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By Atiq Raja For decades, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) held a place of pride not only in Pakistan but across Asia. Founded at a time when commercial aviation in the region was still in its infancy, PIA became a symbol of national achievement, admired for its service, professionalism, and pioneering reach across continents. It was more than a carrier; it was a reflection of Pakistan’s aspirations, a national icon that connected the country to the wider world. Yet, over the years, the airline’s fortunes declined, undermined by a combination of mismanagement, political interference, mounting debt, and operational inefficiencies. What was…
By Palwasha Asif In Pakistan, gendered narratives continue to exert a profound but often overlooked influence on political life. Far beyond the official platforms, manifestos, and policy frameworks, the language, symbols, and social expectations surrounding gender shape both how politicians are perceived and how political power itself is understood. Women’s presence in public life, while increasingly visible, is persistently filtered through lenses that privilege masculine traits and marginalize female authority. These narratives do more than reinforce social norms; they actively shape who is deemed fit to lead, whose voice is amplified, and whose agency is questioned or dismissed. At the…
In military strategy, the concept of redundancy is often presented as an unquestionable virtue: it allows forces to survive, adapt, and respond when conventional routes or assets fail. Yet when this logic is transposed from defence doctrine into the political sphere, particularly through pressure or coercion on neighboring states, it transforms from prudence into a mechanism of regional domination. India’s obsession with the narrow Siliguri Corridor—the infamous “Chicken’s Neck” connecting its northeastern states to the rest of the country—is frequently cited by New Delhi’s strategists as a structural vulnerability, a dangerous bottleneck that could be exploited in a conflict scenario.…
By Syed Shahzad Bukhari TANDO ALLAHYAR: A police officer was seriously injured after a driver of a suspected vehicle rammed into him at a checkpoint within the limits of Sultanabad police station in Tando Allahyar district, police officials said. According to police, officers signalled a white car to stop, but instead of complying, the driver accelerated and struck a police officer before fleeing the scene. The vehicle was then chased by police units. During the pursuit, the suspect car broke through barriers at a toll plaza on Mirpur Khas Road. With the assistance of Mirpur Khas police, officers eventually intercepted…
By Uzma Ehtesham Pakistan’s political landscape remains at a crossroads, defined by a delicate balance between entrenched confrontation and the fragile promise of dialogue. The Pakistan Tehreek-e-Hifazat-e-Aain (Protection of the Constitution Movement) has indicated a willingness to engage in negotiations, albeit with firm preconditions. At the heart of their demands lies the call for accountability in the last general elections, a new chief election commissioner, and guarantees for transparent polls. These are, in the eyes of the opposition, prerequisites for any meaningful discussion on Pakistan’s future. Beyond procedural demands, the alliance has also pressed for immediate relief to political prisoners,…
In an era defined by fluid alliances, shifting power centers, and the unpredictable whims of global politics, the role of middle powers has never been more crucial—or more challenging. Emerging in this delicate environment is Field Marshal Asim Munir, Pakistan’s military chief, whose approach to diplomacy and strategic engagement has drawn attention well beyond his nation’s borders. The Financial Times recently described him as a master of multilateral foreign policy, highlighting his unique capacity to navigate the complex web of contemporary international relations. In a world where the rules are continually being rewritten, Munir’s tenure exemplifies the rare combination of…
By Syed Shamim AKhtar The recent sentencing of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and his wife Bushra Bibi to seventeen years in prison in the Toshakhana case has sent shockwaves through Pakistan’s political landscape. Alongside the custodial sentence, the couple faces a fine of 35 million rupees, with an additional six months’ imprisonment looming should the fine remain unpaid. The verdict, delivered by a special judge of Central Islamabad at Adiala Central Jail in Rawalpindi, spans 59 pages and concludes that the prosecution successfully proved the charges, while the accused failed to provide convincing evidence in their defence. Witness testimonies…
By Dr Zawwar Hussain The world today is confronted not with one or two isolated dangers, but with a tangled web of simultaneous and interconnected threats. The latest Global Risk Report by the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR) lays bare this uncomfortable truth: modern risks do not exist in isolation. Natural disasters, environmental degradation, misinformation, weak institutional capacities, and political and economic uncertainties at both global and regional levels interact in ways that traditional governance structures struggle to address. The speed and complexity of these challenges mean that yesterday’s solutions are often inadequate for today’s crises.History offers…
By Ghulam Hussain Baloch Some lives pass largely unnoticed by the world, their significance measured not in headlines or public acclaim but in the quiet imprint they leave on the conscience of a nation. Mama Qadeer Baloch was one such life. A father, an elder, and a steadfast advocate of peaceful protest, he spent more than 6,000 consecutive days standing vigil for the missing persons of Balochistan. In doing so, he transformed a personal tragedy into a rare moral stand that resonated far beyond his own grief, one rooted in the principles of human dignity and unyielding perseverance. His struggle…