Opinion

Signing an IMF agreement does not necessarily mean buying into the IMF vision. There is always plenty of wiggle room.

A new breed of television "analysts" with no professional qualifications go on to comment on any issue.

FATA and its neighbouring areas are not what they are shown to be in the media.

Pakistan's political experiences have been very similar to those of Egypt.

The new Pakistani government seems more responsive to people’s wishes, not just to its own constituency.

We should begin to deter criminals and this can only take place by insisting on punishment and not death.

We now have a situation in the country, where the only people who pay taxes, are being asked to pay more taxes.

Value of human life also seems to have decreased & those living in relative security seem to have become desensitised.

I have seen the ability of Modi to pick and choose, empower able technocrats & bureaucrats. He has keen eye for that.

There is nothing really terrible about the songs. They are just infinitely forgettable.

Hazara killing is not only the Balochistan government’s problem. It is everyone’s problem.

India, Pakistan will not tolerate a sneeze from the other, but will stand like dummies when US manipulates both.

This 24/7 spotlight may not build Musharraf into his ex-iconic self, but may bring institutions back in focus.

With little or nothing to lose, the Taliban will have more demands and offers that they will expect the world to meet.

Maybe now, Pakistan can give tips to Egypt on how to cope with a coup.

Drones are not responsible for the murder of Shias or for the daily Karachi targeted killings.

Policy initiatives enabling tenants to acquire land is first step in accelerating agriculture growth via small farms.

Jihad and fatwas are used as strategic tools to eliminate any obstacle that there may be to forming a Khilafat.

The chapter begins not with politics but three short oral testimonies written by an unnamed Indian historian.

It hurt to see the Residency partly burnt; but it hurt more seeing the injured girls, jawans, grieving relatives.

What we have, thanks to Dar’s irrational exuberance, is an IMF drone.

To restore lost mutual confidence Pakistan, India need to register symbolic movement on settling contentious issues.

In the age of media, dissent becomes an eyesore and needs to be curbed in order to avoid embarrassing certain people.

Instead of playing victim, we must take ownership of our problems.

EU should sweep all its properties for bugs and use evidence of US's misdeeds to wring trade concessions.

Hamid Karzai should be leading the talks with other Afghans but we know that is not going to happen.

Big business & agriculturists have cornered our economy & use this clout to buy off establishment, political parties.

Technology drives interest and the mode of war and it continues to ensnare people in an ever-expanding panopticon.

Is there a compelling case in favour of negotiations? Yes.

It is the remote communities which will suffer the most as the number of foreign teams decline further.

Some parts of Punjab do not suffer from terrorist attacks arguably because they are a sanctuary for militants.

Easier countries can endure lack of consensus; in Pakistan it means certain types of deaths resonate more than others.

We need a well-coordinated and integrated approach towards water if we are to survive.

In this piece, I confine to mourning the slow death of the capital, Islamabad.

If a judge of the ATC cannot receive justice is this country, how can ordinary citizens?

It's time for PML-N to stop fighting wars of the past and instead focus on serving the people.

While the accused suffers even before being tried or convicted, the accuser usually remains untouched.

The challenge is to turn this legally correct move of invoking article 6 against Musharraf into a wise one.

Does the new government which took over in early June know what to do to revive the economy?

Our prisons are a deplorable reflection of how low we have stooped morally.

Things would have carried on for Glencore but for a leaked audit accusing it of selling copper below market rates.

Provincial govts’ development policies must ensure health impact of climate change are mainstreamed into its policies.

Public release of draft-doctrine to win transparency points with US, gain traction for NSSP was an appalling mistake.

Let there be trial of everyone who helped Musharraf overthrow elected government, insult us as a people, commit murder

Modi's power comes from the cadre of both the BJP and the RSS and the groundswell that has opened up the system.

Our pursuit of old-fashioned, outdated, undemocratic models, ideas ensure that we remain reactionary, highly paranoid.

No backup from civilian authorities; rescued people left to fend for themselves after being brought to safety.

Surely if army action is not taken now, it will be too late to exercise this option later.

The Americans know they can’t win on the battlefield. An agreement is their only hope, but will the Taliban concede?

Let us join hands to rid this country of sifarish and develop a culture of respecting the merit-based system.