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By Atiq Raja Peace is often celebrated when wars end, treaties are signed, or ceasefires take hold. Yet history repeatedly reminds us that lasting peace is rarely secured by a single agreement. It is sustained by something less dramatic but far more enduring: trust. The greatest challenge facing the modern world is not a shortage of diplomacy or resources, but the persistent absence of confidence between individuals, communities and nations. That is why Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) remain among the most valuable tools for preventing conflict and preserving stability. Trust cannot be imposed overnight. It develops gradually through consistent actions…
By Dr Pir Ghulam Nabi Jillani The government’s decision to reduce petrol and diesel prices by only Rs1.97 per litre has left many people disappointed, particularly after weeks of official statements that created expectations of far greater relief. Under the latest notification issued by the Ministry of Energy, petrol has been priced at Rs297.53 per litre and high-speed diesel at Rs309.50 per litre, while kerosene has become even more expensive with an increase of Rs4.09 per litre. Although any reduction is preferable to another increase, the latest adjustment is too small to make a noticeable difference in the daily lives…
The prospect of renewed dialogue between the United States and Iran offers a rare moment of cautious optimism in a region that has endured decades of mistrust, confrontation and recurring crises. Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif’s remarks that Washington and Tehran have agreed to continue discussions on a range of issues, with another round of talks expected in Doha after the funeral ceremonies for Iran’s former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Seyyed Ali Khamenei, suggest that diplomacy, however fragile, has once again found an opening. The simultaneous engagement of regional and international actors, including Saudi Arabia, China, Bahrain, the United Kingdom and…
By Prof Dr Sheikh Akram Ali The memory of July 2024 has become one of the defining political moments in contemporary Bangladesh. For many Bangladeshis, it represents far more than a successful protest movement. It stands as a reminder that when ordinary citizens unite around a common purpose, they can reshape the course of national history. The events of that month transformed a campaign against the government job quota system into a broader demand for political change, ending sixteen years of uninterrupted rule under Sheikh Hasina. Regardless of political affiliation, the developments of July have left a lasting imprint on…
By Dr Nazia Sher For decades, Balochistan has possessed one of Pakistan’s greatest untapped economic assets in its fisheries sector. Stretching along more than 770 kilometres of coastline on the Arabian Sea and blessed with rich marine biodiversity, extensive inland water resources and strategically located coastal communities, the province has long had the potential to emerge as a regional centre for fisheries and aquaculture. Yet this enormous potential has remained largely unrealised because of weak governance, outdated legislation, inadequate infrastructure and the absence of a coherent long-term strategy. While neighbouring countries have transformed their fisheries into major contributors to exports…
By Shakeel Hussain Literature and society share an inseparable and mutually enriching relationship. Literature does not exist in isolation; rather, it emerges from the social, cultural, political, religious and historical circumstances in which writers live. At the same time, literature influences society by shaping people’s ideas, values, beliefs and attitudes. Through poetry, fiction, drama, essays and other forms of creative expression, literature records the experiences of humanity, reflects the realities of life and inspires individuals to imagine a better future. It is for this reason that literature has often been described as the mirror of society, faithfully reflecting both its…
There are moments in the life of a nation when the veil between politics and theology grows so thin that the two become indistinguishable, and this is such a moment for Iran. The spectacle unfolding across the Islamic Republic today is not merely a funeral, not simply a transfer of power, nor even the grieving of a people for their fallen leader. It is something far more profound and far more troubling for those who had imagined that the removal of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei might precipitate the collapse of the system he so diligently constructed over nearly four decades. The…
By: Dr. Zawwar Hussain There is a tendency to think of extreme heat as an unavoidable act of nature, something to be endured until the arrival of cooler winds. Yet Karachi’s increasingly oppressive summers tell a different story. While climate change is undeniably making heatwaves more frequent and severe across the world, the intensity of heat felt in Pakistan’s largest city is also the product of decades of human decisions. The relentless expansion of concrete, the disappearance of green spaces and the neglect of sound urban planning have transformed what was once a naturally ventilated coastal city into one that…