Peace for People and People of Peace

This is all I ask after paying my taxes. A safe haven for my home. Smiles on my children faces. Halal, hard earned food, and electricity.

Local Government System – Incompetence vs Competence

I fail to understand why people blame the system for their incompetence? MQM has proved that with any system they could work and contribute because of their commitment, competence and honesty.

Environment, Kyoto Protocol and the Carbon Market

Pakistan today considered to be among the top 20 countries in the world that are gravely endangered to the adverse affects of climate change.

Media Besieged by Taliban in Pakistan

..recent global survey about political rights and civil liberties, Pakistan was ranked as "Partly Free" and "Not Free" in the 2009 version of Freedom of the Press.

Tale of Two Rebels

It was from Firdous market till the bridge. “Stop it�. I cried.. But at that moment I felt that there was a demon inside her.� It’s fun and stop whining�. She snubbed me with a grin on her face.

Rise of 'The Cornered Tigers'

Emerging from the ashes like a phoenix re-born, conquering not just the game but also their nation. The Greens were crowned Champions in front of an ecstatic Lords on Sunday.

War of Words : Swat Military Campaign

In times of war, governments create lexicon of new words to justify the war and to make it more palatable.

Watching Poverty Grow

The whole city of Karachi was without power for longer than 24 hours. Load-shedding of electricity for a few hours daily is the norm, all over the country, but consumers will see a minimum raise of one thousand rupees on their monthly bills.

Martyred for Speaking Out Against the Taliban

The silent majority of ulama finally rises up against the Taliban

Bad Press

If you are pressed for time, you can get the latest news and race results on your Blackberry, and do banking on your cell phone. Should you still read the newspapers?

The Tragic fall of a Super Star

Inspired by one of Bollywood’s most famous Peshawar born personality, Yousef Khan, better known as Dilip Kumar, Ali too took a screen name of Vijay Kumar.

Pakistan Budget 2009-10

Fiscal deficit is expected to be 4.3 percent of GDP-down from 7.4 percent and the current account deficit is likely to be 5.3 percent of GDP–down from 8.4 percent last year.

Child Labour in Pakistan

Child Labour is a complex problem which demands a range of solutions. There is no better way to prevent child Labour than to make education compulsory.

My Children Play in the Same Playgrounds as the Desolate, Bombarded Souls

Terrorism is the root cause of all of the current atrocities that are harboring in the beautiful cities of Pakistan. But is this the same terrorism that the world speaks of?

Is TALIBANIZATION a New Phenomenon?

Media has been an effective tool in changing public opinion; earlier it was demonstrations against US drone attacks, but some clips of Talibans, beating a woman, slaughtering Pakistan army and people took a 360 degree turn.

Progression First, Philanthropy Later Or Vice Versa?

We can develop our country – our city sometime in near future as well, but presently, the unfortunate 3 million people should be the governments priority.

It's Yet Another Pakistani Nuclear Anniversary Today

People of North Korea gained nothing from their country’s nuclearisation. But they cannot challenge their oppressors. But, we Pakistanis — who are far freer — must ask: what have we gained from the bomb?

Political Slogans in Pakistan

“Hum ko Manzil Nahee Rehnuma Chaheya� means we don’t need to achieve our goals; we need only a leader, is the guiding light for MQM.

The Villain of Villains

Asif Ali Zardari is an enigma which has intrigued many for over a decade and nobody expects any relief anytime soon.

Reasons for War in the Pakhtun Land

The situation in swat is not a local problem. It is the symptom of a bigger crisis in which Pakhtuns are going to be trapped due to neglecting the importance of sticking to the national interests of Pakhtun land.

Politics As Usual

As hundreds of thousands flee the war-ravaged areas in Pakistan, a status-quo in US-Pakistan relations has been regained. US officials express no immediate danger of a collapse of the state.

Remembering the Past - 12th May 2007

On 12th May 2007 with the help of press, electronic media, and Internet blogs, the real face of MQM was exposed.

Chaos – Thy Name is Pakistan

Islam has become a sort of Pandora Box; you take out of the box whatever you want and call it Islamic. The tragic thing is that you believe that every thing else is un-Islamic.

Obama's Af-Pak Strategy

It should be clear by now that Hamid Karzai and Asif Ali Zardari who met with Obama yesterday in Washington have no concern for creating welfare in their respective countries.

In Pursuit of a Pakistani Deng Xiaopeng

Pakistan must learn from China. We must focus on developing a holistic trade policy with China. Chinese investment in Pakistan is critical.

Land Mafia Havens in Karachi

Once again the people of Karachi are victimized by these elements and there is no one to stop or counter them.

No Room for Half-Truths and Quasi-Morals

If the rest of Pakistan should ever hold a mirror to their face, they should see the reflection of turbaned and bearded hooligan.

Kashf - Lifting of the Veil

Described by critics as ‘a captivating homage to a Pakistan of tolerance, grace, aspiration and good humor’, Kashf is Pakistan’s first English language film in thirty years.

Karachi Could Bleed To Pakistan's Death

Karachi is bleeding again. Mohajirs against Pathans, MQM against ANP or the ISI against Karachi, the cycle of blood-shed has hit the city.

Not My God

The only thing which I remember till this day, were the piercings in her ears. In the next three years I would sit in her lap and would try to count them -- 5, 6, 7, 8

Hangman and the Priest

It is not enough that Jamaat-e-Islami does not win votes. Their ideology has hijacked our entire parliament, our entire nation.

Taliban: The Golden Goose And The Deadly Noose

President Zardari seeking aid from the Friends of Pakistan said, “If we lose, you lose. If we lose, the world loses.� He was referring to the Taliban insurgency in Pakistan.

YES, we can!

All great transformations are started by a small minority at a stage when there are skeptics dominating the optimists. We have to believe that there is no greater power than that of the people.

Pakistan Is Partitioned By Its National Assembly

As reported by the Geo TV website, your “National Assembly has passed the resolution in support of Nizam-e-Adl Regulation 2009 for Malakand Division.� The President of Pakistan has signed it.

Negotiating Aid Package

Pakistan’s Prime Minister Gillani may have done something historic by categorically declining to accept US aid with conditions that are not in Pakistan’s national interest.

Islamabad Nagging

The changed attitude in Islamabad reflects dissatisfaction of the military and the ruling elite, over the US demands for democracy, transparency and the sovereignty of civilian rule.

The Long Road to Talibanization

The perpetrators of religious terror in Pakistan are not just the terrorists, but also actors embedded in state and society, and neither have been made answerable.

Lashes to lashes, dust to dust

The Taliban existed before the drone attacks began. They existed before 9/11 happened. They were dismembering dissidents and hanging their bodies from lamp posts, long before the word Predator entered our local lexicon.

Is There a Redeemer?

Is there some one from among the Pakistani leaders who can stop this calamitous down slide and reverse the dreadful drift?

Time for Introspection

Burying our head in sand like an ostrich will not get us anywhere. We need to come out of our siege mentality. The entire world is not out there to get us. The threat that we face is internal.

USA's New Afghan Strategy

While tailor made and apparently or at least outwardly speaking neat and logical, President Obama’s policy speech on Afghanistan is vulnerable to many serious criticisms.

Common Pakistanis US Foreign Policy

Common Pakistanis believe that America plans to destabilize or divide Pakistan with the help of India.

Pakistan Faces Unprecedented Water Scarcity

There are successful examples of private citizens addressing sanitation issues on a local, community level. For instance, Dr. Akhtar Hamid Khan is the force behind Orangi Pilot Project.

Flying Home

Patriotism demands that we fly by PIA, also because no one else does. The airline must be doing fantastic business since its always fully booked regardless of date or destination.

The Tablighi and the Doctor Hop a One-Way Plane

It just doesn’t seem right when uncles and aunties argue in their jaded accents that the country is imploding - while sipping coffee in their 24 hour patrolled neighborhoods in Houston and Toronto.

Save Pakistan!

Skeptics will say that there is no future left for Pakistan. They are wrong. Pakistan certainly has a future; it is every single one of us. It is you, and it is me.

Pakistan - The Audacity of Collective Hope, The Struggle for an Ideal

People of Pakistan, there are challenges before us. The colossal size of these threats is vast. But we do have the capacity to turn the tide in our favour.

Democracy, Pakistan Style

Unlike 1990s, when demonstrations were carried out by PPP or PML hired thugs, today’s rallies are full of people, Pakistani citizens demanding accountability and full restoration of democracy.

How Long Could He Hold the Avalanche?

In this nerve shattering political battles first against former president Musharraf, and now against president Zardari, the lawyers have emerged victorious consequently.

Long March - A Long View Analysis

Long-festering tensions between the PPP and PML-N came to a head with a Supreme Court ruling of Feb 25 barring Sharif and his brother Shahbaz Sharif from holding elected office.

A Brief Survey Of Pakistani Novels In English

Should we include those writers, like Khushwant Singh, who were born, brought up and educated in areas which are now in Pakistan but later migrated to what is now India?

Fatima Jinnah: A Beacon Of Hope

When I think about what does being a Pakistani woman mean to me, I think of Fatima Jinnah’s aspirations. But do those aspirations come into the minds of ordinary Pakistani women?

Mr Zardari is Fighting a Losing Battle

Ironically, more people have been killed by Al Qaeda and the Taliban in Pakistan than by the three “enemies� of Pakistan (India, America and Israel) put together. But no one talks about this.

The Stone Age has Come

Ideas may give birth to nations but ideas do not sustain them. Ideologies are the province of well-fed stomachs, warm beds and loving embraces.

Suicide Prevention in Pakistan

While official stats are lacking, it has been possible to calculate rates of suicide in at least six different cities of Pakistan (Peshawar, Rawalpindi, Karachi, Lahore, Faislabad and Larkana).

Pakistan, Can You Hear Me?

Pakistanis come out on the streets to protest against the Taliban, against violence and against the murder of their own people. And for peace and dignity and friendship with their neighbors.

Collision of Cultures

The evening's highlight was the band "Call" from Lahore. Suddenly people began running away from the main gate. I went forward and found 20 to 50 middle-aged bearded men in shalwar-qameez.

How it Became Bakistan

A brief political history of Pakistan, from Jinnah’s idealism to Bhutto’s socialism and from dictatorships to present day Islamic fundamentalism.

In Honor of the Heroes of Swat

Despite being targeted a number of times by the Taliban in Swat, he has refused to leave his hometown. He, along with his near and dear ones, continue living and defying the militants.

Book Review: Daniyal Mueenuddin "In Other Rooms, Other Wonders"

Finally, a major publication by a talented young Pakistani with an eye for Pakistan's rural society and an ear for its rural dialects.

Leadership Crisis of South Asia

Asking people to choose from amongst the likes of Narendra Modi, Bal Thackeray, Sheikh Hasina Wajid, Khaleda Zia, or the assorted Nehru-Gandhis, Sharifs, Chaudhries is an exercise in futility.

How Greed Ruins Academia

Naked greed is now destroying the moral fibre of academia. Professors across the country are clamoring to lift even minimal requirements that could assure quality education.

In Search of Political Will: Fight Against Militants in Swat

Not only the state of Pakistan has the right to take arms against these elements but rather has a duty to curb these elements with all of its might.

In the Gallery Of Pakistan

What had happened here? All those pictures were mutilated as if some anti-art psychopath was unleashed. There was blood, hate, violence and death written with bold letters everywhere.

Imagine Life Without Government

The mobile phone company was responsible for providing me a service for Rs. 85 it had charged. The government on the other hand was not accountable to me at all, for the Rs. 15

Obama's Surge in Afghanistan: An Indian's view of Opium trade

Why such importance to this tiny country. The Jihadies have already gone into the caves of Wazirstan. Then Why? Is it the poppy and heroin trade?

A Proven Approach to Make Pakistan's Defence Impregnable

If there are no internal or external threats, there are no enemies. No enemies, no conflict. But how could such an ideal goal be achieved in Pakistan where tensions are so high?

First 11 Months of PPP Government

Overall inflation has touched 25 per cent and the US dollar has gone up from Rs 62 to Rs 81, a near 36 per cent increase.

Obama Inauguration Brings Hope, Scepticism

The message of hope that he symbolised resonated with Pakistanis - though some shrugged it off as part of a system that is unlikely to change.

Gone Are Those Days Sweetie

When going out shopping to Hyatabad was considered a family picnic, when sitting at a road side Khokha was considered to be safe and fun among your friends.

World Bank Help For Pakistan’s Education – A Poisoned Chalice?

What Pakistan needs from the Bank is help for improving the dilapidated infrastructure of ordinary colleges where the bulk of Pakistani students in higher education study, not more half-baked universities.

Scylla or Charybdis?

From terrorist attacks in India to insurgency in Afghanistan, from nuclear proliferation to radicalization of Islam, every thing is “exported� by us; it’s strange that still our GDP is going down.

Civil Society Pleads for Peace

As tensions between Pakistan and India continue to see-saw, citizens in both countries are stepping up efforts for peace through initiatives

Heed Tariq Ali's Voice

A veteran on the South Asian scene, Ali has clinically diagnosed the post-partition developments with a sympathetic mind without losing the desired element of objectivity.

Babel

“Babel� is the best word that describes the present situation in South Asia. Have we solved issues like poverty, unemployment, malnutrition that we want to go to war?

Year 2008 in Review-Pakistan

It began with Bhutto's widower Asif Ali Zardari taking over the reigns of Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan's largest political party, and ended with rising tensions in South Asia.

Thereek-e-Televiban: A Short History

Thereeka-e-Televiban (TT) – also called the Cable TV-Mujahids- is a militant organization operating in the cities of Pakistan. It is a collection of various radical groups.

The Mumbai Terror Apologists

Whether or not other Muslims agree with their actions, the first step is to admit the existence of Pakistan-based Islam-inspired terror.

Introspection – Pakistan and Terrorism

Isn’t dispensing power to non state actors a crime against the state itself, and those who committed it should be brought before the court on the charges of high treason.

Open Letter to all Pakistanis: Bombay, Faridkot and Us

No matter how legitimate one's grievance or cause, it does not sanction violence aimed at unarmed civilian populations far removed from the cause itself.

Mirror, Mirror

The electronic media in Indian and Pakistan is simply reflecting the paranoia and politics of a class of people that became an important economic plank in the economics of consumerism

A Just War?

If defensive war is found to be just, there is moral imperative to wage it; even if one is morally against war itself. Case regarding Pakistan's role in Mumbai attacks.

Sharp-Eyed View of a Mohajir

These immigrants (in Bengal and Sindh) were to play a great role both in the development of these provinces and also in generating political instability.

Zardari: An Emerging South Asia Statesman?

The article 'The Terrorists Want to Destroy Pakistan, Too' by Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari, published in NYT on December 9, 2008 is significant in many ways.

