FATA: reformed or deformed? on May 28, 2018The symbols and institutions, including political parties, that should represent and articulate people’s will and interests are rendered toothless and discredited due to pursuing narrow sectional interests by bargaining in the name of people. The recent quiescence of the parliament to the pressure of the army is a glaring example of the weakness of elected […]
A thorn in the side on May 22, 2018Wrought by hope and despair, Pakistan is going through one of the most testing times of its political history. The impunity wrapped in the myth of sacredness and veneration stands exposed. Resultantly, the black tools of repression, exercised in the name of preservation and unity, are increasingly under the arc light of criticism. Last week […]
The mounting storm on May 14, 2018Last week witnessed some extraordinary events on the domestic as well as international scene. On May 8, President Trump’s administration walked out on the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) with Iran and subsequently announced June 12 for the summit meeting with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-un in Singapore. Both these events may impact […]
Negotiations amidst allegations on May 8, 2018Amidst the onslaught of various allegations hurled at the Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM), the latest offensive against it is its expanding list of demands while ditching negotiations and maligning the army. Besides being hackneyed, these perceptions and allegations are an oversight of ground realities, oversimplifying the issues raised and trails of events faced by the […]
Swat ventilates on May 3, 2018After more than a decade of fear and terror, Swat vibrated with the voices and sounds which were ruthlessly suppressed by both the state and non-state actors. The huge public gathering in Kabal ground under the banner of the nascent Pakhtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), despite intimidations, knocks on the doors not to participate and numerous […]
Respect the vote on April 25, 2018Amidst the current political turmoil caused by institutional imbalance taking its toll on the constitutional structure, the state has been pushed towards uncertainty and multiple crises. This was accentuated by the national seminar, organised by the PML-N in Islamabad on April 17, 2018, on the important theme of ‘Vote ko izzat do’ (uphold the sanctity […]
Constitution ‘held in abeyance’ due to judicial activism: Nawaz on April 18, 2018 ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supremo Nawaz Sharif Tuesday said that constitution has been virtually ‘held in abeyance’ due to the ongoing ‘judicial activism’ in the country. “Constitution stands suspended on account of judicial activism, leading to crippling of the executive as none of the government organs is working,” he told a seminar titled […]
When the debris settles on April 18, 2018Pakistan is perhaps one of the only states on this planet where patriotism and right to live is conditioned upon avoiding certain questions, and not venturing into spheres arbitrarily marked prohibited for public scrutiny and discourse. The underpinnings of a functional state operating through a legitimate representative system cannot ignore the vital questions raised by […]
When Pekhawar roared on April 12, 2018The Peshawar rally organised by the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM) on April 8, was unique in many ways. The most remarkable was the surprisingly huge response they received from the city. Apparently, it was far beyond the expectations of the organisers. By 3 o’clock the earmarked portion for the rally swelled beyond capacity, forcing the […]
Incurable paradoxes and fears on April 5, 2018Just scratch the surface and paradoxes, contradictions and discontent pop up, compounded by mistrust and apathy. Instead of alleviating with the passage of time by turning into pragmatism, they were perpetuated as the ultimate truth! As Professor Christophe Jaffrelot in his recent book, ‘The Pakistan Paradox’ summed it aptly, ‘a state created by the minority […]