A new Pakistan on April 21, 2016With the coming elections, a new hope is blossoming throughout Pakistan. The new entrants queuing up for tickets are increasingly aggressive in their behaviour towards the incumbents. In some cases blows have been exchanged, and been broadcast by the ever present TV hounds. It does make for good entertainment, certainly better than the Indian soaps […]
All thanks to the Saudis on April 16, 2015The Saudi government passed a law approximately eight years ago, in June 2006, forbidding the issuance of an umrah visa to any Pakistani male under the age of 40. This law discriminates against Pakistanis as it is specific only to Pakistanis. I wrote a piece on this at that time as well. I stated that […]
Perception is everything on March 25, 2015The present situation in Karachi is the culmination of many, many years of misgovernance under persons elected to govern but who turned to criminal activities. Among their main pursuits were extortion, kidnapping and even murder, all backed with political muscle. So, when the Saulat Mirza televised confession appeared one was shocked, but the facts were […]
The mighty nuclear state on March 7, 2014The Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan’s (TTP’s) latest position seems to be bringing the ‘mighty nuclear state’ of Pakistan to its knees. We are seeing (table) talk with the rebels who have successfully infiltrated not just the Margalla hills of Islamabad but the federal cabinet itself. It is now becoming clear that the befuddled prime minister has not […]
Glass houses on November 30, 2013Political parties are painting themselves into a no-exit situation by pressing for a trial of the retired General Musharraf under Article 6, which enjoins a trial for violation of the constitution. This is indeed a very good start to a clean up of the corruption that has eaten away at this country’s character, and should […]