Dr Qaisar Rashid

Afghanistan is a landlocked country and is surrounded by Pakistan, Iran, Turkmenistan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and China. To its southeast, Afghanistan shares a long but porous border with Pakistan. Afghanistan’s major ethnic community, the Pashtun, inhabits the area situated along both sides of the Pak-Afghan border called the Durand Line. Whilst the border keeps both countries […]

In the post 9/11-phase, it is the year 2014 that is bound to test the veracity of the oft repeated and oft eulogised “strong relationship and enduring partnership” between Pakistan and the US. On January 27, the advisor to the prime minister of Pakistan on national security and foreign affairs, Sartaj Aziz, and US Secretary […]

For the year 2014, there are three main issues pertaining to the question of stability in Afghanistan: first, the signing of a security agreement between Afghanistan and the US; second, the presidential elections, which are due in April, and third, the departure of foreign forces (US and NATO) from Afghanistan by December 31. The problem […]

Just go through the examination papers of the past five years on any subject, find 10 oft-repeated questions (or topics), put them together and predict the next paper. If not 100 percent, the guess will be 75 percent correct. That is, there is no need to study the syllabus thoroughly; just be selective and pass […]

The Federal Public Service Commission (FPSC), Islamabad, is obligated to recruit candidates every year from all over Pakistan on grade 17 posts through a competitive examination called the Central Superior Services (CSS) examination. In November 2013, the FPSC announced the result of the written examination held in February 2013. Out of the 11,406 candidates that […]

Democratic pluralism is a concept that is the antithesis of the nation state concept. The latter identifies the state with one homogeneous nation. In contrast, democratic pluralism appreciates heterogeneity in all respects, ranging from race, ethnicity, language, culture, to religion and sect. Furthermore, democratic pluralism rejects the idea that the state should represent a distinct […]

No doubt, democracy has been restored, the judiciary has become independent, an amendment to the constitution has happened and (comparatively) free and fair elections have taken place, yet there is still a long way to realising the goals of political, economic and social stability in Pakistan. For a developing country such as Pakistan, the year […]

Policy is a method by which to meet given objectives. It is said that the foreign policy of a country is a reflection of its internal socio-economic and political strategies. This is also true for Pakistan. There are five areas that offer challenges to Pakistan’s foreign policy. First of all, Pakistan is faced with the […]

The process of evolution is not sparing Pakistan. In this month of November, a few new socio-political patterns have emerged, which presage a different future for the country. First, the notorious mullah-military alliance has suffered a historic setback. Syed Munawwar Hasan, the amir (head) of Jamaat-i-Islami (JI), avoided publicly using the word ‘martyr’ (or shaheed) […]

The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) must be applauded for showing zero tolerance towards the menace of corruption, which has been plaguing society. The PTI has displayed its anti-corruption policy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) where it is the largest party sitting on the treasury benches. On the charges of corruption, the PTI has not only expelled two […]