Lahore’s Global Coming of Age on April 22, 2025There are diplomatic visits, and then there are moments when a city-through intention, imagination, and sheer cultural confidence-positions itself for something far greater. Lahore’s recent hosting of the Economic Cooperation Organization (ECO) delegation was exactly that: not a routine stop on a multilateral calendar, but a bold pitch by Punjab’s government to claim its place […]
The Stage Reclaimed on April 15, 2025Not so many years ago, theatres in Punjab were renowned for their rich narrative and courage with words that spoke truth, however painful. Now, these klieg lights flash intermittently, haunting aficionados with their faint shadows. Once a euphoric chorus ringing through filled halls, the humour now seems interrupted by the jarring shuffle of disquiet, the […]
The Noose Tightens on March 27, 2025In a sweltering courtroom this month, justice itself seemed to wither away. Four men stood bound as the judge pronounced their sentence: death by hanging. Their crime? A single Facebook post. A few keystrokes, a fleeting moment of digital dissent, and their lives were forfeit. Their lawyer, Manzoor Rahmani, decried the verdict as “judicial surrender […]
Drowning in Desperation on March 18, 2025The tragedy unfolded once again in the waters off Yemen and Djibouti as four migrant boats capsized, leaving at least 186 individuals unaccounted for. Their desperate journey for a better future ended in the depths of the sea, a fate eerily similar to countless others who have risked it all, only to be swallowed by […]
Punjab’s Women: From Shadows to Strength on March 13, 2025For decades, women in Punjab have struggled against obstacles that limited their mobility, safety, and financial independence. But the tide is turning, largely due to the decisive leadership of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz. Under her guidance, Punjab is taking bold steps to become a province where women can live without fear, pursue careers without limitations, […]
A Don Corleone Moment on March 2, 2025In a scene that could easily have been lifted from a modern-day epic, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and former US President Donald Trump clashed in a dramatic exchange at the White House – an encounter that has not only rattled the corridors of power in Washington but also sent shockwaves across Europe and deep into […]
Remembering Salmaan Taseer: A Tribute to a Fearless Visionary on January 5, 2025“Meri vafaen yaad karoge, Rooge, fariyad karoge, Choro b Taseer ki baatein, Kab tak usko yaad kroge,” wrote Dr MD Taseer, a literary giant known for breathing a new life into progressive Urdu literature. Little did he know that his words would prove to be a perfect tribute to his own son. In the tapestry […]
Remembering Salman Taseer – A Tribute to a Fearless Visionary on January 4, 2025“Meri vafaen yaad karoge, Rooge, fariyad karoge, Choro b Taseer ki baatein, Kab tak usko yaad kroge,” wrote Dr MD Taseer, a literary giant known for breathing a new life into progressive Urdu literature. Little did he know that his words would prove to be a perfect tribute to his own son. In the tapestry […]
Defund Propaganda on December 10, 2024Fake news. Sloppy journalism. Politicising the news. These terms may look loaded to the eyes and depending on where the audience stands on the spectrum they can very easily (in the blink of the eye) brand the target on the back of the messenger. For, in a world where blurred lines are the new normal […]
Devious Art of Lying on December 3, 20248? No, 34! No, no 45? Are you crazy? 150 Have you lost it? 274 Dishonour on your cow! 1000 Last week consumed all of Pakistan with scandalising accounts of casualties resulting as a direct consequence of PTI’s march on Islamabad. That most of its leadership is busy casting allegations on the law enforcement agencies, […]