Pak Affairs

Sixty-five years after our independence, where do we stand as a nation and as a member of the comity of nations? Are we living in ‘a democratic and progressive’ Pakistan as envisioned by its founders? Can we genuinely claim to be ‘upholders’ of fundamental values of freedom, democracy and human dignity? Have we been able to make Pakistan ‘a bastion …

There is nothing new in what the judiciary is doing There are four key attributes of political parties. They have a mission statement and stated objectives. They have leaders and loyal party members, supporters and activists. They seek to woo citizens for their cause and seek support and adulation from the public. And they offer themselves as a mix of …

The social constitution and safety of the people are necessary ingredients for a broad-based and inclusive growth of a nation, but Pakistan after 65 years of its creation, is still far away from properly addressing the confronting social challenges. Resultantly, today Pakistani society is polarised and is beset with social and economic injustice, religious and ethnic sectarianism, gender and class …

The conflict of Balochistan emerged as flashpoint due to unfair distribution of national wealth and economic exploitation of people. Bad governance, oppressive economic system, religious extremism and aspirations based on nationalism are other factors of Balochistan’s problem. Balochistan is the ideally located province of Pakistan. South Asia, Central Asia and Middle East regions of the world are connected with Balochistan …

Transferring the state-owned assets to private ownership may be the simplest definition of the concept of privatization. When Margaret Thatcher and Ronald Reagan came to power in the United Kingdom and the United States respectively, the proponents of privatization prevailed by stressing that private management was better and more efficient. Consequently, multilateral organizations like the World Bank and the International …

It is very tricky and misleading to pass judgment on any process that is in its initial stage, at least in this part of the world. True, that in the developed countries the process of Women Empowerment, stretched over two centuries of struggle, has gone way ahead and cannot be termed as a process in its initial stages. Equally true …

Objective Resolution 1949: Objective resolution of 1949 was presented to negate the national and international conspiracies upraised right after the formation of Pakistan to make the nation secular, but unfortunately this resolution was not that much discussed. Liaquat Ali khan made it clear that this resolution is no less than a Magna Carte for the future constitutional build-up of Pakistan. …

It is generally believed that observance of merciless discipline and accountability are the hallmark of our armed forces. No doubt there are lots of reasons for this belief, but the unpardonable lapse of security of Mehran Base at Karachi, and now the verdict of the Court Martial has shaken this belief and disappointed us. After a year elapsed, yesterday the …

It is dirty politics – the war waged against drug traffickers and extortionists. All began after gangsters shot dead Pakistan Peoples Party local leader Malik Muhammad Khan and a CID sleuth on April 26. Lyari operation spanned eight days. It ended after the administration boasted of wiping out most of the outlaws with a vow of a final assault in …

The root cause of recent mayhem and carnage in Karachi is still being overlooked. I cannot help but cry over the unchecked and unending murders and mayhem we have to suffer virtually everyday in Karachi. The pain is only exacerbated by memories of Karachi at its prime ‘clean, safe, peaceful, free from violence, drugs, ethnic or sectarian clashes. Karachi was …