Pleas For Sanity as Sabres Rattle Over Mumbai Mayhem

Angry condemnations lead us nowhere; political demands may make vote-catching politicians rethink strategies, but we need to create space, think things out in the long term…

I Am A Pakistani

(India, America) These are countries that I carry in my heart but do not carry their passports. I am a threat to the safety of their people. I am a threat to my friends.

India-Pakistan: Empathy, grief in Pakistan for Mumbai mayhem

The Mumbai attacks, hitting in the midst of the fifth round of the ongoing composite dialogue between India and Pakistan, are likely to have wide-ranging repercussions for India and Pakistan relations

A Big, Decadent Pakistani Wedding

Pity the nation whose rich spend recklessly on decadent weddings but won’t spare few dimes to alleviate suffering of the down-trodden. Pity that nation, for it is a dying nation.

History & Origins of Pakistan's Nuclear Program

By September 1976 one hundred acre site near Kahuta was personally selected by Dr. A.Q. Khan. Kahuta’s secretive work was known as Project 706.

Terror Unlimited

I Hope that God’s wrath doesn’t fall on Punjab because we, the inhabitants of NWFP, are truly suffering from the wrath of militants and other criminal elements, terror unlimited as I call it.

The Taliban and Our National Interest!

The Pakistani Taliban is not an ideological but an opportunistic anarchic group. The farrago of Sharia is a cover to step up recruitment to create anarchy in FATA and NWFP.

Hop Aboard the Interfaith Express

Ironically, the main organizers of Interfaith conference at UN was His Majesty King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, country with the worst record in history on religious tolerance.

Cricket: Afridi is Our Future

Don’t write him off as a dumb cricketer. He has a fantastic cricketing brain. As a baller and on the field. And he is seasoned. 12 years. He’s the most experienced player on Pakistan team right now.

Politics of PPP and Asif Zardari

Asif Zardari led government today is an extension of Mushraff’s government; authenticating Mushraff’s policies regarding war on terror and shifting the pendulum of power from Punjab to Sindh

Ways of the Taliban

Its tradition of gory acts of public beheading, suicide bombings and acts of terrorism is rapidly unmasking the Taliban in NWFP and swinging public opinion against them.

Against Zardari's Pakistan

When a people become this apathetic, they forfeit the right to a decent life. They have made their peace with the circumstances and deserve no struggle in their name.

Obama is Better for Jinnah's Pakistan

The only group of people in Pakistan that benefits from a Republican administration is the group of people that sides with and encourages military coups in Pakistan.

Iftikhar Chaudhry, the saga ensues!

Ever since Iftikhar Chaudhry has been out of office, not one date has been set for hearing of the mannoo bhayl case or the missing people case or the new murre project

Seize The Moment

Since 2001, Pakistan had received only up to US$ 64 billion inflows, which is – no matter what people say- a pittance compared to our potential.

Seeking a way out of the 'war on terror'

The calls by decision makers for political engagement rather than military means to end the ‘war on terror’ in Afghanistan reflects a major change in US policy.

History and Origins of MQM Part II

Emigration of Hindus post partition left a vacuum which was filled by the educated Muslim immigrants from India. In 1981 census only 6% of Karachites identified themselves as Sindhi.

Muhammad Aslam Khan Khattak: A Man for All Seasons

His greatest disappointment he says is that he was withdrawn as Ambassador before he could bring about the confederation between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

Losing the Battle, Losing the Faith

The car is an old Toyota Mazda with two gentlemen with long beards. Few years back I would've thought how blessed are they for practicing the religion of peace. Today ...

Better Times

It is Akhtar’s fifth year in captivity. Like the others, he too is given the food confiscated from the UN and other aids which came in frequently at different locations in the city.

MQM - History and Origins

The Mohajir-Sindhi alliance provided the only real chance to thwart the Punjabi dominance in Pakistani politics.

Dueling Partners: Pakistan and America

In this exclusive interview, Tariq Ali, a seasoned journalist and Pakistani insider, focuses on all major players, including the Bush Administration, Zardari, Bhutto, Musharraf, military

A Weak Pakistan is a Threat to Neighbours

Thanks to past policies, Pakistanis are caught between a rock and a hard place - American military attacks on the border and suicide bombings and sectarian violence around the country...

Pakistani-Americans or American-Pakistanis?

How long will it before Pakistani-Americans will let their voices be heard as a group?

The Marriott Bombing: ‘Pakistan’s 9/11’?

The message was clear: they can strike Pakistan’s capital, and they care nothing for democracy or for religion.

Hotel Babylon: The Marriot Hotel Explosion

The latest reports from Geo News, as I write, are that a small car entered the front of the hotel and a man came out screaming for those who wanted to save themselves to run.

Emerging Pakistan-U.S. relations

On September 12, 2008, Army Chief Ashfaq Kiyani sought to defend Pakistan’s sovereignty by authorizing the Army to retaliate to any attempts by ‘foreign troops’.

The Prejudices Pakistan’s New President Faces

Asif Ali Zardari's presidential nomination was widely condemned - but the fact is that he is now the democratically elected President of Pakistan.

Ahmed Faraz: The Light Stays

"woh koh-kun to naheeN tha leikin
karree chatanouN se larr chuka hei
woh thhak chuka tha aur us ka teisha
usi ke seenay mein garr chuka hei" - Ahmed Faraz

Celebrating 61 Years of Broken Dreams

"Missing in Pakistan", a 29-minute documentary capturing Pakistan's gross human rights violations tacitly supported by the US Government, followed by a talk by Safdar Sarki.

Is this Amnesia or Dementia?

I am addressing this to myself, and to the Pakistani awam to which I belong. More than anything, I 'd like to talk to us about two words: Escape and Hope.

Musharraf's Resignation and Beyond

Musharraf’s departure is just one step in the process of democracy, for the continuation of which Pakistan and its allies will need all the patience they can muster.

17 August 1988

An army chief who should never have been the chief in the first place and should have instutionally retired by 1980 was finally terminated by divine design on 17 August 1988.

Reviving the Pakistani cinema

For those who have been patiently awaiting a quality film by a Pakistani director, Mehreen Jabbar has just provided a cause for excitement.

Toward a Pakistani Media Strategy

Being disgusted with the way things are is not a sufficient response, and the Pakistani community needs to take the lead in changing its own image.

Long Live Pakistan

From 1947, the day we became free
As we stand, to celebrate another year
From Waziristan to distant corners,
Lies there the evidence, of our endeavors

Late Colin David

Colin was born in Karachi in 1937; he began his art education at the University of Punjab when the fine arts departments opened its door to male students in 1956.

America's Opportunity in Pakistan's Tribal Belt

a key question on Islamabad ’s mind is the fate of stalled legislation creating reconstruction opportunity zones (ROZs) to spur development and combat militancy in FATA.

Pakistan and the Death Penalty: Time to Call it Quits

Those who are awarded capital punishment are usually “the poorest of the poor.� Most of them are illiterate and have no resources or support.

An Ode Called Amritsar

On hearing that I was about to visit her ancestral city, my mother gave me instructions to reach her childhood home from the railway station...

Edward De Bono's Point C: Situtation in Pakistan

Capital of a nuclear power now plunges into darkness daily, for 5 to 6 hours. In small cities, this duration is 11 to 16 hours. With hottest months of the year still to come.

A Fatal Act-Bad News for India Pakistan Relations

The assassination of Indian Defence Attache in Kabul on 7th July 2008 is a watershed in the ongoing undeclared low intensity war in Afghanistan.

Swat: Can the deal work?

After the peace deal between the Taliban and the government people thought that normal life would return to the troubled district of Swat.

I Fell Among (the APPNA) Doctors

Like the conductor of a choir, with one hand raised, she piped up with a full-throated ‘Paaak sar zameeen shadbaad … The children simply stared at their toes in embarrassment.

Who Sold the Centrifuges?

Dr. Qadeer’s inflammatory outburst against President Pervez Musharraf would, instead of personally absolving him, aid in painting Pakistan in more lurid colors by her detractors.

Anti-Americanism in Pakistan and the Taliban Menace

The Taliban are waging an armed struggle to remake society. They will keep fighting this war even if America were to miraculously evaporate into space.

Music: Muslim Madonna

Performing seated alongside notable ghazal maestros of the subcontinent was the eight years old Deepika Thathaal known by her stage name Deeyah.

Healthcare in Pakistan, Lessons from Cuba

Cuba has the most impressive doctor to patient ratio of 1 to 175. All this and more while facing more than 40 years of US trade and financial embargoes.

Attack in Mohmand

The recent attack on Frontier Corps (FC) post in Mohmand Agency is the first major US step in arm twisting the hopeless new Pakistani democratic set up.

A Stage For - V for Vendetta

"People should not be afraid of their governments. Governments should be afraid of their people."

Please De-stabilize the System

Who are we trying to save the system from anyway? Why are we STILL sugar-coating this?

Pakistan (private) Ltd.

‘Why could you not have been brave enough, why do you not have some courage, why did you not ever go to jail, why did you never kill someone, why did you not ever embezzle money – ’

Pakistan's Nuclear Test - Ten Years Later

Today we are at war on multiple fronts. But the Bomb provides no defense. Rather, it has helped bring us to this grievously troubled situation and offers no way out.

Myths Surrounding the Lawyer’s Movement

Election data made public is quite opposite to the generally promoted perception that February 18 saw an overwhelming mandate to restore the judiciary and remove Musharraf

Mohajirs Are People Too

It was quite obvious that unlike Punjabis and Pushtoons, mohajirs have figured out that if there is chaos in the airport it is not because of Allah’s will.

Can the Judiciary Save the Coalition?

Handing the Supreme Court back to a judge and his team that stood up to the COAS and the President amounts to adding a new player in the already confusing power politics in Pakistan.

PPP Isn’t Convinced!

Pandering to the presidency, appointment of Mehmood Ali Durrani and Rehman Malik, failure to remove Malik Abdul Qayyum, are signs that establishment isn’t blinking just yet.

People of Gilgit Baltistan Waiting to be Heard

A week after sending this letter to the Supreme Court of Pakistan, emergency was imposed in Pakistan, constitution was suspended and the Chief Justice was deposed.

Prisoner of Conscience

Mr. Afridi is imprisoned because of his peaceful expression of his beliefs. He is victim of an unfair trial.

Where Billions Vanish

The Musharraf years are over. It is now time for parliament to carry out a public inquiry into the irresponsible and crazy policies that have hitherto been the hall-mark of decision-making.

In the Name of Allah, the Most Merciful

According to the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, in 2007, 1205 women were reported to have been killed in the name of honor. Each year the number is doubling.

Last But Not Least

Poverty may be more than a silent killer. This sentence cannot be ignored as emotional rhetoric since, sadly, it has become a hair-raising reality.

Benazir’s Legacy

How could Pakistan’s all-powerful president and chief of the army staff be dislodged -- other than through the political process?

Spinning the Public Beating and the Mob Justice

You really need to be a bad administrator or power usurper that people are so full of hatred for you that they can’t help but beat you.

The ‘shoey’ Side of Politics

People had not shut their ‘shocked’ mouths at the treatment meted out to Arbab Ghulam Rahim when they saw Sher Afgan being roughed up by the black coats.

Student Movement Revisited

Dr Haroon Ahmed and Saleem Asmi, two stalwarts of the first student movement in Pakistan, the Democratic Students Federation (DSF) write to set the record straight about DSF.

A Walk down Memory Lane

Forgive me if I am not taken in by the high sounding statements issued by the winners (and losers) of Election 2008, I simply see 'more of the same' for the future.

Simply Outrageous!

In their recent visits, the US officials kept looking for those who could listen to them and nod in the affirmative. They found none.

Surviving Musharraf's Exit?

Throughout the election campaign and since the elections, no political party or politician has come up with any original thought or plan for the problems that confront Pakistan

War of Another Kind

One reassuring factor for Gillani is that its a coalition government where all the major political parties have posed their trust in him and have assured their support.

An Agenda for the New Government

This time round, the change has come from the people. And it is their expectations and aspirations that have to be addressed.

Power to the People

There is suddenly a change in the air, amidst all this chaos which still continues to remain, still there seems to be something blooming, dare I say optimism.

Why not hang Surabjit Singh?

Whether it is for illegally crossing borders, overstaying visas or terrorism, Indians and Pakistanis arrested in each other's countries have poor consular and legal access.

A Great Day, A New Hope for Pakistan

As our parliamentarians take oath and swear allegiance to the constitution today, one can feel happy about Pakistan.

Starting from the End

Wapda and the ministry of power have implemented an emergency load shedding plan to plug the gap between electricity supply and demand leading to more misery for millions.

New US Strategy Needed in Afghanistan and Pakistan

The main thrust of USA's policy was to construct roads and schools and clinics. These were important but no substantial stakeholders or major employment opportunities were created...

Pakistan: The War of Drones

Why do so many Pakistanis suddenly lose their voice when it comes to condemning suicide bombings? Is it because the bomber kills in the name of Islam?

The Nawaiwaqt Generation and the Power of No!

I am not the only one who is perplexed by the term civil society that has rapidly gained coinage in Pakistan... The group from Punjab that had seemingly eternally supported the army

Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha on Pakistan Military

Stay out of politics, it is good for you, good for us, Dr. Ayesha Siddiqa Agha advises Pakistan Military.

Student Politics in Pakistan: A Profile

Student politics in Pakistan has had a history of mixed fortunes and shades. Though extremely tumultuous, it is also a history of rich democratic traditions.

An Unnecessary Interview with History

Tonight we have an unnecessary interview with ex- Chief Executive, ex- Chief of Army staff and soon to be the ex- President of Pakistan, General Pervez Musharaff.

Pakistan, a Different Country!

Benazir is now remembered as a Rani, a princess and soon will turn in to the first woman Saint in Pakistan.

The ANP Challenge

What if instead of a PPP prime minister or PML-N prime minister, ANP’s Asfandyar Wali Khan was to become the Prime Minister of Pakistan? Could this be a viable option?

Mother of all Elections

In this most dangerous place on earth, almost 37 million men and women stood in queues to vote and by mid-night almost all had reached back to their homes, safe and sound.

Warday

A continuation of the Graphic novel WARDAY, but from the perspective of ex-patriot Pakistani population stranded after a 36 hour nuclear holocaust.

Voting For Change

Despite pre-poll manipulation and irregularities voters have rejected the politics of hate and religious extremism.

Election 2008: Looking Ahead

The election result has come as a touch of healing to the anxious, wounded and exhausted and tense nation.

People's Verdict

A left-of-center Pashtun nationalist party and Bhutto’s Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) bags more than 60% of the seats in provinces neighboring Afghanistan.

