Over 105.9 million Pakistani voters, including 59.2 million men and 46.7 million women, have elected their candidates for the National Assembly and provincial assemblies. Everyone who contests elections is ultimately a winner or loser. Obviously, there can only be one winner amongst contesting candidates. However, it is the people’s mandate to choose whom they wish […]
PTI and education: an appraisal
As Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf’s (PTI) government in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) completes its term, now is the time to analyze and evaluate its performance in the education sector, often claimed to be the foremost priority by the PTI-led KP government. Whenever the PTI’s provincial government presented budgets during the last five years, the party’s chief and leaders […]
Pak-US relations: A tale of one-sided love
Pakistan is an ally of the US in the War on Terror (WoT). Despite having done more than any other ally in the WoT, it is accused of not having done enough to wipe out terrorism. Feeling neglected, Pakistan has responded with its improved relations and alliance with China and Russia. And it now says […]
Radical delusions
Jamat-e-Islami (JI) was established by Maulana Maudoodi in 1941. Maulana is known for his belief on constitutional, peaceful and democratic struggle to achieve political ends. Unfortunately, first, Qazi Hussain Ahmad during his reign as JI Amir in 1990s, gave it a militant identity by encouraging its workers first to join ‘Jihad’ against USSR in Afghanistan […]
Is Punjab too strong?
Justice and the spirit of federalism demand that all federating units in Pakistan have an equal role. That they be equally important and have the same weight in the election of the Prime Minister. But at present, Punjab is the real king-maker. Is it right to give so much leverage to a federating unit over […]
Appeasement or constitutionalism?
Following the government’s failure to disperse the Faizabad sit-in and later the countrywide sit-ins by the Tahreek-e-Labbaik Ya Rasoolullah (TLY) it is obvious that the government would have to talk to the agitators and submit to some of its demands. If any talks were to be held between the government and TLY, the former won’t […]
Selective morality by powerful states
Though inter-state relations are predominantly governed by national interests, powerful states are not justified in the exhibition of selective morality and being unfair in their foreign relations. Unfortunately, most of the global powers — like the US, Russia and Britain follow policies that aren’t consistent with their known commitments to justice and liberty. This injustice […]