May 22, 2005

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The power paradox In Pakistan, the ruling elite cannot rise above its self or institutional interests because of the dynamics of power. In the process, the writ of the government starts losing relevance, and...		Across the board The following is a report published by Transparency International in 2002 on corruption in South Asia. According to Adil Gilani, Transparency International representative in Pakistan, it''s the last formally compiled report...
Death of the generals IN the drop scene of the gory drama that saw East Pakistan culminate into Bangladesh, Gen Niazi and his 90,000 strong troops surrendered on December 16, 1971...		To serve or not to serve BEESA, the maid who’s family had served my father’s family for four generations, had many interesting tales to tell about my ancestors. She would tell me about the special place her...
Birds of a feather ... OF all our feathered friends pheasants offer the most gorgeous sight to behold, particularly the male ones. The peacock is only one such species. There are so many others....		Alms and the man IF beggars were choosers, they would choose to be born again. Anyway, given a choice they would certainly plead, “As if we have a choice?” It is in their birth. It...
Finds of a bored man Saturday evenings are suppose to be the most exciting. Friends, parties and a whole lot of activities really make it the most awaited evening of the week. So please bear with...		The death of an art IN the drop scene of the gory drama that saw East Pakistan culminate into Bangladesh, Gen Niazi and his 90,000 strong troops surrendered on December 16, 1971...
Breaking new frontiers Where would you find a teacher and a computer trainer? In a school? Well, I found them at a petrol station on Shara-e-Faisal, Karachi, filling gasoline in customer’s car, motorbikes and...		The thrill is in the kill The adventure of going to a hunt, a shikar beings well before you even step into a jungle. The logistics, the permits and the goodbyes are indeed an adventure in themselves...
In defence of Pakistani films Once upon a time a term “Paki Bashing” was coined by white raciest bald-headed youths who terrorized the Asians settled in United kingdom. They targeted old men and girls in particular,...		The influenza threat Each year, over 600 million people (10 to 20 per cent of the world’s population) are infected with the flu. An annual flu shot is necessary to prevent influenza because the composition...
Hot Seat Caring little for publicity, the translator par excellence, Shahid Hameed, dazzles the literary diaspora every once in a while with his exquisite translating skills. Recently, he rendered Brothers Karamazov into Urdu,...		The culture of corruption DURING the election campaign in 1964, Ayub Khan had pledged that if elected to the post of president he would remove corruption from all spheres of life...
A new Shikwa? DR Javaid Iqbal’s autobiography Apna Gariban Chaak was published in 2003. Within a year or so he brought out a new volume, a collection of his miscellaneous writings, under the title...		Power and governance — IV IN Pakistan, the demise of local government institutions was swift and crushing. Initially, the provincial governments interfered in the management of local governments and, eventually, the reconstitution of West Pakistan as...
The in-form deputy NE of the key factors that led to Pakistan performing creditably in India was the inspirational contribution of Younis Khan. A somewhat debatable choice for the post of the vice-captain...		Referees have come of age WITH the recent ban on Graeme Smith the number of captains finding themselves sitting in the bench as silent bystanders has risen to three. India’s Sourav Ganguly is out because of...
The wait is still not over RECENTLY while going through certain comments by officials of Pakistan Hockey Federation regarding the preferred style that the national team needs ...		Doggie demagoguery While the Newsweek story and retraction drama continue to unfold, the cartoon caper in The Washington Times and a measly apology from its editor as well as Pakistan’s...