The United States has become the most talked-about country within Pakistani political and diplomatic circles in recent months not because of flourishing ties but because of the nature of the allegations made by former prime minister Imran Khan. He’s adamant that Washington played a “primary role” in toppling his government via outwardly legal means. Whether […]
Turbulent Times
Pakistani politics is full of contradictions that follow the dictum of permanent interests rather than permanent allies or enemies. Those who, metaphorically, grabbed each other by the collars are now sitting together on a single platform and running the country’s affairs under a setup akin to a national government. Whereas, the Imran Khan-led former ruling […]
Depoliticising the Foreign Office
As stipulated in the constitution, Pakistan’s National Assembly successfully removed a sitting prime minister for the first time in history. But then, no premier has ever been able to complete their term and the tradition continues. However, the situation isn’t as simple as it seems. The country has seemingly slid into a political quagmire from […]
To Be or Not to Be
Prime Minister Imran Khan is about to face the most daunting test of his political career. Yet, he remains confident enough to succeed. Whereas the opposition parties seem to be in a fix despite their decision to oust him via a “no-confidence” motion, which is expected to take place after the OIC Council of Foreign […]
Why Affluent Overseas Pakistanis are Reluctant to Invest in Pakistan?
While Pakistan’s foreign remittances have witnessed a healthy spike in recent years boosted by the millions of workers abroad who choose to send money to their families by official channels rather than hundi, foreign investment in Pakistan has remained stagnant. One can understand Western entrepreneurs’ reluctance to look at Pakistan as an investment destination, given […]
Of Foreign Office manoeuvres
Recent media reports suggesting that Pakistan’s Ambassador to Turkey Syrus Sajjad Qazi could replace the incumbent Foreign Secretary Sohail Mahmood next month, and that Mahmood could in turn replace Qazi as the envoy to Ankara, came as a shock for multiple reasons. Firstly, Qazi is not even in grade 22, and there are twelve diplomats […]
Dreams of Another Tomorrow — a social satire in the garb of romance
Exquisitely exploring the subtleties of “love and lies” among the Pakistani upper class, JS Rajput’s novel Dreams of Another Tomorrow brings out the contradictions which lend our patriarchal society a unique character – one which may be loved or hated but can only be ignored at one’s own peril. The protagonist of the novel, Raza […]
A Mockery of Diplomacy?
A Foreign Office reeling from weak leadership; confused policy has touched a new low. If media reports are to be believed, and a journalist no less than Mujeeb ur Rehman Shami has claimed amongst others, the Ambassador to Saudi Arabia, Lt General (retd) Bilal Akbar, who was posted to Riyadh just a few months ago, […]
‘Security diplomacy’ top priority for Pakistan at UNGA
In 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
If 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 […]