Asia-Pacific policy in jeopardy! on February 16, 2018The US policy known as ‘pivot’ to Asia was unfolded in 2013 according to which 60 percent of the navy’s fleet would be deployed to the Pacific by 2020; Singapore would house four new US Littoral Combat Ships designed to fight close to shorelines, while Indonesia wanted to buy a range of American hardware and […]
Improving the electoral process on February 7, 2018Addressing the meeting of judges belonging to special tribunals and administrative courts, Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Mian Saqib Nisar said: “The Constitution is the supreme document of any country.” Constitution is indeed the fundamental law of the country, which defines the authority and jurisdiction of the all three organs (legislature, executive, judiciary) of the […]
No room for India in NSG on January 30, 2018India has been seeking entry into the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) to join the rule-making body. It had applied for NSG membership in 2016, but its bid is primarily being blocked by China, which maintains that the signing Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) is a prerequisite for entry into the bloc. In his recent paper, John Carlson […]
No lessons learnt on January 11, 2018Addressing the lawyers at Punjab House, former prime minister Nawaz Sharif stated, “Former Bangladesh prime minister Sheikh Mujibur Rehman was not a rebel, but was made into one due to the tragic consequences of the state’s refusal to allow a popularly elected leader to hold the prime minister’s office… What has been done to me, […]
Quaid’s vision and perception of state on December 25, 2017We have completely failed to give effect to his ideals and perception of the state. Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was a great leader, brilliant statesman and a master strategist, who fought the case for Pakistan so well that he frustrated the designs of the British that wished to see the sub-continent united in one form […]
Acting audaciously or gambling dangerously? on December 9, 2017Despite appeals from Arab and European leaders and the risk of anti-American protests and violence throughout the world, Trump officially recognized Jerusalem as Israel’s capital. He also announced that he would be moving the U.S. embassy there. This outrageous act has ignited violence, stirred unrest across the region and destroyed any hopes of reviving the […]
Better sense has prevailed on December 3, 2017Leaders of religious parties on Monday eventually reached an agreement with the government to amicably end a 22-day long Faizabad sit-in, which has been appreciated by all strata of society. According to the details, Federal Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal and Federal Interior Secretary Arshad Mirza signed the agreement from the government’s side, while Allama Khadim […]
Ceteris paribus, PML-N will control Senate on November 22, 2017All political parties wish to have elections on time except Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), which demands holding elections earlier so that the PML-N may not become the single majority party with total of 37 seats in the house of 102 seats. Even if the PML-N agrees to hold early elections, which it will not, the fate […]
Nawaz Sharif in cul-de-sac on November 14, 2017After his disqualification from premiership by the five-member bench of the Supreme court, Nawaz Sharif is likely to face more problems with the opening of the Hudaibiya Paper Mills case. Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar has ordered formation of a three-judge bench to hear a reference of National Accountability Bureau (NAB) pertaining to […]
Mandate is never perennial on November 6, 2017After the 2008 elections, PPP formed the government, and in February 2012 about one year before completing its term, its leaders in their statements were cocksure of their triumph in 2013 elections; except in Sindh the party was almost routed from other provinces. The PML-N had comfortable majority in 2013 elections and formed the government […]