My nationalist pride
My two cents (tweets) It kills the somewhat nationalist pride in me that the office of prime minister has a pride that needs to be
July 24, 2017
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Citizens should have the right to record video in every government office and building, including police stations, courts, hospitals, and other public-dealing institutions, as required. This would be a critically important step toward improving governance. This right is also essential because the entire state apparatus is funded by taxpayers’ money and is accountable to them. […]
According to a report in Jang (August 25), a new feat of the bureaucracy has come to light: 33 retired officials are receiving their pensions in foreign currency after relocating abroad. How is this a feat of the bureaucracy? This is, in fact, the doing of the political aristocracy (ریاستی اشرافیہ) that runs the affairs […]
If an individual decides to struggle against an unjust law, system, or State Aristocracy (ریاستی اشرافیہ), then more than half of that struggle must be waged against those who act as the divine custodians of that system. This does not yet include those closest to him who, out of envy, become his enemies. Nor does […]
Political parties do not represent the citizens. They are trade unions of politicians. The way to rid ourselves of them is to make elections entirely democratic. That is, the Election Commission will draw lots from among all the voters present in a constituency, and thus a representative of the citizens for that constituency will be […]
Should new provinces be created or not? And on what basis should they be created? On an administrative basis, or on some other basis? This matter should not be left in the hands of politicians, centralists, intellectuals, and opportunists. To resolve it, there should be a referendum. In other words, this issue should be placed […]
Friendships “deeper than the sea” with foreign countries and joint defence agreements with them cannot bring about any improvement in governance within Pakistan. For citizens, there is nothing to be gained from this kind of politics and diplomacy. For them, all of this will remain mere exhibition and show. Talk about governance <> focus on […]
Among other things, the most crucial factor is the uneven development of human populations on planet Earth, caused by the ruling Ashrafiya in their respective countries. This factor seeks to dissolve the political world order, which is neither possible nor advisable. Migration is not a solution. Nor is destroying the developed world. Emulating the developed […]
My two cents (tweets) It kills the somewhat nationalist pride in me that the office of prime minister has a pride that needs to be
With JUI (F), MQM, and PML (Q) once again out to test their gamesmanship, and ANP, PML (N), the Army, and the political-religious parties outside
کل گیارہ فروری کو ایک تقریب تھی، معراج محمد خان کی یاد میں ایک ریفرینس۔ مال روڈ پر، الحمرا ہال تین میں۔ ہال ’’ہاؤس فل‘‘
This April a bill was submitted in the National Assembly which is yet another attempt to make the citizens of Pakistan “loyal” to it. The bill seeks
While the Pakistani NGOs seek the Right to Information Law, the likes of “Wikileaks” are wikileaking clandestine governments! The latest ‘leaks’ of Wikileaks provide a
The country that taught us lesson regarding Rule of Law, Rule of Politics is winning there! On September 16, 2016, Dawn published the following Situationer,
With time, disconnect with the Pakistan Peoples Party is widening. The more one listens to news and reads newspapers, the more one is convinced of
Peace, commerce and honest friendship with all nations; entangling alliances with none -Thomas Jefferson, 1743-1826. American people create abundant wealth. So, they are prosperous and
Judges rule on the basis of law, not public opinion, and they should be totally indifferent to the pressures of the times.– Warren E. Burger
Judges rule on the basis of law, not public opinion, and they should be totally indifferent to the pressures of the times. – Warren E.
