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War Warns China, Warms Iraq: How Trump’s Pressure on Iran Is Reshaping Beijing’s Oil Options?

War does not only test opponents; it often tests friends more severely. The Iran-China equation, which initially appeared relatively unaffected by Washington’s naval pressure,…

I AM HEJAZI, TA’ZEEM HEJAZI—A PATRIOT SPIRIT, A PROUD SERVITUDE OF MUHAMMAD ﷺ

The wind howls across the jagged edges of the Karakoram, a relentless frozen beast scratching at the wooden door of a small watch-hut. Inside,…

University of Swat Reviews Finances and Development Projects

SWAT: The University of Swat has reviewed administrative performance, financial management and the progress of ongoing development projects during a high-level meeting chaired by…

Beyond the bailout

Pakistan’s latest agreement with the International Monetary Fund has generated little controversy, and that in itself is a noteworthy development. Unlike previous review rounds…

The Fiscal Mirage of New Provinces: Why Pakistan Needs the Divisional Portfolio Model to Kill Circular Debt

By Arslan Ahmad Pakistan stands at a critical socio-economic crossroads, captured by two competing visions for its future. On one side is a popular…

Pakistan’s IMF Trap: The Long Road to Economic Independence

Pakistan’s recurring dependence on the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has become an enduring feature of its economic history. Every new programme brings temporary relief,…

Path to consensus

Pakistan’s political environment once again stands at a delicate crossroads where confrontation and dialogue are competing for space. Recent developments between the federal government…

Trained to Say Yes

Every home runs a quiet school. It has no building, no syllabus and no attendance register, and nobody is ever formally enrolled. A girl…

FILTERING THE FUTURE: A DIGITAL ECONOMY ON AN UNSTABLE INTERNET

For a growing number of Pakistanis, the internet is no longer a place they visit. It is where they work. A software engineer in…

THE YAMANIS ARE COMING — FORMATION OF AN ‘UMMAH BODY’ FOR THE HIJAZ IS THE NEED OF THE HOUR

Last night, I took “Foxy: [ my mustered coloured Volkswagen] out of the “Eyrie” [ eagle’sNest- my rooftopstudioapartmentatMarkazF-10]. The old “foxt” coughed, huffed and…

Saudi ties, prudent choices

Pakistan’s enduring relationship with Saudi Arabia has once again come into focus following signs that members of a regional defence arrangement may be mobilised…

The Red Sea Dilemma: Riyadh’s War, Ankara’s Concerns and Islamabad’s Choices

The crisis in the Strait of Hormuz appears to have reached a dangerous stalemate, with both the United States and Iran claiming strategic leverage…

A Line in the October Breeze

By Ammara Ishfaq With the arrival of October, a quiet change begins to settle over the weather. The air becomes slightly cooler, the sunlight…

A Pulse Is Not a Life

Every six months, the state asks a retired clerk to prove that he is alive. It does not mean this unkindly. Somewhere in Islamabad…

GLOBAL ARENA ASKS: IS THIS MAN MAD OR ECCENTRIC(?)!Donald J. Trump – 47th President of USA

“Lights on.”   The operating theatre was ready.   The anaesthesia machine breathed quietly in the corner, as if even the machine knew that…

Reviving agricultural competitiveness

Agriculture remains one of the most important pillars of Pakistan’s economy, sustaining millions of livelihoods, supporting rural communities and contributing significantly to national output.…