Leadership matters
RECEP Tayyip Erdogan has won a third presidential term. His dominance of the Turkish political scene for over two decades has been marked both by enviable successes and trying challenges.…
Killing democracy
THE US has never officially been willing to concede that recent history encompasses not one but two 9/11s. There’s the one 22 years ago that everyone is supposed to remember,…
Another court
ARE constitutional courts an idea whose time has come in Pakistan? The proposal to constitute one was seriously presented in the Charter of Democracy signed by Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz…
Lessons from past crises
PAKISTAN’S political crisis is deepening with every passing day. The fact that the Punjab Assembly election that was scheduled for April 30 has been delayed to Oct 8 by the…
Throwing the book
THERE may come a time when Donald Trump proclaims himself to be the saviour of the American publishing industry. After all, never before have the first four years of any…
Unceasing political vendetta
WE have a history of political feuds and vendetta that run through generations. It may be difficult to pinpoint the origins of the politics of vendetta but the misuse of…
Cable, conspiracy & populism
THE removal of a prime minister through a no-confidence motion is an extraordinary event in the life of a nation. Similarly, accusing the recognised political opposition of treason is a…
Who defends the Constitution?
ON the day the National Assembly was dissolved, Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari tweeted: “We cannot under any circumstances compromise on the constitution. SC must rise to the challenge & prove our constitution is…
Judicial capture
The established cornerstone of democracy is separation of powers. Within it, a judicial system can only deliver if it is guided solely by legal principle and not politics or personal…
Development first?
EVEN a cursory review of discussions in Pakistan on the subject suggests that a desperate search for a shortcut to development has been going on for decades. How to attain…
