Pakistan and the Politics of CPEC: A Rethink on the Anvil?
A new debate on the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) is brewing in Pakistan’s political circles–is it time to reassess the project and the benefits it […]
Politics & Economics
CPEC: A Case for Caution or Optimism?
In my 2016 article on CPEC, I argued that Pakistan needs a calculated and rational foreign policy, with economic activity serving as the foundation of […]
Towards a Bilateral India-Pakistan Climate Framework
Climate change—the alteration of global temperatures and weather patterns because of human activity—is one of the biggest challenges facing the world today, and South Asia […]
One Year after Trump’s South Asia Strategy, Can Peace Talks Succeed?
U.S. President Donald Trump’s decision to send additional troops to Afghanistan as part of his South Asia strategy was viewed by many scholars as the […]
All is Not Well for the Indian Worker: India’s Declining Wage Growth
Over the last year or so, there has been an increased focus on studying the extent to which the Indian economy has seen a growth […]
As a Water Crisis Brews, What Can Pakistan Do?
Pakistan is facing an imminent water crisis. A recent report by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) ranked Pakistan third in the world among countries facing […]
An Uphill Battle: Women’s Participation in the 2018 Pakistan Elections
The run-up to Pakistan’s 2018 general elections witnessed an increased focus on women’s political participation with higher female voter turnout in much of the country. […]
Most recent
Boosting Relations with India: Economic Imperative for Pakistan
In his speech after achieving victory at the polls on July 25, Pakistan’s Prime Minister (PM) Imran Khan highlighted a desire to improve relations with India, […]
Imran Khan’s Inaugural Speech: Prioritizing Domestic Reforms
Imran Khan, Pakistan’s newly elected Prime Minister (PM) and the chief of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) political party, laid out a broad and ambitious governance […]
Resetting India’s Foreign Policy: Lessons from the Vajpayee Years
Atal Bihari Vajpayee (1924-2018), former Prime Minister of India and the first non-Congress leader to complete a full five-year term, passed away on August 16th. […]
Bangladesh at a Crossroads: What Recent Protests Mean for Democracy
On July 29th, two students were killed in a busy intersection in Dhaka city after a reckless bus driver plowed into them. While numerous deaths […]
Two Years After Burhan Wani: Kashmir Remains Tense as Elections Loom
It has been two years since the Hizbul Mujahideen (HM) commander Burhan Wani was killed in an encounter in Bumdoora village in Jammu and Kashmir […]
Hot Take on Elections 2018: Towards a New Pakistan?
The July 2018 election has been criticized for being engineered in favor of Imran Khan’s Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf, of being contested under China’s shadow, and for […]
Nawaz Sharif Behind Bars: Implications for Pakistan’s Future
Charged with corruption, ex-Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif, along with his daughter Maryam Nawaz, returned to Pakistan last Friday. Sharif’s return and subsequent incarceration is a significant event; […]
The Blapshemy Law and Power Dynamics in Pakistan
Religious groups and political parties have sharply increased their street power in Pakistan over the past few decades. While wielding this influence, they have increasingly […]
Pakistani Elections: Outcome Scenarios
It’s election season in Pakistan and the stakes are high. The results will eventually depend upon which party wins Punjab, the country’s most populous province, […]
Pakistani Elections: How Will the Outcome Impact Foreign Policy?
Pakistan is headed towards its second consecutive democratic transition of power on July 25. However, the current political landscape is too fragmented and uncertain to […]