At Last...Nationalism at Last

Socialism, the destroyer of the civilisations, took the world under its claws after the Second World War. This (Kosovo) win might be the beginning of the end of the anti-nationalist hegemony all round the world.

Manufacturing a Fig Leaf of Democracy in Pakistan

According to an IRI poll in September 2006, Musharraf had a 63 percent approval rating. But last October 11, IRI released a poll showing him at 21 percent.

Pakistan Poll Rigging

When you hear the opposition, particularly PPP and PML-N, describe the details of alleged rigging, it seems they have a great deal of knowledge and expertise in this specialty.

February 18th, 2008-Election Day

Election in Tribal Areas and Pukhtunkhua province has been marred by violence. There have been attacks on the offices and rallies of all major political party.

Political Issues Ahead of Pakistan Elections

If these elections are not free and fair, irrespective of the turn out, public reaction would “boil up in the times to come,� according to lawyer Sahabnam.

Elections and the Future Leaders of Pakistan

Future Leaders of Pakistan is an organization that is straining against the shackles of convention and tradition and is aiming to do things a little differently.

The More Things Change...

Almost every election ever held in the country has been replete with allegations of fraud and duplicity.

Pakistan Elections 2008 - An analysis

For the first time since the constitution of 1973,elections promise to be fought around an agenda that has to do with democracy, social welfare and minorities rights.

Cynicism Amongst Pakistani Youth

Today the most disturbing trend amongst the youth is the growing use of narcotics. This phenomenon cannot be viewed in isolation from the socio-political and economic realities.

The Unravelling of Project Snow

It is interesting to see the dynamics between the members of of Project Snow during the recent fracas downunder. And the cry about the great game of cricket from this old guard!

A History of the Pakistan Army by Brian Cloughley

Brian Cloughley has made an honest attempt to present things as they are or as he perceived them to be with whatever facts he could lay hands to.

Mehrgarh...The Lost Civilization

A chopping tool found in Pakistan dates to 2 million years ago, earlier than the earliest hominid remains, the Homo species "Narmada Man," (250,000 years ago).

Taliban, Pashtoons and Pakistan

The militants have become so bold that they have started to fight pitch battles against the Army instead of employing hit and run tactics that were the hallmark of tribal battle skills.

Tea Anyone?

I was perplexed at the idea of tea at that hour of the night until I viewed the texture of this liquid I realized this my friends, was no Lipton, it was red wine.

Pakistan's Universities - Problems and Solutions

300% jump in research publications, nine new engineering universities with European faculty, 3000 Pakistani students sent overseas for higher-degrees...self-serving lies, half-truths and deceit.

Pakistan, Welcome to Hyderabad

It was here (Niaz Stadium) that Imran Khan tore through the Indian Test batting line-up in 1983 with 8-23, and famously denied Miandad his triple hundred by declaring the innings.

Afghanistan - A Strategic Analysis

Afghanistan remains haunted and plagued by its violent history and its neighbours continue to enjoy the fruits of war and crisis in Afghanistan.

Overseas Pakistanis and Right of Franchise

Overseas Pakistanis were granted the right to vote only in the 2002 referendum but the current election commission does not grant the right of franchise for expatriates.

Surplus Majors and Jerk Chicken

Yesterday, when I went to collect my monthly dole from my local council, the officer in charge was apologetic, ‘Sorry Mr Nazir this is all we have for you at the moment,’ she said.

US Conspiracy to Destablize Pakistan?

First it was Ms Bhutto who was conspiring along with the US to destabilise and denuclearise Pakistan. And the CIA eliminated her. Israeli agency, Mossad, was also involved...

Eight years of Four M's: Musharraf, MQM, Muslim League and Mullah

After eight years of these M’s Pakistan has transformed into a hell filled with price hike, ethnic tensions ... scarcity of basic necessities and above all reactionary suicide bombers.

Pakistan's Moment of Democracy?

Even as many conceded that ‘Musharraf is not going anywhere’, a response of Pakistanis around the world who seemed beset with an intangible urge to 'do something'.

Pakistan After The Assassination: Interview with Pervez Hoodbhoy

Interview with Pervez Hoodbhoy by Stefania Maurizi of Venerdi of La Repubblica

A Cursed Nation

What a sorrow, we dream of an ideal society a prosperous country but we want someone else to fight for this cause.

This Pyre Will Burn…!

Larkana and the entire interior of Sindh and Sindhi/Baloch dominated areas in Karachi resonated with the slogans of Jiya Sindh and Punjabi na Khapan and Pakistan na khapay.

Saatchi, Musharraf and Britney Spears

‘Is there any chance of your catching Osama Bin Laden? That will definitely put you right back at the top of the charts...’

The Only Way Forward for Pakistan

There should be an APC (All Party Conference) right away in which a National consensus government is formulated with the mandate of organizing free and fair elections within 6 months.

Benazir Bhutto: Death of Hope and Dilemma

She is an even more significant loss for the West that myopically supports personalities rather than masses and institutions in the countries of interest.

Pakistan

Another day descends into its history
Of bloodshed, ignorance and plunder
Who shall we blame, the west or Islam

Pakistani Artist Gulgee Murdered

Pakistan's renowned artist Ismail Gulgee was found murdered along with his wife Zarine and maid at their residence in Karachi (Clifton area) on Wednesday.

Interview: Imran Khan on Elections and Boycott

Participating in elections will only give legitimacy to an illegal action.

The Missing Pakistanis

Where are those souls
Into wilderness, they disappeared
Like autumn leaves,
With no traces

Death of Aqsa Pervez: A reflection on Canadian Muslim-Pakistanis

As parents, we need to understand and acknowledge that our children deserve even more understanding and support because they are caught between two distinct worlds.

Shoaib Malik at the cross-roads

Pakistan has let go of another impressive record that they held for almost three decades - that of not losing a test series in India. The series was lost, as was the pride...

Election Boycott

Only 5 out 33 parties in APDM want to participate in elections. Parties in favour boycott met at Imran Khan’s residence on Monday

Comments on Ongoing Debate about ISI in the Afghan War

The Afghan War started a grand party for Pakistan's ruling elite and even Pakistan. Afghan refugees were cleverly and criminally used to solicit US and Saudi aid. All glorified as Jihad.

The Conspiracy Theory

Even today I come across many adults who essentially think of the world in such simplistic terms: interconnected; controlled and run by a single source of intelligence.

The Slow, Castration of Pakistani Cricket

When asked if this draw was a moral victory for the Pakistanis Kumble remarked "When you struggle to pick up five wickets in both innings, that's no moral victory to me."

And Now, The Charter of Demands—The Comedy Continues!

Turkish President Abdullah Gul was not very impressed after meeting the cream of the Pakistani political elite.

Enlightened Mediocrity

‘He (Musharraf) is better off than the Queen you know,’ I continued, ‘considering that even the poor lady is answerable at times...’

An Insight Into Pakistan Army and Musharraf

A combination of threat perception and indispensability strengthened his quest for legitimacy till it consumed his reformist self.

The Plan To Topple Pakistan Military

Its not about Musharraf anymore. This is about clipping the wings of a strong Pakistani military, denying space for China in Pakistan, squashing the ISI, stirring ethnic unrest...

First it was Bangladesh now it Baluchistan

Baluchistan has a different history than Bangladesh, Bengalis were active for creation of Pakistan but Baloch weren’t part of Pakistan moment.

Is this the worst Pakistan team ever?

They have been successful in erasing 24 years of winning record of Pakistan cricket team in India.

A Scene

The horse without the rider
Baby without the mother
Not one chasing the other
Sitting silently - over the ruins

Dispensation of Justice is the Main Pillar of Democracy

The three constitutions, framed in Pakistan, proved to be just pieces of paper; their sanctity frequently violated by the men with guns, and by those who authored and approved these documents.

Foreign Factor in our Higher Education

Our whole system of education is working in such a way to produce good high-tech workforce for European and American markets. Irony is we do this at our own expense.

Pakistani Judges - Read This Lawyer’s Oath

One fails to understand how the growing need to associate with Mr. Jinnah leaves Musharraf little association with the ideals that the man stood for.

Pakistan at War

There is little doubt that Pakistan is under attack by the combined forces of Al Qaeda and Taliban. It is equally clear that the war is not going well.

Pakistan at Sixty

Insightful and relevant article written in October by political activist Tariq Ali on the occasion of 60th anniversary of Pakistan.

I Await ...

Of what avail the melodies and glitter,
That an evening muse brings;
Life is false:
The past is faded, 'today' is a brittle 'now';

State of Pakistan: What Can Pakistanis Do

As compared to countries of 250 years or more, 60 is a mere child. Nation building takes time and people have to stand by their nation.

Book Review – Searching for Sister Pakistan

Editor Rakshanda Jalil writes ... My concern in this book has been to present as complete a picture of the everydayness of life as it is lived and experienced by Pakistani women.

Sumera Jawad: The Excavated Linearity

Sumera, through her brush, tries to explore the true image of contemporary woman by exhuming the historical representation of the South Asian woman.

Overcoming Learned Helplessness and Apathy

The shackles of “learned helplessness� can only be broken if all the political parties and intelligentsia join hands to restore rule of democracy and the independence of judiciary.

Is Patriotism at Times The Last Refuge

We, the third largest ex-pat community in the world after China and India have learnt to keep our fronts, haven’t we?

Musharraf and Alternative

General Musharraf, return the power to people, restore the judiciary and reinstate the constitution of Pakistan. We have had enough of you and its not working anymore.

Johnny On The Street

Should the lawyers be able to recapture the imagination of the nation and catalyze meaningful national resistance, the calculus shall change.

Reflections During a US Visa Grind

An account of the current conditions for visitors to the US Embassy in Islamabad. Also a comment on the mindsets and values of Pakistanis and Americans.

Do You Have a Substitute?

Emergency in Pakistan was the need of time as we had no other options. Do we have any substitute for General Musharraf? Is there any other person who can run the country?

Emergency:What Lies Ahead For Pakistan?

The politic body, already decimated, raped and largely turned into a mob of opportunist has yet again been put on the dissecting table for surgical procedure by butchers.

The Roving Stones

My lords have announced they will cause revolutionary changes, changes that will cause a grass root level change. But how could they?

Pervez Musharraf Declares Emergency in Pakistan

As of 6PM on Saturday President General Musharraf has suspended the constitution and declared State of Emergency in Pakistan.

Corruption and Freedom of Press in Pakistan

There have been a number of statements lauding the “freedom� of the press accompanied by a grim reminder of the “dark� days under the democratic governments of the 90s. What does the evidence say?

Daughter of the Beast: The General's New Clothes

Benazir is eager to show that she is not doing deals with Musharraf but, as Ahmed Rashid points out, despite the army’s dwindling popularity she needs the army because it controls Pakistan.

Communists and the Making of Pakistan

History of the last years of Punjab under the Raj

Of Carnage and Triumph

At least 135 innocent lives lost; hundreds of families devastated.

Where's the news?

The so-called "movement against Musharraf" and the unfolding "democratic revolution" seems like a shrinking reality no bigger than a 26-inch TV screen.

Back To Idol Worship

Are musician (so-called marassis) the only people left on planet earth to be our idols? Aren't there people like Naom Chomski, Stephen Hawking even Dr. AQ Khan to be our idols?

Whither Pakistan? The Presidential 'Election' and Beyond

It is my view that in the not too distant future Pakistan too will go through its own version of an Islamic revolution.

Friends Not, Masters

An overview of the declasified US secret documents, it has been alleged in those documents that the Pakistan is supporting the Taliban

Pakistan’s Political Future Still Hanging on a Flimsy Thread

When the petitions were indeed non-maintainable, then why did the Supreme Court not throw them out straight away?

Musharraf’s New Ordinance Hoopla

What is this ordinance hoopla Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto have just come up with. They want to take out accountability from the entire political and banking process.

The Deal--a Satire

You have ruled long enough,
Oh, dear Supreme Spirit
Of Evil and Unrighteousness
You have done enough harm

Awake, the Wretched of My Land

Pakistan must learn from its turbulent past to save its future.

The Ramadan Ordinance

In 1981, the Ramadan Ordinance was issued by President of Pakistan Zia ul Haq, whereby eating, drinking and smoking in public during fasting hours in the month of Ramadan was declared unlawful.

Good on ya Bangladesh!

Thank you Bangladesh for having the moral courage to resolve a humanitarian crisis by granting citizenship to those unfortunate soles who are famously known as “stranded Pakistanis�.

Old Wine, Still Older Bottles

If the people of Pakistan don’t take to the streets, the politicians are themselves to blame. They have chosen the politics of convenience and non-agitation.

Pakistani Twist to “Aliens in America� TV Series

Are the Pakistani and Muslim community here in America ready for raunchy American teenage humor?

Law of Necessity… A Logical Recourse

All military interventions in Pakistan have a distinction of getting legal/constitutional indemnity in two phases. First, the judiciary legalises the intervention...

The Ghost of Justice Munir is Still Alive

Islamabad’s nervous and jittery ‘guardians’ have turned the capital city into a fenced-of, ‘no-go’ town.

A Sad Day for Pakistan

September 28, 2007 was a sad day for every citizen who hoped that the courts may finally bury the doctrine of necessity.

A History of Failure: The Rise and Fall of Military

Is military rule the solution to Pakistan's problems? Is Musharraf any different than his predecessor generals?

The need for De-Bhuttofication of the Pakistan People's Party

In the last 5 years, PPP in the assembly at least has emerged as a strong force against obscurantism.

PM Shoukat Aziz Ponders a Term for Chief Justice

Given the crucial role of Chief Justice and Supreme Court in current Pakistani politics, ruling elite is busy looking at various options to remove this stumbling block.

Cutting Down the Law

With the banishment of Nawaz Sharif once again the General and the incumbent Government has, shown its myopia, arrogance and contempt for the laws of Pakistan.

The Power of Ideas and the Modern University

Ideas rule the world, drive our actions, inform our beliefs, and unleash mighty revolutions. How must Pakistan’s higher education system change for it to succeed?

These Lawyers Seem Somewhat Above the Law

It is not about Naeem Bokhari; or anyone else we don’t like; it is about law, courts and the social order.

A Political Manifesto for Sale! - Part I

In the current feverish run-up to elections, have you wondered why our political parties have still not published any meaningful manifestos?

The Green Palette

Painting in Pakistan: the legacy of Anna Molka Ahmed, Zubeda Agha, Ustad Sharif, Allah Buksh, Chughtai, Sadequian and many others.

Assessing the Socio-Economic Decline of Pakistan

While the future does not appear to be rosy from any angle, it is worthwhile to state that the situation in Pakistan has still not reached a point where we could group it with failed countries.

The Eclipse of the MQM

It can be argued that the leadership and activists of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) will remember the 12th of May 2007 as the moment a 10 year policy of the party came crashing down.

