Win or lose, I will fight till the last ball on March 9, 2021“A picture is worth a thousand words”. In a video gone viral it is interesting to watch the Returning Officer in Senate elections get up and kowtow to PML(N)’s Ayaz Sadiq and Shahbaz Sharif. He could only offer a sideways move while sitting for PM Imran Khan. Shows who EC officials consider the boss. That […]
Grande finale – Zardari vs PM Imran Khan on March 2, 2021Growing up in the sixties, spending winters in Lyallpur was part of the family routine; we used to move there from Abbottabad. From the strict regime of Irish Priests of Burn Hall to pure rustic scene of Sant Singh Wala on the outskirts of the City used to be like entering another world. The family […]
Justice system on trial on February 21, 2021A seed only sprouts when the soil is prepared properly; planted at the appropriate time, the right depth and receives moisture. Till then it remains latent. That seems to be the condition of our nation too. Pakistanis are a talented lot, bold and enterprising but they lacked direction, sincere leadership and suitable conditions. I have […]
With so many wounds where to apply the balm on February 17, 2021Writing at times can be a curse. You have to think, feel and be sensitized to your surroundings. At times one feels overwhelmed by the weight of all the bad around you. I was talking to my friend, Afzal Ghauri about the wisdom of this self-inflicted wound. Why am doing it? Why can’t I bury […]
Imran Khan keep at it, you only live once on February 12, 2021It has been many years since I stayed in Lahore for an extended period. I am reminded of the age-old proverb “the proof of the pudding is in the eating.” You really don’t get the dynamics and a realistic assessment of realities on the ground till you interact with a cross section of society. Pakistanis […]
Negative drift towards alienating minorities on February 2, 2021I grew up in the days of cowboy movies and comics. Invariably the non-conformist hero would stand up for the underdog.My formative years were spent alternating between the worlds of Clint Eastwood, Kirk Douglas and the Irish Priests of Burn Hall, Abbottabadand the rustic world of “Jagga” and Lala Sudhir in rural Lyallpur. I have […]
Biden inherits USA at war with itself on January 25, 2021Divisions within America have never been so intense since the American Civil War that nearly dividedthe North and South. The roots of this divide date back to the Emancipation Proclamation ending slavery by President Lincoln on January 1st, 1863as Civil War raged. It freed thousands of slaves each day in Confederate territory as Union troops […]
Lahore: A garden to garbage city on January 18, 2021The New Year brought glad tidings for Lahore from one of the most prominent and influential newspaper in the world, the New York Times. In its Travel section it selected “52 Places to Love in 2021” out of 2,000 possible locations recommended by their readers. They had asked them to suggest spots that have delighted, […]
Pakistan has challenges beyond politics on January 13, 2021During my university days in the late sixties and early seventies politics was reentering our civil discourse. After ten years under Ayub Khan, Pakistan transitioned from a “Basic Democracy” system to an “Adult Franchise”. The present borders of Pakistan were then known as West Pakistan where Zulifiqar Ali Bhutto had captured the hearts and minds […]
PDM implosion is a national opportunity on January 7, 2021December 2020 was a tumultuous month in Pakistani politics. It started with thunder, threatening a severe storm but ended in a whimper despite intense rumblings. PML(N)’s de-facto leaderMaryam loudly proclaimed a “now or never” agenda for PDM leaders. Lahore’s public meeting on December 13th would unravel PTI’s Government with unprecedented turnout. It was decent, but […]