Pakistan is home to a majority Muslim population but the country has its own Hindu population, which constitutes about less than two percent of the total population. They live primarily in the urban areas of the province of Sindh in the lower Indus valley. Over half are concentrated in the south-eastern district of Tharparkar. Those who chose to stay in Pakistan after the partition of the sub-continent were faced with constitutional and other limitations-generally imposed generally on all non-Muslims. But the lower-caste Hindus within the broad cluster of religious Hindu minority suffered the most. Pakistan's attitude towards scheduled caste Hindus has long been a case of double standards coupled with denial. They are hit by double discrimination as non-Muslims in a Muslim majority country and Dalits within Hindu community. Since this discrimination is not officially recognized, therefore, there is no legislation against it. Journalist Asadullah Khan visits different cities of Sindh province to tell the story. (18:00)

India is home to thousands of Afghan refugees taking shelter in India. They had been fleeing their country since the late seventies following the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. More Afghans fled their country after the Taliban regime was established in the nineties fearing for their lives and more escaped to India after the war on terrorism. Most of these refugees are of Hindu and Sikh origin and many continue to struggle to survive in India. A large number of these Afghan refugees are appealing for Indian citizenship with the hope of living a better life. Our reporter Sibi Arasu met the refugees in New Delhi to cover the story (15:00)

More than three years have passed since the decade long armed conflict ended in the Himalayan nation, but the peace process is far from over. One of the biggest obstacles has been to complete the management of People's Liberation Army- the military outfit of the Maoists. Since 2006, thousands of Maoist combatants have been living in the seven main camps monitored by the UN. One of the contentious issues has been to release the 4,000 Maoist cadres who were disqualified as combatants following the UN verification. Among them, 3,000 were minors at the time of the verification in May 2006. It was only a month ago that the Maoists finally agreed to let them go. Naresh Newar from Panos Radio South Asia went to the Maoist cantonment in Sindhuli to cover the story. (15:00)

Weeks have passed since the historic climate conference ended in Copenhagen, and there is still a lot of analysis going on how it concluded with a very weak deal. Experts continue to point their fingers mostly at two countries - the United States and China. While both of these world's most powerful nations continue to defend that they did their best, everyone is saying that their best was not good enough. Panos Radio South Asia will take you on a journey of the conference in Copenhagen which started with full of hope and ended in total disappointment especially for the climate change vulnerable nations who left Copenhagen totally betrayed by the developed world and emerging economies. (15:00)

In late 2007, the hills of Darjeeling in India renewed their demand for a separate statehood of Gorkhaland with a movement led by Bimal Gurung under the banner of the Gorkha Janmukti Morcha or G-J-M-M. The demand for a separate homeland for the Nepali-speaking people of the region is over a century old, first articulated around 1907. Since then, the movement then led by Gorkha National Liberation Front or G-N-L-F turned widely violent in the 1980-ies and managed to earn a semi-autonomous administrative arrangement called the Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council or D-G-H-C within the West Bengal government of India. But the G-N-L-F later started loosing its support base with its leader being charged of compromising its demand for a separate statehood. Today, the political opposition in the hills is almost non existent and there is widespread support for the G-J-M-M with power base shifting from the G-N-L-F to Bimal Gurung's G-J-M-M. This is often being referred to by the current leadership as the “final battle for Gorkhaland". (15:00)

Pakistan is one of those countries, which make comparatively insignificant contribution to the causes of climate change but are extremely vulnerable to its effects. From coastal populations in the south to those relying on snow-fed rivers for agriculture in the north have become vulnerable communities. Agricultural productivity has been hit hard by the changes in land and water regimes. According to the officials, dry lands areas in arid and semi-arid regions are most vulnerable and affected agriculture productivity, putting the country's food security at risk. The country intends to develop efficient water management systems, create mass awareness campaign and change cropping patterns. However these measures need additional financial resources that are already scarce. Tragic part of the story is that the country's vulnerability to climate change is inflamed by apparent failures in governance, non-sustainable use of resources and ignorance. (15:00)

