Among the decisions by the Supreme Court (SC) in the NAB case last Friday was the verdict de-notifying three NAB Regional Heads. Strictly according to the rules of law they had reason to give their draconian decision but the Honourable Judges could have equated the grey areas in the circumstances of their appointments by taking…
Twenty four years of shared history between the eastern and western wings of Pakistan preceded the violent emergence of Bangladesh on a groundswell of hate and bitterness on 16 Dec 1971. Yet a little more than 2 years later when Zulfikar Ali Bhutto visited Dhaka in 1974 at the invitation of Shaikh Mujib-ur Rahman, he…
Writing in the New York Times (NYT), Amanda Taub and Max Fisher talked about shadowy networks within govt bureaucracies, referred to as “Deep States”, undermining and coercing elected govts very much like the spate of leaks be-devilling the Trump Administration. They compared the present situation in the US to countries like Egypt, Turkey and Pakistan,…
Despite the complex and demanding negotiations during the tumultuous days of March 1971, a positive outcome was possible and seemed near but it came to grief because of the game plan of extremists of both the sides. The plans for military action to restore the writ of the central authority in East Pakistan was unanimous,…
Dear Readers, Poor governance, incompetence, lack of transparency, distribution and transmission losses (euphemism for theft), have contributed to the energy crisis in Pakistan. While Pakistan’s economic activity has been affected it has also caused considerable public unrest as prolonged load-shedding of electricity (and gas) have become the norm. Pakistan’s problems have com pounded because of…
A bomb blast in May 2002 targetting the French naval technicians in a bus outside the Sheraton and Pearl Continental Hotels in Karachi where New Zealand’s cricket team was staying caused the Kiwis to terminate their tour. Five years later Benazir Bhutto’s tragic assassination led to Australia cancelling their tour of March 2008, the Champions…
Chairing a high-level security meeting in Lahore on Wednesday attended by all the Corps Commanders in the Punjab, the COAS Gen Qamar Javed Bajwa announced the launching of “Raadul-Fasaad” (elimination of violence). Focussed in the Punjab this offensive by the Pakistan Army constitutes the decisive phase of countering militants of the terrorist-kind. Aimed at “indiscriminately”…
Dear Reader, South Asia presents a dismal picture for regional integration. It accounts for only 3 percent of the world’s gross domestic product (GDP) with almost 40% of its inhabitants falling below the international poverty line of $1.25 per day. Daunting challenges from climate change, environmental degradation, increasing inequalities, etc. pose serious threats to growth…
With over 20% of the world’s population and 40% of the poverty-stricken, South Asia remains one of the world’s poorest regions. Political strife, distrust and occasional clashes undermine integration in a region with a history of territorial disputes and military conflicts. Accountable democracy remains elusive, the deficit stemming from a feudal mentality among the ruling…
Duty is what one is expected or required to do by moral or legal obligation. Recognizing a duty means a person theoretically commits himself to its fulfillment without considering one’s own self-interest, even involving some sacrifice of immediate self-interest. Duty is often perceived as something owed to one’s country (patriotism), or to one’s homeland or…
