Beyond belief
CHRISTMAS is around the corner, and while there are always regional and sectarian variations in how it is observed, some traditions and symbols, like the Christmas tree, are universal. No…
Government on the retreat
The PTI government, led by Prime Minister Imran Khan, seems on the retreat on multiple fronts, whether economic or political. The PTI government repeatedly said that it would not give…
How to save a life
Last week’s column about ambulance services drew responses from many readers. Most readers who sent me emails agreed with the basic premise that ambulance services need improvement, not only in…
Trump’s latest experiment
President Donald Trump appears to enjoy experimenting on human beings. First came the separation of young children from their parents. In May 2018, Trump ordered the United States Immigration and…
When the rich suffer
The frat boy of pharmaceuticals, Martin Shkreli, was sentenced to seven years in prison last Friday for securities fraud and conspiracy. After four years of earning millions by controlling the…
Nurses: our silent heroes
While they are often in the background, nurses are at the heart of every national health system. They do everything, whether it involves caring for patients, administering lifesaving treatments in…
TB disaster
The young woman sitting before me is wrapped in a black burqa. Only the dull pupils of her eyes are visible. She is breathless, weighs just 23 kilogrammes, is severely…
House of cards
IN Saudi Arabia, the punishment of crucifixion results in the victim’s decapitation, and the public display of his body. This is what the teenaged Ali Mohammed Al-Nimr has been condemned…
Ending rabies
Recently, I saw an eight-year-old boy from Dadu, who had been mauled by a pack of dogs. His scalp was torn off, his ear lobe was hanging and his armpits…
No relief?
After years of delay, the federal minister for National Health Services Regulation and Coordination, Saira Afzal, announced what is being dubbed as Pakistan’s first-ever drug pricing policy. Despite the pharmaceutical…
