Category: Articles

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Majha and Saja were in business together. Majha had lent money to Saja who kept reneging on his promises to repay. Majha got fed up and complained to area elders. They were summoned to the council (Pariya) in a nearby village. Both boarded a bus to attend. En route their…

“Gatka” is a form of martial art associated with Punjab. Its origins can be traced back to the 15th century. It is popular among rural Sikh communities and adopted by many in the region, including Hindko speakers. Wooden swords are painstakingly carved and used in this sport. I attended Burn Hall School run by Irish…

CONSIPARCY OR INTERVENTION – A USELESS DEBATE STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Hina Rabbani Khar, in her 2nd term in Foreign Ministry, came up with a novel explanation about the intervention memo. As reported, she stated it was Donald Lu’s personal opinion! Those of us who have an understanding of the workings of institutions like…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan It was a warm sunny day. Excitement and anticipation was in the air on this 25th day of April 1996. Chairman Imran Khan was to launch Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf at an event in a local hotel in Lahore. There was huge presence of local and foreign media. A cricket icon turned…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan When you cheat in an exam after bribing the staff, there is a sheepish look for the uninitiated. However, if you are an accomplished liar, you gloat and pretend as if nothing happened. That is the attitude prevailing in the new setup. It may have worked in previous change of…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Donald Lu is the Assistant Secretary of State for South Asian and Central Asian Affairs since 2021. As a veteran diplomat he has extensive exposure in this region. He served as a Political Officer in Peshawar from 1992 to 1994 and was Deputy Chief of US Mission in India in…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Following developments in Pakistan a quote of Henry Kissinger says it all, “America is strong for two reasons. They search for traitors in their country and kill them. And they search for traitors in other countries and use them.” We have an abundant supply of such “For Sale” material willing…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan With a dust storm on the political horizon, conspiracy theorists and rumor mongers are having a field day. The dust will begin to settle soon. Watching a clip of my friend Hassan Nisar cleared my mind about what we are contending with. Both PPP and PML (N) are far from…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Marcus Aurelius was the last Roman Emperor during a period known as “Pax Romana”, an age of relative peace and stability from 27BC to 180 AD. He was a successful ruler and recorded in history as a prominent stoic philosopher. His thoughts are valid even today. In his philosophical work…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan   I was looking forward to enjoying Lahore’s blissful spring this March in company of friends and family. It would be a pleasant break while escaping the blistering Canadian cold. It was not meant to be. The political temperatures here are soaring and uncertainty is in the air. When a…