Gandhi and Jinnah Return Home
As Published in The Friday Times A peacebuilding initiative between India and Pakistan came to the fore in the form
Gandhi and Jinnah Return Home
As (Publish) in the Friday Time A peacebuilding initiative between India and Pakistan came to the fore in the form
Hamas or Palestine
The entire world stands with the Palestinians. The onslaught attack on Gaza by Israel in 2023 has reached the voices
The Information War Part II
The Information War has greatly sidelined the Pakistan Army as the biggest counter against terrorist movements in the region of
The Bid for Power through
“You cannot take Pakistan out of the Army and the Army cannot be taken out of Pakistan.”- Ikram Sehgal (Quote
Resilient Pakistan
‘Resilient Pakistan’ is a compilation of articles which cover sociocultural impact and waves of change within the country. It is
Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan (GBV)
The Hudood Ordinance Part II Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has always been an issue in Pakistan. With the country ranking 145
Noor Mukadam of Pakistan
(Gender Based Violence against Women- Part I) The gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam, serves as a classic example of Pakistan's
Blackout in Pakistan
The turmoil in the country which has ensued after the arrest of IK is the start of another dark chapter
The Elections Must Be held
The ousted leader of the Opposition, Imran Khan seems to have won this round of gaining the verdict of the
The Elections Must be Held
With the dissolution of any Assembly, the Constitution clearly states the elections must be held within 90 days. Regardless of
Nadira Panjwani – For the
We recently received news that KCFR (Karachi Council on Foreign Relations) was going to be chaired by a lady, Nadira
Hijab for School Girls in
The Hijab Enforcement for school going girls in AJK (Azad Jammu and Kashmir) is an unnecessary doctrine. A circular was
Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan (GBV)
Gender-Based Violence (GBV) has always been an issue in Pakistan. With the country ranking 145 out of 146 countries on
Ameena Saiyid: The Mother of
The literary world in Pakistan will always speak about Ameena Saiyid with utmost respect. Her contribution has been significant in
Noor Mukadam of Pakistan
The gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam serves as a classic example of Pakistan’s instability in violence against the vulnerable. There
The Ukraine Crisis is Everybody’s
The Ukraine crisis is everybody’s crisis. It is also everybody’s conversation that must take place. The brutalities faced by the
Technocratic Government in Pakistan, the
“When an established system of governance fails to perform and produce results, alternative systems of governance are often thought of.”
Pakistan in a Fragmented World
“The hope is that by reaffirming and strengthening foundations of cooperation, the next page in history can turn toward cooperation
Pakistan on the Cusp of
Pakistan now sits on a cusp of several security concerns. The political upheaval has caused a domino effect which has
A Woman for Climate Justice:
Recently, we saw Climate Change Minister Sherry Rehman emerge as a strong proponent for climate justice. The UN Climate Change
Pakistan’s Militant Taliban Uprising
Once again Pakistan seems to find itself in a severe quandary having to lie in bed with the most facetious
The Longest March to the
PTI will most probably win the elections in 2023 as already predicted. Khan’s recent U-turn on the conspiracy spiel comes
Fatima Jinnah Feminist Leader
“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once.” Heartfelt words from the play Caesar,
Land of the pure
"There is really nowhere to go from here.' Excerpt from poetry book Earth & Glimmer, copyright. Poem, Land of the
No extremism for Pakistan
SOME worrying conversations from people here have seen words such as that the Taliban ‘may not be that bad’ and
Making Pakistan a safe place
PAKISTAN is not a safe place for women. This single sentence seems to have brought on a heated backlash upon
Benazir Bhutto’s legacy
WHEN speaking of women leaders who created a paradigm shift culturally in Pakistan, one must respectfully mention the former (late)
Remember polio vaccines ?
A handful of Pakistani netizens tried to promote a ‘stick policy’ relating to the methods of pressure on those unwilling
In terms of optics
Recent events in the past week have once again divided opinion especially in terms of things said by higher echelons
US takes a leadership role
WE recently received some good news from G-7 Summit, which just took place in Cornwall, UK; as the seven countries
World Environment Day 2021
IF there are a few things we must acknowledge Pakistan by, then leading climate action is certainly one of them.
