Imran Khan: from buzz to power on August 22, 2018A few years ago, in this paper I had explored the buzz of Imran Khan’s politics. The history of the country can be written in shorthand with the help of a few buzz words. From ‘Islamisation’ to ‘Ehtesab’ we have seen different rulers justifying their actions; whether legitimate or otherwise. Being a sceptic about the […]
Of Kaptaan, Gulalai and Jimmy Saville on August 9, 2017I must confess that my first reaction after watching the live press conference of Ayesha Gulalai (AG) was that she might be spicing up her story by adding charges of inappropriate sexting on the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) chief Imran Khan. In a counter press conference by the PTI spokesperson not only indecent remarks were made […]
From Godfather to bookkeeping on August 2, 2017If using a quote from a fictional novel to construct an argument to oust a duly elected Prime Minister of Pakistan was not enough to surprise the legal fraternity, the use of a book keeping term to send the Prime Minister and his cabinet packing has certainly made the recent Supreme Court (SC) verdict a […]
Playing havoc with the Civil Service on April 3, 2017The recent controversy over promotions of senior members of bureaucracy and the verdict of the Supreme Court have once again rekindled concerns over good governance and the rule of law in the decision making process of government. As the present PML(N) government and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) have always accused their arch rival PPP of bad […]
Sovereignty puzzle in Pakistan on July 15, 2016Last year millions of Pakistanis saw on their TV screens merciless beating of a police officer, and ransacking of PTV building in broad daylight. The two most conspicuous icons of the state were publicly humiliated. More deplorable was the fact that the miscreants got away with their display of mocking the state. And one year […]
Chabahar another game changer? on June 10, 2016Pictures can, at times, say more clearly what verbose writings and lectures fail to deliver. A photograph showing the presidents of Iran and Afghanistan, and the prime minister of India joining hands as a show of unity is a potent commentary over the changing dynamics of the South Asian region. If the shared smiles of […]
Reintroducing Sir Syed and his thought on April 15, 2016We are in the habit of associating rationalism with western thinkers, even though our own history is also full of shining examples of rationalist thinking. With the mushrooming of religious programmes on TV channels, we are fed with regurgitated sermons on matters of faith round the clock. It, therefore, has become even more important to […]
The ordinary is extraordinary on April 15, 2016Self-indulgence has attained the status ofan art as social media has become an integral part of our daily life. We often get inundated with a deluge of selfies and boastful status posts of friends and relatives, some of whom make a running commentary on their daily routine from dawn to dusk. Someone who uses social […]
Blasphemy law and fundamental rights II on April 14, 2016In the previous part published last week, the premise of this analysis was developed. It was shown that the original chapter 15 of the Pakistan Penal Code dated back to the Indian Penal Code of 1860 and was non-discriminatory towards the religious sensitivities of all communities that lived in Pakistan. The Fundamental Rights in our […]
Blasphemy law and fundamental rights I on April 14, 2016When a tree in a jungle is ablaze, no bird in the nearby trees sleeps complacently. But we have developed an uncanny ability of underestimating the nature of an impending trouble, be it a natural calamity or a storm created by our own national folly. Our inaction over blasphemy laws is one such example. In […]