Zardaris hold over the PPP on June 1, 2017The already insignificant presence of the PPP in the Punjab and Khyber Pukhtunkhwa seems to be shrinking fast to obliteration. This is happening despite the just concluded almost five-month long ‘vigorous’ campaign launched by Co-Chairperson Asif Ali Zardari from within the security of four walls. The campaign appeared to be a desperate attempt to attract […]
The budget blues on May 25, 2017It is budget day today. But alas any budget based on a population census as out-dated as the one that we have been using since 2003, the year the 1998 census had expired, can hardly be worth the bother of a serious debate either inside the elected Houses or outside. At best, the successive annual […]
Nisars undergraduate blusters on May 18, 2017That Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan given to play to the gallery is not a new phenomenon. But of course, being a politician, he is entitled to play this well-worn, trite tune no matter how much out of synch. In fact his harangues at his weekly press conferences reserved only for his favourites start with a […]
Friendless in Washington? on May 14, 2017Media reports about the annual threat assessment presented to the US Senate Committee last Thursday by National Intelligence (NI) Director Daniel R Coats sound too damaging for Pakistan to ignore. According to these reports, the US NI warns that Pakistan-based terrorist groups will present a sustained threat to US interests in the region and continue […]
Pak-centric foreign policy, please! on May 11, 2017 Our foreign policy chickens seem to be coming home to roost. It is now time, therefore, to take full stock of the situation and re-design a new Pakistan-centric foreign policy replacing the failed India — centric foreign policy. There are a number of genuine reasons for the on-going running feud between India and Pakistan. […]
Exclusive on Dawn’s ‘exclusive’ on May 4, 2017There are three players in the so-called ‘Dawn Leaks’ tale. But the ensuing debate raging since the publication of the story in question has turned the tale virtually into a civil-military tussle with the latter taking it for granted, one presumes, that Dawn had willingly obliged the former by accommodating the leaked ‘plant’ on its […]
Panama looming over next polls on April 27, 2017It seems Pakistan has entered the election mode with the poll date still more than a year away. The two major opposition parties, Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) and Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) have already begun their respective mobilization efforts by launching country-wide public meeting programs. Understandably, the two are using ‘corruption’ as the main weapon of […]
The suspense continues on April 20, 2017 Both the PML-N and PTI have welcomed the Panama judgment. The former was relieved to see the Prime Minister escaping the ignominy of being disqualified. The latter is happy that the PM and his family continue to remain under investigation. Indeed, Thursday’s SC judgment sounded more like an adjournment of about 70 days, […]
Look out, danger ahead on April 20, 2017 In Monday’s meeting with the visiting US National Security Adviser – the COAS, Gen Bajwa, strongly rejected allegations of employing proxies from inside Pakistan. At least, so said the ISPR press release issued the following day. There is, however, no official mention as to why the topic of proxies had been raised in the […]
Kashmirs killing fields on April 14, 2017Eight civilians were killed and another two dozen injured last Sunday when violence broke out during voting in the Indian Occupied Kashmir (IOK). The intifada leaders had called for a boycott of the election held to fill a seat in the Indian Lok Sabha, left vacant on resignation of a member as a statement against […]