Askari Raza Malik

It was going to be a historic decision but it turned out to be a disappointment. The majority could not break away from its tradition of being timid, lame, and uninspiring. Though all honourable judges of the Supreme Court of Pakistan were convinced that the nation had been cheated by its current rulers, but they […]

Absolute power corrupts absolutely. It might have become a fancy idiom in other societies, but in Pakistan, we are forced to swallow its bitter truth and live with it. Our democratic force is composed of such knights who are the architects, custodians and champions of our democracy. They are also known as the electable. Zardaris […]

“Welcome to America, but what are you doing in a Muslim country?” He must have been as usual amused. Colonel (r) Anil Madan is a Christian from an illustrious family of Lahore. He was visiting the US. Anil was known for his truthfulness. His Commanding Officer, Colonel Dilawar Bangesh, called him the best Muslim young […]

Taimur Hassan, the famous Pakistan golf champion, was once visiting General Zahid Ali Akbar, the president of Pakistan Golf Association. Taimur, nicknamed Timmy, has been a brazenly blunt person. As the general was giving his plan of bringing some significant changes in Rawalpindi golf course, Timmy was visibly amused. He volunteered to suggest an operational […]

My grandfather had joined the Khilafat Movement. He lost his job, his property and the laurels won by his father by courtesy of the British bosses. Worst of all, he had boycotted the British school system ruining the careers of his seven sons of no mean abilities. Since grandpa is always right, no one ever […]

In Toronto, this Pakistani-Kenyan-Canadian lady said, “It is not only the fruit. We also pay for our sweet memories.” Pakistani mangoes are always scarce. If you love mangoes as most Pakistanis do, you must book them in advance. You are ear-to-ear grinning if you could grab the last packet of nan khatai. The shelf is […]

Democracy is the only system of government that progressively promotes justice. If practised long enough it ultimately holds the promise of a just, civilised and virtuous society. Stability and progress are its natural outcome. The pursuit of such lofty ideals demands perseverance and single-mindedness. In short, the answer to present bad democracy is “more democracy.” […]

National policy: The mother source of national policy is the national purpose, a nation’s dream, a cherished aspiration or its ideals. The most talked about is the American dream. At home it has been Jinnah’s dream of Pakistan. An utter contortion and mutilation of Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s dream remains to be the major cause of […]

The media in Pakistan is as free as any in the world and in certain ways perhaps even more. Media persons of all hues have safely trod ground that might still be ‘no go areas’ for other emerging media. The credit belongs to both those who have the courage to speak and those who have […]

Ever since the martyrdom of Liaquat Ali Khan, civil-military relations in Pakistan have vacillated from one end of the spectrum to the other, the extremes of love and hate. If Hussain Haqqani’s case hit us like a bolt from the blue, the Zardari-Kayani eager embrace that followed was even more intriguing. This unnatural behaviour is […]