Days of Rage

“However flawed democracy here is, it is still the only answer,� she (Asma Jahangir) continued.

NED Alumni Convention 2007

Alumni of NED University, founded in 1921, are gathering on September 8, 2007 in Silicon Valley in their largest ever NEDian convention.

Afghanistan: The Continuing Challenge?

Gen. Musharaf and Ms. Bhutto, both equally willing and falling over each other to oblige Washington in the pursuit of its war against terrorism.

Suo Motu Action Against Corrupt Stock Brokers of KSE

Investors lost more than $13 billion in stock market crash of March 2005. 88 stock brokers of KSE were found responsible but no action has been taken.

Dodging Pakistani Sleuths to Cover a War and a Coup

Are there Indian journalist who could come anywhere near the blunt posers that are hurled by Pakistani journalists to people in authority?

Beginning of an End

Nawaz Sharif’s expected reentry in Pakistan is creating a new power configuration.

Boots, Beards, Burqas and Bombs

The Lal Masjid operation has intensified Gen Musharraf’s problems - An Analysis.

Color Me In

My eyes wander around her room – it is clean – each artifact carefully in place as if she arranged her coffin before she decided to die.

Making a new Future: Peace Dividends for India and Pakistan

India Pakistan relationships in the light of future economic and security dividends of peace.

The 'poor' Neighbour

India is seen as a success story, while Pakistan is written off as a failed state and the hiding place of Osama bin Laden. What went wrong?

Stephen Gill on his Writing and Diaspora

Multiple award-winning author Stephen Gill was born in Pakistan, grew in India and has settled in Canada after staying in Ethiopia and England for a while.

Emergency: From Behind the Sandbags

Emergency at this time serves Chaudhri Shujaat more than it serves Musharraf, who wants to play this final card not so early.

60 Years of American DogHood

Graffiti in Karachi proclaims that General Musharraf is an American Dog who must be shot dead. (General Amriki Kutta, Tthaa!!). It’s an idea, problem is that not much of Pakistan will remain if we shoot all the American Dogs

Jinnah and the Islamic State – Setting the Record Straight

What did Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah, the founder of Pakistan, want for the country he was destined to create in 1947?

Celebrating Pakistan's 60th Anniversary

What better way to celebrate the 60th anniversary of Pakistan's independence from Britain than poetry from Iqbal, the man who is Pakistan's ideological founding father?

Cause For Celebration

Malaysia is also a former British colony. It’s still developing but it’s taken the first step towards that goal, and its well on its way.

A New US Vision?

The US Congressional bill designed to implement the '9/11 Commission Recommendations Act of 2007' contains the seeds of new thinking on Pakistan.

Pakistan: A Downward Spiral?

The first step to resolving the problems is to understand them. We cannot afford to go round in circles without imploding at some point.

The Deal and Our Responsibility

Does the deal between Musharraf and Benazir Bhutto really matter? And will we sit and let others to continue muddling with the affairs of Pakistan.

Pakistani Adoptions

About private adoptions from Pakistan

OPEN Silicon Valley Holds Fourth Annual Forum

This full day affair incorporated three keynote speeches, four panels and workshops and approximately three hundred people in attendance.

As The Drama Unfolds

Mulana Abdul Aziz calls for Jihad one minute and runs for his life the next second.

Rest in Peace Pakistan (1947-1974)

You cannot understand Pakistan until and unless you understand how the demise of the ideal of Pakistan was brought about by its own people

Allama Iqbal- Is he still relevant?

Given the current turmoil, which has made it abundantly clear that the people of Pakistan desire a truly representative democratic civilian order, the question above has become very relevant.

Musharaff Finds a Way Out

An election year usually carries lots of surprises in it and this one, perhaps the first official one since 70s, is no different.

Going Back in Time

If the pharmacists are not going to be properly utilized to improve medicine use situation, then turning a four year pharmacy degree (B.Pharmacy) into a five year Pharm D (Doctor of Pharmacy) and opening new pharmacy schools in the country is certainly qu

Dawn of a new era in Pakistan

The month of March this year may be considered a turning point in the judicial history of Pakistan, but more so it will be remembered for manifestation of the powerful role played by the media.

Section 144: Ban on public gatherings

The section 144 has its roots in British constitution of 1938. British needed it to secure their imperialistic interests. The question is whose imperialistic needs it is serving now?

Pakistani Media to Face Wrath of the Government

Eleven new amendments have been introduced in the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), which would help the Musharaff regime to control the electronic media including TV channels, Internet and mobile TVs.

The Silent Majority Speaks

I have not yet seen or heard that an excellent bank manager, an efficient medical doctor or the most qualified air steward has been made a Corp Commander or an Air Marshall. I have however see many armed force officers in positions where they are not supp

Who Is the Target Here?

The never-die judicial-issue is spinning out of control and irony of the matter is that every player dealing with this is made to believe that he holds the trump card.

Pakistan – The Threat From Within

It is an open question as to exactly how much further Pakistan will move towards religious radicalism in the years to come.

Blue Line

They have seen right through my nonchalance as I picked up the pregnancy test at the airport, kept my shaking hands at bay, and walked with assumed confidence through the hotel doors.

The Importance of a Dictator’s Failure

By actively and methodically side-lining the political parties that had a presence outside of just one province, national building was turned into national fragmentation.

The General vs. the Judge

The attempt to browbeat a Judge has released a new fissure in Pakistani society. The violence in Karachi makes compromise difficult for both sides. There is an easy solution...

Citizenship and Identity in Pakistan

Before the British colonised the subcontinent, the people of this region existed in overlapping sets of multiple identities, where contending sovereignty of identity groups was negotiated and power was shared at several levels. When the British came alon

Militant Liberalism

Do we have liberals amongst us that are willing to carry a Kalashnikov in the name of values of Egalitarianism and Social Justice?

Betrayal of Great expectations?

The absurdity of the theater that we find ourselves in never ceases to amaze even the most insensitive amongst us

Why is the Government Dithering When it Should Stand Firm?

With religious extremists openly challenging the writ of the state, and despite overwhelming public demands that this be stopped, the government seems to be giving in.

Talibanization of Pakistan

By declaring that no law in Pakistan would be made against Islamic beliefs, the constituent assembly gave religious establishment the monopoly over legislative discourse thru which they could influence every part of the society.

With or Without Musharraf – A Mohajir’s Perspective

Whether we stay in Pakistan, go it alone, or confederate with like-minded freedom loving Sindhis or Baluchis, there are many steps we can take in the interim.

Pakistan Shinning III - Population and Literacy

There is no precedent in history of any nation demonstrating double-digit (or even high single digit) GDP growth while spending next to nothing on its human capital.

Pakistans Permanent Revolution

The tradition of judicial spinelessness continued in Pakistan facilitating three martial laws and the judicial murder of atleast one prime minister till last week when it was brought to a crashing halt by the actions of one brave justice, Chief Justice of

A Nation Reborn

Just when I thought my people would once again silently ignore this new form of oppression, and resign themselves to a fate written by politicians and generals, they responded! They awoke! They said in one voice, “enough is enough!” I have ne

A Collective Failure to Fail

Each loss brought with it claims ranging from match-fixing and biased umpiring to the lack of divine providence. We never lost all these years. We were simply made to finish second by forces that conspired against us.

Is this Pakistan’s Democratic Revolution?

After almost seven years of arbitrariness, Musharraf’s attack on the judiciary has the potential of being the last straw that broke the camel’s back?

An Unexpected Birthday Gift

It was a case of bad and ill timed advice that ignited a constitutional crisis and unlike any previous crisis, this one has developed a momentum of its own and it is this momentum that has rattled the government in Islamabad.

Men in Khaki

Instead of fixing the PIA bigwigs—mostly cronies of his and Shaukat Aziz—who have brought so much ignominy and shame on Pakistan, the commando general opts to pick up a fight with the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Iftikhar Chaudhry, and embarks o

Justice, Judiciary and Journalist

Removal of ‘just another’ Chief Justice has united the country. The voice of lawyers and journalists is that of the entire country.

On Zillae Huma Usman

What good is the facade of encouraging educated women to be at the forefront at the expense of their life?

Trapped, surrounded, quarantined or just reading too much into it?

I get the strong feeling that Pakistan is definitely under the microscope, if not under quarantine. Not a good feeling to have, I am afraid.

Pakistan Shinning I - Propoganda or Reality

The Musharraf Government is frantically beating the drums of its fictional economic miracle of the past half a dozen years. This is painfully reminiscent of similar media projection attempted by the erstwhile BJP Government with its 'India Shining' propag

Pakistan Quarters

The name probably symbolized the fact that it gave shelter to the families of most of the government servants, keeping the administration of the newly formed nation running, Karachi being the capital then.

Thar Desert Festival puts Tourism Ministry to Shame

Let no one, however, be under the impression that Umerkot has nothing to offer.

Teaching Science Badly – and Well

Dogmatism kills science. Students should therefore experience science as a process for extending understanding, not as unalterable truth. Never should the teacher say X or Y is true just because that’s what the textbook says.

Let’s not Barter Away Our Food Security for GM Crops

What does all this mean for the Pakistani farmer? On the one hand, GM seeds and crops promise an increased yield. But the catch is that the farmer cannot re-use the seed. This makes the farmer a client of the biotech company for life.

Pandora Box of Television in Pakistan

How can dozens of TV channels run profitably in a country, where the total volume of the advertising industry is not more that six to seven billion rupees?

Soul Atrophy

Teams in any sport can be as good or as bad as the countries, societies and institutions they represent.

Religious Tourism

Enthralling and enchanting locations of Pakistan beckon not only domestic but also foreign tourists to great extent.

Education Reform: Signs of Hope

There is good news: the “White Paper” to “debate and finalize national education policy”, distributed in December 2006 by the Ministry of Education, though incomplete and flawed, is an enormous step forward.

My People!

I am outraged because I care and I care because it’s my country and I care because it’s my people.

Get over the Victim Syndrome

The real issues that affect our daily lives are never addressed by opposition or the government, instead we are enamored with non-issues like huddod ordinance, attire of mushy, Kashmir, women’s face on hoardings, music in public buses and other crap

Adam Khor Ayash Gorillay

Is everyone these days tripping over themselves to conform to this stereotype of being hip?

This Really Gets My Goat

As the outcry against the Pakistani governments plan to mine the Durand Line grows, I am reminded of the title of a Ray Bradbury novel published in 1985, Death Is A Lonely Business. Death is a lonely business. Step on an anti-personnel landmine, and it

Do Pakistanis deserve a democratic system?

We should not expect that a heavenly voice will say “kun (do it)”, and we would get democracy.

Medicalising Pakistan

A recent visit to Pakistan was the eye opening one. There was one pharmacy in my neighborhood a few years ago, but now the small street is sprawling with five pharmacies and all are doing “wonderful business”.

Phantom of the Opera

A quintessentially tear-jerking performance, reminded us that when a Phantom is killed, we cry at the inevitable sadness of obsession.

Where Are They?

In Pakistan, since the past few years, there have been a number of missing persons who have been picked up by “law enforcement agencies” and these people have had a clear record.

Pakistan-Afghanistan Relations: The Choice Between Alliance and Acrimony

To turn around the setbacks of spring and summer of 2006 for both Afghanistan and Pakistan, and by extension for the US interests in the region, the roots of mutual suspicion need to be addressed and a new chapter in Afghanistan-Pakistan relationships ope

Imran Khan the Politician

Today, he looks lost and bewildered, like the proverbial ’babe in the woods’. The sportsman extraordinaire looks helpless in politics – a fish gasping for breath in the middle of a desert.

India, Pakistan and the Kashmir dispute

The number of people who have died and who are still dying in order for us to hold on to our illusory ideals are not worth the ideals.

Re-Imagining Pakistan

Commencement lecture by Pervez Hoodbhoy at the Indus Valley School of Art and Architecture, Karachi, 9 December 2006.

Recognising Student Unions

Prohibiting political parties on campus is in actuality curbing students’ rights. That is why there are clashes and conflicts as well as demonstrations and strikes by these so-called ‘banned’ or rather, half-functional student parties.

Stagnating Pakistan-Iran Relations

When it comes to Pakistan-Iran relations there is much more than what actually is being said by the establishment or its proxies.

Indian Filmmaker Plucks Musical Strings in Pakistan

Khayal Darpan, a documentary film explores Pakistan's Classical Music traditions

The Great Wrong

Whenever in Pakistan some political leaders or political party comes forward with the suggestion to divide Punjab for the larger good of Pakistan, then the reaction seen among certain politicians, intellectuals and literary men of Punjab is of total hosti

India-Pakistan talks: the endless cycle

The two countries agreed to set up a six-member panel to counter terrorism; A nuclear safety agreement was signed; However, no progress took place on reducing troops in Kashmir and in Siachen.

How Many Votes a Party Needs to Win Pak Elections?

How many votes a party requires to win a majority in National Assembly or Pakistan? Just 10 million! Surprised? Read on.

The Massacre at Bajaur

There have been so many blames as well as blunders assigned to the Pakistan Army that it has become indefensible even for a relentless ally of the establishment to validate their performance.

Pakistan's Afghan Policy

Afghanistan was created as a buffer state between the British and Russian empires. The international boundary line between Afghanistan and the British empire, inherited in 1947 by Pakistan, is the Durand line. This line divided ethnic Pashtun tribes into

Musharraf’s Coup - Seven Years Later

Some had feared – while others had hoped – that General Pervez Musharraf’s coup of October 12, 1999, would bring the revolution of Kemal Ataturk to a Pakistan firmly in the iron grip of mullahs.

Pervez Musharraf Vs. George Orwell

It wasn’t that simple though, I noticed that Pervez Musharraf steers clear from George Orwell’s most cautioned malaise – Lack of Clarity.

Don’t Cry for me Rawalpindi

They each carry a sports bag and wore crisp new white shirts with the letters “Under 19” engraved on the left side.

The Poor of Allai

The earthquake of 8th October that affected the wealthy and poor alike in the devastated areas has once again brought out the plight of the poor.

Thought Control and Dictators

Certainly writ of the state is a must to be restored at any price, but what about the means? Bombing the whole swathes and target killings of political figures is no solution.

Saving Pakistan with the Constitution

When the regime breaks the citizen’s contract with its people – that of the Constitution – do the citizens have every right to break away from the state?

