Empowering Women on January 2, 2025Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, rightly observed in 1944: “No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you; we are victims of evil customs. It is a crime against humanity that our women are shut up within four walls of the houses as […]
Dark Realities of University Education on December 30, 2024Education is universally recognized as the cornerstone of a nation’s progress. It serves as the engine of innovation, economic development, and social transformation. Countries that prioritize education – notably in the West – not only invest heavily in the sector but also design systems that encourage critical thinking, creativity, and adaptability. These are skills essential […]
Blasphemy Crisis on December 22, 2024In Pakistan, blasphemy accusations have become synonymous with mob violence and extrajudicial killings, overshadowing justice and eroding fundamental human rights. The recent murders of Dr Shah Nawaz in Umerkot and Abdul Ali in Quetta serve as chilling reminders of a society where allegations – often unsubstantiated – can rapidly escalate into death sentences. These tragedies […]
Politics, Religion and Extremism on December 16, 2024Religion and politics have had a complex interaction throughout history to the present. But in the early decades of the 21st century, the rise of violent extremist ideologies disrupted the very fabric of society and undermined the foundational principles of the Westphalian order (1648): welfarism, secularism, plurality, inclusivity, and democracy. The separation of the church […]
Pandemic of Gender-based Violence on November 28, 2024The universality of violence against women is now beyond question; it happens everywhere – there is evidence of its occurrence in all states and cultures. According to the World Bank, violence against women and girls, in other words, gender-based violence (GBV), has become a global pandemic, affecting the lives of one in every three women […]
Pakistan in 21st Century on March 28, 2023Pakistan was carved out of India in 1947, but its birth was not as per normal circumstances. Lawrence Ziring has likened the emergence of Pakistan to “a premature, feeble offspring at birth and although it survived a critical infancy, it never gained the strength necessary to combat its inborn ailments.” There is no evidence that […]