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Pakistan Speaks Up: Election Outlook-XI

Pakistan speaks up: Election Outlook-XI

That "Pakistan bolay gaa [Pakistan will speak up]" (an Aaj TV slogan for its election broadcasts) is now a stark reality that has found its best expression in a violent…

A Shameless Extreme

A shameless extreme

Army Chief General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani is a blunt man who does not believe in sugar-coating what he has to say in coloured phrases of shallow rhetoric. In his Martyrs’…

Predatory Elites

Predatory elites

Pakistan is ruled and controlled by predatory elites in whose hands power and wealth are concentrated. The ruling elites - comprising indomitable military-civil-judicial complex, unscrupulous politicians, mighty religious party leaders,…

Pakistan’s Economy – I

Pakistan’s economy – I

Alongsides is the first part of a three-part series by an economist who has reflected on his more than half a century involvement with the country's economy. Pakistan has had…

Dual Nationality

Dual nationality

The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) is engaged in drafting and seeking approval where required, of a set of rules for prospective candidates, some based on court decisions, for the…

Democracy Awards

Democracy awards

Ladies and gentlemen, a few weeks ago, in this very space, we hosted an event called ‘Revolution Awards’. Although there is nothing original about this idea, yet our audience feedback…

Bell The Democratic Cat

Bell the democratic cat

Pakistan has just sworn in its first non-criminal, non-corrupt, and non-elected prime minister in five years. Draw two lines under ‘non-elected’ because our failed version of democracy only throws up…

A War Of Choice

A war of choice

A discerning disaggregation of the phenomenon of militancy among the groups that have, over decades, taken root in central and southern Punjab makes for an important study. This is especially…

Packed And Gone

Packed and gone

There is an old saying ‘bus ho chuki namaz, musalla uthaiye’. It is used to convey to the concerned person that there is nothing left to talk about and they…

Islands Of Affluence

Islands of affluence

‘Democracy is the best revenge’ having run its full course, other ‘avatars’ are about to descend over the hills of Islamabad. The populace awaits less than eagerly the rerun of…