Profile of a Young Pakistan

My dear Pakistan: I don’t mean that you cannot make good for future out of your present. I am sure you are smart and you can do it. It is not easy but you will have to think differently and positively and you have to learn self reliance. It is diffi

Waiting for Enlightenment

After almost five years of ‘enlightened moderation,’ it seems there is more continuity than change. And, with each passing day, it becomes harder to see how such a policy can hope to stem the tide of religious radicalism that is overwhelming P

Foreigner in My Land

I have discovered life again and again by doing things people feared the most. I was told by a Pakistani consultant living a prosperous life in Saudi Arabia that Pakistan has nothing to offer. It is full of corruption and most of the youth don’t get

Valentine

The politics, which is practiced in Pakistan, has no bearing to the reality that exists in Pakistan and thus, the political debate in Pakistan is limited to a few personal arguments of the political parties in opposition and the government in power.

The Height of Higher Education

Pakistan studies should become a part of the study of world history without recourse to jingoism and ‘patriotic excesses’. By doing so, two major sources of confusion and non-critical thinking will be removed from the domain of universities

A Failing State in a State of Denial

This year’s Failed States Index places Pakistan in the 9th place, with a score higher than that of Afghanistan. What are the implications for the country’s future?

World View and Expectations from Pakistani Universities

Why Do We Reject Our Past?

I agree with the notion that I was a member of Indic-civilization for 5000 years, Muslim for around 1000 and Pakistani for 60. I wish our leaders would give us the chance to appreciate and accept all of these great periods as our national identity

A Rhyme For Fools -- 1

In Pakistani politics, democracy is seen as an end in itself and that its attainment will be marked by the culmination of civilian power over the military. Also, the idea of democracy is identified with political personalities, both military and civilian

Taj a Mirage

I saw a group of young artisans. They looked timid and frightened, their head bent down trying to concentrate on their work, but at the same time wanting to communicate with the onlookers

SP PETITION:Adoption of Earthquake Orphans in Pakistan

We would like to make a concerted effort to open up the possibility of adoption for children of all ages orphaned by the earthquake

The Baluchistan Problem

The Quest for American Popularity in Pakistan

Public diplomacy may melt some icy precepts in Pakistan but American ideals will still flounder in the murky waters of conspiracy theories until there is tangible movement towards regional reconciliation

Why do Pakistanis consider Mahmud Ghazni, Mohammad Ghauri and Aurangzeb Great Muslims?

Red Sea Rising

America is still at the same place, using double standards and double edged swords to promote both Pakistan and India, the former by diplomatic patronizing and the latter with economic and military assistance. However, one key player has changed -- China

Pakistan Bans Blogspot

I don’t know what appalls me more: the sheer idiocy of such a blanket ban; the horror that someone thinks they’ve just struck a blow for Islam; or this insidious thought that, in Pakistan, we have no rights, only privileges

Anatomy of a Karachi Bomb Blast

With so many issues whipping the air like a tornado on the national canvas it is impossible to assign responsibility of such terrorism to any single group unless someone claims it and provides a signed affidavit to that effect

US-India Relations in Danger After an Attempt on the President's life!

So news is that Bush Mian may visit cricket games on his tour to India and Pakistan - what if - just what if the following were true?

Would India be a Threat to the Islamic Conference?

What is the true motive behind India's eagerness to join the Organization of Islamic Conference? If it wants to do anything positive for its Muslim population, then the first place to start would be Kashmir and Gujarat

Up sh*ts creak without a paddle, nahin nahin, the road to AIESEC!

Take last nights jaunt for instance: there we were in all our glory in the middle of four hundred Indians surrounded by malevolent chanting and the sinister drum rolls...

One Dayers and All

India is a good side, and they have world class players. But, in terms of maturity and settlement into their roles they are still very young. This Indian one day team is where the Pakistan team was a couple of years ago

Value of a Citizen

What sets apart London or Britishers for that matter is respect for citizens. In Pakistan, only the lives of politicians, feudals, army officers and visiting foreigners (from western Europe or USA) has any value

Losing one’s culture

Pak vs Ind, 3rd Test in Karachi, Day 3 - A Tale of 2 Y’s

Pakistan vs. India, Third Test Jan 29 2006, Day 1 - Dispatch

Searing Pace, Scintillating Swing and a budding Pillar make for a great cricketing day

Khan Abdul Wali Khan: His Fathers Shadow?

Wali Khan had embarked on a slippery slope. He made compromises with the army, left his Baloch friends, refused to allow the liberals to join his political party, and finally declared “Islam humara deen” in his manifesto

Pakistan’s Territorial Integrity: Lessons from American Democracy

Kalabagh Dam issue divides us today. Pakistanis can take a leaf from the USA.What was true of American states in the 1770s and 80s is true for Pakistani provinces today. We must hang together or else we would hang separately

Reinventing Pakistan: The Rise of The Left

Pakistan is a brave attempt to answer humanity’s most divisive and difficult questions such as ‘Is there a God? Whose is He anyway? Is Death more important than Life? And if so, what should we wear?

Counterfeit Medicines: A Public Health Policy Failure

The responsibility to tackle this problem does not only lie with the government. All stakeholders must be involved and should join forces against this menace

The Political-Economy of the South Asian Economic Union

While SAFTA doesn't seem to make immediate economic sense, a South Asian Economic Union (SAEU) may still make considerable political sense, provided its anchor country, India, displays the kind of 'self-less' leadership required to make it a reality.

Nowhere: The Utopian Destination

Every philosopher/prophet/freedom fighter/terrorist had to break the norms. Unlike the stratified and codified democracies of the West where you are riled for snorting but not for bombing, the subcontinent has a dynamic protocol-less mutinous edge

Size Matters

The more interesting questions will be as to who will get the contracts to construct the new military complex? Who will get the contracts for the interiors? How much money will be spent?

Karachi Back in Business

Cricket teams were wary of Karachi after the 2002 bomb blasts. But now the melting pot of Pakistan is back on the international cricket map

SAARC Syndrome: Asia's Burden

This is Asia, completely corrupt and bogged down under its own weight. Adding a straw to break the camel’s back is SAARC,Adding a straw to break the camel’s back is SAARC. In the last two decades it has done nothing except to raise hopes and t

The Trial of a Nation

In their opinion, Dr. Khan couldn’t possibly, understand the technology during the sixteen days he spent at Almelo and even then he could only go in or out of the factory at prescribed hours.

Songs of Dissonance

Out of all the tragedies this earthquake has brought, the loss of an educated and inspiring Junaid Jamshed is very dehumanizing.

Black Pakistan and White Pakistan

Black Pakistan is largely unknown and undefined. Like Voldemort it rises unannounced to strike and then disappears we know not where. It is among us yet we know nothing of it. It seems quiescent but we don’t know if it is vanquished or if it will ri

Scream

Spare a scream for the 100,000 dead and 3 million homeless, muted out of world media.

Deadly Earthquake

This earthquake is perhaps the most intense one seen in this region for over 100 years.

Irrational Exuberance – Gambling on Pakistani property market

Investing in real estate has become a national craze with property prices in Islamabad matching those of London. But be aware, this could all end up in tears!

Boot-in-Mouth

What possesses the son of a mother, the husband of a wife, and the father of a daughter to say something as crass as the leader of our country just did in Washington?

The Ambiguities of Global Terror

Although the acts of terror are spread over a wide canvas, but each event and situation has its own dynamics. The suicide bombers in Iraq are motivated by reasons that are different from London or bombing at the Egyptian resort of Sharm al-Sheikh.

Pipe Dreams?

Pakistan has three natural gas rich countries in the region i.e. Turkmenistan, Iran and Qatar, all of whom are looking to tap the ready markets in Pakistan and India for the export of their gas.

Why Teach a Language Properly?

It is easier to blame Urdu language for all the ails in every area of education in Pakistan. It fulfills our need for a scapegoat that can be blamed for the total break up of the education system.

The Elusive Reconstruction

It is about time that we began to contemplate the implications of questions raised by the MMA, rather than dismiss them as extremist rhetoric.

The Islamic Republic of Pakistan’s Destiny?

Pakistan’s destiny cannot forever be controlled by a group of people or by any establishment...

Happy Birthday Mr President

This week, President Musharraf celebrated his 62nd birthday going by the date of birth given on his official website. Birthdays are happy occasions as well as time for reflection and this is a good time as any to see what has been achieved in terms of wha

Hasba Bill 2005 - An Analysis

The federal government openly opposed the bill in line with its liberalist policies. Several sections of the bill have already been declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court.

Political Sustainability, Media Freedom and Women

The general’s regime has been utterly impotent to even initiate any semblance of a debate on real issues plaguing women in Pakistan, such as rampant domestic violence, education and the infamous Zina Ordinance.

Coming of Age

It’s been a decade since Pakistan wired up to the World Wide Web. The journey, somewhat jerky and problematic, has nonetheless been an extraordinary one.

How Free is ’free?’

The Quaid-e-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah's August 11, 1947 speech to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan, in which he talked about freedom of religion, is no longer censored, as it was for years.

Hightech Rumpus

It only takes a few of these 'outages' for a foreign client to actually terminate a contract based on the perceived inadequate infrastructure. Yet there is hope on the horizon -- a consortium, which includes PTCL, is laying down the SEAMEWE-4 cable, which

Growth in Pakistan: A Precarious Phenomenon

The 8.4 percent growth doesn’t tell much about the plight of the common man in Pakistan. If anything, not only has it failed to trickle down to the poor, but it might have worsen the plight of the common Pakistani as we have seen in case of the grow

The Genesis of Militancy in Pakistan

Militancy in Pakistan has many facets – ranging from military coups to sectarian killings.

Conversation with a Jahil

When asked by a politician of his age, he responded by saying that he was born on 14th August 1947.

Last Rites in Kashmir or a New Journey?

The Kashmir issue really has no solution that can resolve this problem to everyone’s delight. Then why are Generals smiling? What have they stumbled on in Kashmir?

General Musharraf goes on Struggling for Legitimacy

On May 18th the Pakistani official spokesman said that General Pervaiz Musharraf, who also happens to be the Chief of the Army, would continue to hold office beyond 2007.

A Season of Faith’s Defection

The message of tolerance is necessary not only for the Islamic militants but also for the so-called secularists, who in turn are extremist to the point of judging a man by his facial hair, or the clothes he or she wears.

Boom-Box Mentality

Foreign Aids and Remittances can play a minute role in the careful management of the economy but can rarely be considered as the definitive factor in pursuing high productivity growth rate and significant increase in the employment.

March for Peace

Indians and Pakistanis are allowed public access for cricket, but not if they are walking for peace

Thus Fare Fake Democracies

This government has gone completely bananas. On World Press Freedom Day, it chose to thrash journalists in Islamabad and Lahore.

Selling the Family Silver

Privatization in Pakistan is seen as the strategy that will correct all past wrongs of the public sector. But two questions arise: Is the wholesale privatization good for the country in the long run and whether there is a role for public sector enterprise

The Genius of a Giant

A look at Inzi - the gentle giant rose several notches to emerge as a true leader of men ..

The Barbarians Within The Gates!

The time for half measures is over and there is no more room left to retreat before the creeping evil of religion in Pakistan.

Pakistan Travelogue I

This is the first ever visit to the land of my forefathers that anyone in my extended family has taken after the 1947 migration.

Iran’s Nuclear Triangle

Encircling Iran by maintaining its military presence in five of the seven countries sharing borders with Iran, the US seems to be working overtime to neutralize Iran’s ‘nuclear triangle’

Columbus and Insane Land

Once upon a time there was a country named insane land. It was named after its founder. Insane in English dictionary means mad but they perceived it as an attribute of some one who is astute and witty.

Let the People Meet

In Pakistan, the demand for Indian visas is as much as 1500 – per day – from around the country -

Branding Nations -- II

To achieve the aim of creating a positive Pakistani Brand there is need for a dynamic agency that can conceive, coordinate and monitor the brand building effort at the national and international level between all the role-players.

Religion in Politics

Contrary to popular belief that Pakistan was created to make an Islamic society, I have attempted to show that religion and politics are a dangerous mix particularly in the case of Pakistan.

Stage Set for BB’s Prime-Ministership?

The political contours of Pakistan are about to undergo a paradigm change; whether the change is going to be conducive or otherwise, only the future will determine

The Second Wave

Profiles of four outstanding filmmakers at the upcoming 4th Karafilm Festival ...

Shaukat Aziz’s Speech: Hypocrisy at its Best

Shaukat Aziz, if he really wants to achieve stability in the country, will have to eschew the politician’s rhetoric and work towards taking the state out of religion

Can Pakistan Work?

According to a popular but rather humor­less Pakistani joke, “all countries have armies, but here, an army has a country.”

Rape Of the Constitution

The very people who have sworn to protect the constitution have repeatedly raped it

Cave-men of Rawalpindi

Former Kashmiri landlords are living miserable lives in caves in Rawalpindi

Benazir Bhutto Visits the Bay Area

One does not have to agree with her political viewpoint. But it would be extremely unwise to ignore her in the Pakistan context.

What is Killing Pakistan?

Well, I must be getting back to the operating room. You still want to come? Hey, nurse. How was your lunch? Well, I hope you aren’t feeling too sleepy after that hefty meal… our patient needs our full attention. Yes, tonight at my place. Bring

The FM Boom

So what does this mean for Pakistan? After all, most FM stations just dish out ‘ear candy’ - easy listening, music hits, recipes, chit chat... Just more commercialisation and encouragement of ‘the burger culture’, right? Maybe, but

We Don’t Need You Shaukat Aziz

Notwithstanding the fact that Musharraf has done more than enough for the Americans, he is still considered unreliable by them. Shaukat Aziz has been foisted on Pakistan as part of post-Musharraf scenario

The Door To The Barracks

How to end the role of the military in politics

The Rock Star and the Mullahs

Salman Ahmed is a man on a mission: to challenge Pakistan’s hardline mullahs on why they believe music is not allowed in Islam.

Prophecy and the Mullah: Hotel Mohenjodaro

Saving Pakistan from the Mullahs

Open Letter to Prime Minister Jamali

Show us that you are more than just a docile ‘teddy bear’! Lead Prime Minister Jamali! Lead!

Review: Ten Short Films about Pakistan

The soul of Pakistan has never been filmed or televised.

Pakistan and Civil Society

Pakistani civil society is distinct in its evolution. It took birth much before the geography of Pakistan was drawn.

Role of Pakistan Army Under Musharraf Just Stinks

This situation is becoming perilously similar to the weeks and months shortly after the fall of Dacca in 1971 ...

OPEN’s New Beginnings

He said, “If somebody tells you that it can’t be done, prove them wrong.”

Prioritizing Science and Technology

This article presents a few ideas about bringing positive changes in science and technology sector of Pakistan.

The Importance of NADRA’s Swipe-able ID Card

A case for Pakistan's new computerised national identity card

Education and the Nazim

It has been just been a couple of short years that local self-governments were introduced in Pakistan. This initiative is bound to have major long term affects...

A Weapon to Wipe Out the Arts

The proposed Public Performances Act will be nothing more than a tool of censorship.

