Afghanistan, a war-torn country, yearns for peace. Life in Afghanistan has been paralyzed. Its economy is in tatters – almost ninety percent of its GDP comes from foreign funding. Unemployment ratio is skyrocketing as almost fifty percent of its population is unemployed. In Afghanistan, suicide bombings, bloodshed and massacre of innocent people have become rampant. The Taliban and al-Qaeda have …

Is it always necessary to be a criminal to become a great man? To understand this, we need to see the formation of greatness in an individual through historical perspective. The word great is described as “high status, qualities, and skills in any field or good physical state of being”. Though its definition may vary from culture to culture, society …

Crafting a political system where foreign policy power would be both more effective and democratic requires a systemic analysis of foreign policy making procedures. Foreign policy making should rely on standards such as accountability, rationality, and a rapid decision mechanism, especially in times of crisis. Measuring the success of a country’s foreign policy is not a straightforward practice. Evaluating the …

Pakistan gained independence in 1947. Born as an inherently weak state with meagre means of survival, the country was anticipated, by some of its opponents, to dissolve within six months of its creation. Yet, Pakistan not only survived as an independent state, it progressed too. However, one wonders if, after seven decades of independence, Pakistan can be called ‘a truly …

China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), a project pregnant and brimming with immense geopolitical and geo-economic dimensions, has even deeper geo-strategic connotations. It has already set forth a massive upheaval in the dynamics of the Af-Pak and South-Central Asian regions and portends even starker ramifications for the Indian Ocean/Arabian Sea region as well. The United States, under President Donald Trump, is still …

By: Jawad Hussain Malik Nothing is permanent and constant in this universe except change which, undoubtedly, is inevitable and unstoppable. Same holds true for the modern geopolitical world as it is unremittingly changing. And, a big change is in the offing now. Not so long ago, the United States of America (USA) was the sole kingmaker in the world and …

The separation of powers in the United States has spawned a great deal of debate over the roles of the President and the Congress in foreign affairs, as well as over the limits on their respective authorities. In recent years, presidents have accumulated power at the expense of Congress as part of a pattern in which, during times of war …

By: Dr G.M. Athar “Jammu and Kashmir bears the direct brunt of animosity between India and Pakistan. … We have to create such a good atmosphere in Jammu and Kashmir that India and Pakistan are compelled to come together.”  — Mehbooba Mufti (Chief Minister of Indian-Occupied Kashmir) The pro-independence political leadership of Jammu and Kashmir State has throughout maintained equidistant …

By: M. Usama The Constitution of Pakistan 1973 through its Article 41(2) enunciates that only a Muslim can become the President of Pakistan. Same is the condition for the Prime Minister as well [Article 91(3)]. It means that to occupy these high offices, one must be a Muslim even if one practices corruption, perjury and gloats on the resources of …

By: Dr Ghazala Mansuri Over 80 percent of Pakistanis consistently report that their economic wellbeing has either deteriorated or remained the same. Only 20 percent, disproportionately concentrated in the very top of the distribution, feel that they are better off and similarly small numbers believe that economic conditions have improved for their locality. If we took a poll today, it …