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Government and Politics


Democracy That Delivers

March 08, 2010

Improving public confidence in a democracy is not just in the interest of any incumbent regime. It is in the interest of every party or individual who declares its belief in change through democratic means. The only remedy available is to focus on economics, and thus less politics.

The Curse Of Good Government

January 14, 2010
 
Yet I must admit that whenever I see government doing something that is outrageous or even wasteful or seemingly stupid, my "good government" ideals seem to kick in and I find myself thinking that the powers that be could learn how to do things correctly. At that point, it never occurs to me that maybe, just maybe, the mechanism of action we know as government cannot be operated in a "proper" way at all, because no intellectual device exists that permits us to properly determine just what is "good" or "bad" government. 

Populism On The Rampage

December 24, 2009

Populism by its very nature is inimical to principles of morality and dictates of law. Like a blind force it razes everything to ground the first of which are morality and law, endangering the whole edifice of the society. That is what the PPP is up to this moment. It has shut itself in a shell and is refusing any meaningful dialogue with the outside world. It has exalted itself to a yardstick to measure and judge whatever exists beyond its pale. In this spirit, it is repudiating both morality and law.

Mundane Minority Politics

December 21, 2009

Had the constitution of 1973 existed prior to 1973 and been enforced in its true spirit, we would have had no Bangladesh! And most probably there would have been no violent movements in any part of Pakistan!

The Taliban Mindset

November 20, 2009

Principally, the only point of a constitution is its ability to protect life and property and fundamental rights of individual citizens. Also, the State’s control of its individual citizens is a relic of the monarchical past where instead of law, the ruler was the law, and he acted like a father or mother taking care of his subjects. When law rules supreme, however, it means the laws and the State give equal protection to every citizen’s life, property and fundamental rights. That is why all the attacks on constitutions first require the suspension of these fundamental rights.

In Defense Of Kerry-Lugar Bill

October 21, 2009

The KLB is part of a new political paradigm and it needs a new pro-active and positive approach to be understood properly. It is people-oriented, and anti-elite. It is anti-Taliban who are intent upon rewinding the whole world back to a past of their own liking. Also, it is imperative that we give due weight to the new realities of the world which provide us with opportunities to change ourselves to co-exist peacefully and live a better life in harmony with other nations, peoples and countries. The KLB may help us take the next step in that direction!

Religion And Rule Of Law In Pakistan

August 10, 2009

After military might, religion is the greatest alibi to defy the rule of law in Pakistan.

Probably the greatest tragedy that happened to Pakistan is that religious factor decisively succeeded in putting everything on defensive. How under such circumstances a value like rule of law could take root? Thus, what happened in Gojra is not un-expected.

Not An Elitist Media!

August 06, 2009

If you attack the establishment long enough and hard enough, they will make you a member of it.
[Art Buchwald}

A momentous turn in the history of the media both electronic and print in Pakistan is the rule of law movement. No doubt, through the thick and thin of this movement it was proved that in the war against the elite classes, media especially electronic media can play a frontal role. It must be mentioned here that electronic and print media both reciprocate their influence on the formation of public opinion. Prior to that, media was considered an integral part of the elitist alliance. No doubt, it was so!

Bulldozers Can't Stop Slums

July 25, 2009 
 
After treading the red carpet at the Oscars in Los Angeles in February, the child stars of Slumdog Millionaire are on the streets: Mumbai authorities have demolished their flimsy shelters only three months after promising them real houses. Azharuddin Mohammed Ismail and Rubina Ali Qureshi are just two of some 60 million slum-dwellers in India and their Garib Nagar and Barat are just two of about 52,000 slums. 

The Post-Restoration PML (N)

May 07, 2009

Let us leave behind what is behind the scene. We cannot decipher the exact meaning lost in the ambiguous language of the PML (N) leadership until and unless they state it clearly and meaningfully. However, we can judge on how dangerous its well-defined policy of vacillation towards Taliban is. We can see how its noncommittal position ultimately serves the interests of the Taliban and their allies, and how seriously damaging it is for the reputation and popularity of the PML (N). Last but not least, we can speak of what one of the Pakistan’s largest political parties should be doing now, amidst the Taliban’s terrorist onslaught, and how it is avoiding taking sides.

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