Will the UAE be able to survive?

With the imminent peace deal between the US and Iran, there is every possibility that Israel and the UAE will try their best to sabotage the deal, as both want the Islamic Republic to be bombed into the Stone Age. But what the UAE rulers don't seem to realize is that their country is the most vulnerable to attacks from Iran, as it is only about 50 km away. Already predictions are being made that instead of Iran, it will be the UAE that will be reduced to rubble. And there are many reasons to believe that the UAE will not be able to survive this war.

By leaving OPEC to put Saudi Arabia and its other neighbors in a quandary (they will have to reduce oil prices, affecting their revenue), the UAE has no friends in the region (except of course Israel). So presently it is just like a colony of the Jewish apartheid state. But even Israel will not be able to help it rebuild its damaged infrastructure, and no foreigner would be willing to invest in the UAE after its currency collapses. 

The UAE was once part of Oman, and that is how it might end up (perhaps Abu Dhabi will be able to remain independent, if its oil wells survive the war).

 

 

Why are salaries so high?

My first salary after graduating was Rs. 500. Those were the days when you could buy a seer (kg) of beef for a rupee. One could travel in a rickshaw or taxi for ten miles (16 km) and pay only a rupee or even less. As the years went by, and inflation took its toll, salaries grew almost exponentially, and today I heard that the son of a class fellow of mine (an engineer, now dead) has been offered five million a month, while his soon-to-be ex-boss is offering him twice that and many perks (like a hundred million rupee loan to buy a house).

I wonder what exactly does such a man do that he is considered so valuable? When Americans managed the oil industry in Karachi, they used to say, "If you go on leave and your subordinates aren't able to run your department, you are useless". In those days they sacked such a man, who used to work fifty hours at a stretch without going home. He thought the boss would be impressed, thinking that he was a hard-working man. It didn't help him. 

I've heard that nowadays it's the other way around. Every executive makes sure that among his subordinates, there is no one as competent or as intelligent as he is, so if he's absent for a couple of days, the boss calls him back to work as the organization can't function without him. During a management course I attended in 1967-68, an engineer was called by his boss on the third day of the course, and he announced that he had to go to the factory because it couldn't run without him. He said it with a grin, as if it was something to be proud of.

  

Israeli law targeting Muslims

Targeting Muslims

ACCORDING to an Al-Jazeera report, “... of the Palestinians tried for offences committed in the occupied West Bank, 99.74 per cent were found guilty ... conviction rates for settlers found guilty by civilian courts of committing crimes against Palestinians in the West Bank (excluding East Jerusalem) between 2005 and 2024 ran to about 3pc”. Also, the same channel reported, quoting The Guardian newspaper, that Israel has yet to prosecute any of its citizens for killing Palestinians in the occupied West Bank “since the start of this decade”.

Just imagine, if another country were to sentence only Christians or Jews to death, for any crime, there would have been a huge outcry, with possible sanctions imposed on that country. Even the widely reviled apartheid regimes of South Africa never enacted such a law. Yet, just because it is Israel, Western powers have only voiced mute criticism. This is shameless hypocrisy and double standards at work.

Shakir Lakhani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, April 26th, 2026

https://www.dawn.com/news/1995120/targeting-muslims

 

 

Because of Trump's lies, no one will ever trust American politicians

If there's one thing we've learned from the war on Iran, it's that Americans (especially politicians) can never be fully trusted again. Trump lies so much that one can only wonder how such a man was ever elected president.

During his first term he tore up Obama's nuclear policy agreement with Iran (he also moved the US Embassy to Jerusalem). He bombed Iran's nuclear facilities despite ongoing talks. As if that were not enough, he again did the same thing even after Oman announced that negotiations with Iran were successful and it was ready to sign an agreement acceptable to the US. After spending 55 billion dollars on the war and not achieving his aims, he keeps declaring that the US has won, but doesn't explain why he has blockaded the Strait of Hormuz, a step that is causing oil prices to increase.