More than five months have passed since the Cyclone Aila struck Bangladesh affecting more than 3.4 million people in 15 coastal districts. It was a deadly scene with the tidal waves rising thirteen feet high, accompanied by heavy showers. In addition, the winds were blowing at 100 kilometers per hour. All of this gave anyone hardly a chance to move fast to escape. An estimated 200 people were dead and over 1,100 more who have gone missing. People lost their homes and all their sources of income and livelihood. More than 100,000 families in Khulna and Satkheera districts of Bangladesh are surviving with severe shortage of food and water. Most of the land is still submerged under the water. There is little chance of regaining their lands and rebuilding their homes. It seems quite impossible for the humanitarian situation to improve. Debobroto Chakraborty reports for Panos Radio South Asia from Bangladesh. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we will take you to India to report on the situation of territorial autonomous districts in the Northeast region of India, which has witnessed one of Asia's longest running civil wars. One of them was the Bodoland movement launched in 1987 by a group of youth from All Bodo Students Union. They were demanding for their own homeland for the Bodo speaking ethnic group and separate from the State of Assam. They created their political organization called Bodo People's Action Committee to spearhead the movement with the slogan "Divide Assam 50-50". In 1993, the Bodo leaders signed a Memorandum of Settlement and the Government of Assam constituting a 40-member Bodoland Autonomous Council. But dissatisfied with the council, the students launched another agitation denouncing the accord and demanding for a separate state. A new group Bodo Liberation Tigers, also known as BLT, was formed and launched their armed rebellion, which led to many acts of violence. A peace accord was finally signed in 2003 and led to the formation of autonomous Bodoland Territorial Areas District, now administered by the former members of BLT. The question is, however, will there be lasting peace in Bodoland as hoped? (15:00)

The clock is ticking for the world leaders to prepare for the much anticipated international conference on climate change in December at Copenhagen. The fifteenth conference of Parties, better known as COP 15, is hoping that the most powerful nations including developing countries like India will seal the deal to reduce the carbon emissions. A lot of international attention is right now on how India is preparing for the COP 15. India believes that the polluters should pay and that the developed nations have a responsibility to support sustainable development in developing countries. They should transfer financial resources and technology to help developing countries like India to carry out mitigation and adaptation measures and these should not be linked to any conditions at all. In this edition of Panoscope, we will take you to India to find out how the country is preparing itself for the COP15. (15:00)

The climate has changed but have we? That's always the big question. Almost every day, we are in touch with news about glaciers melting, mountains endangered, sea levels rising, floods and disasters. But have these consequences of climate change affected us seriously? Do we still continue to do things the old way? Environment experts say that changing human attitude is one of the biggest challenges to saving this earth. (15:00)

In this edition, we will focus on the issue of equality in the British Army between its loyal Gurkhas and the English soldiers. For nearly 200 years, the Nepali men have been serving in the British Army to which they have remained so fiercely loyal and have sacrificed their lives side-by-side their British comrades in the battlefields from the First and Second World Wars, and most recently in Afghanistan and Iraq. But now, the loyal British Gurkhas are forced to fight an old battle: a fight against injustice done to them by the British government. They are struggling to end the utterly discriminatory policy of the British in relation to benefits. Although they did the same soldiers' job, they got so little pay and pension as compared to their British counterparts. (15:00)

In this edition, we will take you to India, to focus on what role has its vibrant media been playing in addressing the country's most pressing issue - extreme poverty. Once touted as the watchdog of the poor, the Indian media seems to be more concerned with reflecting the lifestyle of the wealthy city dwellers in their coverage. While, hunger and poverty increase in rural areas, they hardly ever make a prominent appearance in the media coverage. With over 400 million Indians living with less than a dollar a day, does the Indian media reflect the issues that are of concern to them? (15:00)

In this edition, we continue to follow our account of the Pakistan Army's military offensive against Taliban militants in the scenic valley of Swat in the North West Frontier Province or NWFP of Pakistan. At the same time, the US drones continue prowling the sky over South Waziristan. The ongoing conflict is expected to cause more displacement on top of the 2.5 million uprooted by fighting in the country's northwest region since last year. The United Nations is drawing up plans to help, but its workers have no access to the part of NWFP, where the displaced are likely to arrive because of security concerns. (15:00)

