2016

Introduction On 29th February 2016, with the assent of the Governor Punjab, the Punjab Protection of Women against Violence Bill turned into an act of the provincial legislature. The debate, as frequently happens in Pakistan, initiated after the law was passed. The views were expressed in binary terms: in black and white, good and bad, noble and evil, and ‘progressive’ …

On February 26, Iran held two elections: one for its parliament (Majles-e Shoraye Eslami) and the other for the Assembly of Experts (Majles-e Khobragan Rahbari). The former is Iran’s legislative body, and the latter is the part of government that monitors the Supreme Leader and selects his replacement if he dies, becomes incapacitated or is removed. Since the 1979 Revolution, …

It was almost certain that the stage was set for face-to-face talks between the Taliban and the Afghan government within the framework of the Quadrilateral Coordination Group, which consists of US, China, Pakistan and Afghanistan. Positive signals to that effect had been received by the concerned quarters in Pakistan and by the governments of the other members of the QCG. …

The South China Sea, a popular trading route that holds a mother lode of natural oil and gas reserves, has been a source of escalating tensions in Southeast Asia for decades. In recent years, China and some of its neighbours have ramped up their activities to stake a claim in the area, going as far as building new islands and …

With the rapid melting of ice, the Arctic region is increasingly becoming a more accessible zone for commercial fishing, freshwater, minerals, coal, iron, copper, oil, gas, and shipping — the reason why it is catching the world powers’ attention. Arctic states — Canada, Denmark (via Greenland), Russia, Norway and the US — are in a rush to exploit the opportunities …

When Arab streets exploded with fury, from Tunis to Sanaa, pan-Arabism seemed, then, like a nominal notion. Neither did the so-called ‘Jasmine Revolution’ use slogans that affirmed its Arab identity, nor did angry Egyptian youth raise the banner proclaiming Arab unity atop the high buildings adjacent to Tahrir Square. Oddly, the Arabism of the ‘Arab Spring’ was almost as if …

After nearly five months of brutal fighting and two weeks of a scrappy ceasefire, Russian President Vladimir Putin, on March 13, suddenly announced that “the main part” of Russia’s forces currently in Syria will pull out from the country, claiming that their objectives had largely been met and it was time to focus on peace talks. Assuming that this is …

By the standards of any other Western country, the role played by faith in America’s presidential race seems enormous. A recent poll by the Pew Research Centre confirmed that being a professed atheist would be a deadly liability for anyone hoping to enter the White House. Some 51% of voters would be less likely to vote for a candidate who …

Russia is not hiding its goals in its Syrian war, and is not ambiguous about its alliance with Iran and the Assad regime. Moscow has decided that the war in Syria is a Russian war on “Islamist terrorism,” that will not stop until it declares victory. Whether it prevails or becomes bogged down in the Syrian quagmire, Russia has decided …

The United States and its Western allies have legitimate concerns as to why they should risk blood and treasure in support of Georgia, Moldova or Ukraine, especially if providing these distant countries with financial support, military assistance and political leverage in international affairs could lead to a confrontation with Russia. Meanwhile, the Russian bear remains unpredictable and aggressive. It is …