Opinion

Hajj has the root ‘hjj’. In Urdu, there are many words originating from this root and meaning many things.

The military needs to take back and secure Dir so that Swati Taliban are not allowed to carry out audacious attacks.

How is it that the same people who cry hoarse against drones do not have a word of condemnation for the Taliban?

Divisions between the 3 arms lurk just under, even as military gives impression of being homogenous on surface.

It is ironic that it took a tidal surge to interrupt the US presidential campaign, a week before the Nov 6 election.

Lums probably didn't think Hoodbhoy would make students think about issues differently than prevalent thinking.

Pakistan has little to worry about with the upcoming US elections, which will have a modest impact here.

While little separates the two candidates on Pakistan, Romney's advisers are attached to the old Bush administration.

To destroy the jihadi outfits , it would require employing a well thought-out counterinsurgency strategy

If a lobby wanted to force management on Hoodbhoy, they would have started a campaign. There is no evidence of this.

In this never-ending state of denial and paranoia, anything sold by the Commission would have been welcome.

After the rapid exits of opportunistic leaders from PTI, Imran must revisit his approach to politics and power.

Millions of acres of Pakistani land has been leased to foreign countries for agribusiness with no cover for locals.

In short, the Pakistani liberal is the antithesis of what a liberal is actually meant to be.

Military logic, local dynamics falsely suggested Mehsuds, Wazirs would resist TTP, preventing need for army operation.

In Pakistan, we have talk shows where a host encourages conflict between participants to garner more eye balls.

October 19 judgment cemented the fact that elections cannot be ‘free and fair’ as long as politicians can be bought.

Can words for Indo-Pak amity singe with the honesty of writers who spoke against their own country?

Public policy is the domain of government. If judiciary starts intervening in that, what need is there of government?

Vision of Jinnah's August 11 speech should be made a cornerstone for an inclusive Pakistani identity.

Education and an iron hand appear to be solutions against extremism but government must display credibility.

Pakistan is a country in malaise, at war with itself & in perilous economic decline. This is a time for introspection.

Pakistani establishment will have to make up its mind one way or the other on fighting the main menace: the jihadis.

Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed ‘revealed’ that the country’s defence expenditure is only 2.3 per cent of GDP.

Much of the terrorist violence in the country is the handiwork of TTP, whom the drone attacks do not usually target.

I think that the Right to Information Act...enable(s) us to fulfil to a considerable degree, Bapu’s dream...

Money wasted on ‘Thoughtless Khan’s rally should've been used for educational, health projects in drone ravaged areas.

If properly motivated, educated and trained, the young can become an engine of growth rather than extremism, terror.

Regardless of who wins, Romney or Obama, US policies in the region would more or less remain unchanged.

Its essential to carry out mission to review, remake defence policy in a credible manner than doing a half-baked job.

As a nation, Pakistan is a rotating carousel of tragedy. Malala’s story is only the latest.

We can either raise our hands to garland Mumtaz Qadri or raise them to pray for Malala Yousufzai. We must pick a side.

While Pakistan government, opposition support better relations with India, India fails to show the requisite resolve.

Media in Pakistan, like other professions, continues to be overwhelmingly male dominated.

Media can provide a transparent picture of Pakistan, enhance optimism among the people by focusing on strengths.

Going into N Waziristan will only prolong the sapping war. Hoping to find a grand vision will remain only a pipedream.

Like Begum Bhutto & Benazir, Malala stood up fearlessly against barbarians opposing girls’ education, women’s rights.

Destruction of Sir Ganga Ram's tomb shows we are just a bunch of self-seeking, often bloodthirsty, illiterate people.

Pakistan power centres are multiplying; it would not be sufficient to shift power from one ‘unelected’ body to another

Imran Khan’s principles need to make sense for the entire country, not just for his followers.

Asghar Khan case must help us bury the myth that military intervention, political manipulation serve national interest

The adoption of the Eighteenth Amendment was a revolutionary step.

Malala’s sacrifice makes clear that the time has come to unite and fight for Pakistan and its people.

It was quite strange seeing it rank 16th among 151 countries on the World Happy Planet Index for 2012.

There is an army answer and a civilian answer, in Swat, and the truth perhaps lies somewhere in between.

As a nation, we cannot look up to people who have made us proud. And we glorify those who need to be shamed instead.

If verdict for Imran is “shame on you”, what verdict is for ‘fearless’ leaders charged to protect Pakistan’s kids?

We are nursing our two hatreds in competition with each other, our hatred for America and our hatred for the Taliban.

“Should the Pakistan Army launch a drastic offensive against the extremists in North Waziristan?”

Judgments don't stop coups, intrigues or armoured vehicles. But, it may have become slightly more difficult to do so.