November 2016

China and Pakistan are not only neighbouring countries but are also ‘irreplaceable’, ‘all-weather’ and ‘time-tested’ friends. Both the states affirm and reaffirm their relations as ‘higher than the Himalayas, deeper than the deepest oceans, stronger than steel, dearer than eyesight and sweeter than honey’. <div> Sino-Pak relations, in fact, are based on mutual cooperation and protection of the interests of …

In all major religions of the world, blasphemy is considered the most serious crime and those who commit this despicable act must be awarded the strictest of punishments. In the contemporary world, many countries have enacted laws that propose severe punishments to the blasphemer. As of 2012, anti-blasphemy laws existed in 32 countries, including Pakistan, Afghanistan, Egypt, Malaysia, Denmark, Finland …

In the contemporary world, the influx of refugees has emerged as the most daunting challenge for all states in the global system. Even Europe and the US are facing this growing phenomenon after the Arab Spring in general and during the ongoing Syrian crisis in particular, despite the fact that they have the most rigid border controls in the world. …

The level of taxes has increased considerably in the developed and developing countries since the and of the last century. Such significant increase in taxation raises questions on its effects on economic growth rate. Every government gears its policies for accelerating economic growth and reducing unemployment and inflation. It is empirically established that the structure and level of taxation can …

Interprovincial harmony, undoubtedly, plays an important role not only in the development of a nation but also in nurturance and promotion of democracy. The centre plays a conciliatory role by ensuring that the provinces seek solutions to the issues through amicable negotiations and by avoiding unnecessary interference in matters where the interests of the provinces lie so that all the …

China’s revolutionary idea of “One Belt, One Road (OBOR)” has given a new dimension to the globalized world toward attaining “Greater Connectivity” through roads, railways and maritime routes. Due to China’s investment-friendly philosophy, CPEC is one branch of $51.5 billion (previously $46 billion) for Pakistan from the nearly one trillion dollar ‘investment tree’. Fortunately, this came as the privileged bounty …

Pak-Afghan relations have been marred by mutual mistrust, acrimony and recurrent blame game. Under the disruptive thumb of India, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani has recently threatened to completely block Pakistan’s trade access to Central Asia, if Islamabad does not formally permit Kabul to import Indian goods via the Wagah border. Such threats will further deteriorate the already fragile relationship between …

The global influence of the West has redefined the very concept of development: the result is that economic development is assumed to trigger development in all other sectors of society. The veracity of this assumption is often tested when economic development does not produce the desired outcomes. In this context, the academia has tried to examine the relationship of law …

On September 28, the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), during its meeting in Algiers, the Algerian capital, agreed to reduce oil output to a range of 32.5-33.0 million barrels per day from the current output of 33.24 million bpd. It is for the first time in eight years that the oil cartel has decided to lower output. Saudi Arabia, …

The intent behind Narendra Modi’s unprecedented ‘love’ for Afghanistan is no more a secret now. With an overt mission to destabilize Pakistan, Modi has poured in huge sums of money as ‘investments in Afghanistan’s future’ and has vowed that his country will extend cooperation to every part of war-torn Afghanistan despite facing barriers of politics, geography and terror attacks on …