Hafeez Khan

Our physical training (PT) instructor in Burn Hall was a retired “Subedar;” equivalent of an Army Sergeant. All students in Senior School were split into two Houses, St Michael and St Gabriel. Each had its instructor. I was part of St Michael. Our Subedar Sir was a tall, ram-rod erect and well-built man, supporting a […]

The sixties and seventies were the golden era of the Pakistani and Punjabi film industry. There are commonalities between blockbusters in those days and what is happening on our political horizon. “Phaney Khan” was one of them, depicting a Lahori bad boy who would intimidate others by waving a “kachu”, a large knife. He would […]

Lahore is a city of extreme contrasts. Those living in “jhuggis,” temporary tents, scrape a living by rummaging through garbage, begging, petty thefts and low-paying jobs. Their biggest challenge is the next meal. Then, we have the wealthy bursting at the seams, desperate to display their lavish lifestyles. The dwindling middle class is somewhere in […]

Miss Minto was our math teacher in Burn Hall, Abbottabad. She had a severe, no-nonsense, demeanor that kept the boys in check. She had a penchant to use the blackboard to write formulae, enunciate the problem, and write the solution in detail. It was a great way to understand complex algebraic equations. At the end […]

The top story these days in American media is the indictment of President Trump on federal criminal charges. It is unprecedented in US history. Their public discourse is full of the latest reports, analyses and predictions. Trump’s equivalent in Pakistan is Nawaz Sharif. Both believe they are above the law. There is one huge difference. […]

“Kukar toon ganday tay agaye han” answered Ashraf, an experienced mason now out of work in the once booming construction industry, when asked how he was doing. It is a disaster out there. Sectors that provided employment are devastated. According to the latest statistics, textile, construction, industrial and large manufacturing sectors have seen job cuts […]

Hans Christian Anderson, a Danish author wrote scores of fairy tales impacting generations. I remember reading them as a child. “The Emperor Has No Clothes”‘ was first published in 1837, with roots dating back centuries traceable to Indian folklore. An extremely vain, proud and ruthless emperor spent lavishly on his clothes at the expense of […]

In the early days of the PTI, Akmal Mirza was the President in Rawalpindi. He was a committed and experienced political activist and liked by Imran Khan. It was important for the Party to bring onboard members from diversified communities and professions. Akmal recruited a local lawyer, Aamer Kiyani, who was getting established in his […]

I was not even a teenager when I learnt one of the most important life lessons. It became a part of my value system. Abbottabad was popular as a “hill station”, a legacy term from the British Raj. Summers were mild as compared to the heat in the southern plains. It was a family routine […]

Folks, let us keep it simple: it is bullet versus ballot. The barbaric commando-style action to kidnap Imran Khan was shameful, demeaning and a gross violation of human dignity. IK was hit, pushed and manhandled like a sought-after terrorist. For God’s sake, he is a former Prime Minister and leader of the biggest political party […]