Baba Farid’s shrine and the barbarians within us
This morning arrived with the shocking news of the recent barbarity played out in Pakpattan (formerly known as Ajodhan) when two criminals left bombs…
The 18th Amendment Order – more questions than answers
The short and interim order has disappointed many quarters that had been lobbying for a grand showdown between the judiciary and the parliament. Institutional…
We’re all to blame for lawlessness
I have been quoted in this report – on law and order in Pakistan (the backdrop is World Justice Report). My quotes are slightly…
Down melody lane
A book review published in DAWN mentions my piece on Mehdi Hasan: … Raza Rumi’s piece ‘The Melodious Age of Mehdi Hasan’ discusses in…
Fables of Nationalism
Published here: The recent hullabaloo over the Delhi Commonwealth Games has been followed with much interest in Pakistan. Many have gloated over the inability…
Living in Denialistan
The recent attack on Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine is another reminder of the plain truth that the Pakistani state needs to focus on its…
The barbarians have attacked another shrine – no respite for Karachi
Karachi’s famous shrine of Abdullah Shah Ghazi was attacked a while ago. Over 60 people are injured and 12 are dead. After Lahore’s Data…
Pakistan: Addressing the challenges -the way forward
Strange things are happening. Two months after a natural disaster hit millions of people and created essential prerequisites for an economic meltdown, the focus…
Unpacking the governance debate
If the intent of the unregulated media and a recalcitrant establishment is to dismiss the government to achieve better governance then this is at…
Preparing an early recovery plan
Cumulative estimates of losses are increasing (initial estimates have gone beyond $15 billion) and over 20 million people have been displaced in 71 districts…
The Song of the Reed – on Rumi’s birth anniversary
Listen to the song of the reed,
How it wails with the pain of separation…
Mehdi Hasan: The Man & His Music
But this has been our tragic tradition. Our greatest artists, singers, poets and intellectuals have suffered at the hands of a conformist society and…
Collapsing Local Governance
Recent floods have exposed the capacity of the state to govern, especially at the local level. The disintegration of local state is not a…
Ardent messiah lovers and regime change in Pakistan
Erosion of public institutions under authoritarian regimes is an undeniable lesson of our history. At a time when al Qaeda and its cohorts are…
Fighting corruption through digital technology
State accountability – all is not that bleak Much has been written about corruption and how there seems to be no way out of…
Failed prescriptions for a failing state
The cat is finally out of the bag. The MQM chief has issued a statement on how the country needs to be saved from…
Future of a crisis
Pakistan's ruling elites fond of palace intrigues and power maximisation tricks must realise that this may be the last chance of saving the country,…
That Colorless Life: Attacking Shrines and the ‘other’ Islam
An interesting policy brief by the Jinnah Institute In recent months, militant efforts have turned increasingly to operations in the heart of Pakistan’s cities,…
A nation determined to be innocent
There's massive disappointment and anger that this could happen at a time when the country is going through such a bad phase," he said.…
Match fixing: shameful and unacceptable
The match-fixing allegations are not new for Pakistani cricketers. In the past, such allegations have been proved within the country. The recent scandal with…