Andleeb Abbas

Last winter it was Peshawar, this winter it is Paris. Last winter it was innocent school children, this winter it was the innocent public out for entertainment. Last winter it was intelligence failure in a country that is blamed for not doing enough against terrorism, this winter it was political failure for a country whose […]

The Arab Spring was a movement towards open economy and capitalistic reforms. The Western spring was a movement towards less capitalistic and more socialistic government. These are not conclusions but debates that have been fiercely fought out between various schools of thought. People across the world are more global in their knowledge and awareness. The […]

In the end, the Chief Justice (CJ) had to protest against the injustice. CJ Anwar Zaheer Jamali has taken suo motu on Mustafa Kanju’s smooth exit from the confessed murder of 15-year-old Zain. The Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) acquitted a murderer who had admitted to the crime on the grounds of lack of evidence. This murder […]

Imagine that a country’s foreign policy depends on allowing the hunting of the houbara bustard. Most people would say it is a typo error or slip of tongue. Most people would say it is a parody show of the sitcom variety. Most people would say it is just somebody who has become tipsy after a […]

If we fail to plan, we plan to fail — a statement obviously not taken very seriously as far as planning for the future of this country is concerned. With leaders who are supposed to be planning for 200 million people and who constantly talk about their experienced team, stating that the planning commission should […]

The Saudis are not happy with us. This is the second time in six months that Pakistan has dared to be disloyal to the royals. First it was the parliament of Pakistan insisting that, as a country, we should not support Saudi Arabia in its design to attack Yemen rebels and now it is our […]

The ex-president says democracy is at stake. The present Prime Minister (PM) says his job is at stake. MQM leaders say the “authorities” are trying to reduce their stakes in Karachi. Is this just rhetoric? Is this just political point scoring? Is this just perception? Is this a new narrative in the making? Or is […]

A fish starts rotting from the head — an undeniable truth that is being shamelessly falsified by unfolding events in the country. It seems uncomfortable to state, but state we must, that all the president’s men are the president’s men and thus are just doing what the president ordains. You may catch all the lower […]

When do you know every wrong has become right? When do you know being wrong is a quality that inspires people to do more of it? When do you know that being right is considered silly and impractical? It is when con artists, liars, defaulters and lawbreakers become role models. The very fact that Ayyan […]

Pakistan’s birth is a matter of great pride and gratitude for every Pakistani. August 14 signifies a day when this country revives its resolve to be the country its founding fathers envisioned. This year the festivity with which the day was celebrated all across the country was a moment of great satisfaction, as it was […]