A look at the 15th National Assembly
With the 15th National Assembly completing its five-year term, the prospects for timely and free and fair elections to vote in the next National Assembly have darkened. The National Assembly’s…
HEC amendment bill sails through National Assembly amid opposition by allies
After Senate, the National Assembly also passed the Higher Education Commission (HEC) amendment bill, increasing the representation of provinces in it. The bill, which faced controversies in recent months, was…
Where stands the National Assembly?
The National Assembly of Pakistan is the only popularly elected federal house where 272 seats are allocated to each province and the federal capital on the basis of population. Members…
The National Assembly-Election Commission tango!: Abbas Town: Is awakening real? What took it so long?
The Chief Justice was here. The Army Chief was here. One way or another, this was in the aftermath of the latest in a series of particularly horrible, high profile…
Punjabi nationalism
IN comparison to other multiethnic/multicultural countries in Asia, like India and Malaysia, Pakistan is a bit of an anomaly in that the largest identity group is not formally politicised. While…
International Day of the Victims of Enforced Disappearances
Enforced Disappearances (EDs) have been frequently used as a strategy to spread fear and terror in a society, according to the UN. By now, the world body argues, it has…
An empty Assembly
THIS past week, President Arif Alvi, sole survivor of the tabdeeli government at the centre, said, “If [Imran] had asked me, I would have suggested not leaving the Assembly”. After…
An inclusive assembly
Around the world, strong parliaments form the foundation of effective democracies and are the cornerstone of good governance. As the provincial assembly of Punjab embarks on a new chapter in…
Making the national divide worse
As ridiculous ideas go, nothing could be more absurd than declaring May 28 a public holiday twenty-six years after the nuclear explosions. This had not happened before – and did…
