Informal banking: economic coercion
Pakistan is a country of contradictions. When we count the population for the purposes of allocation of seats in the assemblies and allocation of funds under the National Finance Commission…
Threats, coercion & pushback
IN the opening weeks of his second term, President Donald Trump has used threats, intimidation and coercion against both America’s friends and adversaries to try to bend them to his…
Tough economic decisions & fragile political mandate
Very few people may have actually experienced the moment of helplessness when there is a clash between the need for tough economic decisions and fragile and split political mandate of…
Strategic coercion through hybrid warfare
Hybrid attacks against Pakistan across a broad front are focused mainly on Balochistan, the former Fata region, Swat and Gilgit-Baltistan. The China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) gets very special attention. In…
Beyond coercion
Social media is flooded with jokes about US President Donald Trump’s unorthodox style of running the most powerful country in the world. As he opens his mouth through Twitter or…
Economic decision-making: Illusion and reality
Modern technology has not helped and the higher education made available by Ata-ur-Rehman, despite his good intentions has worsened matters. The question is why has this happened? Is it because…
In search of prudent economics
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is a well-intentioned leader and seems to be genuinely interested in taking the economy out of its existing state of stagflation, which has made the economic…
Redefining defence
EVERY Sept 6, Pakistan marks Defence Day to celebrate the determination of the nation and its armed forces to defend the country against India’s aggression in 1965. The war lasted…
Delicate balancing act
A QUESTION is often being tossed around in policy discussions across the country: can Pakistan manage to balance its relations with the US and China? Let us first see why…
G7’s political relevance at stake over Israel-Gaza response
The Group of Seven (G7) bloc of wealthy democracies risks eroding its relevance as a force to tackle major geopolitical crises over an apparent struggle between its member nations to…
