Pakistan’s new friends
A clear majority of the local Taliban fighters are ‘not the enemies of Pakistan.’ This ‘good news’ was shared by Interior Minister Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan on the floor of…
On her way to equality
The official United Nations theme for International Women's Day (March 8) this year is: ‘Equality for women is progress for all’. And right they are, for women have a right…
Focus on crime
The relationship between media and the police has forever been of an enigmatic nature. The two routinely work in unison, yet the two are always looking for opportunities to expose…
Guns, roses and good sense
With the misguided attempts at talks with the Taliban over, as jets, ‘copters and troops take over from the negotiators, the present moment is one dominated by the military. We…
At the Alhamra
I went to the Lahore Literary Festival at the Alhamra last week and it was fun. I can’t say I imbibed any great thoughts or came away with any startling…
Afghan ghost towns a symbol of lost hope
Aliceghan was supposed to be a haven for war-torn Afghanistan's returning refugees and a symbol of resurgence after the dark years of the Taliban. Six years on, it has come…
Despite Iraq’s troubles, archaeologists are back
Ur's palaces and temples lie in ruins, but its hulking Ziggurat still dominates the desert flatlands of what is now southern Iraq, as it has for millennia. Climbing the Ziggurat's…
As we go on living closed lives
In the middle of the much coveted process of dialogue between the Pakistani government and the outlawed TTP – the start of which brought insurmountable joy in the flanks of…
The TTP split
Of all the party leaders we have today, Imran speaks the language of simplicity and acts simplistically too. But he speaks and acts with a great deal of conviction. Who…
Excuse me, but have you all lost your minds?
A few years ago, our national nightmare came true. India invaded Pakistan. They killed our men at arms in droves, slaughtering those brave young men who had voluntarily spent their…
