After dithering for a year, the government has gathered the courage to endorse the all out military operation against various groups of local and foreign jihadis headquartered in North Waziristan. Most political parties supported the operation as did public opinion. Only a few apologists of the militants accepted it reluctantly with ‘ifs’ and ‘buts’. The […]
Secularism and conflict management in Pakistan
The debate between hardliner Islamists and secular forces is as old as this 66-year-old country. In between are the centrists and the military that have all along followed the policy of appeasing the Islamists to rule the country. Why do they appease the Islamists who have a limited constituency but greater nuisance street power and […]
Living on foolish conspiracy theories galore
People in Pakistan have been nurtured on conspiracy theories, so much so that the thinking and circulating of such bizarre conspiracies has become a national pastime. For decades, we have been told by our establishment that ‘Yahud and Hanud’ (the Jews and Hindus) are conspiring against the Islamic state of Pakistan and are responsible for […]
They are killing freedom of expression!
Evolving democracies like Pakistan have sharper contradictions between major power institutions. As it is a young democracy, the struggle between different power centres is noisy and dirty. At the same time, it is worrying for all democrats because democracy has been killed in its infancy many a time by military dictators. The present strain in […]
The existential threat from terrorists
The most probable emerging scenario is that former president Pervez Musharraf flies out of the country this week while one of his ardent critics, Hamid Mir, recuperates from the cowardly attack to kill him in Karachi last Saturday. Was Hamid Mir’s trip to Karachi in this regard, only he can tell. However, informed legal experts […]
Should the media amplify terrorist messages?
Ugly, bloody, complex and intriguing issues are racing around in Pakistan, each grabbing the attention of the media. For personal reasons, the issue most bothering me is the threat to journalists by terrorist groups. These are not empty threats; Pakistan last year was declared one of the most dangerous countries for journalists. This year, there […]
Rationalism is alien to our papacy
Like an astute trade union, recently the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) fired at their favourite target — women. Mark the timing. They are asserting pressure on the government while their militant flank — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — is demanding the imposition of sharia at the point of a gun. The CII moved to […]
Rationalism is alien to our papacy
Like an astute trade union, recently the Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) fired at their favourite target — women. Mark the timing. They are asserting pressure on the government while their militant flank — the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) — is demanding the imposition of sharia at the point of a gun. The CII moved to […]
Pakistan cannot be Talibanised
There is too much talk about talks between the dithering government and perfidious Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The whole nation is watching the developments anxiously as it matters in their day-to-day lives and their safety. Meanwhile, the divide between Pakistanis who are pro-talks and pro-military operation is widening every day. Even the ruling party is either […]
Praying for the law of the jungle
“Suna hai janglon ka bhi koi dastoor hota hai Suna hai sher ka jab pait bhar jaye To woh hamla nahee karta Darakhton ki ghani chhaon mein ja kar lait jata hai Hawa kay taiz jhonke jab darakhton ko hilate hain To maina apne bache chhor kar Kawway kay andon ko paron mein tham leti […]