Maharashtra’s politics has been pushed so far to the right that progressive voices are endorsing the Maha Vikas Aghadi – which includes Uddhav Thackeray’s faction of the Shiv Sena, with its history of Hindutva vigilantism
This week at Himal
Last month, Pakistan’s cabinet hastily passed a constitutional amendment implementing controversial judicial reforms. Salman Rafi Sheikh unpacks the implications of Pakistan’s 26th amendment, and
Environmental researcher Pankaj Sekhsaria says that large-scale disruptions to a geologically sensitive region like Great Nicobar puts ecology, infrastructure, indigenous people and migrants to the island at significant risk.
The 26th amendment to Pakistan’s constitution means that the government – which functions at the behest of the military – will be able to rein in any judges who dare assert their independence
This week at Himal
This week, Rajni Gamage and Harindra B Dassanayake write that the National People's Power, the victors of Sri Lanka's presidential election, prioritised
The NPP, which was the victor in Sri Lanka’s recent presidential election, prioritised women’s political inclusion and appointed Harini Amarasuriya as prime minister – but still needs to do much more to achieve lasting change
The Pakistani state has always tried to define itself as against ethnic identities, particularly the Pashtuns, and the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement is pushing back, says socio-political commentator Hurmat Ali Shah
This week at Himal
This week, Hurmat Ali Shah writes about the government ban imposed on the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement ahead of their three day jirga, a restorative justice mechanism
The Pashtun Qaumi Jirga marks a new phase of Pashtun nationalism, with a swathe of demands challenging the Pakistan state’s treatment of Pashtuns and growing support from mainstream political parties
A conversation with the writer Zara Chowdhary on her debut memoir ‘The Lucky Ones’, exploring the past of her multigenerational Muslim family and reckoning with a sense of unbelonging within one’s own home and state
The ‘Oddamavadi’ project, comprising a book and documentary film, takes on a shameful chapter in Sri Lanka’s recent history when Muslims were barred from burial in violation of their religious beliefs
This week at Himal
This week, Auqib Javeed writes about how Jammu and Kashmir’s assembly election results present a headache for New Delhi, particularly given new chief minister Omar
