Month: May 2020
-
IS CHINA FLEXING ITS MUSCLES?
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan “Wake a tiger with a long stick” is a quote from Chinese leader Mao Zedong, father of the Chinese Revolution. Caution is woven into Chinese culture. China was transformed in four years (1948-1952) from a decadent society to an orderly nation. There was a lot of pain in the formative…
-
“TABDEELI” A DREAM OR REALITY
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan The gates were opened by an armed guard and a white Land Cruiser emerged. The young driver was clearly inebriated. His two friends were boisterous. It was past midnight in Defence, Lahore. The vehicle charged down the main boulevard and did not stop at a red light. The cop on…
-
FILLING THE MANAGEMENT VOID
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan It was the late eighties. We were flying back to Riyadh from Islamabad after a week in Pakistan. I was accompanied by Abdul Latif Al-Shaikh, Chairman of our business group. We were embarking on a joint venture in the agricultural sector with ADBP through late Jamil Nishtar, its Chairman. Shaikh…
-
THE TOUGH CHOICE BETWEEN SURVIVAL OR SAFETY
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Christopher Columbus, an Italian explorer, embarked on a voyage in August 1492. He was sponsored by the Catholic Monarchs of Spain. Largely self educated, Columbus had in depth knowledge in geography, astronomy and history. He planned to seek a western sea passage to East Indies. He hoped to profit from…
-
RELIGION HEALS SO WHY DO WE FIGHT OVER IT?
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I reside in Mississauga, one of cities encircling Toronto in the shape of a horse shoe. This city has attracted immigrants from around the world. The flavor is multicultural including many Pakistanis. Our incumbent Mayor Bonnie Crombie along with the City Council recently passed a motion permitting Maghrib Azzan to…