Malala: a symbol of courage
‘I know the power that a young girl carries in her heart when she has a vision and a mission’
COVAX saves the day
America has pledged to share 80 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine. This makes it the largest provider to COVAX,
Actors in a State of
WHEN we first heard of a local actress apparently with the same name (and spelling), my friends found it amusing
To be a Feminist
I support all peaceful protest marches for women’s rights as I consider myself a feminist. That being said, there has
Rabble rousers
MY aunt who sent me the most conspiracy theories about how apparently the West wanted to chip the entire world
Witch, grandmother, ink and eggs
The title of this column might sound like that of a Dr Seuss book, but the context is more sinister.
Protesting everything under sun
IN all of the protests except for the roaring of age-old extremists trying to bring back their relevance by gathering
Pakistan offers support to India
THE top twitter trend for two days was ‘Pakistan stands with India’. It was good and decent, and the population
Sharing healthcare data
INFORMATION is power. I never quite realized the importance of those words until last year when the global pandemic ravaged the
In favour of ‘vaccine passports’
Vaccine Passports have been a main topic of conversation in the past few days. Last year I was scoffed at
RUSSIAN COMPLEX
THE recent Pakistan visit of the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, seems to have created a purposeful impact on Pakistan.
Battling loss and grief during
The therapist I spoke to told me that ‘channeling’ grief was not the first stage that we should be speaking
India-Pakistan water dialogue 2021
March 23, also known as Pakistan Resolution Day, this year saw a significant dialogue taking place between Pakistan and India.
23 MARCH, PAKISTAN RESOLUTION DAY
I think that the masses are wide awake. They only want your guidance and your lead. Come forward as servants
Vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan –
Viewing the World Economic Forum (WEF) webinar “Boosting Vaccine Confidence” earlier this year was quite educational. The focus of the
Investing in Gen2PK
INVESTING in Gen2PK, the second generation of Pakistani Americans, was the topic for the online event hosted by the Embassy
Dr. Huma Baqai — For
When we speak about Women’s Empowerment, we look towards doers and change-makers, and a name that immediately comes to mind
Acknowledging Malala
For International Women’s Day we highlight Malala Yousafzai as being one of the most powerful symbols of Women’s Empowerment in
FATF grey list — A
Politics! Cried the irate crowd. The recent announcement that Pakistan will remain on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey
Women’s empowerment- choose to challenge
Pakistan is in a dismal state as far as women’s empowerment goals are concerned. Lockdowns and a global economic downfall
Quaid-e-Azam House to be turned
“Eventually, we all have to go. All the work we do is for the present generation and future generations to
Listening to Greta Thunberg: SDG
Perhaps if the older generation stopped dumping their existential angst on children maybe the world will start to prosper as
The single national curriculum –
The Single National Curriculum (SNC) stands vehemently opposed by a select few as not being ‘the right time’ or being
Reset of US-Pakistan relations Part
The second webinar of the series called the “RESET OF US-PAKISTAN RELATIONS” hosted by KCFR (Karachi Council on Foreign Relations)
Reset of US-Pakistan relations (Part
The first webinar of the series on the ‘Reset of US-Pakistan Relations’, hosted by KCFR, Karachi Council on Foreign Relations,
The world congratulates America: Inauguration
President Joe Biden’sinauguration was pretty much awaited by the whole world. Not a single house, aware of International affairs, across
Covid-19-The second wave
A full acceptance of the second wave of COVID-19 came when our home had a case of it. It is
The ID process needs a
A friend’s maid remains unidentified in the year 2021.No ID, no means of obtaining one, no access to facilities or
2020, The Year we would
The year 2020 is soon coming to an end. One never thought that we would finally say these words. It
Covid-19 loss support for family
On April 14th , Pakistani-American Sabila Khan lost her father to Covid-19. In trying to cope with such traumatic events
Israel: To open the corridors
This is not a strategist’s perspective neither a politician’s viewpoint. I am neither an economist nor a defense analyst. Nor
Everybody should take the vaccine
My friend has already refused to take the vaccine. It hasn’t come out andyet she is already adamantly convinced that
Fighting Covid-19 against all odds
Getting a Covid-19 positive result initially astounds you for a few seconds. Even if we know that the entire world
Pinktober 2020
Each year October, or as now called Pinktober, marks the month as Breast Cancer awareness month.The memories of victims as
Travel Gone 2020
If somebody would’ve have told us last year to invest in Zoom shares and stock up at home on pasta,
Of administration and accountability
As the neighbor’s help threw a bucket of garbage water out of the window, it added to the misery amidst
Paid for in the name
The PR business being the most happening and lucrative business these days especially in the age of social media. A
A cooperative state of mind
This past week in the city of Karachi has been extremely hellish. Karachi received more rain this year than ever
Jinnah’s Legacy: A talk with
Mr Liaquat H Merchant is a very prominent barrister currently residing in Karachi, Pakistan. He is the Managing Trustee of
Opening up in a brave
The recent news of the country officially opening up has brought up some rather interesting viewpoints. All seemingly fair given
Smart Lockdowns And Self Reflective
Recently, I was turned away nicely but firmly from the entrance of a shopping mall/ supermarket as the person with
Restructuring Karachi: getting garbage out
When the electricity went for eight hours straight, life halted to an extent. When the outgoing call service of both
Swimming away from reality
When a certain elite crowd requested funds to be “donated” towards a public community swimming pool area to be developed,
What’s in a meme?
