Author Archives: Irfan Husain
15 hours ago
UKIP’s challenge to Cameron and the EU
GIVEN our preoccupation with our general elections on May 11, we can be excused for having largely ignored the shock results in the recent local council elections in the UK. Here, too, a new party shattered the mould by
GIVEN our preoccupation with our general elections on May 11, we can be excused for having largely ignored the shock results in the recent local council elections in the UK. Here, too, a new party shattered the mould by
3 days ago
PPP, R.I.P?
AN old Native American saying gives this sage advice: “If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself on a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount immediately.”
AN old Native American saying gives this sage advice: “If you are unfortunate enough to find yourself on a dead horse, the best strategy is to dismount immediately.”
11th May, 2013
Judgement Day
ASIF Zardari’s presidential bunker must be a lonely and cheerless place right now: not only is he presiding over a likely electoral disaster for his party, but his son has apparently walked out on him as well.
ASIF Zardari’s presidential bunker must be a lonely and cheerless place right now: not only is he presiding over a likely electoral disaster for his party, but his son has apparently walked out on him as well.
6th May, 2013
Discussion on elections at the Frontline Club
AFTER Benazir Bhutto’s assassination over five years ago (how time flies!), the only political figure in Pakistan foreigners have heard of is Imran Khan. His fame is largely attributable to his cricketing prowess and
AFTER Benazir Bhutto’s assassination over five years ago (how time flies!), the only political figure in Pakistan foreigners have heard of is Imran Khan. His fame is largely attributable to his cricketing prowess and
4th May, 2013
The ballot and the bayonet
IN most countries, if a criminal gang had issued a death threat against high-profile national organisations five months earlier than their killing spree, two things would happen:
IN most countries, if a criminal gang had issued a death threat against high-profile national organisations five months earlier than their killing spree, two things would happen:
29th April, 2013
Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth
There must have been a huge sigh of relief among government circles in Colombo at the conclusion of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting in London on April 26. Although Canada did raise the
There must have been a huge sigh of relief among government circles in Colombo at the conclusion of the Commonwealth Ministerial Action Group meeting in London on April 26. Although Canada did raise the
27th April, 2013
Top dog to underdog
I NEVER thought the day would come when I would actually feel sorry for Musharraf. But I just can’t bring myself to side with the violent, thuggish lawyers baying for his blood.
I NEVER thought the day would come when I would actually feel sorry for Musharraf. But I just can’t bring myself to side with the violent, thuggish lawyers baying for his blood.
22nd April, 2013
Confessions of a news junkie
I confess to being a news junkie: wherever I am in the world, I try and buy the local newspaper even though I can get the news online, and on TV or radio.
I confess to being a news junkie: wherever I am in the world, I try and buy the local newspaper even though I can get the news online, and on TV or radio.
20th April, 2013
Two approaches to fighting terrorism
IN Boston, three people were killed in an act of terrorism earlier this week, and it’s still headline news in the United States. President Obama has denounced the attack, and an FBI official has promised to hunt the perpetrator to “the ends of the earth”.
IN Boston, three people were killed in an act of terrorism earlier this week, and it’s still headline news in the United States. President Obama has denounced the attack, and an FBI official has promised to hunt the perpetrator to “the ends of the earth”.
15th April, 2013
‘Iron Lady? Rust in peace’
OVER a week after her death, Margaret Thatcher continues to divide Britain much as she did during her 12 years in power. Against a backdrop of praise in Parliament, and hundreds of newspaper columns and
OVER a week after her death, Margaret Thatcher continues to divide Britain much as she did during her 12 years in power. Against a backdrop of praise in Parliament, and hundreds of newspaper columns and
13th April, 2013
Dreams versus delivery
I WAS delighted to learn recently that my old and much-missed friend, Eqbal Ahmed, has received a posthumous award from the Bangladesh government for his principled opposition to the Pakistan Army’s
I WAS delighted to learn recently that my old and much-missed friend, Eqbal Ahmed, has received a posthumous award from the Bangladesh government for his principled opposition to the Pakistan Army’s
8th April, 2013
Britain’s welfare state under threat
AS I write this, the Grand National at Aintree has just been run. I scanned the sports pages of the Saturday papers for tips, and…
AS I write this, the Grand National at Aintree has just been run. I scanned the sports pages of the Saturday papers for tips, and…
6th April, 2013
Piety at the polls
JUST as well I’m not running in the elections next month: imagine my embarrassment had I flunked the Islamiat test devised by some zealous returning officer. Or, indeed, to be informed — as Ayaz Amir was — that
JUST as well I’m not running in the elections next month: imagine my embarrassment had I flunked the Islamiat test devised by some zealous returning officer. Or, indeed, to be informed — as Ayaz Amir was — that
1st April, 2013
Harsh lessons from regime change
ALTHOUGH the event went largely unreported in Pakistan and elsewhere, a Coptic church was burned down in the Libyan city of Benghazi on March 4. Earlier, there was an assassination attempt against the Italian
ALTHOUGH the event went largely unreported in Pakistan and elsewhere, a Coptic church was burned down in the Libyan city of Benghazi on March 4. Earlier, there was an assassination attempt against the Italian
30th March, 2013
Development and decay
WHEN I first moved to Lahore from Karachi to join the Finance Services Academy in 1967, my new friends rather looked up to me as the sophisticate from the big city.
WHEN I first moved to Lahore from Karachi to join the Finance Services Academy in 1967, my new friends rather looked up to me as the sophisticate from the big city.
25th March, 2013
Obama’s weasel words
FOR those still hopeful for American support for an equitable solution to the Palestinian problem, Obama’s visit to the region would have been a big disappointment. At a press conference in Ramallah, he was shifty and
FOR those still hopeful for American support for an equitable solution to the Palestinian problem, Obama’s visit to the region would have been a big disappointment. At a press conference in Ramallah, he was shifty and
23rd March, 2013
A plague on all their houses?
IT’S been a difficult five years for PPP supporters. But then, that’s nothing new: the last three times the party has been in power, it has been accused of rampant corruption and poor governance.
IT’S been a difficult five years for PPP supporters. But then, that’s nothing new: the last three times the party has been in power, it has been accused of rampant corruption and poor governance.
18th March, 2013
Sri Lankan Muslims under threat
A CURIOUS story in a local English daily caught my eye the other day. It seemed the Sri Lanka Muslim Council had given in to demands that meat could be sold without halal certification. This is a huge success for
A CURIOUS story in a local English daily caught my eye the other day. It seemed the Sri Lanka Muslim Council had given in to demands that meat could be sold without halal certification. This is a huge success for
16th March, 2013
Groundhog Day
IN the 1993 movie, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a reporter who finds himself in a time loop in a small American town celebrating Groundhog Day.
IN the 1993 movie, Bill Murray plays Phil Connors, a reporter who finds himself in a time loop in a small American town celebrating Groundhog Day.
11th March, 2013
The decline of Indian Muslims
SATYAJIT Ray’s masterpiece Shatranj Ke Khilari, or The Chess Players, is a sublime and moving lament for the passing of the Muslim aristocracy in India.
SATYAJIT Ray’s masterpiece Shatranj Ke Khilari, or The Chess Players, is a sublime and moving lament for the passing of the Muslim aristocracy in India.
