The missing link…street power
Our mandated leaders, embattled and besieged, could have done without this latest addition to their troubles: the impending arrival of Pakistan’s stormiest and most mercurial cleric, the Reverend Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri.…
Street power perils
“It is quite possible for this newborn democracy to retain its form but give place to dictatorship in fact. If we wish to maintain democracy not merely in form, but…
Powerlessness of the street
How many protesters make a political tsunami? Imran Khan had promised a tidal wave of one million of them to ‘lockdown’ Islamabad on Wednesday. His plans, we saw, went awry…
Power versus people
There is a standoff between power and people, each holding on to its domain. In a democratic dispensation, power flourishes from the support of the people. Misuse of power creates…
Powerless to be born
What happens when a society is wounded by an incident that challenges its legal and moral values? A lot, obviously. In addition to the law taking its own course, a…
The ‘Soft Power Brigade’
Soft Power. Hard Power. America is master of both. America’s soft power flows from Hollywood, Brands, Corporations, Universities, etc. Hard power comes from the Pentagon. Till recently soft power ascendant.…
The power of puppetry
Death on the high seas or on the streets of Karachi continues unabated and without any serious attempt by any quarter to put the brakes on these happenings. According to…
Eroding bases of power
THIS is not how it works. The biggest folly that any wielder of power can fall prey to is to take their own power for granted. It does not work…
With White House in their sights, Democrats challenge Wall Street
On the campaign trail and in Congress, Democrats are challenging the titans of Wall Street, proclaiming a "new day" as they seek to channel the anger of their party and…
Three paths to power
HOW have political forces opposed to incumbent regimes managed to find their way (back) into political power? Pakistan’s history provides us with quite a few examples and a number of…
