International connections
There was a time when Pakistanis would be found chanting loudly for internationalising an issue. They thought that by involving the world they had a better chance of getting a…
To ban or not to ban?
Here we go again. This story is getting a little old now, so let’s hope there is a different ending this time round. Hafiz Saeed has been placed under house…
Is Pakistan getting ‘Trumped’?
With one stroke of the pen Donald Trump last week slammed the doors on people from seven predominantly Muslim countries throwing the United States and the world into unprecedented chaos.…
Grateful for small mercies
Thanks to the mindless policies of the country’s security establishment, Balochistan has become Pakistan’s Achilles’ heel. Rather than find a sensible way out, more blunders are being committed. Take, for…
The return of IS
The operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from the grip of the militant Islamic State group may take a few more weeks, or maybe even months. But the…
The establishment’s dilemma
The oligarchy which runs Pakistan, often called the establishment, is in a quandary. The problem is that whatever it says through its diplomats abroad — and with however much energy…
Closing space
The silencing of Pakistan is well under way. The National Assembly last week passed the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Bill. Despite the charade of public consultation, it remains a regressive…
Can Pakistan’s F-16s fight terror?
Pakistan says it desperately wants Lockheed-Martin Block-V F-16 fighter-bombers at $87 million apiece for fighting terrorists in tribal badlands such as North Waziristan. An order for eight jets has already…
Fighting the Chotoo gang
A Group of notorious gangsters has apparently brought the Punjab police to its knees. A 2,200-strong police force has retreated after losing several men since the operation against the Chotoo…
Blind spots in rhetorical fogs
It is not easy to locate the spectra of liberal or conservative, moderate or extreme in this country. This is not unique to Pakistan. In the information age, in the…