Yesterday, when Iran's foreign minister arrived in Islamabad, he announced that it was Iran that had requested that talks be resumed, although Iran categorically said that it was not interested in talks. But Trump nevertheless said that he's sending two envoys (including his son-in-law Jared Kushner) to hold talks with the Iranians (who will not be there).

One can only wonder how a man like Trump has been able to fool so many Americans into voting twice for him.

Democracy vs dictatorship

Until recently I was a diehard supporter of democracy, but recent events have compelled me to change my opinion. Even though Socrates opposed democracy, most countries have opted for it. But considering that it was democracy that cost Socrates his life (he was judged guilty by twelve men who were not his equal in intelligence), it is obvious that democracy is not suitable for mankind.

Consider this: what kind of democracy is this where people like Trump, Netanyahu and Hitler get to be leaders? Trump himself is a convicted felon who knows that he might spend the rest of his life in jail if he's impeached and deposed. Netanyahu is facing corruption charges, so he wants to cause ruckus and mayhem to remain in power. Hitler, it must be remembered, was also elected. Since it's evident that the common man is easily fooled (as in Pakistan where a nincompoop narcissist ruled for four years). a new system (like that in China) would be more suitable for modern times, with some safeguards (like easily removing an incompetent leader like Trump). Of course it will mean doing away with some freedoms, but even in the US, most people don't get the rights given to them by the Constitution.

Failure of talks and future of UAE

It would have been too much to expect the talks to result in any agreement, although there are rumors that it was Netanyahu's phone call to Vance that scuppered a deal. But the cease-fire holds, and there is talk of another meeting between Iran and the US in a couple of days, again in Islamabad. But even if there is a deal, the Gulf States have a lot of thinking to do, and one hopes that they don't align with Israel or India (as the UAE has done).

In fact, the only visitors to the UAE will probably be Indians, who own a lot of property in that country. If ties between Pakistan and the UAE don't improve, Pakistanis will no longer want to remain there, and some of them might even be deported. Whatever happens, the UAE will no longer be the bastion of stability it has so far spent hundreds of billions to portray itself. The Europeans will hesitate to settle there, even if it continues the tax-free regime for them. It will take at least a year for the UAE to attain some semblance of normality, if ever. It is desperately short of money, and one indication is the restriction on foreign airlines to operate only one flight daily to the UAE. This applies to all airlines in the world, not only to India and Pakistan. It will take a long time before the UAE is able to extricate itself from the mess of its own creation.

US-Iran ceasefire: Pakistan's finest hour

Pakistan succeeded in persuading both US and Iran to agree to a two-week ceasefire and hold talks in Islamabad. This will definitely cause Modi many sleepless nights, as Pakistan is on the world stage now because it was able to defeat India in the "Operation Sindoor" air war last year (which most Hindutva terrorist Indians still refuse to concede). Another loser is Imran Khan and his cult followers, who openly mocked Shehbaz Sharif and Asim Munir when they were reported to be trying to mediate between the two warring countries.

Both the US and Iran claimed to have won, but to most impartial observers, Iran has come out on top. It was able to fight for forty days, inflicting colossal damage to Israel and its Gulf allies. It proved that the US is no longer the superpower it claims to be. 

But the one who lost the most face is President Donald Trump, who until yesterday was warning that he would bomb Iran back into the Stone Age if it did not agree to his demands. "A whole civilization will disappear tonight", he warned. Iran did not flinch. I admire Iran's leadership for its victory. It has saved the Muslim world from being taken over by the Zionists.

Why did 77 million Americans vote for a sociopath like Trump?

It's often been said that democracy is the best system. But that doesn't explain why pedophiles and killers like Trump and Netanyahu get elected (Modi is another psychopath who should have been strangled at birth). And let's not forget that a megalomaniac like Hitler was also elected democratically.

So why should most countries of the planet stick to democracy? Trump's latest antics prove that he's a danger to the world. This man is obviously demented, as his tweet yesterday proves. He threatened Iran with total annihilation if it did not open the Strait of Hormuz. He used the common four-letter word indiscriminately used by illiterate people. But the surprising thing is that he even wrote "Allah be praised" in the same tweet. And this too on one of the holiest days in Christendom (Easter Sunday). No wonder Bernie Sanders and many others have called him crazy. He should not be trusted with the nuclear button. In fact, he should be put in a mental asylum before he does any more damage.

