Kamran Shafi Archive

Kamran Shafi in Dr Shahid Masood’s talkshow: The Jang Group (Geo TV, Jang, The News) is widely known for its pro-establishment and anti-democracy (anti-politicians) style of journalism. In particular, certain yellow journalists of the Jang Group (namely Ansar Abbasi, Dr Shahid Masood, Shakeel Anjum, Muhammad Ahmed
Questions, more questions about the ISI’s involvement in Benazir Bhutto’s murder – by Kamran Shafi: Is Benazir Bhutto’s dupatta missing because it has a bullet hole in it? –File Photo So then, the UN report is out, setting many cats on many dovecotes (or is it mongooses on snake pits?), even hitherto forbidden dovecotes.
Dr Shahid Masood as Chief Justice Iftikhar Chaudhry’s Jan-Nisar: Dangerous portents – by Kamran Shafi: Dangerous portents I was horrified to see recently a private TV channel advertising one of their talk shows with the blurb ‘Chief teray jan nisar…’ and then the names A.H. Pirzada, Akram Sheikh and one other that I do
Aafia Siddiqui’s daughter’s reappearance: The CIA and ISI should come clean – by Kamran Shafi: Maryam Saddiqui, the missing daughter of Aafia Siddiqui, has been identified after mysteriously reappearing on her family’s doorstep, a top Pakistani official said. The 12-year-old is one of three children of Aafia Siddiqui. Come clean, there is still time
Kudos all around – by Kamran Shafi: First to Raza Rabbani who has been the target of many barbs from me in the days that the People’s Party was making, and breaking in quick succession, promises to restore the judiciary. They were aimed at him, first
My Lord, Why NRO only? – Kamran Shafi: We are told that Ziaul Haq, yes the very same Ziaul Haq at whose door the responsibility of unleashing the demons responsible for most of our present travails can and should be placed, is to be excised from the
The chestnuts are our own – by Kamran Shafi: It is wrong to think that all it will take for the Taliban to stop their attacks on Pakistan is the withdrawal of US forces from Afghanistan And by golly are they in a raging fire, no matter what
Who is behind Zaid Hamid’s crush India brigade? – by Kamran Shafi: The crazy Right and rump Pakistan I was to regale you with other stories to do with our security establishment’s tortured and seemingly futile hunt for the very elusive holy grail of strategic depth in Afghanistan (I ask you)
Accountability does the trick – by Kamran Shafi: At least two readers, obviously the Commando’s supporters, have sent me abusive emails after reading my last article ‘The happening place’ (March 2) in Dawn. They have, among other compliments, called me a liar for suggesting that Bilal Musharraf,
Pakistani generals’ oath at the Kakul Academy and the bloody civilians – by Kamran Shafi: The ‘happening place’ “PAKISTAN is the most happening place in the world where there is never a dull moment.” So pronounced the Commando to a “packed audience” at Chatham House in London, to much laughter and mirth. ‘Happening place’
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
Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar vs A.K. Antony – by Kamran Shafi: Well done, Mr Antony By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 02 Feb, 2010 Three lieutenant generals of the Indian army are to be tried by court martial for their part in an alleged land scam. The orders to try them were
Pakistan’s various governments and the approximate periods of their rule – by Kamran Shafi: Below, without comment a list of Pakistan’s various governments and the approximate periods of their rule, or misrule if you will. ‘Caretaker’ governments or those such as Mr Mohammad Khan Junejo’s, Mr Zafarullah Jamali’s and the Private Banker’s have
Deconstructing Pakistani Generals’ strategic depth theory: Defining ‘strategic depth’ By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 19 Jan, 2010 Will our army pack its bags and escape into Afghanistan to disengage itself from the fighting, if India goes to war with Pakistan? –writes Kamran Shafi
Will General Kayani care to save the young, impressionable soldiers from the pro-Taliban brainwashing?: Abracadabra! By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 15 Dec, 2009 We must make efforts to ensure that the impressionable minds of our soldiers are not tainted by visions of heaven that we saw lately in our press. –Photo by AP And
Rawalpindi mosque attack: It is time to take stock, gentlemen – by Kamran Shafi: We must come together — now By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 08 Dec, 2009 Army troops gather as an ambulance drives back to a hospital after taking victims from the site of a suicide attack in Rawalpindi. –AP Photo Or
The attack on Kamran Shafi was just a trailer: Related post: LUBP Interview with Kamran Shafi In the following article, veteran columnist Kamran Shafi, one of the very few bold, anti-establishment voices in Pakistani media, provides details of a recent attack on his life in Wah Cantt by
Why not a civilian head of ISI? An insight into the power struggle between democracy and establishment in Pakistan: Here are two columns, one by Kamran Shafi and the other by Nazir Naji, highlighting the nature of the current power struggle between the democratic government and the civil and military establishment in Pakistan. Democracy? Nahaq hum majbooron per
The ‘Ghairat Brigade’ and the hyper-nationalism: By Kamran ShafiTuesday, 10 Nov, 2009 …Meanwhile back at the ranch, what is now increasingly known as the ‘Ghairat Brigade’ proceeds apace with its denunciation of the elected government in particular and politicians in general. The Internet is inundated
Beware of the unholy nexus of civil and military establishment in Pakistan: A fine mess what, gentlemen By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 27 Oct, 2009 Interior Minister Rehman Malik, left, talks to his Iranian counterpart Mostafa Mohammad Najjar during their meeting in
Bullying ‘bloody civilians’ over the Kerry-Lugar Bill: Bullying ‘bloody civilians’ By Kamran ShafiTuesday, 13 Oct, 2009 (Dawn) Our Rommels and Guderians are not about to alight from their top of the line BMWs and Mercedes and climb into Suzuki Mehrans. –File Photo I have read the
Beware the machinations of the establishment, Prime Minister Gilani.: What the devil…? By Kamran Shafi Tuesday, 28 Jul, 2009 (Dawn) As for Mr Gilani, whose heart seems to be in the right place, one day he says ‘enough is enough’ as if he were about to look President
How possibly could a party such as the secular ANP get into such a low deal with those of the Taliban’s ilk?: Barbarians at the gate By Kamran Shafi SORRY for the trite title, but its blood-chillingly true, isn’t it? As my readers well know, I am quite quickly moved to tears: films like Il Postino and East is East and
Why then has the great ISI, the Mother of All Agencies, not been able to find Mullah Radio’s radio station? Asks Kamran Shafi: Swat, one more timeBy Kamran ShafiTuesday, 10 Feb, 2009 | 02:14 PM PST | ….And now for the feedback on last week’s piece in which I had suggested a huge caravan made up of all the political parties: leaders,