Back in late 70s and early 80s, me and my peers saw ourselves as privileged to actually watch the parade of the 23 March, the Pakistan day. The most awaited parts then were the air past, parachuting especially the one led by the legend Brig.TM and the parade by the SSG Commandos. Simultaneously, adoring, the […]
Choice and challenges- happy IWD 2021
The International Women’s Day (IWD) in theory does not belong to any one particular country, region or organization. The ideological ownership does transcend boundaries and borders. However, in materiality its control is caged in certain visible and invisible hands. The lexicon, mood, gestures and poses to reflect feminism and solidarity with the rights of women […]
Let us play — politics of hope
Dedicated to all micro and mega tormentors in the guise of development managers and decision everywhere in Pakistan. Let us be grateful that many of us survived the pandemic of COVID 19 in 2020 and have successfully navigated through the first two months of 2021. Let this gratitude may not be the license to ignore […]
Pakistan, patriarchy and power gaps
The Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) for the development agenda 2030, were adopted as the part of national development by our National Assembly in 2016. In 2020, Pakistan was graded as 134th out of 193 member countries of UN on the dashboard of SDG index ( all 17 SDG included) . In the same index Afghanistan, […]
Of mental health, and equality before law and other random thoughts
The chronic and constant yet amazing expressions of infidelities between knowledge, practices, behaviours, intentions in different combinations are found in all societies. The breach of rules, regulations and systems everywhere no longer appears either embarrassing or unacceptable. Strangely enough even the legal systems regarding issues/crimes of violence against anyone including trans, women and children (that […]
Healing is the answer! An urgent appeal to the COAS and PM of Pakistan
In an age of glorification of oversimplification, instant success and speed one may wonder how to state what happened on the 16 December 1971 in the Ramna racecourse ground of Dhaka. The dismemberment of Pakistan’s Eastern wing has been summed up by the victorious side as the liberation and by the armed enabler as a […]
Rape crime and punishment
Who is the criminal in a Rape crime? It seems that a vast majority of those who can speak out loud and transfer a transformative change have lost the potency to answer to this seemingly straightforward question.Rape, known as one of the most difficult criminal acts to prove in the court of law,too often,is even […]
Leave a legacy not a CV!
The global pandemic COVID 19 while accelerating in Pakistan is not only unmasking the minuses of our health systems and governance but it is also putrefying certain myths about many good- hearted individuals and institutions. Many ordinary Pakistanis are becoming aware of this barren bargain simply due to their privileged access to the internet and […]
To Whom It May Concern
The corporeal existence in a graceless mix of Machiavellian, Kafkaesqune and Orwellian times presents many arcane moments to those very few people, who have no significant influence on any dimension of human development and rights and yet they continue to think about kleptocracy, oligarchy and unremitting social injustices. In an exceedingly unequal world, the solidarity […]
Triage Time
According to a policy brief of the UN, a total of 106 countries had introduced or adapted social protection and jobs programs in response to COVID-19 by April 3,2020 and 65 countries had passed the fiscal response packages equivalent to a total of US$4.8 trillion, as of March 31, 2020. Yet, the course of Pandemic […]