Pakistan’s largest contemporary art event, Karachi Biennale, returns to infuse art with technology

Karachi Community Radio (KCR) Studio's installation 'Saaz' featuring a mechanized Chitrali sitar instrument at KB22 at NJV High School, Karachi. (KCR Studio)
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Updated 12 November 2022
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Pakistan’s largest contemporary art event, Karachi Biennale, returns to infuse art with technology

  • Karachi Biennale 2022 kicked off on October 31 and is currently taking place at nine venues across 'City of Lights'
  • The two-week event features works of artists from Pakistan and 12 other countries as well as talks and performances

KARACHI: Themed around the intersection of art and technology, the Karachi Biennale 2022 (KB22), Pakistan’s biggest contemporary art forum, this year showcases ​26 audiovisual artworks by artists from Pakistan and 12 other countries. 

The event kicked off on October 31 and will run until November 13, with exhibitions, talks and performances taking place at nine venues across Karachi, the southern Pakistani megapolis that many refer to as 'The City of Lights.’ 

Each art installation on display by the diverse lineup of artists conveys a unique message that reflects the place of its origin, according to the organizers.  




The Australia-based art duo Dr Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer, PlugIn Human's installation ‘Disco Apocalypse' features First Nations war shields re-imagined at KB22 at Sambara Art Gallery, Karachi. (KB22)

PlugIn Human, a multi-award-winning art duo comprising Dr. Betty Sargeant and Justin Dwyer from Australia, have displayed their installation called, 'Disco Apocalypse.' The artwork uses audiovisual elements collected and created during the duo's time in Amazonia (Brazil), Gamboa (Panama), Batticoloa (Sri Lanka), Karachi (Pakistan), Gili Trawangan (Indonesia) and on Koori lands (Australia).  

“We acknowledge the First Peoples and communities of these lands,” they shared with Arab News on the sidelines of KB22.  

“We came to these landscapes with presence and intention and pay respect to the culture, lives and struggles of these peoples and lands.”  

The Disco’s visuals are an amalgam of traditional art, science, computational mathematics and graphic design. They feature war shields of First Nations—a term used to describe indigenous people—reimagined by Yorta Yorta Australian artist Lorraine Brigdale, as a tool for the protection of natural ecosystems, accompanied by enlarged microscopic and generative-computational imagery.  




Imran Qureshi's site-specific installation, 'Deen o Duniya - The Sacred and the Earthly', inspired by two houses in Riwaz Garden in Lahore, at KB22 at Hamid Market, Karachi. (Imran Qureshi)

Pakistani visual artist Imran Qureshi presented a site-specific installation, ‘Deen O Duniya’ - The Sacred and the Earthly, interpreting boundaries of religious rituals, culture and modern technology merged in a carnivalesque form. Qureshi's work is based on sound and video projection. 

“‘Deen o Duniya’ – The Sacred and the Earthly ​is inspired by the two houses situated in Riwaz Garden, Lahore, that are decorated every year during Rabiul Awwal," he told Arab News.

Usually, science and religion are considered two different concepts in our part of the world, Qureshi said, adding that he found it interesting how they used science, technology and [elements] of the neo-digital age.

"It is one where residents of a local neighborhood go through profound physical and emotional experiences when their homes, streets, and entire neighborhoods undergo an intense transformation," he said. 

"It is an unreal, surreal experience," he added. 

Qureshi has incorporated the sound of a qawwali by Ustad Moazam Ali Khan and composed it in collaboration with young composer, Ubaid ur Rehman, as per the artist's vision.




Karachi Community Radio (KCR) Studio's installation 'Saaz' featuring a mechanized Chitrali sitar instrument at KB22 at NJV High School, Karachi. (KCR Studio)

Karachi Community Radio (KCR) Studio, which comprises multiple artists, has showcased its installation, ‘Saaz,’ for which they used an instrument called 'Chitrali sitar.' The instrument is widely used in northern Pakistani music.

​"Physically, Saaz is a Chitrali sitar that requires no human presence to play," Jahanzeb Safder, the man behind audio-visual programming, sound design and curation of Saaz, told Arab News.

"The music is performed by a KCR-built mechanical arm that simulates the two human hands required to play the instrument, the strumming hand and the hand pressing on the frets," he added. 

"These mechanisms are fed information from a pre-programmed MIDI (Music Instrument Digital Interface) composition on Ableton, written by the members of the team, and sent out through a speaker system in the room," Safder explained.  

He said the projection behind the mechanized sitar is the live feed from a CCTV camera placed on a pedestal holding up Saaz, giving a real-time insight into how the mechanism is firing, while exemplifying the raw emotionality of the music.

Karachi Community Radio is an independent online radio archiving and promoting the contemporary music culture of Pakistan. The core team behind its concept design comprises Safder, Murtaza Tunio (Hardware Tech, A/V) and Chitrali musician, Irfan Ali Taj. 




