Khan’s eight-month itch
IT was a happening week. All thanks to the prime minister who finally put aside his indecision and shuffled the cabinet portfolios, as he had been meaning to do for…
Et tu, Khan?
One of Pakistan’s enduring customs is that the pessimists often carry the day while those who think positively are seen biting the dust. The smooth democratic transition of a year…
Parliament needs its critics
For much of the past year, Pakistan’s parliament resembled a machine missing a crucial cog. Bills were introduced, speeches delivered and tempers flared, yet one of the organising principles of…
48 Pakistani universities make it to Times Higher Education ranking
This year 48 universities from Pakistan have made it to the Times Higher Education (THE) World University Rankings for 2026. The Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad, is ranked between 401 and 500 category, followed by…
NFC: Which way the change?
Ministry of Finance held a preparatory session on the National Finance Commission (NFC) award earlier this month followed by concerns voiced by the leadership of the Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP)…
The VC leadership crisis
A lot has been written about the non-appointment of vice chancellors (VCs) in public-sector universities. Universities’ performance can be measured in international rankings and research output. Two major companies publish…
BB and the art of realpolitik
The political career of Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated on December 27, 2007, was a saga of fluctuating fortunes. Twice she was voted to power (1988 and 1993) and twice…
BB and the art of realpolitik
The political career of Benazir Bhutto, who was assassinated on December 27, 2007, was a saga of fluctuating fortunes. Twice she was voted to power (1988 and 1993) and twice…
Remembering ABS Jafri Part – II
ABS Jafri’s first book that I read was ‘Here lies India’, containing his columns about the India-Pakistan War of 1965. During and after the war he wrote columns seven days…
Upward mobility
THE main title is misleading: Dear Mr Jinnah. It implies a familiarity between the book’s author Salman Faruqui and the Quaid. In fact, Faruqui was only eight years old in…
