Turangzai vs the Raj
In one of my previous articles, titled ‘Frontier and resistance’, published in these pages I focused on the armed resistance in the frontier where a number of freedom fighters, including…
Breaking the shackles
Former president Asif Ali Zardari’s long awaited arrival in Pakistan in December 2016 was not very remarkable. The co-chairperson of the PPP made his short appearance in the country only…
Imagine if Gandhi had a gun
Black American writer Charles E. Cobb Jr has set off a strange and unexpected train of thought in my mind with his 2014 book: This Nonviolent Stuff’ll Get You Killed:…
A quagmire of mutual treachery
The attack on the Torkham post by Afghan border forces is perhaps the worst ever since the Pakistani side increased its efforts to enforce border management across the Durand Line…
The anger and the rhetoric
Part - III What will then address the issues of our intellectual despondency and knowledge deficit? Subsequently, how will we meet the technological and material challenges posed by living under…
More pain, no gain
As intended, last week’s terrorist attack at Bacha Khan University in the KP town of Charsadda evoked memories of the December 2014 massacre at the Army Public School in Peshawar.…
Another wake-up call
Visibility was very poor when four terrorists attacked the campus of Bacha Khan University in Charsadda on Wednesday morning, making rescue operations difficult. An interpretation of how this happened and…
Can Imran change?
Prime Minister Narendra Modi would be justified in conferring India’s highest civilian award, the Bharat Ratna, on Imran Khan. Last Sunday at the PTI rally in Islamabad Imran threatened to…
Bombs, grenades, guns – and the mind
The spate of terrorism attacks witnessed in the run up to Eid is a reminder to all of us of how deeply extremism and hatred is now embedded in our…
Barrister Baachaa
Many things about Barrister Baachaa were unique. Take his name, for instance. His real name was Mian Jamal Shah but at some stage in life he stopped using it and…
