Fresh casualties dampen hopes for revival of kite festival on March 29, 2024Fresh casualties caused by sharp glass-coated strings used to fly kites in several parts of Pakistan have further dented hopes for the revival of Basant, a traditional festival celebrated with the advent of spring. Netizens took to social media platforms to express their anger over the latest casualty last week – a 22-year-old boy whose […]
New setup in sight but rocky road ahead for Pakistan’s new govt on February 18, 2024As major political forces continue efforts to string together a coalition after the Feb. 8 elections, a myriad of challenges awaits whoever eventually takes over Pakistan’s government. Analysts agree the top three priorities for any incoming government will be the faltering economy, rising political instability and the looming threat of a resurgence of terrorism. Amid […]
Smaller parties take center stage on February 14, 2024As Pakistan’s three mainstream political forces rush to stitch together coalitions after the Feb. 8 general elections, smaller parties find themselves playing an unexpected make-or-break role in the formation of the next government. Several regional and religiopolitical parties with a few seats between them will be crucial in determining who gets to head the central […]
Who are the frontrunners in Pakistan’s crucial elections? on February 8, 2024Tough contest is expected between three mainstream political parties: Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and Pakistan People’s Party Millions of Pakistanis will head to the polls on Thursday amid a grinding combination of economic and political crises. Over 128 million people, 45% of them between the ages of 18 and 35, are eligible […]
Violence, security threats cast pall over elections on February 7, 2024As millions gear up for the high-stakes Feb. 8 elections in Pakistan, campaigning in some parts of the country has been muted at best. The shadow of security threats remains particularly dark in areas like the southwestern Balochistan and northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) provinces. Early on Monday, KP saw the latest in an ongoing streak […]
Parties race to woo key youth voters on February 3, 2024Streets are festooned with fluttering party flags, posters, banners and life-size portraits of candidates across Pakistan’s commercial capital Karachi in the run-up to the Feb. 8 crucial national vote to elect a new government for a five-year term. Through social media and election rallies, political parties are busy in last-ditch efforts to woo the voters. […]
Election season enters final stretch in polarized Pakistan on January 30, 2024Electioneering is picking up steam across Pakistan in the leadup to a crucial national vote next month to elect a new government for a five-year term. Scheduled for Feb. 8, the election is viewed as one of the most polarized battles in the South Asian country’s 75-year checkered political history as the nation remains clearly […]
Afghanistan claims it doesn’t have ‘definitive’ border with Pakistan on January 29, 2024Afghanistan has claimed that it has no “definitive” border with neighboring Pakistan. Speaking to the media during a visit to the Torkham border crossing on Saturday, acting Afghan Minister of Borders and Tribal Affairs Noorullah Noori claimed that the border between Islamabad and Kabul is “still unclear” and that the two countries have “imaginary lines.” […]
Snowless winter depriving northern Pakistan of economic lifeline on January 24, 2024Hotels and streets are usually packed with tourists who throng to the picturesque Kalam Valley from across Pakistan to enjoy the snowfall at this time of winter. Usually surrounded by snow-capped mountains in winters, the popular tourist destination, located some 326 kilometers (202 miles) from the capital city of Islamabad, is currently sporting a brown […]
2024: Polarizing elections, flailing economy worries Pakistan on January 6, 2024Zahid Hussain, a Pakistani chemical importer, had a disastrous 2023 as his business almost imploded due to the country’s painful economic crisis compounded by simmering political turmoil. However, the slight recovery that the cash-strapped nation has seen in the last few months, with the local currency gaining strength and a decreasing current account deficit, has […]