Vawda’s Crystal Ball on September 11, 2024Before switching parties, Mr Vawda made numerous predictions, but the majority of them never materialized, damaging the reputation of PTI’s government and eroding its political capital. I vividly recall one of his most outlandish and illogical predictions, made shortly after PTI assumed power in 2018. He confidently predicted that within a month or two, 20 […]
Xinjiang, Balochistan and FATA on September 6, 2024In Pakistan, we often adhere to the belief that force is the primary solution for dealing with terrorists, extremists, separatists, insurgents, and even civil unrest, whether it involves political, religious parties, students, or civil society. The prevailing notion is that if force doesn’t achieve the desired outcome, more force should be applied. In contrast, China’s […]
Overcapacity Dilemma on September 1, 2024We often do the opposite of what drives progress in developed nations. While wise nations protect, promote, respect, and honour their heroes, we have a history of persecuting them. Figures like Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Benazir Bhutto, and Liaquat Ali Khan were assassinated, while others like Dr Abdul Qadeer Khan and Imran Khan were imprisoned. We […]
Victory Has Many Fathers… on August 15, 2024It was deeply disheartening and revolting to witness the way our politicians, bureaucrats, and elites swarmed around Arshad Nadeem like vultures, each trying to claim a piece of his unprecedented victory at the Paris Olympics. As soon as he landed, he was handed a prepared statement to read during interviews. PTI’s social media brigade was […]
Lesson learned from Bangladesh… on August 8, 2024The student protests in Bangladesh which began in June 2024, in Dhaka, quickly spreading to other cities such as Chattogram, Comilla, Rajshahi, and Sylhet have taught numerous lessons to all pillars of the state – political parties, civil society, and students. Students should understand that if they perceive injustice, their genuine rights being usurped, meritocracy […]
Paris Olympics-2024: Games Wide Open on July 29, 2024I was posted in France as Press Minister in September 2016, and I had the unique opportunity to witness France being awarded the hosting rights for the 2024 Summer Olympics on September 13, 2017, during the 131st IOC Session in Lima, Peru. From that pivotal moment until our return to Pakistan after four years, we […]
Harris versus Trump: What’s Next? on July 24, 2024The divine approval seemed to suddenly turn away from Joe Biden after he fumbled, lost his words, and struggled to maintain the sequence while making points, showing visible signs of ageing. Later, he contracted coronavirus, perhaps seen as the final push of the divine to move him out of the president’s slot. The “Huma,” the […]
King of the World is not Safe on July 17, 2024During Obama’s visit to Kenya, a boy as young as seven-years-old had asked him, “Are you the king of the world?” Whether one likes it or not, the President of the US does wield considerable power and authority, capable of lifting a compliant country from ashes to prosperity or, conversely, reducing a non-compliant country to […]
PTI’s Tightrope Walk on July 9, 2024The Founder of PTI, who has been incarcerated for a year and is sick and tired of facing one peril after another, had threatened to go on a hunger strike to portray his resilience against the alleged brutalities of the establishment against him and his party suddenly caved in and decided to attend the government-launched […]
Olive Branch by PM and US Resolution on July 1, 2024On June 27, 2024, two significant developments occurred in Pakistan’s political landscape. First, the Prime Minister extended an olive branch to the PTI, offering to engage in dialogue to ease the situation for the incarcerated PTI founder, who the leader of the opposition in the National Assembly referred to as their prime minister. Second, the […]