The new face of fascism on April 6, 2019Mankind paid a huge price to win the battle against fascism in the 20th century. This victory probably prevented the rebirth of fascism, synonymous with Hitler’s conquest and genocide on a vast scale. Hitler’s ally, Mussolini and his fascist regime used dictatorial methods. They were responsible for war crimes during their expansionist campaign in North […]
Call for tolerance on March 23, 2019There seems no respite from loathsome terrorist acts that test the patience of governments and societies. But it is essential that those responsible for the violence don’t win. Countering the global trend of rising hatred, bigotry, and demonization is a crucial lesson from the Christchurch atrocity. Finding a definition of terrorism that will satisfy everyone […]
India and Pakistan: the aftermath of crisis on March 9, 2019The recent military exchange between India and Pakistan has raised the stakes in a volatile region. Taking such significant risks – heavy-handed response to terrorist provocation being the latest – has made it clear that national security policies are out of kilter. Silencing the drumbeats of war merely postpones coming to terms with the prickly […]
South Asia on edge again on February 23, 2019Is South Asia far away from a tipping point or Franz Ferdinand moment from a fatal escalation? Hardly an alarmist view in this charged environment. Raising the stakes after acts of terror and bloodshed have plunged states and regions into deadly conflicts. Calls to national dignity and honour do unleash public resentment leading to incalculable […]
Peace is a distant dream in Afghanistan on February 9, 2019It appears likely that once again Afghanistan’s fate is going to be left to the tender mercies of the Taliban. President Trump’s decision to cut and run from the war-torn country-by withdrawing US troops who are the primary obstacle to an eventual Taliban victory-can only accelerate this outcome. As so often witnessed in international politics, […]
Risking the future on January 26, 2019It isn’t entirely unexpected that Prime Minister Imran Khan and his team are finding it difficult to square election promises with the country’s realities. There is an almost a clear feeling of hopelessness, in the way leaders and governments are forced to approach the range of reforms needed in Pakistan. But what is more telling, […]
Why democracy is worth fighting for? on January 11, 2019The democratic system faces multiple threats in these volatile times. The clarion cry of the anti-democrats is that democracy favours the elites and has failed the masses that it was intended to serve. They point to the unfulfilled promises and the time wasted in the endless debate which gets in the way of the hard […]
Realising the dream of atheocratic Islamic state on December 29, 2018Is Prime Minister Imran Khan encouraging the dream of installing an Islamic state (Islami Hakumat)? It would be a natural progression from the Islamic welfare state which we know is very close to Khan’s heart.Radical Islamists in Pakistan have long harboured the vision of a theocratic state, governed by Shariah laws. It is exciting stuff […]
Our entrenched praetorians on December 15, 2018Since the early years, authoritarian forces in Pakistan have been waging a form of “hybrid warfare” to prevent grassroots democracy from taking hold. Their methods include the judicial validation of military coups, the weakening of parliament and setting up pliant civilian governments through political engineering. The military has solidified its power since the time General […]
US and Pakistan: a doomed relationship? on December 5, 2018The heated verbal exchange between President Trump and Prime Minister Khan reflects the broken relationship between the US and Pakistan. The shotgun alliance was forced on the parties by the Global War on Terror (GWOT). It has since turned into a shambolic display of finger-pointing and recrimination. Diverging even clashing interests make for tense and […]