There is no ownership of the state of Pakistan in Pakistan! No political party owns it. No constitutional institution owns it. Neither the parliament nor the PAs. To all of them, it’s a gold mine to extract as much gold as possible, and that’s what all the fighting, including the politics, is all about.
Time and time again, it has been demonstrated that the custodian of the constitution, that is, the Supreme Court of Pakistan, is enemy number 1 of the Constitution of Pakistan. Of all the violators of the constitution, it’s the judiciary that tops the list. Then comes the military. The last on the list are the […]
Certain politicians, judges, and generals are fit to be tried under Article 6 of the Constitution. But who will leash the cats? How to leash the cats? Nobody holds up the constitution now. It’s an orphan constitution now. Abandon it so that the brutal conflict finds a new, no holds barred shape. Or have a […]
Here is circumstantial evidence that substantiates my long-held thesis that the main culprit is the politicians/political parties. All those who used to consider the security establishment the main culprit have now come to side with Imran Khan. Because he, at the moment, is against the security establishment. They ignore the fact that it’s a ploy […]
Taking advantage of this opportunity, let me say the following: I have a world outlook. I have certain values and principles to adhere to. I have a methodology to guide me through… And my earlier writings/views as well as my present ones, follow from that. I don’t need or want to appear new or innovative […]
Nationalism! What nationalism? In a country where ordinary people are treated as third-rate citizens by the Riyasati Ashrafiya and Ashrafiya and no ordinary person enjoys dignity, Etc. Etc. Etc., how come nationalism emerges there? Nationalism grows up in a society where ordinary citizens feel indebted to their state, government, its institutions, etc. (police, courts, bureaucracy, […]
Taxes are not a function of growth. If they are, then if the growth rate is zero, the taxes should be zero. If the growth rate is negative, the taxes should be negative. Likewise, if the growth rate is positive (increasing), taxes should be positive (increasing). Taxes are there to accrue to the government in […]
Note: This article was originally published in The Express Tribune ISLAMABAD: Many economists love quoting the declining or rising figures of the Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) coming to Pakistan. Not only do our governments boast about increasing FDI, but the commentators also appreciate it as an important gain. The SBP regularly updates the figures. Their […]
Note: This article was originally published in The Express Tribune ISLAMABAD: In their latest survey, Gallup & Gilani Pakistan asked a nationally representative sample of adult men and women: “Compared to ten years ago, do you feel more financially prosperous, less prosperous, or indifferent?” Surprisingly, 35% of respondents reported feeling financially better off now compared […]
Note: This article was originally published in The Express Tribune ISLAMABAD: Altering the economic system is not an easy task. It is more complex when carried out half-heartedly. Privatisation is only a part of this process. It may not succeed if done in an isolated manner. Among other things, it requires a competitive environment to […]
This is in response to my own short piece: Why there is no anti-tax narrative in Pakistan? Actually, the Tax Payers Alliance Pakistan (TPAP) asked me to send something for their first ever issue of the Voce of Taxpayers. I thought what could be better other than this piece, why there is no anti-tax narrative […]
The idea struck me as a surprise: Poets create aesthetic value. What value do the economists create? In simple words, what’s the purpose that the economists serve? I shared the idea with a number of friends including a few proper economists. They did not like it. They rather took it as something questioning the rationale […]
Let me dispel this impression: “PTI supporters hoped Khan would challenge the entrenched power structures that have kept Pakistan underdeveloped…” [From an article that was published in The Express Tribune] Most of the supporters of the IK/PTI were/(are) haters of politics and politicians generally, and especially Sharif Family and Benazir Bhutto/Zardari Family. That’s why not […]
In Pakistan, almost everybody, especially economists, politicians, etc, wants to tax the people, but they never tell, WHY. Because there is no anti-tax narrative. Because there are no anti-tax writers but hardly a few. Because there are no anti-tax economists but hardly a few. Because there is no anti-tax opposition. Because there is no […]
A few years ago, friends from a political party, that formed the government then, asked me to tell what things our party should do. I told them the following: – that party contested the elections, they had an election manifesto, they already know what to do. – There are so many op-ed writers, analysts, etc, […]
