As Pakistan’s political elite continues squabbling for personal or party interests, an alarming event at Karachi went largely unnoticed. It was a press conference organised on June 14 by the government of Sindh, and participated by representatives of the World Health Organisation (WHO) and UN officials. The objective was to update the media on the […]
Albatrosses taking down Khan?
Are some albatrosses around PM Imran Khan taking him down? Is Nadeem Babar, the special assistant for petroleum the albatross that will become Khan’s nemesis? Will Nadeem Babar also face a case that former premier Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is currently facing for having reportedly bought expensive LNG from Qatar? Is Razzad Dawood another one, who […]
NAB destroying faith in accountability?
Why does the National Accountability Bureau (NAB) appear as a headless chicken, or a ruthless one-eyed monster who gets the poor by the neck and is often unable to get to the neck of the mighty ones? Or an entity that is stretching itself beyond capacity, thereby losing recognition even for the good work that […]
CPEC: External violence and internal opposition
Chinese leadership is keen to develop Gwadar as fast as circumstances will allow. For them, the ultimate objective is to reinforce partnership with Pakistan through China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), of which Gwadar is the inalienable symbol. We are here for the long-term friendship and not for commercial profits. This is the resounding and reassuring message […]
FATF action plan implementation urgently requires a ‘coordinator’
Pakistan’s compliance evaluation by the Asia Pacific Group (APG), a regional body of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF), is only 10 days away. The government has reportedly prepared a list of actions in response to the 27-point FATF action plan. The official document prepared for the APG review presumably lists official takeover of […]
Serious disconnect in policy and practice
As ruling and opposition parties slug it out on petty issues revolving around personalities of Nawaz Sharif, Asif Ali Zardari and Imran Khan, the leadership seems to have lost sight of the existential challenges that the country currently faces. Compliance with the conditions of the global Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and passing the mutual […]
Status Quo failing Imran Khan?
Asad Omar’s sad departure from the cabinet has made it abundantly clear; prime minister Imran Khan is pitched against firmly entrenched forces of status quo. Although incompetence, incoherence and indecision on some key issues has marked the first eight months of the PTI government, yet systemic opposition to his agenda – resistance to reform from […]
Sorry Tale of Gwadar
Since 2015, Gwadar has been a sorry tale of insensitivity, inaction and the incompetence of Pakistani leaders. It is an extremely sad comment on missed opportunities. At the same time, Gwadar reflects poorly on the incompetence, lethargy and obstructive nature of Pakistan’s bureaucracy. This simply reinforces the grievances and grudges that Baloch Pakistanis have long […]
NZ Prime Minister takes lead, says shooter will remain nameless, not become famous
In a landmark and extremely moving speech before the parliament, New Zealand’s prime minister, Jacinda Ardern, came across as self-less, clear-headed and a resolute visionary. Never before had a head of government articulated a better framework to counter terrorism and extremism. In fact, the prime minister delivered several strong messages to politicians, media and people […]
Will the ban work without a plan?
Following formally banning Jamaat ud Dawah (JuD) and its humanitarian arm, Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation (FIF), the government on March 5 also moved to take over the institutional paraphernalia associated with Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) across the country. The Sindh government alone took over control of 56 facilities including schools, hospitals and madaris previously run by Jamat-ud-Dawa and Falah-e-Insaniat. […]