AFTER the reports that the US is scouting for new bases in Afghanistan’s neighbouring countries, the Afghan Taliban warned the latter against committing such a “historic mistake”. For Pakistan, the Taliban reaction appears more serious as it came at a time when the US assistant secretary of defence stated that Pakistan would continue to provide […]
AFGHANISTAN has recently witnessed a significant upsurge in security incidents. Indeed, experts have been projecting ‘increased violence’ as one of the most probable scenarios post-US troops’ withdrawal. Security strategists in Pakistan have been trying to prevent the impact of the increasing insecurity in this country’s neighbourhood, including through fencing the borders. Yet the Pakistani Taliban […]
THE reaction to the one-member Shoaib Suddle Commission report, which recommended that content on Islamic teachings and history be only carried in Islamic Studies textbooks was not unexpected. The report came at a time when the protests of the now banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan was underway and the state could not afford an upsurge in emotions. […]
IN Pakistan, frenzied protests entailing roadblocks and violence have apparently emerged as a new way of communicating with the state. While multiple religiously inspired groups have contributed to the development of this particular protest feature, the Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan has taken this chaotic tactic to new heights. The TLP threat had been growing at an alarming […]
A SERIES of recent events has led many to speculate that winds of change pertaining to the national security paradigm may be blowing in Islamabad’s policy corridors. From the Pakistan army chief’s calling on India and Pakistan to bury the past and move on, and the exchange of letters between the two countries’ prime ministers, to the renewed discourse […]
PAKISTANI universities are not contributing enough in the areas of research and development or to the knowledge-based economy. The reasons are not difficult to comprehend. For one, the environment of educational campuses is not conducive to intellectual pursuit, and in the lecture halls critical discourse is virtually considered a sin. The problem is that state […]
THE Financial Action Task Force has announced that Pakistan would remain on its grey list for further monitoring for another four months. In this period, the country will have to improve its financial transaction mechanisms so that these are not misused by terrorists and criminals. Apart from other measures related to effective investigation and prosecution, and the […]
RELIGIOSITY has begun to define the Pakistani citizenry. Those who wield power see it as a positive trend that can achieve national cohesion. Unfortunately, instead of helping to inculcate better ethics and integrity, this phenomenon is encouraging a tunnel vision. The recent hounding of Nobel Laureate Malala Yousafzai on social media over her response to a […]
APART from its strategic and regional connectivity outlook, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor had also offered hope for Pakistan’s economic revival and industrial transformation. But that hope has gradually been waning. Not only have the power elites not been able to assess and strategise the real potential of the initiative, the implementing apparatus too was seen […]
PROJECTING trends of insecurity and violence is not an easy task especially for countries like Pakistan where security challenges are complex and state responses cursory and sporadic. Against all prognostic fears over the past year, the security situation in the country remained relatively stable for which law-enforcement agencies can take the credit. However, keeping in […]
