Abdullah Gauhar Malik

MEDIA jingoism is not new. But what we saw following the Pahalgam terrorist attack, where Indian talk shows turned into makeshift war rooms within minutes is worth unpacking… if for nothing else, then for the headache that I, and I assume many like me, got after carefully monitoring the news reports coming out of there for two consecutive days. Anchors screamed for retribution, panelists mapped out airstrikes, and headlines called for escalation, all before any investigation had even begun.

IN 2023, I wrote an article titled ‘Why Must the Aurat March?’ In 2024, I followed up with ‘Why Must the Aurat Still March?’ And now, in 2025, I find myself compelled to write once more, not as a woman experiencing this reality firsthand, but as a man who refuses to look away. The march was never meant to be a tradition; it was never meant to be an annual reminder of the violence and injustices women face.

An exclusive Interview with Mr. Geir T. Tonstol, ILO Country Director Geir has been serving as the ILO Country Director in Pakistan since January 2023. He began his career with the ILO in 2003 in Geneva, spending seven years at the organization's headquarters. During his time in Geneva, he worked at the Bureau for Gender Equality before moving to the regional office in Ethiopia. PO: Geir in Pakistan – Expectations and Reality Geir: “Well, honestly, I did not know what to expect.