The enigma that is Pakistan (book review)
Anatol Lieven’s new book is not just a contemporary account of Pakistan, it also attempts to present an alternative narrative of what is often…
Regressive governance (book review)
“…the pasture of stupidity is unwholesome for mankind.” – Ibn-e-Khaldun Pakistan’s ‘crisis’ of governance has now acquired an axiomatic status. Local and foreign experts…
Pakistan’s budget: Policy sans public
The government should involve the media and civil society in raising awareness and building consensus on reform. In several parts of the world, accessible…
Is America really our Enemy No 1?
By Raza Rumi : Six months ago, an extraordinary news report was published by Dawn, which recounted the contents of a military briefing given…
More on the Pakistan Wikileaks- US Operations Constrained by India-Pakistan Relations
My interview which has appeared on Wikileaks Central. The Dawn Media Group in partnership with WikiLeaks has been releasing the “Pakistan Papers.” Thus far,…
Pakistan: Fixing the civil-military imbalance
Sovereignty is the flavour of the month in Pakistan. Since the capture and questionable assassination of Osama Bin Laden, the Pakistani discourse has been…
The spectre of Islamist infiltration
The recent attacks on the Karachi naval base have once again sparked a debate concerning the much-feared radicalisation within the armed forces. Declan Walsh…
Three Pakistani film songs
Jab Koi Piyar se Bulaye ga Us Bewafa Ka Shehar haye Mujhe Tum Nazar se Gira tau rahay ho …
On the Issue of the United States, Pakistan Is Playing with Fire
I was interviewed on the recently released Wikileaks Cables on Pakistan. Here is part one. Will upload part two soon. Part two appeared on…
Pakistan’s law enforcement agencies are weak – Raza Rumi
My analysis on the national security issues of Pakistan. I discussed the PNS Mehran attack in Karachi. The breach of security at such heavily…
Sense and sovereignty in Kafkastan
I just returned from Karachi, where the city was outraged at the unscheduled, endless power cuts. Everywhere, the energy crisis dominated the discussions. In…
OBL saga and Pakistan’s crisis of governance
My piece for The News, Pakistan As details of Operation Geronimo unfold, more and more questions are being raised regarding Pakistan’s role in the…
What are we teaching our children?
The overwhelming response to my earlier piece on the subject of jaundiced Pakistani textbooks has prompted me to continue with this theme. A large…
Saving a rocky relationship
The killing of Osama bin Laden is another hurdle to tackle, and we are in a critical moment of another reevaluation of the Pakistan-US…
Osama Bin Laden is dead: what next for Pakistan?
The dramatic events of May 2, enacted in Pakistan’s small, sleepy town of Abbottabad have surely shaken the world. The global icon of al…
Cultural Assets of the Communities of District Multan and Bahawalpur, Pakistan
“South Punjab, in particular, the districts of Multan and Bahawalpur…, have a vast range of cultural assets. the living culture of the communities carries…
Mukhtar Mai – Media and Misogyny
My piece for DAWN As if the showering of rose petals on Mumtaz Qadri and the release of a new Urdu book ‘Parwana-i-Shama-i-Risalat’ extolling…
Devolution of powers: the challenges ahead
The impediments to full provincial autonomy under the 18th Amendment need to be tackled despite the odds Perhaps the best thing about contemporary Pakistan…
Mukhtaran Mai: Pakistan betrayed you once again
April 21, 2011 will be remembered as a black day in Pakistan’s history. Not because this was the day when the Supreme Court acquitted…
Devolution in Pakistan: Unpacking the HEC debate
An amended, rationalised HEC needs to stay in place The 18th Amendment approved by the Parliament in 2010 signified a new era in Pakistan’s…