At The Heart Of Governance

The Civil Service of a country is central to any govt for good governance, important both in policy formulation and implementation. It provides sound technical and professional advice to govt and guides political office holders. Good governance can only be provided through a capable, dedicated and effective civil service devoted to serving the people and also be a ‘steel frame’ holding the country. Unfortunately they became the rulers themselves and contributed hugely to be disintegration of the country by their capricious, arbitrary and arrogant rule. [Read more]

Common Man’s Uncommon PM

Imran Khan won over the hearts of the masses by his very candid and honest manner in his address to the nation as PM. Delivered from the heart in plain words,his talking points scribbled in his own handwriting he meant what he said. The nation has been waiting to hear from their leaders for the last 71 years about the poor-rich divide and the vital issues haunting the masses on the poverty line or barely above it. Not attacking the Opposition directly, he held them responsible for the current debt crisis of Rs 28 trillion that 10 years ago (2008) was only Rs. 6 trillion.[Read more]

John Mccain, American Extraordinary

John McCain III was born into a Naval family to John S McCain Jr and Roberta McCain at Coco Solo Naval Air Station in the Panama Canal Zone. His father Admiral John S. McCain II, served as Commander United States Pacific Command while paternal grandfather, John S. McCain Sr. was also a four-star United States Navy admiral. The two were the first father-son pair to achieve four star ranks.[Read more]

No More PSLs Abroad

The pulsating cheering crowd in the National Stadium Karachi for the PSL Final, and subsequently for the three international T20s, underscored the return of peace to a city (and country) torn by internal strife.  Bereft of any sports spectacle and living in cold fear for life and limb of their (and their families) because of open-ended threats from terrorists, political, religious and the criminal kind, the people of Karachi had very good reason to celebrate, both their “freedom” and Pakistan’s return from sports “exile”. When the speakers playing the National Anthem failed during its rendition before the start of the match, the entire audience spontaneously started singing the anthem, could anyone have stage-managed patriotism better?,” to quote my article “Lest we forget” of April 6, 2018.[Read more]

SOLDIER CITIZENALL-AMERICAN JOHN McCAIN

The timing of the death of soldier citizen John McCain has immense ramifications for the dangerous cross roads the US is placed in today.For me personally this extraordinary all-American defender of democracy and freedom symbolized the courage and fair play that was synonymous with the American persona and character mostly on displaying the 20th century,during and immediately after the two World Wars.  That is not to say it does not exist, it does among a vast majority but is increasingly less on display. With emerging threats to its global leadership and to the principles for which the US once stood for in the free world, democratic rule, protection of individual rights and equal justice before law, “his death is either the passing of an era or the rekindling of American purpose”, to quote my good friend Fred Kempe, President Atlantic Council.[Read more]

We Filers Are Idiots

A marked deterioration in the economy, a treasury on the verge of bankruptcy and huge levels of debt made fresh fiscal measures unavoidable, the PTI Federal Minister for Finance had perforce to present the Finance Supplementary (Amendment) Bill 2018 in the National Assembly (NA) on Sep 18.[Read more]