Editorial

In a welcome move, the provincial assembly has passed the Punjab Witness Protection Bill 2018. This is an important measure in the struggle to better deliver criminal justice. The Bill pays particular attention to those giving evidence in terrorism-related cases as well as those pertaining to sexual offences. At its core, the Bill provides for the creation of a Witness Protection Board. This … [Read more...] about Punjab Witness Protection Bill

This is supposed to be a people-friendly budget. And some of it does look good; at least on paper. The newly and rather swiftly appointed Finance minister announced relief measures for middle-  and upper-income groups in his budget windup speech. Indeed, Dr Miftah Ismail was out to play hardball: no additional taxes for anyone and, similarly, no concessions for those who fail to file income tax … [Read more...] about A taxing budget?

Here in Pakistan, journalists and civil society activists do not need to imagine themselves on the wrong side of a faded and frayed Iron Curtain to understand that Big Brother is watching. This is something that they have long known. In the past, uniformed men might suddenly appear out of the blue to offer a stern warning. Or else it was quite feasible to return home to find one’s home … [Read more...] about Surveillance of activists

Catalonia may or may not be having a Nawaz Sharif moment. The autonomous region in the north-east of Spain has ended the political stalemate that endured for the last seven months. For, after five failed attempts following local elections back in December, it has elected a new President. The new man at the top is Quim Torra, whom the Centre views as a hardline separatist. Much in the same vein … [Read more...] about Catalonia and democracy

The joint opposition does not just want to go to this summer’s electoral ball. It wants to be sure of a full dance card beforehand. And it will not rest until Nawaz loses his head. The sooner, preferably, the better. In real terms, this means that lawmakers across the great divide want to see the deposed Prime Minister tried for treason. Over his comments about militant proxies crossing the … [Read more...] about Political opportunism

The Afghanistan-Pakistan Action Plan for Peace and Security (APAPPS) came into formal effect this week. Hailed as a new framework of engagement, it has at its core a seven-point agenda, including: reciprocal flushing out of militant safe-havens on either side of the border that pose threats to the other. Yet its ‘inauguration’ was overshadowed by clouds of darkness. For militants appear to be … [Read more...] about Militant comeback

Eight years ago, Greece became the first EU member to be granted a Eurozone-IMF bailout package in a bid to keep it in the single currency. Back then, experts were balking at the prospect of lending the Mediterranean nation upwards of $30 billion to a potentially staggering $65 billion by the end of 2010. As things turned out, these were excessively conservative estimates. The final sum totalled … [Read more...] about Greek tragedy

As visual analogies go, it could not have been worse. President Trump appearing via video link at the official ceremony to commemorate his Jerusalem shuffle. While paying lip service to American commitment to the peace process. Netanyahu, for his part, celebrating history in the making as the Middle East’s only democracy fires live ammunition, tear gas and firebombs at Palestinian protestors; … [Read more...] about Israeli violence

That Punjab government-led Women on Wheels (WoW) initiative is to be welcomed. As are all moves at the official level or otherwise that support women reclaiming the public space. Over the weekend, Lahore saw some 700 women take possession of the motorbikes they had secured at under the Chief Minister’s Strategic Reforms Unit (SRU) at the subsidised price of Rs 25,000. In real terms, this means … [Read more...] about Women’s mobility