Patriotism unchallenged
Patriotism is an open concept to debate. It is determined by the standpoint of which side of the fence is acceptable to the environment one lives in. At best, any…
Pakistan: here and now
Essay writing as a genre has not evolved in Pakistan. If you try to count the number of essay writers that Pakistan has produced over the last seven decades, you…
Patriotism in the time of Corona
Some of my readers have observed – or rather complained – that in these columns I have been focusing on just one school of thought that is left-wing, liberal, progressive,…
The patriotism card
"Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel" - Samuel Johnson. Nothing exemplifies the role of the patriotism card in our national affairs better than the raging brouhaha about Nawaz…
Our Saddam gene
It is natural for an underdog to root for a fellow underdog in a contest with a giant. When the US attacked Iraq during the first Gulf War almost all…
Whither MQM?
Following the death of literary giant, Dr Samuel Johnson, his critics went on an over-drive, to berate the man and to degrade his achievements. Dr Boswell, his longtime friend, apprentice…
Rabbani’s concern
Senate Chairman Raza Rabbani's thoughtful comments at a recent seminar on issues undermining national cohesion and political stability deserve serious attention. Since the subject of the seminar was "How peace…
Cricket’s aborted homecoming
Pakistan’s long sporting isolation ended in February when Iran’s tennis team visited Islamabad – the first country to do so in 12 years – to play its Davis Cup tennis…
The war paradigm
Legal eye The writer is a lawyer based in Islamabad. Patriotism is supposed to be a constructive identity meant to make citizens more grounded, and cultivate in them a sense…
Politics of identity, politics of class
I wouldn’t want to be seen as a scoundrel taking last refuge in patriotism, to quote Samuel Johnson. In fact, my belief is in the definition assigned to patriotism by…
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