There was a joke about Gen Zia and Noor Jahan in which understandably Gen Zia was meant to be punished. But it appeared he was rather being rewarded and Noor Jahan was being meted out a punishment. The same is the case of Filers and Non-Filers. The government wants to punish the Non-Filers, but in […]
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
Here is the media release: New book – “Pakistan’s Democratic Impasse” published The book indicts politicians as the main culprit for failing the state of
Here is the Introduction by the authors: The recipe for growth is well-known. Most economists would agree that lower taxes and less regulation can encourage
Note please! By sheer mistake, last night I deleted a number of posts from the blog: http://NotesFromPakistan.blogspot.com That’s why many a link may not work;
الفاظ ہم خود بناتے، گھڑتے اور تراشتے ہیں۔ لیکن یہ بھی اتنا ہی سچ ہے کہ جواباً الفاظ بھی ہمیں بناتے، تراشتے اور بگاڑتے ہیں۔
سقراط ازعائشہ اشفاق نور الحمد پبلی کیشنز، لاہور، 2014 مختصر جائزہ : [نوٹ: عائشہ اشفاق نور کی کتاب ’’سقراط‘‘ کا یہ جائزہ جون 14 کو
یہ پوسٹ ایک گذشتہ پوسٹ سے جڑی ہوئی ہے، جس میں اسی موضوع پر خامہ فرسائی کی گئی تھی اور پنجاب حکومت کا ایک اشتہار
سول پاکستان کی تلاش میں اک پاکستانی کس طرح سویڈن میں جا بستا ہے۔ جبکہ بیٹرا تو یہ اٹھانا پڑے گا کہ موجودہ پاکستان کو
رضا علی عابدی بہت دھیمے انداز میں بات کہتے ہیں۔ دیکھیے انھوں نے پاکستان کی ریاستی اشرافیہ کی کارگزاریوں کو کیسے بیان کیا ہے۔ پڑھیے
ریاستی اشرافیہ کی ہوس ماند پڑنے کا نام نہیں لیتی۔ یہ ریاست کو لوٹنے سے باز نہیں آتے۔ اور تب تک لوٹنے سے باز نہیں
پاکستان میں جسے سرکاری نوکری اور ساتھ کچھ تھوڑا بہت سرکاری یعنی ریاستی اختیار مل جاتا ہے، وہ بے چارہ احساسِ کہتری اور کمتری کا
ذیل میں دو کالم نقل ہیں۔ دیکھیے بڑے بڑے کالم نگار کن معاملات میں الجھے ہوئے ہیں؛ ان کی دلچسپیاں کیا ہیں؛ ان کی انا
چند خبریں ملاحظہ کیجیے، اور سوچیے طالبان اور طالبان نواز افراد اور جماعتوں میں کیا فرق ہے۔ میری رائے میں طالبان تو بزور پاکستان کی
Today’s tweet: Despite shifts in security policy, there are Good Taliban, and Bad Taliban; friend Raza says, a new category has emerged, Very Bad Taliban
The talk of alcohol, drugs and call girls in the parliament lodges, Islamabad, is not new; Jamshed Dasti only repeated it. http://www.thenews.com.pk/article-139500-Dasti-claims-to-recover-bag-full-of-liquor-bottles-from-parliament-lodges- Everybody knows the
Here is one post from Shahid Mehmood’s blog: http://shershahsuree.blogspot.com I was recently forwarded Asad Umar’s two part article on the subject of privatization (which appeared in
گذشتہ روز ’’جنگ‘‘ میں شاہین صہبائی کا کالم، ’’طالبان کی اصلیت‘‘ شائع ہوا۔ آپ بھی پڑھیے اور طالبان کا ذکر تو علاحدہ ہے، طالبان کے
یہ پوسٹ ایک گذشتہ پوسٹ، ’’پارلیمانی بالادستی کا ڈھونگ ـ ایک تازہ مثال‘‘ سے جڑی ہوئی ہے۔ اصل میں چیئرمین سینیٹ ایران کے دورے پر
میری نئی اردو کتاب، ’’پاکستانی کشاکش‘‘ شائع ہو گئی اور اے ـ ایس ـ انسٹیٹیوٹ، لاہور نے آج اس کا اجرا کر دیا ہے۔ اس ضمن
My new Urdu book, “پاکستانی کشاکش” (Pakistani Armageddon) published, and released today by the Alternate Solutions Institute. Copied below is the Media Release: New Urdu
روزانہ اخبار دیکھتے ہوئے درجنوں ایسے معاملات نظر سے گزرتے ہیں، جن کی نشاندہی کرنے کو جی چاہتا ہے؛ جن پر لکھنے اور ان کے
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
General Musharraf and the Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology – a tweet: http://twitter.com/khalilkf Is General Musharraf Julian Assange and Armed Forces Institute of Cardiology Venezuelan
India-Pakistan-Bangladesh triangle – a revolving triangle! Today’s tweet on this triangle: http://twitter.com/khalilkf India views Pakistan the way Pakistan views Bangladesh; and Bangladesh views Pakistan the
One man can do wonders, Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court proved that. His 8 years in the Supreme Court shook the
“The military use of children takes three distinct forms: children can take direct part in hostilities (child soldiers), or they can be used in support roles such
November 29, 2013: Is Shah Mehmood Qureshi behind PTI, taking revenge from US for his ouster from the gov in Raymond Davis case: US diplomat
Why to focus on social media that it incited sectarian violence; whereas sectarian outfits and their comfortable fund-raising and publishing ventures may be causing the
On November 23, Imran Khan’s Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) blocked the NATO supply route; the PTI was protesting against the Drone attacks on Taliban terrorists. What’s the
One of the lawyers from government side while commenting on the Supreme Court’s judgment restoring the Chief Justice of Pakistan and quashing of the presidential
See this cartoon and try to understand the stance of pro-negotiation lobby: [Dawn, November 20, 2013]
See some recent tweets: http://twitter.com/khalilkf November 19: General Musharraf treason trial: government playing the dice to see he goes abroad first or finds himself landed
روسی ادیب چیخوف نے افسانے کی تکنیک پر بات کرتے ہوئے لکھا تھا کہ اگر اس میں بندوق کا ذکر آیا ہے تواس سے پہلے
ویسے تو پاکستان کی قومی اور صوبائی اسیمبلیوں سے عام شہریوں کے لیے بربادی کے پروانے جاری ہوتے ہیں۔ مگر اس مرتبہ ایک مختلف خبر
یہ خبر ملاحظہ کیجیے اور حیران ہوئیے کہ ایک قیدی نے کیسے ایک پولیس افسر کو تبدیل کروا دیا۔ یہی سبب ہے کہ میں پاکستان
