Provision: Safeguard Against Taxation for Purposes of Any Particular Religion No person shall be compelled to pay any special tax the proceeds of which are to be spent on the propagation or maintenance of any religion other than his own. Meaning: Article 21 protects individuals from being forced to financially
On the plane I have a dream I’ve left half my torso on the back porch with my beloved. I have to go back for it, but it’s too late, I’m flying and there’s only half of me. Back in Texas, the flowers I’ve left on the
What if political and social decadence reaches our doors and we find our feet taking their last steps towards any real moral, social, or political elevation? Look at the lines of a female student from the University of the Punjab at a recent scholarship distribution programme: “My father, a retired
The majority of individuals belonging to the so-called “Islamic Republic of Pakistan” have, at least once in their lives, been forced to adapt to the precepts of Islam. The culture of imposing the mother religion on one’s offspring has been in practice since time immemorial. Following the lineage of these
A young man walked down the corridor of the Prime Minister’s House in December 1974, carrying the secrets of one of the world’s most notorious and controversial inventions—one that even its original inventor came to regret. Abdul Qadeer Khan, often hailed as the face of Pakistan’s nuclear programme, is not
JT: Thank you for speaking with Jarida Today, SSP Sahib. To begin, could you tell us a bit about your background and what drew you to the police force? SSP Muhammad Naveed: I’m Muhammad Naveed, currently serving as SSP Investigation, Lahore. I joined the Police Service of Pakistan in 2007
How did the language of Faiz Ahmed Faiz — the poet whose verses echo across continents, whose words have been translated into dozens of languages — become something we punish children for speaking in schools? How did the language sung by Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan, whose voice brought tears to
In the spring of 1929, while the Roaring Twenties danced its last waltz and jazz spilled from speakeasies across America, a quiet bay colt with a name like poetry—Blue Larkspur—stepped onto the racetrack and changed everything. He wasn’t flashy. He wasn’t temperamental. He didn’t come with drama. But he came
If you find yourself half naked and barefoot in the frosty grass, hearing, again, the earth’s great, sonorous moan that says you are the air of the now and gone, that says all you love will turn to dust, and will meet you there, do not raise your fist. Do
Provision: Freedom to Profess Religion and Manage Religious Institutions Every citizen shall have the right to profess, practice, and propagate his religion. Every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions. These rights are subject to law, public order, and
Margaret Atwood once suggested that much of the world operates as an extension of male desire and its appetite for control. Male idealisation might not be an absolute product of postcolonial identity crises, but it has certainly been aggravated by the white man who once stood on Indian soil and
Provision: Freedom of Speech Every citizen shall have the right to freedom of speech and expression, and there shall be freedom of the press. This right is subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of the glory of Islam, the integrity, security or defence of Pakistan,
I grew up wearing stories that didn’t fit— hand-me-down myths, fraying at the seams, patched too many times to keep the cold out. My mother told me tales she no longer believed in. I listened anyway, collecting names of dead heroes like heirlooms, like they might protect me from
On the night of 7 May, India launched missile strikes at nine different locations in Pakistan under the codename Operation Sindoor. What followed was a four-day military conflict between the two countries. These four days were pivotal for Pakistan—her safety, her future, and her people. Each day, Instagram was flooded
It is apparent that the guarantee of citizens’ right to vote in 1991 remains one of the key obstacles to Bangladesh’s democracy. The functionality of democracy within the nation’s borders is fraught with a myriad of problems across every aspect. Different kinds of trust and responsibility with regard to voting
When someone says “education”, most people think of grades, degrees, and—eventually—a job. That’s the narrative we’ve all heard: study hard so you can get a good job, earn a living, and survive. But what if I told you that education isn’t just about survival—it’s about becoming fully alive? Think about
The morning air was crisp at Newmarket, the training ground of champions. The sky, still painted in shades of deep blue and orange, held the promise of a new day. The mist clung to the grass, rolling lazily over the gallops as the rhythmic sound of hooves echoed through the
I was watching a clip from the movie Ratatouille some days ago when I thought I should revisit classic Disney movies from the 1990s decade. They have some amazing lessons of hope, strength, perseverance, and keeping a positive mindset during difficulties that I needed at this time of my life.
The start of this month was undeniably eventful. High-tech jets flew overhead, ballistic missiles were launched, nuclear capabilities were flaunted in fiery speeches, and a meme war raged across social media. Despite national television channels bursting with breaking news, one story never quite took flight and remained grounded—overshadowed by the
It is 1818, in Trier, a city in the Rhineland region of Prussia (present-day Germany). A boy named Karl Heinrich Marx is born into the household of Heinrich Marx, a lawyer from a Jewish rabbinical background who was forced to convert to Christianity under repressive Prussian laws. Karl’s mother, Henriette,
Provision: Freedom of Trade, Business or Profession Subject to such qualifications, if any, as may be prescribed by law, every citizen shall have the right to enter upon any lawful profession or occupation, and to conduct any lawful trade or business: Provided that nothing in this Article shall prevent:- (a)
This good weather ruined me, I resigned in such a weather From my government job. I got used to tobacco in such a weather, I fell in love in such a weather; I forgot to take home bread and salt In such a weather; My disease of writing poems Recurred
These days, social media and TikTok are filled with criticism and mockery of the Sharif family. One clip shows Uncle Shahbaz saying, “We are the children of a poor man,” while another features his granddaughter proudly declaring that she is the granddaughter of a millionaire. To me, both statements are
On May 20, 2025, General Hafiz Syed Asim Munir was officially appointed as Field Marshal of Pakistan—an elevation witnessed by diplomats, politicians, and top-ranking officials from all branches of the Pakistan Armed Forces. This historic decision reflects not only his exemplary service but also the hopes of a nation longing
Once upon a time, there lived a young boy named Iqbal Masih. He came from a poor family in a village on the outskirts of Lahore—Muridke—where he lived with his parents and younger sister. Sadly, one day, his mother fell ill and needed costly treatment. His father was using drugs,
I was introduced to Awais Khan through Asif Nawaz’s (author of The Pilgrims) social media recommendation. I reached out to Awais on Instagram and asked him to recommend his personal best. He suggested No Honour—and I’m grateful he did. I’m breaking a norm I’ve set for my book reviews: not
Provision: Freedom of Association Every citizen shall have the right to form associations or unions, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of sovereignty or integrity of Pakistan. Every citizen, not being in the service of Pakistan, shall have the right to form or be a
I grow fangs for teeth and then bite on my own tongue until I draw blood. I wear sacrifice for clothes and line my eyes in compromise. I cut off my tongue at the end of every conversation. It grows back like a lizard’s tail. Each time. I was
In Bahawalpur yesterday, Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz compared the events of 9 May to the Indo-Pakistan war — suggesting that the former, a day of civil unrest, was somehow more damaging than an armed conflict that claimed countless lives. This is not merely a poor analogy. It is an act
Provision: Freedom of assembly Every citizen shall have the right to assemble peacefully and without arms, subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the interest of public order. Meaning: Article 16 gives every citizen the right to gather peacefully in public places, be it for protests, rallies or
she splits the pomegranate open, its rind cracking like a whispered secret. juice trickles down her wrist, staining—staying. her hands sink into the red, skin torn apart, flesh spilling— a mother’s touch, a daughter’s inheritance. ruby seeds tumbling into our waiting palms, red under our nails, sweetness on our
Noor Mukadam was murdered. Tortured. Beheaded. In Islamabad. In the home of someone she trusted. I didn’t know her — but I felt like I did. Maybe because we were close in age. Maybe because she looked like any one of us. Maybe because in that moment, every girl in
