In Pakistan, the President’s authority to set the election date following the dissolution of the National Assembly is defined in Article 48(5) of the Pakistani Constitution. According to this article, when the President dissolves the National Assembly on the advice of the Prime Minister, general elections must take place within 90 days from the date of dissolution. This provision ensures the swift filling of seats resulting from the assembly’s dissolution. On August 9, Pakistan’s President, Arif Alvi, dissolved the National Assembly, the lower house of parliament…

It has become verified through a leaked cable that Prime Minister Imran Khan was removed due to his reticence and neutrality on the Ukraine conflict, as well as his strengthening bond with the Russian Federation. This was all revealed by Imran Khan when he was ousted in a no-confidence motion in mid-2022…

Imran Khan, who turned 71-years old this month, was transferred from Attock to Adiala Jail a few weeks ago. Recent reports have brought to light the harrowing conditions in which Khan is being held. During the last in-camera hearing of the Cipher case, the former Prime Minister engaged in a heated discussion with the presiding judge, Mr. Abual Hasnat Muhammad Zulqarnain, regarding the conditions of his confinement in Adiala Jail. It is a matter of public knowledge that Imran Khan is being subjected to what can only be described as psychological torture. His cell measures a mere 4 feet in width, 7 feet in length, and 6 feet in height…

Since the inception of Pakistan, the country has been one of the closest non-NATO allies of the United States. Pakistan has played a crucial role in the major US-led wars in the South Asian region, including the Cold War, the Afghan War in 1979, and the US-led War on Terror. However, the bilateral relations between the United States and Pakistan have always been transactional. The relations between the US and Pakistan have often waxed and waned according to the evolving regional situation. The two countries came close due to the changing regional dynamics, but once the storm subsided, their relations reached to a nadir. The need-based relations…

Former Prime Minister of Pakistan and Chairman of the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), Imran Khan, finds himself ensnared within the confines of Attock Jail, while his close confidant and two-time former Foreign Minister of Pakistan, Shah Mehmood Qureshi, languishes in custody in Islamabad. Their predicament arises from their alleged divulgence of classified information contained within a confidential cable, colloquially known as the “cipher,” dispatched by Pakistan’s ambassador to the United States…

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…

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…

Once again, a number of notable events allow us to address the situation in and around Pakistan. Both what happened recently and what is expected to happen in the near future. Among these, of course, the most important is the factor of the forthcoming general elections to the country’s parliament. The term of its current membership expires at the end of the summer, but the exact date of the procedure for electing a new one has not yet been determined. There is only talk of “October” or simply “the end of the year”. The main attraction of this upcoming event is the participation of the leadership of the Pakistan Movement for Justice…

The NEO last commented on the situation in Pakistan in connection with a large-scale terrorist attack on the (apparently) heavily guarded grounds of a Shia mosque on January 30 in Peshawar, capital of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. Once again, the author has to state with regret that terrorist acts and simple guerrilla warfare in “problematic”…

In December 2022, media reports surfaced that Pakistan was supplying Ukraine with grenades for Soviet military equipment. Confirmation was provided by data on several flights of British military transport aircraft based in Romania that made frequent flights to and from Pakistan. And already in February 2023, Islamabad started to shamelessly supply its ammunition…