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Is This Democracy?

Is this democracy?

Patriotic Pakistanis spend many sleepless nights brooding incessantly whether Pakistan’s democracy brand is genuine. Having concluded glumly that it is not, based on unrealistic comparisons with Western countries, many call…

The Different Realities Of A Complex Country

The different realities of a complex country

When we talk politics or discuss the national condition anyone would think we were the world’s biggest moaners and grousers. Cynicism has become the general attitude of the intelligentsia and…

The Death Of A Hermit

The death of a hermit

Enigmatic and reclusive in life, his death is no less mysterious. Since his famous escape on a motorbike from Kandahar after the US invasion in October 2001, very little was…

Circle Of Death

Circle of death

The extraordinary attempt earlier this month by 47 United States senators to sabotage one of their nation’s most significant diplomatic initiatives served as a reminder that some of the Obama…

Causes Of Islamist Militancy

Causes of Islamist militancy

As terrorist violence from ‘Islamic’ militants spreads across the world, from Peshawar to Paris, affected states are struggling to devise effective responses. So far, most of their responses have addressed…

One Sane Course

One sane course

PAKISTAN will defend Saudi Arabia’s territorial integrity, was the one declaration made public from the meeting of the country’s civilian and military leadership to ‘consider’ a Saudi request for material…

Disregard Of International Law

Disregard of international law

A VERY large section of teachers at seminaries and religious scholars refuse to see Muslims as anything other than a single organic ummah. For them, the resort to coercive methods…

Will History Repeat Itself?

Will history repeat itself?

April 4 is the 36th anniversary of Pakistan’s foremost leader Zulfikar Ali Bhutto. Just when I sat down to write a memorial piece, a fellow writer emailed me the news…

A Post ‘war-on-terror’ Pakistan?

A post ‘war-on-terror’ Pakistan?

In social, economic, political and even descriptive ways, Pakistan seems to have entered a post-WoT era. In 2013, the first ever civilian-led electoral transition ushered in a new government and…