Go Nawaz go . . . for an early election on April 22, 2017The third term of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been far from smooth. Beset by challenges of governance and a strong opposition, he has survived and is likely to continue in office unless he opts for an early election. The opponents of PM Sharif are chagrined at his ability to sail through many a storm. […]
An elusive victory on April 20, 2017After a long wait and endless speculation, the Supreme Court has announced its verdict on the Panama case against Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif. Third time elected PM has once again survived in office. Two Supreme Court judges in their dissenting judgment found Sharif guilty of the charges levelled against him. This was a close call […]
Let’s accept what we have done to ourselves on April 15, 2017The lynching of Mashal Khan by fellow students at an educational campus in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is a stark reminder of what we have done to ourselves. The barbaric violence by a mob and the inability of the police to prevent it has worried all thinking Pakistanis who have been hoping for a change in country’s direction after a […]
Blasphemer hunting must stop on April 13, 2017The violent passions incited in many sections of Pakistani society by accusations of blasphemy were on display once again – this time in Mardan. Reports indicate that a student mob from a local university campus was infuriated by a series of rumours about certain students posting ‘blasphemous’ material online. The bloodthirsty mob turned its fury […]
Pakistans radicalisation problem begins at school on April 8, 2017In 2010, Pakistan’s Parliament devolved education as well as the powers to set school curricula to the provinces. Many of us heralded this change, as till then the curriculum had been the preserve of central governments that successively introduced a constructed ideology into what young minds were learning. Seven years later, it is disappointing that […]
Syrians will continue to suffer as big powers play their game on April 8, 2017 We have been here before. US President Donald Trump’s missile strike on the Shayrat Syrian Arab Air Force base in Syria has a familiar ring to it. Faced with historically low ratings and a series of setbacks in domestic politics, the US head of the state has done what his predecessors did before him: […]
My Utopia Died Three Years Ago on April 1, 2017The Parliament has extended the military courts for another two years. Cited as a desperate measure in extraordinary times, there has been a widespread acceptance, almost a fait accompli situation when it comes to the militarisation of a vital public institution. I have not written about these tribunals, the death penalty or, indeed, the way […]
Dissent is not blasphemy on March 18, 2017Last week, a bizarre public notice issued by the federal investigation agency (FIA) appealed to the general public to provide evidence about social media users who were committing blasphemy and were ‘enemies of Islam.’ In a country where the blasphemy laws have been widely abused to settle personal disputes, threaten the weaker sections of society, […]
Development cannot happen without improved governance on March 17, 2017PM Nawaz Sharif termed Gwadar’ Gateway of CPEC’ and an opportunity for ‘prosperity’, while announcing special development packages for the port-city on the Makran coast. This commitment to developing Gwadar is much needed as it is one of the most under-serviced areas of the country. While the government has projected the China Pakistan Economic Corridor […]