– Published in Daily Times on 27 December 2012 Benazir Bhutto Shaheed will be remembered forever for her bravery, efforts for the empowerment of the oppressed within our society, and her sacrifices for us. There are very few people courageous enough to not only face all troubles with resilience but also be capable of leading tough missions effectively. Not only a …
In an article in this newspaper titled “Can Bilwal revive the old PPP” (December 1), a respected reporter and anchor from a family that is known for its journalistic ethics — in an age and time in Pakistan when that has become a rarity — posits an interesting question. Mazhar Abbas asked whether the Chairman of the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) had the …
By Farahnaz Ispahani “The summer heat turned my cell into an oven. My skin split and peeled, coming off my hands in sheets. Boils erupted on my face. My hair, which had always been thick, began to come out by the handful. Insects crept into the cell like the invading armies. I tried pulling the sheet over my head at …
The political history of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) has been one of relentless and unyielding struggle to restore democracy in Pakistan in the face of overwhelming resistance by the forces of tyranny and dictatorship. Though this history is rich with the stories of strong and courageous individuals, any history of the PPP, or that of democracy in Pakistan more …
The federal budget for 2011-12 has been presented amidst difficult and adverse economic circumstances. It is, given the prevailing situation, as positive and realistic a budget as possible. The country needs to expand revenue generation and expand the tax net to lay the foundations of sustainable economic growth. It is, therefore, ironic that populist rhetoric and slogans like ‘the budget offers no relief to …
Pakistan faces an education emergency — a fact known widely but discussed insufficiently by Pakistan’s political and media elite. The inadequacy of quality education renders our country incapable of dealing with the challenges of the 21st century. Redressing weaknesses of our education sector are a prerequisite for building a progressive, tolerant, enlightened and non-violent society. We can begin by talking candidly about the magnitude …
Ye bazi khoon ki bazi hai, (This challenge is a blood-stained challenge) Ye bazi tum he haro gay, (This challenge you are bound to lose) …
Three years ago today, Benazir Bhutto was assassinated. It was a dark day that indelibly changed the direction of Pakistan and I am torn both by personal and political reflections. I was blessed and honoured not only to assist Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto in the field of communications but also to know her personally. So for me, December 27 is doubly …
As the Pakistan Peoples Party celebrated its 44th founding day, it is important to remember and retrace the party’s history and principles so that one can get a clearer picture of its commitment to democracy. The PPP, which was launched at its founding convention on November 30, 1967, is the only party with demonstrated strength in all four provinces of Pakistan. It …