Women in Karachi challenge inclusion in worship, go in droves to mosques in Ramadan 

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Updated 09 April 2024
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Women in Karachi challenge inclusion in worship, go in droves to mosques in Ramadan 

  • In many Muslim nations like Pakistan, few women have traditionally prayed at mosques though this culture is changing
  • At two mosques in Karachi, hundreds of women are breaking from tradition and arriving in droves to offer Taraweeh prayers

KARACHI: For Wajiha Khan, going to the mosque for prayers was something only the men in her family did and which she could only wish for while growing up. But since Ramadan last year, the young woman has overcome family and community opposition and started praying regularly at a mosque near her home. 

Muslim women’s groups and researchers around the world complain of a dearth of worship spaces for women, since most mosques are gender-segregated and men dominate the main prayer rooms. Commonly women are relegated to praying behind the men, or in other quarters like basements, hallways or on another floor altogether where the imam’s sermon is broadcast over speakers. 

In many Muslim nations like Pakistan, very few women have traditionally prayed at mosques, though this culture is changing, and many like Khan, a fashion designer, now offer nightly prayers regularly at the Khalid Bin Waleed Masjid in Karachi. 

But it wasn’t easy for her at first as her family opposed her praying outside the home. 

 “I belong to a normal [Pakistani] family where women could not go to the mosque, where it was said, ‘Don’t go, don’t send them’,” Khan told Arab News as she took a break from offering Taraweeh prayers earlier this week. 

But last Ramadan, Khan said she was able to convince her family to change their mind and permit her to offer prayers at the mosque. 

Taraweeh prayers are special nightly prayers held at mosques throughout the world during Ramadan. Worshippers stand for hours during the service, in which long portions of the holy Qur’an are recited by a prayer leader. 

In a significant move toward gender inclusivity in religious spaces and to draw more women to mosques, the provincial government of Sindh in December 2023 directed 77 mosques to ensure separate spaces for women.

Such edicts had helped to bring more women to mosques, said Anisa Iqbal, a volunteer at Khalid Bin Waleed Masjid.

“MashaAllah, it is increasing every year,” Iqbal told Arab News. “This year, there are more than three hundred women [offering Tarawih], and Alhamdulillah, we have 36 sisters sitting in itikaaf,,” she added, referring to the Islamic practice of staying in a mosque for a certain number of days, mostly in Ramadan, devoting oneself to prayer and staying away from worldly affairs.

“We don’t impose restrictions on women when they go to markets, rather, we happily send them,” Iqbal said. “But when it comes to going to the mosque for prayers, we start imposing restrictions … I will send a message to everyone to send women to the mosque.”

At another mosque in Karachi, the Jamia Masjid Taqwa in the Gulshan-e-Iqbal neighborhood, hundreds of women offered Tarawih prayers in congregation earlier this month. 

“On ordinary days, we have a large number of women coming for Friday prayers, but it’s evident in Ramadan that faith becomes fresh and everyone strives to participate actively in worship,” Nazia Faisal, a volunteer at the Jamia Masjid, told Arab News, saying up to 600 women came every night to the mosque. 

Marriam Muhammad Aslam, another volunteer, said women of all ages were coming to the mosque this year for Taraweeh prayers.

“Certainly, there are initially some objections within everyone’s household,” she said, but family members gave in when they began to “see the change” in an individual after they frequented mosques.

“When family members begin to feel the change [in you] then they say, ‘Yes, this is the best place where we see the transformation within you, so you should go’,” Aslam said. 

“And when women can do everything, run businesses, do everything, then why can we not go to the mosque?”


Pakistan reaffirms commitment to translate foreign investment into ‘tangible outcomes’

Updated 11 sec ago
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Pakistan reaffirms commitment to translate foreign investment into ‘tangible outcomes’

  • Deputy PM Ishaq Dar chairs meeting to review progress related to foreign investment initiatives
  • Calls for streamlined processes, institutional coordination and fast-tracked implementation

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar this week reiterated the government’s commitment to ensure foreign investment from friendly countries translates into “tangible outcomes,” state-run media reported amid Islamabad’s attempts to achieve sustainable economic progress. 

Pakistan has looked toward regional partners and friendly nations, particularly Gulf states, in the past few months to increasingly attract foreign trade and investment.

At the heart of Islamabad’s efforts lies a prolonged macroeconomic crisis that has drained the country’s revenues, triggered a balance of payment crisis and battered its economy. 

“Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar has reiterated the government’s commitment to provide all necessary facilitation to translate foreign investments into tangible outcomes for economic growth and prosperity,” state broadcaster Radio Pakistan reported on Saturday. 

Dar was chairing a high-level meeting in Islamabad on Saturday to review progress related to investment initiatives by friendly countries across infrastructure, energy, petroleum and economic development sectors. 

“The deputy prime minister emphasized streamlined processes, enhanced institutional coordination, and fast-tracked implementation of investment projects,” the report said. 

To fast-track decisions related to international investment, Pakistan formed the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in June 2023. 

The SIFC is a hybrid civil-government body formed to attract international investment in priority sectors of the economy such as energy, tourism, agriculture, livestock, mines and minerals, and others. 

Since it was formed, the government says the SIFC has helped it sign memoranda of understanding (MoUs) with several countries worth billions of dollars. 


Karachi, Lahore to reignite ‘ultimate rivalry’ with PSL X clash today

Updated 18 min 28 sec ago
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Karachi, Lahore to reignite ‘ultimate rivalry’ with PSL X clash today

  • Lahore beat Karachi by 85 runs on Apr. 30 when the two sides last faced off
  • Karachi beat Multan by 87 runs on May 1 in Pakistan Super League encounter

ISLAMABAD: Karachi Kings and Lahore Qalandars will reignite their Pakistan Super League (PSL) rivalry today, Sunday, when the two teams lock horns at the Qaddafi Stadium in an important clash of the tournament. 

The Qalandars are placed at number three on the PSL points table, winning four matches from their eight fixtures. The Kings have also won only four matches from the seven games they have played and are placed at number four on the table. 

Lahore had the upper hand the last time the two teams met on the field for the PSL X tournament, winning the encounter by 85 runs. 

“Don’t miss the ultimate rivalry #LQvKK today at Qaddafi Stadium!” the PSL wrote on its official social media platforms. 

The Kings will head into the match confident, having beat an out-of-form Multan Sultans squad by 87 runs on May 1. 

The Qalandars have been in fine form as well, demolishing Islamabad United by 88 runs on Apr. 30 before their match against Quetta Gladiators on May 1 ended in a no result tie due to rain. 

Qalandars have had batting success in the form of openers Abdullah Shafique and the explosive Fakhar Zaman while fast bowler Shaheen Shah Afridi has fared impressively as well. 

The Kings will look toward their skipper and opener David Warner, who has been out of form as of late, and Tim Siefert to deliver the goods. 

The intense rivalry between the two franchises has been compared to the India-Pakistan and Australia-England cricket rivalry, with many also using the phrase “El-Clasico of cricket” to describe their clash. 

The match will kick off at 8:00 p.m. Pakistan Standard Time. 


Pakistan to hold key national security briefing for political parties today amid India tensions

Updated 04 May 2025
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Pakistan to hold key national security briefing for political parties today amid India tensions

  • Pakistan has been preparing for possible military confrontation with India ever since Apr. 22 Kashmir attack
  • Parties to be informed about preparation of armed forces and Islamabad’s diplomatic initiatives, says state media 

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s information minister and military spokesperson will hold an important national security briefing today, Sunday, for representatives of various political parties amid Islamabad’s surging tensions with Delhi, according to state-run media. 

Pakistan has been preparing for the possibility of a military confrontation with India ever since its tensions with its nuclear-armed neighbor skyrocketed last month. Delhi blamed Islamabad for being involved in a militant attack on Apr. 22 at a tourist resort in Indian-administered Kashmir that killed 26 tourists. 

Pakistan denied involvement and as India vowed to go after backers of the Kashmir attack, Islamabad vowed it would give a “strong” response to any military action by India. 

“Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and Director General Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry will hold an important background briefing on the national security for representatives of all political parties on Sunday,” the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported on Saturday.

It said the briefing would primarily focus on the prevailing national security landscape, particularly concerning relations between Pakistan and India, and its broader implications. 

Political parties will be informed about the preparedness of Pakistan’s armed forces while information about ongoing diplomatic initiatives and Islamabad’s official stance on the situation will also be shared, it added. 

“The statement said that the briefing, in the current situation, is a prime example of national unity and consensus among all the parties,” APP said. 

As tensions surge between the two neighbors, their forces have traded fire over the Line of Control frontier in Kashmir while diplomats have exchanged barbs, expelled citizens and ordered their land border shut.

Pakistani opposition parties have in recent times become more openly critical of the military, which has been accused of being heavily involved in politics and the economy. The military denies the allegations. 

