For centuries, inhabitants of the Indian subcontinent and Arabian Peninsula have been navigating the Indian Ocean in pursuit of new resources and opportunities but their knowledge of the oceans remained localized and limited only to trade winds and monsoonal phenomenon. With passage of time, as long distance mariners ventured beyond continental shelf to where blue…
Turkey and Pakistan share striking similarities when it comes to civil-military relationship. While Turkey was undergoing the botched up coup, here a little known political party “Move on Pakistan” was under focus for popping up posters, asking the military to take over, these poster were seen in all major cities of Pakistan two to three…
The world has changed after the “Cold War”. Now the means and modes of “soft image” projection have also been changed totally. Use of diplomacy has become paramount in international relations. It promotes constructive dialogue and development among the nations. Moreover, sports diplomacy has become a game-changer in power politics. Sports stand for determination, courage,…
The questions to effectively counter the proliferation of nuclear weapons and related material alongwith the peaceful promotion of nuclear technology across the globe have always remained practically incompatible with the strategic competition of states. The debate to cease vertical and horizontal proliferation is as old as nuclear weapons are in the world. The main connexions…
The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme Abdul Qadeer Khan said while addressing a gathering in Islamabad on the 18th anniversary of Pakistan’s first nuclear tests, “We were able and we had a plan to launch nuclear test in 1984. But President General Zia-ul-Haq had opposed the move”. Zia thought it could invoke international military intervention…
Most recently, Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan (NTP) in which Vision 2030 maintained a central position. It would radically transform the Kingdom’s economy. Vision 2030 sets out a comprehensive road map to promote more efficient government services and to diversify the Kingdom’s economy by boosting private sector…
IntroductionThe last and the seventh lecture, “Is Religion Possible?” present the conclusions of the series of lectures compiled as “Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”. Iqbal has categorized religious life into three periods, firstly the ‘Faith’, secondly ‘Thought’ and thirdly, the ‘Discovery’. The first period involves acceptance without rationalism. The second period, he says, is when…
The killing of the Afghan Taliban chief Mullah Akhtar Mansour in a US drone strike is a major setback for the insurgent movement. His death comes barely a year after the disclosure of the death of the Taliban’s founding leader Mullah Omar. Mansour was reportedly targeted by US drones in Ahmedwal town, 20 kilometres from…
Protecting the coastal and marine environment is not a job simply to be left to governments though they have the prime responsibility. This is the responsibility of all. Local action is critical but so is the social responsibility of corporations and other large institutions and organisations. While environment and wildlife organisations are frequently in the…
China’s interest in maritime trade dates back to early 15th century when, between 1433 and 1495 during the Ming era, Admiral Zheng undertook seven ocean voyages to coastal territories of the Indian Ocean and beyond. Historians credit him as being well accustomed to battle and having sound knowledge about warfare. Over the course of these…
