Stories by Zil E Huma

Is that a biscuit wrapper you’re breathing?

Ever wondered how well we recycle food wrappers?

Updated 30 Jul, 2026 11:50am

I tried to buy a Cambridge paper online, this is what happened

The NCCIA is investigating leaks with the UK examiner as maddened students prepare for resits.

Updated 17 Jul, 2026 02:51pm

Phone-a-friend: Mapping PM Shehbaz, DPM Dar’s call-a-thon leading up to the US-Iran ceasefire

From the first day of the conflict, PM Shehbaz and FM Dar have maintained telephonic diplomacy with Gulf leaders and other regional players.

Published 11 Apr, 2026 01:09pm

How we got here: Inside Pakistan’s backchannel diplomacy that led to the US-Iran ceasefire

The backchannel messages and revived proposals that nudged adversaries toward a pause.

Updated 08 Apr, 2026 05:45pm

Off the road: How rising fuel costs are pushing ride-hailing captains to the brink

From riders giving up their means of livelihood to consumers restricting themselves at home, the US-Israel war on Iran is reshaping how Karachi moves.

Updated 01 Apr, 2026 05:30pm

‘Get two to four more surgeries’: Atiqa Odho became the punchline for Fahad Mustafa’s bruised ego

He apologised, she apologised but that doesn't make his crass comments go away.

Published 25 Feb, 2026 11:22am

Why don’t you get to see any cool Pakistani indie films?

You keep reading articles about these interesting films, but there's no way for you to watch them. Here's why.

Published 20 Feb, 2026 12:56pm

A prelude in motion: Inside the curtain-raiser for the Karachi Biennale 2027

The 77-minute exhibition felt like a tasting menu — brief encounters with 72 artworks promising something bigger for the upcoming art show.

Published 14 Feb, 2026 05:48pm

For the Gujrati in me, winter without Hara Lasun is just cold weather

Most remember winter by the weather, some by wedding season; I remember it by the aroma of hara lasun, a family favourite winter dish.

Published 12 Feb, 2026 11:37am

Inside Karachi’s very first toddler rave

Inspired by Lenny Pearce's toddler rave, this was not just a dance party — it was a fully immersive hour-long family bonding experience.

Published 09 Feb, 2026 04:09pm

Earth, water and fire take centre stage as IVS hosts BLAZE fundraiser fashion show

The fundraiser show brought heavyweights Sania Maskatiya, Nida Azwer and Khaadi's Saira Shamoon and Shamoon Sultan back home with their collections.

Published 02 Feb, 2026 01:36pm

Why Pakistani women no longer see themselves in TV dramas

My personal conflict is that our dramas prompt the wrong message that you have to look pretty everywhere, says Tasneem Ahmar of Uks Research Centre.

Published 27 Jan, 2026 05:15pm

Beyond the box office: The 10 Pakistani films that quietly won 2025

Beneath the glossy-but-tired commercial surface of Pakistan's film industry, something promising is happening.

Published 27 Dec, 2025 01:43pm

Gen Z is stepping up to clean Karachi’s beaches

Over 3,000 volunteers showed up to clean Seaview Beach on Thursday as part of the Hammad Foundation's beach cleanup drive.

Published 26 Dec, 2025 06:06pm

Kashf Foundation’s new drama Aik Aur Pakeezah confronts cybercrime and the cost of digital harm

Set to air on Geo TV, the drama stars Sehar Khan and Nameer Khan in the lead roles.

Published 05 Dec, 2025 04:05pm

Karachi stakeholders float, debate solutions to city’s solid waste woes

Awareness campaigns, responsible recycling and grassroots initiatives suggested as solutions.

Published 29 Nov, 2025 09:29pm

Lahore’s beloved studio True Brew opens in Karachi — this time minus the studio

It’s a coffee shop with a little bit of music, a little bit of film and a little bit of reading — you get the drift.

Published 13 Nov, 2025 04:22pm

Heavy vehicles are killing hundreds in Karachi. Why does no one seem to care?

The city's traffic chaos is rooted in reckless driving, neglected road infrastructure, weak enforcement, and a system that never learns.

Updated 26 Oct, 2025 11:48am

Minimum wage, mass exploitation: A crisis of the Pakistani labour force

The question is, who is in charge of pointing out such practices and putting an end to them?

Updated 14 Jul, 2025 01:40pm

Dying to tell the story in Gaza

This World Press Freedom Day, we pay tribute to the over 250 brave journalists who laid down their lives in Gaza in pursuit of the truth since Oct 7, 2023.

Published 03 May, 2025 10:27am