Newspaper Articles Archive
Democracy, transparency and accountability – by Dr Farrukh Saleem: Transparency is the mother of democracy. Two things: first, there can’t be democracy without transparency. Second, democracy can’t allow the murder of her own mother. No government, therefore, is a democracy unless it ‘implements a set of policies and
In a democratic system, the primacy of the elected institutions and leaders should be respected. – by Dr Hasan-Askari Rizvi: Beyond the executive-judiciary crisis The executive-judiciary crisis has another dimension with implications for the future of democracy in Pakistan. This can also be viewed as an attempt by a non-elected state institution, i.e. the judiciary, to restrict the role
Dr Aafia Siddiqui’s case and Pakistani media’s hysteria – by Farhat Taj: Caravans and howling of stray animals — Farhat Taj The media in Pakistan is constantly promoting a one-sided view of Dr Aafia’s case. Nobody is expecting 100 percent objectivity from the media. But still one is surprised how some
Did the match between President Zardari and CJ Iftikhar Chaudhry end in a draw?: Here are two thought provoking articles on this topic. The first one is by Zafar Hilaly in Daily Times, and the second is by Cyril Almeida writing in Dawn. The game not worth the candle — by Zafar Hilaly
Pakistan’s Jinnah – by Ayesha Siddiqa: “Some devious elements are tinkering with Jinnah’s person and his narrative” Writes Ayesha Siddiqa in the following article. Some time ago, I had a chance to read veteran columnist Ardeshir Cowasjee’s article ‘Bring back Jinnah’s Pakistan’ in which he
Taliban and science – An interview with Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy: “Islam and Science Have Parted Ways” Middle East Quarterly Winter 2010, pp. 69-74 Pervez Amirali Hoodbhoy (b. 1950) is one of South Asia’s leading nuclear physicists and perhaps Pakistan’s preeminent intellectual. Bearer of a Ph.D. from the Massachusetts Institute
UN team grills close aide of Musharraf in Bhutto murder: By Amir Mir LAHORE: The United Nations’ Inquiry Commission probing the assassination of the former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto recently posed some tough question to the former director general of the Intelligence Bureau (IB) and a close associate
First Annual Pakistani Private TV Channels Awards – by Nadeem Paracha: Awards night Hello people, and welcome to the First Annual Pakistani Private TV Channels Awards. I, Wamid Mir, will be your host for the evening and with me will be the lovely, Dr. Shireen Blackwater Baymaari. Let’s kick off
Three pictures, a column and the mindset of Syed Talat Hussain: The first few paragraphs in Syed Talat Hussain’s op-ed today offer his choice and analysis of three pictures. However, more than anything else, this choice and analysis also betrays his mindset, explaining why this excellent anchor sometimes acts as
Pakistan is heading towards judicial dictatorship – Asma Jahangir: Asma says judicial dictatorship on the cards KARACHI: People will soon witness a judicial dictatorship in the country if the judiciary continuously moves ahead in its present direction and then we would forget military and political dictatorships, HRCP chairperson
The “FREE” Taliban Apologist Media – by M Ilyas Khan: By M Ilyas Khan BBC News, Islamabad The arrest did not receive extensive coverage The Pakistani media’s response to the arrest of top Afghan Taliban military commander Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar has been surprisingly muted. Mullah Baradar was arrested
PTUDC meeting in Peshawar – by Farhad Kayani: Thanks: www.Marxist.com In an area heavily dominated by the presence of Taliban forces, the Marxists in Pakistan organized a meeting of the PTUDC, with the participation of several important trade union leaders, with guest speaker Lal Khan, the editor
Laiba, a Pakistani victim of the war on terror: Seven year-old disabled Pakistan girl, Laiba adjusts her artificial foot as she sits in a wheelchair in the street outside her house at Hayatabad in Peshawar. – AFP Pakistan’s victims of war struggle to move on PESHAWAR: Laiba is
Dr Aafia’s appeal – By Rafia Zakaria: The explosive mix of appearing to be the obedient Muslim woman clad in burka and a would-be assassin defying the US make Dr Aafia Siddiqui irresistible as a heroine and an icon. But should such defiance be the only
Morality and atheism – by Irfan Husain: Consider this demographic projection for the UK, and ponder its implications for a moment: within five years, the majority of babies will be born to unmarried parents. However, before you put this down to yet another example of Western
Sufi chants and revolutions — by Dr Manzur Ejaz: If one reads Punjabi classical poetry, with no presumption of Sufism, it is just good poetry of a certain period that has withstood the test of time. I do not know anybody who would claim that just reading and
Judicial activism may lead Pakistan towards a military intervention – by Amir Mir: LAHORE, 15 February 2010: A fresh tussle between the Pakistani President Asif Zardari and the Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry over the appointment of the superior court judges has snowballed into a major political crisis which may lead to yet
Sifarish udooli ka haq – by Anwar Sin Rai: سفارش ‘عدولی’ کا حق انور سِن رائے اگرچہ ابھی یہ واضح نہیں ہے کہ پاکستان کے چیف جسٹس صاحب، لاہور ہائی کورٹ اور سپریم کورٹ میں تقرریاں روایت کے برخلاف کیوں چاہتے ہیں اور حکومت یا صدر کو ان
Clashing egos and the so-called clash between the judiciary and the executive – by Nadeem F. Paracha: Clashing egos The day President Asif Zardari supposedly unleashed yet another round of the so-called clash between the judiciary and the executive – nay, an ‘independent judiciary’ and a ‘tainted, corrupt executive’ – I rushed home to catch the
PPP protesters torch effigy of controversial judge Iftikhar Chaudhry, express solidarity with President Zardari in rallies across country: Rejecting the apex court’s decision, the PPP leaders in their fiery speeches said “We want an ‘independent judiciary’ and not the ‘ruling judiciary’.” * PPP leaders say party has always adhered to ‘law of the land’, never violated constitution
