Qamar Rafiq

The Black Mercedes Benz hearse pulled out from Balmoral Castle, revealing the oak coffin carrying Queen Elizabeth draped in the royal standard of Scotland. Queen was moved from Balmoral to Edinburgh and finally arrived in London to Lie-in-State in Westminster Hall for four days, to allow the public to pay their respects. The State Funeral […]

The admiration for a woman, who has been an emblem of unity and devotion beyond nations for so many decades, is deeply sincere, and the grief of her loss, very genuine. The death of the 96-year-old Queen ended a generation-spanning, seven-decade reign that made her a beacon light of strength and duty in a fractured […]

Despite being bitten by the culture of denialism, the boundless compassion, patience, and optimism have become lifelong companions of the employees of the Punjab Emergency Service. The most compelling show I have seen in years. I felt so anxious when my mother collapsed last month, and I did not know how I could offer any […]

Disruptive business models, invasion of digitisation, cross-cultural turbulence and regional security threats haven’t only shaped our society, but they have also premeditated the organisational appetite for effective leadership. This culture of fragility chews us up and spit us out and leaves us with uncertainty, rage, betrayal, and fear. There are glimpses of it in every […]

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 […]