Category: Articles

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan The top story these days on American media is the indictment of President Trump on federal criminal charges. It is unprecedented in US history against a former president. Their public discourse is full of latest reports, analysis and predictions. Trump’s equivalent in Pakistan is Nawaz Sharif. Both actually believe they…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan “Kukar toon ganday tay agaye han” answered Ashraf, an experienced mason now out of work in once booming construction industry, when asked how he is doing. It is a disaster out there. Sectors that provided employment aredevastated. According to latest statistics; textile, construction, industrial and large manufacturing sectors’ have seen…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Hans Christian Anderson, a Danish author wrote scores of fairy tales impacting generations. I remember reading them as a child. “The Emperor Has No Clothes”’ was first published in 1837, with roots dating back centuries traceable to Indian folklore. An extremely vain, proud and ruthless emperor spent lavishly on his…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan In the early days of PTI, Akmal Mirza was President Rawalpindi. He was a committed and experienced political activist, liked by Imran Khan. It was important for the Partyto bring onboard members from diversified communities and professions. Akmal recruited a local lawyer, Aamer Kiyani, who was getting established in his…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I was not even a teenager when I learnt one of the most important lessons in life. It became a part of my value system. Abbottabad was popular as a “hill station”, a legacy term from the British raj. Summers were mild as compared to the heat in southern plains.…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan Folks let us keep it simple; it is bullet versus ballot. The barbaric commando style action to kidnap Imran Khan was shameful, demeaning and a gross violation of human dignity. IK was hit, pushed and manhandled like a sought after terrorist. For God’s sake he is a former Prime Minister…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan The Chaudhries of Gujrat have been prominent in politics for three generations. I have known all three of them. Their patriarch was Chaudhry Zahur Ellahi emerging onto the national scene from rural Gujrat during Ayub Khan’s regime. He was a close associate of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto in the National Assembly…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan I have vivid memories of PTI’s founding event at Holiday Inn, Lahore in April 1996. My late friend Ahsan Rashid, Mehmood Awan, and I drove to the venue ahead of IK to get a feel and flavor of the attendees. The hall was abuzz with anticipation. Mazhar Sahi, a former…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan There are many versions regarding the final words of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto before he was led to the gallows. There is one, favored by his supporters. It narrates that as the noose was tightened, Bhutto was in a defiant mood andtold the highly nervous executioner, “finish it”. Then there are…

STRAIGHT TALK by Hafeez Khan One of my favorite pastimes on our farm was to have “poona,” an indigenous variety of sugarcane, harvested and have it squeezed for fresh “roh”, sugarcane juice. After sunset in autumn evenings we would sit under a banyan tree near a “karaha” an oval wide utensil heated by firewood, to…