// Dr. Farrukh Chishtie Dragonflies are more than beautiful insects flashing over ponds and canals. They are guardians of freshwater health. When dragonflies disappear, it is often a warning that wetlands are being pushed beyond safe limits by pollution, habitat loss, and water mismanagement. Every living being serves an ecological purpose, from the tiniest organisms to the largest species. Dragonflies, members of the insect order Odonata, play key roles in wetland ecosystems

// Sultan Kiani / Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie In an effort to tackle water scarcity, the Capital Development Authority has recently made installation of rainwater harvesting systems mandatory in Islamabad. Rainwater harvesting is a simple, effective and sustainable approach to natural resource conservation. Keeping rainwater tanks properly covered helps prevent mosquito infestation Other than reservoir storage, rainwater may also be used for groundwater recharge. It reduces depen

// Sajina Limbu Pakistan’s summer now arrives with a familiar mix of stress and uncertainty: extreme heat, higher electricity demand, water scarcity, and the risk of sudden downpours that can flood streets and damage homes. Eco-living in summer is not about perfection. It is about practical habits that keep families safer, reduce costs, and lower pressure on the environment and the city systems we all depend on. Cool the home, not the bill The easiest unit of cooling is the c

// SN Report Contributing to a greener and sustainable future, Brigadier Saleem, Director Administration of Mari Energies and Chief Guest Subh-e-Nau ITF Juniors 2026, along with Chairperson of Subh-e-Nau and the tennis players participated in a tree plantation drive under the Green Pakistan initiative.

// Abdul Aleem Chaudhry Continuing its tradition of developing tennis in Pakistan, Subh-e-Nau organized the International Tennis Federation (ITF) from 13-17 April 2026 which featured local and international players who delivered memorable high-quality tennis for all to enjoy and appreciate. Group photo of winners and runners-up with Chief Guest Brigadier Saleem, Director Administration of Mari Energies, PTF Officials and Chairperson, Subh-e-Nau, Mrs Shahida Kausar Farooq Subh

// Sajina Limbu Pakistan’s spring is beautiful, but it is also a warning. The sun grows sharper, evenings turn warmer, and many families can already feel the pressure of the coming months: higher electricity bills, more water stress, more dust, more heat fatigue, and the anxiety of power cuts in peak season. Eco-living in Pakistan is not a luxury hobby. It is a practical way to protect health, reduce costs, and lower the strain on neighborhoods and cities. This Eco-Living g

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie Pakistan is facing unusually high temperatures across multiple regions, with official advisories warning of severe heatwave conditions in parts of Sindh, southern Punjab, and Baluchistan, and spillover risks into central Punjab and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Heat is now a predictable public health hazard, and the safest response is preparation, smart routines, and early action. What heat stress is, and why it becomes an emergency fast Heat stress

// Dr. A.A. Quraishy Birds are unique and life giving in their own ways. Their conservation, especially across Pakistan is direly needed. The world of birds is fantastic. It is full of wonder in shape with chirping calls, singing and romantic displays including the ethereal shows of gorgeous plumes, exquisite combination of design, superb arrangement of feathers and the placing of color producing units which, although in close proximity never err in producing feather of spec

// Zahrah Nasir Xeriscaping is a fancy word for gardening with as little water as possible or, depending on the selection of plants, with no water at all; which makes it eminently suitable for maintaining a garden in a world running dry. This style of gardening need not be a growing area full of nothing but cacti and succulents — although it is recommended that they are included in beds/containers of their own — as a surprising number of lovely flowering plants are quite capa

// Mehreen Khan Sea buckthorn (Hippophae rhamnoides), locally known as chash e guno in Burushaski, grows wild across Pakistan’s northern Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral regions. Locally it is often seen as a hardy, thorny shrub used for fencing and boundary protection, yet globally it is increasingly recognised as a nutrient-dense fruit with a unique profile of vitamins, antioxidants, and healthy fats. What makes sea buckthorn special is that it is not only “vitamin rich” in a v

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie We are living through a time when it feels as if the ground beneath ordinary life is shifting with crises going global from local scales including wars, climate change and pandemics. An ethics-based pathway is needed to overcome these existential threats, which we offer via occupational security and spirituality as a way out into a better world. A world in fracture: wars, climate shocks, and pandemic lessons Wars are no longer distant headlines. The

// Yasmin Elahi Every summer, many families in Pakistan feel the same pressure building up. Rooms heat up early in the day, nights stay warm, electricity bills rise, and power cuts turn discomfort into distress. In Karachi, humidity makes heat feel heavier. In Lahore and Rawalpindi, heat mixes with dust and smog. In Islamabad, shrinking green cover and fast construction are changing the city’s comfort. When a country is getting hotter, eco-living is not about being trendy. It

// SN Report In a focused meeting aimed at strengthening public well-being through healthy lifestyles, Mr. Rana Sana Ullah Khan, Federal Minister for Sports, met with Mrs. Shahida Kausar Farooq, the Subh-e-Nau Chairperson and the magazine’s Chief Editor earlier in 2026, to discuss practical ways to expand sport participation across Pakistan as a long-term public health strategy. Chairperson Subh-e-Nau, Madam Shahida Kausar Farooq (left) in discussion with Honorable Minister

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie There is a particular kind of commitment that does not announce itself loudly, one that shows up year after year, through institutional challenges and security crises and the indifference of a cricket-obsessed public, simply because the work matters. That is the story of Subh-e-Nau and tennis in Pakistan. And on April 13, 2026, that story enters a significant new chapter with the organisation's hosting of an ITF Junior Tennis circuit event, the late

// Zahrah Nasir Take another look at that difficult, almost impossible to brighten up, shady spot in the garden or in the darkest corner of the balcony where very little natural light manages to penetrate and imagine it bursting with eye-catching Hostas in all of their variegated glory with, this is an added bonus, a burst of white, blue, lavender or pink blossom when the time is right and you have the reliable answer to what was formerly a problem. Hostas Hostas, native to C

// Mehreen Khan Bajra, or pearl millet, is not new to Pakistan. It has long been part of rural food culture, especially in drier regions where wheat can be harder to grow and where people value foods that keep the body warm and satisfied. What is new is the modern health conversation around bajra. As Pakistan faces rising diabetes, heart disease, and micronutrient deficiencies, pearl millet is being re-discovered as a nutrient-dense grain that can support better everyday ea

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie Mobile phones have become Pakistan’s most common tool for nearly everything. We use them for banking, schoolwork, family calls, navigation, deliveries, photos, and social media. That convenience is real. But there is a quiet safety problem hidden inside it. The more we use mobile phones automatically, the more we start using them at the worst possible times, in traffic, late at night, and during moments that require full attention. This month’s Safe

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie Pakistan’s biggest cities are growing upward and outward, but they are not growing wiser. Karachi, Lahore, Rawalpindi, and Islamabad are becoming hotter, noisier, more flood-prone, and more stressful to live in, even when new flyovers, new housing schemes, and new commercial plazas look impressive from above. We are building more, yet many families feel less secure in the most basic ways: safe air to breathe, tolerable indoor temperatures, reliable

// Dr. Farrukh A. Chishtie / Aleem Chaudhary For many of us, Islamabad has always been more than a capital city. It has felt like a promise. Neat sectors, cool breezes from the Margalla Hills, tree lined streets and open spaces once suggested that a different kind of urban life was possible in Pakistan. Karachi, in contrast, has long carried the image of a city pushed to its limits: overcrowded, overbuilt and constantly struggling with pollution, water shortages and heat. T