Contours of a roadmap
WITH Imran Khan’s conviction, a three-year prison sentence ‘for corrupt practices’ in the Toshakhana case, and automatic disqualification from holding or running for public office, the process of creating what the…
The ever-elusive stability
THE two concurrent sessions of the National Assembly and the Senate called over the weekend suggest that the government feels confident of reaching the two-thirds majority required in each House…
Beyond the open ballot
THE Senate election is over but the dust is yet to settle. The Islamabad seat didn’t go the predicted way (mea culpa: I was among the confident few — wrongly so —…
Political see-saw
WE have been witnessing a political see-saw in the country for months now. After its failed no-confidence move against Senate chairman Sadiq Sanjrani and the long march in 2019, the…
The final umpire
WHEN Imran Khan was the prime minister he tried to stop the vote of no confidence against him through a ruling by the deputy Speaker of the National Assembly. The Supreme Court took suo…
A convenient scapegoat
The ongoing debate in the media is trying to pin all the current challenges on one sector: the IPPs. Arguments typically revolve around capacity charges paid to IPPs coupled with…
Nawaz Sharif active again
NAWAZ Sharif seems to be recovering from the shock of the February election result and asserting himself, perhaps, realising that just as his party can’t do without the support of…
Judicial imperialism: Threat to democracy
When honourable judges, while claiming to enforce the constitution, render verdicts that cannot plausibly be related to the constitution the result is judicial imperialism posing a serious threat to the…
The 19th Amendment
The 19 Amendment to the constitution of Pakistan was passed in December 2010; it reformed the procedure for judicial appointments and also expanded the federally administered tribal areas (FATA). Understanding…
After the ECP verdict
The Election Commission of Pakistan, in a unanimous decision, has disqualified former prime minister Imran Khan in the Toshakhana reference under Article 63(1)(p) of the constitution. With that, he has…
