Woman power: Panel on Women, Law and the the Price of Dissent in Pakistan, (L-R) Rida Hosein moderating, with activist Khawar Mumtaz and lawyers Asma Hamid and Reema Omar, Lahore Lit Fest., 2026.

Pakistan's Literary Festivals Inject Oxygen into Constrained Intellectual Spaces, but Cross-Border Exchanges Remain Frozen

Inspired by the Jaipur Lit Fest, Pakistan’s first literary festival took place in the country’s largest city Karachi in 2010. Subsequently replicated in Lahore and Islamabad, such festivals now take place around the country, from the agricultural and industrial hub of Faisalabad, formerly Lyallpur, to the port city of Gwadar on the Balochistan coast. 

An Unending Struggle for Justice: A Rare Insight into the Everyday Lives of Migrant Workers in India

While the overall picture is depressing, Ramaswami also describes hopeful strands within the social fabric of workers’ lives such as the mutual support and 'bhaichara' (fellowship) between men across ethnic, religious and caste boundaries that become more fluid within the city. The inter-religious and inter-caste ties forged between workers can be seen as small glimmers of hope in the context of the rising tide of Hindutva politics over the past decades. 

Suman Kalyanpur: A Silken Echo Falls Silent

Today, as we bid farewell to the Dhaka-born singer once fondly called the “Dhake ki malmal,” one is reminded that the softest fabrics often endure the longest. Her voice was just that. Fine, delicate, yet enduring beyond time. And now, as that voice falls silent, it leaves behind not an emptiness, but an echo. An echo that will continue to drift through radio waves, old recordings and the private corners of memory. 

Aurat March is About Women's Identity: Movement for Gender Justice in Pakistan and Across the Region

Two girls stood silently holding a placard that read: ‘Forcing your daughter to get married is forcing her to get raped.’ The message speaks to a reality across the South Asian region where the priority for most families is to get their daughters married. On a sheet where attendees were penning messages to their mothers -- words they could not say aloud -- an anonymous note read: “Would you rather see me married or alive?”

More on Culture and Society

Afghanistan’s girl footballers escape to Pakistan

Afghanistan’s national junior girls' football team members along with their families have crossed over to Pakistan after Islamabad issued emergency humanitarian visas to evacuate them from their country following the Taliban takeover

Pakistan has much to prove as New Zealand cricket team begin tour

In what is seen as a litmus test of Pakistan's ability to provide a safe and secure environment for international sports, a New Zealand cricket team has arrived in Islamabad after a 18-year hiatus and will play One-Day International and Twenty20 games amidst a promise of “extraordinary” security

Taliban allows women in universities with gender segregation; mixed response to announcement

In what comes as a big relief to Afghan girls and women, the Taliban announced that women will be allowed to study in universities in the country but with gender-segregated classrooms

Former captain Ramiz Raza becomes head of Pakistan Cricket Board

Ramiz Raja, former captain of the Pakistan Cricket team, was on Monday elected “unanimously and unopposed” the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB), the PCB said in a statement

Indian success story: Para-athletes got a level playing field with able-bodied athletes with government, private support

A level playing field for para and able-bodied athletes, encouraging support from the government, timely hand-holding by private players, mushrooming of exclusive arenas and incentives contributed to the impressive showing by in Tokyo Paralympics for the disabled where it had its best-ever showing of 19 medals, including five golds, The Indian Express said in a despatch

India registers Its best showing at Paralympics with a 19-medal haul In Tokyo

India registered its best showing to date at the Paralympic Games for athletes with disabilities, finishing with five gold, eight silver and six bronze medals in Tokyo

Bollywood veteran Naseeruddin Shah condemns Indian Muslims celebrating Taliban's return; says Hindustani Islam is different

Veteran Indian actor Naseeruddin Shah has condemned what he says are "sections of Indian Muslims celebrating the Taliban's return to power in Afghanistan", calling it dangerous

Bangladeshi woman scientist Firdausi Qadri receives Ramon Magsaysay Award

Bangladeshi scientist Dr. Firdausi Qadri on Tuesday received the Ramon Magsaysay Award for her contributions to science as a recognition of her role in discovering vaccines that have saved millions of lives

India's Ladakh gets world's highest-altitude movie theatre

India's Ladakh - the stunningly scenic Buddhist-dominated Himalayan region - got its first mobile digital movie theatre at an altitude of 11,562 feet, making it the highest cinema theatre in the world, according to news agency ANI

Sikh holy scriptures arrive from Kabul, received by Indian minister

Three copies of Guru Granth Sahib, the Sikh holy book, were flown to India from Kabul along with Indian citizens and 46 Afghan nationals as part of the government's evacuation efforts from Afghanistan

Uncertainty clouds New Zealand’s upcoming Pakistan cricket tour amid Afghan developments

Amid uncertainty over New Zealand’s upcoming cricket tour to Pakistan after some players reportedly expressed their security concerns in the wake of the Taliban takeover of neighboring Afghanistan, the visiting side is rushing in security consultant Reg Dickason to Pakistan next week

Taj Mahal to reopen for night viewing after 517 days

After closure of night viewing of the Taj Mahal from March 17, 2020 due to the Covid pandemic, night viewing will once again be resumed at the world-famous monument to love

Buddhist sites in Afghanistan not at risk, says Taliban

Claiming they were only freedom fighters who had been victims of a “poisonous propaganda,” the Taliban has said all Buddhist sites in Afghanistan will be safe under the group’s rule

Undaunted by temple attack, Pakistani Hindu stuck in India with three children wants to go back home

A Pakistani Hindu stuck in India with three children after his wife died in April is pleading with the authorities to let him return to his country before Independence Day, August 14

‘Don't cry, India is proud of you,’PM Modi consoles women’s hockey team after medal loss

After the Indian women's hockey team's heartbreaking loss at the Tokyo Olympics, Prime Minister Narendra Modi had words of encouragement and consolation for the players