The article refers to the parallel group created on social media and dark content. It is not focusing on anybody
The Conspiracy Theory Brigade
Who has not been forwarded a conspiracy theory on their chats or even or via a social media forum? We’ve
Cyberbullying (Part 1)
A small remark here, a slip of the tongue there, a seemingly innocent sentence, and suddenly, you’re in the middle
Utilising TikTok during the pandemic
When the recent meeting took place between the Punjab Governor and TikTok influencers, many sneered at the thought of the
Trending Towards Sustainable Fashion
When an image from a fashion brand touting a model wearing a matching mask with the outfit made the media
PIA Flight #8303: Prayers for
The devastating crash of PIA Flight #8303 has been that one thing has left us all greatly traumatized as a
Responsible Citizens in the New
The Government here has eased the lockdown in order to combat an economic fallout. One has already noted the mammoth
Ehsaas’ during a Global Crisis
The Ehsaas program, which falls under the Poverty Alleviation and Social Safety Division, officially started last year. This kicked into
Ramzan under a lockdown
Things that have always held true on the advent of the holy month of Ramazan are the joyful messages and
Fighting COVID-19 together as one
The spread of COVID-19 has brought up many responsibilities within many groups of people as realization hit that it was soon to
Online education and the pandemic
As my six-year-old nephew in New York logged onto the tablet set up by his parents for his online school
Digital Reality in a “Viral”
A friend mentioned that he suddenly felt like he was in the middle of the 90’s movie “Demolition Man” due
Pakistani Women in Business: Ayla
We meet Ayla Majid, Managing Director of Financial Advisory Services at Khalid Majid Rehman Chartered Accountants. Holding an MBA from
Unity in the time of
Today, in 2020, we face another war, one being fought worldwide and against something quite unfathomable called the “unseen” enemy.
Making Sense in the Time
Leaving aside all the conspiracy theories on the virus that have been deleted from my WhatsApp, the lockdown of Italy and
My Body, My Choice, (my
International Women’s day (IWD) since the past few years in this part of the world has suddenly become highly sensitized
Hydro politics and water security
The East West Institute (EWI) along with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung conducted an extremely successful two-day panel discussion in Colombo, Sri
Women bikers and empowerment
“How is riding a motorcycle empowering for women? I’m trying to understand”, wrote a Business University alumna on her social media. It
Humzah Yazdani: Global Shaper at
Our correspondent speaks to the young Pakistani man, who made it to the World Economic Forum on merit and sheer determination. Humzah
Accelerating the Pace to a
The World Economic Forum Global Gender Gap Report 2020 came out recently; sending many of us into a flurry of
Thunberg makes a difference
“Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fuelling the flames by the hour.” This year, the World Economic
Climate change action starts at
World Economic Forum 2020 opened with over 3,000 participants this year. Over the years, the forum has noted a significant
Pakistan at Davos: World Economic
The hashtag #PakistanatDavos2020 trended at the top at number one in Pakistan. PM Imran Khan has attended the World Economic Forum
Gender Parity SDG 5: approaching
“I have always maintained that no nation can ever be worthy of its existence that cannot take with them their
Keyboard Warriors: Shifting Perspectives 2020
In recent news, the European External Action Service’s East Strat Com (the EU Disinformation Task Force) revealed that the website,
For Jinnah — the dream
The Jinnah Foundation (Memorial) Trust (JF) recently inaugurated a state-of-the-art auditorium. The event recalled days of past, present as well
The Art of Hal Bevan-Petman
The Mohatta Palace Museum lights up for the forgotten artist, Hal Bevan-Petman. The rare collection of artworks was generously lent for the
Water for a sustainable future
The dialogue and research-based 4th Karachi International Water Conference focused on the Water, Energy, Food Nexus for a Sustainable Future in Pakistan.
