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…

The two leading countries in South Asia, India and Pakistan, are both approaching the main event in their state calendar, namely their upcoming general elections. And Pakistan has finally set a (provisional) date for its election, which is scheduled to take place in the last week of January 2024. These upcoming parliamentary elections have a special significance for a number of reasons, first of which is the tense domestic political situation in both countries, the almost hostile relations between the two countries, and the fact that both have nuclear weapons…

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…

India and Pakistan, the two main countries of the “South Asia” sub-region, whose physical contours are quite conventional (as with any other “political” region’s geography), are gradually entering general parliamentary elections. And, while the time of their meeting in India is likely to occur in April-May of next year, the situation in Pakistan remains questionable, as detailed below. The main act in any “democratic” country’s process of forming power structures, general elections, is always a source of many types…

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…

Yet another narrative on the situation in one of the key regions, where the current stage of the “Great World Game” is taking place in its most intense form, will start with (yet another) statement of the conventionality of the terminology used. By the way, let us note that varying degrees of conventionality are characteristic of almost all words that are present in descriptions of any aspect of human activity. In each case such terminology requires at least some explanation. What is “South Asia” and what does “unrest” mean? Let’s assume that the former is made up mostly of India and Pakistan. That is, the two de facto nuclear powers, whose relations…

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…

Recently, reports that Pakistan, which previously attempted to portray itself as a supporter of Russia, started to provide assistance to Ukraine, including weapons, against the backdrop of the special operation carried out by Moscow against the neo-fascist regime of Kyiv, have been increasingly published by media outlets other than Ukrainian...