The theory of media consumption stands vindicated in Pakistan! The story goes thus: On June 29 the Federal Defense Minister, Ahmed Mukhtar, who had been
When creative spirit of a nation is arrested from within, it is as vulnerable to external insinuations as is to internal machinations, and can never
When creative spirit of a nation is arrested from within, it is as vulnerable to external insinuations as is to internal machinations, and can never
When creative spirit of a nation is arrested from within, it is as vulnerable to external insinuations as is to internal machinations, and can never
The middleman tends to be eliminated . . . He can only be safely eliminated by natural processes. Sometimes he is of real use and
How to Privatize Successfully – Part I If privatisation needs to be done, it has to be done because it is the decisive step in
Changing the economic system is not an easy task. And, of course, it is more complex when carried out half-heartedly. As privatisation is only a
He knows nothing; and he thinks he knows everything. That points clearly to a political career.[George Bernard Shaw, 1856-1950] People are difficult to govern because
[Here is the part 4 of the article: “Cynicism and Pakistan.”] The Theory of Lesser Evil (TLE) is a manifestation of cynicism. As cynicism finds
You can bring the rich to the level of the poor overnight but it takes a lifetime to lift the poor to the level of
O the Ashraaf Rulers! Develop new cities and have your dreams fulfilled; have Metro Buses and Metro Trains there and whatever you want! Why do
لاہور کی میت ہے ذرا دھوم سے نکلے [نئے شہر بساؤ اوراپنے شوق پورے کرو؛ ہمارے شہر کیوں ملیامیٹ کر رہے ہو!] روتی ہوئی حسرت
[Here is the part 3 of the article: “Cynicism and Pakistan.”] The discussion of the political cynicism here focuses only on the sections of society
The credit for any reduction in poverty in the country goes to privatisation, de-regulation and liberalisation, not to the so called pro-poor expenditures. Over a
Here is the 1st part of this article: Cynicism in Pakistan Cynicism and the politics in Pakistan Among other things, political cynicism destroys whatever little
It’s always been argued that there is no clergy among the Muslims. Is it so? Not the least! In fact, there is all the ‘required’
پاکستن کے سیاست دانوں نے، خواہ وہ جمہوریت کا لبادہ اوڑھے ہوئے ہیں یا مذہب کا، قریباً ستر برس سے یہاں کے شہریوں کو ٹرک
A Story of Complicity: Statistical Relationship between a Newspaper and a Politician * The writer supports freedom of thought, freedom of expression and freedom of
Note: The day Benazir Bhutto was murdered, December 27, 2007, it was the day when all the semblance of government evaporated in Pakistan; there was
This article was written last year in the wake of December 16 APS Tragedy to expose the Politicians’ inaction. It’s still relevant today on December
“I am a politician; I cannot commit any crime; I am perfectly innocent!” That is how, as we know at least in Pakistan, politicians argue.
The two noblest professions are teaching and politics. [Aristotle] Back in 2002 when the 35th Annual Session of Pakistan Philosophical Congress held in the Bukhari
Here is the first part of this article: A depoliticized Pakistan on the rampage The 2nd and the final part: Depoliticization and its causes What’s a depoliticized
Note: I sent this piece of writing to all the newspapers one by one; none bothered to see it or use it, that I am
Note: This article was completed on December 31st, 2014, and was originally posted on this Blog in January 2015. Presently there is happening quite a
Note: I completed this article on December 9, 2014, and wrote: “(Government) ought not to be afraid of martial law the prospects of which are
Patron Islamabad Chamber of Small Traders Shahid Rasheed Button says State Aristocracy is being promoted in Pakistan. Here is the story published in Pakistan Observer
Pakistan is a criminally horrible state. Read the whole story, published in The Express Tribune on September 15, 2015: Minister directs hospitals to remove political
So to say, in about 70 years, the political gains Pakistan’s polity has been able to make are dismal! Pessimistically, it’s NOTHING! Optimistically, it’s merely
It seems the present dispensation of PML-N believes in no principles of taxation. It’s just there to extort whatever amount of taxes the Federal Board
Note: This article was completed on August 4, 2014. Since then little has changed; this piece is still relevant on this 68th Independence Day. Stray
A person who is murdered, has he any rights? That question may seem strange. Let me add another dimension to it: What’s the spirit of
The pivot of politics is always seeking power, so that a political party is able, so to say, to implement its program on the basis
Countries may be likened to individuals who are resourceless and in order to grow and progress need help from their near ones, dear ones or
The Government of India Act 1935 declared “Pakistan” only as an independent dominion. Then in the constitution of 1956, the state was named as the
The title of this piece appears to be problematic. One can argue how cynicism may be confined to geographical specifications such as one of Pakistani
History is replete with stories of off-springs used in order to seize and wield power. One such story has been narrated by Abdul Haleem Sharar
کل 17 اپریل کو میں ریاض صاحب سے ملنے گیا۔ ریاظ ، مصورہیں اور بیشترعلمی و ادبی کتابوں کے سرورق کھینچتے ہیں۔ وہ کہنے لگے،
The case of 2014 Nobel Peace Prize awarded to Malala Yousafzai, which she shares with an Indian Kailash Satyarthi, who has devoted himself to the