As we enter the new phase of the war against non-state actors, there is a growing anxiety that many of the Arab regimes may not be able retain the territorial shape they acquired at the end of WWII. Especially when the first stage of this campaign, which was primarily premised on the use of kinetic…
IntroductionThe Australian Defence Policy has seen many phases. The major challenge has been to strike the balance between the need to defend the continent or the defence of wider strategic interests. Being part of British Empire, the defence policy was to contribute to imperial defence till end of World War II (WW II). However during…
While Pakistan was busy in mitigating the hardship of flood victims, with the military playing an overwhelming role in rescue operations, Afghanistan was able to put behind its electoral crisis and come up with an improvised government structure for its stalled political transition. The presence of President Mamnoon Hussain during President Ashraf Ghani’s inaugural ceremony…
A man starts yelling “fire, fire” in a movie theatre, the stampede towards the exits results in injuries (even deaths) among the cinemagoers. Restraining or punishing the man would technically violate his freedom of speech, allowing such “freedom” would result in injuries and deaths to innocent bystanders, what should be the logical course of justice?…
The Imran Khan and Tahir ul Qadri show, or as my friend Ejaz Haider puts it, the “Lucky Irani Circus”, finally made it to where they wanted to be in the first place and where the Mian Nawaz Sharif regime did not want them at any time, at the “D Square” in front of Parliament….
Historically progressive, Pakistan’s bourgeoisie has compromised with imperialism and feudal/tribal elements, with almost all political parties in Pakistan run like feudal estates. The basic ingredient of any functioning democracy, the present form of elections has reduced Parliament to a mere ritual-like exercise with those elected considering power a free licence to loot, plunder and oppress…
The bankruptcy of our policies has put us under pressure internationally from disparate forces with vested interest. Domestically this only force-multiplies the effect of the constant attack by the forces of evil, their appetite for loot and plunder not yet satiated after more than half a century. The recent set of political, economic and diplomatic…
Terrorist Activities in Pakistan Bomb/IED BlastsPolice on July 2 foiled a major terrorism bid after it recovered and defused two bombs that weighed 18 kilogrammes each in Sarband area of Peshawar, reports Daily Times. Police said that if the bombs had exploded they would have resulted in a massive loss of life and property. A…
Dear Readers, No one can argue that many things are wrong in Pakistan but this is not unique to this country. One only has to look around to see the problems being faced by countries across the world but what is unique to Pakistan is that many of the problems it faces are of its…
The political instability in Pakistan is generally attributed to the frequent military interventions, though apparently true but history is witness that military only intervenes once incompetent corrupt politicians fail miserably. The people always welcome the change, but after few years they are booted out, the cycle continues. The PPP government elected in 2008 completed its…
