The dramatic electoral changes in Europe will likely effect other countries of the world, more because of France than Greece, and for different reasons. The two “left of centre” French Presidential candidates who could not survive the first round both endorsed François Hollande, rabidly Conservative Marie Le Pen did not support either. The close vote,…
Yusuf Raza Gilani’s imprisonment on a contempt of court charge lasted a little over 30 seconds, the conviction was enough to set off a legal and political firestorm. Gilani’s defiance is pure political bluster, he will be history sooner rather than later. With his legal status as PM in limbo, Pakistan also remains in a…
A visit to Siachen 12 years after it became the highest and coldest battleground in the world evoked “WITHERING HEIGHTS” (Sep 19, 1996), “The watershed for the Indus and Tarim River Basins, the sparsely populated Karakoram Ranges has four peaks exceeding 26000 ft, K-2 being the world’s second highest mountain after Everest. The Karakorams are…
Trying to muddle way out of another unpopular war and loath to concede defeat, US and NATO have been racing against time to build an Afghan army able to fend for itself after 130,000 US and ISAF troops pull out in 2014. The final transition phase, involving handing over responsibility for provinces and districts to…
Talking to the media, Col (Retd) Syed Akhtar Abbas, Director Legal of the Anti-Narcotics Force (ANF), confirmed the International Narcotics Control Board (INCB) probe into Pakistan’s import of “Ephedrine” during 2010 beyond its stipulated international quota. Published on its website the INCB 2011 report, said that it was “increasingly concerned about the diversion and attempted…
The historian Marc Bloch defined “feudal society” as a warrior aristocracy bound by vassalage. A lord was a noble who held land, the land was called a fief. Those granted possession by the lord were called vassals, expected to give service to their lord. Wealth was derived from agriculture organized not by market forces but…
A friend of mine who chooses to remain un-named forwarded an SMS message presently roaming the ether, to quote “A question in the minds of every Pakistani to the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, is your task only to give sermons to the public? Why has judgment not come in any high profile cases?…
It is unfortunate that Pakistan continues to make headlines for all the wrong reasons. While one acknowledges that as a developing nation it will be natural for any country to have its fair share of social, political and economical problems but where Pakistan is concerned, the real issue is not the problems but how practically…
Blatant nepotism and rampant corruption weakening the country’s integrity and sovereignty, all signs are pointing to a dangerous slide into anarchy. The Supreme Court (SC) does “note” the corruption, with respect that’s all they have done for the past three years. While military takeovers can never really be justified, where is the constitutional mechanism in…
One of the great tragedies to befall this country was the assassination of Punjab governor Salmaan Taseer by Mumtaz Qadri in Islamabad on Jan 4, 2011, bringing into sharp focus one of the important aspects of security that does not get the attention it should: fidelity. A policeman in the security detail provided to Taseer…
