Movements
Times of pandemic bring big challenges for the activists of progressive social movements. They are not a time for street activism or politics in the squares. Freedoms are restricted, social…
The ‘yellow vests’ movement
France has been roiled by protests for the last four weeks. The protestors chose for themselves a 'uniform', the high visibility yellow jackets all motorists in France are required to…
The progressive agenda
For the past more than two decades, whenever one attends any civil society seminar or discussion, there is always a mandatory mention of the ubiquitous “challenges of implementation” of x…
Dr Mutahir: the loss of a progressive voice
On World Teachers Day, some heartbreaking news reached us – the untimely passing away of Karachi University’s Department of International Relations’ professor Dr Mutahir Ahmad Shaikh who had spent 30…
Minto’s literary labyrinth
Whenever a comprehensive people’s history of Pakistan becomes available to our students, the name of Abid Hassan Minto will appear in bold letters. An indomitable fighter for democracy and human…
Crime and police
The Arabic word ‘noor’ has multiple meanings. Depending on the context, it can mean brightness, divine light, or simply ‘light’. ‘Raushnai’ is a Persian word having similar meanings, but it…
A fighter to the last
Veteran Baloch progressive leader and president of the Awami Workers Party (AWP) Yousuf Mustikhan passed away early morning on September 29, 2022 after a prolonged struggle against cancer. Wrapped in…
Sindh: solidarity and struggle Khurram Ali
Suddenly a new wave of ethnic and sectarian contradictions has raised its head in Sindh, particularly in its economic centre Karachi. Being a cosmopolitan city, there are a number of…
Democracy in name?
THE subject of democracy is a most confused and confusing debate, where it is easy to confuse form with substance, concept with practice and illusion with reality. The fundamental concept…
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…
