Tag: elites

Defining Ashrafiya, Riyasati Ashrafiya and Danishwar Ashrafiya

Note: The following exchange took place in a WhatsApp group. The name of the objector is being withheld.

Objection by Someone:

Never understand this elite bashing. Are these old Marxists in new garb? Are we bashing success? Do we want communism?

Reply by KA:

Kindly pen down your (anti-) thesis and then anyone may counter it. I will do.

Objection by Someone:

Pen down what. I don’t fight ghosts. No one defines elite. They just talk of this socialist concept. Any one with money is elite

Reply by KA:

No, having money is not an essential feature of the Ashrafiya. Those who use word Elite may mean something else. In English, the equivalent of Ashrafiya is Aristocracy.

Objection by Someone:

Ok so what is elite capture. Where does it not exist.

Reply by KA:

In short, Ashrafiya was already there (subcontinent, monarchs, nabobs, etc). The state was already there. It …

Politics and the destruction of our cities

Years back, I sent an article titled, “Nationalization of social and moral values in Pakistan,” to a newspaper. It did publish but with entirely a different title. The new title, “A state that took over society” aptly described what that article was about. Now when I want to write about the destruction of our cities by the political elites in their bid to impress the citizens as voters, I cannot think of a better title than the present one. First I thought of this one: “Preserving the older cities.” However, both the titles communicate what this article argues about. First, the political elites are destroying our cities; and, second, we need to preserve our cities and their age-old soul.
As far as the concept of cities prevailing in our society is concerned, it needs to be reminded that cities are not a
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