Double standards
THE US-led West does not tire of telling the rest of the world to abide by the so-called rules-based world order. But while doing so, Western countries conveniently omit explaining…
Dialogue and de-escalation
INCREASED diplomatic engagement between the US and China has helped to bring down the temperature in their fraught relationship. But it has not yielded any agreement on the key issues…
Climate, world order and Pakistan – Part II
By 2050 Pakistan will have at least 350 million people. Its military and elite dominated political paradigm, neo-feudal attitudes, budgetary priorities, economic strategies, and raging climate heat make it impossible…
Is 19pc tariff a good deal?
The cat is finally out of the bag. All Pakistan’s exports to the US will now be facing a flat tariff of 19 per cent. The new tariff rate is…
Sanctioning Iran?: ‘Let’s not kid ourselves’
Watching the US House pass a $95 billion “aid package” for Ukraine, Israel and Taiwan (360-58) reminded me of a comment attributed to Russian-born American author Alice O’ Connor, better…
Hidden watermark
THE atomic mushroom cloud has changed shape: it is now a nuclear umbrella. Historically, an umbrella has symbolised ‘protection, power, and prestige’. (The Thai king has nine above his head.)…
Rekindling hope for a new bloc
The recent rapprochement between India and China has sparked a debate about the emergence of a new political bloc that could challenge the hegemony of the US. It appears that…
The real pause
LET us begin with some clichés: Afghanistan has always been the playground of global power rivalries. It will remain so. Pakistan and Afghanistan, at the intersection of South Asia, Central…
Pressure without clarity breeds market volatility
With the tariff reprieve deadline behind us and the long-promised Trump-Xi phone call still nowhere on the calendar, global markets are once again squinting at the smoke and worrying about…
Bracing for Trump 2.0
THE world was already bracing for Donald Trump’s return to power. And it is a stunning comeback. His clean sweep in the election, winning the White House, Senate and most likely…
