Context According to the World Health Organization, the Corona Virus linked pandemic was first reported from the Wuhan city of China around the end of December 2019. Now it has pretty much engulfed the whole world. At the time this article was written, CNN reported global cases totaling around 823,479 with deaths standing at 40,636….
Context Since 9/11, and even before, the world affairs are often linked to significant events that force upon a change from routine, while moving them towards a different direction. The often-quoted assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand in 1914 is a case in point that directly led to World War I. Then there are natural catastrophes that…
Context It’s no secret that the technology and communication revolution has caused manifold socio political consequences. While there have been many advantages, these advancements are also producing numerous headaches for the existing political, economic, and security systems that were meant to preserve order. Change is inherently dynamic but overtime is slowed down by the human…
Context The election of Donald Trump in 2017 and unveiling of the ‘America First’ Doctrine signified a marked departure from the political, economic, and security framework set in place in the aftermath of WWII. This vision championed by the US and premised on economic interdependence and free trade, also known as Globalization, was presented as…
Context When all seemed set and done and all that was pending was the signing of the agreement, the Afghan peace talks suddenly collapsed with a dramatic announcement from President Trump on September 7th. The debate about the cause of this sudden change of heart started in earnest. Was the deal too lopsided in favor…
Context “The history repeats itself, “the first as tragedy, then as farce.” These profound quotes, irrespective of the source, are often repeated but then we see them unfolding right in front of our eyes. PoliTact has been observing the connection of the affairs of the Middle East and South Asia, while contending that what transpires…
Context The three-day visit of Prime Minister Imran Khan to the US was a significant icebreaking moment for the otherwise downward spiraling US-Pakistan ties. Aside from the positive optics, the broader implications remain vague. The Afghan peace process was supposed to be the focus of the meetings, however, President Trump’s comment on Kashmir has opened…
Context As the alliances associated with the global balance of power remain in the heightened state of flux, the organizations through which these tectonic shifts are being manifested, such as United Nations, BRICS, NATO and SCO are critical to observe. An inquiry that goes along with this examination is to understand the purposes of these…
Context As the direct peace talks between the US and Afghan Taliban move along the sixth round of talks took place in Doha. Meanwhile questions are being raised regarding the prospects of success. Any negotiations have to con sider the positions of various stakeholders. More importantly, first the stakeholders have to agree to talk and then…
Context While the Pakistan-India tensions are known to flare up occasionally, the present one over the February 14 Pulwama incident has calmed down for the time being. However, in the absence of any political dialogue related to Kashmir, there is likely to be a next episode. Most assessments of the incident have examined the conflagration…
