‘No innocent civilians’
“We don’t do body counts,” Gen Tommy Franks, commander of the US Central Command, told reporters at Bagram Airbase near Kabul in 2002. He led the invasions of both Afghanistan…
OK to bash civilians for now
Attired in a necktie and suit, to many the first such public image of the interior minister, it took a dapper Chaudhry Nisar Ali Khan to reach Washington D.C. to…
An innocent in Washington
For decades, Pakistan has had a single-item foreign policy: Kashmir. Of late, drones have been added to this short list. Long gone are the days when Pakistan commanded respect on…
Countering terror — beyond labels
During the past few weeks, terrorists affiliated with the TTP), Al-Qaeda, and the Islamic State of Khorasan Province (ISKP) have been referred to by Pakistani authorities as Khawarij. This term,…
No quick fixes in Balochistan
THE deadly terrorist attack in Quetta has reignited debates surrounding the security situation in Balochistan. Predictably, hawkish voices have sought to discredit advocates for political reconciliation. This knee-jerk reaction merits…
Much-needed reforms in UN
Every year, during September, world leaders from the 197 UN member countries gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session to deliver finely crafted speeches, meticulously…
Much-needed reforms in UN
Every year, during September, world leaders from the 197 UN member countries gather in New York for the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) session to deliver finely crafted speeches, meticulously…
War of no words
THE 15th Karachi Literature Festival took place against a backdrop of conflict and protest against the Israeli war in Gaza, which has been going on for 75 years or 153…
Talking to children about Gaza
HOW do we talk to our children about what’s happening in Gaza? It’s a quandary that most parents in Pakistan are confronting as the conflict continues, one month and approximately…
A predictable tragedy
THE eruption of the Israel-Palestinian conflict and war in Gaza was a crisis waiting to happen. The conditions for this tragic turn of events were created by Israel’s brutal occupation of Palestine for over…
