Lawfare limited to warfare unlimited
From the construction of canals in the Cholistan desert to the abduction of activists and journalists in cities and towns of Pakistan; and from attacks and baton charges on Baloch…
Myanmar’s deadly earthquake may bring diplomatic payoff for junta chief
Myanmar’s deadliest natural disaster in years has strengthened the position of ruling general, Min Aung Hlaing, by opening diplomatic channels closed for four years after his junta ousted an elected…
Sino-Pak cooperation
IT is expected that the train hijacking incident in Balochistan will trigger a robust response from the state — quite likely in the form of military action on several fronts. Nevertheless, discussions…
Merged areas: livelihood dilemma
THE former Fata districts of Pakistan have some of the worst economic indicators and highest unemployment rates of any region in the country. Historically, these areas have never been very…
War, peace and mistrust
Russian President Vladimir Putin has cast doubts on the feasibility of a US-proposed 30-day ceasefire in Ukraine, arguing that such a truce could provide Kyiv with an opportunity to regroup…
Root causes
Insurgent violence in Balochistan is a symptom, not the disease. The disease lies in systemic failures -- political, economic and administrative. The state is focused on suppressing the symptom --…
How to win the war of ideas
For decades, Pakistan has been grappling with the challenge of both violent and non-violent extremism. While military operations have significantly weakened militant networks, the deeper ideological roots that fuel extremism…
Ironies of the Afghan war
HE was captured on Feb 8, 2010, in a joint CIA-ISI raid outside Karachi. The Obama administration described the arrest of the Afghan Taliban’s second-in-command as a “turning point” in…
Power of education
In a historic moment for Pakistan and the global discourse on education a few weeks back, Islamabad became the epicentre of an international conference that shed light on the pressing…
South Asia’s AI arms race
The Fourth Industrial Revolution is undeniably driven by disruptive technologies. At the heart of this transformation is artificial intelligence (AI), which states across the world are integrating into their conventional…
