When a sophomore from Karachi arrived at her college in Florida last fall, it felt like stepping into achievement — a promise finally fulfilled. But the reminder of the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision in Fair Admissions v. Harvard banning race-conscious admissions felt like that promise collapsing. “Pehle lagta tha ke
The communist movement in Pakistan was not always underground. There was a time when Karachi echoed with the slogans of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP), and the streets of Lahore were filled with student union activists marching for their rights and demands. Poets like Faiz and Jalib graced us
The immigration debate in America is not really about immigration. It’s about fear, power, and a national identity crisis. The anti-immigrant playbook might have a fresh coat of paint, but its pages are filled with the same old narratives that have haunted this country for centuries. From the Puritans to
Meaning: The law of retaliation — an eye for an eye. Explanation: This ancient principle of justice demands that punishment mirrors the offence in severity. Example: In modern law, this doesn’t mean literal retaliation, but the idea remains in proportional sentencing — serious crimes get serious punishments. Importance: It underlines
Do not go gentle into that good night, Old age should burn and rave at close of day; Rage, rage against the dying of the light. Though wise men at their end know dark is right, Because their words had forked no lightning they Do not go gentle into that
یہ گلیوں کے آوارہ بے کار کتے کہ بخشا گیا جن کو ذوق گدائی زمانے کی پھٹکار سرمایہ ان کا جہاں بھر کی دھتکار ان کی کمائی نہ آرام شب کو نہ راحت سویرے غلاظت میں گھر نالیوں میں بسیرے جو بگڑیں تو اک دوسرے کو لڑا دو ذرا ایک
Provision: Principles of Policy: Responsibility of the State The principles set out in this Chapter (Principles of Policy) shall be observed by the State in the governance of Pakistan. It is the responsibility of each organ and authority of the State to act in accordance with these principles in making
اور سب بھول گئے حرف صداقت لکھنا رہ گیا کام ہمارا ہی بغاوت لکھنا لاکھ کہتے رہیں ظلمت کو نہ ظلمت لکھنا ہم نے سیکھا نہیں پیارے بہ اجازت لکھنا نہ صلے کی نہ ستائش کی تمنا ہم کو حق میں لوگوں کے ہماری تو ہے عادت لکھنا ہم نے
no one leaves home unless home is the mouth of a shark you only run for the border when you see the whole city running as well your neighbors running faster than you breath bloody in their throats the boy you went to school with who kissed you dizzy behind
Provision: Preservation of Language, Script and Culture Any section of citizens having a distinct language, script or culture shall have the right to preserve and promote the same, and subject to law, establish institutions for that purpose. Meaning: Article 28 protects the cultural and linguistic rights of all communities within
Meaning: The thing speaks for itself. Explanation: In some cases, the mere facts imply negligence, even without direct proof. Example: A patient finds a surgical tool left inside them after surgery. The hospital’s fault is obvious—no further explanation needed. Importance: This maxim allows justice when clear negligence is apparent, even
“Nina, when would I be able to fly?” my six-year-old brother asked me longingly. He walked beside me as we took our usual path to the school—well, not an actual school, if you considered its state of neglect and disrepair. I looked at my brother’s superhero costume and his soft,
While the world pours billions into community centres, counsellors, and cutting-edge communication, Pakistan relies on a far more efficient force: the Aunties. With sharp judgment, floral shawls, and a sixth sense for rishtas between unwilling participants, they’ve long run the nation’s most reliable network of unsolicited advice and judgement. But
Edward Said once wrote that exile is not just about separation, but the way it sharpens memory. To love Pakistan, then, is to live in a constant state of exile, even when you don’t leave. This love, in its most enduring form, is a kind of repetition—one that demands radical
Provision: Safeguard Against Discrimination in Services No citizen otherwise qualified for appointment in the service of Pakistan shall be discriminated against in respect of any such appointment on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence, or place of birth. However, for a period not exceeding twenty years from
Meaning: Where there is a right, there is a remedy. Explanation: If your legal right is violated, the law must offer a solution or compensation. Example: If a landlord unlawfully evicts a tenant, the tenant has the right to seek legal redress through the courts. Importance: This maxim ensures that
