No confidence in the Senate! on August 6, 2019The ‘established’ political parties of Pakistan today have mainly dynastical family rule like that of Z.A. Bhutto, his descendants(and opportunistic adherents through marriage like Asif Zardari), that of Maulana Mufti Mahmood, Baccha Khan’s family and more lately of Nawaz Sharif’s, feudal to the core. The exceptions were Jamaat-e-Islam (JI) and the MQM. The MQM became […]
Collaborators force multiply crime on August 1, 2019Having stabilized somewhat after a rather rocky start the PTI government and PM Imran Khan seem set on their attempt to steer course towards real change, with across-the-board accountability the central plank of their campaign. The dire economic situation shows some signs of hope: With 2.1 million people filing their tax returns, the highest in […]
The original Reko Diq story! on July 29, 2019Historically, gold prospects have always attracted adventurers. The sites are usually fought over, not only by individual prospectors and/or mining companies but by nations. Possibly, the biggest copper and gold deposit in the world, why should Reko Diq be an exception? In 2010, the Reko Diq Mining Project was calculated to be a US $3.3 […]
US Pakistan relationship another fresh start on July 25, 2019The three-day historic visit of the Pakistani PM Imran Khan to the US has come to an end. The overwhelming perception one gets from the visit is that a closer relationship between the two countries than during the last five years looks possible. The future will show if that hope is justified. While Mr. Trump’s […]
Proud of you, Imran on July 23, 2019All of Imran Khan’strips abroad as PM has been of great importance to Pakistan. The most anticipated (and more important than others) was his 3-day trip of the United States (US). Primarily Pakistan badly needed to mend fences with the US on a number of thorny issues, secondarily we had to attract very much needed […]
ICJ’s Kulbhushan Yadav verdict on July 23, 2019A serving officer of (Lieutenant Commander’s rank) of the Indian Navy (commissioned 1991) involved in subversive activities inside Pakistan, Indian RAW agent Kulbhushan Yadav was captured in Balochistan in March 2016. During videotaped interrogation, Kulbhushan explained his motivation for working for RAW as the attack on the Indian Parliament in December 2001. He admitted in […]
Analysis made a year ago on July 22, 2019Dangerous Liaisons May 24, 2018 The Soviet invasion in 1979 precipitated a large influx of Afghans into Pakistan, mainly from the Kabul elite, the affluent bought up residential homes and even small businesses, mainly in transportation. As the war reached the countryside the not so affluent started to cross over to escape being caught in […]
The painful lessons of Reko Diq (Part ii) on July 19, 2019To quote from my article “ANOTHER REKO DIQ SCANDAL?” of July 10, 2014, “Controversially appointed Vice Chairman Balochistan Investment Board (BIB), one of Arsalan’s (former Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry’s son) first (and probably only) acts was announcing the multi-billion dollar Reko Diq gold mines would be awarded to the highest bidder through an open […]
The painful lessons of Reko Diq (Part I) on July 17, 2019Baluchistan is Pakistan’s province of superlatives: the largest province, it is the most neglected province in terms of infrastructure development, education etc. but also the richest province in terms of natural resources including the world largest copper and gold reserves. These reserves will play an important role in Baluchistan’s and Pakistan’s development if and when […]
Ross Perot, Sr extraordinary American on July 15, 2019The grand old man was 89 when he lost the struggle against his cancer. The news about the demise of Ross Perot Sr. in Dallas came as a shock one is never ready and prepared for losing someone. His son Ross Perot Jr is one of my best friends. Born in modest circumstances in Texas […]