Haya Fatima Sehgal

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once.” Heartfelt words from the play Caesar, written by Shakespeare and repeated by Fatima Jinnah on the eve of her loss after the 1965 Presidential elections of Pakistan. The “Mother of the Nation” as she was dubbed, felt the elections had been […]

The turmoil in the country, which ensued after the arrest of the opposition leader Imran Khan, is the start of another dark chapter in the history of Pakistan. After showing him and the nation’s dreams of emancipation from the clutches of an authoritarian network, this is the final play making apparent who will be running […]

Are people inside my phone in the state of Pakistan? Most possibly yes. Security measures which have set strict draconian frameworks do require anybody dealing with certain businesses suspected of infidelities to the state, to be monitored. Of course, this is done under strict regulations for the worst-case scenario of high terror suspects. But Pakistan […]

Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has always been a dire issue in Pakistan. With the country ranking 145 out of 146 countries on the Gender Parity Index (World Economic Forum). this puts Pakistan next to Afghanistan on the bottom end of the list as far as women’s rights are concerned. Unfortunately, the laws that are supposed to […]

The gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam serves as a classic example of Pakistan’s instability in violence against the vulnerable. There seems a certain assurance that a man can get away with heinous acts without any fear of the law. Just this much reveals the course of the nation’s social construct. Perhaps, the angst and dialogues […]

The Hijab Enforcement for school-going girls in AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) is an unnecessary doctrine. A circular was released about enforcing Hijab in institutions that practice co-education, on 28th February 2023, signed by a deputy director of the AJK Directorate General of Elementary and Secondary Education (Males). The PTI-led government’s AJK minister for elementary […]

The Ukraine crisis is everybody’s crisis. It is also everybody’s conversation that must take place. The brutalities faced by the Ukrainians are heartbreaking and the resilience in their struggle for freedom must be hailed. It is very much Pakistan’s concern as the country now submits defeat to energy and food fatigue due to externalities of […]

‘I know the power that a young girl carries in her heart when she has a vision and a mission’ — Malala Yousafzai   Malala seems to be everywhere. And some of us are loving it. Indeed, it was a sight to see social media light up with beautifully photographed pictures of the once-upon-a-time little […]

America has pledged to share 80 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine. This makes it the largest provider to COVAX, which, in turn, helps bring vaccines to Pakistan. The US is additionally the primary global sponsor for assistance via vaccination donations. Germany and the UK take second and third place, respectively, under the COVAX umbrella. […]

I support all peaceful protest marches for women’s rights as I consider myself a feminist. That being said, there has to be a conversation, and most of all understanding, about the relationship between political ideology and human rights. Unless this is resolved, polarising viewpoints will continue to prevail, especially around the time of the International […]