From Astana to Amritsar
On April 26, Kazakhstan hosted the third Ministerial Conference of neighbours and ‘near-neighbours’ of Afghanistan (somewhat awkwardly designated as the ‘Heart of Asia’ countries) within the framework of the so-called…
Polls, war and religion
A number of factors set the upcoming national polls apart from previous such exercises. To begin with, for the first time elections are being held with a neutral caretaker setup…
Apt handling of national security – II
Our armed forces and intelligence agencies have become more hardened today than they were ever before in the conduct of Low Intensity Conflict (LIC). However, over the past decade, the…
Election Outlook-VIII: Balochistan: blessed but blighted
"They've been committing a broad-daylight robbery on our resource," an agitating Nawab Akbar Bugti told this writer at his Dera Bugti residence with a growing sense of frustration and despondency…
Combating financing of terrorism – I
"Pakistan has taken steps towards improving its AML/CFT regime, including by issuing an SRO to increase the maximum monetary sanction for non-compliance with S/RES/1267. However, despite Pakistan's high-level political commitment…
On the edge
2008 was an evenly-spread out affair – other provinces as important as Punjab. This time it is different: the amphitheatre Punjab, the other provinces sideshows to what is happening here...or…
Apt handling of national security – I
In today's global village, the threats are multidimensional and the challenges are many and complex. Safeguarding the national interest is a gigantic job. A bulwark comprising policy parameters and strategic…
Polls and power
There is of course a multitude of factors that formulate the final report card of an outgoing government; the status of the economy, security, development of sectors, fulfilment of pre-election…
Perceptions of national power
Apologists may downplay it, but the fact is that power is the core attribute of a state, defining its position in international politics by giving it the leverage to influence…
The story of a coup
Musharraf’s coup in 1999 was an aberration. The months leading to it were undoubtedly tense but in no way betrayed a trigger-happy general’s inclination to launch an offensive against his…
