Hassan Khan

The controversy over a planned imposition of a 35 per cent tax on foreign allowance for Pakistani diplomats posted abroad has gained much momentum in recent days. While concerns were raised with both political and administrative leadership, the Foreign Service of Pakistan (FSP) cadre is reeling with anguish and uncertainty, given how it was not […]

The government’s decision to give an executive allowance equivalent to 150 per cent of the basic salary for a select few divisions and ministries on and around Constitution Avenue and some other important offices has created great resentment amongst the unfortunate ministries that were ignored, such as the Foreign Office; especially at a time when […]

Not long ago, an article titled ‘The ultra right are turning our world into the last days of the Cabaret’ and published in The New European grabbed my attention which detailed the dystopian world we’re all heading toward if current trends continue without interruption. Written by British journalist Paul Mason, the article gave examples of […]

The dominance of the West under the influence of the United States is likely to sustain for a long time regardless of China’s rapid rise in the last forty years. It has much to do with technological prowess, cultural impact, cutting-edge military hardware and linguistic influence. The world may not be safer than before given […]

Ever since assuming charge as Pakistan’s foreign minister, Bilawal Bhutto Zardari has made a number of trips abroad to bolster ties with key allies and interact with global forums, such as the UN and the World Economic Forum (WEF). Most of these visits were aimed to elicit support for Pakistan’s viewpoint on major issues and […]

People often claim that Pakistan is at a critical juncture whenever a political or foreign policy crisis hovers over like a dark cloud. But hasn’t the country always been in a constant tug of war between stability and a plethora of crises? The past ten or so years alone tell us why firefighting has become […]

Ever since the PTI government was removed via a vote of no confidence, there’s been a sense of political and economic uncertainty prevailing which the PMLN-led coalition government is unable to tackle. This itself is causing the ruling party’s political demise at an accelerated rate owing to multiple factors. However, today’s piece isn’t focused on […]

As a 90s kid (and a millennial), I grew up in a world, which experienced political instability, security quagmires, financial meltdowns of multiple nature and a once in a lifetime pandemic. Yet all of this did not deter a significant portion of my generation from experiencing the best of Western pop culture through the lenses […]