Democracy on trial
What’s the best way to protect and strengthen Pakistan’s fragile democratic system? This perhaps remains the mother of all questions for many of the movers and shakers of Pakistani politics…
Goldman dodges a shareholder battle that dogs rivals
When Goldman Sachs Group Inc filed its shareholder proxy earlier this month, it was free of a proposal that has become increasingly popular among corporate governance activists: a demand for…
Education guidelines
Education is the answer for Pakistan, everyone says, and indeed they may be right. At the same time, what counts as an education, which educational institutions deserve protection, and by…
The Priyanka blunder
After years, somebody in the exhausted, jaded Indian National Congress had a bright idea – fielding Priyanka Gandhi as its Lok Sabha candidate against Narendra Modi in Varanasi in Uttar…
The gap is back
The army, despite its Sharif chief, is not happy with the Sharif on Constitution Avenue. It is fuming about poor old Khawaja Asif who has spent the past week appearing…
If Modi wins
Narendra Modi’s domination of the Indian election campaign is complete. His image is omnipresent. Whether it’s paid ads on the front pages of every newspaper, the advertising hoardings up and…
The skyline changeth
Oh, ever so subtly it changeth. A week ago, give or take a few days, no man had more reason to be self-satisfied than Mr Nawaz Sharif, virtually master of…
Everyone back off
We have been here before but not exactly in the same situation. The circumstances are grim. The threats are existential. No province, city or area of the country is out…
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…
Rule of law or wages of folly?
Four coups, long years in power, uneven war performances…a less than distinguished record for which the army is justly criticised. But it’s been slightly different these past last ten years:…
