Political audit of Afghan policy
THE latest clashes between Pakistani and Afghan security forces are yet another sign of the deepening rift between the two neighbours. Just three years after the Taliban’s takeover of Kabul — a moment that…
Varied voices
THE first Karachi Literature Festival 2010 was the crucible. Since then, each year, it has moved higher up the ladder to its present maturity as the 16th KLF, held this…
Political dialogue is indispensable
Communication and negotiation are indispensable pillars of politics, serving as a bridge between conflicting ideologies and facilitating solutions that ensure governance, stability, and progress. History is replete with examples where…
Dream of political stability
IT is often believed that engineering political stability is the solution to a nation’s economic and security challenges. The idea of this so-called stability is used to justify the suppression…
Performing a political wonder
Although delayed once before, the all-parties conference (APC) called by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has now been deferred indefinitely. The conference was to discuss and develop a consensus on ways…
Political meltdown
THE high drama of Punjab’s constitutional crisis reached a climax with the Supreme Court ruling that struck down the deputy Speaker’s action in the provincial assembly and held this to be “without…
Voice of the people
AUG 14 and the speeches, conciliatory and denunciatory, are over. Since the chaotic political situation in the country so warrants, it would help briefly to take stock: not just of…
Unseen victims, unheard voices
As Pakistan struggles with economic hardships and political instability, a serious and frequently overlooked crisis – human trafficking – continues to worsen. This insidious crime preys on society’s most vulnerable…
The lost voice of journalism
Journalism has become a dangerous profession in Sindh. Out of the 11 journalists killed in the past few years, seven of them were from upper Sindh. Most recently, a vocal…
Pakistan needs a new political party
For the first time ever, many of us are not just apprehensive but frightened about the future of Pakistan. Daily survival is getting harder and harder for our people, our…
