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How to stay fit and energised while fasting during Ramazan

As Ramazan begins, daily routines can shift dramatically. Long hours of fasting from dawn to sunset can slow metabolism and reduce fluid intake, while traditional iftar meals like pakoras, samosas and jalebis, even when eaten in moderation, may unintentionally increase calorie consumption. Without mindful choices, it becomes easy to feel lethargic or gain weight. Maintaining physical activity during Ramazan is therefore about preserving strength, stamina and mental clarity rather than pursuing intense fitness goals. When managed carefully, exercise can support fasting rather than undermine it. Why moderate exercise matters Regular movement supports cardiovascular health, muscle tone and metabolic balance. The World Health Organisation recommends consistent physical activity to reduce the risk of chronic illness and improve overall well-being. Research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine shows that light to moderate exercise can enhance circulation, stabilise mood an...
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Pakistan Hockey Federation president resigns, blames sports board for Pro League mismanagement

Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF) president Tariq Hussain Bugti announced his resignation on Thursday, citing mismanagement by the Pakistan Sports Board (PSB) in handling funds for international tournaments, particularly the International Hockey Federation (FIH) Pro League. He stated that his resignation has already been submitted to the prime minister. Blaming the sports board for the crisis, he said funds allocated for the Pro League were released to the PSB but were not managed properly, resulting in logistical problems during tours of Argentina and Australia. Bugti maintained that the federation had shared schedules of the tours in advance and that financial control rested with the PSB. “After seven years, Pakistan hockey finally got a chance to play in the Pro League, but due to lack of funds, we struggled to meet obligations,” he said, adding that he personally paid $3,720 to clear outstanding hotel dues in Argentina. He also called for an independent inquiry, stating that th...
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IHC issues notices to NCCIA on Imaan, Hadi’s appeals against convictions in social media post case

ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Thursday issued notices to the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) on appeals filed by Imaan Zainab Mazari-Hazir and her husband, Hadi Ali Chattha, against their conviction in the controversial tweets case. Justice Muhammad Asif, who heard the appeals, also issued notices on the couple’s applications seeking suspension of their sentence and called for a response from the agency. The IHC then adjourned further proceedings, observing that a date for the next hearing would be fixed. On January 24, Imaan and Hadi were handed a total of 17 years in jail on multiple charges under the Prevention of Electr­onic Crimes Act (Peca) by a sessions court in Islamabad, sparking outrage among rights groups, opposition parties, and other segments of society. The lawyer duo was sentenced to 10 years’ imprisonment under Peca’s Section 10 (cyberterrorism), five years’ jail under Section 9 (glorification of an offence) and two years in priso...
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HEALTH: THE FIGHT AGAINST CHILDHOOD CANCER

Ashfaq with his father and sister at his home in Ghotki in January 2026 | Photo courtesy the writer Ten-year-old Ashfaq lives in a bustling household of ten siblings in Sindh’s Ghotki district, some 540 kilometres north of Karachi. Two and a half years ago, when he was just eight, Ashfaq’s world had narrowed to the confines of a bed, his body ravaged by a mysterious, relentless illness. A second-grade student at that time, Ashfaq arrived at the National Institute of Child Health (NICH) in Karachi in June 2023, cradled by his father and his 25-year-old sister. He was febrile and gasping for air, his skin ghost-white from severe anaemia. Most heartbreaking for the family was Ashfaq’s inability to walk; the very bones that should have carried him through childhood were now sources of agonising pain. Ashfaq was brought to the paediatric oncology department, run by the medical charity Child Aid Association under the public-private partnership model. As the head of paediatric oncology,...
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PHC orders reopening of KP roads blocked by PTI supporters

PESHAWAR: The Peshawar High Court (PHC) on Tuesday ordered the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government and police to ensure the reopening of roads blocked by PTI supporters and protesters in recent days. The protesting PTI workers have blocked KP’s entry and exit points for the last four days , demanding that the federal government move incarcerated party founder Imran Khan from jail to a hospital for medical treatment . A two-member bench headed by Justice Ijaz Anwar and including Justice Farah Jamshed took up the set of petitions filed by MPA Sobia Shahid, lawyer Tariq Afghan, Swabi resident Yousaf Ali and Shaoor Khan. Upon the bench summoning them, KP Inspector General Zulfiqar Hameed, Chief Secretary Shahab Ali Shah and Advocate General Shah Faisal Utmankhel appeared in court. At the outset of the hearing, Justice Anwar inquired about how many days it had been since the roads were blocked. “The roads have been shut for the past three days. Initially, 14 points were blocked, and now...
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The shutdown of USAID and the deeper crisis behind it

“Why did you start driving inDrive?” It’s my go-to icebreaker with drivers in Pakistan. Lately, the answers have been unsettlingly similar. “I used to work in the development sector,” one man told me. “Then I lost my job.” I’ve heard that line — or a version of it — too many times to dismiss as coincidence. Since the United States pulled the plug on its aid apparatus , the fallout has been immediate. On the surface, the shutdown of USAID is being framed as just another abrupt policy reversal — a bureaucratic casualty in an era of disruption. But look closer, and it reveals something far more profound: the cumulative weight of domestic and international tensions that have been simmering, both within and beyond the US for decades. Cycles of aid, cycles of distrust The first source of strain lies beyond US borders. From its inception as a Cold War instrument, American foreign aid has been shaped by an enduring tension between its declared objectives of development and altruism and it...
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