Opinion

There was a cartoonish parade of one ‘leader’ after the other giving ‘Eidee’ to and ‘spending Eid’ with...

Salman should not have said what he did because he is not qualified. However, does this make him anti-national?

In the world of VIP culture, MQM politicians are a remarkably down-to-earth lot.

The message going out to the people from all the bad news is that you can get away with anything in Pakistan.

The present system is counter-productive to having reserved representation for marginalised sections in society.

Sindhi IDPs have just as much right to migrate to Karachi than the population already in residence.

Life in Pakistan has become hazardous for journalists, there is too much to report on and too little protection.

Finally, ordinary women were represented at the Beijing women’s conference, at Huairou, China, if only on the fringes.

Despite the association of hur with females, the fact is that the term is plural referring to both males and females.

Walking through posh areas of Lahore it does not seem like 20 million people recently became homeless. But should it?

Ramazan was not observed - the usual greed and selfishness that afflicts the nation from top to bottom prevails.

In between ruling groups of elite networks held together by mutual political needs, there is no political worker.

Whoever wants protection, wants to possess a gun because they are against a force with weapons.

Do we ever wonder what it is that keeps us where we are, which incidentally is down? It’s us.

If Haiti recently can have its debt written-off in the wake of devastating natural calamities, why can't we?

Those who offloaded our star-studded military delegation from an American airliner did us a huge favour.

The strongest argument for land reforms is the enormous burden of rural poverty, associated with rising landlessness.

Meet the sweet-mouthed, smiley-faced, tightly-clothed host and an obese, near-geriatric lady - the culinary expert.

Used to be that carpetwallahs hauled the real thing about. These are now replaced by synthetic apologies for carpets.

Despite significant improvements, at current rates, the world will likely miss the 2015 MDG target for sanitation.

Who decides whether we've failed as a state anyway? And once they decide, do they just revoke your license?

A state of functional anarchy has existed for a number of years and there is little the govt can do to stem the tide.

First Fasi calls me a cockroach, then George attacks Maula Jatt. Wait, the whole flood thing is still going on?

Public-sector employees are stuck in moribund entities where service and efficiency have long ceased to be goals.

It seems that terrorists have decided on intensifying the impact of the disastrous floods.

This flood has been a divider not a unifier. Neither the govt nor opposition has any unified or common approach.

Perhaps people believe only Muslims can kill themselves for a purported Islamic cause. This is a myopic view.

Every year televangelists cash in on the fervent religiosity that grips Pakistanis in this holier-than-thou month.

Have we been blind to the reality of the Hari who has always lived on the edge, now living amongst the dead of Makli?

To disprove god, Atheists need to allude to a god, and this notion gets further complicated by fence-sitters.

One could not agree more with Altaf Hussain’s call for the change of a feudal, fascist mindset.

Everyone who could have motivated people to get out of the flood path just sat around talking and talking and talking.

The degeneration of our political leadership is such that the ordinary citizen has no faith in any state institution.

At the heart of the national spirit is our strong culture of giving to others in time of need.

I confess the Great Human Cockroach-Liberal Lynch Mob-Don’t Act Surprised-KKK Debate has me amused, not contemplative.

While working for flood relief at Jhang some days ago I came down with dengue/malaria fever.

Even by Pakistan’s low standards, the recent outpouring of self-loathing and revulsion in newspapers is remarkable.

Pakistan needs a social contract between state and the people, based on cooperation and participation of the masses.

The blatant abuse of power has only increased since the induction of the latest civilian government.

All of Pakistans military interventions were to get rid of the ‘corrupt politicians’, but instead weakened Pakistan.

In turmoil today, Pakistan was not any calmer when my job took me away exactly two years ago.

Let George and Fasi rant — at least they make us think. I’d rather take rude, shocking essays over pats on the back.

Yes, 20 million people have been affected. But the 160 million that have not can be mobilised to help them.

Gilani's remark against NGOs constitutes a very serious allegation, especially since the head of the govt made it.

Displacement, the threat of exploitation, severe malnourishment and health risks are problems affecting children now.

Floods, shoe pelting, Sialkot, cricket criminality, bomb blasts – Pakistan’s crises are legion, but hardly legendary.

The state is rotten to its core. And if the core is rotten then the fruit is bad. Is it an irretrievable situation?

The allegations of spot-fixing made by a sleazy British tabloid have been like a stab in the heart for Pakistanis.

As the flood tragedy unfolds, I feel helpless as I see chaos and lack of coordination between govt agencies.