Pakistan Rising on April 25, 2020The current pandemic haunting the world will have consequences of an unimaginable scale. The menace is affecting everyone everywhere. There is no timeline. There is no precedent. Every forecast and prediction seems direr than the last. That begs the question, how will Pakistan survive? The answer is as it always has – with grit, conviction […]
Cost of Secrets on March 1, 2020The cost of keeping secrets is the death of truth. Sometimes too much of the truth can be dangerous. Two Pakistani journalists have been killed in the last two weeks. The truth can hinder governance and cause chaos but suppressing it for any reason including national interest is a slippery slope. More often than not […]
Karachi vs Lahore on February 1, 2020There are many differences between Lahore and Karachi. The one immediately noticeable is that people from Karachi, or Karachiities, constantly brag about how they’re so much better than Lahore at everything. “Even the KFC tastes better in Karachi,” one diehard Karchiite said. Classy, I thought. Anything tastes better with paan, I suppose. Unfortunately, they are […]
A bitter Sweet YEAR on January 4, 20202019 was a bitter-sweet year. Pakistan had PTI at the helm, a new political party that swore to bring change. Not a little change, but a tsunami. Its supporters and in general most of the nation was anxiously awaiting the promised ‘inqalab’ or revolution. Morale was high, and expectations were even higher. But then reality […]
Local health care NGO expands into Sindh on November 17, 2019Transparent Hands expands outside of Punjab for the first time by holding its signature medical camps in Interior Sindh. The Lahore based NGO treated almost 2500 patients free of charge over a course of four days. Thus far the organization has conducted 52 medical camps and treated over 16,500patients of which 680 underwent surgeries. The […]
To hate or not to hate on October 24, 2019The Duke and Duchess have wrapped up their maiden tour of Pakistan. It was a spectacular affair full of endearing outfits, nostalgic comparisons and positive affirmations. But beyond the glitz and glamour many Pakistanis pondered the appropriate level of excitement for the ‘Royal Visit.’ If social media is anything to go by, it seems that […]
The Myth of Medina on August 15, 2019The seventh century Medina was fair and compassionate. It was a perfect example of what any society should aspire to be Prime Minister Imran Khan has mentioned multiple times that his ultimate vision for Pakistan is a society that emulates Prophet Mohammad’s (pbuh) Medina. Every management textbook teaches that one’s goals should always be realistic […]
Help the Help on July 5, 2019Most readers have at some point debated with someone settled abroad on the pros and cons of living in Pakistan. The first pro almost always cited is the food, of course. The second is usually access to domestic help-cooks, maids, drivers. But little does the listener know that behind that luxury is a national lie. […]
A rude awakening on May 6, 2019Pakistan often believes it is a 5000-year-old civilization. That is no truer than a baby born in an old house, calling itself old. It is not. Modern day Pakistan has been ruled more or less by foreign powers for centuries. First came the Persians, then the Afghans, then the Moguls and finally the British. It […]
The Bahria dilemma on March 19, 2019On March 21st, just two days before Pakistan Day, The Supreme Court (SC) is expected to rubber stamp perhaps the greatest series of crimes ever committed in Pakistan by a single organisation. Although nothing is confirmed, property dealers and investors are rejoicing that Bahria Town and The SC have supposedly reached a settlement. One of […]