Naeem Tahir

SarfAraz Shah was killed in Karachi in cold blood. It was the height of brutality by men in uniform. He begged for his life, but he was shot. He begged to be taken to hospital, lying in a pool of blood, but he was denied hospital care. The obvious intent was to kill. A cameraman […]

You call the mobile number of an acquaintance and what may you hear is recitation from the Holy Quran or a naat (hymn). The first impression is that this person, having the recitation of the Holy Quran as his ‘call tune’, is very pious or religious because he/she is reminding us of the virtues of […]

Imran Khan has been in politics for a while now, probably for over a decade and a half. His Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) is primarily constructed around his person and is backed up by the reputation of his being the captain of Pakistan’s cricket team winning the World Cup. Several cricket supporters were surprised at his […]

In a market place near the ‘Osama residence’ in Abbottabad, a visiting journalist asked a young customer in a shop for his comments about the operation on May 2, 2011. The young man said: “It is all Obama-Osama drama.” This young man reflected the prevailing mood of cynicism and disbelief related to the operation. The […]

I am sure there are some people still alive who remember the early days of the Pakistan Arts Council — Alhamra — Lahore. Even now the area is the same, located on the Mall Road. However, the building has been replaced and the glorious chinar trees are gone, and with those trees have also gone […]

Credit must be given where it is due. Criticism and appreciation, if given honestly, only contribute towards betterment. Chotay Mian (CM) is known for having managed Punjab well during his first stint. His present tenure has been offering a shocking contrast. His visits to hospitals, his walking on flooded roads, his singing Habib Jalib, all […]

By the time this article appears, lots of cricket fans will be engaged in thinking about the final match on April 2 in Mumbai. But many will remember the cricket match in Mohali, particularly the Pakistanis. This Saturday, Indian fans will be praying for India and the Sri Lankans for their country. Let us hope, […]

On Wednesday (March 30), hardly anyone will be talking of anything but cricket. It is Pakistan vs India! So it is more than an ordinary match. It is the World Cup semi-final that adds to its significance even further. The India-Pakistan match is estimated to attract up to one hundred million television viewers according to […]

Almost one year ago — it was in the third week of February 2010 — I called Mr Rashed Rahman, the Editor of Daily Times. We met the same day in his office. His editorial board members, Ms Mehmal Sarfraz and others, also joined in. During this meeting, Rashed asked me to write for the […]

The Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has been almost ‘kicked out’ from the Punjab government. The uncomfortable marriage between the PPP and the PML-N has come to an end with little grace. The end of the ‘coalition confusion’ will, hopefully, be good for the people. The game of good cop-bad cop is over and both can […]