 

Trump and Netanyahu should be tried as war criminals

The Iranian government should demand that Trump and Netanyahu should be tried and sentenced as war criminals by the International Court of Justice. This is the only way psychopaths like them will be prevented from wrecking the world economy and causing immense damage to the environment.

The whole world is suffering because of the antics of these two mentally deranged fanatics. Every country on the planet has seen massive increases in fuel prices. Pakistan is no exception. Yesterday, petrol and diesel prices were again increased substantially. Trump had every opportunity to reverse course and declare an end to the war on Iran. Apparently he wants his friends to become billionaires. His speeches have caused oil prices to spike and share prices to stumble. Some people have earned billions from betting. 

The saddest thing of all is that Trump was manipulated by Netanyahu into declaring war on Iran. The Western nations should realize that the problem is Israel's Zionists, not Iran. But unfortunately that is not likely to happen soon.

Pakistan should not mediate

Even though Pakistan has received a lot of favorable attention from the warring nations, I believe it should not have offered to mediate. The reason, of course, is that Trump cannot be trusted. He tore up the agreement between Iran and Obama, he attacked Iran (twice) while negotiations were in progress in Oman, and now, he keeps lying about ceasefire with Iran, while sending troops to the region. Chances are, he will order an invasion of Iran while talks to stop the war are in progress.

Another thing: even if the talks are successful, can anyone say with certainty that Trump and Netanyahu will stick to the terms of the agreement? I strongly doubt it. The UN is powerless to do anything if the perpetrators are strong (like the US and Israel). There have been many resolutions to resolve the Kashmir dispute, but the impotent UN can only look on. A strong UN would have sanctioned India, the US and Israel, but that is impossible. So, as I said, Pakistan should stay out of it.

Arabs will be the real losers in this war

I have a horrible feeling that the current war will lead to the end of the world. Both the pedophile (Trump) and the mass Muslim killer (Netanyahoo) are crazy and there's nothing they will not do to save themselves. They might even use nukes to silence Iran.

Whatever happens, the poor Arabs will be the losers. If Iran wins, it will ask them for reparations caused by attacks by the US. The US is already demanding five trillion dollars to continue the war, and half that amount to end it. The Arabs are in a Catch-22 type of situation. The UAE, in particular, will be the hardest hit. No longer will its residents proudly claim that it's the best place on earth. They will have to endure years of hardship like we have done. Power blackouts and water and food shortages will be the norm, unless of course the war ends immediately. Even then, as I said, a big chunk of its income will go to the US or Iran, assuming that it remains the tourist hub it used to be, which is doubtful.

But if this turns out to be a world war, humans will probably become extinct. Which will be a good thing for the planet. 

Cashless economy

Published in Dawn on March 15, 2026

THIS refers to the letter ‘Documented economy’ (Feb 23). For obvious reasons, our tax-evading traders, smugglers and other such ‘nation-lovers’ will strongly resist the introduction of a cashless economy. It will surprise the tax collectors to know that there are restaurants in posh areas that have banners showing ‘cash only’ and ‘credit/debit cards not accepted’ announcements. In such cases, the only thing is for tax inspectors to raid such places and seal them.

However, in malls, supermarkets and registered outlets, the government can impose a surcharge on cash payments above Rs2,000, thus increasing its revenue and also encouraging people to pay by credit or debit cards. Payment of utility bills by cheques or through online apps should be encouraged.

People buy groceries worth more than Rs20,000 at a time. Such people will not at all mind paying extra if they are charged five per cent more by the government.

Shakir Lakhani

Karachi 

https://www.dawn.com/news/1982278/cashless-economy

I've always hated extremists, so why do I support Iran?

