Naima Rashid is an author, poet, and literary translator. Her forthcoming works include her own poetry and fiction, as well as a series of literary translations from Urdu, Punjabi, and French into English. She has a background in linguistics, education, and writing, and has taught French language at the French Consulate of Jeddah and the Alliance Française de Lahore, and

Javid Aly Khan is Shaheed-I-Millat Nawabzada Liaquat Ali Khan’s nephew.He did his M.A. in English Literature from Karachi University and M.A. Honours in English from Cambridge University, England.He taught English at Karachi University for over four years. Some of his distinguished students include Anwar Maqsood, Javed Jabbar, Irfan Husain the columnist & author, the late Razia Bhatti,Editor of Herald. He has

Maheen Humayun is a writer, poet and journalist based in Karachi, Pakistan. She works as an Editor for the Love and Health section at The Tempest and focuses on women’s rights and social issues. Her novella, “Special,” was published in 2012, and she continues to write short fiction and poetry. She is also an avid art journaller, coffee drinker, and

Zehra Nigah is one of the foremost Urdu poets of Pakistan. She was one of two female poets to gain prominence in the 1950s, when the scene was dominated by men. Coming from a well-known literary and intellectual family, she counts Anwar Maqsood (writer, artist, and TV personality) and Fatima Suraiya Bajia (playwright) among her siblings. Nigah has three collections

Zofeen T. Ebrahim is an independent journalist and currently the Pakistan editor for The Third Pole which is a multilingual platform dedicated to promoting information and discussion about the Himalayan watershed and the rivers that originate there. She has written extensively on development issues including climate change, water, energy, renewables, sanitation, health, women’s health, diseases etc., and how these impact

Zia Mohyeddin is a legend in his lifetime. A man of many talents—his career spans acting, directing, writing, broadcasting, and a wide range of aesthetic disciplines. Born in Faisalabad, he graduated from Government College, Lahore. He later studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Arts in London and on his return to Pakistan, he produced, directed, and acted in numerous

Zarrar Khuhro is a current affairs commentator and analyst. He is the co-host of Zara Hut Kay, along with Mubashir Zaidi and Wusatullah Khan—a current affairs programme on Dawn News. He also writes a regular column for Dawn. Prior to joining the Dawn group, he was magazine editor for The Express Tribune. Khuhro has worked extensively in both print and

Zain Ahmed is the current Artistic Director of the NAPA Repertory Theatre at the National Academy of Performing Arts in Karachi. He is also the founder and director of the NAPA International Performing Arts Festival as well as other festivals like the Karachi Laughter Fest and the Young Directors Festival. He is currently supervising a community Dastangoi training project and

Yasir Qazi is a radio broadcast journalist, poet, prose writer, researcher, and translator. He has been writing since childhood, carrying the legacy of his father—the celebrated Sindhi poet and scholar, Maqood Gul. Yasir is a regular columnist for newspapers and magazines. He has published three poetry books for children, all of which were awarded the Best Children’s Book of the

Syed Yasir Hussain Pakistani actor, screenwriter, playwright, and host, from Islamabad, best known for his comic roles. He hosted The After Moon Show on Hum TV and is also known for playing the antagonist in the social drama, Baandi. Hussain remains associated with Kopycats Production as they have produced some great plays for theatre, which were written by Anwar Maqsood