Rajapaksa’s win
Sri Lankans have elected Gotabaya Rajapaksa, a former secretary of defence and brother of two-time former President Mahinda Rajapaksa, as their new president in an election that has seen rising…
Rajapaksa’s return
A PAIR of prime ministers, an embattled president, and a brewing constitutional crisis: the scenario that has been unfolding in one of Asia’s oldest democracies over the past three weeks…
Sri Lanka may need more IMF help as blasts threaten tourism
Sri Lanka faces a likely collapse in tourism following Easter Sunday bomb attacks on churches and hotels, which would deal a severe blow to the island's economy and financial markets,…
A dangerous poet
“AN old, mad, despised, and dying King”; the opening line of the sonnet England in 1819, was a specific denunciation of George III, but the enduring relevance of what follows…
Lessons from illusionary revolutions
Amid escalating student-led protests and mounting unrest, Bangladesh’s long-serving Prime Minister, Sheikh Hasina Wazed, was compelled to resign and flee the country, highlighting deep dissatisfaction with her administration. The unrest,…
A year later, Sri Lanka’s tentative economic recovery eludes the poor
A year after angry Sri Lankans stormed the president’s residence and forced his ouster during a meltdown of the economy, the island’s streets are calm, there are no serpentine queues…
Central Asia and the BRI
One major geographic characteristic of Central Asian countries is their landlockedness. Being a landlocked economy creates challenges in all spheres of policy – foreign policy, security, international trade as well…
Lender of everyone’s resort
Sri Lanka defaulted on its sovereign debts in April 2022. In July 2022, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) warned that 53 more low-and-middle-income countries, including Pakistan, were either experiencing debt…
Lessons from Colombo
Pakistan is not the only country in the region going through political turmoil. Sri Lanka, too, is facing a political impasse. Last week, all 26 members of the Sri Lankan…
Sri Lanka in crisis
Pakistan and Sri Lanka are considered friendly countries on the diplomatic front. The two countries located in South Asia are very similar to each other in several respects and both…