Amin Gulgee's performance of his immersive artwork, 'The Forgotten March' features the artist at KB22 at NJV High School, Karachi. (Amin Gulgee)

Pakistani artist Amin Gulgee’s work of performative art for KB22, titled ‘The Forgotten March,’ is about “laughter and forgetting.”  

Gulgee collaborated with students and teachers of the NJV School, where the performance took place.


Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

Updated 24 May 2025
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Gunmen kill journalist in southwestern Pakistan

  • Latif Baloch, who worked for a national news channel and a local newspaper, was killed in Awaran district
  • According to Freedom Network Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022

QUETTA: Unknown armed men stormed a house in Balochistan’s Awaran district in the early hours of Saturday and killed a journalist working for a mainstream news channel and a local newspaper, a Levies official said.

The killing took place in Mashkay, a remote town in the mountainous Awaran district, regarded as a stronghold of Baloch separatist groups, particularly the Baloch Liberation Front (BLF).

Balochistan, Pakistan’s largest but least developed province, is home to a separatist insurgency led by ethnic Baloch groups, which Islamabad accuses of being backed by India.

New Delhi denies the allegation.

Earlier this month, Pakistan blamed India for a deadly attack on a school van in Khuzdar district that killed eight people, including six schoolchildren.

Zulqarnain Baloch, a Levies official in Mashkay, told Arab News that unidentified gunmen entered journalist Latif Baloch’s house at 3 a.m. and shot him dead while he was asleep with his family.

“The attackers only targeted him,” he said, adding: “Motives behind the murder are being investigated.”

According to the Press Freedom Network, an advocacy organization for media rights in Pakistan, 53 journalists were killed in the country between 2012 and 2022.

Hameedullah Sherani, the network’s provincial coordinator in Balochistan, said journalists in the province face serious threats while carrying out their work.

“Journalists in Balochistan have been working under threats by the state and non-state actors,” he said. “More than 40 journalists in Balochistan have lost their lives in the line of duty over the last two decades.”

The Balochistan Union of Journalists (BUJ) strongly condemned the killing and called for a high-level investigation.

“The provincial government must arrest the attackers behind the killing of Latif Baloch,” said Khalil Ahmed, BUJ president. “Journalists are already facing severe threats in the sensitive region of Balochistan. The government has to take immediate action for the safety of working journalists.”

No group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Balochistan, which borders Iran and Afghanistan, remains one of Pakistan’s most dangerous regions for journalists.


Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

Updated 54 min 16 sec ago
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Pakistan’s Punjab reports eight deaths, 45 injuries in rain and storm-related incidents

  • Deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures during extreme downpour in different cities
  • A fresh advisory warns of potential damage to weak infrastructure as hail and heavy rain remain in forecast

KARACHI: Pakistan’s most populous Punjab province on Saturday released a preliminary report on damages caused by heavy rain and stormy weather, saying eight people were killed and 45 others injured in different cities as strong winds, lightning and hail battered parts of the country.

The report followed a weather alert issued a day earlier by the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), warning of thunderstorms, gusty winds, dust storms and rain in parts of Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) and Islamabad.

As the day progressed, heavy rain and hailstorms struck the federal capital and parts of KP after dark clouds gathered overhead. In Swat, torrential rain lashed the region with reports of hail in some areas and surging waters in local rivers and streams.

In Punjab’s major cities, including Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Jhelum and Lahore, the storm brought strong winds and poor visibility, prompting authorities to temporarily shut down sections of the motorway for safety.

“Eight citizens lost their lives and 45 others were injured due to storm and rain-related incidents,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) of Punjab said in a statement. “Fatalities occurred in Rawalpindi (1), Jhelum (3), Sheikhupura (1), Nankana Sahib (1), Sialkot (1) and Mianwali (1).”

The PDMA said deaths were primarily caused by collapsing dilapidated structures or being in unsafe locations during the storm. Heavy downpour damaged several mud and old brick houses in many of these places, while in Lahore, incidents of fallen trees and damaged solar panels were also reported.

According to PDMA Director General Irfan Ali Kathia, all district emergency operations centers have been activated, while the provincial control room is monitoring the situation round-the-clock.

“Citizens are advised to avoid unnecessary travel during severe weather and stay away from electric poles and hanging wires,” he warned.

“People should remain indoors during lightning storms and ensure children stay away from weak or damaged buildings,” he added.

Kathia said financial assistance would be provided to affected families in accordance with the provincial administration’s policy.

A fresh advisory issued Saturday evening by the National Weather Forecasting Center in Islamabad warned of potential damage to weak infrastructure, including electricity poles, trees, vehicles and solar panels, due to thunderstorms, hail and heavy rain expected overnight and into Sunday.

Pakistan has increasingly faced extreme weather events, including droughts, heatwaves and floods, linked to climate change. In 2022, it witnessed unprecedented monsoon rains that submerged much of the country, killing about 1,700 people and causing infrastructure losses exceeding $35 billion.


WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

Updated 24 May 2025
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WWF-Pakistan hails community-led efforts to protect markhor on international awareness day

  • Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia
  • They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as ‘Near Threatened’ by IUCN

KARACHI: A leading conservation group in Pakistan on Saturday praised local communities for helping protect the endangered markhor species, saying people’s efforts had reversed population decline and expanded habitat ranges, as the country marked the International Day of the Markhor.

