This summer Pakistan enters into another phase of instability
Pakistan is slowly gearing up for another round of political instability. By all accounts, the Prime Minister and his political fortunes are likely to…
‘Jobless’ white men can’t be terrorists
On Monday morning, a van ploughed down Muslim worshippers, as they were leaving a north London mosque after late night prayers. This was the…
Govt is digging own grave by muzzling online freedoms
The ongoing campaign against digital media is an extension of the established patterns of how the state – including elected government – can muzzle…
Dissent is not blasphemy
Last week, a bizarre public notice issued by the federal investigation agency (FIA) appealed to the general public to provide evidence about social media…
Should we let the India problem ruin our ties with Afghanistan and Iran?
It is unfortunate to see something of a siege mentality developing in Pakistan’s regional posture. For a country that is situated at the crossroads…
Sagacious move by the military – Pakistan wins
Pakistan’s military leadership, by issuing its latest statement on the Dawn Leaks issue through the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has done the democratic process…
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…
The Sound of Data Darbar
NEW YORK, May 6, 2017 — Me and classical singer Tahira Syed. We explore Lahore’s, and arguably Pakistan’s, cornerstone of Sufism, the shrine of…
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,…
We need to talk about NAP
27 Jan 2017: We need to talk about NAP (The Friday Times) For more than two years, Pakistanis have been assured that terrorists have…
CPEC, India & China, Re-balancing Act
India, the US and Afghanistan are keenly watching Pakistan and China work through CPEC’s challenges Andrew Small is a transatlantic fellow at the German…
Farewell, Edhi Sahib!
The man who defied a callous state and society, unbowed in his love of humanity The death of Abdul Sattar Edhi after an extraordinarily…
An Uphill Battle
One-year review of Pakistan’s fight against extremism and terrorism Nearly a year ago, Pakistani security forces announced the killing of Malik Ishaq, leader of…
Odd spaces and new media
Raza Rumi talks to artist Faisal Anwar, whose work plays with space and time in the digital era. Faisal Anwar is a renowned interactive,…
Neither Here nor There: The Shifting Identities of Raza Rumi
A Pakistani journalist, writer, and public policy practitioner, Raza Rumi’s life exemplifies the intersection of the personal and the political. In 2014, his work…