S M Hali

It has been a year since the launch of the joint military offensive, Operation Zarb-e-Azb by Pakistan’s armed forces against various miscreants in the North Waziristan Agency (NWA), a constituent of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). Zarb-e-Azb is being executed by fighter and reconnaissance elements of the Pakistan Air Force, ground troops, air surveillance […]

Islam lays great emphasis on religious tolerance but currently, it is at its lowest in many Muslim societies. Islamic State’s (IS’s) destruction of churches and massacre of members of the Shia faith has also tarnished the image of Islam. In Pakistan too, certain segments of society show a lack of tolerance towards other sects of […]

Operation Blue Star was an Indian military operation that occurred between June 3 and 8, 1984. Thirty-one years on, the event merits study because Pakistan, having been embroiled in anti-terrorist operations for over a decade, is currently executing Operation Zarb-e-Azb to flush out militants from North Waziristan. The circumstances are different but some lessons can […]

Last month my family and I took a trip to Europe. Our itinerary also included Amsterdam. A visit to Amsterdam must include a trip to Keukenhof, provided it is tulip season. One of the main reasons for selecting the timing of the tour was to coincide with the period when Keukenhof is open i.e. from […]

US philosopher Elbert Green Hubbard (June 19, 1856 to May 7, 1915) once commented: “He who influences the thought of his times influences the times that follow.” This lesson has been learnt well by India, although it did not lack tutelage on the subject because of the maxims provided by that master of deceit and […]

Every country has the right to pursue policies that are in consonance with its national interests and priorities. This aspect is defined in diplomatic relations as ethnocentrism, which enables nations to perceive and examine various options that favour their own welfare above all. Pakistani policymakers have, in the recent past, been in a quandary over […]

Chinese President Xi Jinping’s much-awaited visit to Pakistan came at a significant moment in the history of both nations. Sino-Pak relations are multidimensional and have stood the test of time but, in the global as well as regional perspectives, the currents of change necessitated a personal visit to Pakistan by the Chinese leadership to exchange […]

Over the weekend, the Indian media went berserk at the release of the alleged mastermind of the 2008 Mumbai attacks, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, from Adiala jail. A judge of the Lahore High Court (LHC) ordered Lakhvi’s immediate release after suspending his detention orders in response to a petition challenging Lakhvi’s fourth, one-month each, detention order […]

The age-old concept of human relief campaigns is that it entails coming to the aid of mankind in distress, irrespective of nationality, religion, creed or beliefs. The people in need include the homeless, refugees and the victims of natural disasters (earthquakes, flooding, cyclonic storms, famines), military conflicts and other trials. The primary purpose of humanitarian […]

While addressing the Pakistan-China Media Forum on the 21st century Maritime Silk Road, China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) and One Belt One Road projects, Chinese Ambassador to Pakistan Sun Weidong praised the people of Pakistan in a unique manner. He stressed that the magnificence, discipline and splendour of the Pakistan Day parade gave an impressive […]