Annual Alumni Dinner of Brett Philosophical Society Government College University Lahore held

November 17, 2024

Lahore, Pakistan: The Annual Alumni Dinner and Conferment Ceremony organized by Brett Philosophical Society and Department of Philosophy and Liberal Arts at Government College University Lahore (GCU) was held on November 15, 2024 at Bukhari Auditorium and Bukhari Lawn. Many students, teachers, alumni, and distinguished guests attended this prestigious and memorable event.

Before the formal commencement of the event, Ms. Mehak Maqbool, Advisor of Brett Philosophical Society, delivered welcome remarks to all the distinguished guests and welcomed them on their arrival.

The ceremony officially began with the recitation of the Holy Quran, after the recitation followed by Naat-e-Rasool-e-Maqbool offered by Shehbaz Sadiq. Sufi Kalam was presented by Rabin Ahmed while Kalam-e-Iqbal expressing Allama Iqbal’s philosophy of self, was presented by Mubashir Hassan. His influential voice and moving poetry warmed the hearts of the audience.

Musical Performance

The song in the beautiful voice of Javeria captivated the gathering with the magic of music.

Dramatic Performance

The next part of the ceremony was a short drama in which the students showcased their talents. In this drama, Talha Tajuddin played the role of Immanuel Kant, Bashar Saleem played the role of Machiavelli, and Jawad Dawood Pota played the role of Franz Kafka.

Lifetime

Former students shared their experiences and thoughts in this part of the program. Agha Iqrar Haroon entertained the audience with his brilliant speech. He appreciated the Head of the Department Dr Sobia Tahir for arranging such an excellent event and for keeping alive the tradition of the Department’s annual dinner. He mentioned that the last dinner was also held under her (Dr Sobia) headship and then there was a lull of years when she was not heading the Department. Professor Dr. Javed Iqbal Nadeem described his thoughts and educational journey in a very impressive manner.

Distribution of Certificates

In the last part of the ceremony, Dr. Sobia Tahir, Head of the Department of Philosophy, came on stage and distributed certificates and souvenirs among the students and alumni. The names of the outstanding students are as follows:

President: Hafiz Muhammad Amir Hamza

Senior Vice President: Muhammad Talha Tajuddin

Vice President: Syeda Shajia Fatima, Jawad Ali

General Secretary: Muhammad Abdullah Rahim

Joint Secretary: Mubashir Hassan

Finance Secretary: Muhammad Amir

Event Managers: Syed Zaryab Haider, Usman Sandhu, Nabeel Imtiaz

Media and Graphics Secretary: Rubin Ahmed

Content Creator: Muhammad Ahsan Ali Khan

Video Editor: Shamsher Ali Khan

Photographer: Manahil

On this occasion, Dr. Sobia Tahir, Head of the Department of Philosophy, appreciating the tireless efforts of the Advisor of the Brett Philosophical Society, presented a souvenir to her. President of the Brett Philosophical Society, Muhammad Amir Hamza, presented the closing remarks and thanked all the participants. Muhaddasa Batool requested all the attendees to gather on the steps of the Bukhari Auditorium for a group photo and then invited them to dinner at the Bukhari Lawn, where the participants enjoyed delicious food.

Conclusion

The event concluded with a memorable dinner and interactive discussion, where the participants reminisced and exchanged new ideas. The Brett Philosophical Society appreciated the hard work of all the organizers in making this beautiful evening a success. The hosting duties of the event were performed very gracefully by Muhammad Ansar Mehdi and Muhaddasa Batool.

Why do 104 US Lawmakers demand the release of Imran Khan from jail?

November 16, 2024

Monitoring Desk: Another letter signed by 46 US Congress members in support of Imran Khan has been sent to US President Biden confirming again that the Zionist lobby would not let Imran stay in jail for long.

It may be remembered that 62 Congress members have already sent a letter to Biden to demand Pakistan release Khan from jail. US Congress members were followed by UK members of parliament who also wrote letters for the release of former prime minister Imran Khan on the same lines set by US lawmakers.

Government circles in Islamabad believe that the sole agenda of Imran Khan is to slander the state of Pakistan and state institutions and weaken them by defaming them internationally, and this is also the agenda of the Zionist powers who are fully active in supporting Khan.

