Article II, Section 3 of the U.S. Constitution states that the president “shall from time to time give to the Congress information of the State of the Union and recommend to their consideration such measures as he shall judge necessary and expedient”. Informally, this has been the going practice off and on for a variety…

In this era of uncertainty, insurgency and terrorism are hotly debated notions. Although they may be similar in language, but they are completely different in reality. While discussing both, previous op-ed in this series has defined insurgency as a policy which highlights the power asymmetry between two aggressive and belligerent groups where the objective of…

The recent Easter Sunday carnage in Sri Lanka has racked up a death count of over 350. If ever there was a national security crisis, this is it. One death is unforgiveable, over 350 in one catastrophic event, over 350 times more so! This has laid bare the cracks in the national polity. It is…

For countries such as Pakistan that are at the forefront of the war on terror, insurgency and terrorism are hotly debated concepts. Although there are varying approximations of the number of lives lost during this period, a conservative estimate suggests that over 60,000 Pakistani souls have perished. That is a heavy and unfortunate price to…

(First Article in this Series) Previous op-eds in this series made a strong recommendation to reboot Pakistan’s national security framework and for three underlying reasons. One, to align with the adage, strike when the iron is hot. Two, and more crucially, because this is fundamental to Pakistan’s continued existence. Three, any further public policies will…

First article in this series Art imitating life or life imitating art? This is the question philosophers have posed for years. Whether one is a proponent of the Aristotelian Mimesis of art imitating life or a supporter of the Anti-Mimesis philosophy of life imitating art, one thing is certain inspiration can come from anywhere. Consider….

First article in this series The initial opinion piece in this series discussed the dissimilar, but often misinterpreted, concept of doctrine, policy, and strategy. Strategy being the ways and means to reach policy objectives by second tier organisational management. Policy as a rousing vision put forth by the leaders of a creed or organisation. Doctrine…

First article in this series The business world must remember the basics! The initial opinion piece in this series discussed the dissimilar, but often misinterpreted, concept of doctrine, policy, and strategy. Strategy being the ways and means to reach policy objectives by second tier organisational management. Policy as a rousing vision put forth by the…

In the annals of corporate philosophy, Jack Welch is generally held in very high esteem. His company, General Electric (GE), even more so. Their success makes both of them prime candidates to be evaluated against the previously defined paradigm of doctrine, policy and strategy. GE has great pedigree. In 1889, Thomas Edison had business interests…

The country is going through a period of severe crisis, how many times has one heard this idiom? Quite often! Many political leaders start with this as their opening gambit to convince the electorate that they are the only ones who can take Pakistan out of the current state of paralysis, calamity, and under-achievement. However,…