Who defines patriotism?
“The sword is the axis of the world and its power is absolute.” – De Gaulle. This is a slightly more poetic rendition of the old Maoist line that power…
History on the march and repeating itself
Nawaz Sharif at loggerheads with the army again, the old pattern of 1999 repeating itself. Cruel destiny…is Pakistan doomed to walk the paths it has trodden before? What is at…
Viewpoint:Of dignity and pride
According to our commentariat and chattering classes, the Army is very, very angry because of their ex-chief General Pervez Musharraf being pushed around by 'bloody civilians'. CoAS General Raheel Sharif…
Democracy still in its infancy
The Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif's statement on Monday, a little over five months after he was appointed, that "Pakistan army upholds the sanctity of all institutions and…
Now that April is here
Collectively, we seem to be losing it in this month of April, Eliot’s “cruellest month” that mixes “memory and desire”. It could be the spring fever or the summer madness…
Good and bad news
Capital suggestion June 5, 2013 – March 31, 2014: The best piece of news out of the current season of news is that Pakistan’s economic management has taken a U-turn…
The skyline changeth
Oh, ever so subtly it changeth. A week ago, give or take a few days, no man had more reason to be self-satisfied than Mr Nawaz Sharif, virtually master of…
Brinkmanship won’t pay
It is not an everyday occurrence that Pakistan’s army chief warns distracters against undermining the military’s institutional morale. It is also unusual that a couple of federal ministers have to…
Selective suicide?
The chief rarely expresses his personal opinion,” I vividly recall Gen Jahangir Karamat telling me over the telephone a few hours after he left his job as the chief of…
Rule of law or wages of folly?
Four coups, long years in power, uneven war performances…a less than distinguished record for which the army is justly criticised. But it’s been slightly different these past last ten years:…
