Doctrine, policy, and strategy: Is freedom of expression compatible with national security?on August 2, 2019Today virtually no one can stop Hussain Haqqani etal and BLA like organisations from making so-called anti-Pakistan statements. Even though the press and electronic media may not carry these, social media is a wide-open arena for anyone to write and say anything. This is also exasperated by the three democratisations of globalisation - finance, information and technology - and can have a … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: Is freedom of expression compatible with national security?
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: US foreign policy in Iran is bonkers!on July 19, 2019Are we at the cusp of all-out war? Has Trump nicely and truly brought us to the precipice of global destruction? How did we come to this and what should we do?In the annals of Middle East politics, July 2015 was a watershed moment. This is when Iran and a six-nation negotiating group signed an agreement called the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA). This came about after more than a … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: US foreign policy in Iran is bonkers!
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: can a policy of agility help international corporations in the face of BREXIT?on June 24, 2019While 2019 has been a year of uncertainty for a variety of reasons, none is more prominent than the saga of BREXIT. It has been over two years since BREXIT was confirmed via a national referendum in the UK. This was done on the behest of David Cameron, then British Prime Minister, who was trying to silence nationalist voices in his own party and outside. It was a gamble at best and cost the jobs … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: can a policy of agility help international corporations in the face of BREXIT?
Can agility help international businesses face Brexit?on June 23, 2019While 2019 has been a year of uncertainty for a variety of reasons, none is more prominent than the saga of BREXIT. It has been over two years since BREXIT was confirmed via a national referendum in the UK. This was done on the behest of David Cameron, then British Prime Minister, who was trying to silence nationalist voices in his own party and outside. It was a gamble at best and cost the jobs … [Read more...] about Can agility help international businesses face Brexit?
How many Zainabs and Farishtas must we sacrifice?on June 1, 2019Imagine a 10-year-old girl walking in the relative calm of her surroundings. Imagine she is abducted by known or unknown assailants and taken to a dark and cold place. Imagine she is all alone, scared, helpless and powerless against those ruffians. Imagine her little mind can't fathom what is about to happen to her. Imagine she innocently calls out to those thugs, pleads with them to let her go. … [Read more...] about How many Zainabs and Farishtas must we sacrifice?
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: FATF black list and US Entity list, do they matter?on May 19, 2019Lists are nothing new. For years, they have been used to enumerate one thing or the other. All esteemed publications use them. Fortune, Time, Forbes - you name it. Recently, there have been two lists that are the talk of the town. The FATF list and the Entity list!Being on the FATF grey list is causing sleepless nights in Islamabad already. The powers to be fear that this may worsen to black … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: FATF black list and US Entity list, do they matter?
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: Could we have saved the Data Darbar bombing victims?on May 13, 2019The latest bombing at Data Darbar has at-least confirmed one notion. That unless drastic national security enhancements are made, this act of terrorism will not be the last! This is where the two largest religious thoughts, Deoband and Sufi, clashed. The terrorists achieved multiple ends by striking one of the holiest symbols in Sufism in Pakistan. One, their ideology - even if not their force - … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: Could we have saved the Data Darbar bombing victims?
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: watch out ik – the electorate is thinking differently!on April 27, 2019Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president "shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient". Informally, this has been the going practice - off and on - for a variety of American presidents from George Washington onwards. However, this was … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: watch out ik – the electorate is thinking differently!
A plea bargain lifeline for Nawaz Sharifon April 15, 2019Bahria Town has finally reached a settlement allowed by the Supreme Court of Pakistan with regard to public land use. There are whispers meanwhile in the power corridors that former prime minister Nawaz Sharif can go abroad once he has reached an appropriate bargain with the National Accountability Bureau.Two questions arise here. One, why is a plea bargain such a bad thing if the NAB … [Read more...] about A plea bargain lifeline for Nawaz Sharif
Doctrine, policy, and strategy: a quintessential Pakistani counterterrorism policyon March 27, 2019Previous op-ed in this series has taken the position that a counter insurgency policy, aligned with the overall national security policy, is a must for winning the peace. To that end, a Pakistani counter insurgency policy of reconciliation is recommended.This policy of reconciliation is tasked with curbing the insurgent tendency that aims to usurp power away from the government. Terrorism is … [Read more...] about Doctrine, policy, and strategy: a quintessential Pakistani counterterrorism policy
