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By Syed Tauqeer Zaidi Some tragedies do not fade with the passage of time; they remain etched into a nation’s memory, recurring with every anniversary as a haunting reminder of loss, resilience, and unfinished responsibility. December 16, 2014, is one such day for Pakistan. Eleven years later, the massacre at the Army Public School (APS) in Peshawar remains a wound that continues to bleed, a scar on the collective conscience of the country, and a question that still demands reflection: have we done enough to protect our children? This was not merely an attack on a school; it was an…

Pakistan’s economic narrative often oscillates between aspiration and the stark realities of structural constraints. The latest assessment from the International Monetary Fund (IMF) provides a timely illustration of this tension, particularly in the realm of trade. The IMF projects a modest increase in Pakistan’s exports over the next decade—a trajectory that falls significantly short of the government’s ambitious targets. According to the Fund, Pakistan’s exports are expected to rise by $1.379 billion in the coming year, reaching $36.46 billion, and gradually climb to $46 billion by 2030. These figures contrast sharply with the government’s own vision of achieving $60 billion…

By Asghar Ali Mubarak In Pakistan, farmers are far more than producers of food; they are the backbone of the nation’s economy, the unseen architects of rural stability, and the custodians of the country’s food security. Yet, despite their centrality, the challenges they face—ranging from climate change to market instability—are mounting, threatening not only their livelihoods but the very foundation of the nation’s sustenance. On National Farmers Day, observed on December 18, Pakistan pauses to honor the tireless labor of these men and women, acknowledging the pivotal role they play in feeding the nation, sustaining rural employment, and contributing to…

By Aziz Khatri KARACHI: Karachi’s mayor, Barrister Murtaza Wahab, has said that a clean, green and energy-self-reliant Karachi is his goal, as he visited a newly completed biogas plant at Bagh Ibn-e-Qasim in Clifton. The 150-cubic-metre biogas plant has been completed by the Sindh Solid Waste Management Board (SSWMB), District South. Relevant officials were present during the visit. Wahab praised the collective efforts and performance of the District South team for completing the project within the stipulated time, describing it as an important step towards sustainable waste management and clean energy. The mayor said the biogas plant was processing around…

By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi KHYBER: The distribution of schoolbags and stationery among primary school children in Jamrud tehsil of Khyber district is under way, with 14,092 bags being handed out without discrimination under the supervision of education officers, according to the Sub-Divisional Education Officer (SDEO) Adil Nawaz Afridi. Education officers in the Jamrud sub-division have compiled data of registered students from all 96 primary schools, and, on the instructions of the provincial government, the distribution of schoolbags and stationery has begun without delay. The process is being overseen by SDEO Adil Nawaz Afridi, Assistant Sub-Divisional Education Officer (ASDEO) Wajid Muhammad…

By Ahsan Mughal KARACHI: Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Chairman of Muttahida Qaumi Movement Pakistan (MQM-P), has expressed profound grief, anger, and condemnation over the assassination of Haji Shehzad, Joint UC Organizer of New Karachi Town UC-8, who was shot in a targeted attack. Dr Siddiqui described Haji Shehzad as a sincere and people-oriented worker whose killing underscores the failure of the Sindh government and its law enforcement agencies to maintain law and order in Karachi. “The city is once again drenched in blood, while the Sindh government and its agencies remain criminally silent. Targeted killings, shootings, and violence have become…

By Dr Zawwar Hussain Karachi is more than just a sprawling metropolis; it is a living testament to the confluence of civilizations, cultures, languages, and commerce. Often referred to as a microcosm of Pakistan itself, the city has played a central role in shaping the country’s social, economic, and political landscape. As the Karachi Division, formally recognized in 1972 and comprising seven districts, it stands today not merely as Pakistan’s largest urban centre but as a dynamic hub where history and modernity coexist. According to the 2023 census, its population exceeds twenty million, positioning Karachi among the world’s major cities…

By Asghar Ali Mubarak The Army Public School massacre remains one of the darkest and most defining moments in Pakistan’s history. Eleven years on, the images of small coffins, shattered classrooms and stunned parents have not faded. Nor should they. The pain of December 16, 2014 is not a memory to be archived; it is a wound that continues to demand moral clarity, political courage and sustained action. The most meaningful tribute to the children and teachers who were slaughtered that day is not confined to speeches or ceremonies. It lies in the fearless and complete implementation of the National…

By S.M. Inam Every government, confronted with the daily evidence of hardship on the streets, insists that it has things under control and that the long-promised turn towards development has finally arrived. Pakistan’s current leadership is no different. Prime minister Shehbaz Sharif now argues that the country has emerged from economic crisis, that growth is returning, governance will be strengthened through institutional reform, and a young population will be transformed from a burden into a productive national asset. It is a confident narrative, delivered at a moment when many Pakistanis are struggling to reconcile official optimism with their own lived…