The United Nations & Pakistan

During his two-day visit to Pakistan, the UN Secretary General, Mr. Ban Ki Moon, had a busy schedule, covering diverse areas of interest ranging from disease to drones. His presence on the Independence Day ceremony has earned him immense goodwill amongst the people of Pakistan. Pakistan has traditionally supported the purposes and principles of the…

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The Struggle for democracy in the Muslim World

IntroductionThe politically progressive Muslim majority countries such as Indonesia, Turkey and Malaysia, ambiguous state of affairs in Pakistan and ongoing struggles with popular uprisings in the Middle East/North Africa have highlighted the need for a conceptualization of the socio political shifts and aspirations sweeping the Muslim World. These shifts are not exclusively secular or sacred…

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Pakistan- A Nation in Quest of Stability

With its waning social gauge, degenerating economy, dividing society on ethnic, sectarian bases and the government’s mislaid priorities, Pakistan is emerging as a disturbed state. Institutions like independent judiciary, strong vibrant civil society and moderate-thinking Pakistanis are delaying its fatal decline. Pakistan as a state is weakening but the Pakistani society is strengthening with every…

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Pakistan-Azerbaijan Bilateral Relations: A Way Forward

Pakistan and Azerbaijan are two brotherly Muslim countries with unique commonalities of historical, religious and political nature and after the establishment of the formal diplomatic relations, there was no look back and the ties grew on steady pace. The Pak-Azerbaijan friendship was founded by two great leaders of the two countries, Heydar Aliyev and Benazir…

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The Children of Abraham-1

“Abraham was neither a “Jew” nor a “Christian”, but was one who turned away from all that is false, having surrendered himself unto God; and he was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside Him.”(Qur’an;3:67). “Abraham “believed God, and it was reckoned to him as righteousness (Genesis 15:6). ” So you see that…

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Barakah- Ummah Ayman

BackgroundNo precise information is available as to how this young Abyssinian girl ended up for sale in Mecca. Neither do we have any substantial record regarding her antecedents. There were many like her, boys and girls, Arabs and non-Arabs, who were captured and brought to be sold in the slave market of the city. A…

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The Reorientation of National Strategy to Counter the Insurgents

Pakistan is writing a classic military history of the blow-by-blow fighting against insurgents. Military law enforcement operations in Waziristan, Swat, Dir, and recently in Tirah valley make an irrefutable case for where the laurels lay for the victories and where the blame lies for the retreats. Lack of Civil-military coordination and gap of communication or…

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Federal Budget 2013-14

The newly formed government led by Muslim League (N) announced its first budget recently and as usual it rated it people, business and investment-friendly. On the other hand, the Opposition, business community and trades at large habitually labeled it anti-people, anti-business and anti-trade, etc. The tug of war about the merits and demerits of the…

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An Old Soldier Remembers

IntroductionLove stories of army officers have often ended in tragedy but then whosoever wore the uniform he accepted the risk of being killed. Between January 1944 and March 1944, my battalion lost 8 officers (Lt Col ROUSE, Maj UWINS, Maj BURFIELD, Maj OAKES, Lt TAREEN, Lt BROWN, Lt GRAHAM and Lt TOWERS), the rest were…

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