Partition left many border people in the lurch. Dr Asim Sajjad Akhtar THE announcement by the prime minister earlier this week of a ‘new political map’ of the country in which India-occupied Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh are depicted as part of Pakistan is, on the surface, much ado about nothing. Designed to coincide with the first anniversary of the Modi regime’s decision …

Lazgi is a must-see of Khorezm. Lazgi is the dance with a feel-good factor, making you feel a joie de vivre or zest for life. There is an opinion that the meaning of the ancient word ‘lazgi’ is ‘tremble,’ which describes a very energetic movement of the body along with the vibrant musical rhythms and expressive facial mimics.

GB students are struggling to remain connected with digital world By Ramish Khan There seems to be no one to understand the traumatic situation the students like me have been passing through for the last three months. If I start to jot down the stressful moments I have been through and how badly I have lost my mental peace, it …

We must look at the roots of capitalism, white supremacy, heteropatriarchy, and anti-Blackness to leave settler colonialism in the past.   by LEANNE BETASAMOSAKE SIMPSON I understand settler colonialism’s present structure as one that is formed and maintained by a series of processes for the purposes of dispossessing, that create scaffolding within which my relationship to the state is contained. I certainly do …

Beware splashy corporate gestures when they leave existing power structures intact. by Helen Lewis Tumbrels are rattling through the streets of the internet. Over the past few years, online-led social movements have deposed gropers, exposed bullies—and, sometimes, ruined the lives of the innocent. Commentators warn of “mob justice,” while activists exult in their newfound power to change the world. Both groups …

A job scheme for women who may otherwise be shunned as outcasts is giving many the opportunity to rebuild their lives. Shah Meer Baloch Margaret Heera runs her fingers through her customer’s hair. “You must manage time for yourself and your skin,” she says, as she ties the hair into an elaborate knot. The beauty salon in Lahore is busy. …

https://rferl.org/b7e6d5f3-b05f-4931-b01d-68d882520393 ‘In Afghanistan’s Badakhshan Province, more children are working in the poppy fields and selling opium after schools were shut because of the COVID-19 pandemic. A 10-year-old boy toils here with his father. Schools have closed due to Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic.

News Desk Shirin Nazirmadova, a doctor from southern Tajikistan, has been saving for years to afford the hajj pilgrimage that all able Muslims are required to make once in their lives. But like millions of others, Nazirmadova’s dream journey of a lifetime was shattered when Saudi Arabia decided last month to bar international visitors from making the pilgrimage this year …

‘Most parts of the world are safer than ever before. But a few are probably the most violent that human history has ever seen, says a study. Modern tribes are more violent, and categorize people into four types: bands, tribes, chiefdoms, and states, writes Charlie Sorrel in the Fast Company online magazine. In prehistoric times, bands and tribes were no more violent …

Participating teams of Gilgit-Baltistan Girls Football League  2019 at Passu, Gojal, Hunza: Photo: GBGFL Ayesha Izhar As the first ray of light gleams on the snow-capped mountains of Gilgit-Baltistan, a select bunch of girls wake up to prepare for a long day ahead, full of challenges. They will be playing football on the rugged mountainous terrain of the beautiful Gilgit-Baltistan’s …