Reforestation is a global challenge on June 20, 2021On June 5, Pakistan, in collaboration with the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), hosted World Environment Day under the banner of ‘Ecosystem Restoration’. This annual event has a four-decade long tradition involving more than 100 countries. That Pakistan was asked to play host signals acknowledgement of the country’s progress in ecosystem restoration – particularly, reforestation. […]
Pakistan, India and Covid diplomacy – a chance for peace? on May 5, 2021The World Health Organisation has reported that India is home to approximately 50 percent of all new Covid-19 cases, globally. In real terms, this means 19 million positive cases and 210,000 deaths, by May 1. As the second wave intensified, daily infections topped 300,000 for ten consecutive days and now exceeds 400,000 per day. This […]
A month of philanthropy and personal development on April 14, 2021Over a billion Muslims around are the world are observing the holy month of Ramadan, a 30-day serenity period which comes along with unprecedented philanthropic work and a 360-degree development. Muslim communities, here in United States and around the world, mark this month with devotion, civic activities and philanthropic works. I want to extend best […]
A glimmer of hope for Pakistan-India peace on April 1, 2021After years of tensions, it appears that there may be a glimmer of hope for peace between India and Pakistan. This hope has been precipitated by reports that the UAE helped to broker the recent India-Pakistan Kashmir border ceasefire and a road map to peace between these two nuclear-armed south Asian neighbours. The ceasefire was […]
Thoughts on the future of Pakistan-U.S. relations on March 4, 2021On February 19, U.S. President Joe Biden participated virtually in a G-7 meeting and gave his first international speech at the 2021 Munich Security Conference. While Biden did not address the future of Pakistan-U.S. relations, his remarks have implications for those relations. He proclaimed that “We’re at an inflection point between those who argue, given […]
Under Biden, America will again be ‘a shining city on a hill’ on January 20, 2021With the inauguration of Joe Biden as the 46th President of the United States, Americais closingone of the darkestand saddest chaptersin its history and openinga new onefilled with hope and optimism. The swearing in of the former vice president and senator at noon on Wednesday will herald a new dawn not just in the United […]
A shameful chapter in American history on January 14, 2021Never in my five decades as an Americanhave I been more saddened orconcerned for my adopted country of the United States of America than on January 6, 2021. That was the day the President of the United States, who decisively lost his bid for re-election, orchestrated an insurrection by encouraging his supportersto attack the Capitol […]
COVID-19 vaccine for all on December 24, 2020With the Covid-19 caseload reaching a new peak around the globe in the beginning of December, there was a sigh of relief on December 8 when the rollout of a coronavirus vaccine developed by American drug manufacture Pfizer and Germany’s BioNTech (Pfizer-BioNTech vaccine) began in the United Kingdom’s 50 hospital hubs as part of the […]
New year wishes for Pakistan on December 16, 2020As we enter the holiday season and approach the new year, I want to take this opportunity to extend my heartfelt best wishes to and for Pakistan and Pakistanis. Because of Covid-19, 2020 has been a trying year. We have all had to try harder. We have done so across the board and it is […]
Joe Biden’s victory brings positive winds of change on November 13, 2020After months of trench warfare and 84 seemingly endless hours of counting votes, the verdict is finally in: Joseph R. Biden, Jr. is the president-elect of the United States. He will take office as the 46thPresident on January 20,2021. The quadrennial dance of democracy ended exactly the way many had feared: in a deeply divided […]