Debt relief
Not a long-term solution After applying for the G-20 debt relief initiative, available to 76 of the poorest nations in the world, Pakistan has secured rescheduling agreements worth $526 million, $347 million…
A colossal foreign policy failure
Pakistan’s relations with Gulf Pakistan has a history of decades of warm relations with the Gulf countries which has benefitted both sides. The agreement about the return of Gwadar to Pakistan…
Fact-free politics
The unraveling of American democracy What has happened in the US over the past four years since Donald Trump was elected President is unprecedented. The current administration’s reaction to a crushing defeat…
Shooting at UNMOGIP
Now that its own observers come under fire, the UN must act The United Nations has accepted that one of the vehicles of the United Nations Military Observers Group in India and…
Freezing without gas
Government did not act in time It is bad enough for motorists that CNG stations are shutting down because SNGPL and SSGC are no longer supplying them, but the sufferings of the…
Heed the alarm bells
Take PDM on board The threat perception from India has suddenly assumed prime importance. We have been told off and on before also that India is likely to indulge in aggression against…
Inadequate export industry base
A handful of sectors get all the support Although the country’s exports have picked up in the past few months, Pakistan still has a long way to go if it is to…
Avoid making institutions controversial
By taking decisions on their behalf Prime Minister Imran Khan has announced two steps ahead of the forthcoming Senate elections. For unstated reasons he wants the Senate elections, that are traditionally held…
Economy in trouble
An apparently insatiable appetite for foreign debt The government’s apparently insatiable appetite for foreign exchange, which has led it engage in $4.5 billion fresh borrowing so far this fiscal year, not yet…
In international dealings, no free lunches
For every quid the is a quo Such is the level of mutual misunderstanding and suspicion that whatever help Islamabad extends for peace in Afghanistan, President Ashraf Ghani remains dissatisfied. The USA…
PIA still top-heavy
Will still have too many employees after VSS PIA aims to have about 7,000 to 8,000 employees after the current Voluntary Separation Scheme, down from the current count of 14,500 employees, which…
Fall of Dhaka
Failure to learn the lessons The fall of Dhaka was a traumatic experience for the nation. People cried on that day publicly in the streets as never before. The state-controlled television and…
Action on oil?
Will the Cabinet committee act or save colleagues? The Federal Cabinet has set up a three-member Committee to recommend action on the enquiry commission report into the June oil shortage, which indicates…
Defusing the crisis by reaching an understanding
Unwise to underrate PDM The opposition’s rally at Minar-e-Pakistan was neither the largest ever, as claimed by Mr Khaqqan Abbasi nor a flop as maintained by Prime Minister Imran Khan. The rally…
Achakzai’s perception of Punjab
An imbalanced view Like all nationalists of an extremist variety, irrespective of whether they belong to Punjab, Sindh, KP or Balochistan, PKMAP leader Mahmud Khan Achakzai presented a simplistic, one-sided and highly…
Is the age of euphemisms over?
Hazards of overplaying one’s hand The PDM movement is gradually turning into a fight for civilian supremacy. Dressing up the truth while referring to the military establishment, by calling it ‘offstage players’,…
Attacks in Rawalpindi
A second unexplained attack should cause concern Militancy may be making resurgence. Though the grenade attack on Sunday in Rawalpindi has not been claimed by any group, its being the second in…