All over the world, the nativist perspective is being privileged over those who are more recent arrivals.

It is not surprising that most Pakistanis do not support America's bombardment of Afghanistan. The Afghans are neighbours on the brink of starvation and devastated by war. America has shown itself to be untrustworthy, a superpower that uses its values as a scabbard for its sword.

It seems an obvious thing to say, but you should not imagine that we Pakistanis are all potential terrorists, just as we should not imagine that you Americans are all undercover assassins.

Religion is not something I like to talk about publicly. One reason is the politics, but also I think spirituality is deeply personal.

She was struggling against a current that brought her inside herself.

You're never rude,' she said, smiling, 'and I think it's good to be touchy sometimes. It means you care.

I think I've always been drawn to the second person. When I was growing up and playing with my friends, the usual way we interacted with imaginary worlds was as characters: a bench was 'your' boat, leaves on a lawn were the fins of sharks out to get 'you.'