Why Are the 2023 General Elections Important for Pakistan?
Muhammad Shaheer Mahmood shares why the upcoming 2023 general elections carry unprecedented importance for Pakistan.
The elections would not only bring stability to the country’s political set-up but also a fully occupied National Assembly.
A National Circus: The Game of Power and the Neglected Masses
“Why are people fighting on TV?”, an innocent child asked his mom, after watching the clash between the police and the protesters last week on TV.
This question prompted Zuha Tiwana, the mother of that child, to pen down the consequences that the national-level circus has had on the public’s welfare.
Violated: The Sanctity of Courts
The courts are one of the fundamental features of any society. They are the protectors of rights, the rule of law, equality, and justice.
The courts are the voice of the silenced and protectors of the unprotected.
Huzaifah Sehgal ponders upon the recent violation of the sanctity of the courts and what this means for the country.
Violent Protests in Pakistan: A Hollow Endeavour?
As Pakistanis, we’re accustomed to placing the blame on others and seeking remedies through sit-ins and protests that characteristically morph into violent and fruitless endeavours.
This time, however, it won’t just stop with arrests and economic contractions as the economy is closely inching towards a catastrophic collapse.
AI: The End of the Legal Profession?
The ability of AI to evolve, and provide uncanny human-like responses, is now seeping into professional arenas.
Being a lawyer himself, Huzaifah Sehgal ponders upon the effect of AI on the legal profession.
He combines the ethical concerns surrounding AI with two foundational legal theories—legal positivism and natural law—to investigate if the displacement of human lawyers is a possibility.
Violence and Video Games: Separating Fact from Fiction
The link between aggressive behavioral tendencies and violent video games is evidently more or less as old as video games themselves.
Muhammad Malahim Zuberi examines the legitimacy of this long-standing link and discusses how crimes by the youth cannot be solely attributed to the violence displayed in video games.
Faith in Imran Khan
The nation’s in a frenzy, but the political elite could care less about the economic woes of the public.
In the absence of good governance by the current political leadership, Imran Khan and his party are continually raising the hopes of a better tomorrow.
Neutrality in Politics is a Sin
Citing different historical examples like the French Revolution and the creation of the US, Bilal Ahmed argues why taking an interest in politics is necessary for the people of a state, especially its youth.
He claims that general neglect shown by the citizens can lead to bad governance and the deterioration of democracy, as is the case in Pakistan.
The Challenges of Conducting Pakistan’s 2023 Digital Census
In this piece, Muhammad Azam Khan speaks from his experience as an enumerator for the first-ever digital population and housing census in Pakistan.
He observes that the use of geo-tagging and real-time data collection intends to address past issues of exclusion and inaccurate counts.
However, to him, challenges have arisen, particularly in Karachi, such as technical malfunctions, lack of security, delayed allowances, and low public awareness.
These hurdles need to be addressed for a successful and accurate census process.
Babar Azam as Captain: Out or Not Out?
The PCB’s announcement of the squad for the T20I series yesterday has people surprised by the absence of the Pakistan team’s captain, Babar Azam.
In this opinion piece, Amjad Riaz makes the case for why Babar should be able to keep his captaincy—do you think the same?
The Dangers of Free Speech Absolutism
Power tends to corrupt, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Lord Acton’s words can also be applicable to free speech.
Mir Adnan Aziz holds that free speech absolutism—speech that knows no restrictions or limitations—has disfigured the sanctity of free speech.
He makes his case by centering the piece around how Charlie Hebdo abused free speech, by continually publishing extremely offensive, and sometimes blasphemous cartoons.
Does Marijuana Use Affect Athletic Performance?
Hamid Amni scientifically explores some advantages and disadvantages of marijuana use by fighters and athletes from a neutral point of view based on limited studies.
Ultimately, he strongly suggests that each MMA fighter consult with a doctor about using marijuana and consider the rules and regulations of the sport.
The PML-Q Breakup: Family Feud or Brilliant Politics?
PML-Q has recently been in the limelight due to the conflicts happening within the party. In a shocking turn of events, Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain and Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi have parted ways, with Elahi now pledging loyalty to PTI.
Aleena Imran discusses how the tight-knit cousins have pledged their loyalty to different political figures throughout history – just to protect their own interests.
She also notes how this televised feud could be a part of their political strategy, so that the ‘Chaudhrys win’ – no matter which party is in power.
Pakistan’s Governance Implosion Syndrome
Mir Adnaz Aziz finds there to be discordance between the people of Pakistan and the ruling elite.
Citizens are now beginning to realize that the government has never really served them. In fact, the public has been on the receiving end of the injudicious and hasty decisions of the politicians.
Understanding the Value of Liberal Arts Education in Pakistan
A liberal arts education offers a multidisciplinary curriculum, including social sciences, humanities, and natural sciences, among others.
Sameer Sohail finds there to be a palpable absence of liberal arts education in Pakistan.
He believes that a liberal arts education would help strengthen the Pakistani economy, contribute to holistic futures, and prepare individuals for success in all aspects of life.
The Reasons Behind the Complicated Civil-Military Relations in Pakistan
In most third-world countries, after the colonial period, civil-military relations (CMR) were characterized by military interventions in politics and insubordination to civil control. In that, it had either been instrumental in providing stability and prolonging the ruling regimes or had been in power themselves.
Brigadier Syed Mushtaq Ahmed examines the reasons for the widespread influence of the armed forces in the domestic political scene. He also explores how civilian regimes have attempted to ensure the subordination of the military to their authority.
Nigerian Military vs Boko Haram: The Costs of Civilian Harm
Nufaisa Garba Ahmed primarily sets out to examine the nature and character of the protection of civilians in armed conflicts. In doing so, she brings to the fore some of the grave violations against the civilian population by the Nigerian military in the fight against the Boko Haram Terrorist Group (BHTG) in Nigeria’s Northeast, as reported by credible news outlets.
The aim of this opinion piece is to bring to light some of the salient issues of civilian protection and proffer some good practices and lessons to be adopted for more credible and transparent operations by the military in armed conflicts.