A new social contract
We are told that Pakistan is facing serious threats at its eastern and western borders – and indeed it is a reality that the situation on both fronts is serious.…
The need for a new social contract
On the morning of February 9, there was a police raid at my residence. The manner in which the operation was conducted seemed to be designed for a terrorist or…
Making a new social contract
In the aftermath of the harrowing attack in Lahore and the occupation of Islamabad by religious bigots, the same old catchphrases are repeated on the air waves by the influential…
The social contract debate
CAN the prevalent political unrest and discontent in Muslim societies be regarded as a desire for change? In other words, are Muslim societies in search of new social contracts? The…
Social contract
There are many theories about the origin of the state and its role in the life of its citizens. One view is that the state is inherently an oppressive institution,…
Fata needs a new social contract
One of the most significant events in the history of Fata and the lives of its people was the creation of Pakistan in 1947. After a long period of isolation…
A state with no social contract
We will never find out who killed Saleem Shahzad. From Daniel Pearl of the Wall Street Journal to Mohammed Salahuddin of the right-wing magazine Takbeer – journalists in Pakistan have…
A great social and political upheaval is coming?
There are two extremely discomforting economic phenomena unfolding simultaneously in Pakistan – one is dangerously high food inflation, and the other is rising unemployment. The term economists use for such…
Social dimensions and IMF deals
Political economists believe that economic growth is important, but it alone cannot help reduce poverty and inequality, marring prosperity, unless the right choices and unbiased selection of priorities are made…
Iraq’s $27bn TotalEnergies deal stuck over contract wrangling
A $27-billion deal between France’s TotalEnergies and Iraq, that Baghdad hoped would reverse the exit of oil majors from the country, has stalled amid disputes over terms and risks being…
