In the mirror of May 11
With intense focus on the formation of new governments at the centre and in the provinces, arguments and observations that flowed from the results of the general elections on May…
What lies ahead
An imperfect electoral exercise copied from western models, our democracy has very little relevance to the local environment or the ‘genius of the people’. The ‘first-past-the-post-system’ does not ascertain the…
Get agrarian
Land reforms and the imposition of tax on income derived from agriculture, which is presently exempt in the majority of countries like Pakistan, are two issues that attract a lot…
Will is all
The new government likely to take office in the coming days will face enormous economic challenges. How it will balance its income with expenditures will be the first challenge it…
We know the answers, but will they matter?
The elections are over. Some parties have lost and some have won. However, there were many irregularities: significant institutions failed to ensure an election the people deserved. The margin of…
Pakistan and leadership transition in China
Since the 1990s, China's top leaders serve a maximum of two five-year terms. With the last batch of leaders having reached the end of their second term last year, there…
Statesmanship or gamesmanship?
More than 150 people lost their lives in the run-up to the elections; and on election day itself, scores were injured. Despite all fear and intimidation, the people – by…
Is the PPP still relevant?
What had, for all this time, been a thread of scarlet in Pakistan’s political fabric is now fading into a strand of grey. That is what has happened to the…
Forebodings and forewarnings
The elections are, at last, over and by the time this article appears, the final outcome will have emerged. As voters wended their way to polling booths, they were assailed…
Election Outlook-XII: Ethnic cleavages
Sending flowers is a measure of how much you care. And, firing a broadside at somebody is a measure of how much you dislike or despise that person. It was,…
