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By Naz Pervin There are moments in the life of every society when isolated tragedies cease to be isolated. They become warnings that something deeper has gone wrong. Pakistan has reached such a moment. The growing number of cases involving the sexual abuse and murder of children is not simply a criminal justice issue. It is a painful reflection of wider social, economic and moral failures that have accumulated over many years. While each incident rightly provokes outrage, grief and demands for harsher punishment, the uncomfortable truth is that these crimes cannot be understood in isolation from the society in…
By Atiq Raja Human beings have always searched for certainty. We draw plans, set goals and seek reassurance that tomorrow will unfold exactly as we expect. Predictability feels safe because it gives us the comforting illusion of control. Yet history repeatedly demonstrates that certainty has rarely been the starting point of extraordinary achievement. The greatest discoveries, the most influential ideas and the most profound personal transformations have almost always emerged from uncertainty rather than certainty. The unknown is not the enemy of progress. It is where progress begins. Modern society often rewards confidence and celebrates people who appear to have…
The signatories urged India and Pakistan to urgently restore official dialogue, warning that practical confidence-building measures were essential to easing mistrust and preventing future tensions MM Report ISLAMABAD/NEW DEHLI: More than 100 leading public figures from India and Pakistan called on the governments of both countries to take urgent steps to restore diplomatic engagement, arguing that sustained dialogue remained the only credible path towards easing tensions and promoting regional stability. In an open letter addressed to Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, 117 (61 from India, 56 from Pakistan) eminent political leaders, academics, former diplomats,…
Water has always occupied a unique place in international relations because it is one of the few natural resources that ignores political frontiers. Rivers rise in one country, flow through another and sustain millions of people before reaching the sea. Their management therefore depends not only on engineering and environmental policy but also on diplomacy, international law and mutual trust. In an era increasingly defined by climate change, population growth and water scarcity, agreements governing shared rivers have become more valuable than ever. The renewed international discussion surrounding the Indus Waters Treaty reflects this reality. What was once viewed largely…
By Uzma Ehtasham Since the withdrawal of United States and NATO forces from Afghanistan, Pakistan has consistently argued that the resulting security vacuum has allowed militant organisations to regroup, rebuild their operational capabilities and expand their influence across the region. Islamabad maintains that several extremist groups have found safe haven inside Afghanistan and that the Taliban-led interim administration has failed to dismantle their infrastructure or prevent them from launching cross-border attacks. Pakistani officials have also repeatedly alleged that external actors, particularly India, continue to provide financial, logistical and intelligence support to anti-Pakistan militant networks, allegations that New Delhi has firmly…
By Dr Zawwar Hussain Balochistan occupies a unique place in Pakistan’s national landscape. Stretching across almost 44 per cent of the country’s landmass, it is a province of extraordinary contrasts. Snow-capped mountains, vast deserts, long coastal highways and sparsely populated plains make it one of South Asia’s most striking regions. Rich in minerals, energy resources and strategic trade routes, it holds immense promise for Pakistan’s economic future. Yet the same geography that gives Balochistan its importance also creates challenges that are impossible to ignore, particularly for those travelling through its remote districts. For many visitors, the greatest misconception is that…
By Abdul Rehman Patel For generations, the end of war carried with it a promise of relief. When ceasefires were signed and the guns fell silent, people expected life to gradually return to normal. Markets reopened, trade resumed, and families looked ahead with cautious optimism. Peace, though often fragile, brought the hope of economic recovery and social stability. That expectation no longer holds true. In today’s interconnected world, conflicts leave behind consequences that continue long after the last missile has been fired. While diplomatic negotiations may reduce military tensions, the economic aftershocks linger, affecting countries that may never have witnessed…
By Sudhir Ahmad Afridi Pakistan’s history cannot be fully understood without acknowledging the contribution of its tribal communities. During the conflict of 1947–48, tribal volunteers fought alongside Pakistani forces in Kashmir, playing a significant role in the military campaign that resulted in part of the former princely state of Jammu and Kashmir coming under Pakistan’s administration as Azad Jammu and Kashmir. For decades afterwards, the tribal belt along Pakistan’s western frontier remained not only a geographical buffer but also an important component of the country’s border security, with traditional tribal structures helping to maintain order in a region that was…