Political analysts claim Imran Khan has deep connections with the Zionist lobby

Before the protest call given by the PTI founder on November 24, once again 46 members of the US Congress, including both Republicans and Democrats, wrote a letter to President Joe Biden, demanding that he may try to release the PTI founder arrested in Pakistan. Earlier, a letter was written to Joe Biden by 62 members. Thus, now a total of more than a hundred members of Congress have demanded that President Joe Biden make efforts to release the founder of PTI, which can be considered interference in the internal affairs of any country.

Political analysts claim Imran Khan has deep connections with the Zionist lobby. The question here is that these American congressmen propagate the mistreatment of the founder of PTI, but their silence on Israel’s atrocities on Palestine and Kashmir is beyond understanding.

Political analysts also claim the arrival of another letter before the November 24 protest call is clear proof that this is a new link in Operation Goldsmith by the Zionist powers, who are trying to revive the failed rallies due to the chaotic PTI and public disinterest.

On the other hand, diplomatic analysts say writing repeated letters to President Joe Biden to play a role in the release of the PTI founder is an open interference in the internal affairs of Pakistan and is against diplomatic principles. However, diplomatic analysts are also surprised that the Pakistan Foreign Office is quiet to comment on this issue although it was swift to respond Chinese Ambassador when he expressed his concern over the security of Chinese citizens in Pakistan. They called this action of the Foreign Office of Pakistan a ‘double standard policy’ stating that Pakistan’s Foreign Office always avoids giving a response to foreign intervention in domestic politics if it comes from a Western country.

They are of the view that Khan is in jail according to the laws of Pakistani land and by the orders of courts of law that are independent and are making decisions according to the Constitution of Pakistan, so it is not possible to release any prisoner who is involved in cases such as corruption, terrorism and inciting the public against the state due to pressure from any country.

According to political analysts, the cases related to the release of the PTI founder are under trial in the courts and their decision has to be made by the higher courts. The repeated use of lobbies by PTI to call on foreign powers for help is tantamount to questioning the sovereignty of the state of Pakistan, which the courts should take strict notice of.

Political and foreign affairs experts also say that some PTI members who fled abroad are engaged in anti-Pakistan activities and propaganda against the state institutions through foreign lobby firms and social media. Even before this organized foreign lobbying, international media and broadcasting organizations such as Interstellar, Financial Times, Al Jazeera, BBC, etc. have been prominent in lobbying for Imran’s release and may continue to be prominent to make the protest movements successful.

In the light of evidence, it has also been revealed that PTI has funded various companies and influential figures with a total of millions of dollars for lobbying. The purpose of this funding is to launch an international campaign for the release of Imran Khan and to try to convince the world.

According to political analysts, this second letter from the Congress members, like the first letter, has no legal status. The purpose of this letter is to put pressure on Pakistan’s justice system. Political analysts expressed surprise at the PTI’s repeated requests for help from US congressmen, saying that this letter and foreign lobbying have effectively buried the PTI founder’s ideology of “Are we slaves.”

Who are these Congress Members?

Out of these 46 representatives, 30 are funded by the Zionist Israeli lobby AIPAC (American Israel Public Affairs Committee). Notably, Brad Sherman, Chair of the House Israel Caucus, has been vocal in his support for Imran Khan.
Additionally, 26 of these 46 representatives are members of the House India Caucus, a group that promotes India-friendly policies in the US Congress. Representative Ro Khanna, Chair of the India Caucus, has also actively raised his voice for Imran Khan.
In sum, Zionist & Indian lobbies in the US desperately want Imran Khan back in power to implement Project Goldsmith in totality.

The axis of Imran Khan’s politics is lies and slander

November 16, 2024

Islamabad, Pakistan: A campaign launched by PTI in social as well as mainstream media claims that confidence-building measures (CBMs) are operational between military leadership and former prime minister Imran Khan. PTI-friendly political analysts, writers, and YouTubers want to tell us that ‘rapprochement between Khan and the military has successfully achieved and release of Bushra Bibi, the third wife of Khan and former First Lady was a result of CBMs. According to them, the only issue that needs to be fixed is that Khan wants to stay in Pakistan after his release from jail while the establishment wants to send him abroad. It is also claimed that certain ‘friendly’ countries played a pivotal role in such arrangements. As always the story is interesting but as always it has nothing to do with realities.

