Int’l Affairs

While witnessing the transitions which plagued the Arab world with the coveted disease of ‘revolutionary changes’, Egypt managed to topple down the 30 year old regime of the mighty Muhammad Hosni El Sayed Mubarak. The longest-serving ruler had to descend down from his throne as the chorus which demanded for a ‘change’ in the political set up of the country …

Pakistan-US ties are in doldrums yet again. The last of a series of issues related to US actions in Pakistan last year, which apparently led to a stalemate between Pakistan and the US, was the US-led Nato forces’ attack on Pakistan’s military check-post on 26 November 2011, at Salala, near Pakistan-Afghanistan border that killed 29 Pakistani soldiers. Since American SEAL’s …

The 21st century did not start well. We found ourselves burdened with the same old problems but in their acutest form. The world has never been so chaotic and violent.  Wars of aggression and attrition, invasions in the name of self-defence, military occupations, massacres and genocides, human tragedies and humanitarian catastrophes, and a culture of extremism and violence came to …

The Pakistan-US relationship is no doubt an old relationship that has survived many ups and downs. We have been friends and allies for nearly 65 years now. Yes, it has been a curious relationship. It never had any conflict of interest and yet remained without any mutuality of interest either. The only mutuality in this hinge has been one of …

The nuclear summit includes both states and non-state actors and is designed as a collective effort to resolve issues of nuclear security and terrorism. At the heart of the Summit’s agenda is the concern relative to nuclear safety measures, its proliferation and illegal trafficking as well as efforts to reduce the use of highly enriched uranium (HEU).   According to …

Russia has come to realize Pakistan’s role in resolving the issues plaguing this region and Pakistan also seems to be contemplating on ways to lessen its reliance on America and to diversify its support base among the powerful states of this region. On March 5th 2012, the news of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s victory in Russian Presidential elections would have …

The BRICS is an acronym referring to a newly emerged economic alliance of Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. The grouping, which is not yet recognized by western powers, especially the US, has drawn both criticism and support in different circles in home countries and across the globe. BRICS as a grouping has tremendous potential of playing a significant …

On a similar March evening in 1973, the same resplendent ceremony was being held with all its glitter and glamour. Clad in their costly costumes, those who ruled the hearts of movie lovers, were eagerly waiting for their awards. During the previous year, the movie which had been repeatedly watched and highly appreciated by the cinema goers was ‘Godfather, in …

Iran has always imagined itself as the natural hegemon of its neighborhood. As the Persian Empire shrank over the centuries and Persian culture faded with the arrival of more riveting western mores, Iran’s exaggerated view of itself remained largely unbroken. By dip of history, Iranians believe that their nation deserves regional incomparability. Loud claims of nuclear achieve-ment, threats to close …

An analysis of measures taken and efforts made to overcome the economic crisis of eurozon and the prospects of their proving to be fruitful. World leaders spent colossal amount of time in 2011 to resolve the eurozone crisis which spun out of control. Foreign Secretary William Hague called the euro a ‘burning building with no exits’. Tragedy of circumstances is …