Notes from Pakistan
May 11, 2026
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A mirror to the PML-N’s exemplary governance in Punjab: Crime statistics for Lahore in the first six months of the current year, as reported by Lahore Police: Total criminal incidents: 43,000 Thefts: 28,000 Attempted murders: 249 Murders: 141 Violence against women: 414 Child abuse: 386 Gang rapes: 54 Arrests in various crimes: 29,445
I read newspapers daily without fail — one in Urdu, three in English. On days when an entire page of any newspaper is filled with government advertisements, I feel an inexplicable sense of relief, thinking, “Today, I’m spared from so much news.” If the government were to start publishing ads on every page of every […]
In my opinion, no. It is being artificially created as an issue. Firstly, because a small segment of the population, i.e., Riyasati Ashrafiya, consumes most of the resources. Secondly, because development across the country has been uneven and unequal across provinces. People migrate to cities for facilities, causing a rapid increase in urban population.
In 2007, before coming back to Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto paid a visit to the USA. An American think tank requested a meeting, and when the meeting was held, the officials of the think tank presented Benazir Bhutto with some booklets a partner think tank of theirs in Pakistan had published. The booklets attempted an analysis […]
No need to… absolutely no need to hear or support what the opposition says about the government. They did exactly the same things while they
وزیر اعظم پاکستان جناب شہباز شریف آپ کو یہ اختیار نہیں کہ لوگوں کے ٹیکس کے پیسے کو گرینڈ حیات کے فلیٹ مالکان میں بانٹیں۔
There’s an iron curtain set between the people and the Riyasati Ashrafiya, the real owners of the state of Pakistan. No information, that is, grievances,
تصور کیجیے کسی بھی ملک میں کوئی حکومت وہاں کے معاملات کو دیکھ رہی ہے۔ قطع نظر اس سے کہ یہ حکومت منتخب ہے، یا
In terms of the behavior of the young, social history repeats itself with every new generation. I have discussed this issue at length in my
The most unnatural, illogical, and un-common-sensical thing about electoral democracy is that they have the powers to levy taxes they themselves don’t pay, because they
How the implementation of a government order is accomplished in Pakistan is symptomatic of the bureaucratic control of the things! The Punjab government allowed free
Mao Zedong said, “Let a hundred flowers blossom.” And it was Mao Zedong himself who plucked and crushed all of 99 flowers and forced others
First things first This piece of writing does not aim to involve itself with a long-form discussion of the complex issues, such as population,
فکری اور علمی طور پر پسماندہ معاشرے وہ ہوتے ہیں جہاں فرد جو کچھ کہتا ہے اس پر دھیان دینے کے بجائے توجہ اس بات
Politics has become a black hole. Attempts to reform it are swallowed by the black hole. That’s why politicians need to be thrown out and
After the subcontinent came directly under the British crown, a triangular political situation emerged. Apart from Sir Syed, there was no serious thinker among the
Lottery-based elections are the way out for Pakistan To make Pak democracy deliver in the first place, or say, to improve the quality of Pak
پاکستان میں اہل دانش کا طبقہ ذہنی اور فکری طور پر جیسے ایک نقطے پر مقیم ہے۔ اس نے خود کو چند تصورات کے حصار
انسانی دنیا ہمیشہ سے ایک دنیا رہی ہے۔ یعنی وحدت پر مبنی دنیا۔ مختلف ریاستوں اور ممالک کے مابین سیاسی و جغرافیائی تقسیم کوئی ناقابلِ
پاکستان کو کتابیں ہی نہیں، بلکہ ناگزیر طور پر کتابیں لکھنے والے بھی چاہییں۔ Pakistan doesn’t need books as much as it inevitably writers of
The grander the conspiracy theory, the grander the crown of “easy come easy go” knowledge. Khalil 24 November, 2025
