News Stories
A Letter from UK: The other face of Pakistani media in UK
London: “Is there something genetically fishy in Pakistanis?” I am at a British media house chatting with journalist friends, most of them from Pakistan and India. The question shocks me. As I am struggling for words to respond to her, another colleague puts his hands on my shoulders. Before I respond, the friend behind me asks …
Blow Away the Cobwebs for A New Lease of Life
The government is ready to blow away the cobwebs for a new lease of life and decides to reform the civil services of Pakistan. It is a good move on the part of the government to revamp the old colonial mindset and introducing indigenously evolved system. It would be beneficial if reforms also introduced in …
Strangulating saner, free voices
As one plans celebration of Freedom of Press Day on May 3rd, latest victim of media strangulation is Najam Sethi’s TV show on a local channel. The PREMRA has acted most arbitrarily on telecasting of a programme by Sethi that outlined ‘A’ and ‘B’ scheme of things slowly unfolding what is being forecast by the …
BBZ: the real face of Opposition
Chairman Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has emerged as a powerful voice against the government in recent days. From his election campaign in 2018 to his first speech in parliament, Mr Bhutto-Zardari has won accolades for being a voice of reason and sanity. From calling Prime Minister Khan ‘selected PM’ to being extremely vocal …
Mental health problems in university students – A wake up call
Student mental health is a completely neglected area. The lack of facilities in the campuses, poor or no career advice and the uncertain future regarding career prospects is leading to high degrees of anxiety and depression. This is taking high toll . Considering that young boys and girls in the universities are our future, this …
Being inside a trans world is not easy
SHIKARPUR: Transperson. When one hears of this word, the image of someone singing, dancing or being used as a sex worker comes to the mind. Who is a transperson in Pakistan? Someone who is tortured verbally, physically and sexually in open places by people; someone who does not get a respectful way of earning due …
Human rights forgotten in the election year: HRCP launches 2018 report
Islamabad: At the launch of its flagship annual report, State of Human Rights in 2018, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) has noted that, ‘in a year of general elections, it was inevitable perhaps that the progress and observation of human rights issues might be suspended, if not forgotten. The elections themselves were plagued …
A Facebook community group helps women thrive
Peshawar: Women in a social gathering are carefully listening to the female girl standing in front of them with a mic in her hand. The speaker, in her mid-20s, has a polite tone coupled with energy and confidence in her words. These women are having a gender-based discussion; women empowerment, gender equality, and other women-related …
Need to repair moral compass!
London: In August Pakistan will complete 72 years of its independent and sovereign existence. Its creation was a unique phenomenon. The entire Pakistan Movement was an epitome of honesty in leadership, sincerity of purpose, dedication, determination and moral courage that made the idea of a separate Muslim state possible. Quaid’s biographer, late Professor Stanley Wolpert …
Satire: 20th ‘effective mechanism’ in the workings to bar outlawed leaders from polls
LAHORE: For the 101st time in all, and 50th time in 2019 alone, Minister of State for Interior Shehryar Khan Afridi has hinted at developing an effective mechanism to bar leaders of proscribed organisations from taking part in polls. First winking at the crowd, and then looking into the eyes of TV cameras sternly, the firebrand minister …