Hassan Shahjehan

Terminologies are socially constructed. The binary division of the world between first-world and third-world is primarily a reflection of colonial discourses. And such discourses and terminologies have given birth to the narrative that feminism is primarily a third world issue. But reality is quite the opposite. If feminism was born in the “first world”, it […]

Pakistan’s foreign policy seems to be on a changing course. Much has been written on the successes and failures of its policy, with more focus on highlighting those areas where Pakistan has ostensibly been outdone. For those who criticise the current discourse of Pakistan’s policy there are two major things that need to be highlighted […]

So, the year 2016 has ended with both positive and negative notes. On the positive side, we have succeeded, to some extent, in “breaking the backs” of terrorist organisations operating within the country. Karachi operation has been going and is moving at a fast pace, giving a semblance of peace and security in the city. […]

Among the many advantages of democracy, one is certainly more visible: continuous democracy can make people understand the motives, intentions, strategies and policies of different political parties in a country. Men are rational human beings, and their inner rationality guides them towards what is good and/or what is bad for them. They apply this rationality […]

Pakistan has been facing the issue of terrorism since it entered into the war on terrorism right after the tragedy of 9/11. Since 2004, several operations have been conducted against terrorist groups located in the Waziristan belt in FATA. As a reaction, Pakistan has been facing suicide attacks not only in its peripheries but right […]

Civil-military relations have always been the subject of discussion in Pakistan’s polity. Just like Turkey, the military in Pakistan have always played a dominant role in the state’s politics, so much so that the country experienced four martial laws — 1958, 1968, 1979 and 1999 — since Pakistan’s creation. The detailed analysis of its history […]

State exists for the purpose of well-being and happiness of its citizens. Hobbes has rightly theorised the basis of state existence, and linked it with protection of life as the sacred good. According to him, people in state of nature entered into a social contract for the protection of their life, which was considered the […]

In the whirlwind of all encompassing terrorism, our policymakers appear to have ignored — possible for a long time — a pervasive issue that appears to have taken more human lives than terrorism. The drug (narcotics) trade has become a vast business with users increasing on a daily basis. On the other hand, the perpetrators […]

Something is seriously wrong with the current world order. After the end of World War II and the creation of the United Nations, there were many hopes that the future would be peaceful. These hopes were based on the hypothesis that the rule of law, democracy and human rights would ensure peace and harmony in […]

For the last few years there has been debate around one point: who will dominate the world in the future? Will it be the US or China? In other words, will China replace the US, attract the world towards itself and be the new superpower? Some think that China will replace the existing superpower while […]