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Home » ColumnsWhen Imran Khan was left speechless-almost
Many are the comments about Sri Lanka. The latest doing the rounds is that Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan was rather shabbily treated when the Address he was scheduled to make to Parliament was cancelled. It appears that the pandemic is the reason for the belated cancellation as though the pandemic suddenly enveloped Sri Lanka [...]
Whom Imran bowled out and how he left
It was 4.40 p.m. last Wednesday when the Bandaranaike International Airport’s Air Traffic Controllers cleared ‘Pak Two’ for take-off. The Pakistan Air Force Gulfstream G450 rolled off from runway 22, veered westwards, and gradually climbed to 35,000 feet. It cruised at that flight level far off from the Thiruvananthapuram coast in South India, over the [...]
Criminal negligence
My dear Cheerio Sirisena, I thought of writing to you because you are once again making headlines even though you are no longer the big boss that you used to be. Unfortunately for you, the headlines you are generating are not favourable for you and I’m sure you are wondering what would happen next. I [...]
Learning lessons from the COVID-19 burial fiasco
Probably the bitterest experience faced by the Muslims in the history of the country has come to an end with the Government’s decision to restore the right of burial to those who died or were suspected to have died as a result of being afflicted by the COVID-19 virus. But the irrational decision of the [...]
Trade and balance of payments prospects in 2021
The prospects for a favourable balance of payments outcome this year is bleak. While the trade deficit is likely to expand, the balance of payments deficit is likely to increase owing to lesser workers’ remittances, capital outflows, negligible FDIs and inadequate tourist earnings. Overview An improvement in the trade balance is of paramount importance for [...]
Government finally unlocks Muslims’ doorway to Heaven
The Government on Thursday night finally bowed down to local and international pressure and lifted the ban on burials for the COVID dead, thus ending months of protests and anguish amongst the nation’s 2 million strong Muslim community. It did so by simply adding two little words to the original gazette text which had made [...]
The Easter Sunday commission and the indictment of a president
Can a President or a Prime Minister be indicted for gross criminal negligence in respect of his or her duties to the nation? A cynical wag may well remark that, on this same reasoning, virtually the entirety of Sri Lanka’s political leadership since independence may be criminally liable. And therein hangs the difficult tale of [...]
Easter Sunday massacres: Sirisena acts fast to avert criminal action
Former President meets Gotabaya, Mahinda and Basil to seek clarification; holds meetings of SLFP leadership groups President Rajapaksa tells Wimal to stop campaigning to make him the leader of the ruling SLPP alliance Govt. faces tough challenges from UNHRC; India’s Geneva envoy makes thought provoking speech Early this month, former President Maithripala Sirisena, learnt [...]
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