A Promise of Light in a City of Darkness: Zohran Mamdani’s Victory and the New Politics of Rebellion By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada When the political dusk settled over New York City, a young man lit a lamp. His name is Zohran Mamdani,34 years old, a Muslim, a Democrat, a Socialist — who, on November 4, 2025, won the mayoral race to become the first Muslim, first South Asian, and youngest mayor in the city’s history. His victory was more than a political triumph; it was a rupture in the old order, a quiet uprising that signaled a shift in…
Author: Raja Zahid Khanzada
At the Closed Doors of Pakistan’s Establishment, Altaf Hussain Seek Reconciliation By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada Under a dim, dust-hung sky where noise, neglect, and deprivation breathe together, a familiar voice has returned from behind the walls. Altaf Hussain, the name that once burned into the hearts of Karachi and Hyderabad’s youth as an emblem of identity, appeared two nights ago in a small TikTok frame. His words were small in format but large in consequence. The question he posed is stark: has the state forgotten this city and its people? Echoes of reconciliation have become a recurrent sound in…
https://youtu.be/OvCFPQtIue4?si=49MCifEFmfCS4j_m Halloween — A Festival of Fear, Art, and Philosophy: From America to Pakistan By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada There’s a peculiar whisper in the autumn air of America. As trees shed their golden leaves like silken robes, it feels as though nature itself is changing costume. And within the rustle of those falling leaves, one can almost hear the footsteps of Halloween, that night of October 31 when humanity stands between light and shadow, between laughter and fear. The glowing pumpkins, the fluttering bats, and the echoing laughter of children — all of it transforms fear into celebration. Yet…
The Ghost of Chicken Man — A Tale of Threats, Halloween Politics, Satire, and Nightmares. By: Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada As autumn sweeps through the United States, the air grows colder, pumpkins glow in suburban porches, and Halloween draws near, a night of masks, mischief, and monsters. But this year, the Pakistani-American community in Texas has added a unique twist to the festivities: a political costume that blends satire, fear, and farce into one hilarious creation. In Texas, a few supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) designed a new Halloween costume. When it was shared with me, my first…
https://youtu.be/nkZa5Jv0lKk Dallas Fundraising Gala Raises $100,000 for Pakistan Relief Efforts as Singer Quratulain Balouch Captivates Audience By Raja Zahid Khanzada Dallas: A fundraising gala in Dallas, Texas brought together prominent members of the Pakistani diaspora, local officials, and humanitarian advocates, raising nearly $100,000 in support of relief and development projects in Pakistan. The event honored the work of Todd Shea, an American humanitarian whose organization CDRS (Comprehensive Disaster Response Services) has been operating in Pakistan for two decades. The gala was organized in collaboration with the local human rights group CECS, drawing an energetic turnout from business leaders, physicians, and…
https://youtu.be/wXAmV76rvy8?si=aoUU-ssAn9k-qM0_ $60 Million in Bounties… From Outlaws of the Riverlands to VIP Guests — Red Carpet Welcome Inside Police Stations By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada A remarkable shift has emerged in Sindh: Bandits from the riverine “kacha” region — once feared fugitives — are now being treated as Very Important Persons, with red carpet ceremonies rolled out at police stations. This transformation, officials say, follows approval at the highest levels — first sanctioned by President Asif Ali Zardari and top security authorities, later formally endorsed by the Sindh Provincial Cabinet. Yes — official amnesty and privileges for criminals.…
The Cursed Pilgrimage — The Commerce of Fear and the Voice of a Sufi Heart By Raja Zahid Akhtar Khanzada “She said to me: ‘I am going to the House of God. Beware, if you do not do what I ask, I will curse you!’ And I fell silent for a moment, lost in thought. What kind of pilgrimage is this, where the traveler carries hatred instead of humility? What kind of devotion begins not with love, but with threats and resentment? What kind of worshipper approaches God’s house without first cleansing the stains of the heart?” Umrah ceases to…
Injustice at Karachi’s Leading Hospital — Labour Court Orders Liaquat National Hospital to Reinstate Dismissed Employee Special Report KARACHI: In a landmark ruling exposing the inner workings of one of Karachi’s most prominent healthcare institutions, the Sindh Labour Court-I has directed Liaquat National Hospital (LNH) to immediately reinstate its former Head of Biomedical Engineering, Ansar Ahmed Chishti, with full back pay and benefits. https://youtu.be/SUsEwPwT51Q?si=AbmHmf6-2DvhhKv4 The judgment, delivered on September 29, 2025, declared the hospital’s allegations of misconduct “unsubstantiated and unlawful,” terming the dismissal a violation of labour laws and due process. The case, however, goes far beyond an individual’s reinstatement…
ISLAMABAD – Eight influential Muslim nations that engaged with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration on a plan to halt Israel’s invasion and alleged genocide in Gaza have offered a measured welcome to “the steps taken by Hamas,” the Foreign Office (FO) announced on Sunday. The development comes days after Hamas stated on Friday that it would agree to some of the terms of the Trump plan—which was unveiled earlier in the week following a meeting between the U.S. President and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu—and seek further negotiations. The Muslim nations view Hamas’s partial agreement as a potential breakthrough for…
