Imran Khan

Tariq Ali, whilst having a lunch in Knightsbridge with the Pakistani cricket colossus, Imran Khan, suggested that retirement should not be too problematic for him.  (Khan had seemed gloomy, deep in thought about post-retirement prospects at the age of 30.)  Consider, posed Ali, film, or at the very least funding for a film institute.  “You could be an enabler or you could act.  A film with you in it would be a surefire hit and help fund more avant-garde productions.”

The state of Pakistan is now poised for a change, as predicted by many in the context of the General Elections held on 25 July. Though Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s victory is not decisive, there is a general feeling that given the lead in the race, PTI under the leadership of Imran Khan will form a government. The provinces will also[Read More...]

Tariq Ali, whilst having a lunch in Knightsbridge with the Pakistani cricket colossus, Imran Khan, suggested that retirement should not be too problematic for him.  (Khan had seemed gloomy, deep in thought about post-retirement prospects at the age of 30.)  Consider, posed Ali, film, or at the very least funding for a film institute.  “You could be an enabler or[Read More...]

The predicament of Imran Khan’s fanboys has been somewhat like the pubescent girl who falls head over heels in love with a promiscuous playboy; and when her family and friends try to knock some sense into her by telling her that your sweetheart is cheating on you, instead of heeding to their well-meaning advice, she thinks they are jealous of[Read More...]

Although people often conflate democracy and liberalism but there is a fine distinction between politics and culture; a democratic system of governance falls in the category of politics, while liberalism, as a value system, falls under the rubric of culture. When we say that Islam and democracy are inconsistent, we make a category mistake as serious as the Islamists’ misconception[Read More...]

On this solo episode I discuss two major geopolitical situations and their possible impact in the region and on the US. I begin by breaking down the political crisis that is unfolding in Afghanistan with Vice President Abdul Rashid Dostum and the allegations that he ordered the beating and rape of a political rival. I explain the back story of these allegations and how they have presented a serious political challenge for Afghan President Ghani these past several months.

21st Century Wire says…
Of course a ‘technicality’ would be found to give that slippery eel Tony Blair some light relief and to keep coveted information safe under the ‘Official Secrets Act’. We wouldn’t want that two week scouring of the Chilcot Inquiry papers by the British Security Services to indicate that indeed Chilcot himself could have ‘mistakenly’ left out certain information of the report, would we.

Although people often conflate democracy and liberalism, there is a fine distinction between politics and culture; a democratic system of governance falls in the category of politics while liberalism, as a value system, falls in the category of culture. When we say that Islam and democracy are inconsistent, we make a category mistake as serious as the Islamists’ misperception that democracy is somehow un-Islamic. They too mix up democracy with liberalism.

RT | November 27, 2013

One of Pakistan’s major political parties has published the name of what it believes to be the CIA’s chief operative in Islamabad after a US drone strike killed five people last week. The group demanded on Wednesday that the spy chief face murder charges.

RT | November 23, 2013

Thousands of demonstrators protesting US drone strikes in Pakistan blocked a main road Saturday in the Peshawar province used to transport NATO supplies to and from Afghanistan.
The protests was led by the Pakistan Tehrik-e-Insaf (PTI) party, which is led by Imran Khan, a former international cricketer now turned politician.