Symbolism is as important to terrorists as the body count resulting from their attacks, and in the devastating bombing of the police lines mosque in Peshawar this week, an atrocity that has claimed close to 100 lives thus far, the terrorists have drawn blood on both counts.

On December 27 last year, the body of Daya Bheel, a 45-year-old woman belonging to the most downtrodden Hindu caste of Sindh, was discovered in the mustard fields of Sinjoro, a small town in Sindh’s district Sanghar. 

For once, it would be nice to wish the country a happy new year without it turning out to be a huge lie. And let’s face it, with the way this past year has been, there is no sane reason to think that we’re in for better times in the next 365.24 days.

In Pakistani politics, the House always wins. Will it win this time?

Some stories capture the public imagination while others – equally horrific – barely register as blips on the radars of our collective consciousness and conscience. 

Power politics may be a house of cards, but here in Pakistan we’re not quite playing with a full deck.