-Electricity prices go up, IPPs make money
-Sugar prices go up, sugar barons make money
-Land prices go up, land mafia makes money
-Insecurity increases, military inc. makes money
The system is not in crisis. It was designed to exploit the public & it is working efficiently.
In the realm of oppressive regimes, the imposition of speech control often serves as the initial stride toward subjugating independent thought and acquiring dominion over the masses.
Let us look at why, with some interesting notes from Orwell's 1984: a thread
Govt is taking extremely dangerous path by considering Imran Khan's trial in a military court. It undermines justice & makes the legal system obsolete. Trial of civilians should be held within legal framework. Otherwise, we will make all citizens vulnerable to naked gangsterism.
Do you ever feel that older cities are just more interesting than new ones?
Well, it isn't just because they're old.
It's because of something called "vernacular architecture"...
(1) help establish quality schools and skill training institutions for the very poor in non-profit sector
(2) if cannot do #1 adopt a poor child’s education expenses
(3) if cannot do #1 or #2 financially, volunteer your time for 1 or 2.
This quote is the Third Thesis from my book "Rule by Fear: Eight Theses on Authoritarianism in Pakistan". Manufacturing parties and later destroying them remains the favourite hobby of our establishment.
rewatching 'aangan terha' nowadays. this post is dedicated to the witty and subversive akbar (played by the late salim nasir): a classical dancer before the academy he worked for was shut down, presumably after general zia came into power.
Massive outpouring of dissent (and it is quite nasty in that it is taking the shape of a giant fcuk you!) coming from kids of the middle and upper urban class of urban centres (DHA, Bahria type youth, offsprings of service & ex servicemen, civil servants, remittance-sending
How is that you can directly or indirectly control a country, determine its foreign & security policy, become largest corporate entity, influence media, run marriage halls etc but expect no criticism from the public? Are we living under a state or dealing with gangsters?
In Lahore,only poor working class is dying on both sides in war between police & TLP.
Rich,powerful people responsible for this are comfortably watching TV in Parliament,in big offices of their businesses & palaces.
Law is their domestic slave & prisons, their holiday resorts.
Lahore's streets are witnessing collateral damage for years of conspiracies by unaccountable powers. As usual, the price of these proxy battles is being borne by working class youth and the police force. No justice is possible without accountability for holy cows.
#Happy#Birthday to the Father of Modern #Lahore, Sir #Ganga#Ram who not only built beautiful buildings but endowed schools, hospitals etc in the city. Your memory was desecrated in 1947 and 1992 but we, grateful citizens of #Lahore, will never forget your contribution.
Two policemen dead, 300 injured and 40 plus abducted -
The police is at the frontlines of a war they did not begin, fighting monsters they have not bred. Poorly funded, inadequately equipped and rarely applauded they are today's collateral for a cause the serves other masters.
Today I published an op-ed arguing that freeing the #EverGiven showed that, with the right resources & chances, Egyptians are as capable as anyone, but they often lack those resources
Today would've been my father Elhami's 74th birthday. He left Egypt due to that reality
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This is how the historic core of our cities needs to be preserved. This kind of revitalisation would not have been possible without the involvement of the residents (the main stakeholders!) and the respect and support of visitors and residents of the city. #Lahore@WCLAuthority