Considering it as one of our major problems, we also detest sectarianism. We hate plurality of ideas and loathe diversity in religion on July 18, 2013Hate is a powerful sentiment, much more powerful than love. Unabated and unrestricted, it can wreak havoc in your personal life; you can lose your family, friends, job and even your children. However, if it is a symbol of national pride and the only emotion that can bind us together, it can be tremendously ‘useful’. […]
Language: a status symbol in Pakistan on July 11, 2013Just like the key to a hidden treasure, language unlocks our potential as human beings to explore the universe way beyond the solar system and way below the seafloor. Not only does it provide us a medium to share our feelings and express our thoughts, it also helps us to acquire knowledge, improve our skills, […]
MQM: a party with rich culture and poor representation on July 4, 2013In every election, Altaf Hussain has demonstrated unequivocally that the people of Karachi entrust him with their votes, but he still is, without a doubt, the most controversial politician of Pakistan. Outside the urban areas of Sindh, it can be said with certainty that most Pakistanis disapprove of his political views and national outlook. Indeed, […]
Power crisis or crisis for power? on June 27, 2013On average, Pakistan deals with seven major crises of national importance every year. If we add the international crises in the list, like that of May 2, 2011, the total number would then easily exceed 15 annually. It means at least one major crisis each month. Had it been any other ordinary country that was […]
Cliches to be avoided on television on June 20, 2013Any term or phrase, when used excessively, would lose its charm over time and become redundant. These platitudes and catchphrases are called clichés. Clichés are ubiquitous and are, without a doubt, not limited to a particular language or a dialect. Within a matter of minutes, we can point some of them out in English, and […]
Mecca: a city losing its spirituality on June 13, 2013Muslims disagree on almost everything. From the timing of their prayers or fasts to insignificant nuptial details, on every issue they have managed to somehow lock horns with each other. However, surprisingly, their faith in a Merciful Creator, the Holy Book and the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) is still unanimous and unambiguous. Besides that, if they […]
Electronic media and journalism as a career on June 6, 2013Genuinely, my heart goes out to traditional journalists in Pakistan. Notwithstanding the presence of some powerful news editors, the young graduates, unfortunately, choose one of the most neglected professions in the country, a profession that is regarded as an important pillar of democracy and the ‘fourth estate’. As Pakistan is repeatedly ranked on top of […]
Can PTI change its culture? on May 23, 2013Reminding us of the good old days when he was a bellicose Pakistan cricket team captain, Imran Khan, once again, has shown his mettle to the world with his aggressive election campaign of 2103. Much more energetic, a lot more confident and significantly more exuberant than his rivals, the chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) […]
Election 2013 and the failure of political analysts on May 16, 2013So, we have the election results in our hands now. Is there any surprise in them? Well, it depends. Good news is that we can now finally talk about the voting pattern of Pakistanis in 2013 with some objectivity. Bad news? I am sure for some analysts the results are shocking. For almost two years, […]
Best of luck Pakistan! on May 9, 2013The future of Pakistan looked bleak that evening. There was blood in the streets and fire all over the country. Angry mobs had poured into the city centres, furiously burning down the state properties to ashes. At other places, people got together and cried stridently, cursing the administration and wailing for help at the same […]