Until last year, literature festivals were among the few public events in Karachi that provided locals with a physical space in which to observe and engage in literary, artistic and intellectual discussion. In Karachi, such conversations are usually limited to the print and digital realms, including social media, which brings with it the baggage of toxicity. Litfests provided a respite from this.
With the pandemic, however, things changed. Riding on Covid-19’s coattails, the cyber realm increased its sway over our lives and reclaimed the communal experience of attending a literary gathering. The 12th Karachi Literature Festival (KLF), held from March 26 to March 28, was, therefore, a virtual event. With the third, and arguably deadliest, wave of the virus tightening its grip on the country, we had no alternative but to stay at home and face the computer.
Killer string claims PhD scholar’s life
Victim was on way to teach his class at govt college
Flying kites can be lethal as many kite strings are coated with metal or crushed glass mixed with glue to help cut the strings of rival kites which have taken many lives. PHOTO FILE
LAHORE:
Aftab Ahmad, a PhD in chemistry and a lecturer at Government Dayal Singh College, died after a kite string slit his throat on Wahdat Road near Muslim Town flyover on Friday morning.
The victim died on the spot. The victim, a resident of Kanganpur, Kasur had been living in a rented place near Chungi Amar Sidhu. On the day of the incident, he was on his way to teach his class at the college. A kite string ran over his neck. Aftab had completed his doctorate rate in chemistry from the United States of America about a year ago. The news was received with much uproar and grief by students and teachers community. They lashed out at the authorities over their failure to ensure a comprehensive ban on kite
National
January 9, 2021
LAHORE: The protesting organisations spread their Quetta Hazara protest sit-in to three more places in the city on Friday, causing serious traffic jams and panic in the city.
The sit-ins were extended to Imamia Colony Railway crossing on GT Road, Ferozepur Road near Chungi Amar Sidhu and Thokar Niaz Beg Multan Road, near Motorway exit.
The GT Road sit-in caused serious hurdles in the traffic coming to Lahore from northern side and also obstructed the railway traffic which caused several hours of delay in the departure and arrival of trains at Lahore station.
The Railway authorities apologized to the passengers for the delay and announced they were making arrangements for smooth running of trains. Besides, the protesters also choked the GT road, the main artery of traffic towards Lahore from the cities and towns on the north.
Long queues of vehicles near Shaukat Khanum due to blockade of roads during a pro-Hazara protest. White Star
LAHORE: Defying the cold weather, supporters of the Hazara community, led by the Majlis-i-Wahdatul Muslimeen (MWM), on Friday set up more protest camps in and around the city, blocked all entry and exit points and isolated Lahore from the rest of the country.
By 4pm on Friday, the protesters had set up camps at Thokar Niaz Beg (Multan Road), Imamia Colony (GT Road) and Chungi Amar Sidhu (Ferozepur Road), blocking entry into and exit from the city. Participants at these sit-ins kept growing in intensity and number till this report was filed.