On the morning of June 7th, the day of Eid al-Azha, I woke up around the time of the Eid prayer and marched straight to the kitchen, because that was where I was supposed to be all day, more so than any other day. Recalling Eid mornings spent at my
In 2025, Pakistani pop culture is a shiny version of softcore propaganda with a glossy finish. From hijabis posting lip syncs to trap songs, ISPR-funded web series going viral, surveillance under the pretence of patriotism, and Instagram Reels with nationalist EDM music in the background, Pakistan’s culture is not evolving;
What is this, behind this veil, is it ugly, is it beautiful? It is shimmering, has it breasts, has it edges? I am sure it is unique, I am sure it is what I want. When I am quiet at my cooking I feel it looking, I feel it
یہ داغ داغ اجالا یہ شب گزیدہ سحر وہ انتظار تھا جس کا یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں یہ وہ سحر تو نہیں جس کی آرزو لے کر چلے تھے یار کہ مل جائے گی کہیں نہ کہیں فلک کے دشت میں تاروں کی آخری منزل کہیں تو ہوگا شب
Provision: Right to Education The State shall provide free and compulsory education to all children of the age of five to sixteen years in such manner as may be determined by law. Meaning: Article 25A makes education a fundamental right for every child between the ages of 5 and 16.
Meaning: The act does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty. Explanation: To be criminally liable, both a wrongful act (actus reus) and a guilty mind (mens rea) must be present. Example: Accidentally damaging someone’s property without any intent usually isn’t a crime—it may be a
In 2018, a group of young students in Lahore gathered to organise the Students Solidarity March. They were loud, earnest, and poetic in the way they demanded the right to unionise and retrieve control of the future they were so systematically being sidelined from. As Faiz inhabited the streets and
In a career spanning insurgency zones, high-profile investigations, and the complexities of Punjab’s criminal landscape, DIG Imran Kishwar has learned to lead with perseverance. In this candid conversation, he recounts formative experiences, unspeakable crimes, and his belief in justice—not just as a system, but as a legacy. Q: Could you
From 13 to 16 May 2025, Donald J. Trump, the 47th President of the United States, undertook his first major international tour of his second term, visiting Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates. Accompanied by a Republican delegation and several prominent business leaders, including senior adviser Elon Musk,
Audi Alteram Partem Meaning: Hear the other side. Explanation: No one should be judged without being given a fair chance to present their case. Example: If an employee is dismissed without being allowed to explain their side, it’s a breach of natural justice. Importance: This principle safeguards fairness by ensuring
Provision: Equality of Citizens All citizens are equal before the law and are entitled to equal protection of the law. There shall be no discrimination on the basis of sex alone. Nothing in this Article prevents the State from making special provisions for the protection of women and children. Meaning:
خون اپنا ہو یا پرایا ہو نسل آدم كا خون ہے آخر جنگ مشرق میں ہو کہ مغرب میں امن عالم كا خون ہے آخر بم گھروں پر گریں کہ سرحد پر روح تعمیر زخم کھاتی ہے کھیت اپنے جلیں کہ اوروں کے زیست فاقوں سے تلملاتی ہے ٹینک آگے
I like the lady horses best, how they make it all look easy, like running 40 miles per hour is as fun as taking a nap, or grass. I like their lady horse swagger, after winning. Ears up, girls, ears up! But mainly, let’s be honest, I like that they’re
Provision: Protection of Property Rights No person shall be deprived of their property save in accordance with the law. No property shall be compulsorily acquired or taken possession of except for a public purpose and with compensation as determined by law. Nothing in this article prevents the state from imposing
Meaning No one should be a judge in their own cause. Explanation A person cannot preside over a matter in which they have a personal interest, as it compromises impartiality. Example: A government official cannot decide on a dispute involving their own business—it would be a clear conflict of interest.
