Author Archives: Anjum Niaz
30th December, 2012
Goodbye 2012
The new normal should be authenticity.
The new normal should be authenticity.
23rd December, 2012
Up close and personal
Whither is fled the glory and the dream? Once our gold standard, today it competes for the ‘worst airline’ title. PIA had the best and…
Whither is fled the glory and the dream? Once our gold standard, today it competes for the ‘worst airline’ title. PIA had the best and…
23rd December, 2012
Lights and lists razzle-dazzle
Lights and lists, excuse the tongue twister, make strange bedfellows. But do without them, we can’t. Think for a moment: Had Thomas Edison not tinkered with a bulb and invented the incandescent light; we may still be
Lights and lists, excuse the tongue twister, make strange bedfellows. But do without them, we can’t. Think for a moment: Had Thomas Edison not tinkered with a bulb and invented the incandescent light; we may still be
16th December, 2012
Caffeinated cable chatterers
It’s a hot brick that can drop and burn anyone if mishandled. How will our TV talking heads and their owners investigate the massive tax evasion committed by Arsalan Iftikhar, son of the chief justice, and Malik Riaz,
It’s a hot brick that can drop and burn anyone if mishandled. How will our TV talking heads and their owners investigate the massive tax evasion committed by Arsalan Iftikhar, son of the chief justice, and Malik Riaz,
9th December, 2012
Year of living fearlessly
Declare 2012 the year of living fearlessly. Self interest, avariciousness, careerism and mercenary are labels that deserve permanent affixture on the foreheads of ruling elites: American and Pakistani.
Declare 2012 the year of living fearlessly. Self interest, avariciousness, careerism and mercenary are labels that deserve permanent affixture on the foreheads of ruling elites: American and Pakistani.
2nd December, 2012
View from US: Heroes and hypocrites
Stale news: Biographer Paula Broadwell is back with her surgeon husband to light up his home and hearth during Thanksgiving.
Stale news: Biographer Paula Broadwell is back with her surgeon husband to light up his home and hearth during Thanksgiving.
25th November, 2012
View from US: Serendipity is thy name!
As stiff as our Foreign Office is, surely it must have come face to face with ‘Lady serendipity.’ No, it’s nothing sexy. It is something you stumble upon by accident and can use it to your advantage.
As stiff as our Foreign Office is, surely it must have come face to face with ‘Lady serendipity.’ No, it’s nothing sexy. It is something you stumble upon by accident and can use it to your advantage.
18th November, 2012
View from US: Why not military mea culpa?
“Everything that you have done in your past is a part of who you are, but everything that you do today will be who you are tomorrow,” say the sagaciously smart. General Kayani is sagacious and smart.
“Everything that you have done in your past is a part of who you are, but everything that you do today will be who you are tomorrow,” say the sagaciously smart. General Kayani is sagacious and smart.
11th November, 2012
View from US: Life changer
With all the comforts of the First World, Hurricane Sandy downgraded the East Coast of America to a Third World status. Even worse, actually
With all the comforts of the First World, Hurricane Sandy downgraded the East Coast of America to a Third World status. Even worse, actually
4th November, 2012
View from US: A ravishing Romanesque
The richly-coloured Romanesque complete with Byzantine politics full of intrigue and deception will be over in two days. America would have chosen their lead character.
The richly-coloured Romanesque complete with Byzantine politics full of intrigue and deception will be over in two days. America would have chosen their lead character.
