Populism thrives as a political style rather than a concrete ideology, merging theatrics and emotional appeal to captivate the masses.
Published19 Jan, 202507:37am
As youth-driven activism links consumption with ethics, many local alternatives are thriving by aligning themselves with progressive causes.
Published12 Jan, 202507:06am
The notion that the West has tried to impose Westernisation and secularism in Muslim regions in the past few decades is largely flawed.
Published22 Dec, 202407:08am
Across history, political parties have had to learn to balance their incipient ideology with pragmatism in order to ensure mainstream appeal and survival.
Published08 Dec, 202406:55am
Instead of safeguarding nationalism from those operating from outside its paradigm, has religious nationalism become a launching pad for theocrats?
Updated01 Dec, 202410:06am
Across history, politicians and statesmen have often found inspiration and political strategies in books. However, the age of "leader-readers" now seems to be at an end.
Published24 Nov, 202407:46am
Since the inception of Pakistan, Islamic modernists such as Allama Muhammad Iqbal and Sir Syed Ahmad Khan have had their ideas selectively reinterpreted by the state.
Published17 Nov, 202409:15am
Manichaean dualism, an ancient belief in the eternal struggle between good and evil, shapes many modern populist narratives.
Updated10 Nov, 202411:05am
The anarchic and emotional brand of politics that the PTI has been engaging in is an attempt at barnstorming the mainstream political arena from the outside.
Published03 Nov, 202409:11am
In the age of fake news and its proliferation on social media, very serious societal issues can become trivialised by the unwarranted anger of "useful idiots", who end up harming the cause more than helping it.
Published27 Oct, 202409:21am
While police forces across the globe are now better equipped to manage and contain riots without causing casualties, they claim to have become more vulnerable themselves and are still largely perceived as ‘aggressors’ in such encounters.
Published20 Oct, 202408:39am
Incidents of violence and killings in the name of religion in Sindh are the remnants of a state-sponsored project that is no longer in play.
Updated06 Oct, 202410:22am
Some are accusing Pakistan’s judiciary of becoming overtly politicised and ‘intolerant’ towards parliament, while others are alleging the ruling coalition is undermining the judiciary’s independence.
Published29 Sep, 202408:05am
The stupidity of many politicians, billionaire entrepreneurs and social media activists today stems from a conceptual failure to understand and read certain circumstances.
Updated22 Sep, 202409:50am
National narratives are not necessarily shaped by victors but more so by those in power and those who have amassed a large following.
Updated08 Sep, 202411:26am