Just Another Day On the Job

The CEO of Pakistan strode in masterfully to chair the Wednesday weekly cabinet meeting at the CEO’s office in Islamabad. It was a weighty responsibility, but he knew he was man enough for the job. He had achieved a high level of fitness from carryi

Zulfikar Ali Bhutto Remembered

Was he a Saint or Sinner or a bit of both?

The World Is BUT are We Ready for a New Pakistan?

When good comes calling, we Pakistanis tend to take the other path opposing sanity. Could we stop acting dwarfishly?

How real is Musharraf’s real democracy?

Now the stage is set for the real issue. Musharraf and his real democracy, is it really real or just another hoax to occupy ‘the seat’ and further the interests of the military? Let’s briefly examine his policies, one by one.

Criminals -- or Victims of an Unjust System?

If the President really wants to help women in prison, he would do well to repeal the Hudood Ordinances. This would have a far greater impact than limited remissions and pardons.

To Die For.....the War at Wana

Images flashed on the television screen; a burning truck, scattered FC troops behind mud barricades and coffins wrapped in the national flag. This was the footage of the war taking place in Wana - where our soldiers are engaged in a bloody combat with the

Musharraf Will Die

The pot is bubbling and the stew simmering, and the script now calls for a death. There have been countless, innocent civilian deaths. The latest – two hundred dead in Madrid. But the death I am alluding to is that of the precarious President Mushar

India-Pakistan: Friends on Visa

When people from India and Pakistan meet, peace seems the most favoured option.

Pakistan: Inside The Nuclear Closet

Many in the Pakistani press had warned that any attempt to punish Qadeer, advertised for near two decades as the architect of Pakistan’s and the Islamic world’s nuclear bomb, would provoke rampaging mobs to demand an end to Musharraf’s p

Auction of New Cellular Licenses In Pakistan

Thirty-three parties have expressed an interest for these two coveted licenses including several prominent international firms like MCI, MTC-Vodafone, Singtel, Etisalat and Turkcell.

Separate Destinies?

Monday, February 16’s Daily Dawn reported the Pakistan Election Commission’s reversion of its decision on joint electorates for Muslim and Non-Muslim citizens. With that fatuous announcement the clock was turned back two years--the courageous

Branding on Pakistan

A study was carried out by AC Nielsen in Australia emphasizing brand quality and patriotism as the two most important factors in determining purchase decisions, ahead to price.

Only $5 Million

Despite its low price tag, our national pride satellite Paksat-1 is underutilized; according to reports from the finance ministry, it will continue to face and generate losses for its entire five-year lifespan.

The Nuclear Noose Around Pakistan’s Neck

Thirty years ago, fearful of India’s newly acquired nuclear weapons, Pakistan set out on its own quest to become a nuclear weapons state...Few could have imagined then that the move from buyer to seller of the world’s deadliest technology w

Zen Pakistanis

The “Father of the Bomb” is undoubtedly realizing that from now on when they call him “Father of the Bum” it won’t merely be a mistake in pronunciation.

A Waste of National Resource

Currently, there are two distinct educational systems in Pakistan. One is based on the government of Pakistan’s state funded educational institutions and modern curricula and other one is based on the centuries old system of madarassas’ religi

India Pakistan Friendship, Why Now?

What has changed geopolitically that has forced both countries to reconsider their long-stated positions?

Defy the Divide, Unite For Peace

10 students from all across the country recently went to Karachi to attend the 6th Joint Conference of the Pakistan India People’s Forum…In between doing a play, late night drives to the sea view, eating biryani we came out with a youth declar

Seducing The Devil

PPP and ARD and PML-N have no one, but themselves to blame for their political marginalization in Pakistani politics.

Another Attempt on Musharraf

From international pariah to being accepted as a frontline state leader in the US led war against terrorism his hold on power has been firm and tenuous at the same time.

A History of US- Pakistan Relations

While Pakistanis are stuck with a love-hate relationship with the US, for Americans it is business as usual

Should Pakistan, too, Dump the Commonwealth?

Leaving the Commonwealth arena all to India by walking out from it would be a big blunder. Why give India a walk-over?

Will Persecuting Hashmi Help?

It takes only one armed unit to overthrow a civilian government. But experience of past dictators has proven that the military finds it exceedingly difficult to retain direct control of the polity because of international impediments, domestic political c

Musarrat Nazeer

Musarrat, as her name implies, delighted the spectators for quite some time. She retired from the cinema years ago. However, she continued singing for the Pakistan television up until recently. Her sweet singing voice makes us happy. Her movies will keep

Banning Fashion Shows

To fully grasp the ramifications of the ban, one needs to understand the various dimensions of the front on which the Prime Minister has sought fit to engage battle

My Pakistan

I wonder whether Islamic extremism is the future of Pakistan, it surely seems the case in the northern and western parts of Pakistan, where ‘Taliban-like’, long bearded people have made their government, who have the education and civilization

Founding Mothers

The most famous image of the Pakistan Movement is when a young woman climbed up atop the civil secretariat building in Lahore and planted the league flag instead instead of the union jack.

From Silent Majority to Innocent Civilians

To me, it seems to be more of a silenced majority, one that does not speak, because it is denied the right to speak, and since it is too busy trying to survive, literally, it is less concerned with demanding the right to speak.

Pakistan under its Ethnic Shadows

Unless one can sufficiently and satisfactorily answer the question “What does Pakistan mean (Pakistan ka mutlab kya)” in the affirmation of a nationhood, the desirability of a “Pakistan” as a viable entity will remain questionable

A Gory Tale of Lies, Greed and Deception

Apply whatever mode of calculation you like, the tragic truth is: Pak Army has killed manifold more Pakistanis than those who have hitherto fallen to Indian bullets.

Mapping Karachi’s Charms and Contradictions

Kamila Shamsie spoke about ‘spider-plants’, the literary scene in Pakistan, an absence of ‘stone throwing fundamentalists’ in her work and inevitably about Karachi.

Are Secularism and Islam Incompatible?

Ever since, Mustafa Kemal Ataturk abolished the Khilafat and separated Church from state, a great debate has raged in the Islamic world. Perhaps no where is it more intensely debated than in Pakistan, where Jinnah very clearly and consistently declared t

Ahmed Rushdi

The journey which Rushdi had started from Mehdi Zaheer’s ’Bunder Road’ in 1954 had ended at Azar Hafiz’s ’Aanay walo suno’ in 1983.

Quashing Time Pakistan: A Parody

The following is an excerpt from what led to the ban of a popular current-affairs talk-show episode. But according to official sources, what you’re about to read - never took place…

Hypocrisy of Musharraf Lovers

When BB/NS deploy their own people at important positions then it is corruption and they are just trying to keep their favorites happy. But if any post is given to Generals it is only because they are ultra competent and really deserve the job!

Should Pakistan send troops to Iraq?

The Musharraf government operates in a complex domestic, regional and international scenario and has its limitations...If it needs to change the 'domestic viewpoint' then it must be able to communicate something to Pakistanis that assures them on their na

Low Intensity Conflict

The two-nation theory, the very foundation of Pakistan was a revolutionary and radical theory during the period of low intensity conflict with the British Raj and the Hindu vested interests.

Rescinding the ’Concordat’

Like Napoleon, Bhutto has a dubious legacy. While he will be remembered for his heroism, his global vision and his genuine ambition to transform Pakistan into a world power under his leadership, he will be condemned for making the deal with the devil and

Of Rites and Rights: An Interview with Asma Jahangir

'Vajpayee took the effort to come to Lahore and in some ways it was not such a good experience with the army turning their back on him and Jamaat Islami going and washing Minare Pakistan after he left.'

Unsettling Precedents for Pakistan

From the ‘success’ in Iraq, it appears that launching preemptive strikes with overpowering force can vanquish enemies without appreciable collateral damage.

Development of Steel Sector

the feasible steel-making projects based on Kalabagh and Nokkundi iron ores have been shelved, and the Pakistan Steel based on imported iron ore will be expanded

The Last Trumpets

The choices are whether to adopt a presidential or a prime ministerial form of government and the second set of choices are whether Pakistan needs to be governed as an administrative state or as a democracy

Terminate This

How ironic is it that Arnold Schwarzenegger was sent on a morale-boosting tour of US bases in Iraq.

The Razor’s Edge

The United States seems to be losing the proverbial battle for the “hearts and minds” of the Afghans. The biggest problem was that the United States was not prepared for the post-war situation and had no plans to tackle the problems

On the Miltary Farms, Okara

The Government’s inaction in the face of the reported brutalities carried out by the Military authorities and Pakistan Rangers in forcing the tenants of the Military Farms, Okara to execute the new “cash rent” system is criminal.

President Pervez Musharaff’s Views

The present line of control, he asserted, is the issue over which the two countries have fought three wars. So how can that be a solution to the problem, he asked with all the emphasis he could invoke.

Many Questions, No Answers

Solutions do not rest in either Democracy or in the Shariah. The answers are in Education and Social Equality. Only this will invalidate the Bush Doctrine and Extremist Fatwas.

The Follies of the Natives

A circus called Pakistan

We Cut When Asked -- PTCL’s New Censoring Role

Our telephone company, the monopoly holder for conveying Internet traffic, has lately been working overtime as the morality policeman.

History Rehearsing: Dark Ages of Islam

poor masses hopelessly in search of a savior

Terror in Okara

Pakistan cannot bear the shock of nearly a million of its own people being dispossessed

The Beginning of the End of the Kashmir Problem

Do not underestimate either the love or the hatred that the peoples of the two countries are capable of having towards each other

On the Assertion of Rights

Why Pakistan’s institutions are ass backwards

Pakistan and India - Lets Compromise

The program began by applauding Indian PM Vajpayee’s concession to meet Jamali, his Pakistani counter-part

Dangerous Precedents

emerging international scenario in the wake of Iraq war

Survival of the Fittest

If Pakistan is next then what are the options?

Doctors or the Disease

Analysis of the khaki-clad messiahs of Pakistan

The Great Game for Central Asian Oil

The Imperialist Ring from Yugoslavia to Afghanistan

Kashmir: Time for a Radical Approach?

The Kashmiris are not even a foot note and Ram Babu and Allah Rakha the perennial losers.

They Shoot Kashmiri Pandits, Dont They?

They say they will act as a “buffer against the export of jehad into India”. They who ran away?

Ich bin ein Mussulman

the conquest of the Middle East is only a smart aleck way of referring to what is true

Excavating India

I say, thank god for Babar, for the dear departed Mughal badshah has revealed how the purring cats are jumping on a hot tin roof.

Three Arguments Against a War

As America prepares for war, I want to present three arguments for peace:

Muslims in India: Communalism vs. Backwardness-Minority Syndrome

Today, it is imperative that the Muslim community fights the ogre of communalism

Eye Opening Facts: Steel Sector

Pakistan steel sector

Preventing Military Take Overs

Military Reforms

Dam it?

Protest against the extension of Mangla Dam continues despite the mainstream media's ignorance

Rightsizing of the Armed Forces

the huge Pak Army fulfils few strategic functions

Ghada Karmi: The Strength of Palestinian Narrative in the Face of Violence

She continues to hold the belief that Palestinian statehood is a goal that can be achieved with the use of all options

The Urdu Press in New York

We never thought we would flee America

Towards Greater Tolerance

Anti-Pakistanism and neo-Indian Nationalism

USA and Muslims

Muslim extremists generally dislike non-Muslims and they hate various people at local level

Standing Up to a Bully

America has all along, despite Iraq’s acceptance, said it is highly sceptical of Saddam Hussain’s assurances or promises

A Work In Progress

Jinnah put Pakistan in such a location that the future state would always be involved in the geo-politics of world

Khaki wisdom -- One-way ticket to Hell

the world came closer to a nuclear exchange during the recent standoff between India and Pakistan than at any time since the 1962 Cuban missile crisis

Creation of Hindu ’madrasas’

Is this the sort of education we Indians want in our school system?

The Kashmir Committee: Ram in U.S

Ram Jethmalani, to further the agenda of KC, recently made a trip to US

The Unmaking Of Gujrat

The key players in these elections and therefore Indian polity seem like characters in a drama of the absurd.

Generals: A case study (I)

For generals, on the other hand, any deviation from regimental loyalty and unquestioning obedience is sin

Husain Haqqani at UC Berkeley

Pakistan has to revisit its relationship with India

If Army acts like a Political Party Why not a Forward Bloc in it?

what is a bigger and more deplorable sin: to be a prostitute or to be a pimp?

Changing The Thana Culture

as time passes land holdings of Feudals continue to decrease through an ongoing evolutionary process

Games Generals Play

the General deserves to be applauded for forcing a semblance of democracy to the working of political parties

An All-Inclusive Rejoinder to All the Chronic Complainers

there are few nations on the face of earth blessed with such an omnipotent uniformed force

Failure of Democracy in Pakistan

Time for a Change

Mexico to Support United States

Fox and Bush, 'langotia yar ... '

Islamic Utopia?

Reconciling Islam and Modernity

Lessons from Constitutional History

But we never seem to learn from history

Land Reforms: A Landlord's Perspective

It is incorrect to say that the tillers of the soil are at the mercy of the landlord.

Our Landlord System...Good or Bad?

Government of Pakistan helped Landlords producing more crops.

Sobho: the struggle continues

I still believe in the revolution, in a society that provides justice for all

The Election Burp

Don’t stand around wondering what to do, trying to please everybody—take a stick and throw it.

Election in Pakistan

unprecedented election results in Pakistan

Myopic, Malevolent, Megalomaniac

Musharraf knows that PPP (P) and PML (N) would not like to join hands with MMA because it displeases USA

Military, Musharraf and Magic

Political experts can opine all they want. They can criticize Musharraf, the Military and the short-term nature of US support.

Unraveling Pakistan: Taming The Shrew-Mare

Pakistan’s Army has become a wild mare. It has to be broken into. It has to be re-taught to walk, run, trot

Democracy is Like Virginity

What I Saw In Okara

An investigation into the Okara land dispute

The Day Of All Days

Pakistan will re-take its first fledging steps towards democracy

Road Blocks in Normalising Relations

If cross border terrorism ceases, facilitating a dialogue between India and Pakistan, will a dividend of long term peace follow?

Organized Irrelevance

Are Muslims hopeless? With the OIC, they are...

The April Fool Referendum

a critique of the April 30 referendum and what it may mean for the coming elections

Peace in South Asia

Arundhati Roy gave the Pakistanis a glimpse of what free-thinking is

India’s Potential Lose-Lose-Lose Scenario

India may actually be helping Pakistan in the long run, not harming it, with its current war hysteria

Does a Bachelor’s degree mean education in politics

Can an election that disqualifies 98% of the country’s citizens be legitimate?

