Next up on my series of people you should know: Eqbal Ahmad, the Pakistani intellectual once accused of conspiring to kidnap Henry Kissinger, who was then one of the most powerful officials in the U.S. government. That allegation placed Ahmad at the center of the infamous Harrisburg Seven trial, but it was only one chapter in an extraordinary life that also included working with Algerian revolutionaries, opposing the Vietnam War, advising Palestinian leaders, and challenging both Western empire and postcolonial nationalism. His politics were grounded in a rare principle: solidarity with the oppressed should never require blind loyalty. If you want to start reading him, begin with Confronting Empire. #pakistan #india #urdu #history #travel