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Sweden And The EU Agenda

Sweden and the EU agenda

The first-ever Pakistan-European Union summit was held mid-June with Czech President Vaclav Klaus in the chair but the more daunting task of giving substance to the many promises made at…

Sardars To The Sarkar’s Rescue

Sardars to the sarkar’s rescue

In the slow burn of Balochistan, why did Sardar Akhtar Mengal decide to enter now: to rouse the flames further or to douse them? There are at least three theories…

The Potential Of Gwadar Port

The potential of Gwadar Port

The Port of Singapore Authority (PSA), the operator of Balochistan’s Gwadar Port, is likely to quit the project after Islamabad failed to meet obligations under the 40-year port-handling agreement signed…

S Shapes Its Economic Roadmap

S shapes its economic roadmap

The decision announced by President Asif Zardari and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at the UN this week to start cross-border trade in October between Pakistan and India could be seen…

View Point

View Point

It all started during a protest strike in Gilgit called by the Ahle Sunnat Wal Jamaat (ASWJ), a reincarnation of the banned Sipah-e-Sahaba, to demand the release of its local…

The Defence Budget

The defence budget

One of the most scrutinised and commented upon items in the budget is the allocation for defence spending. Depending on the ideological leanings of those doing the commentary, the number…

Early spring

The last few weeks of 2012 weren’t that bad, given how most of 2011 had played out, especially recovering from the exogenous shocks of a failing US-Pakistan relationship – and…

Seize The Opportunity

Seize the opportunity

General Ashfaq Parvez Kayani’s statement that the army would support a political solution to Balochistan’s problems, provided it is within the framework of the constitution, serves as a stern response…

Lone Rangers In The Drone Zone

Lone rangers in the drone zone

For several months last year, I was at the receiving end of occasional emails that conformed to a particular pattern. They all began with a reasonably uncontroversial critique of the…

For A Credible Inquiry

For a credible inquiry

The attention the Supreme Court (SC) has focused on the Balochistan conflict and the human rights abuses being committed there raised the expectations of the affected population. But after Chief…