In Pakistan, the cost of freedom is your life on January 4, 2019It has been eight years since Salmaan Taseer’s life was cut short because he stood up against an abusive set of laws. Though the killer has been put to death but justice in real sense of the word has yet to be dispensed. Like in so many other such killings in this country before and […]
Decline in violence coincides with unprecedented censorship: CPJ report on September 14, 2018The media in Pakistan is not showing an accurate picture of critical issues facing the country. The reason, according to a special report published by the Committee to Protect Journalists, is increasing instances of self censorship by journalists. The report, released earlier this week, also finds that the number of red lines that ought not […]
Too many cooks in Punjab may spoil the broth for Imran on August 28, 2018Punjab has moved past the era of a unitary power centre in Lahore. Shehbaz Sharif, the man who micro-managed the province with a population larger than many countries, has gone to Islamabad where he leads a divided opposition in the National Assembly. Back in Lahore, the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) has distributed power among players with […]
Ruling parties have most MPAs with criminal record, Fafen report shows on August 27, 2018The Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) leads the list of lawmakers with criminal record in the Punjab province, according to a report published by the Free and Fair Election Network (Fafen). The Fafen Parliament Monitor report shows that of these 33 Members of the Provincial Assembly (MPAs) in Punjab, 18 belong to the PTI and 14 to […]
Selective austerity won’t do for course correction on August 21, 2018In his first address to the nation, Prime Minister Imran Khan has vowed to initiate an austerity drive to fix the state of the national economy. Beginning the drive from himself, the PM has announced to drastically cut down on the expenses of the Prime Minister’s Office. Similar cuts are expected for the offices of […]
What change does Imran Khan promise? on July 27, 2018The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) has secured enough numbers in the house of 272 legislators to form the central government with support for a few smaller parties, or independents. Since the party has come to power after two-decades of politicking on the slogan of change, or tabdeeli, it is important to ask exactly what will be […]
Legal experts cast doubt on constitutionality of ECP notification on troops deployment on July 11, 2018LAHORE: There is no provision in the country’s constitution enabling the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) to commission deployment of armed forces for election-related duties on its own, legal experts say. On Tuesday, the ECP issued a notification stating that troops would be deployed at polling stations from July 23 to July 27; at the […]
In Gawadar, a burgeoning civil society looks for better development dividends on May 25, 2018Last month, a public post appeared on Facebook and made rounds on other social media platforms, protesting against the recruitment of a person from Punjab for an administrative position at the Gawadar Development Authority (GDA) Hospital. The post raised attention towards rampant unemployment of qualified young men and women of Gawadar, and questioned why residents […]
The far-right vote that no longer adjusts in the mainstream on April 11, 2018Tehrik-e-Labbaik Pakistan’s sit-in camp in front of the Data Darbar was only sparsely populated in the afternoon last Saturday. The campers sat in small groups of three or four, some catching up on sleep using backpacks as headrests. “This is not the true strength of the dharna,” said Muhammad Bilal, sitting all by himself holding […]
Accountability of security personnel who patronised ‘good Taliban’ sought on March 12, 2018Lahore: As a handful of Balochistan lawmakers whose electoral mandates remain questionable at best emerged as key brokers for Senate chairman’s election over the weekend, the provincial capital on Sunday hosted a historic jalsa of the most inspiring grassroots movement to have emerged in the country over the last two decades. As expected of the […]