Of Evil Zionists and the Great Satan

The impotent fury of the Muslim world

Shadowlines (Part I)

Ehsan Jafri was killed, his decapitated head carried around the streets.

Of Errant Politicians And The Kashmir Cause

In politics being good is not necessarily good enough

Of Violent Birth and Peaceful Death

I have a dream for South Asia

Removed From Reality

The reality is that no Caucasian in his/her right (and white) mind is going to be coming to Pakistan anytime soon.

A Contrary Opinion

why not give the goodwill to someone who has only been brutally honest with us

The Pattern of Violence

if the man at the helm sees the larger picture

My Ruined Breakfast

After that they would like votes, please.

The April Fool Referendum

The military may win this battle but it will destroy the very nation it is so proud to rule

Deja Vu

General Musharraf should be open and honest

The Panel of Vendettas at UC Berkley

A true hero would make a radical notion and never back track

An Interview with Noam Chomsky

I don’t feel that I have important messages to convey

Taboo: The Hidden Culture of a Red Light Area (Review)

Dr. Saeed touches upon the association of dance and music with prostitution in our society.

The Wages of Obedience

The systemic failure of a whole class of people to think honestly and seriously, in short a failure to do their job as political analysts

An Insight Into the Way Shiv Sena Functions

This political sex appeal of Thackerey is the reason that Shiv Sena shakhaas have sprung up in Haryana and Punjab

The Place of Debate

He said there was also a need for debating on the concept of secularism, whether it is contrary to Islamic teachings and concept?

Empty Vessels And All That Jazz

do you think he is up to task to rid us of feudals next?

Pakistanis in Afghanistan, Nothing New

The more the government cuts back on the opportunities available to the Mullah to interact with the citizen, the more the government is cutting back on the Mullahs sources of revenue

The Future Is Another Country: 2050 And Beyond

Osama bin Laden has his own vision of a perfect world and millions will die

An Indian salute for President Musharraf

On January 12, President Musharraf exhibited the moral courage of the man with character who has been called by destiny to the antechamber of history.

1971: A Forgotten Story

We ‘forgot’ to ask for our men to be returned

Indian Diplomacy : Time To Recheck

The year saw a marked upswing in new Delhi’s relations with the US, Russia, Japan, Germany and France

Taliban : An Analysis

an ideal Islamic society.

A Reason For Change

What is really interesting about Marianne Pearl’s interview with CNN is not what she said

Borders are Made of These

if I join this ideological war, the blood will only congeal in my heart

Enough is Enough

Some of us, like Noah’s family, will be saved

India, Pakistan and America’s Mixed Signals

War is the last thing that we need there

Running Naked

Looking at the current India, Pakistan conflict as Manto would have

Is Jehad Passe’?

it is too early to say that the military has changed its spots

Muslims and The West After 11th September

America has exacted blood revenge for the Twin Towers

An International Failure

do the Pakistanis know who they are themselves

The Clash Of Un-Civilizations And Osama-ism

It is misleading to think and give an impression that these issues will just disappear if Osama is captured or killed today.

Here Are the Muslim Feminist Voices, Mr. Rushdie!

Muslim women HAVE been speaking out against the obscurantist Islam he decries

Whither Democracy?

Musharraf appears to have killed two birds with one stone

Benazir Bhutto in Sacramento

the terrorist’s greatest fear is the spread of information, social equality and democracy

A Letter Home

An American teacher’s perspective

India’s Communal Gamble

What sells best in India?

A Decision to Regret

the Afghans have always resisted a government imposed from abroad

Afghanistan Reflections

big mistakes were made

Love On The Line Of Control, a Story by Col Dharam Pal

There seems to be a lot of acrimony and bad-blood between some Indian and Pakistani contributors ...

Explaining it to an American Friend

godspeed and prudence in this time of grieving

Bahr-e-Zulmaat

a mother who wears the hijab suggested to her 28-year-old daughter she take it off

Implications for India

India needs to show maturity

Caught In Between

Pakistan is on the defensive almost constantly

Crisis and Opportunity

This crisis is ultimately a consequence of myopic policies in the US and in the Muslim world

Just the End of the Beginning

... will the arraignment of Osama BL be the end of the story?

Every Nightmare has a Reason

Wait a moment, please ...

The Real Jehad

Birth control and Education together should be the focus of our Jehad.

Why I am leaving

There is just so much wrong with Pakistan today that we, the educated youth, find life here unacceptably difficult

Coming Home to a Foreign Land

Kirtida Oza recently crossed the border from Ahmedabad for a three week trip to Pakistan

No Fault Of Mine

We nurture a strange vision of patriotism in India these days. As Pakistan yells at us, accusing us of misdeeds, we must shout louder still. Meantime, Kashmir bleeds. So do we all.

A Medley of Internal Contradictions

Shedding tears for the plight of Indian Muslims is also a case of internal contradictions

The Countdown Begins

... the contours of Pakistan’s emerging political scenario point to the first signs of an uneasy coexistence between the military regime and the political forces ...

The Indo-Pak Summit, Kashmir and the Taj Mahal

One cannot expect a solution from just one summit on the complex Kashmir problem ...

Group Captain Cecil Chaudhry, SJ

An interview with a war hero ...

An Eulogy For The Hawks

Your administrations’ talks with President Musharraf

The Quest for Power

It took General Zia 14 months after the July 1977 coup to assume the Presidency, while General Musharraf waited 20 months to do the same

Talking to Vajpayee

Vajpayee has demonstrated that he can be different

Reforming the Armed Forces

Like any institution in a status quo society, the Armed Forces badly need reforms as well.

Mocking the Frontier: The Baba’s Dargah and Chamaliyal

What would the Baba have to say ...

The Winds of Change

When the world’s only superpower changes direction, smaller states, especially those located on the periphery of potential conflict, have to be nimble in adjusting their policies.

Why Pakistan?

why should we persist in our self-flagellation?

The Chicken Hawks Of Pakistan

The military should accept the fact that it is a dictatorship

Refusing the Sitara-I-Imtiaz

...look at our generals – they get a shovel-full of impressive medals each year that they proudly wear on their chests. But tell me how many wars have they won?

Obsession with Borderline Issues

pre-occupation with insignificant extremes in the name of religion is misplaced

Open Letter to Prime Minister Vajpayee

I do not wish to neutralize the horror I feel at the destruction of Buddhist monuments with the thought that my national leaders did the same thing a decade ago

Our Blind Nuclear Prophets

why did Indian and Pakistani defence budgets go up, rather than down, after the May 1998 tests?

Hands Across The Border

we all must plant our saplings of peace today

Eathquake Hits India And Pakistan

At least 15,000 people are feared dead

The Killing Fields of Karachi

What was Shakir’s crime? Was it that he came back to Pakistan to work...

Democracy in Pakistan: The Missing Link?

Democracy has long been a buzzword in Pakistan

The Soft Option

How can we say that Pakistan is misrepresenting the term ’jehad’ with regard to Kashmir when we Indians are doing the same?

A Long Night’s Odyssey

we do not have the luxury of time

Education Reforms: Yet Another Sham

In the hands of a semi-literate bureaucracy, which couldn’t care less about education

A Different Story

The winds of change are slowly whispering their way across the South Asian sub-continent

Should Pakistan Honor the Lahore Resolution?

why Pakistan failed to become a confederation in accordance with the spirit and content of the Lahore resolution?.

The Autonomy is for India

greater autonomy for states is the only way

Defend the Country, not its Government

What are the responsibilities of citizens when governments lie to them?

The Imperatives of Power

A physically injured leader has won hands down against the leader of a psychologically injured nation in the world of diplomacy

Hidden Hindus

What is it like?

Protest in New York!

Stop killing Christians in Pakistan ...

Negotiating Human Rights

arrested in Pakistan for saving the life of a battered woman

Would Devolution Empower “We the People”?

Musharraf’s devolution plan is likely to empower the people of Pakistan. But, how?

1971 in 2000

... this singular event is consigned to the dustbin of history.

Faith, Religion and National Direction

A winner makes commitments, a loser makes promises

Lahore Notes, March 2000

I took the famous Bus to Lahore

Shahnaz Begum and Memories

memories of a less complex time

No More Hiroshimas Anywhere, Ever

Fat Boy and Thin Man, created atomic hell on August 6 and August 9, 1945

Where Mountains Move

The Story of Chagai

Protest against Kalabagh Dam

Please urge Pakistani Government

Pakistan, India and the Spirit of Chowk

a time when civility ruled Chowk and personal attacks were rare

The People’s Initiative

Exposure to ordinary people serves as a powerful perception changer ...

Negotiating Peace in Kashmir

President Clinton should also exhort the Indian leaders

When Pakistan Defeated Herself...

there was no way for it [India] to convincingly prove that Pakistan indeed harbored territorial ambitions on i-Kashmir

What’s the future of India and Pakistan?

there are only two solutions to this problem[Kashmir]. A Change of attitude or war

Just another cry in the dark

In our 53 years of turbulent history the country has seen nothing but thieves and self righteous leaders

A Rumor Of Lies

Pakistan, as a nation, seems to have entered a political terra incognita from which it is unlikely to return

Where did Pakistan go wrong?

...you will find that in the course of time Hindus will cease to be Hindus and Muslims would cease to be Muslims...

TIEcon 2000 Generates Hope

Entrepreneurship in the 21st. Century

Game Theory and Pakistan

the elite in Pakistan are nothing short of omnivorous parasites

Us and Them - A Pakistani professor counters Urdu newspapers

A student stood up and berated me for negating the Ideology of Pakistan

Open Letter to General Musharraf

Field Marshal Ayub Khan was forced out of power after extensive rioting . . .

Eqbal Ahmad: Post - Pokhran Days

The mountain had turned white. I wondered how much pain had been felt by nature ...

Can Clinton Stand in Front of the Taj?

Vices or not, Clinton certainly got to go as far as India

Pakistan - The Way Forward

An Activist’s Appeal

ALIF - The Way Ahead?

to build the Kingdom of God out of scraps

Different Eagles, Same Genus

For the Indian war planners, the Pakistan Air Force is their worst fear...

Verdict in Pakistan

Life or Death

Famous Last Words or a Messiah in Khakis?

Can the army deliver?

Why Clinton should visit Pakistan

The Americans simply cannot sideline Pakistan...

Talibanization or the Turkish Model?

My son is a U.S Citizen, and he is going to Afghanistan to join the Taliban.

Boundaries or Bridges?

We didn’t find the Pakistan we were looking for

Let us Not be Foolish

Mistakes, misunderstandings and downright hate have led us too long in India-Pakistan relations...

In the Supreme National Interest

the days of loot and plunder are over

Pakistan: A Failed State?

If Sethi’s diagnosis has some merit, Pakistan is a potentially failed state.

Pakistan in the Year 3000

Apes and Dumbos dont have much of a future on planet Earth

Twosome Troubles of Troublesome Two

The adolescent behavior of both the Indian and Pakistani elites and their awry management of bilateral relations has become a matter of international notoriety

The Millenium Manifesto or ’Ikeesween Sadi Dastoor’

Kashmir does not belong to Pakistan regardless of historical events during partition...

Who will Bell the Bad, Fat Cats?

A scathing look at journalism in Pakistan

Resolving the Hijack Crisis

The timing of the IC-814 hijack crisis portends several things

Hegemony of the Ruling Elite in Pakistan

We have a chequered past in our experiments with democracy

Chashma - Almost too Late

Better money lost than people’s lives

The Case for De jure Legalization

A Rs.1000 excise tax on an imported bottle of Scotch could easily net additional daily revenues

In Defence of Benevolent Dictators

More democracy ? More of the same ? No thanks

Scandalising the Pakistani Courts

Ardeshir Cowasjee has been hauled into court again on contempt charges ...

Pakistan: Rapprochement with India ‘unstoppable’

One thing is clear: people want peace with India

Compilation of Opinions on the Military Takeover in Pakistan

Peoples opinions and reactions

Our Man From Delhi

saade dilli daa mundaa hai jee

Text of Speech by Gen. Pervez Musharraf

The choice before us on Oct 12th was between saving the body - that is the nation, at the cost of a limb - which is the Constitution, or saving the limb and losing the whole body

Pakistan Alert: Revolution in the Making?

Perhaps, this will be the beginning of the World War III

Compilation of Articles on the Military Takeover in Pakistan

Views and reviews on the recent events in Pakistan

Masala Democracy

Only in South Asia would a masala mix of militancy, neglect of the masses, and elite politics pass for democracy

He had no Choice!

A personal perspective on the suspension of parliament

Why An Interim Civilian Government will Fail

Putting up a front government will achieve simply nothing

Diary of a Coup

A coup d’etat had taken place and everything was going on as if nothing had happened?

An Open Letter to Gen. Pervaiz Musharaff

In your one action, you have violated and trashed the Constitution of Pakistan

Time for a fresh start

Where do we go from here?

Fears of a Military Coup in Pakistan

Army moves in Pakistan

A Recipe For Unbridled Pak-India Competition

Independent thinking on foreign and defence policies has virtually ceased to exist

Pak-Millennium Conference 1999

Setting the stage for the new millenium.

Thwarting Big Tobacco

Can a third world country defeat tobacco Goliaths? Lessons we can learn from Thai activists.

A State of Confusion

Will Pakistan benefit from a change of government?

Lahore Diaries III

So why was this county divided?
That was a mistake. Sorry. It won’t happen again.

Love in the Time of Kargil

I am Indian. My wife, Mona, is Pakistani. We got married in Toronto last week

Honour!

So let us rejoice

Kargil and the Myth of Losing the Media War

Consider for a moment that you are NOT a Pakistani

Save India

A martial law administration has to take over the country

Kargil: A view from Pakistan

What gives in the mountains?

After the defeat

An analysis of the Kargil conflict and the ensuing defeat for Pakistan.

Imran Khan: Pakistan’s Next PM?

In terms of being a hypocrite - who in Pakistan isn’t?

Kargil Issue

I begin the issue right from 1947 when India and Pakistan were planned to be two separate countries

Falsehoods Galore

Pakistan has thus turned into an oligarchy well versed in the art of making things disappear

A Road To Siachen

An analysis of the Pakistani military thought and its interests in the present crisis

India’s Failure of Imagination

No one in India, it seems, has a clue what people across the border in Pakistan are thinking

Loyal to Pakistan? Why?

But what does Pakistan really stand for?

A Visit to Pakistan

Could it be that there is a feeling that India does not accept the existence of Pakistan?

Searching for my identity

Searching for your identity as a second generation Pakistani in Britain.

I Protest!

The Peshawar branch of the Aurat Foundation held a protest march on April 13, 1999.

Why Not This One?

Of Sharifs, Bhuttos, missiles and carrots.

Pokhran-Chaghi audit: Winners and losers

India and Pakistan conducted their nuclear tests one year ago.

