The liberal’s education myth
Of all the myths the Pakistani liberal spews most ardently, the one regarding education reform stands out the most. Liberals argue that they (or we, when they decide to speak…
The anatomy of politics
Politics is the means to power, and power enables proximity to resource. This is the essence in any political process. At times ideology tampers with this simple equation – and…
Hope springs eternal?
Pakistan is going downhill. This means nothing to the corrupt who rule it. They fight tooth and claw against any attempt to save Pakistan. There is one exception. He raised…
From their war to our war
After hectic consultations between the entire political leadership and military leaders, in the wake of the December 16 terrorist attack in Peshawar, there is now a national consensus on trying…
Ghosts of revolutions past
The history of mankind at various moments has been a history of dissent. Dissent against oppression, exploitation, violence, tyranny, abuse of power, exacted over a peoples by another. Whether both…
Privatisation and issue of transparency
Privatisation is the process of transferring ownership of a publicly owned business enterprise, agency, service, or property to the private sector. The true owners of the public business and its…
Understanding the threat
AT least two things are quite clear about the lethal terrorist assault that took place on the Karachi airport’s cargo terminal. First, more than one terrorist group was behind this…
Exploring extremism
INCREASING intolerance and the growing incidence of violent behaviour in Pakistani society require a review of the conventional understanding of extremism in Pakistan. Apart from the process of social transformation…
The central actor
Our political structure has seldom appeared more brittle. Political parties are at each other’s throats just as the religious groups always were; and now the provincial assemblies too seem at…
History on the march and repeating itself
Nawaz Sharif at loggerheads with the army again, the old pattern of 1999 repeating itself. Cruel destiny…is Pakistan doomed to walk the paths it has trodden before? What is at…
