From its very birth, confronted by two inimical neighbours, Pakistan has tended to regard war as an external threat. Yet an equally grave challenge has been the failure to address development priorities with the same clarity of purpose, resource mobilization and determination brought to meeting external dangers.
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Pakistan’s greatest challenge is not external aggression but the urgent need for democratic governance, institutional reform and national renewal
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Pakistan is unlikely to overcome its internal challenges unless the state combines effective security measures with political reconciliation, representative governance, and economic justice
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Pakistan’s growing diplomatic stature abroad should be matched by meaningful reforms and stability at home
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Despite the widening internal fault lines, Pakistan’s ruling elite appear to lack the commitment, capability and vision required to steer the country out of its multiple crises
Read moreAny changes to the 18th Amendment would seriously violate the foundational principles of the Federal system as outlined in the 1973 Constitution
Read moreInstead of just minor legislative tweaks, Pakistan truly needs significant, meaningful changes to its Constitution that can make a real difference
Read moreMature democracies successfully strike a balance between governance and popularity, but unfortunately, Pakistan has struggled to do so
Read moreIf the 28th Amendment passes, the country will lose whatever remains of decentralisation, which forms the building block of a federation
Read moreFollowing the enactment of the 26th and 27th Amendments, the proposed 28th Amendment would further restrict civilian authority
Read moreThe UAE’s decision to leave OPEC highlights a growing rift between the UAE and Saudi Arabia and signals a drastic move away from the system shaped by Saudi Arabia
Read moreThe ongoing rivalry between the United States and Iran has brought about increased political, economic, and strategic challenges throughout the Middle East
Read moreWhat is emerging instead is a harsher reality: a Middle East defined less by shared Arab identity than by logistics corridors, transactional alliances, and overlapping cold wars
Read moreIn marked contrast to November of 2022, today’s Pakistan has evolved as an international peace headquarters, thanks to the rise and rise of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir
Read moreThe transatlantic relationship, once the cornerstone of global order, is rapidly losing its centrality, giving way to a more fractured, post-American, multi-bloc world
Read moreSooner or later, Pakistan may need to reevaluate the merits and drawbacks of persisting with its mediation efforts, considering U.S. President Donald Trump’s tendency to attribute his shortcomings to others
Read moreThe persistent stalemate between Iran and the United States exemplifies how U.S. President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu tend to overestimate their capabilities while underestimating the strength and resilience of their adversaries
Read moreIt would be a remarkable achievement if, after nearly five decades of hostility, Iran and the United States succeeded in reconciling their differences
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Pakistan has to look within amidst a multitude of internal pressures and the ongoing conflict between Israel and Iran
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There are several reasons to believe that Pakistan cannot be subjected to targeting similar to Iran based on a perceived nuclear threat
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In the event of Iran’s collapse, Israel, India, and the United States may perceive an opportunity to target Pakistan with the objective of dismantling its nuclear assets and missile programs
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All the initial signs emanating from Dhaka in the glow of the big win herald hope for a constructive use of the strong mandate
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The BNP government faces an uphill task of establishing democracy in its true meaning
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