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Posts published in “Day: December 13, 2016

Capital suggestion: By Farrukh Saleem in the News, December 11, 2016

The writer is a columnist based in Islamabad. Wars have long been fought on land, in the air and at sea. Future wars, however, will be fought in the cyberspace. Cyber warfare is         “internet-based conflict involving politically motivated attacks on information and information systems. Cyber warfare attacks can disable official websites and networks, disrupt or disable essential services, steal or alter classified data, and cripple financial systems –among many other possibilities”. Just how does cyber…

The arrival of Daesh: by Aasim Zafar Khan in the News on Sunday, December 11, 2016

The author is a Lahore based journalist. Whether or not Daesh will show up in Pakistan has been a regular topic of discussion between professional as well as arm chair security analysts. The general consensus has been that Daesh will not find space in Pakistan. A variety of reasons are put forth: that the jihadi landscape is already saturated, that Daesh has no roots in this region, and most importantly, that this is al-Qaeda’s home…

Taliban chief reinforces position;report in The Nation, Dec 11, 2016,

KABUL – Hardline cleric Mullah Haibatullah Akundzada has reinforced his position as the new leader of the Afghan Taliban by winning the support of two senior members, the insurgent group said on Saturday. Former Taliban interior minister Mullah Abdul Razaq Akhund and Mullah Abdul Sata Akhund “pledged their full support” to Akundzada during a meeting of Taliban scholars at an undisclosed location on Friday, the group said on its website. Akundzada in May replaced former…

Signs from Washington: edit in the News, December 11, 2016

Pakistan’s ties with the US have always been unstable, with relations between the two countries going through frequent peaks and troughs. Now, a new volatility has been added with the transition of power from President Barack Obama to Donald Trump. The Republican-controlled US Congress just passed its National Defence Authorisation Act, which earmarked $900 million in reimbursements to Pakistan for its help in fighting the war against militancy. But of that amount, $400 million will…

Mission America; edit in The Nation, Dec 10, 2016

The government has appointed Foreign Secretary Aizaz Ahmad Chaudhry as Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United States. Aizaz Chaudhry, if judged from his past performance, is a good choice to represent Pakistan in the US. His predecessor, Syed Jalil Abbas Jailani is at the end of his contractual period, and it remains to be seen if relations can improve to generate more trust between the states with Mr Chaudhry at the helm. At the face…

Aizaz new Pak envoy to US, Tehmina likely to be new foreign secretary by SHAFQAT ALI in The Nation 09-Dec-2016

ISLAMABAD – Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif yesterday approved appointment of Aizaz Ahmed Chaudhry – the incumbent foreign secretary – as Pakistan’s new ambassador to the United States to replace Jalil Abbas Jilani in January, officials said. Tehmina Janjua, Pakistan Ambassador to the United Nations’ Geneva Mission, is likely to return to Islamabad as the new foreign secretary. Officials said the government wanted to give  extension to Jilani  after January but he did not opt to…

US restrictions on Pakistan defense production will affect war on terror: Analyst report in The Nation, December 10, 2016,

ISLAMABAD: Chairman South Asian Strategic Stability Institute (SASSI) Maria Sultan said Saturday that United States (US) has changed its domestic law to give more access to India to its defence products. Addressing a press conference here on Saturday, she said the US has also taken measures to restrict the domestic defense production of Pakistan. She said if US imposed more restriction in defense related activities of Pakistan Ordnance Factory the war against terror and operation…

Changing ties: by MICHAEL KREPON in Dawn December 11th, 2016

The writer is co-founder of the Stimson Centre. ONE of Pakistan’s greatest diplomatic achievements during the Cold War was to simultaneously enjoy strong ties with the United States and China. With the end of the Cold War and the retreat of Soviet forces from Afghanistan, this triangular relationship has changed. Pakistan’s ties to Beijing have never been stronger, while ties to Washington are once again troubled. Nothing symbolises this shift more than CPEC. China has…

Gwadar water supply: EDITORIAL in Dawn December 11th, 2016

FOR a port city whose future is being sold in glittering terms, it is sad that Gwadar is severely lacking in the most essential component of life: water. There is one dam that provides water to Gwadar and its surrounding habitations — Ankara Kaur — but, according to the DC Gwadar, only two weeks of supply remains in the dam. Those who have visited Gwadar, provided they have not stayed in the only luxury hotel…

Thirsty Gwadar Editorial in Express Tribune, Dec 11, 2016

Considering the importance of Gwadar port it is something of a surprise to learn that it does not have a water supply that is sufficient to the needs of a vital economic and strategic asset. The history of Pakistan and Gwadar stretches back into the mid-1950s when it was still under the suzerainty of Oman. Pakistan bought it from the Omanis for $3million in September 1958. Currently it is a key element of the China-Pakistan…

The Show Must Go On ;edit in The Nation, Dec 09, 2016

We have known for a while that opposition politics coupled with a concern for the security of Chinese workers might drive Beijing away. Yet, political parties like the PTI have been crying foul over the CPEC since the beginning.At least the People’s Party (PPP) seems to have taken a more nationalistic stance, with leader Senator Sherry Rehman expressing concern over the government’s failure to resolve differences among the provinces over the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC).…