Ideological welfare
A Report published recently in this paper shed light on the relief efforts undertaken by religious groups in areas affected by the ongoing military operation. As has been the case…
Only prayer of winning the war
A Picture generating optimism is emerging now that former army chief Gen Kayani’s reported procrastination is no more and the North Waziristan operation’s ground phase has been launched following weeks…
Beyond sound and fury
Not beyond military rule: Gen Musharraf’s greatest contribution to Pakistan has not been his military service nor his coup to rescue us from ‘corrupt’ civilian democracy. It has not even…
The limits of protest
The spectacular protests around the current World Cup in Rio offer an important lesson for the IOC, Fifa and the organisers of the Miss Worlds and Universes. They should only…
A disaster in waiting
It seems like déjà vu. The empire has struck back, orchestrating a media campaign and public rallies in its support. With familiar Islamist faces carrying larger-than-life portraits of the army…
The dissension within
KHAN Said alias Sajna and Shehryar Mehsud, both from the Mehsud Taliban fighters, continue to engage in a bloodbath for turf and kitty. According to first-hand reports, dozens of fighters,…
Fear of liberal politics
The offended Moeen Cheema takes exception to my criticism of the scholarship produced by him and his colleagues (22 Mar). Their scholarship objects to Pakistani liberalism as elite and narrow…
Manmohan Singh, Kashmir and lame ducks
My first reaction to the news of Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh planning a visit to Pakistan in March 2014 was one of relief. Those that follow the efforts for…
The crisis of an ideology
It’s really quite unfair. The Council of Islamic Ideology (CII) is facing considerable criticism for following its mandate and legitimately attempting to align Pakistan into a Shariah compliant state. Never…
The mainstreaming of militancy
In Islamabad, a cleric who unleashed forces from his Lal Masjid to attack and capture government buildings to press for his demand that the constitution of the state be overthrown…
