The October Revolution in Russia was a milestone for anti-colonial movements around the world and fueled a major epistemological breakthrough that removed Europe as the epicenter of political/intellectual production.

Before the revolution, it was believed that humanity's fate was tied to the struggles taking place on the European continent. This expectation stemmed from belief in a linear version of History where Europe was at the most advanced stages of civilization while others needed to catch up.

For the colonized, 19th century Europe symbolized

It is a major misconception that there are student unions on campuses. The names of Jamiat, MSF and other groups are cited as proof that student unions exist and that they are violent.

These groups are NOT unions, they are student organizations. Unions are elected bodies that represent students with the administration. These organizations are not elected representatives and are often controlled by parties or administrations. There are no elections for student representation on campus & hence, THERE ARE NO STUDENT UNIONS IN PAKISTAN.

I met Ayra Inderas while working at Punjab University. She was a lecturer at Kinnaird College and was completing her PhD in our department. Her work is brilliant- exploring the lives of female Christian sanitation workers in Punjab and the multiple forms of oppression they face. Unfortunately, the department committee comprised of senior male professors who refused to approve her proposal because they thought there was no discrimination against Christians or women in Punjab, and that her hypothesis was "Western propaganda". Ayra was very distressed by

I don’t believe my work with workers, students or farmers should shield me from criticism. Even though some of the tweets were both slanderous & rude, I assume there is a serious ideological debate needed on the relationship between progressives, democracy & the current regime. This is important because right-wing movements world over have mastered the art of strategically using the discourse of socialism, feminism & anti-elite rhetoric to discredit dissent & prop up authoritarian regimes.

There has been a strong decay of center-left parties across the

It reflects poorly on progressives when they dismiss leaders like Benazir Bhutto as representatives of "feudals" or "dynastic politics." She suffered the loss of her entire family, faced incarceration and threats, received the most vile misogynistic abuse from opponents and eventually had to be killed by a violent and terrified state. She faced all these hardships not because she was merely a feudal (how many feudals suffer that fate?) but because she chose to take a stand against military dictators, against religious extremists and against

Many liberals are unable to understand the deep-seated racism and Islamophobia that shapes European consciousness today. There is an entire history of segregation, exclusion and occupation of Muslim, Arab and African lands stemming from the colonial era. Countries such as France not only committed unspeakable crimes in places like Algeria, they refused to ever acknowledge the ways in which they demeaned their fellow human beings in the colonies. In contemporary Paris, working class Muslims/Africans live in "banlieus" where police violence/racism is

Last few days have been very difficult for the working class. A thread. Yesterday, we went to Faisalabad to meet workers of Ibrahim Fibers. The company has fired over two thousand workers in the middle of a pandemic. The same group owns Allied bank. Workers are organizing a protest on 17th August in Faisalabad.

I sadly announce that I will no longer be teaching at Forman Christian College. Earlier this year, my contract was changed to visiting faculty from the position of Assistant Professor. Now I wont continue as a visiting lecturer either.

After returning to Pakistan in 2016, was committed to teaching at a public sector university. I joined Government College University and later Punjab University. Both institutions fired me citing "national security" as a reason. Some friends and sympathetic teachers at FCC reached out to me in this most difficult period

This year, poor countries owe $25 billion in installments to creditors in rich countries in the midst of a pandemic. Demands for canceling Third World's debt are absolutely rational and just. A thread.

#CancelThirdWorldDebt #COVID__19 The creditor-debtor relation is a direct legacy of loot & plunder under colonial rule. For example, economist Utsa Patnaik estimates Britain stole $45 trillion from India. This explains why financial autonomy was a key demand in anti-colonial agitation.

mronline.org/2019/01/15/bri…

We went to Kulalanwala and Kot Asadullah (on Multan Road) to meet locals and mobilize for the #climatemarch. The district is known for an acute crisis of polluted water.

The details we found were shocking beyond belief.

This thread has interviews of some of the affectees. The area is now an industrial site. The adjoining villages are suffering as ground water is polluted by chemicals and waste from the factories. The major culprits are Honda and Wire Manufacturing factory. For years, the waste affected not only water but also agricultural produce.