Potted biographies
Roberts reserves his sharpest blade for Lord Mountbatten.
F.S. Aijazuddin
All common men
Rulers, whether in civvies or in uniform, above all and below all, are common men.
Success backstage
The memoirs are not a ‘selfie in book form’.
Two budgerigars
‘One is roots and the other is wings.’
Handshakes, RIP
To some, a hand-folded namaste encourages social distancing.
The fourth R
Pakistan needs to be closer to Russia.
G-20, or G-2?
Pakistan is still a semi-state.
Think, then tweet
We are warned of the power available to IT giants.
A slow death
Where do we stand in this spectrum of despair?
Price of loyalty
Today’s creaking colonialists are being outbid by the US, Chinese and Saudis.
Revolving lives
Modi believes in beneficial rebirth, but can he be sure as who or what?
Return from death
Scientists tell us that there are in fact multiverses.
Eat bitterness
Old sins, as Agatha Christie wrote, have long shadows.
New heresies
It took zealots minutes to destroy the Buddha’s statue.
Where to, Captain?
Seven years later, we are back to marla one.
Fiscal anaemia
It is hardly surprising that the FBR has found it difficult to sustain its lofty vision.
Digging our graves
The buffoonery of many leaders is disquieting.
Et tu, Bolton!
Bolton’s book deserves to be read — only once.
‘Get used to me’
The seeds scattered 50 years ago have germinated, unexpectedly.
Open your mouth
Moral ambiguity bedevils governments here and in the UK.