ACES Meet-2017 on November 4, 2017Pakistan’s first ever two-week long multinational counter terrorism air exercise ACES Meet-2017 concluded on October 28 and was witnessed by the current and former Air Chiefs, war veterans of PAF, and senior serving and retired officers including this scribe and Contingents of the Turkish and Royal Saudi Air Forces comprising fighter aircrafts, combat pilots and […]
The ExxonMobil man comes calling on October 28, 2017Following US President Donald Trump’s announcement of his ‘new South Asia policy’, in which he sought to ambitiously end the Afghan war, Secretary of State Rex Tillerson arrived on a whirlwind diplomatic tour of the region. In a surprise visit to Afghanistan, Tillerson played to the Kabul gallery, castigating Pakistan ‘to take a clear-eyed view […]
Communist Party of China’s National Congress on October 21, 2017The 19th Communist Party of China (CPC) National Congress commenced at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing on October 18, 2017. President Xi Jinping, in his report to the Congress, unveiled a two-stage plan of the CPC to make China a ‘great modern socialist country’ by mid-21st century. The report encompassed nearly all […]
India downplaying nuclear submarine launch on October 14, 2017In view of Indian habit of being jingoistic of its achievements, it is strange that its media is so far silent regarding the launch of its second nuclear powered submarine (S/M) of the Arihant class, the INS Aridhaman, which is likely to be launched within a month. The vessel will undergo harbour and sea trials […]
Developing Afghan security forces on October 7, 2017Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR) has recently released a report titled “Lessons from Developing Afghanistan’s Security Forces; Lessons from the US Experience in Afghanistan”. The report itself is enlightening as the focus remains on the continuing turmoil and conflict in Afghanistan, despite majority NATO and US armed forces withdrawing from the theatre of […]
Indias imaginary surgical strikes on September 30, 2017Exactly a year after Indian claims to have conducted surgical strikes following the Uri attack on 18 September 2016, a number of books, interviews and articles have come out, providing some fuzzy details of the fictitious strikes. Readers may recall that on 18 September 2016, fire had broken out in a military camp in Uri, […]
Yinchuan Chinas first smart city on September 23, 2017This scribe has visited most of China but this was the first visit to Yinchuan, which came as a pleasant surprise. Located in central North West China, Yinchuan is the capital of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region. Having visited the most advanced cities and provinces to the East and still developing ones in the West, Yinchuan […]
The aftermath of 9/11 on September 16, 2017The sixteenth anniversary of the deplorable 9/11 attacks on New York’s Twin Towers and Washington DC’s Pentagon, was observed solemnly. People around the USA honoured thousands who died in the terror attacks on September 11, 2001. US President Donald Trump, presiding over his first 9/11 commemoration ceremony, stated: “Today, our entire nation grieves with you […]
BRICS anti-terrorist declaration on September 9, 2017 The ninth summit of BRICS held at Xiamen, SouthEastern China’s Fujian Province was held from the 3 to 5 September 2017. It debated a wide range of issues in the realm of economic cooperation among the BRICS members; Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The final Declaration of the summit comprised 71 points […]
Spirit of sacrifice and Pakistan on September 2, 2017Sacrifice is one of the spirits of Eid-ul Azha. When Prophet Ibrahim (AS) decided to sacrifice his beloved son Ismail (AS), Allah in His beneficence and Mercy ordained Eid-ul-Azha to commemorate the spirit of sacrifice. We are asked to sacrifice an animal on the auspicious occasion and distribute a portion among the poor, friends and […]