Islamic State, a threat Pakistan can no longer ignore
The ghastly attack on the convoy of Deputy Chairman Senate in Mastung, Balochistan comes as the latest of terror attacks claimed by the self-styled…
Threatening the regulators?
Recent revelations by Print and Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Chairman Absar Alam, made to representatives of the media, are most troubling. The Chairman…
Go Nawaz go . . . for an early election
The third term of Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has been far from smooth. Beset by challenges of governance and a strong opposition, he has…
An elusive victory
Third time elected PM has once again survived in office. Two Supreme Court judges in their dissenting judgment found Sharif guilty of the charges…
Let’s accept what we have done to ourselves
The lynching of Mashal Khan by fellow students at an educational campus in Mardan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, is a stark reminder of what we have done to ourselves. The…
Blasphemer hunting must stop
The violent passions incited in many sections of Pakistani society by accusations of blasphemy were on display once again – this time in Mardan.…
Pakistan’s radicalisation problem begins at school
In 2010, Pakistan’s Parliament devolved education as well as the powers to set school curricula to the provinces. Many of us heralded this change,…
My Utopia Died Three Years Ago
The Parliament has extended the military courts for another two years. Cited as a desperate measure in extraordinary times, there has been a widespread…
Taseer will live as an icon for a sane, just Pakistan
Salmaan Taseer, businessman, publisher and Governor of Pakistan’s largest Province, was killed by his bodyguard a zealot who like his supporters thought that Taseer had…
An icon for a sane, just Pakistan
Salmaan Taseer’s defiance of convention and collective cowardice is one of the watersheds of Pakistan’s contemporary history. His defence of a poor Christian woman…
‘Blasphemy laws have become an instrument of malicious motives’
The International Commission of Jurists (ICJ) in its new report On Trial: the Implementation of Pakistan’s Blasphemy Laws, has documented the widespread fair trial violations…
Dr Ishtiaq Ahmed on my book
A lovely review of my book in the Daily Times by Ishtiaq Ahmed When Indians and Pakistanis visit each other, questions of identity, patriotism,…
Greater role for women in decision-making
Last week, I was invited to speak at a seminar on ‘Exploring the Gender Friendliness in Democratic Institutions’ orgnaised by The South Asia Partnership…
On Raja Paurava and Alexander
In an article entitled On Raja Paurava and Alexander, Salman Rashid writes: We do not celebrate Paurava; we name no roads after him and…
Remembering Faiz and his Culture Policy of early 1970s
Today is the 26th death anniversary of Faiz Ahmed Faiz whose life and works are national assets. Faiz was a torchbearer of the glorious…
Singing of youth and beauty, life and death
by Vidya Rao I was fortunate to be one of the women invited to the first meeting of the Grandmothers’ University at Bija Vidyapeeth…
Jinnah Unfairly Demonised for Partition
Jinnah was a “great leader†and was unfairly “demonised†by India for his role in the Partition, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Jaswant Singh…
Dholaks drowning gunfire
by Shreekant Gupta During a recent visit to Delhi I mentioned to my aunt that I planned to visit Rawalpindi next week for a…
Trouble bubble – a fresh perspective
Ejaz Haider’s article published in today’s Daily Times is a welcome perspective. Thanks for some sanity.. …Pakistan may be in a political crisis, but…
Lahore blasts and the Jihad industry
My city Lahore was attacked yet again by the pusillanimous attackers pretending to be brave and honourable. There is no justification and no excuse…