However, recent tensions with India have turned bitter political foes into temporary allies. 

When the Senate voted on an anti-India resolution last month, jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party voted in favor, ensuring it passed unanimously.


Pakistan plans media visit to de facto Kashmir border to counter Indian reports of militant camps

Updated 04 May 2025
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Pakistan plans media visit to de facto Kashmir border to counter Indian reports of militant camps

  • The trip has been organized by the information ministry and is expected to take place on Monday
  • Information minister, military spokesperson will brief politicians on Pakistan-India tensions today

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan plans to take local and foreign journalists to the Line of Control (LoC), the de facto border separating the two parts of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir, on Monday, following Indian media reports alleging the presence of militant camps on the Pakistani side.
According to the state-owned Associated Press of Pakistan (APP), the trip has been organized by the information ministry and was originally planned for Sunday. However, it had to be postponed due to a weather forecast predicting inclement conditions.
The media visit has been planned less than two weeks after the April 22 gun attack in Pahalgam, a tourist destination in Indian-administered Kashmir, that killed 26 people.
Security sources say the visit will allow journalists to investigate claims made in recent Indian media reports identifying several locations allegedly used as militant camps.
“Journalists will be taken to all the areas mentioned in recent reports to independently verify the claims,” a security official said on condition of anonymity. “Pakistan rejects these allegations and considers them part of a propaganda effort.”
Recent Indian news reports named various towns and villages near the LoC and claimed that militant groups had vacated camps ahead of potential Indian strikes. Pakistani authorities have dismissed the claims of militant presence and camps as baseless.
Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar and military spokesperson Lt. Gen. Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry are also scheduled to brief leaders of Pakistan’s political parties on Sunday, said a report in Radio Pakistan.
“The high-level background briefing will focus on the current state of national security, particularly in the context of Pakistan-India relations and the implications of recent developments,” it said.
“Participants will be briefed on the defensive preparedness of Pakistan’s armed forces, ongoing diplomatic efforts, and the official stance of the state on key issues,” the report added.
 


European states back Pakistan’s proposal for Kashmir inquiry following Pahalgam attack

Updated 03 May 2025
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European states back Pakistan’s proposal for Kashmir inquiry following Pahalgam attack

  • Foreign office says Switzerland’s FM offered assistance with the probe during a call with Ishaq Dar
  • Greek foreign minister urges restraint to prevent escalation between the two South Asian neighbors

ISLAMABAD: Switzerland and Greece welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an independent investigation into last month’s gun attack on a tourist hub in Indian-administered Kashmir, with the Swiss government offering to assist in facilitating a transparent probe, said the foreign office on Saturday.
The April 22 assault in Pahalgam, a popular destination in the disputed Himalayan region, killed 26 people. India blamed Pakistan for the attack, an allegation Islamabad has repeatedly denied. Tensions between the two nuclear-armed neighbors have surged in the wake of the attack, with India imposing trade and shipping restrictions and suspending its participation in the Indus Waters Treaty.
Pakistan has responded by calling for a neutral and transparent international investigation into the incident while warning that any military action would trigger a strong response despite Islamabad’s desire to avoid escalation.
Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar spoke over the phone with the foreign minister’s of Switzerland and Greece, presenting his country’s perspective on the situation.
“FM @ignaziocassis appreciated Pakistan’s commitment to peace, and endorsed its proposal for an investigation,” the foreign office said in a social media post, referring to Swiss Foreign Minister Ignazio Cassis, following a call between the two officials. “He expressed Switzerland’s readiness to offer its good offices and explore appropriate mechanisms to facilitate an impartial investigation.”
Greek Foreign Minister George Gerapetritis also welcomed Pakistan’s proposal for an impartial inquiry and stressed the importance of restraint to prevent escalation and preserve regional stability, according to another post.
A day earlier, Dar spoke with European Union High Representative for Foreign Affairs Kaja Kallas, who emphasized the need for dialogue between the two South Asian nuclear rivals to maintain regional peace and stability.
The Pakistani deputy prime minister told all three European officials that Islamabad rejects India’s allegations and unilateral actions like the suspension of the Indus Waters Treaty.
He described the Indian decision to hold the treaty “in abeyance” as a violation of international law.
Pakistan and India have fought multiple wars over Kashmir, which both countries claim in full but control in part. The latest diplomatic exchanges come as concerns rise over the potential for further escalation following the Pahalgam attack.