The writing on the wall
Three sets of people awaited Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani in the courtroom yesterday. The first were crowing about the majesty of the law; the second, howling political persecution. On…
Over the top Rotting in banana land
I now fall into the line of the blessed. I have just had my first Rs16 banana. Grown in the Banana Republic of Pakistan, the banana measures a little over…
Crime, culture and forensics
We are all aware of the failings. Five years ago tomorrow will mark not simply the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto but also scenes that have become etched…
My country is finished
In an interview with Oriana Fallaci, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto said that when he was awakened by the sound of gunfire in Dacca on March 25, 1971 and saw the army…
Gut reaction
Both Pakistan and India have recently “successfully test-fired” several missiles capable of carrying conventional and nuclear warheads. Militarily, this is a great achievement, especially in a world where, apart from…
How to view Jinnah
It is a measure of Jinnah’s stature that he remains the frame of reference for us all, no matter on which side of the divide a Pakistani is. More or…
Here comes act two
Barack Hussein Obama has been re-elected as US president for a second term. He indeed is a miracle man. Four years ago he made history as the son of an…
Defeat on the cards?
The US-led military coalition is going to lose the war in Afghanistan. But, of course, there is losing … and then there is losing. Let me qualify that first statement.…
Fiscal mess and debt burden – II
In the first nine months of FY 12, the gap between national income and expenditure widened to 5.5% of total national output or Rs 1153 billion. Rates of return on…
The extremist mindset
Two events in recent weeks have shaken the country and — fortunately, for a change — led to intense soul-searching. The first event was the response to the anti-Islam film…
