The father of Pakistan’s nuclear programme Abdul Qadeer Khan said while addressing a gathering in Islamabad on the 18th anniversary of Pakistan’s first nuclear tests, “We were able and we had a plan to launch nuclear test in 1984. But President General Zia-ul-Haq had opposed the move”. Zia thought it could invoke international military intervention…
Dear Readers, The third- largest body of water containing vital sea lanes, the Indian Ocean feeds some of Asia’s largest economies and is strategically among the most important in the world. It carries more than 80 percent of the world’s seaborne trade in oil transits through its choke points but it is not just about…
The judicial murders in Bangladesh in the name of war crimes through sham trials raise serious legal, moral and political issues. These are obviously a travesty of justice. The 1974 Tripartite Agreement has been grossly violated, this agreement is a legally binding document under which the Bangladesh government has a contractual commitment which it must honour….
Fred Kaplan’s new book Dark Territory is a history of cyber war. It traces the origins of efforts to protect computers and networks from hostile intrusions and then development of offensive capabilities to eavesdrop and even sabotage adversary’s computers and networks. Fred introduces us to many diverse characters from computer geeks to senior government officials…
Terrorist Activities in Pakistan Bomb/IED blastsAt least three people were killed in a landmine explosion in Hamzani village of Sui tehsil (revenue unit) in Dera Bugti District of Balochistan on April 27, reports The News. Levies sources said, the incident took place when three people who were traveling on tractor hit the roadside bomb. In…
Describing the May 12 Summit of 40 Heads of State and Govt alongwith important business leaders as “the biggest demonstration of the political will to address corruption”, British PM David Cameron said “I’ve really sensed today there is far more political will – not just from words but from actions – that will make a…
Most recently, Saudi deputy crown prince Mohammed bin Salman announced Saudi Arabia’s National Transformation Plan (NTP) in which Vision 2030 maintained a central position. It would radically transform the Kingdom’s economy. Vision 2030 sets out a comprehensive road map to promote more efficient government services and to diversify the Kingdom’s economy by boosting private sector…
A recent “Pew Research Center” (PEW) survey finds the American people divided and uncertain, having mixed views about how assertive a role the U.S. should play internationally. With sharp differences about the greatest threats to the U.S. and the measures to deal with them, the 2016 US Presidential Elections may well decide the future US…
Two terms with the World Economic Forum (WEF)’s prestigious Global Agenda Council (GAC) on “Countering Terrorism” and given the nexus between corruption, organised crime and terrorism made it apparent that without interdicting or eradicating the source of funding of terrorism, this evil could never be rooted out. With my change over to GAC for “Anti-Corruption…
IntroductionThe last and the seventh lecture, “Is Religion Possible?” present the conclusions of the series of lectures compiled as “Reconstruction of Religious Thought in Islam”. Iqbal has categorized religious life into three periods, firstly the ‘Faith’, secondly ‘Thought’ and thirdly, the ‘Discovery’. The first period involves acceptance without rationalism. The second period, he says, is when…
