News and updates
April 23, 2010 3 min. read

Two day SAARC Summit to begin on April 28 in Bhutan. The South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation’s (SAARC) 16th  Summit will be held in Thimphu, Bhutan on April 28-29. The theme of this year’s summit is ‘Conservation of Environment and Climate.’ Leaders from the eight member countries in South Asia (India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, […]

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US looking to increase Indian role in Afghanistan
April 20, 2010 3 min. read

The meeting between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Obama on the sidelines of the Nuclear Security Summit last week, seems to have produced positive results for India. The US ambassador to India, Tim Roemer will be travelling to Afghanistan to view first-hand the “critical” work being done there by India. He told the Times News Network, “India’s […]

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Nuclear Security Summit opens in Washington
April 13, 2010 4 min. read

The Nuclear Security Summit has opened on a positive note. Ukraine has volunteered to get rid of its stockpile of highly enriched uranium. The bold and applaudable decision by Ukraine is sure to help global non-proliferation efforts and bring optimism into the Summit. However, it is sad that Pakistan was given the opportunity to be the lead speaker and demand a nuclear deal from the […]

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US should stay out of Kashmir
April 6, 2010 4 min. read

A recent piece in the Wall Street Journal argues that from the US point of view, improved Indo-Pak relations are the key to progress in Afghanistan. The Obama administration had therefore issued a secret directive to work towards easing tensions between the two hostile neighbors. That would, in effect, help the administration secure Pakistani cooperation in Afghanistan. While the Obama administration may have […]

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Why a nuclear deal for Pakistan is a bad idea
March 24, 2010 5 min. read

As Pakistan and the United States begin their week long Strategic Dialogue in Washington, Pakistan based militants have renewed their call for jihad against India. On the occasion of Pakistan Day, hundreds of militants gathered in Kotli and called for jihad against India. Hizbul Mujahideen, one of the top militant groups in Pakistan, also announced an increase […]

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Prospects for US-Pak Civilian Nuclear Deal
March 20, 2010 4 min. read

President Asif Ali Zardari, in a meeting with Director of US National Intelligence Dennis C. Blair, urged US to assist Pakistan in its own civilian nuclear technology deal to help overcome its dire energy needs. President had suggested that this kind of deal will not only bridge the trust deficit between the two countries, but […]

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South Asian Smart Power – Aman ki Asha
February 26, 2010 5 min. read

Writer Zainab Jeewanjee comments on the promise of Aman ki Asha, Geo T.V. & the Times of India’s bilateral initiate for South Asian peace. She argues that Indo-Pak relations have been dominated by military/economic interests without ample direct input from the people. Hence the value of Aman ki Asha.

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The Rightist Judicio-Politico Mafia
February 15, 2010 6 min. read

Nawaz Sharif present flowers to Justice Khawaja – daylife Saturday February 13 – The Chief Justice of Pakistan defied Presidential orders through a suo moto action against the Presidential notification for appointment of certain judges. Chief Justice, in a rare nightly emergency session, formed a three members bench that suspended two recommendations for judges’ appointment […]

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Reconciliation Is No Silver Bullet
February 11, 2010 7 min. read

Two years ago – February 2008 – Pakistan began its transformation to democracy with a general election that brought Benazir Bhutto’s PPP (Pakistan People’s Party) into power. The party decided to continue its policy, introduced by its slain leader Ms. Bhutto, of reconciliation with all political players. It formed a coalition government with its rival […]

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New Violence for the New Year
February 6, 2010 3 min. read

According to the BBC,  it was announced yesterday that Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua would soon write a letter handing over power to his vice president. Yar’Adua has been hospitalized in Saudi Arabia since November with heart and kidney ailments — there was even speculation he was dead. It was news many had been dreading even […]

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Kashmir – A backgrounder
January 28, 2010 6 min. read

By Aarti Tikoo Singh Twenty years ago, “freedom struggle” in Kashmir meant seeking the political rights and political justice that had been denied by India since Jammu & Kashmir’s accession to the Indian union in 1947. But before the idea could even evolve into a mass awakening movement, it burst into religious extremism and cross-border […]

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Concessions & Collateral Damage : CIA Drones in Pakistan – Part 2
January 22, 2010 2 min. read

Zainab Jeewanjee discusses Secretary Gates’ and Secretary Clinton’s respective plans for Afghanistan and Pakistan this week. While Secretary Gates suggested shared use of drone technology with Islamabad, he also called for a consolidated military approach to extremist groups. Secretary Clinton on the other hand, unveiled a civilian rooted plan aimed at reintegrating extremists back into the fold of society. Jeewanjee sides with Secretary Clinton on this issue and explains why Gates might have been hawkish in his stance.

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