Opinion

Women voters are sometimes forced to cast votes for particular candidates favoured by male members of their families.

Elections are described as a Western implant that does not suit Pakistan’s socioeconomic and political conditions.

Pakistan need to quickly develop an approach towards international commerce that will bring in more foreign exchange.

The government should take action against those who falsely accuse NGOs or aid workers of being spies.

My mind says we need established politicians to fight the surge of extremism. My heart says we need new faces.

Only the most concerted, sincerest effort will enable Pakistan to overcome economic, educational, health challenges.

In face of human degradation, art can come to fore & through aesthetic dimension, we can relive value of being human.

In militant's twisted logic, by directing aggression at parties they make sure their brand of theocracy will triumph.

The Chinese must withdraw and return to the status quo before their leader's upcoming visit.

In a "New Pakistan" we might have a political government who yearns for the reconciliatory embrace over dead bodies.

With an entirely different sociopolitical outlook, Sindh can stoke a violence of unfathomable ramifications.

With only 7 days remaining in elections, I implore leaders of parties to not let thugs of TTP define who they are.

We must hope that justice coupled with common sense will prevail and that an even keel will be found.

It's important, for India & Pakistan, to learn from Sarabjit Singh’s tragic saga, sit and evolve policy for prisoners.

Was this a visit made to make a point, i.e., army brass’s discomfiture at seeing former COAS getting his comeuppance?

Our political leaders and all others who matter must stand up and speak out before the Taliban take over.

Replacing inefficient general fuel subsidies with targeted subsidies should be the first step.

Communication tools available to voters also ensure that there be some retribution for evil deeds of rulers.

With most subjects, bulk of resources devolved to provinces, concept of centralised services has become meaningless.

How do they expect caretakers to control the situation when those who claim to own Karachi never took ownership of it?

Rizwan hails from an Afghan village bordering Pakistan where, he explains, everyone in the village is the Taliban.

As Pakistan moves to the general elections in 10 days, it is not clear how fair and free would these elections be.

Current status of women candidates on general seats shows that there is hardly any shift in the patriarchal mindset.

The voter of today is more aware and concerned about the commitments that a party makes and how well it fulfils them.

Research on determinants of militancy in Pakistan is changing how we view those who join the ranks of militancy.

Provided that conditions are made safer, popular support will culminate in unexpected results in south Balochistan.

Much will depend on how the swing of the youth vote is calibrated and directed to the polling stations on D day.

The cost of each of the 3 “free lunches” when they ended quickly appeared in the shape of massive crises.

US, Nato forces haven't left Afghanistan, but debate has already begun as to who's responsible for the dismal failure.

Our students are taught not to question the teacher or the textbook and to just regurgitate material.

Dealing with the situation in Sindh today requires a package deal including reforms, restructuring and other efforts.

The electoral exercise on May 11 is just a trailer and the real movie starts when the elections are over.

At least, we want to give democracy a shot, and that is the most important thing right now.

Reforms should bring the middle classes and the poor into the process of investment and high wage employment.

There are no ‘grand strategies’ in any of the manifestoes that can address the difficult issues that must be tackled.

Recurrent analysis of own performance vis-a-vis their manifestos will help political parties to be more self-reflexive

The inability of PPP, MQM and ANP to indulge in any sort of electioneering is indeed a shame.

The bomb blasts ripping through ANP, MQM and, though to a lesser extent, PPP have been called a new kind of rigging.

Your vote might just make the difference between those who care for the country and those who care for themselves.

Indians will vote for parties that are formed on the basis of linguistic and regional chauvinism and are caste based.

The US cannot just continue to engage the Pakistani leadership as the sole determinant of Pakistani politics.

Improved sanitation allowed cities to grow. Indeed, it spawned the Urban Revolution.

Elections should be on time. Elections are all we have got and are unquestionably better than any other alternatives.

The peace lobby has grown despite the ridicule and the jibes from hawks in both Pakistan and India.

Election manifestos seem like hallucinations when judged on the track record of the parties touting them.

Politicians have talked the talk on education long enough; let’s nudge them to now walk that talk.

No reconciliation imposed from outside will work in Afghanistan. Afghans alone must be the arbiters of their destiny.

Instead of uniting against forces of retrogression, our politicians are trying their best to be part of them.

Parties spent time and money in preparation of their manifestos but have not changed their well-known narratives.

Governments in North America have become habitual in protecting their power base through intimidation.