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The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) are the eight goals of progress to be achieved by the year 2015. In 2000, 189 states endorsed these goals following the adoption of the United Nations Millennium Declaration. They are meant to establish trends in primary education, maternal health, gender empowerment, infant mortality, extreme hunger and poverty, environmental sustainability, global partnerships for development, and …

At a time when civilian Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) need to have very clear aims and objectives and concentrate on security and curbing terrorism in Pakistan, Punjab Police is compelled to divorce its main counterterrorism unit. Designers have decided to transfer the Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) from Central Police office and place it under the Home Department of the province. …

Before discussing the terms ‘evil’ and ‘menace’, it is indispensible to define the terms ‘imperialism’ and ‘terrorism’. The word terror and terrorism have become nearly-synonymous to our daily lives. These two terms are not new for us, but still ambiguous. Succinctly, imperialism is the process whereby powerful countries try to extend their power and increase their wealth by bringing the …

Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Namdar Zanganeh recently stated that “the contract for supplying gas to Pakistan is likely to be annulled,” and cited Pakistan’s inability to pay for the cost of laying the pipeline as the major impediment to its implementation. His assessment was based on the government of Pakistan’s recent request to the Iranian government to extend financial assistance …

It is commonly said that crises bring with them a set of challenges and opportunities alike. But, in order to convert these challenges into opportunities, a dynamic and visionary leadership broad-based consensus on, and unshakeable faith in, the national purpose. In the absence of a clear direction, crises only culminate in confounding the confusion and sharpening the already existing divides. …

There is a Chinese saying: If one is facing hundred problems then he should solve the least one first so the number of problems is reduced to ninety-nine. One must continue defeating lesser evils and soon there will be dozens of challenges left to tackle. The shorter the list the better it is. No matter how big the few challenges …

Pakistan’s electronic media has made huge strides in the last one decade. Today this industry has a massive structure and thousands of journalists, executives and technical professionals are directly or indirectly part of it. Whereas Pakistani media may appear less glossy, less liberal or colourful as compared to its Indian counterpart, it is certainly more developed, deeper and robust than …

Born on October 1, 1944, in Martinpur, District Sheikhpura, Dr Alexander John Malik, is the longest-serving Bishop in the history of the Anglican Church of the Subcontinent. After graduating from PU, Lahore, Bishop Malik got his diploma from Bishop’s College Calcutta and degree of Bachelor of Divinity from Serampur University, India. He got his Master’s degree from McGill University, Canada, …

Saudi Arabia has turned into a country of surprises and shocks almost overnight. First, its Foreign Minister, Prince Saud Al-Faisal, refused to give his speech at the UN General Assembly, in September, due to its ‘double standards; and, second, his ministry has declined the membership of the UN Security Council due to the group’s failure to resolve the Palestinian issue, …

Water is one of the most precious natural resources of our planet. Only 2% of the world’s water resources are made up of freshwater. This scarce resource, however, plays a crucial role in all segments of nature, society and economy. In view of the projected growth in popular demand for water and an accelerating climate change, it is expected that …