Fault lines within the Right
After the initial persecution of the Communist Party and its various arms, and the socialists and trade unionists by the state, the pure Left in Pakistan continues to remain organisationally…
Truth will bring trust
Someone once said: “All unuttered truths become poisonous.” This is what we see happening in our land of the pure. The atmosphere is heavy with poison, venom, bitterness, spitefulness, malice…
Humbug and provocation
Even in circumstances of dire danger there is the occasional chance of a laugh, although it might be a trifle hollow. In the case of the so-called ‘crisis’ in Ukraine,…
Between the soldier and the citizen
Brainstorm. What comes to your mind when speaking of some fundamental contradictions within the Pakistani state and society, from the time of independence 66 years ago until now? Between the…
Consumer rights
Globally, the concept of citizen-consumer has gained considerable foothold in debates on accountability and governance. But in Pakistan, where neither the culture of civic citizenship nor consumer consciousness is entrenched,…
Democracy still in its infancy
The Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif's statement on Monday, a little over five months after he was appointed, that "Pakistan army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and…
Brinkmanship won’t pay
It is not an everyday occurrence that Pakistan’s army chief warns distracters against undermining the military’s institutional morale. It is also unusual that a couple of federal ministers have to…
Musharraf and the military
Part - II Most of the employment of the army in anti-terror operations continues under the rubric of general authorisation of force in support of the civilian government but lacks…
Musharraf and the military
Part - I When the Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill was finally submitted in the US Congress in 2009 for approval, it contained two clauses that especially irked the Pakistani military. One dealt…
Fractured conservatism
Pakistan has become increasingly conservative in recent decades. Conservatives dominate Pakistani politics, and have forced liberal parties to become centrist. However, when political coalitions become too dominating, they often become…
