Heavy is the head that wears the crown on December 5, 2018The recent Kate Middleton-Meghan Markle feud rumors once again prove that the deep scrutiny of British royal family particularly of their female members remains the same even if the rigid rules of the royalty itself have been forced to change in order to keep up with the modern times. Gone are the days when King […]
Is there a light at the end of the tunnel? on April 26, 2016A part of me dies when I drive through the slums in Lahore, and it makes me question; why are we privileged enough to drive fancy cars, wear designer clothes and live in mansions, and what wrong did these people do? It pains my soul when I see beautiful children living in slums built on […]
Indus waters: lets bury the hatchet on April 25, 2016The dispute over Indus Water Treaty (IWT) has been lingering for over five decades and if this continues, Pakistan will be in the grip of serious water scarcity. Water supplies are increasingly under stress in large parts of Pakistan. The consequences are harrowing: drought and famine, poverty, spread of waterborne diseases, forced migration and even […]
Death penalty: the only panacea for all ills? on April 25, 2016Afzal Guru’s hanging raises many unpalatable questions. Why someone who was not even guilty beyond reasonable doubt became the victim of capital punishment? Was it justice or an act of vengeance? Was it done solely to satisfy the “collective conscience of the nation” or did anyone even think about honouring the fundamental human rights of […]
From the shadows to the light on April 24, 2016A month ago, news broke that the authorities in Gujranwala had arrested an industrialist for allegedly stabbing to death a minor servant, Muhammed Nazir, for demanding his salary. The industrialist insisted that Nazir pressured him to pay and insulted him due to the delay in payment, the act that provoked Nazir’s death. Nazir is one […]
EU GSP plus scheme on April 22, 2016Over the past four decades, the European Union developed a system of preferential trade, which allowed exporters from developing states to pay lower duties on the products they exported to the EU market. This preferential access titled General Scheme of Preference enabled the states to revive and stabilise their economies through trade and played a […]
Diplomatic immunity versus domestic workers plight on December 25, 2013Devyani Khobragade’s diplomatic row is not really over diplomatic immunity — it is about the rights of domestic and migrant workers. Her arrest for committing visa fraud and perjury has not only created a ruckus amongst human rights advocates but the current imbroglio has also led to a diplomatic storm between India and the US. […]
Rape laws in Pakistan: travesty of justice on July 3, 2013It is not Islam, it is the self-proclaimed custodians of Islam who are insensitive to women. The controversial recommendation by the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) declaring DNA as an insubstantial proof for conviction in rape cases has triggered an intense debate among lawyers, politicians and civil society representatives. Rape is not addressed in the […]
Rights of the disabled in Pakistan on May 26, 2013Political parties that accommodate human diversity not only respect fundamental freedoms but also mobilise people’s full potential. Such political parties do have a different agenda and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) is certainly one of them. The PTI has become the first party in Pakistan to announce a policy vision for disabled persons. It is Imran Khan […]