The day of the jackals
The politicians of Pakistan are not in the habit of saying anything in a measured and reflective manner. They do not believe in masterly understatements. Their preference is to howl…
The return of Fazlullah
Enter Mullah Fazlullah. His choice as the new head of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan has significance that must be seriously examined. Unlike Baitullah and Hakeemullah, his droned predecessors, he is not…
The lies our leaders tell
Novelists and playwrights have vividly described the remorse that assails those who have done evil, they have portrayed the torment of a stricken conscience and the long nights of sleeplessness…
Three Es
Energy, extremism and the economy. These have been – and continue to be – he PML-N’s officially stated goals, objectives and targets. Where do we now stand? How far have…
Pleas, prayers and parleys
Pakistan is a victim of a vicious circle. Our national character fatally generates one-man rule (including elected dictators.) Dictatorships strengthen and exasperate the defects of national character with catastrophic results.…
Countering the terror threat
Consider the theatrics of the absurd by some political clerics at the killing of the terrorist responsible for slaughtering thousands of innocent Pakistanis. It is sad that the fundamentally moderate…
Drones, wounds and privilege
S. Akbar Zaidi’s recent article in these pages (November 8, 2013) on my film, ‘Wounds of Waziristan’, is replete with ad hominem attacks. He misrepresents what he does know, makes…
Rights of labourers and football World Cup
The state of Qatar got world's attention when FIFA announced its decision for it to host the 2022 football World Cup making it the first Middle Eastern country ever to…
Broken paths
The road to internal security disasters is paved with false assumptions that terrorists can be appeased or coaxed into accepting peace. The conurbations in Karachi, Fata’s treacherous mountains and the…
For Imran to be effective
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and his political party, the PML-N, won the May 11 elections on the promises of resolving all the major crises the country is beset with. On…