In this edition, we are in Pakistan's capital, Islamabad, to look into the ongoing conflict in Swat, in the North West Frontier Province or NWFP of Pakistan, where thousands of civilian population has fled after the government launched a military offensive, dubbed Operation Rah-e-Rast or the True Path, against Taliban militants in the entire Malakand division including Swat of NWFP. The current conflict was fueled by the US led war on terror with the invasion of Afghanistan in 2001. (15:00)

Nearly 19 years have passed since the Bhutanese refugees have been living in the bamboo camps in Nepal. A whole new generation was born right here in the camps. As the population grows and gets older, there seems very little hope of the Bhutanese refugees being repatriated back to their homes. The UN with support of International Organization for Migration, IOM, and the western countries, especially the US, Canada, Australia and four other European countries have started a resettlement process to help refugees choose to live anywhere they want in those countries. But as thousands of them leave the camp, we wonder what kind of future holds for them? (15:00)

In this edition, we take you to Tamil Nadu in South India where we explored why the state's environment regulatory authority, the Tamil Nadu Pollution Control Board or TNPCB, has not been able to shut down thousands of industries that has been seriously defying pollution standard rules. All of the industries are located in and around the state's capital, Chennai. (15:00)

In this edition, we are in Dhaka, Bangladesh where a sudden rise in the operation of community radio stations is expected after the government, for the first time, came up with a progressive and pro-radio broadcasting law in March 2008 that allows ownership of such radio stations to the local community. Bangladesh is the second country after Nepal, among South Asian countries, to make such a move. So far, 116 community radio stations are waiting their final go ahead to be on air. (15:00)

In this edition, we listen to the life and times of Burmese refugees in New Delhi, India who were forced to leave their homeland after the military crackdown on pro-democracy movement since August 1988. Burma, now also known as Myanmar, is currently under a military regime and the political and armed conflict between different ethnic groups and the military junta has resulted in the displacement of over 3.5 million of its people. (15:00)

