‘Security diplomacy’ top priority for Pakistan at UNGA on September 27, 2021In times of a prevailing pandemic, diplomacy and media engagements at the UN General Assembly (UNGA) have also taken some hits with limited access to the world’s largest multilateral forum this year. While government delegations on presidential and prime ministerial levels weren’t at their usual capacity, a large number of foreign ministers did manage to […]
Pakistani Diplomacy: A Gathering Storm on September 21, 2021If President Biden’s phone call to Prime Minister Imran Khan, infamous for not having taken place so far was a matter of concern, Secretary of State Antony Blinken’s recent congressional testimony was tantamount to an indictment with the punch line, “Pakistan has a multiplicity of interests, some that are in conflict with ours.” When asked […]
Pakistan’s Diplomatic Outreach on Afghanistan on September 10, 2021Following the demise of the Ghani regime and the shockingly swift takeover of Afghanistan by the Taliban, there has been a diplomatic and media uproar around the world with much finger-pointing at Pakistan. India’s propaganda that Pakistan orchestrated the rout of the Afghan National Army that was built by a combined NATO effort (costing around […]
Stabilising Afghanistan on September 3, 2021Before committing to a cause or objective, it is crucial to factor in the pros and cons to define a long-run strategy for success. For the last twenty years, and by extension since the late 1970s, Afghanistan has kept the world on edge due to its internal strife and proxy wars played by external players. […]
A Foreign Office Embroiled in Politics? on August 13, 2021At a time when Pakistan is facing multiple foreign policy challenges such as Afghanistan, situation in Indian Occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK), tenuous relations with the United States and FATF, amongst others, one would expect the Foreign Office to be single-mindedly focused on strategising the best course of action. But unfortunately, the institution seems to […]
Is Kashmir Diplomacy on the Right Track? on August 6, 2021This week marks the second anniversary of New Delhi’s illegal annexation of Indian-occupied Jammu & Kashmir (IOJK) when it invalidated Articles 35A/370. Subsequently, Modi regime introduced draconian measures that not only confined Kashmiris locked up in their homes, but also introduced legislations with grave ramifications for IOJK’s demographics and culture. While some local leaders eventually […]
Rising femicide cases in Pakistan: where can solace be found? on July 30, 2021A surge in violence against women across Pakistan is turning out to be worse than previously imagined. Some are terming it as a reflection of ‘femicide’ given the fact that such incidents are either hushed up or underreported. The gruesome murder of Noor Mukadam has shaken the entire country to the core with protests and […]
Of Angels and Demons on July 25, 2021On Tuesday evening, I was surfing through my Twitter account when I stumbled upon the claims of a disturbing, heart-wrenching murder in Islamabad. When further details emerged, I momentarily went into a state of numbness. The life of an innocent girl was brutally taken away just because of a toxic friendship that she didn’t deserve […]
Lessons for Pakistani Diplomats from Western Public Diplomacy on July 16, 2021As mentioned in my last piece, it’s appreciable that the Foreign Office has initiated a public diplomacy initiative in association with Coke Studio. This can go a long way in connecting global audiences with Pakistan’s unique musical heritage with the potential to host such events in major cities across the world. How important music can […]
Reinventing Pakistan’s Public Diplomacy on July 9, 2021Projecting soft power or building a soft image of a country through cultural and public diplomacy initiatives are accepted as crucial domains of modern diplomacy. This is because soft power is immensely important in building influence and pursuing national interest objectives amongst nations in a contemporary era. In fact, in many situations, it is even […]