Pakistani exceptionalism
AMERICA`S progress since 1945 has undoubtedly been exceptional. However, American `exceptionalism` is the dubious right-wing idea that the forces of history and international rules do not apply to America and…
Canada LNG export plans to get boost but doubts linger
British Columbia is finalising tax rules for companies seeking to export Canadian natural gas to Asia. But energy experts question how many of the dozen export terminals planned for the…
Punjabi intelligentsia revisited
A few weeks back a note to the Punjabi intelligentsia was published in this space. The response it received was overwhelming and I continue to get a message or two…
Being different is not being wicked
Recognising that the state, its structure and institutions, political decisions, internal and external policy options, governance and rule of law, economic circumstances, and power struggles for a bigger slice in…
In hindsight
A slew of new appointments were announced the other day. And very soon we will also have a new army chief and joint chief. Having got it disastrously wrong on…
Slavery and globalisation
On Oct 17, 2013, the Australian organisation Walk Free issued its first annual Global Slavery Index report. The index ranked 162 countries on how prevalent slavery was in a particular…
Hong Kong’s boom in American accent schools
Standing at the front of the classroom in Hong Kong, nine-year-old Charlotte Yan recites a 2008 speech by Hillary Clinton - enunciating the words with a perfect American accent. "Make…
A Raj legacy we could have done without
The British came and connected us to the modern world. In the 98 years that their Raj lasted over the areas which now constitute the world’s principal Citadel of Islam,…
Miracles as state policy
Dire situations bring desperate responses. Charlatans roaming India have marshalled armies of boon-seekers. Blind faith is a virtue of poverty, or fear of it. Which means the rich and the…
The message of Malala
Malala is barely 16 years old but she has experienced more physical and mental stress than most people several times her age. At 11 years, she had to leave home…
