Category: Articles
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DECENCY BUTCHERED
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Announcement was made over the intercom that the plane was about to land. Despite nearly four decades of international travel, landing in Lahore gives a flutter of excitement unmatched anywhere else. There is a feeling of belonging, a sense of owner ship. Too many memories and associations. However the Lahore…
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Demise of Morality
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I grew up in the sixties in Abbottabad, a pretty and peaceful town nestled amongst pine trees in the foothills of Kashmir. It was named after Major James Abbott. A garrison city, Abbottabad was home to Pakistan Military Academy (PMA) and many Army units. My alma mater Burn Hall School…
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GOVERNANCE ON TRIAL
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan In my last post I had written about the “Great Escape” of Nawaz Sharif. I had commented about the emerging convergence between the institutions. I repeat the relevant portion. “For the first time in Pakistan’s 70 plus years of existence all the institutions were pulling in the same direction. They…
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SUPREMACY OF LAW TRUMP VS SHARIF
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan We live in interesting times especially if you are a political buff like me. On one hand we see a powerful and popular President being cut to size by state institutions; on the other we see a convicted three times Prime Minister weasel his way out of jail and escape…
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BILLION TO BOND
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan There is huge circus going on in Pakistan. Nawaz Sharif is suffering from some serious ailments. It led to being granted bail on medical grounds, despite being a convict. An extremely unusual relief painted as a “humanitarian act”. But there is nothing unusual when it comes to the “Royal” Sharifs.…
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IS CHANGE POSSIBLE?
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan A lot of confusion prevails on the dynamics of Nawaz Sharif’s journey from jail to London. The answer is simple. Either his ailment is terminal or he has paid up. The tone of PTI spokespersons indicates the former. I wish him an early recovery. Coming back to today’s topic, let…
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MAULANA UNCHAINED
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Maulana Fazal Ur Rehman is roaring. Echoes are reverberating around the country. His march on Islamabad has eaten up a lot of air time on TV and prime space in newspapers. His demands are very precise. He wants IK gone as Prime Minister and fresh elections be held. Serious stuff.…
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CANADA SPEAKS
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan The Canadians have spoken through their votes. It is a sobering verdict. The results are summarized in the table below. 2019 Election Results Leader Justin Trudeau Andrew Scheer Jagmeet Singh Yves Blanchet Elizabeth May Party Liberal Conservative New Democratic Bloc Quebecois Green Seats 157 121 24 32 3 Change -27…
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GLOBAL PREJUDICE
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Global migration is a centuries old phenomenon. It re-emerged in mid twentieth century. Nearly six decades ago,immigration started from Asia to Europe and North America. It started as a trickle and then gained momentum from the seventies onwards. New immigrants were accepted in the host countries that were mainly Caucasian.This…
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CANADIAN DREAM
STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan My writings were largely focused on Pakistan and the sub continent. In the last few posts I am writing on Canada. I have been asked why? Here is my answer. I have lived in the East and the West. I believe I understand both cultures, values, sentiments, feelings, thought processes…