Author: admin

Pakistan and Afghanistan returned to the negotiating table in Istanbul this week for the third round of talks but deadlock persisted, a meeting that on paper promised a fragile but tangible path towards a ceasefire. Hosted jointly by Turkey and Qatar, the talks brought the delegations face to face after a series of shuttle diplomacy sessions conducted by mediators. The ostensible goal, according to officials in Ankara, was to finalize practical mechanisms to enforce the truce, including monitoring and verification systems that would allow violations to be promptly investigated and addressed. For Islamabad, the test was simple, even if far…

The debate surrounding Pakistan’s potential twenty-seventh constitutional amendment has sparked an unusual degree of attention and scrutiny, reaching deep into the country’s political, legal, and policy-making spheres. Unlike past amendments, which were frequently driven by immediate political expediency or sought broad institutional overhauls, this proposal appears deliberate, measured, and reflective. It does not seek to expand the reach of existing institutions for partisan advantage, nor does it aim to redraw the balance of power in dramatic fashion. Instead, its focus is on refinement—on making established structures more coherent, efficient, and resilient. In many ways, this signals a maturing political consciousness:…

The government’s decision to push the 27th Constitutional Amendment through both houses of parliament by 14 November is more than a procedural milestone. It is, in essence, a political reckoning—a test of strength, strategy, and, above all, of Pakistan’s fragile democratic maturity. The move, planned to be spearheaded by the Senate before reaching the National Assembly, has already begun to expose familiar fissures in the coalition and, equally, the quiet calculations that now define parliamentary politics in Islamabad. The amendment, the details of which remain closely held, represents a broader attempt to adjust the constitutional machinery in light of ongoing…

In the rugged, breathtaking landscapes of Chitral, a gesture was made that, in a more perfect political climate, might have been regarded as simple common sense. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, laying the foundation stone for a school—a symbol of future promise—spoke words that sought to bridge the deep and often bitter divides that fracture Pakistan’s body politic. His tribute to the sacrifices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa was more than ceremonial; it was an acknowledgement of a debt owed. His subsequent revelation—a telephone call to congratulate Sohail Afridi, the newly elected Chief Minister of the province—was a deliberate and public act of…