Stories by Rafia Zakaria

The Pinky paradox

Her story is unusual, but the allegations against her are serious: drug trafficking is not an act of female emancipation simply because the person accused of running the operation is a woman.

Updated 03 Oct, 2026 09:00am

India’s killer tourists

Hosting those accused of such acts without demanding accountability raises its own moral questions, but this is a truth that India, drowning in its own hatreds.

Updated 26 Sep, 2026 09:04am

For Ishmal

Once media attention ends, no one pursues cases of assault and murder.

Published 19 Sep, 2026 04:18am

The end of 9/11

The years since 9/11 have done their damage.

Published 12 Sep, 2026 04:55am

A horse and a man

The assumption animals are unfeeling creatures is wrong.

Published 05 Sep, 2026 04:01am

No safe place

Millions of Pakistani women suffer abuse.

Updated 29 Aug, 2026 04:15pm

Protecting privacy

Pakistan hasn’t kept pace with the demands of data protection.

Published 22 Aug, 2026 04:12am

Death in Karachi

No one is more alone than a victim of crime in Karachi.

Updated 15 Aug, 2026 08:54am

Rattled Democrats

El-Sayed’s win shows how much the US electorate has changed.

Published 08 Aug, 2026 05:24am

Dirty data centres

Who pays the price when power and water are diverted to computers?

Published 01 Aug, 2026 05:36am

Roaches rising

People in India want what was once unimaginable.

Published 25 Jul, 2026 05:05am

Exporting doctors

Pakistanis, the world may soon learn, are excellent doctors.

Published 18 Jul, 2026 06:32am

Tough living

Karachi belongs to everyone and, therefore, to no one at all.

Updated 11 Jul, 2026 01:12pm

Captive at home

A patriarchal society teaches women to hate themselves.

Published 04 Jul, 2026 04:55am

Not all men?

It is possible for men to stand with women.

Updated 20 Jun, 2026 01:15pm

Going it alone

The idea of staying single is becoming increasingly acceptable.

Published 06 Jun, 2026 06:07am

Vanishing jobs

Tech workers are the worst positioned to absorb the AI shock.

Published 30 May, 2026 06:05am

Gulaan’s story

‘I know I will be killed,” she said.

Published 16 May, 2026 05:48am

Farewell to Dubai

Alignments are changing in the Middle East, especially as high tensions between the US-Israel alliance and Iran show no signs of abating.

Updated 09 May, 2026 08:38am

Global order shift

Pakistan has moved on and so has the world.

Updated 02 May, 2026 09:38am