Political Themes

These are a collection of columns and articles written over a period of ten years, from 1990 onwards and printed in different newspapers.  Published ones were subjected to editorial discretion occasionally. Although some of these were written a decade ago, their contextual relevance remains valid even today; perhaps an indication of the endemic nature of the issues in  Pakistan's politics. Many questions of fundamental nature are raised here - democracy, constitutional issues, judiciary, bureaucracy, education, the concepts of national defense and more that can cause havoc over social dinners in the wee hours.

Social and General

 

 
Patriotism is the last refuge of a scoundrel" - Similarly, humour is the refuge of a gagged scribe. Here are some articles written in lighter vein but with dark and somber undertones. The readers are free to dwell upon whichever aspect tickles their fancy. Through some of these articles, I pride myself and our society for a fundamental freedom of speech that is not obvious to the callous eye. I have reflected upon many social and political issues in a light that is not complimentary with traditional vision. The driving sentiment behind these words is inspired by the fable, "The King is Naked."  I hope these passages will bring more than a smile on readers' faces.

        Technical

 

However much I have wanted to indulge myself in creative writing in a serious way, the compulsions of earning a livelihood through productive work (the hardest way usually) always prevailed and I have had to give precedence to professional writing and ubiquitous  presentations.  Here are some notable, if not exceptional, excerpts from some of these efforts. My professional background of agriculture got me involved in many analytical and developmental projects with Pakistan Government and International Agencies. Readers with serious inclinations towards economics and developmental issues may find fertile grounds here for controversies and criticisms.

  Nome de Plume
Perfidious as it may sound I must make this confession.  I made some contributions for a budding writer once, who became famous eventually, first for winning over the hearts of column readers in Pakistan, and later for winning the heart of one of the most celebrated international  literary figure of our times. What I received in return for burning the mid-night oil after being on the Tractor all day, was far less than what could be described as gratitude. But what I gained for it was cynically put by that person as, "honing my writing skills at their expense." Whatever the truth, what is relevant today is that some of these columns deserve better than to be  relegated to newspaper archives and be used as wrappers for pans (beetle leaves for chewing).  They are being placed here for readers to browse through and muse over......creative works do not belong to anyone but those can appreciate it.