Murder Most Foul

A peshawarite’s look at the tragic murder of Samia Imran

Nuclear powers can count too!

Can we implement a new census at the dawn of the new millenium?

The Man who would be King

A look inside the mind of Nawaz Sharif.

The Dark Tower

The editor of Pakistani most outspoken English weekly was arrested in a most undemocratic manner for going abroad and saying what we all say in our living rooms

A Letter from Veer

My reason for taking an interest in this episode is simple

The Decline and Fall of Pakistan

Pakistan on the crossroads of a dilemma

Face to face with the Indian Muslims

How are the Muslims faring in India?

Nawaz Sharif Plays Lady Macbeth

Pakistan government is an accomplice in domestic violence and the death of Samia Sarwar.

Vajpayee Toppled

Next: Sonia Gandhi?

Balkan Tragedy: A Re-enactment of the 1971 Genocide in Bangladesh

The escalating human tragedy in Kosovo gives me a sense of deja vu

WW III? An Analysis of Yugoslavia

The media has been lying to the world about the crisis in Kosova

Evolution of South Asia

Information revolution and the future of the sub-continent

Why The War On Ghosts Was Lost

The scourge will be eradicated from its roots, thundered Mr. Shahbaz Sharif

Waiting Upon the Prime Miniterial Burp

In Lahore we are expecting to hear a burp

A Day in the Life of the Bus

Delhi-Lahore destination plate is no ordinary feat

Rise and Fall of a Silver Screen Hero

Of the late, great Waheed Murad

Why Vajpayee’s Trip to Lahore Was a Failure

Vajpayee’s bus trip can be described in one word: nothing

Need for a Confederation

India had never been a Nation, it is still not one

Getting Ready for ‘Bus Diplomacy’

Vajpayee and Sharif get creative. First bombs then bus rides.

A Matter of Principle

Anatomy of the governments vendetta against a leading newspaper in Pakistan

An Interview with Deepa Mehta

Of partition, hybrid filmmaking and the lack of inhibitions

Jinnah, My Hero

Jinnah, the fragile man with an iron will.

An Interview with Naseeruddin Shah

3 pages of Manto tells you what you want to know [about Partition]

Honoring the Greats

Should all Prime Ministers be on postage stamps?

A Forgotten Incident

India and Pakistan go to war!

A Line Runs Through It

Siachen-Kargil: India, Pakistan, Kashmir and forgotton lessons of history

Agenda for Pakistani Press

The press has no credibility

India is South Asia’s Natural Hegemon

Pakistan is more an army with a state than a state with an army.

Is Impeachment Realistic

Scandal and sex are easier to start than explain. Just ask the President.

Another Victim of the State

An opinion on the travails of Junoon

A Ray of Hope

An eye-witness account of a fund-raising dinner by Imran Khan.

The Gentleman Must Go

Crisis in the shadows of power: Is Pakistan entering an institutional crisis acknowledging Nawaz Sharif’s imperial designs?

Monks on a Pilgrimage

a peace march to Pakistan across the India-Pakistan border

The lack of Women’s Rights in Pakistan

Tracing the roots of oppression

Talking of Talks

...the Prime Ministers have had a telephone talk

Shadows of Hiroshima

An airplane as pretty as a silver treasure slowly flying from east to west in the cloudless, pure blue sky ...

What Price Sharif Propaganda?

The marriage of Bollywood and Pakistani politics. What will the kids look like?

And now, the army!

A scathing commentary with strong opinions

Changing of the Guard

Price for dissent?

Pakistan Cinema 1947-1997: A Review

Gazdar gives a first rate literary analysis of Maula Jat against the backdrop of Zia’s Martial Law

Pride and Potatoes: Trade with India

Is importing Potatoes a source of pride?

What Is Your Caste?

Caste is South Asia’s apartheid

From Zharkent to Laguna Pueblo

We are still suffering from the radiation effects of tests done by China and Russia

India

India I still haven’t told you what you did to Manto when he did not
leave for Pakistan in ’47.

Human Rights Groups Slam Sharif

Women are often the first victims of such moves

Giving Way to Intolerance

During the last many years, religious intolerance and sectarian fanaticism have created a war-like situation in Pakistan

The Man Who Stooped to Conquer

And he did it all with a smile

Repercussions of Nuclearization

The question of women and public space in the nuclear debate hardly exists in the popular imagination

Modern Armies and Their Invincible Plans

The minister was apparently on lunch break and had been for some years

Reconfiguration of the South Asian Polities

Mr. Sharif wants to transform himself into Amir-ul-Momineen....a title used by the Taliban chief.

Cry my Beloved Country

Thoughts on the nature of democracy in Pakistan.

Humpty-Dumpty rescrambled

What would two eggs (for Pete’s sake) be doing on a wall?

Kentucky Fried Bookstore

The Pak-American Bookstore makes way for Fried Chicken

Dow and NASDAQ set new records

A bull market that bears watching.

Sanctions - the carrot follows the stick.

A crack in the door - sanctions may be lifted soon.

Nuclear Bomb for Sale

the demand for nuclear bombs outstripped that of mangoes, movies, health services, designer labels, paan, clean water,

Nuclear Strike Warning or Green Card Application?

A Pakistani Nuclear Scientist defects to the US with dire warnings

Nuclear South Asia: An Explanation to America

The US and the rest of the world needs to help in the resolution of this issue because if we don’t address it now we will all hear about it later.

Damming Kalabagh

Is the state acting wisely in its insistence upon building Kalabagh Dam?

Letter from Nagasaki

I am the grand daughter of a survivor of Nagasaki, and I bear the scars of that living hell

Onwards to the Nuclear Abyss

India, Pakistan and the March of Folly

Nuclear Viagra and Nationalist Virility

What does it matter...in the long run we are dead anyway.

Living with the Bomb

A 2-5 minute flight time, almost zero chances of interception, and the impossibility of recall

Getting to Yes

Not to test was to permanently accept Indian domination.

The Hard Choice

A Pakistani physicist’s view on the eve of the Pakistani N-tests

Nuclear Tests in Pakistan

We have settled the score, Nawaz Sharif.

So, We Are Nuclear Too!!

Scenes from a nuclear world

Compilation of Articles and Opinions on India’s Nuclear Test

The events surrounding the nuclear tests conducted by India have resulted in a number of articles and opinions. This is a compilation of those articles.

Statesmanship Needed

Mr. Bhutto’’s decision to go nuclear would prove pivotal quarter of a century later

Patriot Games

Pass out the barfis. It could be a hockey match. A Tendulkar century. A riot or a nuclear blast.

Say No to Indian and Pakistani Bombs

...against the ideologies of hate created and promoted by our governments

To Quota or Not to Quota

A look at the divisive quota issue.

Petition against the Nuclearization of South Asia

Petition circulated at a seminar at MIT on the nuclear arms race between India and Pakistan.

A Letter to the Prime Minister of Pakistan

A letter urging restraint on part of Pakistan in response to the recent rash behavior of the Government of India.

Cash for Vote

An Expatriate Bill.

India tests three nuclear devices

Indian Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee announced that India had conducted three underground nuclear tests on Monday.

The Complete Desi Step-By-Step Guide to Filling Out Your Census Form

C’mon now, tell me who are you really?

The Intellectual Imperative

As a people and a nation, Pakistan’s need for intellectual direction has never been greater. So where are the intellectuals?

The Plight of Rural Women in Pakistan

Years of submission and sacrifice by the poorer women of the communities has conditioned them to accept their fate, to not raise their voice lest they be abused more...

Raj and I

A complete sense of certainty prevails in our country. There is nothing to panic about.

Pre-Eid Fireworks in Pakistan

On Monday April 06, Pakistan successfully tested a surface-to-surface missile capable of carrying nuclear payload over a range of 1100 km.

Searching for Answers

Pakistanis born in the UK, the first generation as they are often called, have had an interesting childhood at the cross-roads between two very different cultures.

Dodging the Law of Extradition

A look at extradition treaties in the context of the Aimal Kansi case.

Imperatives For Economic Development Of Pakistan

So how can we hammer out a consensus around the proposition that we have to rapidly raise the standard of living of the people in Pakistan?

Economic Development Conference at MIT

Integrating Pakistan Into the New Global Economy conference to be held at MIT Sloan on March 07: the event to be covered live at the Chowk Chatroom.

Ideology or Biology?

This notion of women as walking womb-bombs in imminent danger of exploding into several wailing infants is in complete opposition to statistical reality.

Christians of Pakistan

The constitution defines Pakistan as an Islamic nation and guarantees freedom to all other religion. Are we doing justice in implementing this all important social tolerance act?

Funding Lower Education

On the eve of the announcement of a new Education Policy by the Nawaz Sharif Govt. comes a sequel to Educational Apartheid.

Madeleine’s ’Deadly Delusions’

Well over 6 million Indian and Pakistani citizens live in the Middle East and Washington’s apparent indifference towards their safety has roundly ticked off nations who generally need little reason to feel offended.

ATA: A Terrifying Act

There are numerous silly, but harmless laws, as well as a few really dangerous ones. One such well-intentioned but seriously flawed law, is the Anti-Terrorism Act.

Opposing the Land Mine Ban Treaty

Every year an estimated 60 million to 100 million minesare in place in 69 countries, and they kill or mutilate more than25,000 people every year.

Calling a Spade a Spade

Thus a new historical precedent was established where 53% of the population were denounced as traitors

Phool Na Loon to Kiya Karoon?

This article or rather bunch of ideas was inspired by the debate on capitalism and inequitable distribution of wealth raging on Chowk...

Women and Police

No nation can rise to the height of glory unless your women are side by side with you... - Jinnah

The Overlooked Problem of Pakistani Racism.

Discrimination based on ethnic and provincial loyalties is eating away at our country. Why has it not become the issue that it should be?

Bihari Refugees

Is there a light at the end of the tunnel for Bihari refugees?

Five Solutions Searching For a Problem.

...rooted in the search for analytic elegance rather than the everyday concerns of ordinary Pakistanis they make great copy, but little else.

Of BB, AZ, and NYT: The Corruption of Politics and the Politics of Corruption

An analysis of the New York Time’s analysis of Benazir Bhutto and Asif Zardari’s Trail of Corruption. What was important in the story is not what was said, but how it was said and what was left unsaid.

Bebee Phool Nahin Lo

Can this poor, raped, ravaged, depleted, sick earth take the burden of industrializing China, India, Pakistan and other third world countries?

Gender and Literacy in Pakistan

By looking at agendas and practices of some organizations involved with women’s literacy in Pakistan this paper attempts to clarify ideas related to gender, assumed or consciously advocated in their various approaches.

Copyright: A Source of Revenue Generation

A discussion on the advantages of protecting intellectual property rights in Pakistan.

Chowkwalas Interview Pak. Law Minister

Chowk readers conduct a cyber interview with Law Minister Khalid Anwer

The People of 1997

Who should be named Pakistan’s Political Person of the Year for 1997?

Women’s Rights in Pakistan

... and by the time we are old enough to understand and question, the standards by which we judge have already been defined in our minds...

The Harsh Truth

The first topic of conversation is always Pakistan. Karachi mein kya ho raha hay? The discourse begins ...

The Pakistani Connection: An Opinion

Pakistani media watchers have to be concerned today because people and the newspapers in this country have recently started mentioning Iraq and Pakistan in the same breath.

President Leghari Resigns, SC in conflict

When right is wrong and wrong is right then who can tell right from wrong?

Time For Contempt

In today’s Pakistan, the word Contempt is what the Government of Pakistan thinks of the people of Pakistan.

SC to PM: Do You Plead Guilty?

Is the fall of the nine-month old government of Nawaz Sharif eminent ?

As the Rupee Plunges

Is it too late to link the Pakistani Rupee to the U.S. dollar as it used to be?

Constitutional Chess Game Nearing Climax

If Supreme Court invokes Article 63(g) of constitution, it is empowered to disqualify the prime minister from being a member of the parliament.

Bhutto Family Swiss Accounts

One is surprised at the amount of money. It is not $4 billion or $400 million or even $40 million: a mere $13.8 million.

Human Chain Across Kashmir

We have done this because we are angry with the United Nations for not getting its resolutions (for plebiscite) implemented.

Death of the Raj: Subcontinent in the Third Millennium

The second of two articles outlining a new definition of Pakistan and the Indian sub-continent. Ready your pens for aggressive interaction.

Almost Live in Concert

It is important for us to understand more about DAT’s and Sequencers and how they work because paying $10 or more for a live performance where as only 10% of that is live, in my opinion, is making a fool out of people.

My Crimson Reality

In which the poet, in the best traditions of Meer, Dard, Ghalib, seems to prefer reality in an intoxicating red shade.

The Old Pakistan is Dead, Long Live New Pakistan

On December 16, 1971 Pakistan ceased to exist during a well celebrated ceremony when Lieutenant General Amir Abdullah Khan Niazi and Lieutenant General Jagjit Singh Arora signed an armistice document.

A Word to the Wise: Industrialize

Industrialization: That has the potential to take care of ethnic divides, over-population, in-law (and out-law) problems, poverty, corruption, arranged marriage woes...

Talks, Talks and More Talks

Next Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif met with President Clinton. What really came out of this talk? Did we get the F-16s released... Any action on reversing The Pressler Amendment?

Where is Prince Charming?

If we as a nation have started questioning the very basis of the nation, we probably won’t remain Pakistani for very long.

Who is the Potato-head Now?

Inzaman’s foolishness was in response to being called a ’potato’.

Humpty Dumpty and The Third World

As a reluctant Third World nation we always speak of foreign investment (the King), ideology (the wall) and always a conspiracy (the great fall)

The Pakistani Domestic Cricket Season: A Need For Change

...instead of Habib Bank playing United Bank, let Habib Bank buy a team in Karachi, and let United Bank own one in Lahore, call the teams Karachi and Lahore...

Was The Emperor Really Wearing Any Clothes?

What I do not understand is the sudden implosion, passion and love for Sufism, claimed by countless Pakistanis immediately after a Pro-Sufi musician is bestowed a knighthood by the West.

Pakistan’s Golden Jubilee

Even now, the Mian has a cabinet of 41 ministers. FORTY ONE (count ’em)!! I can’t even think of thirty things that would need a minister.

Entrepreneurship Under the Microscope: The MIT Stanford Venture Lab

Learn of a place where VCs, start-up gurus, and hot-shot technocrats set young CEOs on the couch and analyze their entrepreneurial dreams for them....for free.

Islamic Economic Model: La Riba (Interest-free) Banking

No wonder, the Islamic system is gaining popularity. In Pakistan, mutual funds and industrial joint ventures on Mudaraba basis have been established...

From the Continuum

Get an omniscient alien race’s view of our little world in general and of the land of the pure, in particular.