The book covers one manifestation of authoritarianism as defined by the author and follows a set structure. There is a historical overview — in some instances beginning from the colonial era — consisting of key events which illustrate the issue.

By Paris Marx Elon Musk, the world’s richest man, has bought Twitter. Musk says he’s trying to safeguard democracy and promote free speech — but what does a mega-billionaire with a history of silencing critics and retaliating against workers know about democracy? On April 4, Elon Musk disclosed his 9.2 per cent stake in Twitter. That news set off a …

By Paris Marx Elon Musk’s bid to buy Twitter in the name of free speech is the latest example of his hubris. It’s not just that Elon Musk shouldn’t own Twitter — billionaires shouldn’t even exist. On Thursday, ten days after revealing his 9.2 percent stake in Twitter to the public, Elon Musk delivered an ultimatum: either the board accept …

Tooba Syed dismantles the myths surrounding the former cricketer’s supposedly anti-imperialist tenure in Pakistan by Tooba Syed Despite his best attempts and amid unproven allegations of foreign interference, Imran Khan was removed from power by a vote of no confidence in the National Assembly of Pakistan on 11 April. Earlier that same week, Khan had attempted to block the vote …

This lecture was delivered by Arundhati Roy, author of the recently published Azadi: Fascism, Fiction, and Freedom in the Time of the Virus (Haymarket Books), at the University of Texas at Austin on April 19. Good afternoon, and thank you for inviting me to deliver the Sissy Farenthold lecture. Before I begin, I would like to say a few words …

By Aasim Sajjad Akhtar Qazi Faez Isa is a principled judge. The FIA is harassing us and raiding our homes. The media is blacking us out. Such refrains emanated from opposition circles on an almost daily basis for many years. In a stunning reversal, the boot is now on the PTI’s foot. This is not a victory for democracy. The …

By Ayyaz Mallick Imran Khan’s anti-American rhetoric is not anti-imperialism. It is part of Imran and, preceding him, the Pakistani ruling bloc as a whole’s resort to a militarised, security-centric narrative in order to paper over an incoherent social and economic project. Ideological bluster in this case is compensation for the lack of a deep and sustainable hegemony, subjective idealism …

By Naazir Mahmood It feels good when the apex court of your country delivers a verdict that fulfills the aspirations of its people. Before the verdict, there were apprehensions and fluctuating hopes. Keeping in view not all enviable judgments of the past at least 70 years, the court could have tilted either way. Now, with a unanimous decision, the Supreme …

By Zahid Hussain Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s government has been floundering, but the speed at which it unraveled in the face of the opposition’s no confidence move on Sunday surprised even the most seasoned analysts. Not only have coalition partners of Khan’s party, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) joined the opposition camp, but Khan’s own party has imploded. Facing the …

Prominent academics, citizens and opinion makers of the country have called upon the Chief Justices of Pakistan to burry the ”law of necessity” and reverse the “illegal and unconstitutional actions” of the outgoing Pakistan Tehreek Insaf government. The letter read that: ”Dear Justice Umar Ata Bandial,  We are a group of senior academics, civil society representatives, and concerned citizens. We …

By Faisal Siddiqi “Pity the nation that is led by those who laugh at the law little realising that the law shall have the last laugh.” — Justice Asif Saeed Khosa The vote of no-confidence against Prime Minister Imran Khan was not voted upon, and in effect, was subverted and made redundant on the pretext of a so-called ruling given …

By Kamran Asdar Ali This morning (April 3rd) Maureen Dowd in her column in the NYT, on the by now infamous slap by Will Smith, writes how the actor, Denzel Washington cautioned Smith, “at your highest moment, be careful. That is when the devil comes to you.” She goes on to analyze the entire episode as a Shakespearean tragedy, the …

The nation is stunned. Ahead of the vote of no-confidence, the prime minister had repeatedly hinted that he had a ‘trump card’ up his sleeve. There were indications all along that something might be amiss: even as political pundits and the media confidently predicted Mr Imran Khan’s defeat in the vote of no-confidence, he seemed unperturbed. No one could have …

The Deputy Speaker’s actions in the National Assembly on Sunday may have put a damper on the opposition’s attempts to oust Prime Minister Imran Khan for now, but they have immersed the country into yet another Constitutional crisis — one that is symptomatic of the complete breakdown of dialogue and communication between parliamentary forces — the treasury and the opposition. …

By Huma Yusuf Two hundred and thirteen. That’s the number of times that Imran Khan referred to himself in his address to the nation last Thursday. His opponents shared this tally as evidence of his narcissism. The self-promotion laid bare that his key motivation has been to preserve his power, rather than serve his country. He is not alone. As …