I’m a freelance journalist from Sydney, Australia and card-carrying member of the Australian Journalists Association. Since 2008 I’ve been based in Pakistan, and I’ve reported from practically every corner of this fascinating and important country. I’ve also worked in Israel and Palestine (2008, 2005), and London (2006-2007). I am Pakistan correspondent for The Diplomat, Australia’s only dedicated commercial foreign affairs ezine. Apart from that, I work regularly for The Guardian, Radio National Australia, the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. I have also been published in the LA Times, The Australian newspaper, Melbourne’s The Age newspaper, The National newspaper, Reuters AlertNet, and World Politics Review. From 2007 to earlier this year I was Middle East and South Asia correspondent for the independent Australian news site NewMatilda.com.
I used to be a lawyer specialising in public international law. I worked at the Australian Attorney-General’s Department for around four years (2003-2006) representing the Government in native title claims and international crime treaty negotiations. I have also worked at the Pilbara Native Title Service (2005) and did my articles at the Public Interest Advocacy Centre, Sydney in 2002. I have been a research assistant at two law faculties. I was research assistant to Prof. David Barker, Dean of Law, University of Technology, Sydney in 2002. I was research assistant to Prof. Philippe Sands QC, University College, London from 2006-2008.
I write mainly about Middle East and South Asian politics. But other issues of interest include Islam and modernity, international relations, minority rights and the role of ideology in shaping power relations. Those may seem esoteric topics, but they’re bread and butter for any journalist covering international issues.