An independent and unbiased analysis of this latest ‘storytelling’ indicates that such stories are the need of the day for PTI which is swiftly collapsing as a house of cards due to massive divisions within the ranks of party and PTI to some extent has already fallen into chaos and confusion. Groups have formed somewhere in the party that are doing their politics and in addition to these groups, now the wife of the founder PTI, Bushra Bibi, has become active in politics to push back engross of sisters of Imran Khan. After the meeting called by Bushra Bibi in Peshawar yesterday, it has now been proven that Bushra Bibi is going to completely take over the party, due to which other senior leaders of PTI and sisters of Khan are worried, but they are keeping quiet.

Interestingly, Bushra Bibi did not invite senior leadership of PTI to the Peshawar meeting, while the political instructions given in this meeting seemed to be less orders and more threats to PTI leadership. Bushra Bibi made it clear to all the members of the National and Provincial Assembly that each member of the National Assembly should bring 10 thousand people for the final call of protest (November 24, 224) and each member of the Provincial Assembly should bring five thousand people for protest and whoever fails to bring this number will be expelled from the party.

According to political analysts, after these threatening orders, the members of the National and Provincial Assembly are also worried and they believe that this method of politics is not right in any way and it will harm the party further in the coming time.

On the other hand, senior leader Sher Afzal Marwat, who was not invited to the party meeting has said that PTI is becoming a ‘family business’ and nobody is listening to workers and party leaders while decisions are being taken either by sisters of Khan or his wife. Sher Afzal Marwat also made it clear that if the call for protest by the PTI founder comes from his wife or sisters, then the workers will not come out on their instructions. The workers will come out only on the party’s call and Khan’s family members are not ‘party leadership’.

Marwat also expressed reservations that the final call of November 24 had been announced without mobilizing workers and a final call would face a disastrous failure. Since PTI has already lost the power of protest then what option lies with PTI to remain in the news? That is of course webbing a narrative of ‘rapprochement with the establishment’.

Political analysts believe after all the failures and falling victim to factions and confusion, PTI and its senior leadership have started propagandizing that they are holding talks with the establishment regarding some kind of deal, although there is no truth in this. A day ago, a British newspaper also claimed that the founder of PTI was talking to the establishment and the Pakistan Army. They are ready to do it, but the establishment and the Pakistan Army are completely denying this. The Pakistan Army and the establishment have expressed it many times before that it has nothing to do with political dialogue and this mandate lies only with political parties and it should be done by them. In the last year, PTI has eroded its relations with almost all political parties including JUI with whom it was on negotiating terms. Therefore, it has no leverage left to negotiate with the ruling party PMLN, or collaborating parties such as PPP, JUI, etc. PMLN has categorically said that any tangible relations with PTI are possible if PTI tenders an unconditional apology over what it did on May 9, 2023, against state institutions and PTI should also leave the politics of attacking state institutions such as the Pakistan Army.

In simple words, no political leverage left with PTI now as it has already lost power to disrupt urban areas, nobody is trusting it within the political sphere and its policy of getting foreign support has failed. Moreover, effective crackdowns on tools of social media have disrupted the inflow of disinformation among the masses so blackmailing tools are no more as effective as they had been in the past. Yes, one tool is still active and that is spreading the false narrative of CBMs through mainstream media and here media policy of the sitting government is yet to be successful.

Political analysts also say that the founder of PTI has now understood that his call for protest cannot be successful. The conscious people of Pakistan have expressed their indifference to the politics of protests, sit-ins, and chaos that the senior leadership of PTI has done before, rejected their violent narrative, and proved that now the conscious people of Pakistan want the economic development of the country, want a better future for their children and themselves, therefore they have nothing to do with the violent politics of PTI.

Trump’s Presidency may reset US-Pakistan diplomatic dynamics

November 16, 2024

By Farzeen Nadeem

Donald Trump’s victory in the presidential elections as the 45th President of the United States can be termed transformative, even though the change is followed by much uncertainty.

