Maryam Azhar - The Youth Blog

5th Generation Genocide: How Can We Collectively Defeat Israel?

Does the Israeli onslaught on Palestine – for decades, but especially the current attack on Gaza – seem like a normal war to you? It does not. Well, part of the reason is that a legitimate WAR requires both sides to have an army, which Palestine does not have. Beyond that though, Israel is doing…

It’s Black and White: Not Every Story Has “Two Sides”

Israel is bombing Gaza again. Palestinian lives are being lost again. And yet again, we are hearing from the ‘gatekeepers of world peace’ that they will offer unconditional support to – ISRAEL. We are again hearing from influential celebrities about “peace” on “both sides. We are yet again witnessing the ignorance of the real problem:…

Paying in Blood : Current Cost of Living in Pakistan.

Living in Pakistan is becoming harder by the day as expenses continue to rise with little to no increments in earnings. The country is faced with recession and inflation simultaneously, forcing people to move abroad – even the staunchest patriots. Imagine you’re a father of a toddler. Your wife asks you to bring milk on…

Light at the End of the Tunnel: PTV can still create good content.

Some time back, I posted an article here where I expressed how badly Pakistani entertainment content has deteriorated over the past few years. We discussed a range of regressive and outright dangerous elements that we keep repeating on our screens, and the detrimental effect they can have on the society. I still stick by my…

Celebrating Independence: Between Hope and Despair

Since childhood, 14th August has always been one of my favourite days of the year. I remember picking out a green outfit, placing flags, wearing a little green and white badge on my arm, and blasting national songs all day long. Patriotism cannot be restricted to one day, but this was always the day when…

How to save a language: Punjabi in Pakistan

Recently, I wrote a post on this website about how Punjabi language is on the path of slow extinction in Pakistan. The article highlighted a range of causes at individual, domestic and institutional level, as a result of which, a major chunk of Punjabi youth – particularly in the urban centres – are unable to…

How to Kill A Language: Punjabi in Pakistan

I’m a 24 year old Punjabi who is unable to speak the language, and I’m not the only one. Most of my Punjabi friends don’t know how to speak it either. Or at least not properly. According to the 2017 census, Punjabis made up for approximately 53% of the total population of Pakistan [1]. However,…

Wreck-ed state of national affairs

For any morally alive nation, the drowning of 400+ civilians – while trying to escape the country – in a shipwreck should be the ONLY talk in the country for weeks. We, however, still have bigger issues to discuss like the attack on a part of a building a month back or how the former…

The Fault in Our Star-Studded Dramas

Pakistani youth is increasingly switching from Pakistani TV to alternative options like Netflix Originals, K-Dramas and Turkish series for entertainment purposes simply because they are unable to connect with the content that is being shown on our local channels 24/7. Pakistani drama serials are one of the most popular things about Pakistan. After politics and…

Hiding the symptoms does not heal the illness

Just like putting a bandage on a bullet wound is futile unless the bullet has been taken out first, censoring protests and claiming that ‘all is well’ when the country is burning from the inside only does more harm than good. The pain of structural amendments will have to be borne by all in order…