Author Archives: Irfan Husain
9th March, 2013
Cause and effect
THE other day, little Suleiman entered the room and announced: “It’s very dangerous! It’s very dangerous!” Since my grandson is only two, I was amused and asked his mother what that was about.
THE other day, little Suleiman entered the room and announced: “It’s very dangerous! It’s very dangerous!” Since my grandson is only two, I was amused and asked his mother what that was about.
4th March, 2013
Brothers at war
FOR two sects united by their belief in one Maker, one Book and one Prophet, the amount of blood spilt in the name of their respective faiths by Shias and Sunnis is truly staggering.
FOR two sects united by their belief in one Maker, one Book and one Prophet, the amount of blood spilt in the name of their respective faiths by Shias and Sunnis is truly staggering.
2nd March, 2013
Power: use it or lose it
AS we approach the elections, Pakistani politics increasingly resemble a kaleidoscope: you rotate the tube, and flick! — the bits of glass tumble around, forming bright new patterns.
AS we approach the elections, Pakistani politics increasingly resemble a kaleidoscope: you rotate the tube, and flick! — the bits of glass tumble around, forming bright new patterns.
25th February, 2013
Bad news from Afghanistan
AS usual, the recent Karachi Literary Festival was a great occasion to catch up with old friends. This time, there was a large contingent of ex-diplomats and journalists around. The latter included several foreign
AS usual, the recent Karachi Literary Festival was a great occasion to catch up with old friends. This time, there was a large contingent of ex-diplomats and journalists around. The latter included several foreign
23rd February, 2013
Open season on Hazaras
“AM I next?” asked the placard carried by a little Hazara girl in the aftermath of the most recent atrocity against her community in Quetta.
“AM I next?” asked the placard carried by a little Hazara girl in the aftermath of the most recent atrocity against her community in Quetta.
18th February, 2013
Sporting scandals of our times
Watching Pakistan play South Africa in the second Test at Cape Town, I can’t help wishing we had a more potent pace attack.
Watching Pakistan play South Africa in the second Test at Cape Town, I can’t help wishing we had a more potent pace attack.
16th February, 2013
Share my iPain
THE phrase ‘It’s already been done’ is the sound of the door to the treasury being slammed shut to any inventor. After hours of working out what you think is a clever idea, to learn that somebody’s beaten you to it
THE phrase ‘It’s already been done’ is the sound of the door to the treasury being slammed shut to any inventor. After hours of working out what you think is a clever idea, to learn that somebody’s beaten you to it
11th February, 2013
The elephant in the room
When Japanese finance minister Taro Aso recently urged the elderly to “hurry up and die”, few heeded his advice. In fact, the Japanese insist on living longer than any other race. The politician, who is also the deputy
When Japanese finance minister Taro Aso recently urged the elderly to “hurry up and die”, few heeded his advice. In fact, the Japanese insist on living longer than any other race. The politician, who is also the deputy
9th February, 2013
Sticks and stones
WHEN President Morsi of Egypt was quoted calling Zionists the descendants of “apes and pigs”, there was not a ripple of comment or criticism in the Muslim world. And yet much of his recent visit to Germany was
WHEN President Morsi of Egypt was quoted calling Zionists the descendants of “apes and pigs”, there was not a ripple of comment or criticism in the Muslim world. And yet much of his recent visit to Germany was
4th February, 2013
Britain decides on its place in Europe
IN or out? That’s the question currently dominating the British political scene. When David Cameron finally made his long-awaited speech on Britain’s relationship with the European Union, his Europhobic backbenchers were delighted.
IN or out? That’s the question currently dominating the British political scene. When David Cameron finally made his long-awaited speech on Britain’s relationship with the European Union, his Europhobic backbenchers were delighted.
2nd February, 2013
The French connection
WHEN a group of Arab ambassadors in Washington called on the president to register their protest over his pro-Zionist bias, he replied:
WHEN a group of Arab ambassadors in Washington called on the president to register their protest over his pro-Zionist bias, he replied:
28th January, 2013
The liberal dilemma
These are testing times for liberals. Opposed to military interventions, dictatorships and religious extremism, they are faced with a dilemma each time there is a…
These are testing times for liberals. Opposed to military interventions, dictatorships and religious extremism, they are faced with a dilemma each time there is a…
21st January, 2013
Cruelty and injustice in the desert
SRI LANKANS aren’t as prone to street protests as their other South Asian cousins. But when Rizana Nafeek, a young Sri Lankan Muslim girl, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago, anti-Saudi demonstrations broke
SRI LANKANS aren’t as prone to street protests as their other South Asian cousins. But when Rizana Nafeek, a young Sri Lankan Muslim girl, was beheaded in Saudi Arabia a fortnight ago, anti-Saudi demonstrations broke
19th January, 2013
The mess messiahs make
IF only our would-be messiahs arrived with less baggage, and were a little more credible. And would they please not parachute in to save Pakistan long after their sell-by date?
IF only our would-be messiahs arrived with less baggage, and were a little more credible. And would they please not parachute in to save Pakistan long after their sell-by date?
14th January, 2013
India’s winter of discontent
THIS hasn’t been a good season for Indian cricket fans: first, their national team lost a Test series to the visiting England squad on home soil after decades. Worse, the Pakistani team defeated them in the recent One
THIS hasn’t been a good season for Indian cricket fans: first, their national team lost a Test series to the visiting England squad on home soil after decades. Worse, the Pakistani team defeated them in the recent One
12th January, 2013
Visions of hell
“HELL,” wrote Jean-Paul Sartre in his play No Exit, “is other people”. But Satan, in Milton’s Paradise Lost, utters this anguished cry: “Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell.”
“HELL,” wrote Jean-Paul Sartre in his play No Exit, “is other people”. But Satan, in Milton’s Paradise Lost, utters this anguished cry: “Which way I flie is Hell; my self am Hell.”
7th January, 2013
In transit
AS I write this on the terrace restaurant of a hotel in the hills in Sri Lanka, there’s a small river tumbling over huge boulders a few feet away. The sound of rushing water is constant. There are only four rooms in this
AS I write this on the terrace restaurant of a hotel in the hills in Sri Lanka, there’s a small river tumbling over huge boulders a few feet away. The sound of rushing water is constant. There are only four rooms in this
5th January, 2013
Women in the firing line
THE recent cold-blooded murder of six young women charity workers in Swabi confirms a change in Taliban tactics. While never hesitating in their slaughter of undefended civilians, they now see that killing women
THE recent cold-blooded murder of six young women charity workers in Swabi confirms a change in Taliban tactics. While never hesitating in their slaughter of undefended civilians, they now see that killing women
31st December, 2012
Socialism, progress and education
FOR the first time in my life, I’ve been feeling rich: the exchange rate here in Vietnam is around 20,000 dong to the US dollar. So for a hundred dollars, I get two million dongs. All these zeros can get a bit confusing, as
FOR the first time in my life, I’ve been feeling rich: the exchange rate here in Vietnam is around 20,000 dong to the US dollar. So for a hundred dollars, I get two million dongs. All these zeros can get a bit confusing, as
29th December, 2012
Our inner demons
WINSTON Churchill is reported to have said: “An appeaser is a man who feeds a crocodile in the hope that it will eat him last.”
WINSTON Churchill is reported to have said: “An appeaser is a man who feeds a crocodile in the hope that it will eat him last.”
