Author: admin

By S.M. Inam Beneath the sun-baked earth of Balochistan, deep within the formidable mountains of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and under the vast deserts of Sindh, lies a silence that speaks of immense potential. It is the quiet of minerals formed over millennia, a subterranean world of copper, gold, and lithium that has, for decades, been more a subject of hopeful speculation than tangible national gain. Now, as detailed in a recent report by the American journal “Foreign Policy”, this hidden geography of wealth is being mapped with a new urgency, prompting a profound and pressing question: can Pakistan, a nation perennially…

There is a particular hum to a society in motion, a frequency felt not in the ears but in the rhythm of daily life. It is the pulse of a nation’s ambition, the quiet vibration of a collective will. For a group of journalists from Pakistan, arriving in China as guest students of Zhejiang Normal University for a twenty-day media-training program, this hum was the first and most persistent observation. It is a sound, begins before the dawn and lingers long after the sunset. While the soundtrack to a story of transformation so vast it defies easy comprehension. Our invitation…

The story of Chinese television is more than a chronicle of technological adoption; it is a meticulous dance between ideological duty, commercial ambition, and a resurgent cultural confidence. From its birth as a state mouthpiece to its current status as a global format player and cultural exporter, the evolution of its program design offers a masterclass in navigating the era of pan-entertainment. This journey, from 1958 to the present day, reveals a strategic pivot from passive reception to active cultural projection. The Prologue: A Didactic Medium (1958-1970s) Chinese television flickered to life on May 1, 1958, with the launch of…

By Atiq Raja We speak of life so easily, this common condition we all share, yet the word itself can feel both too small and too vast to hold its true meaning. To be alive is one thing; to understand how to live is another entirely. It is the oldest of human puzzles, one that has kept the lamps of philosophers, poets, and mystics burning through the centuries. They have left us not a single answer, but a rich and varied map of the territory, each landmark offering a different perspective on the journey we are all making. Consider Socrates,…

By S.M. Inam There exists a parallel universe to the one most Pakistanis inhabit, a realm of air-conditioned conference rooms and carefully managed press releases. In this world, often headquartered in Washington D.C. or London, the language of economics is one of percentages, stable outlooks, and reaffirmed ratings. It is here that Pakistan’s Finance Minister, Muhammad Aurangzeb, can recently meet with the World Bank’s Ajay Banga, speaking of strengthened partnerships and fiscal discipline. It is here that the affirmation of a ‘B-’ credit rating from an agency like Fitch is not just a technical notation but a cause for quiet…

There is a particular language to power, often spoken not in grand treaties but in seemingly offhand remarks, in the calculated informality of a nickname, or in the warmth of an unexpected compliment. When a former and would-be future American president, Donald Trump, recently referred to Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, as his “favorite field marshal,” it was more than just a curious piece of diplomatic flattery. It was, as analyst Fareed Zakaria has suggested, a signal flare illuminating a discernible and significant shift in the turbulent waters of US foreign policy. This is not merely a change of…