Missing the point
Sharif just doesn’t seem to get it. After his meeting with Kerry at The Hague last Monday, the prime minister once again pleaded for US mediation to help resolve the…
Our national security dilemma
The leader of the opposition was not alone in his confusion over ‘national security’ after a speech by Chaudhry Nisar in the National Assembly. ‘What is national security?’ may sound…
Assessing NISP
The government has recently introduced the National Internal Security Policy. An overall security policy would have to address different areas – such as defence, external affairs, economy, energy and even…
As bleak as ever
The new year has brought with it the report card on education in Pakistan that ASER (Annual Status of Education Report) has been issuing without fail since 2009. It is…
View Point: Our endangered wildlife
An AJK Wildlife Department game warden had a cute story (very scary for the characters involved) to tell a journalist recently of how men and leopards in that area react…
Curse of the IEDs
Pakistan has been in the grip of brutal and senseless attacks by militants using improvised explosive devices (IEDs) for some time now. In the latest attack, 27 security personnel were…
The community is fighting back
The last few days witnessed two very sad but significant events in quick succession. In a small village called Ibrahimzai in Hangu, 15-year-old Aitizaz Hasan, triumphed over terrorists by stopping…
Incentives, class, unions & reform
There is no chance whatsoever of substantial reform of any element of the Pakistani state without the active participation and ownership of government employees. This seems a simple enough proposition…
‘Justice’ in Dhaka
When Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina Wajid invited President Nelson Mandela to visit Bangladesh in 1997 for the 25th anniversary of the country’s independence, it appeared to be a signal of…
New directions in energy sector
More than six months have passed after the installation of the new government of PML (N). Although, a lot should not be expected in this short period, it is long…
