Sheer Bedlam on October 1, 2024Bad news continues to pour in from the political front where those supposed to go the extra mile for the sake of the electorate are proving to be the biggest obstacle in their way out of the abyss. Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister’s menacing threat of “a bullet for a bullet” underscores the latest wave of […]
Unseen Struggles on September 30, 2024If you work long and hard to make a living, you deserve to be paid. Pretty boilerplate, right? Apparently not in the land of the pure where millions of workers still languish as victims of exploitation and abuse. On Saturday, a raid on a brick kiln in Bahawalpur uncovered a shocking case of abuse as […]
Authoritarian Trends on September 30, 2024BJP’s confidence about securing an outright majority (400 paar) for the third time in a row in polls held in June faltering in the face of resignation felt by voters in India had given the minority groups some relief. With cautious optimism, many went so far as to hope for the coalition government to tone […]
Pak-BD ties on September 29, 2024In the realm of international relations, the diplomatic ties between Pakistan and Bangladesh have always been a subject of interest and scrutiny. The bilateral relationship has often experienced a deep freeze, largely due to war trumpets blown by the former Awami-led government in Dhaka. There have been minimal people-to-people contacts, heavy visa restrictions, and delegations […]
After Nasrullah… on September 29, 2024Peace in the Middle East has become several shades more elusive in the wake of the assassination of Hassan Nasrallah, a prominent Arab figure in generations known for standing up to Israeli forces and leading a cut-throat “most heavily armed non-state actor,” that too, despite US pressure. The timing of the Israeli airstrikes penetrating Beirut […]
Beggar Mafia on September 28, 2024Begging as a profession is not a new phenomenon. With the notorious mafia spread to major cities, we have grown accustomed to their presence, apart from occasional commentary on them reflecting societal degradation. Things have come to a point that their existence as a direct violation of Pakistan’s law (Vagrancy Ordinance, 1958), under which beggars […]
Strong Protest on September 28, 2024In diplomacy, a little of something goes a long way. It took tremendous courage for Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif to call a spade a spade in the clearest of terms, painting a vivid picture of the suffering of Palestinians, especially as many in the West continue to defend Israel’s right to war. Not mincing words, […]
Toxic Culture on September 27, 2024Intolerance is rife in today’s world, especially in Pakistan–a country whose political culture remains tainted by its lack of respect for others. However, the sight of scorn and rage running rampant on social media, no matter how much of a routine matter, does not prepare one for the heart-wrenching spectacle of ugly forces manifesting in […]
Cats and Squirrels on September 27, 2024From the vantage point of Taliban representatives, closing their eyes and stating how they “highly respected” women and would never compare them to cats seemed like a perfect response to hard-hitting criticism of their treatment of women by award-winning actress Meryl Streep. To their disappointment, her parallels with a cat feeling the sun and a […]
IMF Relief on September 26, 2024All’s well that ends well. Even if logic dictates that securing foreign loans is hardly a national achievement for a country that routinely remains in the limelight over its inability to pay back debt, the government must be in a joyous mood after securing the approval of another bailout package, this time for a whopping […]