Mapping religious groups
Extremism and terrorism pose an existential threat to the peace, progress and prosperity of the country. Unfortunately, we have failed to eradicate terrorism despite the fact that we have spent…
Mainstreaming or cornering Fata?
Fata, known for its elusive terrain and fabled tribesmen, has been turned into an untenable area purportedly to eliminate terrorists’ cubby holes. The success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb, launched in 2014,…
Integrating Fata: the how and why
According to news reports, the federal government has decided to gradually merge the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) in the next five years. The initial duration…
Benazir: leader par excellence – II
The theory propounded by Dr Sachithanandam got credence as proved by later events. Dr Sachithanandam aptly highlighted that "the earliest foreboding surfaced in the backroom manoeuvres by United States and…
The Daesh problem
With its phenomenal battlefield successes in the Middle East, Daesh has attracted an abundant supply of jihadi fighters inside Afghanistan, thus making significant inroads into this strife-torn country. According to…
Options for the tribal areas
The people of the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata) have suffered enormously over the past fifteen years, for no fault of their own. For the internally displaced persons, the deprivations…
A new Fata
In the wake of the successful military operation in the Federally Administrated Tribal Areas, the demand for reforms here — referred to in Point 12 of the National Action Plan…
Remembering Benazir Bhutto
December 27, 2015 marks the 8th death anniversary of Benazir Bhutto. She sacrificed her life courageously. She resisted the agenda of fanatics. Certain forces want to make Pakistan a theocratic…
Fata: merger or provincial status?
Whether to make Fata a province or merge it with Khyber Pakhtunkhwa – these are the two options being debated at various forums in the tribal areas and elsewhere in…
Is Daesh a threat to Pakistan?
The emergence of the wealthiest and deadliest militant organisation, the Islamic State or Daesh, poses an existential threat to the security and territorial integrity of some Middle-Eastern countries. Ominously, according…
