An economic force-multiplier encompassing road connectivity, energy, and infrastructure outlays, the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) faces a host of internal and external security challenges. Annunciated by the Chinese President, “One Belt, One Road” OBOR concept connects China to markets in Asia, Europe and beyond. Projected at US$ 46 billion, US$ 36 billion for energy projects…
The glaring apathy of the developed world towards cases of well-known corruption taking refuge in their countries to secure ill-gotten gains is scandalous. Attending seminars and conferences focussed on countering corruption, one frequently listens to technocrats from the developed world pontificating about dealing with corruption in the third (and developing) world, this is an arrogant…
IntroductionWhen the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (or SAARC) was created in 1985 – and the consensus was that it was the product of a Bangladesh initiative – it can be said to have been a triumph of hope over experience. Till then South Asia, or the Indo-Pak Subcontinent by which the region was…
British Foreign Secretary Philip Hammond was obviously detached from reality when he suggested on March 08 that issue of Jammu and Kashmir should not be a precondition for resumption of India-Pakistan dialogue and emphasized the need for reopening of talks between the two countries. He restated the obvious that an India-Pakistan dialogue is essential for…
The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia recently hosted the world’s biggest military exercises “North Thunder” in terms of participating countries and equipment. North Thunder was held at King Khalid Military City in Hafar Al Batin near the Iraqi and Kuwaiti border from February 14 until March 10, 2016. According to Saudi Arabian officials more than 35,000…
Most recently, the Chinese government prioritized its national policies of economy, politics, investment, industrialization and taxes in the 12th National People’s Congress. It highlighted achievements in its economic sphere during 2015. Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang gave his annual state-of-the-nation report to the legislature, the National People’s Congress. The congress also approved a new five-year plan during…
U.S. – Saudi relations are under intense scrutiny. Officials in Riyadh chafe at U.S. reluctance to engineer the overthrow of Syria’s Bashar al-Assad. More importantly, they fear that President Barack Obama’s diplomatic opening to Iran might prove to be a portent of normalized relations between Washington and Tehran. Meanwhile, U.S. lawmakers accuse the Saudis of…
IntroductionIn the sphere of ever-changing international relations, there are neither permanent friends nor enemies; it is only the national interests of a country which determine the nature and direction of its relations with the comity of nations. The accord on Iran’s nuclear programme announced in Vienna on July 14 proved this notion.i Despite decades of…
Corruption has been alive and well in Pakistan for over 6 decades. Soon after the Quaid died and with Liaquat Ali Khan subsequently assassinated in 1951, a small coterie of bureaucrats and their businessmen friends gave it momentum. Even then it remained within what one optimistically calls “limits”. Over the last decade or so, starting…
Trying to justify his many self-granted “extensions”, Musharraf did Raheel Shareef (and the Army) no favour putting him on the spot by campaigning in the media recently for his “extension”. Surprising that the architect of the infamous NRO that legitimized corruption, and gifted Asif Zardari to Pakistan as President and Supreme Commander, did not realize…
