Finding political legitimacy
I wrote about the CAR framework last month and posited that governance has become much more challenging because ‘capability’, ‘accountability’ and ‘responsiveness’ have all become compromised. These qualities have been…
Clarifying perspectives, defeating terrorism
With the situation in Afghanistan now reaching a climatic point as the US finalizes its troop withdrawal, Pakistan will inevitably have to deal with a possible influx of militants and…
Sindh’s political temperature
The PPP leadership is confident about its development work in Sindh and believes that the party will be rewarded with another electoral victory. In an attempt to sell Sindh as…
Confused political preferences
PILDAT’s recent report on governance in Pakistan at the provincial and federal levels reaches some interesting conclusions. Out of a pool of over 3,000 respondents the respective provincial respondents concluded…
Political chessboard
Pakistani politics has changed dramatically recently. In 2014, the conservatives were badly fractured, with Pakistan’s three biggest conflicts raging among social, political and economic conservatives (PML-N vs. the army; the…
Arab unrest: perspectives-I
There used to be a famous joke about the now embattled Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, according to which, when President Mubarak's car would reach a crossroad, his chauffer would ask…
The return of IS
The operation to liberate the Iraqi city of Mosul from the grip of the militant Islamic State group may take a few more weeks, or maybe even months. But the…
The state’s lost narrative
THE debate on extremism often gets muddled when it comes to the issue of narrative. A segment of Pakistani society believes that there is a need for developing counter narratives…
COP28’s blueprint for a sustainable future
The outcome of the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, where representatives from almost 200 nations reached a consensus to commence the reduction of global fossil fuel consumption, marks a pivotal…
Empowering women, empowering Punjab
Gender equality is more than a moral imperative; it is essential for a fair and just society and a catalyst for economic and social progress. It is enshrined in Pakistan’s…
