Posts published in “Pak Media comment”

The author was a member of the Foreign Service of PakistanLast week, the MQM-P organised a dialogue titled, “Gahwara e Adab” (Cradle of Literature) in Karachi Arts Council; highlighting Urdu as the symbol of the cultural and civilisational heritage of the Pakistani nation. The session, presided over by Federal Minister Asad Umer, was graced by known Urdu authors, including Anwar Maqsood and Aalia Imam. The convener of MQM, Maqbool Ahmed Siddiqui, was also conspicuous by…

The writer is an analyst and commentator. The economic dysfunction that defines Pakistan is not normal for a country in this geographical location, with this size population, and this proportion of its population below the age of 25. The Pakistani boom and bust cycle is tightening. The booms are becoming shorter and smaller, the busts, deeper and longer. Pakistan is an economic outlier. India and China have grown at phenomenal rates over the last two…

The writer is a columnist and social activist. Reconciliation cannot be done in isolation; it has to have a national consensus and acceptance of their crimes by those who are receiving amnesty. When it comes to talking about amnesty regarding groups in the TTP, you cannot just bury the past for political expediency. That is like playing with the emotions of the families who have suffered so much loss. If an amnesty is to be…

The writer is a former caretaker finance minister and served as vice-president at the World Bank.Ever since the European Colonial powers vacated Africa, Asia and Latin America, attempts were made to use official transfer of financial resources to the nations that, one way or other, were harmed by colonial rule. In today’s work this would be called “reparations”, transfer of money from those who benefitted from those they dominated. Slavery was the worst form of…

The writer is a freelance columnist.Ever since the emergence of the feminist wave in Pakistan, there has been an accentuated tendency towards the legislation and active enactment of women protection laws. Before that, women were suffering the ordeals of Draconian laws. Many unfortunate used to be committed to prison for years under Hudood Laws due to a lack of cogent evidence or/and other reasons to meet legalities. Unfortunately, the burden of proof fell heavily on…

The writer is former interior minister of Pakistan, author of five books, Chairman Institute of Research & Reforms (IRR) Islamabad/ Global Eye.It was good to see US Deputy Secretary of State Ms. Wendy R Sherman in Pakistan. Though the agenda of her visit looked to be unannounced, however, it is clear that she has come after her visit from India and the Indian media is claiming her it was a very successful visit as she…

The writer is former Dean Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Karachi.To transform Pakistan’s political culture; integrity, wisdom, perseverance and vision are some of the characteristics that must be adopted to shift from retrogression, backwardness and corruption. Pakistan’s political culture needs to be transformed so that political parties and other stakeholders induct professionalism to strengthen democracy, political pluralism and tolerance. Even after 74 years of existence, Pakistan’s political culture still reflects feudal, tribal and ultra-conservative…

In the aftermath of the Taliban government’s takeover of Kabul, many in Pakistan fear a ‘fundamentalist spillover’ in our country. Whether these fears end up manifesting in an actual problem is hard to speculate—especially since Pakistan has repeatedly resisted and repelled such eventualities over the past twenty years. However, precautionary steps must be taken by the State of Pakistan, to prevent a possible slide towards religious fanaticism and intolerance. And this can only be done…

The writer is a senior journalist.What is happening in Pakistan would be political entertainment, if only it were not so portentous a threat to peace and social harmony. Put your ear to the ground and you may hear the alarm going off. Yet, it is difficult to find the specific source of this sense of foreboding. So much is happening at so many levels. Is Afghanistan becoming more of a hot potato? What message have…

The writer is the director of CERF, a non-profit, charitable organisation in Canada.Pandora Papers are a reality check. Really and truly, the political divide is a façade. There are the takers and those who get taken every five years. Corruption, money laundering, bribes and loot have no ideology. This common thread runs across party lines. It does not end there. It has permeated into media, uniforms, bureaucrats, businessmen including their kith and kin. The malaise…