Headstrong heedlessness on July 19, 2018The July 25 elections now bear the stains of blatant coercion, engineering and other tactics meant to deny a level playing field to candidates who aren’t a part of the ‘favoured party’. Instead of an election — a pre-requisite to establishing a democratically elected dispensation — these polls have turned into a war of survival […]
Under the praetorian shadows on July 12, 2018A confused mind is devoid of critical thinking, a sine qua non to see through the smokescreen to formulate options for informed decisions. Therefore, if you do not want anybody to think differently and clearly, it is best to compound confusion. And this is precisely what has been happening with this country for the last […]
What’s next for Nawaz? on July 10, 2018At last the verdict in the Avenfield reference against Nawaz Sharif and his family was announced by the accountability court on July 6, a day after July 5 — which marks an ominous black day on the national calendar. The judgment sentenced Nawaz Sharif to 10 years in prison and 8 million pounds, his daughter […]
An electoral misadventure on July 6, 2018As the African saying goes, “if you want to catch a lion encircle him from all direction but at least leave one outlet for your own safety in case the lion gets uncontrollable”. However, the political engineers in Pakistan seem so desperate this time that they have locked down every possible leeway prepared to risk […]
Religion: instrumentum regni? on July 2, 2018Last week a video went viral on social media, eventually making its way to mainstream media and triggered a nationwide debate. The video clip shows Imran Khan, Chairman of Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) and his new wife bowing and supplicating on the threshold of the shrine of the 12th century saint and mystic, Baba Faridudin Ganj […]
A hung parliament would be disastrous on June 28, 2018The uncertainty regarding the post-election scenario is gradually replacing the uncertainty of whether elections are even going to be held on time or not. Despite the appointment of the caretaker governments, fears persisted for some time about the fate of the elections. Such fears are the direct outcome of four years of non-stop intrigues and […]
Portending debacle on June 21, 2018Fazlullah was eliminated in a drone attack on June 13 in Kunar, north-eastern province of Afghanistan bordering Pakistan. The news of his death was confirmed by the Afghan defence ministry after two days. Subsequently, Afghanistan’s president also called the Pakistani Chief of Army Staff to affirm it. Though it was big news, the response to […]
An anomaly called Imran on June 14, 2018After over two decades in politics Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)Chief Imran Khan’s personality and politics both seem increasingly unpredictable, vacillating between controversies and contradictions. Today it is not clear whether he is a charismatic leader or a celebrity — though that is not to say that a celebrity cannot become a charismatic leader if the required […]
PTM, FATA and the ongoing charade on June 7, 2018The historic sham celebrated under the FATA merger with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa stood exposed last Sunday, June 3, 2018 when PTM activists were attacked by members of the so called Peace Committee in Wana, where three PTM members were killed and about 40 wounded. The state’s blatant patronage of Taliban was clearly evident following this incident. […]
A strenuous decade on June 4, 2018While braving the orchestrated storms and putsches and despite all the shortcomings and imperfections infused by the six long dark decades, the second elected hamstrung parliament made to the finishing line of its constitutionally stipulated five-year term. In the given circumstances it is nothing less than a feat! In order to fully celebrate the decade […]