A state in denial on November 19, 2018Pakistan living in a state of denial of its extremist problem is old news. Religious extremists who are in the ascendancy hold the country by the jugular. They are allowed freedom to dictate their regressive agenda and demonise the most vulnerable in society on the back of black laws. This state of affairs seems evident […]
War against the media on November 3, 2018The media often pays a high price for exposing the high handedness, malfeasance, and corruption of the powerful. Many in authority treat the press as public enemy number one. The consequence is that media persons, the world over, face bullying, imprisonment, disappearance, and violence for just doing their jobs. According to Freedom House, only a […]
Polishing the begging bowl on October 19, 2018A begging bowl in hand does invite contempt. Razak Dawood, the Prime Minister’s Advisor on Commerce, candidly admitted that begging from Saudi Arabia was an awful experience. Dawood was part of the delegation that went on a futile trip to Saudi Arabia to seek help for Pakistan’s ailing economy. Pakistan, quite rightly, can’t expect a […]
Peace in our time? on October 6, 2018It is probably naïve to expect that peace between India and Pakistan will dawn anytime soon. Events over the last few weeks have confirmed that the unending cycle of hope and despair will continue. Renewed optimism was reduced to point scoring, over a few days, in the fragile relationship between the two neighbours. Trading abuse […]
Appeasement in Naya Pakistan on September 17, 2018The about-face on the appointment of Princeton academic, Atif R. Mian doesn’t reflect well on the leadership in Naya Pakistan. Doctor Mian, an internationally renowned economist belongs to the Ahmadiyya faith, a much maligned and persecuted minority group in Pakistan. His appointment to Prime Minister Imran Khan’s economic advisory council ran afoul with the country’s […]
Gender rights in Naya Pakistan on September 1, 2018Gender inequality disappointingly – but unsurprisingly — didn’t figure in Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan’s inauguration speech. Considering that surveys consistently rank Pakistan as one of the worst countries globally for women, one would have thought that gender rights would be top priority for the new government. Women’s empowerment is not only a fundamental moral […]
Time for realism in foreign policy on August 20, 2018A negative global narrative combined with the increasing trust deficit with our partners and neighbours have compounded Pakistan’s foreign policy woes. At this point,harping on about balance, equality and mutual benefit in international relationships, as our national leaders tend to do, won’t dig the country out of the diplomatic hole it has dug itself into. […]
Dispense with the national security state on August 3, 2018Prime Minister-elect Imran Khan has stated his desire to turn Pakistan into an Islamic welfare state, geared to the collective betterment of society. However, his utopian vision arguably can’t transpire without a reduction in the astronomical costs of maintaining the existing national security state. Otherwise, the new government will be hard-pressed to find sufficient resources […]
Don’t let democracy fail on July 22, 2018There are persuasive claims that next week’s elections in Pakistan are being de-legitimised and manipulated from the get-go. Pre-poll rigging, press manipulation, impeding protests, electoral violence, and allegedly fixing outcomes, cast a shadow over the fairness of the election. Collectively, these conditions point to a deeply flawed, even sham electoral process. But voters and supporters […]
What can we expect from Khan’s Naya Pakistan? on July 13, 2018As Imran Khan and the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) political party put their case to voters, the burning question on everyone’s mind is whether he and his party have what it takes to turn the country’s declining fortunes around. Who is Khan? Apart from his cricketing exploits, his leadership resume is short; with no stain of […]