If the hope of giving is to love the living, the giver risks madness in the act of giving. Some such lesson I seemed to see in the faces that surrounded me. Needy and blind, unhopeful, unlifted, what gift would give them the gift to be gifted? The
اب مرے دوسرے بازو پہ وہ شمشیر ہے جو اس سے پہلے بھی مرا نصف بدن کاٹ چکی اسی بندوق کی نالی ہے مری سمت کہ جو اس سے پہلے مری شہہ رگ کا لہو چاٹ چکی پھر وہی آگ در آئی ہے مری گلیوں میں پھر مرے شہر میں
“Please, bring me a cup of chai.” “Chai?” The waiter frowned. “We’ve got English tea, madam.” “Okay then, bring me a British tea.” He gave me a cringe smile—one of those tight-lipped grins laced with polite embarrassment. I ignored the weight of his judgement and turned my attention to the
Pakistan is one of those countries where justice is served partially—only to those who either have enough power to influence the system and turn the tables in their favour easily or to those who exhaust years of their lives running to and from courts in pursuit of justice. The country’s
She Said No. He Killed Her Anyway. Seventeen. Sana Yousaf was just seventeen. She didn’t get to grow up. She didn’t get to graduate, make mistakes, dream, or breathe freely. Instead, she bled to death on her bedroom floor. Why? Because she dared to say no. Because a man—her cousin,
Every day in Pakistan, from crowded school staff rooms in Karachi to bustling office cafeterias in Lahore, a familiar scene plays out. A woman opens her handbag and pulls out a stack of steel tiffins. The food is lovingly packed, with chapatis still warm, sabzi seasoned just right, and a
In the Foucauldian sense, the state’s ultimate power lies not in law, but in the management of life and death – in deciding who may live “freely” and who must be regulated, watched, and, to the best of its intentions, contained. This week, the Punjab government, displaying a meritorious sense
Who Does the Dishes? She posts a Women’s Day story with a quote by Audre Lorde. Then she clears the table. Her brother is still scrolling in the lounge. No one expects him to rinse even his own glass. This is where feminism in a desi household splits into two
For as long as anyone can remember, saying no has been a social sin. So much so, in fact, that it has become one of those things that doesn’t discriminate between genders. Though—like everything else—society has two different methods of exercising control over each. For men, it becomes a guilt
Meaning Ignorance of the law excuses no one. Explanation A person cannot avoid legal responsibility by claiming lack of knowledge about the law. Example Constructing a building without required permits is unlawful, even if the builder was unaware of the regulations. Importance Being informed of the law is essential, as
Provision: Right to Property Every citizen shall have the right to acquire, hold, and dispose of property in any part of Pakistan, subject to the Constitution and any reasonable restrictions imposed by law in the public interest. Meaning: Article 23 guarantees the right of every citizen to legally own and
Why did I write it down? In order to remember. Of course, but exactly what was it I wanted to remember? How much of it actually happened? Did any of it? Why do I keep a notebook at all? Although I have felt compelled to write these things down since
تم اپنے عقیدوں کے نیزے ہر دل میں اتارے جاتے ہو ہم لوگ محبت والے ہیں تم خنجر کیوں لہراتے ہو اس شہر میں نغمے بہنے دو بستی میں ہمیں بھی رہنے دو ہم پالنہار ہیں پھولوں کے ہم خوشبو کے رکھوالے ہیں تم کس کا لہو پینے آئے ہم
i’ve been eating poetry again. you can tell from the ink on the edges of the cutting board, from the way the cumin spills beside commas. i forget what i came here to cook. the counter is stained with metaphors. a bookmark sticks to the butter knife. sometimes, i
The decorations have decked every room in your house—strings of marigolds and fairy lights cascade down the walls, people are coming and going, and the hustle and bustle of shaadi prep has taken over all the women in your family. It’s a sensory fever dream. You’re sitting at a dholki,
In the villages of Punjab, Heer wasn’t read. She was remembered. Her story lived in the mehfils, echoed from the mouths of old men under peepal trees, and spilt from the dhol of the fakir walking barefoot down dusty roads. She wasn’t something to be adapted. She was something to
Dear Reader, Welcome to Pakistani society — where roti, kapra, aur makaan remain elusive for the common man, women struggle with domestic violence, and floods swallow entire cities. Amidst these crises, Pakistani men, too, suffer a grave injustice: their masculinity is in peril. Almost endangered — like a house of cards blown
