Imran Khan and the decline of Muslim civilisation on June 28, 2016Imran Khan says that we have to bring madrassah children into the mainstream. Agreed! The solution is to fund education in schools, not a madrassah whose leader proudly proclaim to be the “Father of the Taliban”. In madrassah a system called Taqlid is encouraged. Taqlid means that we must accept and follow the authority of […]
Quantum Mechanics and Determinism on June 14, 2016Last week, I wrote an article titled “A short history of determinism”. In the article I argued that the universe was a determined entity. That is, an effect is always preceded by a connected cause. This assertion was inevitably challenged by questions about quantum mechanics. There are many aspects of quantum mechanics and the uncertainty […]
A Short History on Indeterminism on June 10, 2016One of the great debates in this history of philosophy (eventually evolving into science and social science) has been between determinism and indeterminism. Determinists argued that all other things being equal, a given cause will inevitably lead to a determined effect. Whereas, indeterminists argued that there is no necessary connection between cause and effect. The […]
A journey into the heart of the Rainbow Nation on December 6, 2014Recently, I was invited to attend a conference organised by CIVICUS of civil society representatives from over 100 countries in Johannesburg, South Africa. Having heard so much and read so much about South Africa, having been inspired all those years by the struggles against apartheid, having always had the presence of Nelson Mandela (in the […]
Democracy and dictatorship on October 18, 2014I must confess that I remain befuddled both at how a wide strata of people can continue supporting the Pakistani Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) after the incredibly damning confessions of Javed Hashmi came to light during the dharna (sit-in), and also at how Javed Hashmi did not win wide levels of support even after he took such […]
Malala, the west and Islamic history on October 11, 2014Let me confess right at the outset of this article that I am a huge Malala fan. For me, personally, she (not Imran Khan) is the harbinger of a new Pakistan. This is because she has had the courage to not only question and challenge those who were driving us back into the dark ages […]
Workers movements: the bedrock of democracy on October 1, 2014Since the inception of this country, and only with very brief exceptional periods, a blatant class biased approach, one that is thoroughly anti-trade union and anti-working class, pervades our society. Trade unions are considered by the Pakistani ruling class as being worse than corrupt politicians or mafia bosses. One often hears, even amongst the most […]
New Pakistan, Maryam Nawaz and her maid on September 21, 2014I have always wondered what the English phrase “delusions of grandeur” meant. But if Imran Khan and his supporters can be credited with one thing it is that they have demonstrated this phrase to all of Pakistan. It seems that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) supporters are suffering from such incredible delusions of grandeur that they are […]
Identifying the murders of Shias or other minorities on January 26, 2014Some friends ask us why it is important for you to emphasise the religious community of the minority communities that are attacked by terrorists. For instance, why do you write 10 Shias were killed, 12 Christians were murdered, 15 Ahmedis died and so on? However, on other occasions, you write 20 Pakistanis were killed. It […]
Youth, in the age of extremes on December 10, 2013“If the young commit a fault it is always on the side of excess and exaggeration” — Aristotle. Aristotle once said that youth is the age of extremes. He meant that the lack of knowledge and experience of the young predisposes them to blind faith and utter dedication to one opinion at the expense of […]