Fleeting moments
The PML-N has gained enough seats to form a government in both the centre and Punjab. Many of the PPP’s pompous stalwarts, who never tired of claiming to represent the…
The honeymoon begins
No matter how dismal or desperate the circumstances, fresh public mandate never fails to cultivate hope. That is the beauty of democracy and why it will continue to trump misconceived…
Make politics ordinary
Those who care for historical comparison may note that in 1988, General Zia’s children of dictatorship were voting for a democratic revolution promised by a waving Benazir Bhutto from atop…
Those who did not vote
The recently concluded elections to the central and provincial assemblies have aroused serious debate about the `fairness` of the election process particularly on polling day. Charges of poll rigging are…
Fixing the economy
After a landmark election, and a comprehensive win for PML-N, there is yet another opportunity to `fix` Pakistan`s economy. How the challenges are perceived by the leadership of the PML-N…
The EU can help
The European Union is well placed to help Pakistan’s new government tackle a daunting domestic and foreign policy agenda. Attention is inevitably focused on Pakistan’s relations with the US, India…
And so they went on
The other day I happened to overhear a group of post-graduate students discussing what constituted the principal or fundamental problem of Pakistan. Here is a summarised account of the debate.…
Let the games begin
A Complicated election has given us a simple outcome. With a single party in charge of things, perhaps one can hope for some stability in the government. And with a…
More sweet than sour
Even after making allowances for the controversy over irregularities in polling at a number of places, the May 11 election marks a step forward in the Pakistanis’ quest for a…
Make them think
Despite the threats and terrorist attacks, Pakistan went ahead with parliamentary elections. This is a great victory for the country. The winners of these elections, like the PPP before them,…
