Nawaz and the military
It is time we looked at and analysed the interesting consistency and change that are both part of the Nawaz Sharif we see today. As far as consistency is concerned,…
All-weather friends
Visiting China is a never-ending revelation; the amazing 7.7 percent growth rate in a sluggish global economy is considered ‘disappointing’ there. Of China’s 31 provinces, Guangdong has the highest GDP…
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…
Changing trends
Political parties differ in a variety of ways, eg in their ideology, their leadership’s socio-economic background and their national or ethnic focus. The types of parties representing a region reflect…
UKIP’s challenge to Cameron and the EU
Given our preoccupation with our general elections on May 11, we can be excused for having largely ignored the shock results in the recent local council elections in the UK.…
Those who did not vote
The recently concluded elections to the central and provincial assemblies have aroused serious debate about the `fairness` of the election process particularly on polling day. Charges of poll rigging are…
Road to nowhere?
Are we driving on a road that leads nowhere by way of peaceful transfer of power to a freely and fairly elected government? The goal of establishing a genuinely representative…
The mirage of democracy
Use your brain before May 11 – this meme, one of many that are doing the rounds on the Pakistani blogosphere in the run-up to the general elections, comes as…
Election drum
Two aspects of the General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani's speech on Martyrs' Day that remain the subject of media debate are his belief that a competent democracy that delivers real results…
