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

Australian cricketers in IPL 2021 moved to Maldives from India

A day after the abrupt postponement of IPL 2021 due to the COVID-19 crisis, the Australian cricket players involved in the tournament have been "safely transported" to the Maldives, Cricket Australia (CA) confirmed on Thursday

Shakib, Mustafizur will have to undergo 14-day quarantine on return from India

Bangladesh authorities have asked cricketers Shakib Al Hasan and Mustafizur Rahman to undergo a 14-day institutional quarantine at a hotel on their return after playing in the cash-rich Indian Premier League which has now been postponed due to an outbreak of Covid 19, bdnews24.com reported

Pakistan women cricketers to get year-long maternity leave

Pakistan’s women cricketers will be entitled to yearlong paid maternity leave, in addition to the option of switching to a non-playing role, as they approach an advanced stage of pregnancy, the country’s cricket board has announced

Australian cricket board not to seek government exemption for return of players from India

The Australian cricket board and its players’ body have made it clear that they would not seek exemptions from the government to bring back Aussie cricketers stranded in India after the BCCI postponed the Indian Premier League (IPL) indefinitely after a Coronavirus outbreak among the players and support staff

Mixed fortunes for glam candidates in Bengal polls

West Bengal voters refused to get swayed by the glamour and oomph of candidates in the just-concluded state assembly elections

Nothing is more important than saving human lives: Shoaib Akhtar on BCCI's decision to cancel IPL

Former Pakistan cricketer Shoaib Akhtar on Wednesday reacted to the Board of Control for Cricket in India's decision to cancel the cash-rich Indian Premier League's 2021 season midway and said nothing is more important than saving human lives amid COVID-19 crisis in India

Six girls from Assam develop biodegradable yoga mat, may save lakes from water hyacinth menace

A biodegradable and compostable yoga mat developed from water hyacinth by six young girls from a fishing community in Assam could turn this water plant from a nuisance to wealth

Bollywood star Deepika Padukone's father, mother, sister test COVID-19 positive

Three members of Bollywood superstar Deepika Padukone's family have tested positive for COVID-19, local media reports said

Bangladesh model for reducing maternal mortality being replicated globally

Bangladesh’s Kapasia sub-district is gaining global recognition for achieving zero maternal mortality over the last three years

Actor Bikramjeet Kanwarpal dies of COVID-19

Actor Bikramjeet Kanwarpal, who had featured in Anil Kapoor's television series 24, died of COVID-19 on Saturday

A son talks about the literary enterprise of his parents

Anirban Dhar, son of late Pratima Dhar talks about why decided to get his mother’s Bengali novel ‘Uttorsuri’ translated into English

Gender gap in Pakistan’s electoral rolls narrows to 10.4 pc

The gender gap in Pakistan’s electoral rolls has gone down to 10.4 percent

India is bleeding, please donate, urges Priyanka Chopra on social media

International Indian actress Priyanka Chopra urged the people worldwide to donate in this hour of crisis in India when people are dying in large numbers from a devastating second wave of COVID-19

Life will never be the same without him: Neetu Kapoor on Rishi Kapoor's death anniversary

Actress Nitu Kapoor on Friday remembered husband and Bollywood colleague Rishi Kapoor on his first death anniversary

Pay dispute between Sri Lanka cricketers, board

A pay dispute has broken out between Sri Lankan cricket board and its players after salaries of top cricketers were cut down by nearly 200 percent ahead of the Test series against Bangladesh