Media’s partisan image
The recent suicide attack on the Peshawar Press Club appears not to have alarmed the mainstream media, although the blast underscored the magnitude of the security problems faced by NWFP…
Poverty of philosophy
Across the length and breadth of Pakistan, amongst journalists, politicians, generals and even judges, there is a poverty of philosophy that is crippling the development of a stable state and…
Confidential matters
There are prevalent even in high quarters some palpably wrong notions about journalists’ right to protect their sources of information. At the other extreme is the view held by journalists…
Language in Sindh schools
The language dilemma in education remains unresolved in Pakistan because educationists fail to understand how basic language is to the child’s learning process, as also to the psyche of the…
Will the son also rise?
Tall and handsome, he resembles his illustrious grandfather. His voice evokes the memory of his courageous mother who gave her life fighting for the people’s rights. But for 24-year-old Bilawal Bhutto Zardari the mantle of leadership of the country’s most powerful political dynasty may have come too soon.
An information black hole
I recently attended an exhibition titled ‘Gaming in Waziristan’ at London’s Beaconsfield Art Gallery. The show included a slide projection of photographs by journalist Noor Behram, who has been documenting…
War, regimentation and journalism
Entrepreneurial begging in ‘IDP industry’ the truth is hard to define — let alone defend — in a society where violence is deeply entrenched. In northwest Pakistan, the task of…
A law that shames South Africa
On Tuesday morning, my friend Stefaans Brummer, arguably South Africa`s best investigative journalist, sent me a text message. “When I`m incarcerated at Parkview police station, please bring me coffee, a…
Peace opportunity
Pakistanis are not known for professionalism; we don’t know our bounds as journalists, judges, opposition leaders and rulers. Whoever succeeds in politics turns into a dictator, a little bit of…
Peace process
Wouldn’t you find it confusing if at daybreak you read the news that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called for ‘permanent reconciliation’ with Pakistan and a couple of hours…
