Pak Affairs

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 23rd March, 1940, a group of valiant and fiercely determined individuals gathered at Manto Park, Lahore, and resolved to give their fellow countrymen a new homeland.” This is the lead line of a soul-jerking ad I happened to go through in a newspaper of a renowned media group inviting ideas from its readers on what in their view our …

Public debt in the country has exceeded the subscribed limit of 60pc of GDP placed on it by the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation (FRDL) Act, 2005. It has happened because of excessive fiscal deficits in the past years. For instance, the fiscal deficit in 2012-13 was 8.2pc of GDP. An immediate explanation for large fiscal deficits is inadequate tax …

A nation-state is built on a political philosophy that delineates the mindset of its people. Hence, it is imperative for the state to recognize and provide its citizens with fundamental rights. Unfortunately, over the course of years we have seen a sheer lack of this provision in Pakistan as the country has been, and is still, facing several socioeconomic issues …

Some months ago, a 20-year-old boy, Danish Ali, came into headlines when he fatally shot his older sister, Asifa Noreen, 32, in Taxila, a town about 15 miles west of Islamabad, because she had voted in the local elections against his will. Danish had apparently ‘forbidden’ Noreen from voting. This one incidence explains why women’s participation in political activities in …

The Global Food Security Index 2015, an annual publication of the Economist Intelligence Unit, has placed Pakistan at 77th position among 109 countries. This highlights the urgency of the issue for Pakistan. At a time when the country’s population is increasing rapidly, there is a looming threat that the country may become food insecure in the near future. This situation …

Pakistan with its 200 million inhabitants is experiencing rapid urbanisation and industrial development. Its population is facing a water challenge. Currently, it is the world’s 26th most water-stressed country, where 35 per cent of the population lacks access to safe water. By 2025, the population is expected to cross 250 million, reducing Pakistan’s per capita annual availability of water to …

Introduction The Supreme Court of Pakistan rendered two judgements recently that included substantial questions of international law: one was the case of Houbara bustard that had excited a lot of public interest and discussion, and at the heart of it was a jurisprudential question touching upon the area of the Public International Law; the other case related to a suit …

Pakistan-US relations, spanning more than six decades, have seen their ups and downs. At one point, Pakistan was called the most allied ally and at times, the relationship descended to the lowest point. But during different phases of turbulence, both countries have sought to restore their ties. In the current phase, relations between the US and Pakistan are on the …

Balochistan figures prominently in the list of major political challenges Pakistan has been dealing with ever since its independence. The nationalistic movement augmented by ethnic grievances including the claims over provincial discrimination and injustices, gave impetus to the problem and it continued to intensify till it spilled over beyond a manageable threshold. Now whether it was intentionally allowed to exacerbate …