Category: Articles

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I am a veteran of student politics. In 1970 elections Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto won by a land slide in West Pakistan. He demolished all opposition parties. The majority party, Awami League that won more seats than PPP was denied power by General Yahya Khan. It led to mass resistance by…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan It was interesting to watch Rana Sanaullah enjoying a boat ride with his companion somewhere in Europe wearing a fedora hat. He looked like a Mexican bandit or a mafia don. It was taken down rather quickly but not before it had gone viral. Rana Sana is an important part…

WINDS OF CHANGE AND THEIR IMPACT ON PAKISTAN STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Ismail Haniyeh, was born in 1962 to Palestinian parents in a refugee camp in Gaza. They had fled from Ashkelon in 1948 after Israeli takeover. Ashkelon has deep historic roots. It was the launching pad for Sultan Salahuddin Ayubi on his way…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Let us not beat around the bush. General Asim Munir harbors ambitions of a ten-year rule. He wants to repeat what Ayub, Zia and Musharraf did as military dictators. Every military ruler after forcing his way into power, seeks legitimacy. They adorn different mantles; all aimed at creating a centralized…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Ashura falls on the 10th day Muharram, the first month of the Islamic calendar. It mourns the martyrdom of Hazrat Hussain ibn Ali, grandson of our beloved Prophet. There are other landmark events associated with this day. The parting of Red Sea by Moses (Hazrat Musa) and salvation of the…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan AUTHOR’S NOTE July 12: It’s a judicial revolution following the people’s revolution on Feb 8th. PTI must diligently file reference against ECP in SJC and register FIR under Article 6. After Qazi’s debacle, General Asim’s 2nd crutch must be removed. IK’s perseverance has paid off. Read more about it in the article.…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan A niece of mine, who was pregnant and married to an army officer, was murdered by their batman in 1970 in East Pakistan. The brute sliced her throat and cut open her stomach. He left a note “Sala Punzabi” on the lifeless body. One shudders to look back at those…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan In the sixties tractors and trawleys were rare. “Gud” a bull drawn wooden carriage, was used to move produce. Wheat crop after harvest would be thrashed manually and grains bagged. Farmers would be in a hurry to move these bags to safety of a storage to prevent unforeseen weather changes.…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Friendships share a quality with good wines. They get better with age. I just returned from an extended visit to Maryland, USA to be with my son Faisal Khan. While the days were spent involving business, our father son team spent quality time sharing experiences, discussing life, family, religion, and…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I remember watching wrestling matches in my younger days. There were no sports channels or live commentaries except cricket; one had to attend in person. They were fun events full of enthusiasts. Each contestant would arrive with supporters and drum beaters. The wrestler dressed in kurta, dhoti (traditional Punjabi attire)…