Rights of Hazara Shias and transition to power in Afghanistan on July 29, 2020Racially emerging from intermarriages between Mongols, Tajiks, Pashtun and Turks, speaking a Persian dialect and avowedly following a Shiite tradition of Islam, Hazara tribes populate Bamyan and central districts of Afghanistan, popularly known as Hazarajat. With predominantly Mongolian looks and certain expressions, Hazaras prefer themselves to be identified as the descendants of Changez Khan who […]
Cultural perspectives on peace and social harmony on April 10, 2020In simple terms, culture is a complex whole – encompassing language, world view, arts, attitudes and rites of life. Religion falls within the ambit of culture – not other way round as is usually perceived. In the last couple of centuries, right from inter-cultural alienation and universality of human behaviour, to the clash of civilizations, […]
Actualising human rights on January 2, 2020States disregarding human rights are destined to suffer. Evolving separately but development and democratic stability are now intertwined with human rights. It is encouraging that Pakistan has laid down some institutional foundations, but realising human rights is still a massive challenge. Technically, the parliamentary standing committees (SCs) on human rights are supposed to comment on […]
Violence against children and child protection on October 15, 2019Despite immense public outrage and some success in apprehending serial child abusers, the evil tendencies are yet not subsided. Contrary to common perception, sending Imran Ali to gallows, has failed to frighten the pedophilic brutes. Means, addressing deep rooted causes and systemic response is desired. With even more gravity of the crime, once again, Sohail […]
The question of uniform and quality education on July 27, 2019Driven by faith, madrasas affirm that life and the universe are absolutely divine phenomena. The discrepancies between the tripartite system of public, private and madrassa education are, in fact, contested terrains of ideology and outcome, not a difference of class and medium of instructions as usually perceived. The teaching methods and curriculum adopted by each […]
HIV/AIDS – genie unleashed? on July 5, 2019Denied for long as an alien tragedy, the deadly virus has found a home ground, and with quick diffusion, Pakistan is now a high-risk country. Sensationally demonising one doctor, one district and scapegoats disguise the real magnitude and apathy towards the problem. Approximately, there are 163,000 HIV/AIDS cases with only 25,000 registered. If the factors […]
Trafficking and human smuggling on June 9, 2019After the concern about child camel jockeys a decade earlier, the issue of trafficking in persons and human smuggling has again reared its head with the bride-trafficking scam. Trafficking-in-persons is an act of exporting or importing humans across borders. The crime gains control over its victims with an aim to exploit them physically or sexually. […]
Homelessness and the right to housing on January 28, 2019Urbanization, poverty and homelessness are interconnected. Homelessness entails more than lack of brick and blanket. It is a kind of social evil – far bigger than statistics can arrest. Family breakdowns, marital difficulties, under-and-un-employment, old age, addiction, morbidity and stress come along. Pakistan is the fastest urbanizing country in South Asia; implying fastest homelessness in […]
National action plan for human rights — a performance appraisal on December 18, 2018December 2018 marks the 70th anniversary of International Human Rights Charter – a charter that has become, perhaps, the world’s most important political document; a document that has influenced scores of national constitutions, development plans and legislations. No binding but National Action Plans for Human Rights too are inspired by the United Nations’ guideline and […]
From Jinnah’s Portrait to Allahabad and Now Taj Mahal? on December 8, 2018Streets, towns and monuments embrace more than an emblem. Reminiscent of acts, events and characters, they voice history. Contested, perhaps all over the world, but no more than in India and Pakistan, remains their nomenclature. Why not, for empires have grown and gone down here, each leaving its marks engraved or mutilated behind. However, the […]