Politics

In wake of the Supreme Court’s verdict, was accepting the judgment on Yousuf Raza Gilani without a confrontation a prudent decision on the government’s part? Were having Gilani to step down quickly and calling a National Assembly session for Friday the right steps for the ruling coalition to take? Do you see the Supreme Court giving the new prime minister a chance or will the matter of the letter to Swiss authorities once again create...

While National Assembly Speaker Fehmida Mirza’s ruling on Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani’s conviction in the contempt of court case was not unexpected, the reaction it drew from opposition parties, especially the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) was not entirely surprising either. PTI, as well as the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) have decided to challenge the speaker’s decision in the Supreme Court, and leaders of both parties have been...

In the ever-changing scenario in the memogate scandal case, Mansoor Ijaz has reportedly refused to come to Pakistan and appear in court. Ijaz has based his decision on ‘unsatisfactory’ security arrangements and that the government is interfering in the security plan. This latest development has created furore amongst politicians, diplomats, analysts and the media – as they all voice their opinion on the case. While one cannot take away from...

Five days after the deadly Nato attack on a check-post in Mohmand, Pakistan has changed its stance on relations with the United States. With the Nato supplies already blocked and Shamsi air base shut down, Pakistan has also decided to boycott the Bonn conference on Afghanistan. The government and its Defence Committee of the Cabinet responded swiftly to the attack, easing down the pressure from various corners (political and otherwise) to show its...

Former federal information minister and human rights campaigner Sherry Rehman has been appointed Pakistan’s Ambassador to the United States within 12 hours of Husain Haqqani’s resignation. Haqqani resigned on Tuesday, days after Pakistani-American businessman, Mansoor Ijaz accused him of being behind a memo that accused the Pakistani military of plotting a coup in May. In your opinion, will Sherry Rehman’s political portfolio make her a credible Ambassador...

Husain Haqqani has resigned from his position as Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States following his meeting with the top leadership of the country. Haqqani has said he is ready to face inquiries regarding his alleged involvement in the memo-gate scandal. While the diplomat’s three-year tenure in the key position has come to an end, the scandal is not likely to be buried in the near future. The government was brought under pressure by opposition...

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani and his Indian counterpart Manmohan Singh have vowed to open a new chapter in bilateral relationship. In an hour-long meeting, prior to the opening of the 17th summit of the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (Saarc), the two prime ministers predicted more constructive and result-oriented talks in the near future. However, the Indian side has made it clear to the Pakistani side that unless there is some...

Although Afghan President Hamid Karzai stated that the Strategic Partnership Agreement between Afghanistan and India will not affect ties with Pakistan, it is clear that this has already started being perceived with suspicion. The dynamics of the region, the tension between the two neighbours and the US-led war on terror could possibly lead to further obstacles aggravated by this pact. Karzai said that Pakistan is a “twin brother” and India is...

Violent riots broke out in Lahore and other cities in Punjab after prolonged power outages. The Pakistan Muslim League – Nawaz (PML-N) has been criticised for instigating these riots. The party encouraged its workers to join the protests against the outages but subsequently failed to protect public property. The Pakistan Electric Power Company (Pepco) boosted its supplies in a bid to deflate the PML-N’s plans to capitalise on the crisis, which...

As the much awaited Pakistan-India talk takes place today, Wusatullah Khan asks the following: Are Pakistan and India like Tom and Jerry – they can’t bear to be with each other yet can’t stand to be without each other either? Instead of being worried about their future, both countries are more worried about maintaining their false pride. Why are these 63-year-old countries acting like five or six-year-old school children who get into useless...