Nosheen Abbas realises that Pakistan’s image has little to do with real experience.

Have you ever tried searching Google for images of Pakistan? You’ll be hard-pressed to find any pictures that depict the progressive and modern aspects of our country. Try typing ‘Pakistan progress’, ‘Pakistan modern’ or ‘Pakistan cafes’ in the search bar, and chances are there will be no results. But if you just type in the word Pakistan, you’ll be flooded by a collection of frightening pictures (excluding some seductive shots of ‘Miss Pakistan’): kids holding guns, bomb blasts and violence will inundate your computer screen. more…

Hameeda, flanked by her daughters Rozeena and Kulsoom, at a camp set up for displaced persons in G-7 Sector.—Dawn

There is a melee and a lot of shouting. Every now and then I see dirty little girls and boys being shoved out of the crowd. They struggle to hold on some packets as stumble out, indicating it is some kind of distribution point. Once stable on their feet, most scatter off but a few are seen trying to hide the small packets of biscuits and milk that they got under their clothes — a smart move to try a second helping. more…

The word ‘Taliban’ has both an academic and political connotation. The academic meaning stands for students of madressahs and the political describes those who are militant Jihadist— File/Reuters

‘They call everyone else a kaafir,’ said a typically conservative looking young man at an anti-Taliban protest in Islamabad the other day. Sporting a skull cap, a beard and ankle high shalwaar— he spoke confidently, ‘They are against everything— the State, the Constitution and the judiciary and what’s worse is that they use guns to achieve their goals.’ more…

Students shout anti-Taliban slogans during a protest. –AFP Photo

The youth of Islamabad is not sitting idle in the face of growing religious extremism and Talibanisation in some areas of Pakistan. Even if individually, some are trying to combat ‘Talibanisation’ in a manner they deem fit; and some are even finding creative avenues.

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By Nosheen Abbas

‘In Pakistan one out of six women of age 15-19 is already married.’ — AP

Eighteen-year-old Shazia came with her two children to the Pakistan Air Force Hospital in Islamabad. She had lost one child in a miscarriage and was pregnant again. She was malnourished. Her husband is a low-paid guard, posted in Islamabad. She had come to consult Dr Naheed, the general duty medical officer who meets young women from rural areas on a regular basis.
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