Seraikistan will not weaken the federation
While it may seem that the PPP-led government has failed to deliver to the masses, it has definitely added some feathers in its cap by extending autonomy to provinces through the NFC Award, by abolishing concurrent lists, and through the passing of the 18th and 19th constitutional amendments. In addition to this, it has provided the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit Baltistan with identities, and given representation to religious minorities in the Senate. Indeed, PPP is one of the few parties in the country which strongly believes in provincial autonomy that is directly proportional to strengthening the federation. However, whenever ...
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An open letter to Nawaz Sharif
My dear Mian sahib, Once, when George Bush was sitting in his plush chair with lights illuminating every nook and cranny of the White House, he asked Musharraf – yes the one who dethroned you when your delusional state of mind made you believe that you were the next Khalifa of the Ummah (Muslim nation) – a question very similar to the one I have for you today. “Whose side are you on?” “Your side, Mr President,” replied Musharraf, loud and clear without giving it a second thought. I am no George Bush and unlike him, my house is in doom and gloom ...
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Karachi violence: Gunshots on bus U-10
It is frightening to even think what one human can do to another. Getting late for work in the morning, on March 27, I was unaware that my city was already bleeding when I jumped onto a bus called the U-10. We were motioning slowly and gradually until we reached a spot near Tipu Sultan road. From nowhere, a man appeared in front of the bus with a gun in his hand and yelled out to all the passengers, to get off the bus. In a gust of panic, people started rushing out and the driver giving in to fake assumption motioned ...
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Who is a true nationalist?
A bill — proposed by the MQM and recently moved in the National Assembly – to create more provinces in the country has sparked a new discussion in Sindh. Already, many have decried it as a conspiracy to break up the province. The politics of allegations and counter-allegation on the issue has once again started compelling leaders of every political party to act as if they are big ‘defenders’ and ‘nationalists’ and will guard the borders of the province. PPP leaders are of the view that they are the ‘sons of the soil’ and will ‘cut the hands’ and ‘smash ...
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More provinces …or not
Recently, amidst the frenzy of the National Assembly debate regarding new provinces, the MQM’s Farooq Sattar voiced an interesting thought. He said that if more provinces are not built, more “Balochistan-like situations” could arise. By politicising the issue of additional provincial units, the current discourse for provinces has taken an unfortunate turn. Based on populist rhetoric, the debate inside the National Assembly disregards the structurally important aspects of the country’s bureaucracy and political system which is plagued with cases of centralisation and inability to promote local autonomy. The real fear of creating ‘more provinces’ is that it may further polarise the ...
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Why divide Punjab?
“Why not create a Seraiki province in Sindh?” This is my cardinal question to all those who want Punjab to be divided. The MQM’s recent call for new provinces to be carved out in Pakistan has irked me a great deal. To explain my sentiment, here’s some background on the province of Punjab. Many different dialects are spoken in this province, some of which include Majhi, Jhangochi, Pothohari, Saraiki, Jatki, Hindko, Chhachhi, Doabi, and Derewali. The MQM has submitted a bill to the National Assembly calling for Punjab’s division on linguistic basis. What they don’t understand, perhaps, is that Seraiki is a just dialect of ...
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Dear dictator, your rally really sucked
Dear dictator, Your ‘show of power’ in Karachi was, if I may respectfully say disappointing and anti-climatic. Despite all your tall claims of having massive public support, and an equally large Facebook following, you did not garner enough support to draw even close to 10,000 people at your rally. Leaders from your party proudly boasted that your rally would be bigger than Imran Khan’s, yet one can only wonder what happened and where you went wrong. Maybe if the attendees were paid more than Rs1,000 and a plate of biryani, you would have been able to fill the ground. Not only ...
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When grown men fight, Mirza,our nation dies
Being optimistic is an uphill task in the best of times in our chequered past and present. It takes quite a lot to indulge along the elusive lines of buoyancy and change for the future, considering all the mess we have created for ourselves, right from the political playing field to the murky arena of sports. Recently, my sense of optimism got a stark beating, if not a down-right reality check. A lot has already been written about the tirades of and against Zulfiqar Mirza. Interesting and entertaining at the same time, I never thought that Mirza would help me ...
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What to expect from Elections 2013
In the last two weeks we have seen a flurry of political activity across Pakistan. Be it the rally in Karachi or the jalsa in Lahore, the political temperature of the country seems to be finally heating up after slowly simmering for the last two years. The reason is the impending elections that are expected to be held in 2013. It is natural that alliances are being formed, seat adjustments are being negotiated, and parties are becoming more aggressive in their rhetoric. Unlike the last elections in 2008, where there were numerous parties contesting, the upcoming elections present a fairly different picture. Over ...
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Why I don’t support Imran Khan
This is not the way a revolution happens – with unquestioning obedience and a blind following; this is how cults are made. That is exactly what we have happening here, much like the cult following of the Bhuttos, Imran Khan is cultivating the image of a one man show (much like his cricketing years I might add). How can he stand out from the rest when he follows the same policies? For those that don’t know, the PTI does not hold internal elections, Imran Khan is the president for life and office bearers are appointed. If we tolerate his pandering now how can we expect ...
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