Qamar Rafiq

Armed forces are the true nobility of our country and a nation which forgets its defenders will be itself forgotten and lost. Whatever it costs, our brave soldiers put their lives every day at risk to safeguard the nation’s freedom. They exist only to ensure the nation is safe so that every one of us […]

How should we regard the twin-face of party politics in Pakistan, one before an election and the second after coming into power? We are living in two realities. In a country with such divided and dodgy centres of power, it is sometimes difficult to discern who holds the greatest sway, who makes the decisions, which […]

Eleven years ago, today Shahbaz Bhatti was shot dead at the age of 42 inbroad daylight in Islamabad. His assassins shot him 25 times from a close range before dispersing the pamphlets that designated Shahbaz as a “Christian infidel.” Shahbaz’s death marked Pakistan’s darkest day that spread shockwaves around the world. International leaders, including the […]

The year 2021 ended on a sour note for religious minorities of Pakistan as their situation remains unchanged for decades. Minorities’ struggle for their rights, respect, and identity has become an uphill battle, and the government’s frequent denial of the reality of forced conversions and marriages have aggravated the situation to horror. Perhaps, just like […]

My darling “mum” look at my face. What trauma has done to me! It is correct, anger is easier to handle than grief, and as a result, I had to pause several times to reboot my heart to complete this compelling piece. Nevertheless, I have embraced the fact that the experience of losing someone, and […]

For years, I have been watching, reading, writing on and, most recently, visiting families who have been targeted for their faith and have faced the worst atrocities. This is an eye-watering experience by anyone’s standards, the challenges facing Christians in Pakistan, remain unchanged for generations. What would you wish for this Christmas? Especially, after religious […]

During my recent trip to Pakistan, I found people upset, exhausted and feel betrayed as they no longer had confidence in the country’s leadership. Perhaps, even more worryingly, the scavengers are circling to conclude that happily ever after is not a fairy tale, it’s a choice we made. Nevertheless, one of the profound luxuries of […]

Last year, during the Covid crisis, the Standing Committee on Religious Affairs and Interfaith was planning to reject the minorities’ protection bill in Pakistan. In the same year, one of the UK local authorities, Waltham Forest, granted permission to nine mosques to broadcast “Azaan” on the loudspeakers as mosques were closed due to the pandemic […]

I was sitting at the top stage of the ruins of Corfe Castle recently, surrounded by the mountains and valleys of the English county of Dorset. These dramatic medieval ruins stand on a natural hill soaring above the Corfe village prompted me a sea of hundreds of faces whose lives were ruined after falling apart […]

Circus here, circus there, and circus everywhere. I can’t seem to focus on any. Every time I start surfing through Indian news channels, the circus is on. It is unlimited. It is borderless. It is free. It must be fun living in a circus that never stops performing. Parallel to this bespoke fragility, shops of […]