“I’m explaining my life in a comic book – it’s a form of active resistance.”
#BookoftheMonth: The Dissident Club: Chronicle of a Pakistani Journalist in Exile, and a micro interview!
I’ve invited Taha Siddiqui – a Pakistani investigative journalist-in-exile in France, to come and talk to the NUJ tomorrow about his life and career.
We wanted to do something to mark World Refugee Day on 20 June (this year’s theme is ‘community as a superpower’ and the everyday ways we can support each other), and lucky for us, he’s in London all week on a book tour.
Taha founded and runs the DISSIDENT club, a bar in the heart of Paris, where dissidents of the world meet. He’s just published his first book – an autobiography as a graphic novel called The Dissident Club, which documents his journey growing up in an Islamist family to becoming an atheist and his fight for freedom of expression and religion.
“I’m explaining my life in a comic book – it’s a form of active resistance,” he said on a Zoom chat (it’s weird doing Zoom calls when the other person has their camera off. Nice though - audio calls are much more relaxing).
He told me a bit about his childhood in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan and his strict Islamic father who became radicalised. As he was talking about his dad, it reminded me of Virdee in the Bradford cop thriller (estranged from his Sikh family after marrying a Muslim). I told him to watch it when he’s here as Harry and his dad have some really moving scenes.
Following the Gulf War and the shock of 9/11, he went to university and became a journalist (an opportunity to ask questions!!). But as he revealed the crimes of the Pakistani military, he learned the hard way that journalists are moving targets.
He had to flee Pakistan seven years ago after surviving a kidnapping and assassination attempt allegedly carried out by Pakistani army officials after threatening him for years to censor his reporting on military abuse in the country.
In 2019, French and American authorities told him his name was on a Pakistani state-sanctioned Kill List.
Writing from exile
Exciting to hear about his plans for the club (they organise political & cultural events – talks, exhibitions and performances). Building ‘Dissident Media’ to bring its stories to a global audience. Launching a podcast for debates with exiled dissidents, and a book club. (I told him to check out Substack – think he’d find a home here).
He's working with some Pakistani journalists to bring under-reported and censored stories from Pakistan to the world stage AND WRITING A SEQUEL to the book focusing on his life in exile and ‘becoming French’ – getting citizenship, learning the language. Transnational repression – he may have found refuge in France, but things aren’t okay – he’s had threats.
I live a much freer life in France. But exile doesn’t mean absolute safety. I’ve met other people who’ve been threatened in exile.
He's also been trying to get the book out in Pakistan – not easy as there are a few bits that might be considered blasphemous. If you have any contacts who might be able to help with that, let him know.
I loved the book. Joyful, inspiring and fast-paced – 300 pages, but easy to read (if you wanna read a book a week, this is how to do it!). A graphic memoir is a brilliant format for a coming-of-age tale like this. Growing up, he wasn’t allowed to access comic books, so a comic book about his life became an act of resistance.
It shows you a vision of Pakistan over the last thirty years and how religion impacts communities. It made me think about freedom and my free: lance choice of work.
A society that is not free cannot progress and become better.
A shoutout to co-writer & illustrator Hubert Maury, a former diplomat turned comic book author, and David Homel @SelfMadeHero for translation.
He’ll be at the following events this week:
Book signing at Gosh! Comics on Wed 11 June [info]
Journalism, Dissidence, and Exile on Thu 12 June | Institut Francais [info]
Book launch & discussion on Fri 13 June | Council of ex-Muslims of Britain [info]
If you want to connect, he’s on X @TahaSSiddiqui.
Thanks to
, Chair of the NUJ Paris Branch, for the introduction.Nika
PS I’ll be at the Publisher Newsletter Summit & Awards on Tuesday 10 June, and sharing updates from the sessions in my chat – pop in! I use the chat for events, live blogging, and my book club.
15 Things: Taha Siddiqui
Taha Siddiqui, Pakistani journalist in exile, author of The Dissident Club, a graphic memoir and founder of the DISSIDENT club, a cultural bar in Paris.
A morning ritual that centres me: I am a night owl. So I am usually not up and available in the morning!
A book that changed my perspective: The First Muslim by Lesley Hazleton
A magazine I still buy: The New Yorker
A tool that saves me time: a digital calendar
A podcast I paused and rewound: Philosophize This!
A playlist I have on repeat: Jazz Standards
Something I’m avoiding: Going to Pakistan, my country of origin
A place that recharges me: Marseilles, the southern port city in France
A recipe worth trying: Confit de Canard
A documentary worth watching: The Act of Killing
A lesson I learned the hard way: Speaking truth to power
An unpopular opinion I stand by: Islam and all religions must be removed from the public sphere.
A question I’ve been asking myself lately: Why is the world so broken?
An exhibition worth your time: Anything by Banksy (usually reproduced)
A piece of advice that changed me: Live in the present