Tariq Ali's writing and public commentary on global affairs, particularly the international left, over the past four decades has made him an influential figure worldwide. 

Born in Pakistan in 1943 and raised as an atheist, Tariq Ali's ancestral line includes politicians and intellectuals from former British India. His interest in government affairs was cultivated in his family home, and as a university student at Oxford he began organising political demonstrations against the Vietnam War. 

As a successful debater and orator against policies supporting military dictatorships, his public profile began to grow, attracting the attention of figures such as Malcom X and John Lennon. He has written over two dozen books on world history and politics, seven novels, and scripts for performing arts, and is the editor of the New Left Review.  

This episode of One on One can be seen from Saturday, June 18, at the following times GMT: Saturday: 0430; Sunday: 0830, 1930; Monday: 1430.