Stories about Pakistan
Pakistan's Supreme Court orders reconstruction of Hindu temple razed by a mob incited by Muslim clerics
A cleric of the religious right-wing political party Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) was arrested in connection with the incident.
After years of protests, the Islamabad Zoo will convert into an animal sanctuary
A happy ending for 2020, a year when Pakistanis debated animal abuse like never before.
In Pakistan, social media platforms risk bans under new ‘draconian’ rules
New rules vesting the government with the power to regulate online content and ban entire platforms drew criticism from human rights groups and tech companies.
Freedom in sight for Kaavan, ‘the world's loneliest elephant’
Animal rights activists have long highlighted the poor treatment and handling of the animals in Pakistan zoos.
Pakistan lifts ban on TikTok with conditions
Pakistani social media users strongly reacted to the ban on TikTok and criticized the telecom regulator.
In Pakistan, women stage nationwide protest in response to shocking rape incident
The protests' organizers also expressed opposition to public hangings, a call that often resurfaces in Pakistan whenever a rape incident gains media attention.
Journalists face sedition charges under cybercrime law in Pakistan
"The alarming increase in such actions against journalists confirms that the government is bent on muzzling freedom of expression."
In Pakistan, a man accused of blasphemy was shot dead in a courtroom. His killer was hailed as a hero.
Extrajudicial killings of people accused of blasphemy aren't uncommon in Pakistan.
Moderate globally, impact locally: A series on content moderation in the Global South
''Even as the platforms have grown and spread around the world, the center of gravity of these debates continues to revolve around D.C. and San Francisco.''
Journalist's abduction raises concerns about media freedom in Pakistan
On July 21, renowned Pakistani journalist Matiullah Jan was abducted in Islamabad. Though he was released about 12 hours after, fingers are being pointed at state security agencies.
‘Invisible hands': How millions of domestic workers fare under COVID-19
"We are the invisible hands. Our work is not valued. We don’t exist for the families we serve nor do we exist for the state."
Construction of first Hindu temple in Islamabad faces opposition
The construction of the first Hindu temple in Islamabad was stopped after protests from different quarters, but rights activists and minority politicians are hopeful that the temple will be built.
#BlackLivesMatter resonates in South Asia as Unilever drops ‘Fair’ from ‘Fair & Lovely’ cosmetic line
In the wake of the Black Lives Matters movement, Unilever announced that they would rebrand their leading skin care product ‘Fair & Lovely’ to 'Glow and Lovely'.
Students arrested for demanding internet facilities in Balochistan
A number of students were manhandled, baton-charged and arrested in Quetta, Balochistan, for protesting against non-availability of internet after their classes shifted online due to COVID-19 restrictions.
WHO urges Pakistan to reimpose lockdown after surge in cases
Pakistan has implemented new lockdown restrictions after a letter from the WHO urged the country to improve testing and control outbreak numbers.
Families struggle to retrieve victim's bodies after Pakistan International Airline crash
Families of the victims of PIA Flight PK8303 were asked to give DNA to identify bodies.
Pakistan blocks Twitter, Zoom and Periscope to curb critical voices
In mid-May, Twitter, Zoom and Persicope were either blocked or throttled across Pakistan. Activists say the move was meant to target a few web conferences on human rights issues.
While Pakistan combats COVID-19, a locust swarm is devastating food supplies
The plague of locusts has already devastated crops in parts of Africa, the Arabian Peninsula as well as South Asia.
History, landscape, body: A conversation with Pakistani artist Ali Kazim
Kazim’s works have been exhibited in major international fairs and exhibitions around the world, including New York’s Frieze art fair in 2019.
Baloch journalist found dead in Sweden
In recent months, several Pakistani activists and bloggers living in Europe have claimed to have been targeted for speaking up against human rights violations in Pakistan.
