Responding to the Balochistan Earthquake

On Wednesday, a 6.4-magnitude earthquake struck Pakistan’s Balochistan province, killing at least 170 people and leaving thousands homeless, [see related CHUP post]. When I first heard news of the tragedy, the first thought that came to me was an image I captured in a photograph almost three years ago, [see above], when I visited Balakot. [...]

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BREAKING NEWS: At Least 150 Dead in Pakistan Earthquake

UPDATE [10/31]: The AP reported, “Doctors said Friday they were running out of drugs and artificial limbs for victims of the earthquake in southwestern Pakistan amid fears that the death toll would climb beyond 300.”
UPDATE [10/30 1100 EST]: Pakistani soldiers handed out tents, blankets, and sleeping bags to earthquake survivors on Thursday, as news agencies [...]

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Danke, Germany, Et. Al!

So far, the week has been marked with significant announcements of alliances and collaborations between Pakistan and other states in the international community. On Tuesday, the AFP cited German foreign minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who announced, “Germany stands ready to help Pakistan overcome its security and economic problems to help promote peace in the wider region.” [...]

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“The Judicial Crisis is Not Over”

On Monday, Pakistani media outlets cited opposition party Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz [PML-N] that rejected President Asif Ali Zardari’s claim that there is no judicial crisis in the country. Dawn and The News quoted Ahsan Iqbal, PML-N Information Secretary, who said in a statement Sunday, “Until the unconstitutional decision of General Musharraf of November 3, 2007, [...]

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Islamabad Pushes to Negotiate with Militants

A major push to open negotiations with the Taliban in both Afghanistan and Pakistan is reported to begin Monday, “at a summit of leading political figures from the two countries,” reported McClatchy Newspapers. The news agency noted, “Pakistani Taliban, based in the country’s tribal border area with Afghanistan, have joined the battle in Afghanistan [...]

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U.S. Military Training Program Starts in Pakistan

According to the AFP, “A small contingent of U.S. military instructors have begun a training program scheme aimed at turning Pakistan’s Frontier Corps into an effective counter-insurgency force.” The news agency cited a U.S. military official, who told the news agency Thursday, “About 25 U.S. military personnel last week began training Pakistani counterparts at a [...]

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The Indus Water Dispute – Syed Zain ul-Arifeen Shah

Many issues arose after the Partition of India and Pakistan in 1947, including one over the sharing of the Indus River system. In 1960, both countries agreed on the Indus Water Treaty, which effectively divided up the water in the region. Although the IWT has remained intact, recent developments have brought this water dispute back [...]

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60 Years Later: India, Pakistan Reopen Kashmir Trade

Today, India and Pakistan reopened an old trade route across the Line of Control [LoC] for the first time in sixty years. The development garnered major news coverage among Western, Pakistani, and Indian media outlets on Tuesday. According to CNN, “India and Pakistan finalized the trade plans last month. Sixteen trucks carried 21 pre-approved goods [...]

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Pakistan Slated to Talk with IMF, Boucher Visits Pakistan

Media outlets report that Pakistani officials will meet with representatives from the International Monetary Fund in Dubai on Tuesday, “amid growing speculation that the country may formally ask for a balance of payments support program,” noted Reuters. According to the news agency, “The CNBC news channel reported on Sunday that the seven-month-old civilian government would [...]

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Selling the War on Terror

The most recent issue of the Friday Times** included an in-depth discussion of the October 8th in-camera parliamentary briefings, [see this past post for more background]. According to the news agency,

In a move seen as an attempt by the government to win over skeptics and dissenters within Parliament, parliamentarians were given an overview of the [...]

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