News Broadcasting
BBC Urdu’s new series to examine US post 9/11
LONDON: BBC Urdu is launching a 10-part weekly series Uncle Sam ka Des (The Land of Uncle Sam) starting on 10 August 2003. The main focus of the series is to take a closer look at how the United States has changed in the two years since 9/11.
The show looks at how Pakistani immigrants from rich professionals in Houston to struggling taxi drivers of New York – feel about their adopted country and how they are coping with the new realities.
The series looks at the US’ history with special reference to native Americans, issues of race and poverty and the apparent growing influence of religion in American society. Interviews for the series were conducted over a three week period in June 2003 in Boston, New York, Washington DC, Phoenix and Houston.
Most of the Pakistanis interviewed said they had been investigated by the FBI at some point. Physicist and former consultant at NASA’s Johnson Space Center Dr Bashir Ahmed Saeed said, “They showed up at my office one day and asked questions for 90 minutes on nuclear technology and my views on Al-Qaeda.” Interestingly he is a green card holder and has been living in the US for over 30 years.
Therefore it is not surprising to note that many economic migrants, living mostly in the New York area, complained of worse treatment. One of them claims that earlier this year, FBI agents broke into the houses of a number of suspected illegal immigrants.
In the series it also comes out that thousands of people were detained and then denied access to their lawyers. Many have either been deported or had to be released after months of unlawful detention because the authorities could not find anything against them.
Pakistan’s Honorary Counsel General in Boston for 27 years Barry Hoffman noted that, “America has always been a country of immigrants who came here for freedom, liberty and a better future,” remarked Barry Hoffman. But the way present administration has targeted a particular group of immigrants in the name of homeland security, that’s going too far. It’s un-American!”
Responding to allegations of an anti-Muslim bias, US officials point out that those who carried out the 9/11 attacks did slip through the immigration network, came from a particular region and claimed to be acting in the name of a particular religion.
News Broadcasting
Induction cooktop demand spikes 30× amid LPG supply concerns
Supply worries linked to West Asia tensions push households and restaurants to turn to electric cooking alternatives
MUMBAI: As geopolitical tensions in West Asia ripple through global energy supply chains, the familiar blue flame in Indian kitchens is facing an unexpected challenger: electricity.
What began as concerns over the availability of liquefied petroleum gas (LPG) has quickly evolved into a technology-driven shift in cooking habits. Households across India are increasingly turning to induction cooktops and other electric appliances, initially as a backup but now, for many, a necessity.
A sudden surge in demand
Recent data from quick-commerce and grocery platform BigBasket highlights the scale of the shift. According to Seshu Kumar Tirumala, the company’s chief buying and merchandising officer, demand for induction cooktops has risen dramatically.
“Induction cooktops have seen a significant surge in demand, recording a fivefold jump on 10 March and a thirtyfold spike on 11 March,” Tirumala said.
The increase stands out sharply when compared with broader kitchen appliance trends. Most appliance categories are growing within 10 per cent of their typical demand levels, while induction cooktops have witnessed explosive growth as households rush to secure an alternative cooking option.
Major e-commerce platforms including Amazon and Flipkart have reported rising searches and orders for induction stoves. Quick-commerce apps such as Blinkit and Zepto have also witnessed stock shortages in major metropolitan areas including Delhi, Mumbai and Bengaluru.
What was once considered a convenient appliance for hostels, small kitchens or occasional use has suddenly become an essential addition in many homes.
A crisis thousands of miles away
The trigger for this shift lies far beyond India’s kitchens.
Escalating conflict in the Middle East has disrupted shipping routes through the Strait of Hormuz, one of the world’s most critical energy corridors. Nearly 85 to 90 per cent of India’s LPG imports pass through this narrow waterway, making the country particularly vulnerable to supply disruptions.
The ripple effects have been swift.
India currently meets roughly 60 per cent of its LPG demand through imports, and tightening global supply has already begun to affect domestic availability and prices.
Earlier this month, the price of domestic LPG cylinders increased by Rs 60, while commercial cylinders rose by more than Rs 114.
To discourage panic buying and hoarding, the government has also extended the mandatory waiting period between domestic refill bookings from 21 days to 25 days.
Restaurants feel the pressure
The strain is not limited to households. Restaurants, hotels and roadside eateries are also grappling with supply constraints as commercial LPG availability tightens under restrictions imposed through the Essential Commodities Act.
In cities such as Bengaluru and Chennai, restaurant associations report that commercial LPG availability has dropped by as much as 75 per cent, forcing many establishments to rethink their kitchen operations.
Some restaurants have reduced menu offerings, while others are rapidly installing high-efficiency induction systems, creating hybrid kitchens where electricity now shares the workload with gas.
For smaller eateries and roadside dhabas, the shift is less about sustainability and more about survival.
A potential structural shift
The government has maintained that there is no nationwide LPG crisis and has directed refineries to increase production to stabilise supply.
Nevertheless, the developments of March 2026 may already be triggering a longer-term behavioural shift.
For decades, LPG has been the backbone of cooking in Indian households. However, recent disruptions have highlighted the risks of relying on a single fuel source.
Increasingly, households appear to be hedging against uncertainty by adopting electric cooking options to guard against price volatility and delivery delays.
If the current trend continues, the induction cooktop, once viewed as a niche appliance, could emerge as a quiet symbol of India’s evolving kitchen economy.
