American exceptionalism
What happens when a nation feels imprisoned in its own myths? Perhaps it starts considering itself as an exceptional nation. That is the subject matter of a new book by…
Politics and economics
This is the first of a two-part series focusing on the symbiotic relationship between politics and economics, with existing literature focusing more on domestic policies premised on globalization representative of…
The end or a new dawn?
Ever since Francis Fukuyama proclaimed the triumph of liberalism following the collapse of the Soviet Union – the so-called ‘red peril’ – many around the world celebrated liberalism as the…
Trump and Pakistan: new, old, same?
Trump is back, marking a historic moment not only for the United States but also for its global partnerships. His return to the White House comes after a tumultuous political…
Two wars
FOLLOWING 9/11, the ashes of the World Trade Centre in New York ignited fires in different parts of the world. Even now, 23 years later, those fires are proving difficult…
Bold and ugly
EACH time, Pakistan has to go to the IMF for a new Stand-by Arrangement or even at periodic reviews of perennial ‘stood-us-up’ programmes for the release of the next tranche,…
Stop fearing ordinary people
THE legendary public intellectual and political analyst Abdul Ghafoor Noorani, who passed away at 93 in Mumbai last week, had believed that Narendra Modi’s foreign policy flowed from his ideological prejudice cradled…
Regaining global relevance
PAKISTAN is becoming increasingly marginalised in international affairs. It is no longer able to shape the strategic environment in its neighbourhood to advance its interests, much less influence global geopolitics.…
Stabilizing the economy
[This is based on a talk by Mueen Afzal, former secretary of general finance, a prominent philanthropist and chairman of several national institutions, at the Institute of Strategic Studies in…
China at 75 – and beyond
On October 1, the People’s Republic of China completed 75 years of its establishment. These 75 years have seen China shake off rampant poverty and backwardness to become a major…