Markhors are large wild goats native to the mountainous regions of South and Central Asia, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and parts of the Himalayan range. They are Pakistan’s national animal and are currently listed as “Near Threatened” by the International Union for Conservation of Nature, the world’s oldest and largest global environmental network, due to habitat loss, poaching and human disturbance.

The World Wide Fund for Nature’s Pakistan office (WWF-Pakistan) credited close coordination between communities, conservationists and government departments in regions such as Gilgit-Baltistan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Balochistan for positive conservation outcomes.

“Through capacity-building programs and engagement of local communities in conservation initiatives, a positive population trend has been observed in the markhor species,” it said in a statement.

Observed annually on May 24, the International Day of the Markhor was designated by the United Nations General Assembly in 2024 to raise awareness of the species’ ecological importance and the need for its protection.

“Conservation is not just about saving a species, but it is about preserving our shared future in harmony with nature,” said Hammad Naqi Khan, Director General of WWF-Pakistan.

The organization noted the International Day of the Markhor was an opportunity to recognize the ecological value of mountain landscapes, raise awareness of conservation challenges and honor the communities that helped pull the species back from the brink of extinction.


Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan tells UN India politicizing river flows by halting Indus treaty

  • Ambassador Usman Jadoon calls access to clean water a fundamental human right
  • He says India announced treaty suspension to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan told a United Nations forum this week India was using river waters as a political weapon by suspending the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT), warning that Islamabad would not allow New Delhi to cut off the lifeline of 240 million people or turn water into a tool of coercion.

The remarks came during an Arria-formula meeting of the UN Security Council, an informal session allowing open discussion on pressing international issues. The forum was held as tensions escalated following India’s decision to suspend the 1960 IWT.

While New Delhi has cited a recent militant attack in Indian-administered Kashmir to justify the move, Islamabad has denied any involvement and warned that blocking Pakistan’s access to river waters threatens regional stability and violates international law.

Addressing the forum on Friday, Ambassador Usman Jadoon, Pakistan’s deputy permanent representative to the UN, emphasized that access to clean water was a fundamental human right. He condemned India’s actions, pointing out the suspension of the IWT constitutes a grave violation of international law.

“India’s decision to illegally and unilaterally suspend the 1960 Indus Waters Treaty, aiming to impede the flow of water guaranteed to Pakistan under the Treaty, is a grave violation of international law, including human rights law, the treaty law and customary international law,” Jadoon said.

He further criticized statements from Indian leadership suggesting intentions to “starve the people of Pakistan,” describing such rhetoric as dangerous and perverse.

Jadoon called upon India to adhere to its legal obligations and refrain from actions that could disrupt the flow of rivers vital to Pakistan’s population.

“We strongly condemn India’s unlawful announcement to hold the Treaty in abeyance and call upon India to strictly abide by its legal obligations and refrain from stopping, diverting or restricting rivers that are a lifeline for 240 million people of Pakistan,” he continued. “We will never accept any such moves.”

The IWT, brokered by the World Bank in 1960, has been a cornerstone of water-sharing between the two nations. Its suspension marks a significant escalation in India-Pakistan relations, with potential implications for regional stability and humanitarian concerns.


Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

Updated 24 May 2025
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Pakistan to cancel passports, register cases against deported citizens

  • Move follows Middle East complaints over Pakistani nationals involved in begging
  • A committee has also been tasked with strengthening passport rules and regulations

KARACHI: Pakistan’s federal government on Saturday decided to take stringent measures against its citizens deported from other countries for illegal activities by canceling their passports and registering criminal charges, in a bid to curb a growing issue that officials say is tarnishing the country’s international image.

The move follows mounting complaints, particularly from Middle Eastern countries, about public begging and undocumented migration involving Pakistani nationals.

The decision was made at a high-level meeting chaired by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi in Islamabad.

“It was decided during the meeting that FIRs [First Information Reports] would be registered against deported individuals and their passports would also be canceled,” an official statement released after the meeting said. “The deportees would be placed on the Passport Control List for five years.”

Earlier this year, Pakistan’s Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) said approximately 4,000 beggars had been deported by Saudi Arabia from 2022 until the end of 2024.

“Deportees are causing embarrassment for Pakistan at international level,” Naqvi said. “Thus, no leniency will be shown to them in the future.”

To further tighten passport regulations, the interior ministry also formed a committee led by the interior secretary.

According to the statement, the committee has been tasked with proposing reforms to strengthen the passport issuance process and enforce stricter scrutiny.

Last month, over 100 Pakistanis deported from various European countries arrived in Islamabad, with officials indicating that many had been involved in fraudulent or undocumented migration.

The latest measures build on earlier actions by the interior ministry aimed at discouraging illegal migration and curbing human trafficking.

Naqvi had previously announced plans to block the issuance of new travel documents to deportees and crack down on travel agents implicated in human smuggling.