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Articles - Haya Fatima Sehgal

Gandhi and Jinnah Return Home A Peacebuilding Initiative

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

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I, Spirit

I, Spirit

Haya Fatima Sehgal writes on the essence of the soul. I, Spirit takes us through a journey of the struggle

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Poetry

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Hamas or Palestine

Hamas or Palestine

The entire world stands with the Palestinians.  The onslaught attack on Gaza by Israel in 2023 has reached the voices

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The Information War Part II

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

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The Bid for Power through an Information War (Part I)

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

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Earth & Glimmer

Earth & Glimmer

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Resilient Pakistan

Resilient Pakistan

‘Resilient Pakistan’ is a compilation of articles which cover sociocultural impact and waves of change within the country. It is

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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

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Noor Mukadam of Pakistan

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

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Blackout in Pakistan

Blackout in Pakistan

The turmoil in the country which has ensued after the arrest of IK is the start of another dark chapter

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The Elections Must Be held Unabated (Part II)

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

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The Elections Must be Held Unabated (Part I)

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

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Nadira Panjwani – For the Sake of Pakistan

Nadira Panjwani – For the

We recently received news that KCFR (Karachi Council on Foreign Relations) was going to be chaired by a lady, Nadira

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Hijab for School Girls in AJK

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

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Gender-Based Violence in Pakistan (GBV) – The Hudood Ordinance Part II

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

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Ameena Saiyid: The Mother of Literature and Literature Festivals

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

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Noor Mukadam of Pakistan

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

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The Ukraine Crisis is Everybody’s Crisis

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

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Technocratic Government in Pakistan, the Answer?

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.”

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Pakistan in a Fragmented World

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

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Pakistan on the Cusp of Security Concerns

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

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A Woman for Climate Justice: Sherry Rehman

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

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Pakistan’s Militant Taliban Uprising

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

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The Longest March to the Elections

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

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Fatima Jinnah Feminist Leader

Fatima Jinnah Feminist Leader

“Cowards die many times before their deaths; the valiant never taste death but once.” Heartfelt words from the play Caesar,

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Land of the pure

"There is really nowhere to go from here.' Excerpt from poetry book Earth & Glimmer, copyright. Poem, Land of the

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Poetry

Haya Fatima Sehgal is a Poet whose work reflects on social injustices, and sensitive issues which are considered to be

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No extremism for Pakistan

No extremism for Pakistan

SOME worrying conversations from people here have seen words such as  that the Taliban ‘may not be that bad’ and

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Making Pakistan a safe place for women

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

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Benazir Bhutto’s legacy

Benazir Bhutto’s legacy

WHEN speaking of women leaders who created a paradigm shift culturally in Pakistan, one must respectfully mention the former (late)

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Remember polio vaccines ?

Remember polio vaccines ?

A handful of Pakistani netizens tried to promote a ‘stick policy’ relating to the methods of pressure on those unwilling

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In terms of optics

In terms of optics

Recent events in the past week have once again divided opinion especially in terms of things said by higher echelons

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US takes a leadership role in vaccinating world

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

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World Environment Day 2021

World Environment Day 2021

IF there are a few things we must acknowledge Pakistan by, then leading climate action is certainly one of them.

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Malala: a symbol of courage and faith

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’

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COVAX saves the day

COVAX saves the day

America has pledged to share 80 million doses of the coronavirus vaccine. This makes it the largest provider to COVAX,

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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

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To be a Feminist

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

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Rabble rousers

Rabble rousers

MY aunt who sent me the most conspiracy theories about how apparently the West wanted to chip the entire world

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Witch, grandmother, ink and eggs

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.

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Protesting everything under sun

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

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Pakistan offers support to India

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

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Sharing healthcare data

Sharing healthcare data

INFORMATION is power. I never quite realized the importance of those words until last year when the global pandemic ravaged the

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In favour of ‘vaccine passports’

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

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RUSSIAN COMPLEX

RUSSIAN COMPLEX

THE recent Pakistan visit of the Russian Foreign Minister, Sergey Lavrov, seems to have created a purposeful impact on Pakistan.

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Battling loss and grief during Covid -19 in a South Asian landscape

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

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India-Pakistan water dialogue 2021

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.

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23 MARCH, PAKISTAN RESOLUTION DAY

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

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Vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan – Building trust

Vaccine hesitancy in Pakistan –

Viewing the World Economic Forum (WEF) webinar “Boosting Vaccine Confidence” earlier this year was quite educational. The focus of the

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Investing in Gen2PK

Investing in Gen2PK

INVESTING in Gen2PK, the second generation of Pakistani Americans, was the topic for the online event hosted by the Embassy

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Dr. Huma Baqai — For the Love of Women’s Empowerment (Women’s Day)

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

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Acknowledging Malala

Acknowledging Malala

For International Women’s Day we highlight Malala Yousafzai as being one of the most powerful symbols of Women’s Empowerment in

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FATF grey list — A bitter reality

FATF grey list — A

Politics! Cried the irate crowd. The recent announcement that Pakistan will remain on the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) grey

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Women’s empowerment- choose to challenge

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

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Quaid-e-Azam House to be turned into an Institute of Nation Building

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

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Listening to Greta Thunberg: SDG 13 and a lot more

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

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The single national curriculum – moving education forward

The single national curriculum –

The Single National Curriculum (SNC) stands vehemently opposed by a select few as not being ‘the right time’ or being

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Reset of US-Pakistan relations Part II-Changing the lens

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)

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Reset of US-Pakistan relations (Part I)- Economic Security

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,

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The world congratulates America: Inauguration ceremony of President Joe Biden

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

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Exodus

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Covid-19-The second wave

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

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The ID process needs a ‘change’

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

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2020, The Year we would like to Cancel