Amir-ul-Momineen Nawaz Sharif declares Persident Zardari as the biggest threat to democracy – by Mehmal Sarfraz: Mian Nawaz Sharif, a leader reincarnated, did not like being overshadowed by President Zardari. Ah, the mind boggles at this political ‘brotherhood’. Reminds one of the ‘brotherly rivalry’ between the Mian brothers themselves. The elder Mian sahib must not
Defeating militancy in Musharraf style? – by Talat Masood: Defeating militancy Gen Musharraf spoke ad nauseam on fighting extremism and terrorism. And the West and many of our fellow citizens, especially amongst the elite, mistakenly believed that he was the leader who could really steer the country from
Lawyers’ struggle: another view – by Kaiser Bengali: In light of the current situation, we consider it pertinent to re-print the following article written by Kaiser Bengali. Reprinted from Dawn, 30 March 2009. THE successful movement for the reinstatement of Iftikhar Chaudhry is being billed as a
Lahore’s traffic: Jam anyone? – by Masood Hasan: To describe Lahore traffic – or for that matter any other urban city here – as an eternal traffic jam would do no justice to the ground reality. The stage of rough-cut orange marmalade or strawberry conserve is long
Urban middle-class activists of Pakistan: A herd of sheep? – by Nadeem F. Paracha: A herd of sheep? Nadeem F. Paracha Sunday, 14 Feb, 2010 What we have at hand as urban middle-class ‘activists’ are actually figurative sheep: NFP. There have been three major occasions when the Pakistani middle-class has broken away from
Peshawar romantics defy Taliban for Valentine’s: Thanks: Dawn, 13 Feb 2010 This picture taken on February 11, 2010, shows a woman choosing Valentine’s Day gifts at a shop in Peshawar. — AFP PESHAWAR: Hip young romantics in Pakistan’s most dangerous city are splashing out on
A media academy for the PPP — by Elf Habib: The objective at the academy should be to groom a team with the cutting edge expertise to expose the extent and inanity of the propaganda against the party leaders and their policies and emphasise the need and effectiveness of
The discreet charm of the bourgeoisie — by Salman Tarik Kureshi: Our captains of industry can justifiably blame inconsistent government policies, bureaucratic corruption, Bhutto’s nationalisations, political instability, bad law and order, infrastructural limitations, the power crisis and so on. But the fact of a powerless and politically inert big bourgeoisie
Zaid Hamid and strategic depth — by Farhat Taj: FATA continues to be used and abused as a strategic space by the security establishment of Pakistan in violent pursuit of strategic depth in Afghanistan. In short, strategic depth means Pakistan must have a pro-Pakistan government in Afghanistan by
Pakistani Taliban apologists – by Gulmina Bilal Ahmad: It is baffling to note how anyone can support and justify the TTP while at the same time proclaim to be champions of democracy, rule of law, equality before the law and most of all justice. Or do they
The (misdirected) yearning for Zardari’s removal from office – by Ayaz Amir: The (misdirected) yearning for change Ayaz Amir The Pakistani non-voting middle class represents a strange phenomenon, a category waiting to be defined in some seminal work on the social sciences. This class will not be bothered to vote. It
Congratulations, General Kayani, on defeating ‘bad’ Taliban and ‘bad’ politicians at the same time – by Cyril Almeida: Coming full circle Friday, 12 Feb, 2010 OUR boys in uniform have a spring in their step again. Domestically, they have taken on two enemies and appear to be winning: the civilian government has been reduced to parroting the
Shame on political parties, especially our own PPP: Women’s disenfranchisement Election observers have reported that thousands of women from Lakki Marwat were denied their right to vote during Wednesday’s by-election for PF-75, which was also marked by procedural irregularities and illegal campaigning. Having visited the majority of
From Maududi to Aafia – by Nadeem F. Paracha: She’s being called the “daughter of the nation” who needs to be rescued from the fanged jaws of the Americans. Her name is Dr. Aafia Siddiqui. Pakistani TV channels and drawing-rooms are buzzing with talk of this gallant woman
Strategic depth for Pakistan lies within Pakistan – by Kamran Shafi: It is within us By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 09 Feb, 2010 THERE has been a veritable raft of statements from the chief of army staff in the very recent past on ‘strategic depth’ for Pakistan in Afghanistan. Variously: “we
Deoband and Terrorism: The Ulema, Deoband and the (Many) Talibans By : S Akbar Zaidi Historical scholarship tends to see a continuity in the Ulema of south Asia – from the Deoband seminary in the 19th century down to the Taliban of
The legend of Sadequain: Here is an edited excerpt from the book ‘The legend of Sadequain’ by Sadequain Foundation February 10 marks Sadequain’s 23rd death anniversary. Sadequain Foundation estimates he painted close to 15,000 paintings, murals, calligraphies and drawings. Most of his work
The Rise of Religious Fundamentalism in Pakistan – by Hamza Alvi: Thanks: Hamza Alavi Internet Archive Religious fundamentalism has become a powerful and dangerous force in Pakistan, due mainly to the opportunism of successive political leadership that has pandered to it. Militant sectarian religious groups and parties, led by half-educated
Past present: Is Sufism relevant to our time? – by Mubarak Ali: There are some people who, in view of the present religious extremism, believe that if Sufi teachings are revived, religious intolerance and fundamentalism may be controlled. The attempt to revive the past system and old ideas is not a
The cost of being a Muslim League worker – by Humza Ikram: Last week, Shahbaz Shairf finally announced that Nawaz Sharif will not contest the NA 123 election. The official reason given in this regard is that Nawaz Sharif wants to give chance to a party worker who struggled against the Musharaf regime