This summer Pakistan enters into another phase of instability on June 24, 2017 Pakistan is slowly gearing up for another round of political instability. By all accounts, the Prime Minister and his political fortunes are likely to suffer as a special investigation committee probes the first family’s wealth. The investigation is likely to be completed in early July and thereafter the Supreme Court will review its findings […]
Jobless white men cant be terrorists on June 20, 2017On Monday morning, a van ploughed down Muslim worshippers, as they were leaving a north London mosque after late night prayers. This was the latest in a string of attacks that has jolted the British capital in past four weeks. This sadly marks the fourth terror attack in the UK in four months, after attacks […]
To protect Pakistanis, reframe security policy on June 10, 2017 Pakistan’s treatment of its minorities is unenviable to say the least. It is ironic that a country created to protect the Muslim minority of undivided India has turned into a dangerous place for religious minorities. The issue is no longer about the status of non-Muslims in an Islamic Republic. Since the 1970s, our gradual […]
Iran attacks: Islamic State a grave danger to the region on June 10, 2017Iran’s relative insularity from the global wave of terrorism was disrupted through the recent attacks on the country’s parliament and the mausoleum of Ayatollah Imam Khomeini, the founder of Islamic Republic. The Islamic State (IS) or Daesh claimed responsibility of the attacks that killed 12 people and injuring scores of others. The selection of targets […]
Govt is digging own grave by muzzling online freedoms on May 23, 2017The ongoing campaign against digital media is an extension of the established patterns of how the state – including elected government – can muzzle free speech. Since January of this year, social media has been under attack. A number of bloggers and social media activists were picked up to investigate if they were involved in […]
Should we let the India problem ruin our ties with Afghanistan and Iran? on May 13, 2017It is unfortunate to see something of a siege mentality developing in Pakistan’s regional posture. For a country that is situated at the crossroads of South Asia, Central Asia, the Middle East and China, this is an alarming strategic situation. And must be addressed most urgently. For it is quite unsustainable to proceed in the […]
Islamic State, a threat Pakistan can no longer ignore on May 12, 2017The ghastly attack on the convoy of Deputy Chairman Senate in Mastung, Balochistan comes as the latest of terror attacks claimed by the self-styled Islamic State or Daesh. The latter and its subsidiaries have been launching attacks against Pakistani targets for the past few years. Initially, the response of the Pakistan state was that there […]
Sagacious move by the military Pakistan wins on May 12, 2017Pakistan’s military leadership, by issuing its latest statement on the Dawn Leaks issue through the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), has done the democratic process in Pakistan a significant service. By reiterating their commitment to the constitutional order, dissociating from any of the connections that were being drawn with “any government office or person”, the ISPR […]
Threatening the regulators? on May 10, 2017Recent revelations by Print and Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) Chairman Absar Alam, made to representatives of the media, are most troubling. The Chairman stated that he and his staff were receiving threats from unidentified quarters. He even played a recording of such threats by phone. One imagines that the level of peril it feels […]
Civil-military battles weakening Pakistan on May 6, 2017A series of events recently have widened once again the perennial rift between Pakistani civilian governments and the military establishment. Let us examine some of the main flashpoints of the past few weeks. The Panamagate investigation already has the government jittery, as the media and opposition parties — especially the PTI — have been ratcheting […]