Category Archives: Current Affairs

It is not just the Iron Dome which prevents free thought. All belief systems and ideologies do that, whether they be Zionism, nationalism, ethno-centrism, racism, religion, sectarianism, Communism, Fascism or any “ism” whatsoever. To their credit, a few Israeli journalists … Continue reading →

Bush’s neo-cons believed that America could now do just as it pleased. And however Washington chose to intervene anywhere around the world, invasion included, it would be for the latter’s own good. How times have changed!

In an undivided India, about one out of three Indians would have been a Muslim. Muslims would have constituted large majorities in Kashmir, Punjab and Bengal, besides Sindh, Balochistan and the NWFP, and substantially larger minorities elsewhere than presently.  With … Continue reading →

We have reached a point where those who can, flee, those who can’t, pray, plead and then pray a bit more, hoping for the best. The flight started at inception, with Hindus and Sikhs running for their lives, having been … Continue reading →

As if these verbal insults were not enough, physical assault was added for good measure. Yusuf Yerkel, adviser to the prime minister was seen kicking a protestor as police officers detained him during a protest against Erdogan’s visit to Soma.  … Continue reading →

A country belongs to whoever has lived there long enough, but only to an extent. In actual fact, all countries are built on waves of migration, some more recent than others. Competition for land and jobs and the relative economic … Continue reading →

Whereas in Egypt there is a developing tradition of promoting army chiefs to field marshals to keep them in good humour, in Pakistan Ayub Khan’s self-elevation to the rank of field marshal has an interesting background

Not only had the sights and sounds which greeted me at Karachi airport not changed, but they were a world apart from the many countries I had just been to, including my last two stops, namely, Iran and UAE, both … Continue reading →

Religious, political and ideological identities are façades which people, parties and nations wear only as long as their core interests do not dictate otherwise. But when vital interests clash, friendships, coalitions and alliances go out the door and the protagonists … Continue reading →

(The following article was published in five instalments in the Daily Times of 14, 21 and 28 August and 4 and 11 September 2013.  Here it is reproduced in full.)