Moving onBy: Daily Times on August 13, 2018Earlier this year, the Supreme Court reopened the so-called Memogate case against Pakistan’s former ambassador to the United States, Husain Haqqani, and demanded his return to Pakistan. At that time, this newspaper pointed out that Haqqani cannot be forced to return to Pakistan under International Law. Now, after several months, the Supreme Court has been informed by its amicus curiae that … [Read more...] about Moving on
Missteps on IMETBy: Daily Times on August 12, 2018American military training programmes have long been a cornerstone of the bilateral relationship with Pakistan. Yet all this is about to change as Trump Town has confirmed that it is pulling the plug on them. Of course, this is not the first time that such practical assistance has been suspended. The last time was back in the 1990s when the White House refused to rule out Pakistani nuclear … [Read more...] about Missteps on IMET
Saudi double gamesBy: Daily Times on August 12, 2018The Saudi-led coalition’s latest misstep in Yemen resulted in the deaths of some 29 children when an airstrike hit a local bus. Houthi sources say the toll is even higher: 40 children killed out of a total of 51. The international community has responded as it always does in cases where its involvement in military warfare precipitates devastating ‘collateral damage’. For to be clear, the West … [Read more...] about Saudi double games
Child rapeBy: Daily Times on August 12, 2018Pakistan needs to get serious about tackling child rape. For official data paints an extremely dismal picture. In Lahore alone, 141 such cases have been reported from January until the first week of this month. With not a single conviction taking place. Let that sink in for a moment. And then consider that this is just one city in one province. Police figures suggest an almost equal gender … [Read more...] about Child rape
Another Minorities Day By: Daily Times on August 11, 2018Today, Pakistan is all set to celebrate yet another Minorities Day. On offer will be the usual platitudes focusing on how non-Muslim and Muslim minority sects continue to contribute to the country’s prosperity. Resplendent in casual tokenism of the high wattage kind; for which everyone is supposed to be duly grateful. This year, therefore, we would like to propose shaking things up a … [Read more...] about Another Minorities Day
Deporting the Rochdale gangBy: Daily Times on August 11, 2018Theresa May has got her way. Back in 2015, as Home secretary, she called for members of the notorious so-called Rochdale grooming gang to be stripped of British citizenship. Fast-forward to this week and the courts have moved to do the needful. Thereby paving the way for at least three men to be deported to Pakistan. The Rochdale gang comprised men of mostly Pakistan origin. In 2010, nine … [Read more...] about Deporting the Rochdale gang
Silencing of academia By: Daily Times on August 11, 2018Daily Times has received a copy of the written orders restricting University of Peshawar faculty members from talking to the media; seemingly in accordance with the regulations of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) Establishment Department. Bluntly put, this is akin to crushing academic freedom. In other words, outright censorship is the order of the day. Higher education institutes are meant to be … [Read more...] about Silencing of academia
Intrigue in KPBy: Daily Times on August 10, 2018The wait is over. After keeping his own party on tenterhooks, Imran Khan has announced his nominee for the chief minister (CM) of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP). Mahmood Khan is, for many, a rather surprise choice. Meaning that he is not as big a name as others within party ranks. Thus there have been media reports that certain electables are rather put out at having not been sufficiently rewarded for … [Read more...] about Intrigue in KP
‘Kabul Kitchen’By: Daily Times on August 10, 2018The outgoing US top commander for Afghanistan this week offered a short summary of the situation in that country. Gen Joseph Votel talked in military terms about the simple need for fine-tuning. Particularly when it comes to local forces’continued reliance on checkposts in remote areas; thereby rendering them vulnerable to Taliban attack. Yet the overriding message was clear: there are no real … [Read more...] about ‘Kabul Kitchen’
Learning to love vulturesBy: Daily Times on August 10, 2018The incoming set-up must ensure that recent restrictions on particular veterinary drugs, typically used in the breeding of livestock, are enforced. For there has long been a proven link between certain toxic compounds and the country’s near extinct vulture population. And with Sindh’s top drug regulator now on board — no one can afford to lose this momentum. But why should anyone care about … [Read more...] about Learning to love vultures
