Peace needed for development
The federal cabinet`s decisions to hand over Gwadar port to the Chinese and to go ahead with the Iran Pakistan (IP) gas pipeline project despite US pressure seem to be…
Understanding the Taliban
The departure of most coalition forces from Afghanistan by the end of 2014 has generated a debate on the possible outcome for Pakistan, and in particular for its border areas.…
Kargil heights
The successful first three years of his civilian rule notwithstanding, Musharraf failed to give his own core constituency the leadership and direction they deserved for their unwavering loyalty to him…
Argo: an embrace of US foreign policy
A new political thriller, Argo, starring and directed by Ben Affleck, has earned critical praise and a number two spot on the box office charts for the second straight week.…
Taxing secrecy
Tax declarations of holders of public office - in fact all taxpayers - do not enjoy 'confidentiality' and 'secrecy'. Declarations have to be provided by the Federal Board of Revenue…
When a state is dysfunctional
Who knows what a failed state is? Such definitions are for the academics and experts. But what one can easily ascertain is a state that is dysfunctional. For what would…
Talks with the enemy
A Multi-Party conference called by the Awami National Party recently endorsed talks with “law-abiding” Pakistani Taliban. The topic was picked up by the media. From what I could tell, the…
Hope on the wane
Tragic as the recent loss of soldiers on both sides of the Line of Control (LoC) is, the other significant casualty has been plummeting public confidence in the ability of…
Change: order vs disorder
The Bible says there is a time for every purpose under heaven - "A time to be born and a time to die;...a time to weep and a time to…
The truth about Balochistan
The power-hungry sardars and nawabs widely visible on Balochistan’s political scene are a by-product of the establishment’s long-term policies. These sardars derive their legitimacy from the civil-military establishment, and they…
