Within the next ten days, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif is poised to become Prime Minister of Pakistan for the record third time,  as a consequence of the trust reposed in him by the people of Pakistan. It is indeed a matter of great rejoicing for all the democracy loving people--- as the transition of power is taking place through the power of the ballot--- more so for the leadership of PML-N and those who voted for the party. So far so good. But the enormity and gravity of the challenges that the country is faced with is such that there is hardly any time for the honeymoon. People’s ...

Not only the elections are over, but also the repolling in various constituencies where the Election Commission of Pakistan deemed it was needed. However, the most attention was focused on the one national and two provincial seats in Karachi where the PTI felt it had a chance of winning. It did, but not before the MQM, which had held these seats before boycotted the election the day before, after a very effusive objection to the polling.It is worth noting that the MQM found itself in a position where it had lost seats in Karachi; something it had not done (except for the PPP stronghold of ...

“Among mortals second thoughts are wisest.”                        – EuripidesPakistan will get a new democratic government in about a week’s time although there is question mark on the fairness of the general elections particularly in two major cities of the country. The transition from one civil setup to another civil setup by itself is no small achievement and in case this process continues, there is every reason to hope that the country will not only come out of the ...

As President Obama is set to discuss the future of US counterterrorism policy around the world, he should also provide a framework for a swift end to the US war in Afghanistan. It is our belief US troops should not stay one day longer or shed one more drop of blood, and US taxpayers should not spend one more penny to keep troops in Afghanistan past 2014.It is pure folly and wholly counterproductive for the US to keep fighting in Afghanistan, paying the highest price in life and treasure, for one more day, let alone until a specific calendar date is reached. The current US strategy, which ...

A car pulls up into the driveway and stops in front of the verandah. The rear door opens revealing a tall, stately young woman, who steps out with the dignity and grace of a queen. My mother receives her at the front door and escorts her to a large room with the time warped décor of the nineteen forties. The young woman stops in front of an old lady who reclines on a carpet surrounded by a number of cushions. This grand octogenarian is my paternal grandmother and the visitor is none other than the super star of the silver screen Nayyar Sultana.My father’s acquaintance with the ...

All over the world, we focus more on the daily utilitarian issues than family and friends, and spirituality, religion and intellectual discourse. We have relegated them to play second fiddle, or be like walk-ons in theatre plays. We seem to be confused about the essentials in life in an increasingly materialist world. At the same time, many people have not yet seen their basic needs satisfied. In Pakistan, the majority lives in poor conditions and about one fifth below the poverty line. Sometimes, we say that poor people can not afford to be concerned about philosophy; they have enough with ...

Have we defeated the Taliban or sent them a friendly request? When Pakistan decided to throw itself an election party, the first ones to arrive were the Taliban. They were not really interested in the party because they keep reminding us that elections are un-Islamic and a major sin on a par with educating girls. But they were interested in watching what party games were played and who got to play them. They decided that the three political parties that had ruled Pakistan for the past five years and taken a clear stand against the Taliban would be targeted. And the Taliban started their ...

So, pivotal Punjab largely stuck with continuity of the traditional voting pattern, choosing it over the novelty of change. Expectations and momentum of change were shifted and stalled by three self-imposed hiccups: the perceived specter of buzzards riding the horse of change; dragged out and divisive intra-party elections; and the usage of harsh rhetoric. Then too, it was not the media’s finest hour, with its exaggerated hype and hysteria. The media, instead of giving public service, has become a vehicle for propaganda and publicity for politicos. A head of a leading Pakistani ...

Terrorism is likened to the Hydra of Greek mythology, which was an ancient serpent-like chthonic water beast, with reptilian traits, that possessed numerous heads - and for each head cut off it grew two more - and poisonous breath so virulent even its tracks were deadly.Pakistan’s previous government proved inept in tackling the menace of terrorism, while the interim government proved equally incompetent, as the terrorists struck election campaigns with impunity.As the nation emerges from the aftermath of the polls and is poised to seat a new government, it is ...

Even before the new government assumes office, a great deal is already being said on bilateral relations going forward between Pakistan and India, and how normalising relations and liberalising trade with India holds the key to Pakistan’s economic revival. We have, by now, heard about the phone calls from Manmohan Singh and Rahul Gandhi, and even the formation of a likely commission with the help of India to unearth real events at Kargil. While there is no debating the fact that maintaining cordial relations with India and meaningfully partnering our neighbour (in fact, all regional ...