Ever since I was a boy of ten, I've been suspicious of those who are, or pretend to be, deeply religious. A relative of mine one day stopped shaving and turned into a fanatic. He would take money from people, then pretend to be violently sick, or disappear. Once he was recovered after more than two years from a town five hundred miles away. People thought he was mad, but sometimes it was evident that he was acting. He's dead now, so I'll never know the truth.

When the clerics took over Iran, I hated them. I believed that they would kill their opponents, suppress their women and turn the country into a living hell. Of course some of all this did happen. But it's also a fact that they turned Iran into a welfare state (petrol was so cheap that some of it was smuggled into Pakistan). Women were forced to wear the all-enveloping burqa, but surprisingly Iran has more educated women than in most Islamic countries. 

But the main reason I support the regime in Iran is that it has successfully resisted the US and Israel for more than forty years. Despite decades of sanctions, it's managed to fight a war with the two evil countries and in ten days it has survived the bombs and missiles rained upon it. Trump seems to have concluded that the war is unwinnable, so he's talking about a cease-fire. Even though Iran has lost much, it has the potential to become the region's super power. The Zionists will never be able to strike Iran again.

Iran says it will no longer attack its neighbors

It's only a week since its leadership was killed and Iran caused havoc in the region. Even today it attacked Dubai airport. But suddenly, it announced that attacks on its neighbors will stop. What is the reason for this change? The only reason I can think of is that the neighbors must have begged for a chance to return to normal, maybe they even promised to ask the US not to launch attacks on Iran from their territories.

Whatever the reason, for the next six months at least, Dubai and other cities in the region will no longer be the same as they were before the war. Dubai, particularly, is an artificial entity, being a major financial centre. The foreigners who had bought property and were doing business there due to zero income tax will no longer want to continue. Most of them have probably left, paying hundreds of thousands of dollars to get out of the war-torn region. Hong Kong and Singapore will probably regain their earlier reputations as major financial hubs. 

The population of the GCC countries are bound to demand explanations from their governments for putting them at risk. Why did the UAE get too friendly with Israel is something its leaders will have to explain. It's going to be a tough six months for the sheikhs and princes. 

Israel fools the US into another war

Israel finally got what it wanted: a war between the US and Iran. But it will have to pay dearly. Even though negotiations between the US and Iran were practically concluded, with Iran agreeing to most demands, Israel forced Trump to attack Iran, killing its top leadership (including the Supreme Leader Khamenei). 

What Israel and Trump hadn't taken into account was the fact that its allies would be directly in the line of fire. It's been three days since the war started, and there is panic in Dubai and other states in the region. Foreigners in the UAE are reportedly paying 300,000 dollars to escape to Saudi Arabia by car. If the war lasts another two weeks, food shortage in Dubai may cause riots (as most of its food is imported).It will take many months for things to return to normal, but one thing is certain now: Westerners will never regard the region as a safe haven. Cities like Dubai, Doha and Bahrain will no longer be the favored destinations for Europeans.

With oil prices predicted to soar to 200 dollars a barrel, the future looks bleak. Inflation could hit the US, and Trump's party will be soundly beaten in the mid-term elections in November. I hope Trump is booted out and impeached for his crimes.

Difference between Pakistani & Indian tax collectors

Issues of tax and trust

Published in Dawn, February 26, 2026

THIS is with reference to the editorial ‘Lavish lifestyles’ (Jan 30), which reminded me of what happened to a Pakistani who had gone to India and set up a business there. In a couple of months, he had saved enough to buy a motorcycle. The subsequent week, he got a notice from the tax department, asking him to explain the means with which he had managed to buy the motorcycle. Of course, the man returned to Pakistan. I remember his remark. “In Pakistan, no one is bothered if you buy 10 luxury vehicles, but over there, you spend Rs25,000 on a motorcycle and the government pounces upon you.”

Perhaps this is the difference between our tax collectors and those across the border. Recently, a dumper truck driver returned illegally earned Rs4 billion to the National Accountability Bureau (NAB). Why the tax authorities were not able to detect this huge amount looted in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP)?