27th October, 2012
View from US: Zero dark thirty
Soon after we learnt that Hollywood had dived into the ‘lights, camera, action’ mode, a month after the Abbotabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden, I tried giving a heads-up to our government, warning the movie will likely show us as idiots who failed to notice OBL’s presence in Pakistan. Instead, how about beating Columbia Pictures to it and presenting an action thriller of our own. Obviously, my crying ‘wolf’ fell on deaf ears
Soon after we learnt that Hollywood had dived into the ‘lights, camera, action’ mode, a month after the Abbotabad raid that killed Osama bin Laden, I tried giving a heads-up to our government, warning the movie will likely show us as idiots who failed to notice OBL’s presence in Pakistan. Instead, how about beating Columbia Pictures to it and presenting an action thriller of our own. Obviously, my crying ‘wolf’ fell on deaf ears
21st October, 2012
View from US: Lords of justice
Has the Pakistani media, like a pack of wolves, been baying under the wrong tree waiting for the fox (the president) to come down? Two visiting lawyers from Pakistan seem to think so. Why just target politicians? Why give judges a ‘free pass?’ they ask. “The number of critical cases crying out for their attention is in thousands. Yet, everyone, including the judges, is fixated on nabbing the president
Has the Pakistani media, like a pack of wolves, been baying under the wrong tree waiting for the fox (the president) to come down? Two visiting lawyers from Pakistan seem to think so. Why just target politicians? Why give judges a ‘free pass?’ they ask. “The number of critical cases crying out for their attention is in thousands. Yet, everyone, including the judges, is fixated on nabbing the president
14th October, 2012
View from US: The inheritors
How about a warm-up with a zinger from a millionaire, also an aspirant for the White House? Mitt Romney tells his audience “Take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from your parents, start a business.” This line has become a deformed joke for those whose ‘parents’ (more than 44 million) live below the poverty line in America. No wonder, the money owed to banks in student loans
How about a warm-up with a zinger from a millionaire, also an aspirant for the White House? Mitt Romney tells his audience “Take a shot, go for it, take a risk, get the education, borrow money if you have to from your parents, start a business.” This line has become a deformed joke for those whose ‘parents’ (more than 44 million) live below the poverty line in America. No wonder, the money owed to banks in student loans
7th October, 2012
View from US: Hotel Fantasia
Round and round they go looking officiously busy. A delicatessen of delegates scrambling from one carpeted plenary hall to another while their presidents/prime ministers mount carousels encircling colorful wooden horses, ear plugged to the circus chatter (read highflying gobbledygook flowing from the podium where
Round and round they go looking officiously busy. A delicatessen of delegates scrambling from one carpeted plenary hall to another while their presidents/prime ministers mount carousels encircling colorful wooden horses, ear plugged to the circus chatter (read highflying gobbledygook flowing from the podium where
30th September, 2012
View from US: Fire up your EQ
I have a slice of chocolate left over from last New Year’s Eve dinner. Actually it’s a slice of life that Alex shared with me as we sat eating our last meal of 2011.
I have a slice of chocolate left over from last New Year’s Eve dinner. Actually it’s a slice of life that Alex shared with me as we sat eating our last meal of 2011.
23rd September, 2012
View from US: Don’t ask, don’t tell!
Why is that in Pakistan leaders are loath to reveal the truth about themselves? They mislead us by saying what a ‘son of a gun’ each of them is?
Why is that in Pakistan leaders are loath to reveal the truth about themselves? They mislead us by saying what a ‘son of a gun’ each of them is?
16th September, 2012
View from US: Kidnapped: Mitt’s tax returns?
Until the Secret Service confirms and catches the thieves who claim they have presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s past tax returns, let’s just treat this story as an Agatha Christie thriller.
Until the Secret Service confirms and catches the thieves who claim they have presidential candidate Mitt Romney’s past tax returns, let’s just treat this story as an Agatha Christie thriller.
9th September, 2012
View from US: Back on mommy daddy track
Mom and Dad were married 64 years. And if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist — because every day Dad gave Mom a rose, which he put on her bedside table.
Mom and Dad were married 64 years. And if you wondered what their secret was, you could have asked the local florist — because every day Dad gave Mom a rose, which he put on her bedside table.
2nd September, 2012
View from US: Freedom exposed
Dying to be free, we are. Oh, the usual woolgathering about the good life that freedom brings. Habitually we drone on about our wish lists.
Dying to be free, we are. Oh, the usual woolgathering about the good life that freedom brings. Habitually we drone on about our wish lists.
26th August, 2012
View from US: Fifty shades of longing
Do not visit the commonplace, aka nostalgia, we are often scolded. Break this rule we must. When the present is arid, how is one supposed to celebrate the day when we can eat, drink and be oneself
Do not visit the commonplace, aka nostalgia, we are often scolded. Break this rule we must. When the present is arid, how is one supposed to celebrate the day when we can eat, drink and be oneself
