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8th April, 2012
View from US: Learn to say no!
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” Only the ‘father of physics’ could have converted such a profound thought into this one-liner.
“The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination.” Only the ‘father of physics’ could have converted such a profound thought into this one-liner.
7th April, 2012
Police and the media
IT is a fundamental principle of criminal law that a person is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved in a court of law beyond reasonable doubt.
IT is a fundamental principle of criminal law that a person is presumed to be innocent until his guilt is proved in a court of law beyond reasonable doubt.
7th April, 2012
No looking back for us
WHO was Master Abdul Qudoos Ahmad? How would you know even if you care? The 43-year-old schoolteacher’s story received scant attention in the media.
WHO was Master Abdul Qudoos Ahmad? How would you know even if you care? The 43-year-old schoolteacher’s story received scant attention in the media.
7th April, 2012
Demography as destiny
ABOUT 100 yards from our old family home in Karachi, 20 or 30 workers can be seen sitting in a line every morning. They include carpenters, plumbers and labourers, waiting for somebody to hire them for odd
ABOUT 100 yards from our old family home in Karachi, 20 or 30 workers can be seen sitting in a line every morning. They include carpenters, plumbers and labourers, waiting for somebody to hire them for odd
7th April, 2012
Harassment of US envoy
IN the past week or so, the US ambassador to Russia has been harassed by state media, called arrogant by his host country’s foreign minister and had guests accosted outside his home by the Kremlin youth group Nashi.
IN the past week or so, the US ambassador to Russia has been harassed by state media, called arrogant by his host country’s foreign minister and had guests accosted outside his home by the Kremlin youth group Nashi.
7th April, 2012
Maligned or malignant?
COUP-MAKER, spy, traitor, rampaging bull. Principled, steadfast, pathbreaker, rebel with a cause. Does India’s army chief, V.K. Singh, have one persona, or does he suffer from schizophrenia?
COUP-MAKER, spy, traitor, rampaging bull. Principled, steadfast, pathbreaker, rebel with a cause. Does India’s army chief, V.K. Singh, have one persona, or does he suffer from schizophrenia?
6th April, 2012
The other Pakistan
My previous article on the rise of Pakistan’s middle class (which appeared in this newspaper on March 23), elicited a surprising response. It was the most ‘face-booked’ and ‘tweeted’ of all my op-eds since last year.
My previous article on the rise of Pakistan’s middle class (which appeared in this newspaper on March 23), elicited a surprising response. It was the most ‘face-booked’ and ‘tweeted’ of all my op-eds since last year.
6th April, 2012
Ties with US: the sticking point
THE proposal to link the reopening of the Nato supply route to the US stopping the drone strikes in the northwest ups the stakes on the revival of relations between Washington and Islamabad.
THE proposal to link the reopening of the Nato supply route to the US stopping the drone strikes in the northwest ups the stakes on the revival of relations between Washington and Islamabad.
6th April, 2012
Speaking truth to power
THE commotion generated by an American congressperson’s tabling of a resolution on Balochistan in the House of Representatives was always going to subside, and subsided it has.
THE commotion generated by an American congressperson’s tabling of a resolution on Balochistan in the House of Representatives was always going to subside, and subsided it has.
6th April, 2012
Bosnia now more divided
Bosnia’s war, which brought the worst atrocities Europe had seen since the Nazi era, began 20 years ago on April 5, 1992. It has been over for more than 16 years, in which time the country has been more peaceful that
Bosnia’s war, which brought the worst atrocities Europe had seen since the Nazi era, began 20 years ago on April 5, 1992. It has been over for more than 16 years, in which time the country has been more peaceful that
6th April, 2012
The concept of justice
LAST month in Vienna there was a seminar on multiculturalism and religious pluralism. Among other issues a discussion was held on the concept of justice. What is justice, it was asked, and participants gave their
LAST month in Vienna there was a seminar on multiculturalism and religious pluralism. Among other issues a discussion was held on the concept of justice. What is justice, it was asked, and participants gave their
12th March, 2012
Internet access: a human right
IN November, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) attempted to filter 1,500 words out of SMS messages.
IN November, the Pakistan Telecommunications Authority (PTA) attempted to filter 1,500 words out of SMS messages.
12th March, 2012
US in European thought
AMERICA’S rise to the status of the world’s premier power has not been without criticism from the European intelligentsia.
AMERICA’S rise to the status of the world’s premier power has not been without criticism from the European intelligentsia.
12th March, 2012
Obama’s foreign policy
HOW has Barack Obama done as US president so far? Clearly many Pakistanis have a less than positive view — though interestingly, Pakistani expectations for Obama were never as high as in much of the rest of the world.
HOW has Barack Obama done as US president so far? Clearly many Pakistanis have a less than positive view — though interestingly, Pakistani expectations for Obama were never as high as in much of the rest of the world.
12th March, 2012
Greek deal not the end of story
IT could have been a disaster. Had Greece’s private-sector creditors convincingly rejected the idea of exchanging their old bonds for much lower value new bonds the skies would have fallen in. Financial markets
IT could have been a disaster. Had Greece’s private-sector creditors convincingly rejected the idea of exchanging their old bonds for much lower value new bonds the skies would have fallen in. Financial markets
11th March, 2012
Inefficiencies in public sector
THERE has been a heated debate in Pakistan on inefficiencies and corruption in the public sector /state-owned enterprises (SOEs). According to some estimates eight public-sector enterprises lose an
THERE has been a heated debate in Pakistan on inefficiencies and corruption in the public sector /state-owned enterprises (SOEs). According to some estimates eight public-sector enterprises lose an
11th March, 2012
Institutional response
TERRORISM is not a mere security issue. It disrupts society in ways that go beyond the body count, particularly in its physiological, social and economic aspects. Maintaining, and in some cases restoring, the
TERRORISM is not a mere security issue. It disrupts society in ways that go beyond the body count, particularly in its physiological, social and economic aspects. Maintaining, and in some cases restoring, the
11th March, 2012
Hallucination, the best medicine
THERE is one colourful aspect of elections that has been sadly neglected in the coverage of this vibrant game called democracy. This is the Post Campaign Trauma Syndrome, or PCTS, as it is known among experts.
THERE is one colourful aspect of elections that has been sadly neglected in the coverage of this vibrant game called democracy. This is the Post Campaign Trauma Syndrome, or PCTS, as it is known among experts.
11th March, 2012
Fukushima, a year after
THIS has not been an easy year for Japan. On March, 11, 2011 — 3/11, as it’s become known — one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the country was followed by a tsunami that swallowed 500km of the coastline of
THIS has not been an easy year for Japan. On March, 11, 2011 — 3/11, as it’s become known — one of the largest earthquakes in the history of the country was followed by a tsunami that swallowed 500km of the coastline of
10th March, 2012
The value of elections
TALK about democracy, and the conversation invariably turns to elections. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of democracy, a prerequisite for good governance, the rule of law and accountability.
TALK about democracy, and the conversation invariably turns to elections. Free and fair elections are the bedrock of democracy, a prerequisite for good governance, the rule of law and accountability.