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

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Covid-19 loss support for family and friend

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

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Israel: To open the corridors of the world

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

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Everybody should take the vaccine

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

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Fighting Covid-19 against all odds

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

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Pinktober 2020

Pinktober 2020

Each year October, or as now called Pinktober, marks the month as Breast Cancer awareness month.The memories of victims as

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Travel Gone 2020

Travel Gone 2020

If somebody would’ve have told us last year to invest in Zoom shares and stock up at home on pasta,

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Of administration and accountability

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

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Paid for in the name of PR

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

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A cooperative state of mind

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

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Jinnah’s Legacy: A talk with Mr Liaquat H. Merchant

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

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Opening up in a brave new world

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

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Smart Lockdowns And Self Reflective Measures

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

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Restructuring Karachi: getting garbage out of governance

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

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Swimming away from reality

Swimming away from reality

When a certain elite crowd requested funds to be “donated” towards a public community swimming pool area to be developed,

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What’s in a meme?

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

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The Conspiracy Theory Brigade

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

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Cyberbullying (Part 1)

Cyberbullying (Part 1)

A small remark here, a slip of the tongue there, a seemingly innocent sentence, and suddenly, you’re in the middle

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Utilising TikTok during the pandemic for the greater good

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

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Trending Towards Sustainable Fashion

Trending Towards Sustainable Fashion

When an image from a fashion brand touting a model wearing a matching mask with the outfit made the media

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PIA Flight #8303: Prayers for All

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

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Responsible Citizens in the New Normal

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

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Ehsaas’ during a Global Crisis

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

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Ramzan under a lockdown

Ramzan under a lockdown

Things that have always held true on the advent of the holy month of Ramazan are the joyful messages and

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Fighting COVID-19 together as one global community

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

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Online education and the pandemic

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

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Digital Reality in a “Viral” World

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

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Pakistani Women in Business: Ayla Majid

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

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Unity in the time of Isolation

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.

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Making Sense in the Time of Coronavirus

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

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My Body, My Choice, (my right to an opinion)

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

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Hydro politics and water security

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

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Women bikers and empowerment

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

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Humzah Yazdani: Global Shaper at the World Economic Forum

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

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Accelerating the Pace to a Fairer World

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

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Thunberg makes a difference

Thunberg makes a difference

“Our house is still on fire. Your inaction is fuelling the flames by the hour.” This year, the World Economic

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Climate change action starts at home!

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

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Pakistan at Davos: World Economic Forum Annual Meeting 2020

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

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Gender Parity SDG 5: approaching the goals for success

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

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Keyboard Warriors: Shifting Perspectives 2020

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,

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For Jinnah — the dream of an educated and prosperous Pakistan

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

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The Art of Hal Bevan-Petman

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

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Water for a sustainable future

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.

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Nadia Jamil: touching hearts with love and laughter

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

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MTBI: Mountain Biking Adventure Club

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.

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A system for the silenced

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

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Major General Nigar Johar: breaking social barriers, changing mindsets

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

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Zindagi Trust: Paving the way

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

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A Skyline in Pink

A Skyline in Pink

As key sights and institutions all over the country illuminated in shades of pink across Pakistan, the skyline was quite

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The Royal visit Pakistan

The Royal visit Pakistan

The Royal Visit Pakistan, as it was termed, took our media by storm, as we followed each and every minute

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Loving Islamabad

Loving Islamabad

I have always loved Islamabad. A picturesque haven of bliss with a scenic backdrop of lush mountains, green valleys and

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Lady Boss: Meher Iqbal Talk with the Dubai-based Jewellery designer, CEO of Meher Jewellery

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

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Being Sultana Siddiqui

Being Sultana Siddiqui

Our correspondent sat down with Sultana Siddiqui, the President of HUM Network Limited, which is one of Asia’s largest and

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Aaj Ka Random: The Photography Group

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

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Destroying Earth to reach the Moon: Kashmir under Siege

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

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En Route to Jinnah’s Pakistan

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

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Perspective: Mehwish Hayat Speaks

Perspective: Mehwish Hayat Speaks

The star has suddenly grown into an “ambassador” of social issues. Recently, very much in the news with a controversial

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Reaching Summits: Samina Baig

Reaching Summits: Samina Baig

On 19th May2013 a figure was witnessed approaching the Mount Everest Summit, clad and covered with extensive climbing gear. Inside

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Fatima Jinnah – The Nation Builder

Fatima Jinnah – The Nation

A narrative and information via Liaquat Merchant; grandnephew of the late Fatima Jinnah and one of the few surviving members

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Mothers of the Motherless

Mothers of the Motherless

We have seen them working tirelessly in Pakistan, adopting a country which they call their own these brave women provide

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The #MeToo movement and what we needed to hear

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

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The girl who held the Sword of Honour: a PAF story

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.

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Leading with grace and dignity — Sadia Rashid

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

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The time of Year: a small note on Ramadhan

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,

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Trending fashion: The Pantene HUM Showcase 2019

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

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Digitally altered truth: the spread of fake news in a fast-paced digital age

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

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A greater message that followed the Christchurch shooting

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

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Pakistani culture

Pakistani culture

In an effort to identify what defined Pakistani culture in general, Hafsa Naseem, the President of CareeHer (A digital support

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Game Changer

Game Changer

This year I saw my first live cricket match at the national stadium in Karachi — the Pakistan Super League

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The sound of us marching

The sound of us marching

March 8th – International Women’s Day (IWD) – was an interesting day to note for the people of Pakistan, especially

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The Decade: Karachi Literature Festival #khilf

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,

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Using water colours to recreate fields and nature

Using water colours to recreate

* Muntehaa Azad was married at an early age but her obligations have never stopped her to seek out knowledge

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