Pak Affairs

Introduction The National Action Plan (NAP), consisting of twenty policy actions to fight terrorism, has got attention from all quarters due to its anecdotal, administrative and political origins. Although many analysts and experts have discussed its various facets in their writings, the aspect that has received only a little or even zero attention is the constitutional and legal status of …

Pakistan’s Gwadar Port has got a unique geostrategic and geopolitical importance in the changing dynamics of the contemporary global politics when the sea trade is getting quite complex as it is situated at the mouth of Persian Gulf, Strait of Hormuz which holds 2/3rd of world’s oil reserves. Further, it is located at cross junction of international shipping lanes and …

In the recent years, the menace of terrorism has emerged as a global phenomenon and the most daunting challenge to world security. Pakistan is also not immune to this curse and has been caught in the tentacles of this monster since long. The recent surge in terrorist incidents in the country points toward the urgency of reinvigorating the National Counter …

Pakistan is fast emerging as a nexus state as the progressive recalibration of foreign relations by both it and the countries that surround and border it, proceed at some speed. The tectonic of geopolitics tend to move exceedingly slowly, but are currently on the diplomatic equivalent of fast-forwards in our neighbourhood. This theme was in full play at the 5th …

Security remains precarious the world over The 14th Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) Heads of Government meeting, was held in Zhengzhou, the capital city of central China’s Henan Province, from December 14 to 15, 2015. The participants of this 2-day meet included prime ministers of the six SCO member states — China, Russia, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan — and of …

The advantages of renewable energy like solar, wind and tidal are well known. Producing energy from these sources does not produce any pollutants, greenhouse gases. These sources are eco-friendly too. The greatest advantage, perhaps, is that they do not require any fuel and are free of international price whims. All that is required to set them up are places with …

After the April 2015 low — when the Pakistani parliament historically turned down a request to participate in the Saudi-led war in Yemen — it seems that the Pak-Saudi bilateral relationship is now on an upward trajectory. Although that decision was mainly motivated by a growing shift in Pakistan’s foreign policy, which is apparently becoming China-oriented in its outlook and …

Since the emergence of the country on the world map in 1947, the foreign policy of Pakistan has been facing grave challenges. But, the challenges in the 21st century are far more serious and daunting in nature. The challenges like globalization, extremism, terrorism and economic decline have impeded the effectiveness of the foreign policy of Pakistan. Today, the world community …

The notion of development through integration got popular in the name of ‘regionalism’ particularly following the World War II. Regionalism in all its manifestations, including political, economic and social, was considered the most plausible option for development and progress. Since then, many regions essentially and effectively developed multilateral mechanisms — regional organizations — to achieve progress and development through increased …

Over the decades during which I have worked in and written about Pakistan, there have been so many supposed national “turning points” at which the country failed to turn that I have almost ceased to notice them. But when earlier this year the Pakistani Government described China’s planned energy and transport corridor through Pakistan to the Arabian Sea as a …