception is draped in tragedy. Except in Rashidabad's case.
Rashidabad is a small settlement in the Tando Alla… Read More
2017-09-13 12:17
L'Amour
is the gold standard for novels set in the American West. His
prolific output and his masterful storytelling endear him to any
reader interested in the 'Wild West.'
It
is there… Read More
2017-09-06 17:40
White
Line Fever is vintage Lemmy (1945 - 2015): candid, sarcastic and blunt. No ifs and
buts, just Lemmy. And Lemmy's personality shines through his
autobiography like a prison searchlight… Read More
2017-09-01 18:54
Bina
Shah's book was a nostalgic read for me. As a (Singaporean) Karachite
the novel's setting in late 1990s Karachi was a reminder of my own
time in Pakistan's commercial capital. The autho… Read More
2017-08-19 04:13
Presidential elections are scheduled in Singapore for September 2017. As most are aware Singapore's next President must be ethnically Malay. The Parliament deemed it so through amendments… Read More
2017-08-14 10:05
A good book to learn more about an under-researched war: the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war which led to the creation of Bangladesh.
The author puts the war /crisis in the context of gl… Read More
![Book Review: Fault Lines: Stories Of 1971 [Pakistan - India War]](https://cdn.blogarama.com/images/posts_thumbs_site_id/1598/159809-1913886768.w320.jpg "Book Review: Fault Lines: Stories Of 1971 [Pakistan - India War]")
2017-08-14 04:02
For those of us are old enough to know there once existed an East Pakistan but young enough to know little other than the nightly air raid blackouts there is a paucity of literature about th… Read More
2017-07-31 04:37
It has been ages since I updated my blog. No excuses, my bad.
It's not that I have nothing to report. Quite the contrary, my life has been full and the world has entered a new and mo… Read More
2016-06-22 15:03
I
have had the privilege of visiting Islam’s holiest city Mecca a
couple of times, admittedly as a young boy. I have prayed to holy men
(and women) at mausoleums, including that of Sin… Read More
2016-04-08 10:18
No, the title is not an error. Yes, the man who wishes to ban all non-resident Muslims from entering the United States is good for the Islamic world![i]
Why is it good for America's… Read More
2016-02-01 05:37
I was about to leave my apartment when I heard the wind howl. I walked to the window and brushed aside the curtains. There was frost on the trees outside. The occasional icicle was drippi… Read More
2015-12-15 13:47
Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "Singapore General Elections 2015: ten key takeaway...":
I read through your entire blog and I've got to honestly admit - as a Singapo… Read More
2015-11-13 08:30
Bangkok: an old fashioned 'authentic' city?
For someone living in Singapore's pristine and orderly (and recently haze infested!) environment, the chaos, color and confusion of Bangko… Read More
2015-10-02 14:11
Recently, television screens are filled with pictures of a stream of mostly Arab refugees wandering into Europe. Many Europeans are disturbed at the images of sheer desperation but are al… Read More
2015-10-02 14:11
Recently, television screens are filled with pictures of a stream of mostly Arab refugees wandering into Europe. Many Europeans are disturbed at the images of sheer desperation but are al… Read More
2015-09-12 05:53
With the 2015 General Election results now confirmed, here are ten 'quick and dirty' takeaways.
Pros:
1. GE 2015 was a genuine general election. Every constituency… Read More
2015-09-10 04:22
Hat Yai is the capital of Thailand's Songkhla province. The city is perhaps best known for being the last major Thai settlement on the route to Malaysia's Georgetown / Penang. However, Hat Y… Read More
2015-08-17 04:48
SG50 celebrations are quickly fading from Singapore's collective memory. The mutual self-congratulations and laudatory speeches are a thing of the past. Indeed, the political focus has sh… Read More
2015-07-15 12:00
Undoubtedly, many Singaporeans have seen the above message. It is doing the rounds on social media.
Am I alone in believing the message is offensive? And I am not even Malay… Read More
2015-06-27 04:14
If Serbia was an eye-opener then Bosnia was no less an amazing experience!
As the crow flies, the distance between Belgrade and Sarajevo is less than 200 kilometres – a couple… Read More
2015-06-06 03:32
Not exactly the original Orient Express but one of my own personal versions of Europe by train!
Istanbul, Turkey: Can't go wrong with one of my favorite cities. However, Istanbul… Read More
2015-05-03 13:05
After arriving at Belgrade railway station early in the morning, we took a taxi to our apartment. Based on my research, the apartment was supposed to be located in a central part of Belg… Read More
2015-04-22 11:13
The train journey from Sofia to Belgrade (Serbia) was near perfect. If one enjoys long, old fashioned 'clickety-clack' rail adventures. It was a sleeper train which left Sofia station at… Read More
2015-04-14 15:53
Sofia is not well known for tourism. The capital of Bulgaria has no recognizable icons like the Eiffel Tower nor commercial attractions like Disneyland. In fact, most people will be hard… Read More
2015-04-11 12:05
A
few years I had a pleasant experience traveling on a Turkish
Railways (TCDD) sleeper overnight train from Istanbul to Sofia,
Bulgaria. So while planning my latest European
rail extravaganz… Read More
2015-04-05 19:04
Many in predominantly Christian parts of Europe associate Turks and Turkey only with Islam. I have even heard some refer to a mosque as a 'Turkish temple!' Not surprising given Turkey's… Read More
2015-03-29 19:58
Istanbul is one of my favorite cities. I first visited Istanbul in February 2003, on the eve of the US invasion of Iraq. From 2003 onwards, I have visited Istanbul regularly.
In Istan… Read More
2015-03-24 17:16
Following from my rail journey from Istanbul to London (via Bucharest, Budapest, Vienna, Munich, Cologne, Bruges) in late 2012, it was time to embark on another epic European land adventu… Read More
2015-03-04 11:34
In
only a few days Peshawar and its people have won me over! The City of
Flowers history, tradition and warm people have more than compensated
for the awful dark skies and rain which welcome… Read More
2015-02-19 18:30
Karachi
may be Pakistan's largest city and commercial capital but it is a
relatively new city. Karachi's newness was underscored at a recent
map exhibition titled 'Drawing
the Line'
at the c… Read More
2015-02-18 18:14
Since the Tamil Tigers surrendered and the Sri Lankan war ended, Sri Lanka is a nation on the move.
On arrival at Colombo, a new airport greets visitors – a facility loaded wi… Read More
2015-01-12 01:52
After the recent spate of attacks by Islamic extremists in Europe many have suggested the international media mans the front line against Jihadist Islamic terrorism. Undoubtedly, the We… Read More
2014-12-15 04:48
The death of secular nationalism across the Islamic world is a painful occurrence. It's not simply the rise of political Islam but also the weakness of secular (left wing?) intellectual… Read More
2014-11-25 09:15
All thriving urban areas require vibrant arts clusters to keep intellectuality creative. Typically, these neighborhoods arise naturally as artists flock towards them. Sometimes, however… Read More
2014-10-26 11:13
Mount Faber, or Telok Blangah Hill, ranks up there with Singapore's tallest peaks. Well, that is if one uses the word 'peak' liberally. After all, there are no mountains in Singapore &nda&hell…Read More
2014-10-13 13:35
Japan's occupation of Singapore during World War Two is well known, but few know of the broader history of Japan's links with the city-state. A great way to understand these linkages is b… Read More
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