Nadeem Farooq Paracha is a Pakistan-based cultural critic, satirist, author, and journalist. He writes columns in the largest English newspaper of Pakistan, ‘Dawn Newspaper.’ He remained associated with Avant-grade and industrial rock band ‘Atish Raj.’

He authored five books on Pakistan’s political and social history, including ‘End of the Past,’ The Pakistan Anti-Hero,’ ‘Muslim-Modernism,’ ‘Points of Entry,’ and ‘A Case for Naya-Pakistan.’ He worked at British Council as head of commercial communications and media from 2010-2015.

During his fellowship, he traced the democratic and pluralistic roots of Muslim-nationalism in Pakistan. This article contains all the information about him, including Nadeem Farooq Paracha Biography.

Nadeem Farooq Paracha Biography

He is known by his nickname NFP and is a renowned satirist and journalist. His columns are widely read and are on topics of the rise of importance of advancing Pakistan’s democratic experiment and religious extremism. Paracha is a cultural critic and contributor for a wide-selling English newspaper of Pakistan.

Being a skilled author, he published his 1st book in 2016, followed by his 2nd book in 2017. Many theories about him revolve-around his drug association. Throughout the 90s, well-known but narrow-minded pop artists accused him of promoting drug usage, particularly cannabis, via his articles.

He was accused of using both soft and hard drugs. A time came when due to his secretive personality and notorious lifestyle, many of his fans thought that he had passed away quietly. He, however, returned from his drug addictions in 2003.

Despite all ambiguity and controversies that revolve around him, he has maintained his image as the world’s best writer. In 2004 he shocked his fans by strongly supporting the anti-terrorism policies of General Pervaiz Musharraf. 

Nadeem Date of Birth

He opened his eyes on 6th Feb 1967 in Karachi.

Education of Nadeem

He got his early education from 1970 to 1974 in Afghanistan at Kabul American School. In 1974 he joined renowned institute Karachi Grammar School and in 1983 completed his O-Levels. In 1984, he attended Saint Patrick’s College and, in 1986, completed Bachelor’s in Commerce.  

Nadeem Farooq Paracha Family

He is the son of a social-journalist, Farooq Paracha, who belonged to Attock and a PPP supporter (Pakistan Peoples Party). 

Career

As an Author

He authored 5 books on Pakistan’s political and social history, ‘End of the Past, ‘Muslim-Modernism,’ ‘Points of Entry,’ and ‘A Case for Naya-Pakistan.’ His 5th book ‘Soul-Rivals’ social and political history of Sufism, was published in Feb 2020.

He is also a Reagan-Fascell fellow and research scholar at IFDS (International Forum for Democratic Studies) in Washington.

As a Consultant

 He contributed his services as a consultant to an American Advertising Organization, Leo Burnett Worldwide. 

Joined Journalism 

In the 1980s, he was a Marxist student-leader and was known as a socialist when in the 1990s, he joined the field of journalism. However, he has described himself as a progressive nationalist, democrat, and Muslim modernist for the past few years. He is a strong critic of post-modernism and is strongly against mixing religion with political activities.

Participation in Politics

During his student life, he became part of the student politics, 1st by joining the student wing of Pakistan People’s Party ‘Peoples Students-Federation’ and then formed ‘St. Pats Socialist Students-Federation. He got arrested several times for his movements against General Zia’s right-wing Govt and authoring and spreading anti-state literature.

After his college life, he moved to India and remained there for several months. In 1988 he returned to Pakistan and attended Karachi University to secure a Master’s degree in Political Science. He actively continued his political work and joined National Students-Federation. He began column writing on campus-politics. This led him to have clashed with religious-political student groups.

Recognized as Anarchist

At the fall of Communism and the Berlin Wall in the Soviet Union, he began declaring himself as an ‘Anarchist.’ Along with his college fellows; he started publishing an anarchist newsletter entitled ‘The Arousal.’ At this point, he began to develop a unique writing style that was a combination of madcap humor and mock ranting.

After being clamped down and harassed by authorities, he quit The Arousal and became part of Mag, the largest English magazine of Pakistan. 

Appearance as a Co-Host

Though he is known as shy and hesitant to work on TV, he appeared on 11th April 2007 on the political show ‘News, Views, and Confused’ as the co-host with Fasi Zakka. 

Became Part of ‘The News International’

He worked 3-years for ‘Mag’ and then wrote a scornful feature against the largest politico-religious party of Pakistan, ‘Jammat-e-Islami’ he had to quit Mag. In his writing, he accused Jamat-e-Islami of using Kashmiri militants’ funds to fulfill their needs for general elections 1993 that PPP won.

After his work as a Concept-Writer, Imran Aslam coaxed him to become part of The News International, Karachi. Paracha became part of this newspaper as an editor. 

Aatish Raj

Paracha formed an industrial & Avant-garde rock band. Though this band recorded only two albums from 1994 to 1995 and distributed few copies only, Pakistani fans of experimental music demanded them.

His reputation and legacy as an iconoclastic writer and journalist and frontline music-critic of Pakistan have increased interest and curiosity in this band’s albums. Zeeshan Paracha, the Pakistani new rock band leader, approached Paracha for remixing of 2-Aatish Raj singles. 

Paracha’s Criticism on Media

He extremely criticizes Pakistani electronic media’s role and accuses them of being ‘middle-class face of extremist propaganda and philosophy. He criticized Geo TV and Geo anchors Amir Liaquat and Shahid Masood for having sympathies for Islamic extremists. 

Social Media Handles

His social media account include

https://twitter.com/NadeemfParacha

https://www.instagram.com/nadeemfarooqparacha/