The dream civil servant on May 23, 2020Who, after all, should we reckon as a dream civil servant? Is it those who live by and work entirely in the light of seemingly archaic, drab sets of official conduct volumes, called “rules of business” while performing their jobs in a silent and unassuming manner? Or it is the new-norm mandarins, twitter and social […]
Spring Within on April 14, 2020Staying indoors certainly does not mean that we miss the songs and colours and giggles of the spring, which has already set in full earnest. Timely and heavier than normal snowfalls followed by a sparkling string of wide-spread rains across Pakistan could only mean a wholesome spring in most of the country. No matter where […]
Un-sung heroes of the green on December 7, 2019Anyone having witnessed tree planting ceremonies would have noticed the near perfection in the act leading to putting up of a sapling by a VIP or a celebrity. Nicely laid out plots; immaculately dug holes in artistic patterns; shining shovels; watering pots and some healthy-looking plants – all adding up to the freshness of the […]
Mother Trees of Pine Jungles on November 30, 2019A little over twenty miles inside the beautiful pine-covered valley of Lehtrar, a jungle road abruptly moves upward and travels a dozen miles to reach lesser-known saintly shrine of “Panj-Peer” or five saints’ abode. Mid-way on this perilously aligned jungle road, and in a maze of unending hairpin bends, an amazingly dense Chir pine forest […]
Unfinished agenda of police reforms on October 10, 2019Police reform debate in Pakistan is back on centre stage after the repeat of a familiar pattern; reported instances of police power misuse; citizen outcry followed by confused government response. What is not being realised by different stakeholders is the fact that this is something rooted in the unfinished police reform agenda. This needs to […]
Environmentalism and the Eucalyptus on October 12, 2018Love is intoxicating but when taken to blind excess, it can become toxic. Trendy or errant environmentalism also fall in the same category. Here are some interesting facts. Environment as a proper and authentic cause of concern — for humanity at large — emerged soon after Rio Earth summit in 1992. And that, broadly speaking, […]
Policy issues in local governance reforms on September 26, 2018Insufficient policy discourse is a recurrent pattern in the recent history of local governance reforms in Pakistan. Framers of Local Government Act 2001 spent more energy in getting rid of the institution of District Magistrate compared to what was invested in addressing core service delivery questions. Reversal of LGO 2001 during 2009-10was similarly characterized by […]
Reforming without Reforming on September 23, 2018An old saying from South India goes something like this; “If you go out in a jungle looking for a tiger, be sure you want to see one”. The wisdom in this simple but powerful sentence is profound. Often, we set ourselves goals and targets without really knowing what these entail; how to get there […]
Civil Service Reform — learning from the past on September 16, 2018A new Government has taken office in Pakistan — and as expected — announced its intention to reform the civil service. While many would be willing to talk about what needs to be done, it will be pragmatic to take a quick stock of what others did in the recent past and try to figure […]
Affairs of the heart and the law on September 6, 2017A recent story from Punjab is about an executive officer who was booked for indulgence for purporting acts of obscenity in a public place. This provided much needed comic relief. Especially to the ears and eyes, tired and bored by the endless drudgery of Panama, political mayhem and the population census — the latter becoming […]