Nadia Jamil: touching hearts with
Some celebrities become personalities of great stature because of their rise and struggle. Some shine strong onscreen, born to be
MTBI: Mountain Biking Adventure Club
Thrill-seeking mountain bikers in Pakistan? When I brought that up, one of my friends said not many people would do that here.
A system for the silenced
Jami, also known as Jamshed Mehmood, and his family would be in a very strange and unnerving position at this
Major General Nigar Johar: breaking
The highly decorated Maj Gen Nigar Johar is the third female Major General in the Pakistan Army and became the
Zindagi Trust: Paving the way
A day in the life of Shehzad Roy and his team is a busy day indeed. The celebrity has already
A Skyline in Pink
As key sights and institutions all over the country illuminated in shades of pink across Pakistan, the skyline was quite
The Royal visit Pakistan
The Royal Visit Pakistan, as it was termed, took our media by storm, as we followed each and every minute
Loving Islamabad
I have always loved Islamabad. A picturesque haven of bliss with a scenic backdrop of lush mountains, green valleys and
Lady Boss: Meher Iqbal Talk
We’ve all heard about the fabulous dinners and GTs by Pakistanis living in Dubai. But when we see one of
Being Sultana Siddiqui
Our correspondent sat down with Sultana Siddiqui, the President of HUM Network Limited, which is one of Asia’s largest and
Aaj Ka Random: The Photography
September 20, 2019. The much-awaited Facebook photography group show opened at the Alliance Francaise in Karachi. The Facebook group now
Destroying Earth to reach the
The inhumane lockdown in Kashmir is now 50-days-old yet little seems to have changed. If any food item and medicine
En Route to Jinnah’s Pakistan
With the ardent patriotic zeal that sprouts up with each gazetted national holiday portrayed by ad campaigns and arbitrary quotes
Perspective: Mehwish Hayat Speaks
The star has suddenly grown into an “ambassador” of social issues. Recently, very much in the news with a controversial
Reaching Summits: Samina Baig
On 19th May2013 a figure was witnessed approaching the Mount Everest Summit, clad and covered with extensive climbing gear. Inside
Fatima Jinnah – The Nation
A narrative and information via Liaquat Merchant; grandnephew of the late Fatima Jinnah and one of the few surviving members
Mothers of the Motherless
We have seen them working tirelessly in Pakistan, adopting a country which they call their own these brave women provide
The #MeToo movement and what
The #metoo movement was something that needed to occur in this country. Yes, you heard me correctly, we needed the
The girl who held the
A Pakistani woman can do anything given the opportunity. My excitement at meeting Squadron Leader Saira Amin will never fade.
Leading with grace and dignity
I will never forget how I was swept away by Sadia’s persona as she received me. I met her eyes
The time of Year: a
I remember my grandmother setting the long table for 9 (me on a side chair), with dates, pakoras (fried batter,
Trending fashion: The Pantene HUM
The 3rd Pantene HUM Showcase19 was by far the most elite fashion exhibition in Pakistan. The event was organized by
Digitally altered truth: the spread
With an empowered generation speeding towards digitally displayed news, it takes just seconds to get viral through the touch of
A greater message that followed
On the 15th of March 2019 a 38 year old woman stepped onto a podium to speak and address not
Pakistani culture
In an effort to identify what defined Pakistani culture in general, Hafsa Naseem, the President of CareeHer (A digital support
Game Changer
This year I saw my first live cricket match at the national stadium in Karachi — the Pakistan Super League
The sound of us marching
March 8th – International Women’s Day (IWD) – was an interesting day to note for the people of Pakistan, especially
The Decade: Karachi Literature Festival
The tenth Karachi Literature Festival opened its doors at the scenic backdrop of the Beach Luxury Hotel grounds in Karachi,
Using water colours to recreate
* Muntehaa Azad was married at an early age but her obligations have never stopped her to seek out knowledge