Category: Columns

Near Sargodha lies a modest village called Wazir Kot, where mornings once woke with the scent of soil and evenings wrapped themselves in the quiet shade of trees. In that stillness, a child opened his eyes, unaware that one day his words would come to define an entire era. The wind moving through the fields,...

At the beginning of the nineteenth century, the literary landscape of the subcontinent (present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh) witnessed the emergence of many great figures who left a deep impact on Urdu, Persian, Hindi, and Bengali literature. Among the most prominent poets and philosophers of this era was Allama Muhammad Iqbal, who highlighted the concepts...

Usually, small plants cannot grow under the shade of a large and towering tree. Yet Syed Qamar Abbas broke this tradition in the land of Peshawar and created his own distinct identity. His father, Syed Farigh Bukhari, was a well known progressive poet and writer who belonged to a respected Syed family. His name carried...

When India placed the Indus Waters Treaty of 1960 in abeyance in April 2025, the legal dispute quickly acquired a more concrete dimension: an acceleration of infrastructure development on the western rivers. Projects long stalled by design objections, arbitration, or environmental review have entered a phase of heightened urgency, and the pace of construction across...

Johar Mir is counted among those distinguished journalists, intellectuals, and poets who left lasting marks on the intellectual, literary, and political landscape of Pakistan through their writings, analyses, and creative thought. He was known in literary circles for his insight and poetic aesthetics, and he also earned recognition for his fearless expression regarding political awareness...

China is bracing for its most significant annual ritual. The ‘Two Sessions’or Lianghui comprising the National People’s Congress (NPC) and the National Committee of the Chinese People’s Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), are not merely administrative fixtures. For a world grappling with fractured supply chains and geopolitical realignment, the upcoming gathering in Beijing represents a barometer...

In the intellectual and literary landscape of the subcontinent, certain figures shine with a light that continues to illuminate hearts for generations. Professor Dr. Nazir Tabassum was one of those radiant stars. He brought together in his being the sensitivity of a poet, the curiosity of a researcher, the insight of a critic, and the...

India is building a chain of dams on the Chenab that will change how and when water reaches Pakistan. An international court has ruled against it. India has not shown up. We have not woken up. Faisal, a rice farmer in Hafizabad, does not know that a courtroom in The Hague matters to him. The...

Convocation day feels like arrival. But the real confrontation begins when the applause fades and the market ask a different set of questions. A Graduation ceremony was one of the most significant milestones in a person’s life. No matter the degree – bachelor’s, master’s or PhD, the day carries a profound sense of accomplishment. The...