This change resonates strongly in the US- Pakistan relations which has seen its fair share of challenges and achievements since the inception of the partnership. After the election, results have announced another era of the great American dream, experts, policymakers, diplomats, and citizens are left with one burning question: What shall be the impact on an already fragile bilateral relationship between the two countries with Trump’s new presidency? The implications of this cluttered political transition are far-reaching and strongly interconnected: from the marketplaces in Karachi, all the way to corridors of power in Washington DC. In this article, I try to take a deeper look and examine how the rise of Trump to the Oval Office might change the dynamics between Pakistan and the US across four key areas:

Economic Cooperation: Boom in Trade Agreements or Protectionism?

The USA and Pakistan are at the crossroads of their economic relationship. The repercussions of the ‘America First’ Trade policy that he is most likely to push in his second term would be enormous, given that Trump successfully reduced US trade Deficits in his first tenure through this policy.

Signs suggest tariffs might be on the rise again, that isn’t the best news for Pakistan. A tweet from Trump in 2018 has been highlighted recently ‘For the past 15 years or so, people have been talking about how aid has just become a way for Pakistan to Siphon money from the United States.’ This gives a threshold on how the economic ties between the two countries would unfold. The last tenure of Trump was not bad enough as Pakistan was the United States’ 56th largest good trading partner, with $6.6 billion in total (two-way) trade in 2019.

This time, I expect an era of ‘Conditional Trade’ agreements between the two states where the US would not consider Pak-US trade as companionate and would buy things through ‘market-driven’ deals. For better trade relations, Pakistan can use its geopolitical positioning as leverage and offer honest attempts to deal with all the US concerns, mainly fighting terrorism, calming things down in Afghanistan, and possibly revisiting the dynamics of its relations with India.

Donald Trump Leaked Audio Clip — Trump’s Presidency: A blueprint for a reset is in store on the US-Pakistan diplomatic chessboard

Another US concern could be the change and shift in geostrategic position. With a drastic change in global trade paradigm and diplomatic norms along with shifting grounds of regional powers, Pakistan might be asked to play its crucial role in any deals between the US and China (remember Ping Pong Diplomacy of the 1970s).

Security and Counterterrorism: What will the national defense against extremism look like with a new president?

US-Pakistan relations have traditionally been marked by a long-fought war against extremism for decades. That could acquire a new dimension under the Trump Administration. The aftershock of Afghanistan could be the possible scenario in this case and more pressure on Pakistan for taking a bigger role in Afghanistan’s stabilization can come from Washington.

Critics have also pointed out Trump’s policy towards Pakistan to be often punitive as opposed to much effort being devoted to diplomatic engagement, while his foreign policy as a whole sought to lessen US involvement in overseas conflicts.

Only time will tell whether Trump persists with a pressure-based strategy towards Pakistan or whether he adopts a more practical approach to the US-Pakistan relationship to ensure stability in South Asia.

A blueprint for a reset is in fact in store on the US-Pakistan diplomatic chessboard. Without his unpredictable approach to diplomacy, things may go quite differently for Trump. An example scenario is the ‘Kashmir Puzzle’ Pakistani focus on Kashmir could overlap with Trump’s inclination to mediation on Kashmir.

The sane elements suggest that Pakistan and the US have no choice but to invest in long-term strategic thought while being proactive in defining their bilateral ties with China and responding to emerging international power shifts, directly impacting how well they can play their roles within a more interconnected world. Whether they will succeed or not depends on whether they balance out their mutual interests and keep their eyes on common long-term goals in an evolving global order.

