Category: Articles

Friends I have enjoyed this journey through Punjab University with you. In this post reliving the 70’s election campaign has been emotionally rewarding to reconnect with such beautiful people and memories. Now I am going to pause it for a while for 2 reasons. 1.I won the election, writing about my tenure would be like…

Pakistanis fell in love with three leaders and took ownership of their visions throughout our history. It resulted in endearing loyalties surviving the test of time. First it was incorruptible and determined Muhammad Ali Jinnah. He achieved the creation of Pakistan. Unfortunately his inning was cut short before he could lay framework for the future…

The acts of snatching the ballot boxes and ransacking the Vice Chancellor’s residence got us all  charged under Martial Law Regulations. It was pretty scary and a new experience for me. Regular laws didn’t apply there. From seeking Union positions we were transformed into “Hawalatis” locked up as common criminals. After a few days in…

ACCOUNTABILITY DEFEATED Prince Hamza does walk on water. The unprecedented relief by High Court merits no further discussion. Closest comparison is to El Chapo- the Drug Lord. Sharif family enjoys a strong sense of entitlement, and rightly so. They are beneficiaries of judicial protection as a legacy for services rendered to Gen Zia Ul Haq…

It was the session of 1969/1970. Pakistan was in a political turmoil. President Ayub Khan was removed in March 1969. General Yahya Khan was in the saddle. Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto had emerged as the populist leader, the defender of the under-privileged. Sheikh Mujeeb Ur Rehman was fanning sentiments of depravation of East Pakistani’s rights at…

PTI fault lines have surfaced again. FM Shah Mehmood Qureshi has picked up cudgels publicly. His grief, why Jahangir Tareen got to brief the cabinet. It’s a public relations disaster. Give us a break Shahji. Such outburst don’t suit mature adults. This incident depicts a larger malaise that confounds the Pakistanis in public life. We…

Punjab University Alumni launch had a lovely twist, thanks to the Organizers led by Dr. Niaz, the VC and orchestrated by Dr. Khalid, Registrar and Dr. Hadi, Director Alumni. Before the start of the program the Alumni were invited to their mother departments for a departmental Alumni event. I got a call from Dr. Mumtaz,…

Prime Minister Imran Khan is a man of integrity, he is Pakistani First, he genuinely wants to reform. I can say it with confidence in view of my long association. His direction is correct as borne out by steps taken since he took office. This is where it hits a snag. There is a disconnect…

It was fall 1967. The start of a new session in Punjab University. Hassan Nisar (then known as Israr Ul Haq) and I were driven from Lyallpur to the New Campus by Uncle Mian Nisar ul Haq (Hassan’s Father) in his stylish light blue Berlina.  The journey was full of guidance and advice mainly directed…

I travelled from Toronto to Lahore last weekend. In the departure lounge I met some friends and we chatted crisscrossing between Canadian and Pakistani issues. At that moment it hit me that I was amongst the lucky ones who can claim I am travelling from one home to the other home. I was met in…