Delimitation Conundrum on October 5, 2023With the country officially entering into the election season, heated newsrooms and social media warriors have added yet another heated buzzword to its arsenal: delimitation. While a press that stands tall in its resolute to hold the feet of the entire state machinery to the fire should be appreciated as mindful of its role as […]
Chaos and Confusion on September 17, 2023There is certainly more to the delay in announcing the schedule of the next round of general elections. Routinely hounded for not giving any hint as to when and how the democratic process would be allowed to continue, interim prime minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar noted on Friday how his administration had nothing to do whatsoever […]
Afghan coal taxes throw wrench in industrial plans for Pakistan on September 1, 2023Despite a slight reduction in the “royalty tariff” on each tonne of coal exported to Pakistan, as reported by Afganistan’s Ministry of Mines and Petroleum in a statement last week, business interest in coal appears to have cooled down. In a series of conversations, the Daily Times has learned how taxes as high as double […]
Pakistan First on August 23, 2023What a strange coincidence! On the heels of a controversial onslaught of profanities against the state and its institutions, another enemy of Pakistan steps in the open with full galore; spilling innocent blood and spreading chaos all over. The nexus between two seemingly unrelated entities, a benign political movement and a ruthless terrorist network, is […]
Tumultuous Times on August 21, 2023There’s a lot that needs to be understood in the signing of the Official Secrets Act. Those who may not believe in it or call it the latest onslaught on fundamental freedoms would not be alone. For as long as one can remember, those living under the flags of the free world have been complaining […]
Jinnah’s Pakistan, Our Pakistan on August 14, 2023This year, as Pakistan completes its 76th year as an independent state, flickering flashbacks of the splendour and colour of 1947 at the birth of the fifth-largest dominion with 70 million inhabitants make the entire setting almost surrealistic. The painful circumstances of partition dance to a morbid tune in the background whenever there’s mention of […]
Sikhs in Canada: A Tale Spread Over Centuries on August 5, 2023It is as if the history of highly humane Canadian conscience is repeating its noble act after more than two centuries. Members of the Sikh community, oppressed terrorized and tormented in the Indian-held Punjab, are finding solace and freedom to live and express their grievances and speak out their political aspirations in Canada just as […]
Pakistan’s Chai Wala in London, now on July 22, 2023From an ordinary run-of-the-mill tea stall in Sunday Bazaar to London’s Illford Lane, Arshad Khan, most affectionately known as Pakistan’s chaiwala has had a spectacular roller coaster ride in the last several years. Just seven years ago, Arshad Khan was a poor teenager selling Chai at an Islamabad roadside stall (Dhabba) with no prospects of […]
Londoners’ love for ‘Cha Sha’ on July 5, 2023Take a break and recharge yourself with the perfect blend of English and South Asian flavours served alongside a cup of freshly brewed tea. If you’re lucky, you might find your soulmate along the way. A Pakistani couple from Karachi made waves in Britain when it popularised a home-grown delicacy, Matka Chai. People queued outside […]
Would Mr Khan Learn his Lesson? on May 24, 2023History tends to repeat itself. If former prime minister Imran Khan ever wishes to write the second volume of his “personal history,” he would be better off starting with a tirade against those who stop their ears to this outstanding lesson. Because the messiahs and their unwavering belief in being above reproach have driven a […]