Corruption as empowerment?
If India’s maverick psychologist and social critic Ashis Nandy had planned to ignite a potentially ugly controversy at the Jaipur Literary Festival, he couldn’t have done better than by insinuating…
The new nouveau
Politicians will never die of starvation; they can always survive by eating their own words. What causes them indigestion, however, is not having to swallow their own speeches as much…
The state and economic development
The role of the Pakistani state in the country’s economy has recently come under scrutiny - in reference to the ongoing electricity and natural gas/CNG crisis. The argument usually put…
Bose`s stature reduced
We rneasure power through size. Check any political poster. The boss gets the biggest face. Others in the pecking order descend till the miniature at the end. Why was Subhas…
Reko Diq: technical knockout?
The honourable Supreme Court of Pakistan has finally declared the award of Reko Diq copper project's lease to a foreign joint venture Tethyan as illegal. This almost seals the fate…
Spotlight: Party leaders not parties are power centres – II
Pir Pagara, Raja Saein: Pakistan Muslim League (Functional) head Pir Pagara is a well known figure in Sindh and in Rawalpindi where the GHQ is located. The help rendered by…
Halchal in the ranks
For all the fuss he created in his life ‘Maulvi Halchal’ bowed out rather quietly. A TV channel ran a bit about his passing away recently, just enough to send…
Ties with India
Preoccupation with domestic issues over the past few weeks should not have prevented Pakistan`s policymakers and informed sections of society from taking note of the dangerous events along the Line…
Consensus on terrorism
The tone for a much-needed multi-party conference has finally been set. The leadership of the Awami National Party (ANP) has started contacting the leadership of other political parties. The plan…
Inequality in society
With elections approaching, the usual claims from incumbent political parties of being pro-poor and even ‘revolutionary’ have increased in both frequency and amplitude. Notwithstanding their magnificent promises of ending corruption,…
