The dubious role of the electronic media on February 27, 2014If you wish to develop an in-depth understanding of the word ‘babbling’ with all its over and undertones, then please do not look it up in the dictionary as it will only provide you with a vague and boring definition. Instead, you need to turn on your television set and start watching evening talk shows […]
Karachi: city with an upside down schedule on February 20, 2014If you are a normal human being who wakes up in the morning, sleeps at night and enjoys having three well established meals a day, then you may think of yourself as an alien in Karachi, the largest city in Pakistan, its financial hub and the centre of its economic activity. With our fragile political […]
Apocalyptic Muslims on February 14, 2014Most people would be terrified by the idea of an impending apocalypse. It would mean the end of time, across the globe destruction, war, bloodshed, human suffering, loss of lives and near total annihilation of civilisation. Disturbed and petrified by the concept, I am confident that they will hesitate to discuss it with their friends, […]
The dilemma of MQM and the Pakistan army on February 6, 2014Once the BBC has aired the second part of its documentary regarding the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM), we can almost confirm that the political career of the self-exiled founder of the party, Altaf Hussain, is almost over. And the likelihood of his recovery from these deep-rooted problems is extremely low. So is the case of […]
A word for Imran from a US parrot on January 30, 2014On average, Imran Khan appears in an exclusive interview on television twice a week. Additionally, the chairperson of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) holds at least one press conference every week to share his point of view with the people of Pakistan. Besides that, somewhere in the middle, the former cricket captain also addresses a seminar […]
Consultation was not possible with General Musharraf on January 23, 2014No serious consultation is possible with a dictator once he is insecure about his impending presidential election and his future to stay in power, the power he seized illegally years ago and the power that guarantees his security as long as he holds on to it. If that is jeopardised, then the time for consultation […]
Jihad for peace on January 16, 2014Never in the history of major religions had the concept of jihad been incorporated in their basic framework before Islam, nor had it been legitimised as a part of the mission, or embraced as one of the fundamental obligations. Even though Jesus lost his life on the cross and Abraham almost sacrificed his son under […]
What your name says about your future on January 9, 2014When I met Professor Ahmed Rafique Akhtar a few years ago, he, just after hearing my name, unveiled the fundamental traits of my personality. My uncertainties and my perseverance, my fears and my courage, my strengths and weaknesses, all of them were like an open book to him, which he started reading out loud in […]
An old debate on New Years Eve celebrations on January 2, 2014Like every festival in Pakistan, New Year’s Eve is also full of controversies. There is controversy regarding its religious standing; a dispute about its cultural significance, a debate about its proper limits, its expenses, its timing, its location and even the consumption of electricity, water and food during such an event is questionable. Being played […]
An uncomfortable truth about Indian agents on December 26, 2013In theory, Pakistan can be considered as one of the richest countries in the world. Its geopolitical location, its fertile lands, its access to warm waters, its natural resources and its extraordinarily talented people — everything obliges us to believe that Pakistan by now should be the fully grown ‘economic tiger’ of Asia, a hub […]