There used to be a time when we had an efficient anti-corruption department to whom the common man could confidently report. Unfortunately, people seem to have lost trust in it, perhaps due to fears of their names being divulged to the tax thieves.

Shakir Lakhani

Karachi

https://www.dawn.com/news/1975842/issues-of-tax-and-trust

Stock Exchange massacre

It happens every couple of years. The Stock Exchange Index gradually increases for a few months, then there is a minor crash, then shares rebound and the cycle is repeated. This time, however, the crash is huge (from 190,000 to 160,000) and no one can explain why this is happening.

One reason could be (and probably is), the daily suicide attacks in KP and the bombing of Afghanistan. This war has been going on for a long time, as about 40,000 terrorists were allowed to enter Pakistan by Imran Khan, and they are wreaking havoc.

Another reason could be the impending attack on Iran by the US. If this happens, and Iran retaliates with attacks on neighboring countries, it will be the Third World War (which, by the way, has already begun, according to Ukraine President Zelensky).

There is another explanation that I heard on Twitter. It seems that whenever there are signs that Imran Khan is about to be released from jail, the market goes down. The man said that even though some businessmen voted for Imran in elections, they are scared that once he is let loose, he will again destabilize the country. 

Whatever the reason, I'm glad I got out of the share market about sixteen years ago, as I needed money to buy my present apartment.

Trump's war on iran

It's evident that Trump wants to bomb Iran so that a major threat to Israel is eliminated. In fact, there are conspiracy theorists who say that Israel got the Epstein files released so that Trump would need something to distract public attention from his pedophile activities. What is ignored, however, is that the US will be able to weaken China by bombing Iran to its knees.

China buys eighty percent of Iran's oil. After the US capture of Venezuelan oil, which was also China's major source, loss of Iranian oil will be a major problem for China. If Iran falls, China will have a hard time finding new sources of oil. This is Trump's real intention: remove China as the other superpower. 

But will Iran surrender? The US demands on the Iranian leadership are unrealistic. Even if Iran gives up developing its peaceful nuclear program, sanctions will still remain in place. So Iran gets nothing, and if it does comply, its leadership will be forced to resign and flee. Iran, therefore, has no choice but to fight until death. 

Am I taking too many pills?

A couple of days back, my oldest cousin suddenly kicked the bucket. He was five years older than me and lived a good life. What was surprising was that he never took any medication (not even vitamins), despite having run into a couple of vehicles last year (he said that it happened because for a moment he lost consciousness when driving). He should have gone to a doctor but didn't do so. Maybe he would have lived longer if he had. He even continued driving, even though he could well afford to employ two drivers.

His death made me wonder if I'm taking too much medication. I consume four vitamin pills, two pills for hypertension, four for curbing cholesterol and blood sugar, another two of collagen, an anti-allergic pill for sinusitis, and nowadays a pain-killing tablet twice a day for the (sometimes) excruciating pain in my back and left leg (due to sciatica). The question arises, despite being on such heavy medication, why am I not as healthy as my late cousin was?

Come to think of it, I have another close male relative (a couple of years younger than me) who never takes any medication either, despite being a smoker. I suppose some people are healthy because they inherited the required genes. 

Imran Khan's sudden eye trouble: another drama?

Imran Khan's sudden loss of vision in one eye is probably another drama to gain public sympathy. We saw how he claimed that he had been hit by seven bullets and needed a wheel chair to get around. But when arrested, he stood up and started walking.

I believe that the next step would be for his doctors to say that he needs treatment in London or New York and should be flown there. That way, everyone will be happy. Imran will claim there was no deal for him to be released. He will be able to spent the next two or three years out of the country and will be able to return when the next general elections are held. 

Of course, this kind of thing has happened before, when Nawaz Sharif was allowed by the apex court to go abroad for medical treatment. At that time, when Nawaz was seen walking without assistance, Imran had questioned the chief justice on why he was let go, seeing that he wasn't as sick as portrayed. But then, Nawaz made no secret of the fact that he was going out of the country as part of an agreement. Imran will never admit he made a deal with the powers that be to get out of jail.