Time to free Mandela once more
When leading members of the ruling African National Congress (ANC), including President Jacob Zuma, gathered around the ailing Nelson Mandela at his residence for a photo op back in April,…
Pyrrhic laurels
NO one probably remembers. I do. The occasion was many years ago — in the last century in fact — when the then British high commissioner Sir Nicholas Barrington invited…
Crafting the leadership narrative
Words. Lines. Paragraphs. Sente nces. Phrases. They uplift you and they put your down. They do and they undo. They tell and they show. They start and they end. They…
Ahimsa today
Every year on October 2, the world observes the International Day of Non-Violence – a day declared by the United Nations to celebrate the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi, born…
Theft of childhood
LAST month, I travelled through Pakistan’s four provinces to oversee UNFPA projects and initiatives. I also engaged with partners to get their perspectives on development amid the recent geopolitical and…
Hindutva’s myopic diplomacy
THEY haven’t a clue about diplomacy on the big stage nor about getting along, leave alone being popular, with the neighbours. Hindutva and its leaders are all about a parochial…
Can the US afford a Zohran?
While President Donald Trump was making headlines this week on the global stage, particularly playing ‘daddy’ in the Israel-Iran conflict, a political earthquake was recorded in New York City after…
Message of amnesty
Fourteen hundred years ago, on the 20th of Ramazan, a remarkable event in human history occurred, which is still remembered today and has ever-lasting effects on humankind. The last Prophet…
Hard state, soft state
OUR violence is counterterrorism; theirs is terrorism. Recently, the army chief addressed parliament after the Jaffar Express train attack in Balochistan. He said Pakistan had to become a “hard state” to fight militancy and…
A peoples’ quest for peace – Part – I
In my previous column series, ‘Discussing South Asian Peace’, we talked about the evolution of people’s initiatives for restoring peace in South Asia. From the Pak-India Peace Forum to Himal…
