March 2012

More human casualties are suffered in South Asia because of the prevailing structural violence in the region which constitutes the generally deplorable conditions in the region done to disease, malnutrition, illiteracy and unemployment, than the direct violence of war. The institutions of governance are directly responsible for this chaos. There is need for radical reforms. South Asia remains one of …

Capitalism with its emphasis on growth and prosperity has tended to increase inequality and poverty which are detrimental to social stability and harmony. Justifying the acquisition of wealth through its model of competition and efficiency, the operation of capitalism has seen the rich becoming richer to the point of dominating and hegemonising markets and then driving people out-of-work and business …

Realizing the gravity of the situation, experts have described water as ‘Blue Gold’ and every year, on March 22, World Water Day is observed with some particular theme, to create awareness among the people for the prudent use of water and to emphasize the need for better policies, laws and steps regarding water. This year’s theme is ‘water and food …

Like everything else, the U.S. political system has also undergone some changes and certain amendments have been made in the country’s constitution, to suit the changing times and new requirements. But one must salute the political maturity of U.S. politicians and public that despite the passage of 225 years, they have still retained the original text, form, structure and spirit …

The extreme weather across Europe is not an abrupt cataclysm and the chaos caused by it is not a far-fetched tragedy except the variation of its scale that may go to any length. The only startling thing in this regard is the catastrophic outcome which requires more effective strategy to cope with the regular hitting of this monster in a …

Zakat is a form of financial worship that is obligatory upon those adult Muslims who remain in possession of a certain amount of money and other valuables/property for one year. If the rich and affluent people of Pakistan pay Zakat in line with injunctions of Islam, poverty in the country could be abolished within a few years. But for this …

Presently, Syria is faced with intense internal crisis. In a public address in January, President Assad vowed to deal with perpetrators of violence with an iron-fist. The UN Security Council passed resolution denouncing Syrian government’s attacks on protestors and human rights violations in the country which was vetoed by Russia and China. However, the country is using diplomatic channels to …

An analysis of the pertinent perceptions about the Iranian nuclear programme, the concerns over ?it from different quarters, and what is to come if Iran is attacked. A state’s ability to defend is not a credible deterrence; rather a state’s ability to retaliate is a credible deterrence. Kenneth waltz, a renowned theorist, who put forward the theory of Structural Realism, …

Ali Sarwar Naqvi Former Ambassador and an expert on Nuclear Diplomacy Profile In a long diplomatic career of thirty-six years, from 1970 to 2006, he served at the United Nations, both in New York and Vienna, and in Washington D.C, London, Paris and Brussels. In the course of professional work, he delivered lectures and speeches on various current affairs issues …