Gogi, the heroine created by Pakistan's first female cartoonist

Pakistan's first female professional cartoonist, Nigar Nazar, nearly ended up becoming a doctor.

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

Image captionGogi, with her signature polka dot outfits, is beloved by many in Pakistan

"In college I was studying to become a doctor, but I was constantly doodling in the margins of my medical books," she says.

"Shortly afterwards I decided to take a U-turn and managed to persuade my parents to let me take fine arts."

The decision paid off.

The star of Nazar's comics, Gogi, is a progressive, educated Pakistani woman who wears polka-dotted dresses - and is loved by thousands around the world.

One of her favourite cartoons explores how many in Pakistan prefer having sons to daughters.

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

"In our country a girl's birth isn't celebrated very much and I really hate that," Nazar says.

She focuses on social issues and contradictions in society, saying: "I get inspiration from things that happen around me."

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

The Gogi comics have messages about women's education and the environment - but also depict the humorous side of everyday life in Pakistan.

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

Nazar says she began reading comic books as a child in the US: "It really began when my father was on a posting in Washington.

"When we returned to Pakistan, unable to find any local comic books, I stuck to the comics I used to read in the US and frequented the local bookshop to borrow, exchange or buy comics."

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

Image captionNigar Nazar's comics frequently explore the need for women's education

After she dropped her pre-medical degree to pursue her love of drawing, she won a scholarship for art.

However, she says: "It was a struggle because there was no training offered in comic art.

"I joined an art institute but I had no formal classes, I was just told to draw a cartoon everyday."

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

"I borrowed some 'teach yourself' books on cartooning and while that kept me going for some months, the real work began when I got a job with a daily newspaper."

Although Gogi is beloved by many in Pakistan, Nazar says her strip is not often published in local newspapers because comics about social issues are "not as popular as political cartoons".

"I've tried to turn my attention to social media now, and instead of newspapers, I've made awareness raising comic books," she says.

"I've made 14 comic books on a range of issues like extremism and corruption, girls' education and women's rights."

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

Pakistan ranks 147 out of 180 countries for press freedom, according to the Reporters Without Borders index.

Nazar admits that she sometimes has to self-censor: "In a way there's a lot of freedom of speech in Pakistan but it's only limited to certain topics that don't address some of the more real issues that affect people.

"Tolerating freedom of speech will only happen in it's truest sense when people's mindsets also change."

However, she also believes that comics offer a unique way for people to express themselves.

Image copyrightNigar Nazar

"I stay away from religion-related topics but it's not like I haven't addressed any taboos at all," she says.

"In some cases I've used quotations from the Holy Koran and got approval from clergies to support my cartoons on education as a basic right for girls and anti-sexual harassment cartoons."

"I think you can get away with saying a lot through cartoons that you can't say in any other way."

John Ridsdel: Hostage from Canada killed in Philippines

A Canadian man held captive by Islamist militants for months in the Philippines has been killed.
• m the section

Image copyrightReuters

Image captionA man who identified himself as John Ridsdel has appeared in video messages released by the Islamists

John Ridsdel, 68, was taken from a tourist resort along with three others by the Abu Sayyaf group in September last year.

Confirming the death, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau called it "an act of coldblooded murder".

On Monday a severed head was found on a remote Philippine island, hours after an Abu Sayyaf ransom deadline expired.

The Philippine army has not confirmed if it belonged to one of the captives.

• Islamic State threat in Southeast Asia

Mr Ridsdel was kidnapped from a marina near the city of Davao along with another Canadian, Robert Hall; a Norwegian, Kjartan Sekkingstad; and a Philippine woman, Mr Hall's girlfriend, Marites Flor.

They were taken 500km (300 miles) to the island of Jolo. Abu Sayyaf released a video of the group in November, demanding $80m (£55m) for their release.

Mr Ridsdel later warned that he was due to be killed if no ransom was paid.

Several hours after the deadline, a severed head was found in a street on Jolo. The Philippine authorities said it belonged to a foreign man but it has not yet been formally identified.

Former mining executive

"It's hard," a friend of Mr Ridsdel, Bob Rae, told CBC News. "It's just very hard. I've been involved behind the scenes for the last six months trying to find a solution and it's been very painful."

A former mining executive, Mr Ridsdel is described by Canadian media as semi-retired.

He also worked as a journalist.

Offering his condolences, Mr Trudeau gave few details, saying he would not compromise the safety of the other captives.

Abu Sayyaf was set up in the 1990s with funding from al-Qaeda, and is fighting for an independent Islamic province in the Philippines.

One of its commanders recently pledged allegiance to so-called Islamic State. The group is also holding several other foreigners.

Eighteen Philippine soldiers were killed in clashes with the militants on Basilan island near Jolo island earlier this month.