Countering the terror threat
Consider the theatrics of the absurd by some political clerics at the killing of the terrorist responsible for slaughtering thousands of innocent Pakistanis. It is sad that the fundamentally moderate…
Afghan trade
Afghanistan has evolved to one of Pakistan's top three trade partners. The volume of bilateral trade between the two countries has increased manifold during the last few years and has…
What if the right was right?
As election results started trickling on the evening of May 11, a shift to the right was discernible. By next morning, the centre-left parties had suffered a massive defeat with…
Security is imperative
WHEN Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif assumed his third term in office, he proposed unconditional talks to India; sought a rapprochement with Hamid Karzai in Kabul; and offered negotiations to the…
Rethinking Fata
IN my last article (`Need of the hour in Fata`, Oct 1) on the subject, I argued that Fata needs a new system of governancebecause the pieces that held together…
Realignment of ties
The most serendipitous emerging foreign policy event for Pakistan, provided its leadership has foresight, is the ongoing power realignment within the Muslim world, as international engagement with Iran looms on…
Militants die young
Life expectancy among militants is low – and lower if someone is a commander. But there seems to be no dearth of men willing to step forward and replace their…
Death of rationality
We get readily inflamed on being accused of being a failed state or failing society. But can we fathom the reasons or logic to explain even to a sympathetic observer…
Uncertain path to 2014
For some time it seemed that Afghanistan had slipped from Washington’s top priorities as the Obama administration became preoccupied by political gridlock at home, as well as fast moving developments…
Malala’s theme
Narrowly missing being named the youngest person to win the Nobel Peace Prize, the young Pakistani girl who achieved international fame after being shot in the head and neck on…
