Category: Pakistan

Pakistan: Shehbaz Sharif Caught Between A Rock And A Hard Place

Reportedly, the PML-N-led coalition government appears unwilling to take the blame for any unpopular decisions it may have to take to fix the economy. It wants guaranteed backing of the powerful military establishment to help it see through the remaining period of its tenure till August 2023. The coalition, despite pressure from within its ranks to clear the air about […]

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Imran Khan’s Political Discourse: Dangerous For Democracy

Pakistan’s political environment has rapidly become aggressive since the ouster of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a constitutionally tabled vote of no-confidence. The former Premier has launched an aggressive political campaign in order to press the incumbent government of Shehbaz Sharif to hold free and fair early elections. As per the constitution and democratic norms, political rallies and gatherings […]

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Pakistan’s Nuclear Weapons And Deterrence

The notion of deterrence in South Asia triggered, after the acquisition of nuclear capability by Pakistan in May 1998. The two states that are India and Pakistan had an informal deterrence before becoming the nuclear power states. The Indian nuclear programme had been commenced since 1970s, after the explosion of nuclear test in 1974, under the garb of Peaceful Uses […]

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Pakistan: Coalition On The Path To Collision

Pakistanis are getting jittery because of the ‘politically loaded’ statements from the ruling coalition as well as the opposition headed by Imran Khan. Lately, PTI Chairman announced that his party’s long march towards Islamabad for the country’s “battle for real freedom” would begin on May 25, 2022. He said the main demands for the march to the capital were the […]

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Pakistan: Ahmadis Killed, Tortured, Hounded – Analysis

On May 17, 2022, Abdul Salam, a 33-year-old man from the Ahmadi community was stabbed to death by a seminary student, Hafiz Ali Raza alias Mulazim Husain, in the Okara District of Punjab. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), condemning the killing, tweeted, “The brutal murder of an Ahmadi man in Okara, who was reportedly stabbed to death by […]

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‘Haqeeqi Azaadi’ Or The March Of Destruction In Islamabad

After its ouster from the government, PTI have been protesting nationwide and now has finally called for a ‘Haqeeqi Azaadi March” (Real Freedom March), while the government has officially announced that they will not allow this march to enter Islamabad. Pakistan as a nation has entered the state of quagmire where many threats are looming, and a civil unrest cannot […]

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Pakistan: Islamabad Versus Rawalpindi

Things don’t seem to be going too well for Pakistan. While the country’s financial condition continues to worsen with each passing day, with former Prime Minister Imran Khan declaring ‘jihad’ [holy war] to save the country from the allegedly “imported” Shehbaz Sharif led government, the political situation has turned extremely volatile. While Federal Minister for Planning, Development and Special Initiatives […]

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Pakistan: Imran Khan’s Low-Grade Tactics

It was unanimously decided at a recent meeting of the coalition parties in the federal government, that the coalition government of Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif, formed after the success of the no-confidence motion, would complete its constitutional and legal term and the next elections would be held on time, that will be in August next year. What will be the […]

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Pakistan reopens several additional borders crossings with Afghanistan

Pakistan has decided to reopen several additional border crossings with Afghanistan, Pakistan’s Special Representative for Afghanistan Mohammad Sadiq said on Monday. “The crossings are to facilitate economic activity and regulate the visitors,” Sadiq tweeted. According to Sadiq Arandu between Chitral and Kunar and Benshahi between Lower Dir and Kunar are the first two crossings of the series to be made […]

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Pakistan Reaps What It Sowed

How the Country’s Support for the Taliban Backfired For the last two decades, conventional wisdom in Pakistan held that an Afghanistan ruled by the Taliban would be a boon to Pakistan’s security. Islamabad has long supported the Taliban with the understanding that the militants could help deny India­—which many Pakistani officials see as an existential threat—any influence in Afghanistan. But […]

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