Month: March 2023

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I was in my library prepping for a long–distance call when the ground under feet started to move. It did not register right away; however as tremors continued I called my wife and staff to step outside; by then it was all over. The duration was a little over a…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan “Chuj tey bolday sun hun chananee we boldi aiy.” In the days gone by, wheat and chaff were separated manually using a hand held device called “Chuj”. It was used mostly by women sitting in groups. It was scene worth watching; “chuj” emitting a rhythmic sound. It was a part…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I have shared this anecdote previously; however events of 8th March gave it a new meaning. In 1997 we were organizing PTI and holding corner meetings for Chairman Imran Khan to mobilize support for the forthcoming elections. One such meeting was held in Kahna, a suburban town near Lahore. I…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Pakistan has only one national anthem, however on occasions a particular song sinks into the psyche of the nation and takes on proportions larger than the anthem. During 1965 war Madam Nur Jehan’s rendering “meray dhol sipahia tano rab diya rakhan” was a tonic that galvanized the nation. It captured…