In this edition, we will take you to Pakistan to report on the increasing hardship among the local population due to the worsening poverty situation in the country. Even the urban areas have been hit hard by soaring inflation, scarce jobs and governments lack of effective initiative to deal with urban poverty. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we take you to Nepal where it is becoming increasingly dangerous for local journalists as they now have to spend most of their time worrying about how to protect themselves due to rising impunity on crimes against them. Their attackers are not just politically affiliated groups. They also include the street mobs, criminal gangs, civilians involved in organising road blockades. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we take you to Pakistan where its Senate, the Upper House of the Parliament, was shocked to learn that army helicopters were being used to facilitate wildlife hunting by foreigners, under diplomatic cover. Ironically, it was the use of army choppers that fuelled the shock; there has never been any uproar over wildlife hunting. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we take you to Indian administered Kashmir where trade relations between the divided parts of Jammu & Kashmir have resumed after a six decade gap. Trade relations were disrupted immediately after the partition in 1947, following the end of British rule. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we listen to Nepali migrant workers and a family member share their experience of working overseas. This Panoscope is also part of Radio 1812, as Panos Radio South Asia joins hands with radio stations worldwide and celebrates International Migrants Day on the 18th of December. You can also tune into this episode on www.radio1812.net. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we take you to Jammu and Kashmir where industrialists, local politicians and civil society have expressed huge resentment against the Indus Water Treaty signed between India and Pakistan under the observation of the World Bank. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we are in Bagh, 200 kilometers from Pakistans capital Islamabad to follow the rehabilitation work after the devastating October 2005 earthquake. Three long years have passed; but the people affected are still a shaken lot. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we are in India where many state governments have already started industrialized farming of Jatropha, a source of biofuel and have formulated individual state policies as well. However, the terms under which the government declares a tract of land as 'wasteland' and allocates it for the cultivation of Jatropha has become the subject of a huge debate. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we are in Pakistan where Muslim workers in a leather factory fatally beat up a Hindu co-worker for alleged derogatory remarks about the Prophet of Islam. This incident was another casualty on the national media. Except for a few newspapers, media completely ignored or underplayed it. Human rights campaigners believe that this kind of vigilante gets steam from discriminatory laws relating to blasphemy and the resultant intolerance in society. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we are in Nepal, listening to the lives and times of "positive" people, those living with H-I-V and AIDS. The first case of HIV/AIDS was reported in Nepal in 1988. Since then, the country has seen a sharp rise in numbers moving Nepal from being a low-prevalence country to one battling a concentrated epidemic. UNAIDS estimates that Nepal has around 70,000 "positive" people as of December 2007. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Pakistan's only developed port city, Karachi. In an arbitrary move, the government has allocated huge parts of the city's coastal areas and islands to U.A.E based companies for mega city projects. Over a dozen civil society organizations are fighting the move fearing the repercussions including detrimental effects to the environment. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Pakistan's commercial capital Karachi which is also the melting pot of about 16 million dwellers and is politically known for one ethnic community: the Urdu speaking migrants originally hailing from different Indian states. This section of population is essentially the migrants of not just the 1947 partition of the sub-continent but the 1971 creation of Bangladesh as well. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Tamil Nadu, India where the government has announced plans to set up an exclusive vaccine park in the South Indian state with public-private partnership. The plant is slated to become operational by 2011; the vaccine requirement till then is to be procured from private players. This move towards privatisation may signal the onset of a public health crisis steered by profit-hungry MNCs. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to meet Nepali migrant workers working at a McDonald's outlet. Unlike most migrant workers who arrive here with no jobs or are given difficult jobs in palm plantations, the workers at McDonald's are relatively better off. But they still feel cheated, mostly by agents who brought them to this Southeast Asian country promising them a job at an "American restaurant" and an "American salary". (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to India where the government is all set to invest Rs. 363 crores to promote organic farming in 23 states across the country. Plans are afoot to set up organic food parks and to streamline the agro-infrastructure with modern facilities. But it's too early to predict if the new initiative will tempt marginal farmers to switch to organic. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we travel 254 kilometers southeast from Colombo, Sri Lanka to Bibile in Moneragala District of the Uva Province where the government is promoting a controversial Bibile Sugar Project amid massive protests to take away fertile and protected land, some of which falls under reserve forest area. The government has already decided to transfer 65,000 acres of land to the British firm Booker Tate to cultivate sugarcane and run a sugar factory there. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we discuss the final draft of an HIV/AIDS Bill that is waiting to be cleared by the Indian Parliament. India is home to 2.5 million people affected by HIV/AIDS; this includes nearly 80,000 children below the age of 14, according to the National Aids Control Organisation's figures at the end of 2005. The new legislation is likely to give some respite to thousands of "positive" people, who have lost jobs, been thrown out of homes and refused treatment at hospitals. Their only crime: they are HIV positive. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we examine the politics and science of relocating the petrochemical industry hub, originally proposed for Nandigram, to the Nayachar Island in the Hooghly River. The state government in West Bengal had burnt its fingers badly in trying to forcibly acquire land in Nandigram. The uninhabited island, Nayachar must have seemed the safest alternative for the red-in-the-face Left government. This story is but one example of the desperation of state governments across the political spectrum to lure foreign capital at any cost. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we focus on the escalating attacks on media houses and journalists in Sri Lanka. Intimidation of journalists is not new in Sri Lanka. But current trends are alarming. Journalists disappear without a trace. They are often arrested without charges, abducted or found dead. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope we go to Phulbari, a small hamlet in north Bangladesh where, for the past several years, local residents have been resisting a coal-mining project that threatens to displace thousands of people. The controversy revolves around a clandestine deal between the erstwhile Bangladesh government and a British coal company called Asia Energy. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to India, to track a retail boom, brought upon by its accelerated economic growth and consumerism. The entry of multinational brands has lent color and choice to the consumer, no doubt...! But the grim reality of displacing millions of small, unorganized voiceless vendors and shopkeepers looms large... (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Pakistan where the Polio eradication campaign has been on since 1994. Despite political uncertainty and frequent change in governments, this campaign has remained on track, with the country having immunization rounds against Polio, every six weeks... but, its children are still getting infected by the crippling virus. (15:00)

In this edition of Panoscope, we go to Pakistan's capital, Islamabad where the army surrounded the Lal Masjid or the Red Mosque for over a week in July and eventually launched "Operation Silence" to crush the pro-Taliban militants holed up inside the mosque and seminary complex for months. The army claims they killed 75 people... but the number of parents searching for their children, who were all students, make the numbers seem heavily underplayed. (15:00)