July 2017

Peace has become elusive for Kabul as it took many years to persuade the resistance forces to join the dialogue process and shun violence but the efforts have largely proved unsuccessful. After a number of intermittent deadly strikes in Kabul during the last few weeks, the Afghan government decided to take the lead in the peace process. In this context, …

The month of June 2017 has witnessed an important international event. The two archrivals India and Pakistan, with a bitter rivalry that spans nearly 70 years and shows no signs of abatement, have joined the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as its full members. Pakistan’s membership (as well as India’s) was a part of a process, from Observer status to full …

There has been a dramatic expansion in the size, scope, and capacity of civil society organizations (CSOs) around the globe over the past decade. This unprecedented growth has been spurred by the process of globalization and the expansion of democratic governance, telecommunications, and economic integration. CSOs have also become important actors for delivery of social services and implementation of other …

“Parties of order or stability, and a party of progress or reform, are both necessary elements of a healthy state of political life.”  (John Stuart Mill) Political parties play a vital role in the overall development of a country. In fact, they are sine qua non for a truly democratic process in particular, and development in general. In a democratic …

Excessive military presence in public spaces, a rigid approach adopted by the ruling power in India and, most importantly, the grave human rights violations in the aftermath of the killing of Burhan Muzaffar Wani have increased home-grown militancy and radicalization among the Kashmiri population. Educated Kahmiri youths, who don’t even know how to use arms, are standing up for a …

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 …

World Population Day (WPD) is observed on the 11th of July every year. Governments, NGOs, educational institutions and media houses across the world observe this day as a national and global cause to highlight the seriousness of the issue of population growth and to educate people in this regard. It is pertinent to mention here that the other world days …

Washington’s recent doubling down on aggressive military posturing has led to wide speculation that Pyongyang could be the next target for unilateral action. Even though the administration has indicated that military option is among the options under review, there are many signs that North Korea is not Syria – as military action against the former carries far greater risks. 1. …