Pakistan is 78 today. It is a moment of pride and celebration that a country carved out in the name of emancipation has come a long way, and is a power to be reckoned with. It has many feathers in its cap —the sole Muslim nuclear power; a resilient nation of 245 million, constituting an…
The humanitarian catastrophe in Gaza has reached an appalling new low. After months of siege, bombardment and displacement, what remains of the enclave is little more than a graveyard of rubble and grief. Entire neighbourhoods have been flattened, tens of thousands of innocent people have been killed and those who survive face an even slower…
While covering the Iran-Israel-US war in June this year, I had concluded that: a) the combined US-Israeli attack had badly damaged the Irani nuclear infrastructure and ambition, without obliterating it, as President Trump had claimed; b) Iran will never abandon its nuclear ambition and will sooner than later acquire nuclear arms; c) the Shia arc…
As Pakistan’s green and white flag soars proudly across the skies this Independence Day, there is more than just patriotic fervour sweeping through the streets of Pakistan – there is triumph. This 14 August is not a mere ritual of remembrance; it is a thunderous, soul-stirring celebration of Resilience, Revival and Victory. A nation forged…
Political polarisation in Pakistan has intensified manifold since the ouster of former prime minister Imran Khan in 2022 through a no-confidence vote. A sharp divide emerged from this so-called democratic process, eroding the possibility of consensus even on matters of national security. As Hamra Tariq noted in Paradigm Shift, “The present time’s political polarization in…
Sindh’s bold move to establish the Sindh Electric Power Regulatory Authority (SEPRA) promises liberation from Karachi’s exorbitant power tariffs and K-Electric’s monopoly. However, there is good reason to keep optimism cautious. Under the proposal, state-generated electricity will be transmitted via the Sindh Transmission and Dispatch Company (STDC) at provincially set tariffs. But there can be…
ISLAMABAD — Violent clashes broke out in Pakistan’s capital on Friday following the demolition of the Madani Mosque, as clerical leaders vowed to rebuild the structure at its original location. The Ulema Action Committee announced that Friday prayers would be held at the site, prompting the deployment of heavy contingents of Islamabad police, Frontier Corps…
ISLAMABAD — Torrential rains, cloudbursts, landslides, and flash floods have caused widespread destruction across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP), Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), and Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), leaving at least 56 people dead and dozens missing, according to official and local reports. In KP’s Bajaur district, a flash flood in the Jabrayi area overnight destroyed numerous homes,…
GUJRANWALA, Pakistan — A district and sessions court in Gujranwala has dismissed the pre-arrest bail applications of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders Omar Ayub and Zartaj Gul in connection with the May 9 riots case. Judge Shaukat Kamal Dar rejected the petitions after both leaders failed to appear in court. Their request for a one-day exemption…
PESHAWAR, Pakistan — A Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) government MI-17 helicopter crashed near the Chinggi Banda area on Friday, senior officials confirmed. Rescue teams have been dispatched to the crash site, and efforts are underway to determine the fate of those on board. The cause of the crash remains unclear, while provincial and federal authorities are…
