Pakistan is known to the world as one of the major transit countries for trafficking of drugs and narcotics, particularly opium and its products e.g. heroin, morphine and other opiates, produced in the neighbouring Afghanistan. Of both the poppy-addicted economy of Afghanistan, which accounts for more than 85 percent of the world poppy cultivation, and the Taliban, who depend on …

The stability–instability paradox is relatively a new concept in strategic studies and international relations. It was one of the several concepts evolved during the Cold War period to explain why “stability” at the strategic level between the two superpowers led to “instability” at the lower levels of the conflict. This paradox continues to remain a subject of intense debate even …

In the aftermath of Narendra Modi’s visit to Israel as the first-ever Indian Prime Minister to visit the Jewish state, many questions have been raised in the discourse that what is bringing the both countries together and why the ties are being brought out of closet now? For clarification on the issue, a closer look at the background of the …

Application of morality in launching, fighting and terminating war has been a matter of divergent explanations and interpretations since the very inception of human society. But, still, there are certain agreed-upon principles that are supposed to be followed by states while resorting to war. The laws, which, now, have been codified as International Law and expressed in the UN Charter, …

In November 2014, then newly-elected president of Afghanistan Dr Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai, along with other Afghan dignitaries, came on his maiden visit to Pakistan. During this historic visit, besides holding meeting with the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, he also had a sitting with COAS General Raheel Sharif. During the visit, which received unprecedented world attention, both …

Emergence of China as a rapidly-growing economic power and its tremendous outreach in global market has left the world powers perplexed. China’s journey from a lingering agricultural country to a global manufacturing giant has literally shaken the world’s political players. Her ‘One Belt, One Road’ vision is giving may sleepless nights to the rulers and policymakers of global heavyweights. The …

The meticulous planning and successful execution of the Quetta carnage and the death and mayhem thereupon reminds us once again that we are still far from an ultimate triumph against terrorism and claiming that the country has been fully purged of the menace. Intermittent killing sprees in various parts of the country once again highlight the fact that we direly …

Pakistan and Afghanistan are once again reaching the ground zero less than a year after Ghani’s first official visit to Islamabad in mid-November 2014 that raised hopes for a cordial bilateral relationship. The rift became visible recently when senior Afghan officials launched a diatribe against Pakistan after the fall of Afghan province of Kunduz to the Taliban. However, Prime Minister …

  Brahamdagh’s Volte Face & the Way Forward It seems that the government’s efforts to persuade dissident Baloch leaders for holding talks on the Balochistan issue are bearing fruit. In August, after meeting with senior Balochistan Minister Nawab Sanaullah Zehri, the Khan of Kalat, Mir Suleman Daud Khan, promised to consider returning to Pakistan if “right conditions” are created in …

Quo Vadis, Afghanistan? Only days prior to second round of Pakistan-brokered peace talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government, President of Afghanistan, Ashraf Ghani, confirmed the death of Mullah Omar. After some vacillation over the issue, Taliban also admitted the death of their reclusive leader. In view of the reports regarding the death of Mullah Omar and the resulting …