Conflict spreads dangerously
The US‑Iran war has entered an extremely perilous phase, with neither side willing to retreat and the theatre of hostilities expanding across the region. Hopes that last week’s…
The Public Purview
Editorial
Phased polls in AJK
Azad Jammu and Kashmir is in the midst of a crucial electoral exercise, one that carries immense significance given the political unrest that has…
Fragile pause in conflict
After two weeks of escalating violence, the United States has halted its strikes on Iran, while Tehran has also silenced its guns. This pause…
Monsoon exposes failures
Pakistan is once again confronting the harsh realities of the monsoon season. Since June 26, nearly 100 lives have been lost to rain‑related incidents,…
Chance for fragile peace
The exchange of fire across the Gulf and wider Middle East between the United States and Iran continues to fuel fears of a dangerous…
Fiscal federalism debate
The petition filed by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government before the Federal Constitutional Court, seeking Rs964 billion as its claimed share of tax revenues since…
Provisional status for GB
The newly elected Gilgit‑Baltistan Assembly last week unanimously adopted a resolution urging the federal government to grant the region provisional provincial status. This demand…
Monsoon preparedness imperative
The monsoon season has arrived, and with it the Pakistan Meteorological Department has issued a nationwide alert for widespread, heavy to very heavy rainfall…
Agriculture reform imperative
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent assertion that agriculture and livestock hold the key to Pakistan’s rapid economic revival is accurate in principle. The sector…
Unrest grips AJK
Azad Jammu and Kashmir has been gripped by unrest since early June, with routine life disrupted as the regional administration attempts to quell protests…
Women’s empowerment challenge
Pakistan’s assumption of the chairmanship of the OIC Ministerial Conference on Women this week comes at a moment of sobering reflection. The country itself…
SME credit challenge
Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s recent appeal to commercial banks to expand lending to small and medium enterprises is a familiar refrain. For over three…
Ceasefire on the brink
Even as threats and missiles continue to fly across the Gulf, the United States and Iran are attempting to keep negotiations alive in order…
Violence grips Balochistan
The security situation in Balochistan has once again taken a grim turn, with a surge in terrorist violence claiming the lives of numerous security…
Ceasefire under strain
The fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, underpinned by the memorandum of understanding signed last year, appears to be under severe strain.…
Hamas relinquishes Gaza
The announcement by Hamas that it is prepared to relinquish governance of Gaza marks a significant development in the long and bitter conflict. Having…
Encroachments on Ravi floodplains
Satellite imagery from SUPARCO has revealed the rapid expansion of Lahore into the floodplains of the Ravi river, underscoring a growing environmental and urban…