Emerging economies
Since long, Pakistan is locked up in a situation of economic volatility, infrastructural deficit, financial disaster in public sector entities and growing poverty. Reformatory policies undertaken by different sectors of…
Endemic corruption
Pakistan is going through an immensely difficult era. Is it because of democracy? Is it because of the legacy that Musharraf left behind? Whatever the diagnosis the fact is that…
Education and mobility
When I was in college, our undergraduate classes were allocated on the basis of student roll numbers. We were thus forced to interact with students who did not belong to…
The Indo-Pak tango
What prevents India’s total domination over Pakistan? India is ahead of us in practically all indicators of national power potential – size, population, natural resources, economy and military. It outperforms…
The path to peace in Fata
The residents of Bara in Khyber Agency have faced an extremely difficult situation ever since Pakistan joined the war on terror and deployed the army in the tribal areas. A…
The saviour delusion
In terms of our national consciousness three trends seem to be ascendant: we have lost faith in the ability of individuals to possess integrity or be guided by principles, firm…
Victims and victimhood
Salman Rushdie, a much-feted victim of intolerance, was vigorously promoting his memoir recently when I asked a friend in London to send me a copy of The Rushdie Letters. It…
India growling
How the tables have turned! For years it was India that held out the hand of trade and economic opportunity to us, and it was Pakistan that growled back defiantly,…
Mischief is afoot
“Now let it work. Mischief, thou art afoot, Take thou what course thou wilt!” — Shakespeare The ungainly and unnecessary controversies over arrangements for the general election and the arguments…
Perpetual war
Four years into his presidency, Barack Obama’s political formula should be obvious. He gives fabulous speeches teeming with popular liberal ideas, often refuses to take the actions necessary to realise…
