Dhurandhar 2: The War Behind the Screen, the Power of Narrative, and the Crisis of Truth By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada Several days have passed since Eid, and I found myself hesitating to write this review. Not because I lacked words, but because what I had witnessed did not feel like a film alone. It felt like an experience, an observation, something that demanded reflection before it could be translated into language. Today, I finally attempt to put it into words. Sometimes, cinema is not merely entertainment. It is persuasion. It is architecture for the mind. It is a quiet…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
Houston–Karachi Delegation Meets Sindh Governor, Expanding Diaspora Ties KARACHI, Pakistan: A delegation from the Houston–Karachi Sister City Association met with the Governor of Sindh at the Governor House in Karachi, signaling a renewed push to deepen institutional and humanitarian ties between the two cities. The delegation, led by its president, Muhammad Saeed Sheikh, included community and business leaders Majyd Aziz, Kashif Ghayas, Jalal Uddin and Yasir Qazi. Discussions focused on expanding cooperation across education, healthcare, humanitarian services, information technology and trade, areas that have increasingly defined diaspora-driven engagement between the United States and Pakistan. Mr. Sheikh highlighted the association’s ongoing…
War, Narrative, and the Burden of Truth By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada WASHINGTON:There is a silence in this city that does not belong to peace. It is the silence of power thinking about itself. The buildings glow, the flags move in a rehearsed wind, and somewhere behind those marble walls, words are chosen carefully, because words, in a place like this, do not merely describe reality. They attempt to create it. On the night of April 1, 2026, Donald Trump stood before the American people and spoke of victory. He spoke of a war that, in his telling, had already…
https://youtu.be/rzxyBYACZvg?si=YHu0dp3BKELq0hUc A Sold-Out Sufi Night in Irving: Bismil’s Performance Turns an Evening Into a Spiritual Experience By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada IRVING, Texas: What began as a musical gathering in the city of Irving evolved into a deeply immersive spiritual experience, as a Sufi music event titled “Bismil Ki Mehfil – Main Hoon Sufi” drew a full house and left audiences visibly moved. The event, organized by Top Shot, was completely sold out, with a large and diverse crowd filling the venue. Attendees described the evening not merely as a concert, but as a shared cultural and emotional journey —…
Can the United States Escape the Quagmire of War? Will the Sacrifice Be Trump’s or America’s? By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada There comes a moment in history when empires find themselves ensnared in the very webs they once wove. It is a moment when the intoxication of power runs so deep that turning back is no longer possible, and the road ahead is shrouded in darkness. Today, the United States stands at precisely such a crossroads, a place where every direction carries risk and every step demands a price. The question is not how many strikes occurred yesterday, what Donald…
Trump’s Threat, Iran’s Defiance and the Strait of Hormuz: Who Will Blink First By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada The United States-Israel war with Iran has reached a point where neither side appears willing to step back. The question is no longer who fired how many missiles, who destroyed how many installations, who made how many claims, or who issued how many denials. The real question now is whether Iran will surrender the power it has built through years of resistance, isolation, sanctions, fear, and geography, or whether the United States will soften the conditions it considers synonymous with victory. This…
In the Shadow of War, a Search for Peace: Pakistan’s Mediation and a Shifting Global Narrative By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada The image is not real, yet it feels like a profound metaphor for truth. Beneath the shade of a tree, the figures gathered are not merely individuals but symbols of power, fear, interest and hope, forces that inevitably emerge in the midst of conflict. On one side loom the clouds of war, on the other, the quiet yearning for dialogue. It is within this contradiction that the modern world now breathes. The Middle East once again stands at the…
https://youtu.be/EKtnAoLr3q0?si=N30O9u_ilwcUCy7b A Night of Grace: The 90th Birthday Celebration of Maheleqa Hamid in Irving By: Raja Zahid Khanzada Dallas: In the city of Irving, Texas, a graceful and warmly attended celebration marked the 90th birthday of Mrs. Mah Laqa Hamid, mother of the well-known community figures JohnHamid, Dr. FarrukhHamid and ShariqHamid. The event was held at the Wyndham DFW Airport Hotel, drawing a large gathering of distinguished guests, community leaders, and family members who traveled from various cities and states to be part of the occasion. Set in an atmosphere of elegance and quiet festivity, the evening reflected a blend…
https://youtu.be/_HIUdPdbPRk?si=Gft4sdjy50XPzh-t PLANO / FRISCO: Chand Raat Mela 2026 Blends Cultural Celebration With Community Energy and Local Politics By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada DALLAS: On a warm March evening in Plano, the Serene Event Center transformed into a vibrant tapestry of color, culture, and anticipation as “Biggest Mela 2026 – Chand Raat” brought together the South Asian community of the Dallas-Fort Worth area in a celebration that was as much about identity as it was about festivity. The event, organized annually by Inam Sherwani, unfolded like a living festival. Rows of shopping stalls displayed traditional attire and crafts, the aroma of…
The Spirit of Ramadan and the Light of Service: Volunteers at the Islamic Center of Frisco By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada Across the United States, as the holy month of Ramadan unfolds, millions of Muslims immerse themselves in prayer, reflection and devotion, seeking the mercy and pleasure of God. Yet alongside the worshippers who fill mosques each evening, another quiet group labors in the background. Their devotion is not expressed through sermons or long prayers, but through service to others. They are the volunteers — men and women who believe that serving people is itself a path to pleasing God.…
