EVERY time there is a tragedy or a violent incident in the country, the official response is the same. First, there is the usual round of condemnations. Then there is an expression of sympathy for the victims, photo-ops with them, and resolve to deal ‘firmly’ with those responsible for the atrocity. But often words and tweets are all that are on offer rather than tangible actions to prevent the next tragedy. Soon, the incident is forgotten, and the government as well as the media move on. The underlying problem responsible for the tragedy is left to fester and flare up again. Consider the horrendous attack on the churches and homes of the…

GENERAL elections are expected to be held in the country sometime early next year. The months leading up to the polls will see political leaders and their parties engaged in fierce electoral competition to secure power. Winning public office will obviously be their goal. But the question is, what plan and policies will they offer voters about how they propose to address the country’s myriad challenges? What public purpose will leaders bring to governance if elected? Never before has Pakistan faced such a wide array of overlapping challenges, all of which need to be tackled with courage, imagination, and determination if they are to be surmounted. But politics in recent…

THE world is at an inflection point with mounting geopolitical tensions and global economic volatility contributing to a fraught and unstable situation. Multilateralism is facing growing challenges in an increasingly fragmented international system. The resurgence of East-West tensions, Ukraine war and intensifying US-China confrontation have further shrunk the space for multilateral cooperation. Multilateralism though has been in retreat for well over a decade now. Strong headwinds unleashed by competing crises are making the future outlook a troubled one. Climate change has emerged as among the present era’s greatest risks. Yet a deeply divided world is increasingly falling short of addressing multiple, interconnected challenges that are consequential for all countries. It…

PAKISTAN celebrates the 76th anniversary of its independence today in an environment of political uncertainty and economic fragility. It confronts multiple, interconnected challenges which have, over the decades, been feeding off and reinforcing each other in an unbroken cycle. They include the structural crisis of the economy, erosion in the state’s institutional capacity, persisting education deficit, uncontrolled population growth, and climate change. Security challenges also persist with an unstable Afghanistan on the western frontier and a hostile India on the country’s eastern flank. This is a moment for introspection as well as thinking about the future. Pakistan’s history shows that successive governments have spent a good deal of time fire-fighting in crisis…

WHEN China brokered a historic deal earlier this year that normalised relations between long-time regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, it came as a huge setback — and challenge — for the Biden administration. The rapprochement left the US diplomatically marginalised in the Middle East and undermined several of its regional goals, most notably isolating Iran and normalising relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. By playing a mediatory role, China established itself as a major player and power broker in the Middle East, much to Washington’s discomfort. The US barely concealed its unease with this potentially game-changing development, which has already realigned relations among regional states and begun to transform the strategic…

WHEN China brokered a historic deal earlier this year that normalised relations between long-time regional rivals, Saudi Arabia and Iran, it came as a huge setback — and challenge — for the Biden administration. The rapprochement left the US diplomatically marginalised in the Middle East and undermined several of its regional goals, most notably isolating Iran and normalising relations between Saudi Arabia and Israel. By playing a mediatory role, China established itself as a major player and power broker in the Middle East, much to Washington’s discomfort. The US barely concealed its unease with this potentially game-changing development, which has already realigned relations among regional states and begun to transform the strategic…

ONCE again Pakistan has warned the Taliban authorities in Kabul about the consequences of attacks the Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) is conducting from across the border. In the most strongly worded statements by Pakistani military and government leaders since the Taliban’s return to power two years ago, Kabul was told to ensure Afghanistan’s soil is not used to perpetrate terrorist attacks against another country. This was the latest indication of growing strains in relations between Pakistan and Afghanistan. Two consecutive statements by the military last week voiced serious concerns about “the safe havens and liberty of action available to the TTP in Afghanistan”. The first came after the visit to Quetta by army chief Gen Asim Munir,…

WITH general elections expected in autumn, the next government will have to deal with a slew of key foreign policy issues. This at a time when the world is in the midst of an intensely unsettled period. Mounting geopolitical tensions and economic volatility are contributing to global instability. The most significant strategic dynamic is the confrontation between the US and China, which has far-reaching consequences for the world. Meanwhile, power shifts continue in an increasingly fragmented international system, with multilateralism under growing stress. At the same time, geopolitical shifts in the Middle East are realigning relations among regional states and transforming the strategic landscape there. Given this changing international environment the…

WHILE the Stand-by Arran­ge­ment with the IMF helps Pakistan to avert debt default, it is a temporary reprieve that provides only limited breathing space. The short-term arrangement will momentarily restore some confidence. But a fundamental change in policy direction is needed if the country is to address its economic crisis on a sustainable basis and establish durable economic stability. Financing requirements to meet external debt obligations are an estimated $25 billion this fiscal year. This necessitates mobilising additional funds. It means Pakistan will have to negotiate a longer-term funding deal with the IMF down the road. In any case, an IMF programme is necessary but not sufficient for the country to achieve…

WHILE there has been a recent flare-up in military tensions between the US and China in the Taiwan Strait, efforts have also been underway by officials of the two global powers to stabilise the world’s most consequential relationship. That Taiwan remains a dangerous flashpoint in their confrontation was laid bare last week when there was a near collision between a Chinese warship and an American Navy guided-missile destroyer. This underscored what many countries in Asia and beyond have long feared — an inadvertent drift into a conflict that neither side wants but may be unable to avert in a region bristling with heightened military activity. This prompted an exchange of toughly worded…