bias is ask people in Lahore or Sahiwal who they hate more. My guess: more than half would name Altaf Hussain over the former leaders of the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan like Baitullah Mehsud or his successor Hakeemullah Mehsud. It is scary.

True, what Hussain said cannot be defended in the current situation, but it is also true that hatred towards him is not only because of his association with violence and crime, or because of his loose talk and over-the-top speeches. It is also partly towards his political strength, and his absolute control on the vote bank of a community. And whoever replaces him — if he becomes as powerful and as effective as he was — would have to go through the same public relations dilemma that he hadto go through. He would also be promoted as an ‘Indian agent’ like the founder of the MQM was projected. In response if that leader — be it Farooq Sattar or Mustafa Kamal — also shows less control in his expression, and in case has not opted to stay out of Pakistan, he would definitely be judged and penalised, as his second-in-command sits in front of cameras announcing his disassociation.

ABDUL Sattar Edhi, the iconic humanitarian, who passed on recently, has been highly eulogised all over Pakistan and beyond. He has also received accolades for something more. He donated his corneas after death which bestowed the gift of sight on two visually impaired people.

Edhi’s donation was of immense importance. Coming from a person held in such admiration by all,