Without comprehensive laws, false narratives will continue to destabilize Pakistan, says COAS Gen Asim Munir

November 15, 2024

Islamabad, Pakistan: Army Chief General Syed Asim Munir has reiterated that without comprehensive laws and regulations, false and misleading information and hate speech will continue to destabilize the political and social structure of Pakistan.
He was addressing a special ceremony of Margalla Dialogue 2024 held in Islamabad. The Army Chief spoke on the topic of “Pakistan’s Role in Peace and Stability” and highlighted the significant achievements in advancing regional harmony and international peace and elaborated on the following points:

In recent years, the world has faced many challenges, among which the rapid spread of false and misleading information is a major challenge. Given the many changes in the world, the increasing influence of non-state actors is also a major challenge. Enormous changes are taking place in the economy, military and technology at the global level. Violent non-state actors and state-sponsored terrorism are a major challenge at the global level. Where technology has played a significant role in the spread of information, the spread of misleading and incorrect information is a major challenge. Without comprehensive laws and regulations, false and misleading information and hate speech will continue to destabilize the political and social structure. Without rules and regulations, freedom of expression is leading to the decline of moral values in all societies. Inequality, intolerance and division on religious, sectarian and ethnic grounds are increasing at the global level. Our common goals include tackling climate change, the fight against terrorism and global health. Major challenges Pakistan is facing is terrorism and Pakistan is playing its important role for peace and stability in the world and the region to mitigate terrorism as it is a common challenge for all humanity. Our resolve in the fight against terrorism is unwavering. A comprehensive border management regime has been established to secure our western borders as Khawarij (TTP) using the western land. Pakistan expects the Afghan interim government to not allow Afghan soil to be used against terrorism and will take strict measures in this regard. The determination to stabilize the region is an important component of the National Action Plan, which aims to eliminate terrorism and extremism. Due to India’s extremist ideology, minorities abroad, especially in the US, UK and Canada, are not safe from India’s atrocities and also in Indian Occupied Jammu and Kashmir. A solution to Jammu and Kashmir is inevitable in accordance with the UN resolutions and the aspirations of the Kashmiri people. Pakistan has always called for a ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon. Pakistan has sent humanitarian aid to Gaza and Lebanon several times. Pakistan has always stressed the establishment of an independent Palestinian state. We will not be a part of any global conflict but will continue to play our role for peace and stability in the world. 235,000 Pakistanis have played their role in UN peacekeeping missions for the sake of global peace. 181 Pakistanis have sacrificed their lives in UN peacekeeping missions for the sake of global peace. Pakistan is a country of 240 million people, of which approximately 63% of the population is below the age of 30. Pakistan is rich in immense natural resources. Pakistan has emerged as a major country in the world in terms of agricultural production. Pakistan has large reserves of rare minerals. Pakistan Freelancing Pakistan is a major country in the world in terms of Due to all these reserves, unique geographical location, and seaport, Pakistan is of utmost importance for trade in Europe, Central Asia, and the Middle East. Pakistan has always played a positive role in regional and global peace.

Developing story

Lahore awaits to host the 2nd International Punjabi Conference on 18 to 20 November at PILAC

November 15, 2024

Lahore, Pakistan: Over 100 international delegates from all over the world will attend the Second International Punjabi Conference organized by Punjabi Parchar. The three-day Conference will start on November 18 to 20, 2024, at the PLAC, Qaddafi Stadium in Lahore. According to the agenda, the Chief Minister of Punjab would be the Chief Guest Speaker of the event.

The man behind the initiative to connect Punjabis from all parts of the world, Ahmad Raza Punjabi, President of Punjabi Parchar believes that there is dire need to connect Punjabis for the survival of Punjabi and the event will feature over 100 Punjabi personalities from various fields, including scholars, politicians, actors, singers, poets, and social activists from Pakistan, USA, Canada, India, the UK, Australia, New Zealand, and the UAE.

Sunaini Sharma the granddaughter of Surinder Kaur and daughter of Dolly Guleria. Sunaini had several opportunities to sing “Mavan te dhiya ral biathya ni maye” along with her mother and grandmother globally and she has dedicated to preserve tradition of particular genre of Punjabi singing that was undoubtedly introduced by Kaur sisters over 80 years ago

A review of the agenda indicates a unique opportunity for Lahore which is the participation of the third generation of Surinder Kaur —The voice of Punjabi mothers. Sunaini Sharma is the granddaughter of Surinder Kaur and the daughter of Dolly Guleria. Sunaini had several opportunities to sing “Mavan te dhiya ral biathya ni maye” along with her mother and grandmother globally and she has dedicated herself to preserving the tradition of a particular genre of Punjabi singing that was undoubtedly introduced by the Kaur Sisters over 80 years ago.

