Articles

The article, Restore the food market, argues that the food crisis, i.e. food shortages and food price hikes, is a phenomena of nationally closed and protected markets.

The article, No qualms against America, argues that we the ordinary people are not able to see how it concerns the US that we should not reinstate our Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and his fellow judges to their due position. However, we have no qualms against the US and its officials who are behaving like international goons. We want to know what roles our leaders are playing in this game.

The article, Price of the PML (N) compromise, argues that if Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz Sharif) agrees to the restoration of all the judges regardless of their actions and integrity, isn’t that what we call in Urdu mixing up horses with donkeys. This wipes out the boundaries between what is wrong and what is right, what is worth not a penny and what is worth everything precious. This is how PML (N) is going to compromise the constitutional values at the altar of dictatorial and personal values.

"Countdown on the Traitors" discusses the politics and role of Pakistan Peoples Party's Asif Ali Zardari in playing with the issue of the restoration of the deposed judges. It exposes the pro-establishment politics of PPP since its founding, and exhorts the PPP leader Asif Ali Zardari not to betray the mandate and wishes of the people of Pakistan.

There is a growing notion that rich countries should slash imports from poor countries whose antiquated factories are heavy carbon emitters: this eco-protectionism is in fact good old-fashioned protectionism and would hit the poor hardest.

The article argues that it was in 1968 that Pakistan Peoples Party snatched the slogan of Roti (Food), Kapra (Clothing) and Makaan (Shelter) from the Left. Even today it is harping the same tune, while the Left parties both in India and Pakistan are shifting from Poverty to Justice as the core demand.

This article takes cue from the rape of a lonely girl at the Mausoleum of the Father of the Nation, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah in Karachi, by the security personnel posted at the Mausoleum, and discusses how the absence of rule of law helps ever present possibilities of crime transform into opportunities for crimes.

This article discusses the state of property rights protection in Pakistan. In addition to anecdotal evidence, it brings evidence of the weak postion of property rights protection in Pakistan from the International Property Rights Index 2008. According to the IPRI 2008, Pakistan stands at 93 out of 115 countries, is ranked with Nepal and Ecuador. In comparison, India is ranked at 36. Worse, Pakistan is in the bottom quintile that includes countries like Bangladesh and Ethiopia.

The article argues that it is not because of the Lal Masjid army operation that General Musharraf's party, Pakistan Muslim League (Q) lost in the February 18 elections as is being claimed by its leaders. It says that whatever the differences over the timing and methodology of the Lal Masjid army operation may have been, one can always put forward a number of alternate ways of dealing with such phenomena.

Rising food prices have caused street protests from Mexico to India to Senegal. But this could be a blessing in disguise if it makes governments eliminate the trade barriers that push prices higher: the poorest countries will benefit most from dropping their own tariffs.