The writer is the author of The Silk Roads: A New History of the World. Pakistan is at a crossroads. As usual. This is not a surprise, for Pakistan is — always has and always been — at a crossroads; perhaps it always will be. It seems so obvious that the country is at a point of having to decide its future: what should the response be with regards to religious fundamentalism; how should relations…
Posts published in “Day: April 18, 2016”
The National Security Adviser Mohammad Hanif Atmar left for China to meet with the country’s officials to discuss bilateral strategic ties as well as Beijing’s support to Afghan security forces, peace process, and relations with Pakistan. The Office of the National Security Adviser in a statement said Atmar will meet with Wang Yi, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Geng Huichang, Minister of State Security, Meng Jianzhu, mem of Political Bureau of Central Committee of Communist Party…
Over 90 anti-government armed militants were killed and 48 others were wounded during the clearance operations of the Afghan National Security Forces (ANSF) in the past 24 hours. The Ministry of Defense (MoD) said the operations were conducted in Nangarhar, Ghazni, Maidan Wardak, Khost, Kandahar, Zabul, Badghis, Farah, Jawzjan, Faryab, Sar-e-Pul, Baghlan, Kunduz and Helmand provinces. A statement by MoD said the operations were conducted by the security forces who were receiving artillery and close-air…
The former provincial governor for western Herat province and jihadi leader Mohammad Ismail Khan has urged the people not to use the photographs of the late President Dr. Najibullah in their cars. Dr. Najibullah is widely regarded as a patriot late leader who was murdered by the Taliban militants following the fall of Kabul city in 1996. In his address during a gathering in Herat province, Khan said the people of Herat should not allow…
A group of Afghan National Army (ANA) cadets have reportedly graduated from the Pakistan Military Academy, marking the first batch of the Afghan army cadets to graduate from the military academy of the country. The cadets were graduated from the military academy in Kakul in Abottbad on Saturday after going through almost 14 months of training. According to the local media reports citing the military officials, the 6 Afghan cadets graduated along with the 134th…
ISLAMABAD: The embassy of the United States (US) has issued a warning to the US citizens not to visit Marriott Hotel Islamabad for the next several days. One the other hand, security of the hotel has been further tightened with police and Rangers personnel patrolling around the building. An advisory issued by the US embassy stated that the embassy was aware of a general but uncorroborated threat against the hotel. US citizens were advised to…
Hina Rabbani Khar, the former foreign minister of Pakistan, speaking at the 4th Islamabad Literature Festival, highlighted the importance of improving relations between Pakistan and India. She criticised the intransigent position that the Pakistani state has historically adopted according to which no progress can be made with India without first solving the Kashmir dispute. The former foreign minister is correct in her evaluation of the situation, as both Pakistan and India need to take full…
PESHAWAR: A convicted Indian national has sought his shifting to the Central Prison Peshawar’s hospital or to an ordinary room from the death cell at the Peshawar Central Prison.A military court on November 14, 2015 awarded three years rigorous imprisonment to Indian national Hamid Nehal Ansari for entering Pakistan on fake documents. The prison authorities have confined him to a vacant death cell as a most protected prisoner.Some days ago, the Indian national moved a…
The writer, an academic has been teaching Chinese politics for more than 20 years, for most of that time in China. Chinese President Xi Jinping has recently been portrayed as constructing a cult of personality in an effort to gather greater powers than a Chinese leader typically has. According to reports, Xi’s mounting authority is angering some Communist Party members who may even be behind a letter demanding that he step down, or at least…
The US-KSA alliance seems to be under an increasing strain as Saudi Arabia has warned the Obama administration that it will sell off American assets worth $750 billion if the US Congress passes a bill declaring the Saudi government responsible for the Sept 11, 2001 attacks. With flagrant threats and hostile interpretations, one can only wonder what Saudi Arabia wants to hide and what the US hopes to achieve from making another Middle Eastern enemy.…
ISLAMABAD: In a latest push to resurrect the fledgling Afghan peace process, Pakistan has warned the Taliban to call off their ‘spring offensive’ or face the consequences, officials familiar with the development said on Sunday. Last week the Taliban announced the start of large-scale attacks against the government strongholds. Named after the late Taliban spiritual leader Mullah Omar, ‘Operation Omari’ is seen as a major setback to efforts seeking revival of the Afghan reconciliation process.…