Posts published in “Day: January 14, 2016”

AS if the task of saving the Nawaz-Modi initiative from being derailed was not challenging enough, Saudi Arabia’s aggressive drive to align Pakistan with itself is likely to test this country’s diplomatic skills to the utmost. While Pakistan can never be unmindful of its debt to Saudi Arabia, any step that ignores the present-day geopolitical realities, this country’s national interest and the need to preserve Muslim world’s unity will be unfair to both sides. It…

The author is a member of staff. Around Tuesday evening Foreign Affairs advisor to the PM, Sartaj Aziz, confirmed that Pakistan has said Yes and No to Saudi Arabia – yes, we’re a part of the 34-state ‘counter-terror coalition’ and no, we aren’t sending any troops to the Middle East. Foreign Office sources have suggested that Pakistani support would be limited to intelligence sharing, military personnel training and provision of military hardware. While political correctness…

Adviser on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz during a briefing to the National Assembly Foreign Affairs Committee on January 12 stated that matters with Saudi Arabia (SA) have been settled and Pakistan has decided to refrain from deploying troops to SA or any other country. This statement follows SA’s persistent invocations, evident in the flurry of high-profile visits to the country by Saudi officials in the last two weeks, including a visit by Foreign Minister Adel…

ISLAMABAD: Terming the in-camera briefing on Saudi-Iran conflict, by Adviser to Prime Minister on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz ‘unsatisfactory’, the opposition senators on Wednesday staged a walkout. Senator Aitzaz Ahsan asked what was new in the briefing of Sartaj Aziz. He termed the briefing unsatisfactory and announced walked out as protest. Sources told Daily times that 28 members belonging to Opposition put tough questions to Aziz, but he had nothing satisfactory except repeating the rhetoric,…

The writer is an independent social scientist and author of Military Inc. The Chinese want foolproof security to protect the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The primary reason being, the protection of their citizens. Since Beijing tends to use its own manpower for all the projects it is involved in with hardly any share in employment for Pakistan, security is of prime importance. But China has less to worry about as the militant and religious right…

Concerns over the growing footprint of Isis in Europe, the Middle East and Central Asia are continuing to grow. On Wednesday, the group attempted to target the Pakistani consulate in Jalalabad (Afghanistan). Seven security guards lost their lives trying to foil the attack, in which five of the attackers were also killed. The Pakistani embassy staff remained safe. The unfortunate consequence of such attacks has been an increase in diplomatic tensions between countries. What is…

An annual report by TOLO news reveals that insurgent activities increased considerably in the last year with at least 10,000 security and terrorist incidents recorded in 2015. The report was compiled by TOLOnews and based on its monthly reports as well as press statements issued by security agencies and relative government offices and assessments of reports by other media outlets in the country. The report found 9,996 security and terrorist incidents occurred during last year.…

KABUL: Afghan envoy in Islamabad Janan Mosazai claimed Wednesday that majority of insurgents escaping military operations in Pakistan’s Orakzai and Mohmand agencies joined Islamic State (IS) also known domestically as Daesh Afghanistan. “About 60 to 70 per cent militants fleeing Pakistan during operations in Mohmand and Orakzai went on to join Daesh in Afghanistan,” Mosazai told Pakistani media, while addressing a seminar in Islamabad. He warned that Daesh was a major threat to all regional…