JT: Tell us a little about your childhood in Pakistan—what it was like and the memories that stayed with you. James A. Tebbe: I grew up on the Gordon College campus, where my father taught chemistry and later became Principal of FC College. We were four siblings. I had a
Traitors’ trade stems from the vast capital of political economy, which is run by a certain political climate characterised by sets of political behaviours. These include hate politics, politics of othering, polarisation, political paranoia, suppression of dissent, pseudo-nationalism, and xenophobic activism. These behaviours, although always questionable on rational grounds, constitute
SAT, IELTS, visa requirements and an absolutely draining university application experience later, one earns a ticket to a seemingly more promising future. When those difficult four years pass and students return to their home country with the prospect of working a job worthy of their qualifications, they find that this
“God made us victorious because we named our military operation Bunyan al-Marsoos after a Quranic verse. The victory of our armed forces against India is the victory of the whole Muslim world.” These were the words of a Friday sermon I attended one week after the war. As the dust of the
Meaning: Let justice be done though the heavens fall. Explanation: Justice must be served, no matter how great the consequences. Example: A judge must rule against the government if the law demands it—even if it causes political upheaval. Importance: This maxim underscores the integrity of the legal system: justice
تم سے پہلے وہ جو اک شخص یہاں تخت نشیں تھا اس کو بھی اپنے خدا ہونے پہ اتنا ہی یقیں تھا کوئی ٹھہرا ہو جو لوگوں کے مقابل تو بتاؤ وہ کہاں ہیں کہ جنہیں ناز بہت اپنے تئیں تھا آج سوئے ہیں تہ خاک نہ جانے یہاں کتنے
Provision: Non-discrimination in Respect of Access to Public Places In respect of access to places of public entertainment or resort, there shall be no discrimination against any citizen on the ground only of race, religion, caste, sex, residence or place of birth. The State may impose reasonable restrictions in the
For those of us who live at the shoreline standing upon the constant edges of decision crucial and alone for those of us who cannot indulge the passing dreams of choice who love in doorways coming and going in the hours between dawns looking inward and outward at once before
Life started to get scary as I got acquainted with the wonders of adulting. University applications, internships, emotional responsibilities, piles of coursework, and the constant fear of falling behind or getting stuck in a loophole of financial dependence. I was having trouble focusing, and that’s when it occurred to me
Ours is a nation where the rupee depreciates faster than public trust. In this view, Pakistan’s unveiling of its first government-led strategic Bitcoin reserve has landed with all the subtlety of a drone strike on common sense. It has been conveniently framed as a leap towards much-needed financial sovereignty and
Instagram loves a green girl. You know the type—earthy vibes, compost chic, yoga on reclaimed wood decks, and maybe a selfie next to a tree she “just planted”. She’s the face of a growing aesthetic that packages environmentalism as spiritual self-care. It’s soothing. But it’s not resistance. It’s not ecofeminism.
“We don’t read and write poetry because it’s cute. We read and write poetry because we are members of the human race…” — John Keating, played by Robin Williams in Dead Poets Society (1989), directed by Peter Weir and written by Tom Schulman) Our society burns away the soft children like sandpaper on
A Flashback Buckle up, fellow dreamers, as we embark on a journey into the glistening depths of memory. A gentle reminder: you may feel a longing – even an ache – for what lies ahead. Do you remember a time when wonder was your constant best friend, and the world
Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff (COAS), Field Marshal Asim Munir, is visiting Washington DC to attend the 250th anniversary celebrations of the US Army on 14 June 2025. This is more than a ceremonial visit. Pakistan’s military has long been the centre of power in the country. It dominates not only
On 5 June 1967, the Israeli Air Force (IAF) took off from airbases in the south of the country, flew to Egypt via a radar-evading flight path, and struck several Egyptian Air Force bases. The Israelis then returned to their own bases, refuelled, rearmed, and launched a second round of
Zohran Mamdani’s run for mayor is about more than New York City. It’s about who belongs in the world’s city — and who does not. His potential victory could reshape the world’s view of municipal governance and inspire copycat movements worldwide. Even the potholes have politics in New York. However,
