How will PM Khan Perform on the Back Foot? on October 24, 2021It is the cricketing season so not using this game’s analogies is a hard task. The events unfolding on our national scene do not bode well for the continuation of a stable Government. The opposition is jubilant, bureaucracy is paralysed, TV anchors are having a field day and the nation is confused. It is time […]
A Q Khan: Why can’t we Respect our Heroes? on October 17, 2021We live in the moment as a nation. Be it a national debacle like the loss of East Pakistan, or a glorious event like Pakistan becoming an atomic power. We grieve or rejoice in the moment, and then discard it in the bin. Few people question this onset of amnesia. This raises another question: have […]
Pandora Papers: Another Proof of the Elite Capture on October 10, 2021Pandora Papers are a reality check. Really and truly, the political divide is a façade. There are the takers and those who get taken every five years. Corruption, money laundering, bribes and loot have no ideology. This common thread runs across party lines. It does not end there. It has permeated into media, uniforms, bureaucrats, […]
Inflation — PTI’s Biggest Political Foe on October 3, 2021I was talking to Barkat Bibi. She goes around different households to cook food on a contract basis. Formerly, she was a primary school teacher; raising four kids with her husband, Hanif, who owned a motorcycle repair shop. COVID hit her with a double whammy. She lost her job when her school closed due to […]
Power Blocs Flexing Their Muscles on September 26, 2021Those of us who have been around long enough would recollect the hijacking of an Indian aircraft “Ganga” in January 1971. A Fokker Friendship F27; was one of the oldest planes in the Indian Airlines fleet. It was decommissioned due to age and re-inducted days before the hijacking. It was a short hop from Srinagar […]
Will Canada Veer Right Despite Pitfalls? on September 19, 2021Elections in Canada can be boring when compared to the razzmatazz of a Pakistani campaign. The Canadian election writ period is much shorter than our minimum (three months). There are no “jalsas” with hundreds of thousands of attendees or throngs of people and vehicles in a “jaloos.” There are hardly any animated discussions, fistfights or […]
Predictions Fail as Afghans Come Into Their Own on September 12, 2021September 6 was celebrated as the “Day of the Martyrs,” to commemorate those who offered the ultimate sacrifice for the motherland. These tales of valour inspire those who stand on guard to protect the nation. The occasion was celebrated with dignity and honour in Rawalpindi and around the country. “Shahadat” and “Jehad fi Sabilillah” are […]
Taliban Needs to Apply Balm to Bruised Egos on September 5, 2021The NATO forces landed in Afghanistan as “deliverers.” As many as 20 years later, they ended up being the occupiers. How did this happen? Postmortems will be done by multiple tiers of policymakers, analysts and historians. Blame-game and finger-pointing shall keep the public confused for years to come. The US will continue to be at […]
Ruffians in a Toothless State on August 29, 2021Desi dramas are an integral part of many lives in the subcontinent. I also have sat through some of them. Invariably, there is the main story and then some side plots serve as a distraction to prevent monotony and prolong the drama. At times, this distraction becomes the main plot. That is what happened to […]
Taliban in Afghanistan: What’s Next? on August 22, 2021There is no way of safeguarding respect in a defeat unless the victor is gracious and shows humility. That will determine the future course of events in Afghanistan. After the Taliban took over the surrounding provinces in 11 days, they encircled Kabul. On August 15, 2021, they overran Kabul without any resistance. Predictions by pundits […]