This is a defining year in Afghanistan’s history. The drawdown of occupation forces by the end of the year will be a watershed event. Pakistan supports a sovereign, independent and united Afghanistan and hopes that the drawdown will be managed while preserving regional peace and security. Given Turkey’s close ties to Afghanistan and Pakistan, it…
The Australian strategic environment is characterised by its geography and international developments. The West Pacific and Indian Ocean are the major regions which constitute the Australian strategic outlook. Greater land mass with abundant natural resources, developed economy and thin population density also influence Australian perception of the world affairs. Other than geography, its West European…
Besides the recent dastardly attacks on policemen and Rangers in Karachi, the TTP brutally beheaded 23 Frontier Corps (FC) men in their custody in Afghanistan. Why are we talking to these sadistic murderers when they are not going to stop their atrocities, and more importantly, does their negotiating committee really have the mandate to represent…
To quote my article “Keep PIA flying” (June 20, 2013), “Facing multiple crises simultaneously – most of them man-made – Pakistan’s workforce and institutions remain amazingly resilient. Beset by extraordinary interference over the years, both during military and civilian rule, PIA continues operating thanks to the competence of its core staff, for this miracle one…
The recent Islamabad attack highlights the fact that the TTP either, viz (1) has no control over most of its 30 plus factions (and certainly not on the 60 or so ones criminally inclined but existing under the cover name of TTP), or worse (2) is deliberately ignoring the obvious militancy of groups not under…
Dear Readers, Now that the government has formed a new Committee for holding talks with the Tehreek-e-Taliban (TTP), will peace prevail again in Pakistan? If one is to look back there is very little chance of that actually happening and here one is reminded of Albert Einstein’s famous quote, “Insanity is doing the something over…
Terrorist Activities in Pakistan Suicide BombingsFive persons were injured in simultaneous attacks in the North Nazimabad Town of Karachi on January 29. Two Rangers and the security guard of a nearby telephone exchange were killed while two passersby were wounded when a suicide bomber blew himself up outside the main entrance of the Headquarters of…
Following the Taliban’s announcement for a month long ceasefire, the government has reciprocated by suspending air strikes while retaining the option to respond to violent attacks. These developments came while speculations about a major ground offensive against the militants lodged in North Waziristan formed the most popular narrative. Now the government and the TTP have…
At last, the government of Pakistan announced its long awaited three-pronged policy National Security Policy (NSP). It is a major policy shift of responding to militants conducting attacks in the county with military action 2014-2018. It will initially cost the exchequer Rs. 32 billion to set up some new institutions and strengthen some of the…
“I say with full responsibility that Islamabad is a safe and secure city”, so declared the Interior Minister Ch. Nisar Ali Khan in a press conference and ironically, only three days later the terrorists devastated his hollow claim by striking at the District Courts Complex Islamabad killing at least 11 people, including an Additional Sessions…
