Let not the fire kiss your door on April 2, 2011One is speechless to see how ethnic and religious radicalisation has been allowed in Pakistan to become a permanent and incurable pathology. There seems to be a general sanction from the state and society for radical militant elements who appear to enjoy impunity as well as political space. Countering radicalisation entails the state’s will and […]
Pakistan Day: stop lying on March 26, 2011One cannot help but feel peevish at the engineered and fraudulent yet barren ecstasy that engulfs Pakistan on March 23 every year. Frustration comes from the disturbing level of collective intelligence of our citizenry to understand history and shameless lies that the state and media continue to propagate with impunity. How such distortions could manufacture […]
Lets say it: Taseer was right! on March 19, 2011As the Raymond Davis case finally comes to the expected end and the ‘ghairat’ (honour) brigade’s predictable and orchestrated fury goes on, the people and the media seem to have moved on and at least partially forget what happened since last fall. Two high profile assassinations in Pakistan within two months had shocked many while […]
March 12: death anniversary of Jinnahs Pakistan on March 12, 2011The week starting March 7 to March 12 had very special consequences for the Pakistan that was going to start its journey post-1949. The non-representative First Constituent Assembly of Pakistan started debate on the document that laid down the aims and objectives of the future constitution(s) of the country. The infamous Objectives Resolution, presented on […]
Are we a nation of murderers? on March 5, 2011Never had I felt so dejected and heartbroken throughout my life of activism and movements I had ever been a modest part of, the way I did when a friend called me to be careful. These ‘be careful’ messages have become a routine after each of my media appearances. “No dammit, you have to remain […]
National interest vs political machismo on February 17, 2011Every nation has a foreign policy that it uses to push forward its agenda of national interest and national security. This important area of any nation’s existence enjoys a unique political and renewable legitimacy if it is under democratic civilian rule. In the case of a struggling democracy like Pakistan, civilian supremacy on foreign policy […]