“Mavan te dhiya ral biathya ni maye”, a Punjabi song recorded by the Kaur sisters on Radio Pakistan Lahore in 1943 is still the best-ever written and sung song representing anthropological aspects of the mother-daughter relationship of agrarian Punjab and still makes Punjabi mothers and daughters cry while listening this song. The event is being held by Punjabi Parchar in collaboration with Punjabi Lehr and PILAC.

Bahrain conferred Bahrain Medal – First Class upon Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu

November 15, 2024

Monitoring Desk: On behalf of His Majesty King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, His Royal Highness Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Deputy King of Kingdom of Bahrain, conferred Bahrain Medal – First Class upon Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force at Sakhir Air Base, Bahrain.

The medal was awarded to Air Chief in recognition of his distinguished efforts to enhance military cooperation and defence collaboration between the two brotherly countries. The ceremony was witnessed by senior civil and military leadership of Kingdom of Bahrain.

His Royal Highnes conveyed his heartfelt acknowledgement to Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu for the participation of Pakistan Air Force contingent comprising JF-17 Block-III fighter jets alongside air and ground crew in the Bahrain International Airshow. Chief of the Air Staff expressed his gratitude for the honour of receiving the Bahrain Medal – First Class.

On the sidelines of Bahrain International Airshow, Commander of Ninth Air Force (US Air Forces Central Command — AFCENT), Lieutenant General Derek France called on Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu, Chief of the Air Staff, Pakistan Air Force. The Air Chief reiterated his resolve to further enhance the existing bilateral cooperation between the two strategic partners. Commander AFCENT appreciated Pakistan’s efforts in promoting regional peace and vowed to enhance cooperation in the fields of joint training, mutual exercises, and military-to-military collaboration.

In a separate meeting, the Chief of the Air Staff also called on Field Marshal Shaikh Khalifa bin Ahmed Al Khalifa, Commander-in-Chief of the Bahrain Defence Force.

Motorcycles contribute 69% to smog caused by transport in Lahore

November 15, 2024

Lahore, Pakistan: Pakistan ranks 179th out of 180 countries in the world in the Environmental Performance Index, reports Independent Urdu.

According to data available with DND News Agency, over four million three and four-wheelers ply on the roads of Lahore Division while 24 million motorcycles are on roads.

In the last five years, Pakistan imported petroleum products worth $73 billion, and 40 percent is used by motorcycles alone and motorcycles contribute 69 percent to the pollution caused by transport.

According to data provided by NASA, 80 percent of crop-burning incidents are taking place in the Indian region. Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz recently made a statement that she wanted to raise this issue with India because pollution does not require a visa to cross the border. However, the Punjab government has yet to announce any policy to control an ever-increasing number of vehicles in Lahore.

Yes—the people of Baltistan are unique in many ways

November 15, 2024

By Hina Haroon

In today’s world, where people seem to be careless—where people don’t even know who lives next door—where people only care about themselves—where hospitality is dying, we have people who welcome you with an open heart, with a smile on their face, and who care about you. People who make you feel at home. From a known person to a stranger, they will welcome you with a smile, offer you something to eat, and greet you like their own family. I am talking about the people of Baltistan—the open-hearted people with love and hospitality rooted in their blood.

As someone who loves to explore the northern part of the country, my heart goes out to the people of Baltistan. Earlier this year, I did my first trek with the travel company Guide to Adventure Pakistan, and it was an absolute pleasure. Since then, I have a special place in my heart for everyone I have met.

This month, when I decided to go back to experience the beautiful autumn, little did I know that I was a guest of the Baltis who would melt my heart again. As beautiful as Khaplu and Skardu are in autumn, the people there are even more beautiful inside and out.

I explored different places in Skardu and Khaplu, and in each place, I met various people who didn’t seem like strangers at all. They were helpful, and they were there to feed us the best food. I remember coming to Deosai, near Satpara-lake a small fish place that is usually full of locals and tourists, but this time of the season, my family and I were the only people there. We checked if the place was open, and luckily, it was.

The owner was so hospitable that he offered to wait while he could cook fish for us. He offered us tea, and considering it was cold, he asked if we would like to sit in his cozy kitchen The fish and pakoras were so on point that I could go again and again just to have them. I mean it.

