In contemporary Pakistan, a massive segment of the youth aspire to embark on a journey towards the civil service by attempting the highly competitive Central Superior Services (CSS) examination. This surge in interest, however, seems to have taken an increasingly perplexing and irrational turn. In the year 2022, the pass rate for this formidable examination stood at a mere 1.85%. Out of a total of 20,262 candidates who courageously undertook the rigorous written examination, only a minuscule 393 managed to successfully secure a place in the viva voce stage. Amidst Pakistan’s myriad of pressing issues, the CSS conundrum often remains obscured in the shadows…

The legislative process in Pakistan gained momentum as the tenure of the National Assembly drew to a close. Two crucial bills were introduced and swiftly passed by both the upper and lower houses of Parliament with minimal debate and a scant presence of lawmakers. Astonishingly, these bills were approved on the very day they were presented, even in the absence of several ministers. Analysts noted that the haste with which the laws were pushed through indicated a foreknowledge that elections might not be held on schedule. As per Pakistan’s Constitution (but not per practice), the amendment acts still required signatures…

The decades-long humiliation that NATO suffered in Afghanistan ostensibly was not enough, as NATO is being exposed again in the Ukraine conflict. The West and its veritable arm, the mainstream media, have been touting for over a year that the Russian forces are running out of munitions and are exhausted, but this is just not true. For proof, please read this article. If it were not for NATO and the US, who have deliberately prolonged this conflict, Ukraine would already be on the negotiation table…

Since the conflict in Ukraine began, Western governments and media have been propagating that Russia is falling or will collapse militarily and economically due to the conflict itself and/or sanctions. While it is true that Russia is facing an extremely harrowing time due to the sanctions, it is not collapsing at all but economically growing. With respect to Russia’s military, it was stated by so-called experts that Russia’s arms industry will not be able to sustain itself…

Economies the world over are struggling with some of the worst bouts of inflation and economic slowdown seen in decades. The COVID-19 pandemic with its lockdowns and the conflict between Ukraine and Russia not long after have been significant shocks to global economic activity, causing severe disruptions in global value chains and sending commodity prices skyrocketing. Governments have been shaken to their core in dealing with inflationary and debt crises. The United States, the largest economy in the world, is not immune to these shocks either. Negative growth in the first half of 2022 caused the Fed to raise interest rates…

The military conflict in Ukraine, like many before it is inexorably tied to the media – particularly the Western media. The amount of disinformation that the West has contrived and disseminated in order to stoke support for Ukraine or at least muddy the waters, is terrifying. Every corner of the Anglo-American-controlled media, from CNN to The Guardian, from BBC to Foreign Affairs, has primarily shown only one side of the story. The media perennially has traduced Russia and inflated its losses, while simultaneously portraying the Ukrainian forces as heroes and victors…

In recent decades, the rise of populism as a political ideology has been an undeniably global phenomenon. Representing a range of political movements based on the idea of “the people” at their centre, populism has surged in popularity in both developed and poorer countries, including our own. Similarly, its controversies have been manifold, as have been those of its most prominent proponents across the world. Though the ideal of representing the working masses through a political movement, often in opposition to the political and economic elites of a country, is not a new phenomenon; populist ideology in recent years…

Pakistan’s economy has experienced a severe downturn in the past year due to a combination of factors. Bad governance, IMF loans, the political instability, the trade imbalance, the devastating floods of 2022 in Pakistan, and the Russia-Ukraine crisis are some of the pivotal factors that have worsened inflation and unemployment in the country. Many industries have scaled down or terminated operations in the country, causing widespread unemployment. Inflation is projected to reach 33% by the end of the current fiscal year. Currently Pakistan imports far more…

On May 9th, 2023, in an unprecedented display of unrest, Pakistan witnessed a succession of distressing images that dominated the airwaves, unveiling a furious backlash against the military establishment. The upheaval was set into motion when supporters of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) party attacked the General Headquarters, unleashing chaos upon the Lahore Corps Commander’s residence and marring military properties and monuments nationwide. This stark departure from the peaceful protests of Mr. Khan and his party in the past…