The Wealth of Nations by Adam Smith was published on March 9, 1776. This makes the year 2026 the 250th anniversary of its publication. —
Everyone should have about one-fourth of Socrates, another one-fourth of Aristotle, more than half a percent of Plato, and finally a thorough dip into Karl
While stepping into 2026, let’s reboot ourselves with common sense and reason in our thoughts, actions, and daily lives. Above all, let’s resolve to stand
سیاسی پارٹیوں نے باہر کے محتسب (قانون کی حاکمیت) کو مار دیا ہے۔ لوگوں نے اپنے اندر کے محتسب (اخلاقی حس) کو۔
جون ایلیا ایک باغی ہیں۔ وہ کسی سانچے میں فِٹ نہیں بیٹھتے۔ وہ کسی سانچے میں فِٹ بیٹھ ہی نہیں سکتے۔ وہ سانچوں کے لیے
برِصغیر ہی کیا، دنیا بھر میں مسلمانوں کی فکر بیشتر مذہبی تقدس میں ڈوبی ہوئی تھی۔ آج بھی ایسا ہی ہے، یعنی پاکستان سمیت۔ لیکن
Until when Dr Frankenstein is buried irretrievably, his monsters will keep on playing havoc with society and the state. Khalil
POTUS (Donald J Trump) to win the Nobel Peace Prize next year provided Hamas-Israel agreements hold. Khalil
In the subcontinent, Muslims, led by the Ali Brothers and others, were waging the Khilafat Movement to save the Ottoman Caliphate from the British. Meanwhile,
No debate or exchange of ideas is possible with those who consider truth as their exclusive privilege. Khalil
Too much mess. All in all, it is too much mess. Yes, the government has created too much mess. It has become a total administrative
It always happens that the essence of the work is lost, and the outward form survives. Not only does this outward form survive, but it
Most Pakistanis are psychological creatures. Only a minority elevate themselves to a philosophical level, and a lot of them now and then relapse again into
My priorities are very much clear, clear like crystals. If it is a contest between an individual and society, I am with the individual. If
To keep on imploring a government to do this and to do that is just useless. Absolutely useless. I mean when it is done by
آج 7 اگست (2025) ہے۔ صبح اُٹھ کر ناشتہ کرتے ہوئے، لیپ ٹاپ کھولا اور فیس بُک ’’میموریز‘‘ (یاد داشتوں) پر نظر ڈالی تو درجن
اخلاقیات، جمالیات کا جزوِ خاص ہے۔ جبکہ جمالیات، اخلاقیات کا جزوِ عام ہے۔ یعنی جمالات برتر اخلاقیات ہوئی۔ 16 جولائی، 2023
Ahmed Jamal Pirzada is a lecturer in economics at Bristol University, UK, and interested in macroeconomics. In February-March 2022, we had a polite tweet exchange
I’m a member of only 3 groups, and by choice. I had to leave a number of others for different reasons. I post things with
In my opinion, the following is the case. This country was achieved by the politicians by waging a peaceful political and democratic struggle. And it
Re East Pakistan into Bangladesh… the role of Zulikar Ali Bhutto and/or General Yahya… who’s the real culprit? In principle, it’s the politicians who are
On this Women’s Day (8 March 2025), have a look at the newspapers; most of the politicians and public personalities are trying to highlight the
Note: This article was written in early 2011 as a short introduction to the life and work of Aslam Effendi and was included in the
No documentation. No income tax. Only consumption tax in one digit at the POS. 50% cut in the size of the government. 50% cut in
ایک طرف دو قوتیں: عدلیہ اور عمرانیہ دوسری طرف دو قوتیں: قائمیہ اور سیاسیہ ان میں سے ایک راستہ ممکنہ طور پر آئینی حکمرانی کی
پاکستان کے دانشور اور تجزیہ نگار ایک سے بڑا ایک خلطِ مبحث پیدا کرتے رہتے ہیں۔ اور پھر خود ہی بڑے ناز سے بتاتے ہیں
Here are two books and a movie to understand the nature of fascism and the unravelling of IK fascism in Pakistan. 1. Political Ponerology: A
The US Presidential Debate between Donald Trump and Kamala Harris on September 11, 2024, was qualitatively a bit better than the previous debate between Joe
