The process of judicial appointments on October 4, 2018Beyond the structures or the texts governing the appointments of judicial officers in superior courts; this piece attempts to dissect the process involved in placing individuals to such positions. And by extension, whether the process so employed, in any manner or form, influences the appointments made. Just for context, in Pakistan, a Judicial Commission constituted […]
Prime Minister’s questions on September 27, 2018Blair had real steel to him in the Commons, in particular, during the Prime Minister’s Questions (PMQs). The journey of Blair and New Labour owes much to his showmanship at the Commons. Earlier, the UK had reserved fifteen minutes on each Tuesday and Thursday for the PMQs. Later, they changed it to thirty minutes on […]
Egypt from afar — II on September 14, 2018Back in 2011, images of protestors occupying Tahrir Square didn’t just inspire Arabs and their North African neighbours, but the entire world. Finally, people who had been disenfranchised, depoliticised and robbed of free speech and assembly, took control of their fates and reclaimed public space. Eventually, the Egyptian government had to adapt and respond to […]
Egypt from afar on August 31, 2018On July 28, 2018 an Egyptian Court handed down a guilty verdict and sentenced seventy-five people to death. Their crime was merely participating in a sit-in at Rabaa al-Adawiya and al-Nahda squares in Cairo against Morsi’s removal in 2013. The crackdown on the demonstration was considered daft even at the time. According to the Human […]
Some dreams… some journeys on July 29, 2018On the eve of general elections 2018; it was clear, Pakistan had made its choice known, as it braced itself to enter into a new era. An era that leaves behind Zia’s legacy. For too long, Zia’s relics survived in Pakistan. After Zia, new fault lines were drawn. Parties fell in two camps. Those who […]
A new dawn? on June 29, 2018The National Assembly (NA), with a resounding majority passed the Constitution (Thirty-first Amendment) Act, 2018 merging the tribal areas with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. The amendment, inter alia, removes Article 247 from the Constitution that provides for the administration of the tribal areas vesting the executive authority in the President or Governors and excludes acts of parliament […]
The Khadija case verdict on June 11, 2018The criminal justice system has different components, comprising of legislature, judiciary and executive — with all its administrative arms. The legislature specifies what constitutes a crime by enacting laws. The courts adjudicate on crimes people are charged with. Executive arms, the first point of contact with criminal activity, including the police, are tasked with law […]
Yes, Prime Minister on June 5, 2018This Friday, a former Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) took oath to head the cabinet, and became this country’s twenty ninth Prime Minister (PM). The role of the Chief Executive in the care taker set-up is negligible under the Constitutions and Elections Act 2017. Primarily, it is the Election Commission of Pakistan’s (ECP) role to […]
Fiduciaries of the people on May 23, 2018A three-member Bench of the Islamabad High Court disqualified Khawaja Asif on April 26, 2018. The opinion of the Court, authored by Mr Justice Ather Minallah, is significant for two reasons. It offers insight and further clarifies the rules laid down by the Supreme Court (SC) in its three latest disqualification judgments. Secondly, the Court, […]
Courage to dissent on May 16, 2018Has the Pakhtun Tahaffuz Movement (PTM) inspired the first civil rights movement of our era? This is a question that may not get a straight answer from the mainstream media. But the demands raised by PTM are a textbook case of equal rights. The rhetoric around the demands is gravitating. The slogans resonate with people, […]