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Populism vs the establishment

TALKING to the media outside the Islamabad High Court recently, Imran Khan said he would get more dangerous. He has lived up to his words, turning himself into a nightmare…

Populism as a symptom

PUNJAB has a date, finally, thanks to the Supreme Court while Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, to use Dawn’s fabulous analogy, continues its search for the elusive moon, or consensus between the governor and the ECP.…

Cable, conspiracy & populism

THE removal of a prime minister through a no-confidence motion is an extraordinary event in the life of a nation. Similarly, accusing the recognised political opposition of treason is a…

Demystifying populism

In 1985, American writer and educator Neil Postman wrote a book titled ‘Amusing Ourselves to Death’. In his book, he analyzed politics, journalism, and all social upheavals in the age…

Dropping the ball on populism

Two Sundays ago, in the first round of presidential elections Brazilians gave a thumbs down to President Jair Bolsonaro, the ‘Trump of the Tropics’ and champion of divisive politics. Bolsonaro…

Dangers of populism

Pakistan is in a state of turmoil, engulfed as it is in a reckless populist campaign spearheaded by Imran Khan and motivated by narrow party interests and personal considerations, irrespective…

Dangers of populism

Former prime minister Mr Imran Khan has said that the current government should not appoint the new army chief and has demanded that the appointment should be made on ‘merit’,…

Covid-19: impact on ‘populism’

Democracies throughout the world are facing increasing challenges from their failings, rise of ‘populism’ and damage to economies wrought by pandemic Covid-19. The trends are towards ill-liberalism, authoritarianism, racism, and…

Genesis of global populism

The concept of ‘illiberal democracy’ introduced by a US scholar, Fareed Zakaria, has enjoyed a notable currency. While Zakaria defined this concept negatively, considering it as a valid description for…