Editorial

It has been two years since the UN General Assembly adopted its first International Day to Combat Islamophobia-in a post-9/11 world, perceptions of Islam have become intimately tied with violent extremism, generating an institutional suspicion of Muslims across the globe and promoting harmful stereotypes that limit their access to goods, services and employment in countries […]

Every single time a short-lived respite from a seemingly neverending onslaught of deranged monsters enthuses hopes for humanity to return, bestial violence rears its ugly head with profound energy. A news report lamenting the rape and murder of a nine-year-old specially-abled child in Korangi is enough for the entire nation to hang their heads in […]

Between Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari’s enunciation that the IMF was not being fair to Pakistan and the same old helplessness presented by Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Pakistan remains perpetually trapped in the sticky quagmire as the hour hand continues to dash against its odds. The inflationary environment persists but international prescriptions refuse to work […]

The approval of Pakistan’s first National Clean Air Policy should be celebrated as historic legislation albeit one considered too late in the game. Air pollution swirling on both sides of the border has been killing so many of us in the past few years. Metropolitan cities like Karachi and Lahore have fallen in love with […]

A PTI worker lost his life and several others were severely injured when the government in Punjab deliberately blocked a rally organized to launch the party’s campaign for the upcoming elections in April. Booked under Section 144, which imposed a moratorium on all public gatherings and assemblies in Lahore, several PTI members were taken into […]

Karachi court returned custody of a 15-year old Hindu girl to her parents after her father filed a case against Mohammed Rashid, who kidnapped Ramila and later solemnised his marriage with her after forcing her to convert to Islam. In an earlier hearing, Ramila claimed that the decision to leave her parents’ house was made […]

Public spaces often feel restricted in Pakistan. It isn’t just the bad infrastructure or mountains of trash-those things might have been easier to bear if it weren’t for the unrelenting fear of being under male scrutiny, being watched and harassed, assaulted and raped and pushed to the fringes as though you don’t exist at all. […]

It appeared that the much-weakened currency was finally regaining some of its momentum, strengthening against the dollar for the third consecutive day. To our misfortune, the trend could not continue as it lost ground on Wednesday. Much of this stems from the expectations of reaching a staff-level agreement with the IMF that have increased now […]

The mixed signals regarding the clarion call for elections could not be more baffling. On one hand, we see an invigorated opposition flapping its wings in anticipation of a determined poll campaign. Former prime minister Imran Khan has unveiled plans to formally launch a rally to Data Darbar in yet another bid to remind the […]

Our dysfunctional relationship with freedom of expression has, for the millionth time, managed to rear its ugly head (this time, in Punjab University) wherein members of a right-wing outfit went all guns blazing at a group of students. The unforgivable crime being their audacity to believe that as they stand under the green and white […]