A friend was an economist proper, trained in a foreign university. When I tried to express myself on an economic issue under discussion, he told me ‘You’re not an economist.’ After keeping quiet on a number of occasions, I insisted ‘let’s see what I have got to say.’ Yes, I am not an economist, trained […]
He died last year. Till death, he was a Marxist. He left his home and family to devote himself to serve the cause. His last years were marked by disappointment over failure of the Movement of the Left in Pakistan. He died in depression. He was a polymath. A poet, literary critic, film critic, singer, […]
Under the circumstances, IK desperately wanted any crutches. JIP desperately wanted its mayor to be elected. That desperation is always bad in politics and bad politics as well. JIP provided IK with the crutches (ڈوبتے کو تنکے کا سہارا) at a time when the IK’s party, PTI has abandoned him and the Party itself stands […]
I try to explain why there is no unrest (or it is in a latent state). There is no political group or party to lead the disgruntled people There is too much political and hence social uncertainty and insecurity disallowing the people to act and come out on their own The current political crisis has […]
I learned a lot from the students I taught. Now when I reflect back on those years (1988-2006, a continuous teaching period, after that, it’s sporadic), I feel more indebted to the students for engaging with me in a sustained and productive dialogue than to my own argumentative mind. Without them, there was […]
Note: The following exchange took place in a WhatsApp group. The name of the objector is being withheld. Objection by Someone: Never understand this elite bashing. Are these old Marxists in new garb? Are we bashing success? Do we want communism? Reply by KA: Kindly pen down your (anti-) thesis and then anyone may counter […]
That’s something unprecedented. Probably never ever any head of the IMF came forward to publicly propose what the government of Pakistan needed to do. But such is the plight of a perennial borrower. Yes, a borrower, and not a beggar, as the taunt always goes. Obvious that beggars are not required to return the alms […]
Time and time again, the issue of hereditary politics finds limelight in the electronic and social media, and in the newspapers. For this or that reason, an intellectual or a political analyst, or a politician himself causes a stir. Now when Maryam Nawaz Sharif, daughter of M Nawaz Sharif was made senior vice president and […]
The umpteenth time, a nationwide electricity blackout happened on 23 January. It was told, after keeping the system switched off during the night when they tried to switch it on, it did not. However, whatever was the fault, electricity supply started restoring after 15 hours. The same is the case with democracy in Pakistan. The […]
Note: A version of this article was published in The Friday Times. Miftah Ismail’s Economics Far Cry From His Party’s Record This is merely a cursory review/critique of politics and economics Miftah Ismail has lately been doing. Miftah Ismail is expressing his differences with the PMLN top leadership openly and in a challenging manner, and […]
Note: A version of this article was published in the Friday Times. Project Imran Has Necessitated Shock Therapy For Pakistan’s Politics Top leadership of the PMLN failed to convince Asif Ali Zardari to boycott the 2018 general elections together. Zardari was of the view they should not leave the political field open and uncontested. He […]
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
It does not need any political acumen to see the reality behind the results of those surveys which declare the governance in the province of
Better to start with two clarifications: First, this piece does not raise the question of Pakistani state’s viability in the sense Pakistan’s Leftists and liberals
In the matters of running the state of Pakistan, penetration of politics, politicians and political considerations have marred the capability of the state to think
Nothing can be understood in isolation. So is the case with three recent press releases of the Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR), which acts as
Years back, when the very well-know Pak Tea House was closed down, a small portion of the Hall III, Al-Hamra, The Mall, Lahore, was made
As the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan Awami Tehreek launched this August 14 their “Azadi March” and “Inqilab March” respectively, and then undertook the Sit-Ins (Dharnas)
Everything has an aesthetic aspect. Politics is one of them. The political aesthetics appears, among other things, in two forms: Mannerism; and, Language. The others
The blood of “Minorities” and the flag of Pakistan! Note: This comment and the picture was originally posted on August 14, 2014.
In Pakistan, everything stands politicized. So is religion. Those who are clever enough make hay while the sun shines. Tahir-ul-Qadri is one of them and
The place is not far from Islamabad. A three hour drive and one is far away from almost everything Pakistani. Not only is the weather
It is essential to seek out enemy agents who have come to conduct espionage against you and to bribe them to serve you. Give them
Mr. Khan now be serious! Somehow the circumstances have made you a political leader. Now you lead a political party, which has a considerable following;
Mr. Prime Minister! You are better placed than any other Pakistani citizen, since you are sitting in the center of the state. The office you
Years back, I sent an article titled, “Nationalization of social and moral values in Pakistan,” to a newspaper. It did publish but with entirely a
The cities and suburbs of Pakistan are bursting with millions of teeming citizens, old and young, men and women and children alike. They earn their
In Pakistan, the state is the problem! See these pictures: Women protest Muridke police torture of Razia Bibi, who was on full-term, that caused a
Here is what the upper house of the Pakistani parliament is interested in: Greener pastures: Senators seek equal share in foreign trips [The Express
