Khalistan Movement, IMF and Imran Khan’s arrest: 10 pieces that drew in Dawn.com readers the most in 2023

Explore our most-read stories in the outgoing year.

Dawn.com Published December 31, 2023

The year 2023, on the news front, was dominated by former prime minister Imran Khan, his arrest, the subsequent events of May 9, and the consequent crackdown on the PTI that led to a switching of political loyalties.

Throughout these events, one question persisted on the media’s minds: will the elections take place? When will they be held?

But surprisingly, only a few of these events garnered the attention of Dawn.com’s avid readers.

Instead, it was topics like the Khalistan Movement, the IMF-dictated bill being passed by the National Assembly, an opinion piece on the criticism of the country’s elite class, a take on the Pak-India World Cup fixture, and PIA flight attendants slipping away in Canada that captivated the interest of readers in 2023.

Scroll down to find out more about the 10 stories published on Dawn.com that attracted the highest digital traffic in the outgoing year.

10. Two more PIA flight attendants vanish in Canada

Published November 14

Over the past three years, it has almost become a trend for Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) flight attendants to slip away, particularly in Canada.

Last month’s escape brought the total number of PIA crew members who have successfully slipped away upon arrival in Toronto to four this year. But what’s alarming is the fact that four PIA crew members slunk away last year too.

And a year prior in 2021 as well. The incident even prompted PIA to confiscate the passports of cabin crew on arrival in a bid to control the incidents but to no avail as aforementioned.

In the latest incident, two senior flight attendants, Khalid Mehmood and Feda Hussain, reached Canada from Islamabad by PIA flight PK772 and slipped away.

Read more about the successful sneak way here

9. How the Indus Valley fed Islam’s golden age

Published on January 15

Finding this on the list pointed out that the article did end up answering the question asked in the headline succinctly.

It discussed the multifaceted interactions between Islam and the South Asian region during the golden age of Islam apart from talking about the Indus Valley’s role in enriching the Muslim world with scholars.

The article challenges the stereotypical narrative that portrays Islam’s advent into South Asia as one-sided, asserting that the exchange of knowledge and cultural influences was reciprocal.

Take a delve into history by reading more about it here

8. If Pakistan defaulted…

Published on February 6

The “what if” question and the potential repercussions also captivated our readers considering the economy’s troubled state with sky-rocketing inflation and a stalled at the time International Monetary Fund (IMF) programme.

The IMF executive board approved the much-needed nine-month standby arrangement (SBA) with Pakistan in June “to support its economic stabilisation programme”.

In the latest developments, the Fund reached a staff-level agreement with Pakistan on the first review of a $3 billion bailout where the country will receive $700 million after approval.

This article by an Islamabad economist namely Asad Ejaz Butt shed light on the consequences Pakistan had to face if it defaulted with the IMF.

Get aware of the repercussions here

7. Imran arrest: What is the Al Qadir Trust case?

Published on May 9

Former prime minister Imran Khan’s first arrest on May 9, from the premises of the Islamabad High Court can be termed, one of the biggest political events of 2023.

The details about the Al Qadir Trust case in which the PTI Supremo was arrested for the first time resonated profoundly with Dawn.com readers.

Shehzad Akbar, Imran Khan and Malik Riaz. — File

He was later released by the Supreme Court but the events that took place between Imran’s arrest and release will haunt the officious corridors of power and also PTI for a long time.

After three months, the star cricketer-turned-politician was nabbed again after a lower court found him guilty of “corrupt practices” in the Toshakhana case and sentenced him to three years in prison.

Details surrounding the Al Qadir Trust case can be read here

6. Why the TTP is undefeatable?

Published on Jan 7

Pakistan has witnessed an uptick in terror activities in recent months, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan, after the banned militant Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) ended its ceasefire with the government last year.

The question posed in the article engaged our readers through the insights of Islamabad-based physicist and writer Pervez Hoodbhoy.

He talks about how the Pakistan Army “with its tough professionalism and experience in non-conventional warfare could have conclusively defeated a ragtag terrorist militia” but that did not happen.

Read more about the tactical and strategic missteps that strengthened the enemy here

5. Cartoon

Published on Nov 16

The cartoon by Muhammad Zahoor published in Dawn newspaper secured the fifth spot in terms of digital traffic.

It depicted PML-N Supremo Nawaz Sharif standing in the middle of a herd of sheep with a signboard labelled “Balochistan”.

This cartoon was published a day after Sharif’s first visit to Balochistan following his return. He managed to rope in over two dozen electables from the country’s largest province ahead of the forthcoming general elections on Feb 8.

4. Pakistan take on India in World Cup as clear underdogs

Published on October 13

Taha Anis’ take on the year’s most anticipated cricket fixture, detailing how the home team stood little chance against their arch-rivals, also captured the attention of Dawn.com readers.

Pakistan huddle during practice at the Narendra Modi Stadium, Ahmedabad on October 12. — Reuters

The prediction turned out to be correct as India steamrolled Pakistan by seven wickets in a lopsided blockbuster match.

Pakistan were bowled out for 191 in the 43rd over after their batting line-up collapsed characteristically in the face of disciplined Indian bowlers.

Read up on the analysis here

3. Why bash the elite?

Published on Jan 28

Writer and physicist Hoodbhoy takes another spot on the list with his opinion piece discussing elite bashing, which he terms the “newest sport” initiated by the country’s masses.

He beams a spotlight on the comparison between the Pakistan and world’s elite class, highlighting that the Pakistani elite also “spits on the law just like the common man”.

Read more on elite bashing here

2. NA passes IMF-dictated finance supplementary bill

Published on Feb 21

The government’s imposition of an additional Rs170 billion in taxes, at the insistence of the IMF, took the country’s middle class by storm.

The then Finance Minister Ishaq Dar speaks in the National Assembly session. — DawnNewsTV

Despite clearly lacking quorum, the National Assembly (NA) passed the bill with the then finance minister Ishaq Dar pinning the blame on PTI for being solely responsible for this economic burden on the masses.

Read more on the lackluster debate here as NA passed the bill

1. What is the Khalistan movement and why is it fuelling India-Canada rift?

Published on September 19

Tensions between Canada and India escalated when the Canadian government expelled an Indian diplomat who was “the chief of India’s intelligence agency” in the country over the murder of a Sikh leader in British Colombia.

Sikh separatists demand that their homeland “Khalistan”, meaning “the land of the pure”, be created out of Punjab.

The demand has resurfaced many times, most prominently during an insurgency in the 1970s and 1980s that paralysed the Indian Punjab for over a decade.