As I said earlier, no one can beat the hospitality of the Baltis. I remember coming back to Skardu after Khaplu—I will come back to Khaplu as well. Right when we were entering Skardu, there was a small fruit vendor from whom we bought some apples. Before we made a purchase, he offered us slices of an apple and welcomed us to the land of Skardu. He said, “Apka Skardu ke zameen pe khush aamadid” (Welcome to the land of Skardu). After the purchase, he said to us, “Allah apka safar salamat rakhay” (May Allah keep your trip safe). These are the small gestures that are nowhere to be found in this era, and this just melted my heart. So many prayers for the shopkeeper.

Let’s talk about Khaplu a bit. If there’s one place that has my heart, it’s Khaplu—a small town 2-3 hours away from Skardu. Man, that town has my heart. As beautiful as it looks in autumn, that place has some kind of peace. The moment you step into Khaplu, you feel it—you feel it in your heart. That place makes your heart smile as if you were meant to be there. I could stay there forever, as long as I can. If you ever visit Khaplu, which you must, you will understand what I am talking about. The people are so nice there; they will smile at you, the kids will wave, and every person you see will greet you with “salam.” A few places that are a must-visit in Khaplu are Khaplu Fort, Chaqchan Mosque, Khanqa (which is still under construction but a must-visit just to see the beautiful wooden carvings that have been done so far), and Thoqsikhar.

If you wonder where I stayed, then my recommendation will always be Karakoram Lodge Khaplu. Located in the upper part of Khaplu, it offers a breathtaking view of the valley, the Shyok River, and the majestic Karakoram Mountains, along with a wide garden where you can have a cup of tea. One thing I can say is that the staff there is so good. They take care of you like their family—they will make sure that you have your dinner and lunch on time. It is indeed the best place to stay in Khaplu; you will feel it like home, and I kid you not, you won’t feel like leaving.

Coming to the end, I must say that after meeting all these people, you will feel that humanity is not all dead. The simplicity of the Baltis will make your heart smile. I can go on and on, but honestly, I have enough words to describe how amazing these people are.

More men in uniform laid their lives for the motherland

November 14, 2024

Monitoring Desk: On 14 Nov 2024, on the reported presence of terrorists, planning to target innocent civilians in Harnai District, security forces under Major Muhammad Haseeb were immediately mobilized to sanitize the area.

Own troops effectively engaged the terrorists’ location and resultantly three terrorists were sent to hell. However, during the operation, an improvised explosive device exploded on the leading vehicle of security forces, resultantly, Major Muhammad Haseeb (age: 28 years, resident of District Multan), a brave officer, who was leading his troops from the front, along with Havildar Noor Ahmed (age: 38 years, resident of District Barkhan), having fought gallantly, made the ultimate sacrifice and embraced Shahadat.

Security forces of Pakistan, in step with the nation, remain determined to thwart attempts at sabotaging the peace, stability, and progress of Balochistan, and such sacrifices of our brave soldiers further strengthen our resolve.

Annual Alumni Dinner of Brett Philosophical Society Government College University Lahore held

Why do 104 US Lawmakers demand the release of Imran Khan from jail?

The axis of Imran Khan’s politics is lies and slander

Trump’s Presidency may reset US-Pakistan diplomatic dynamics

Without comprehensive laws, false narratives will continue to destabilize Pakistan, says COAS Gen Asim Munir

Lahore awaits to host the 2nd International Punjabi Conference on 18 to 20 November at PILAC

Bahrain conferred Bahrain Medal – First Class upon Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber Sidhu

Motorcycles contribute 69% to smog caused by transport in Lahore

Yes—the people of Baltistan are unique in many ways

More men in uniform laid their lives for the motherland

Recent News

The axis of Imran Khan’s politics is lies and slander

Trump’s Presidency may reset US-Pakistan diplomatic dynamics

Without comprehensive laws, false narratives will continue to destabilize Pakistan, says COAS Gen Asim...

Lahore awaits to host the 2nd International Punjabi Conference on 18 to 20 November...

Bahrain conferred Bahrain Medal – First Class upon Air Chief Marshal Zaheer Ahmed Baber...