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Extractive Institutions

Extractive institutions

Not a day passes in Pakistan without some reference being made to the importance of institutional stability and the breakdown in the institutional development. These references take on a phraseology…

Democracy & Devolution

Democracy & devolution

Each of the three — not including Gen Yahya Khan — military men who ruled Pakistan — each for around a decade or so, devised his own form of devolution…

Will The Son Also Rise?

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.

No white heat revolutions

Former British Prime Minister Harold Wilson – twice elected – famously observed in 1964 that a week was a long time in politics. True to those words, the twist came…

After Baitullah’s Death

After Baitullah’s death

The death of Baitullah Mehsud is no ordinary event in Pakistan’s recent fight against insurgency. By his masterly manipulation of ‘peace deals’ and taking advantage of the vacuum that existed…

When Bad Men Combine…

When bad men combine…

When Marx spoke of the withering away of the state, he envisaged society progressing to a higher stage – a sort of classless utopia. When Pakistanis speak of their state…

Polls And The Security Challenge

Polls and the security challenge

The PPP-led government, despite all its failures in tackling the issues of massive corruption, bad governance and the worsening law and order situation, should certainly be credited for some of…

Journalists In The Crossfire

Journalists in the crossfire

Militants, the military and the media are three vital actors in Pakistan’s war theatre. While combatants on both sides possess the skills required to carry out their missions, untrained media…

A Diabolical Ideology

A diabolical ideology

Few other societies have faced the menace of religious extremism in a bloodier fashion than ours. Yet few other societies have seen such a sharp split on this critical issue than ours. What irony!

Public Participation In Financial Matters

Public participation in financial matters

In Pakistan it is very disturbing to learn about the imprudence of those in power (both civil and military) in disbursing money from the public exchequer. Rules have been properly…