Category: Articles

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan It was early days of PTI and Chairman Imran Khan gave me the responsibility of organizing the Party. Mairaj Mohammad Khan, a political icon, at one time designated successor of Bhutto, was PTI’s General Secretary. Since he was based in Karachi, he was unable to spend time in Islamabad. Hence…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Nearly a hundred years ago in 1920 USA amended their Constitution prohibiting production, imports, transportation and sale of Alcohol nationwide. It was a radical change that was in the making since the 19th century led by fundamentalist Protestants seeking to rid the society of itsmoral ills. It was called “Volstead…

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…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Filling gas balloons is a routine now-a-days for party events. Helium canisters are readily available. It was not so six decades ago. The balloon vendor would show up with his wooden cart and a gas tank and announce his arrival by ringing a bell. I along with my cousins and…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan “Nai reesan shahr Lahore diyan” is part of Lahori folklore. It translates “Lahore has no comparison”. A bold statement repeated over generations. Diehards insist on adhering to it even though the city has exploded beyond recognition. It is over five decades since I adopted Lahore,even though I belong to Lyallpur.…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan “Mera jhuga te bach gaya, baqi khair aay” said Mannah, a peasant farmer after a devastating flood. “My hut has survived, so all is fine”. That is the prevailing attitude in all the citadels of power and cushy fortified residences of the corrupt elite. They have buried their heads in…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan In a recent meeting with Chairman Imran Khan, I saw him limp in pain walking at a slow pace. It brought back memories of IK climbing stairs with a leap, taking two steps at a time while we mortals struggled to keep up. It brought a lump in my throat.…