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// The recent difficulties faced by Pakistan at a bi-lateral level with the U.S and other allies about the conduct of the 9/11 war including the recent US lethal attack in Mohmand agency demands a national COIN strategy. Its absence is the cause of many problems both at the strategic, tactical and human rights level.Read More »Pakistan needs a counter insurgency strategy

// The difficulties faced by Pakistan at a bilateral level with the United States and other allies about the conduct of the 9/11 war, including the recent US attack in Mohmand  Agency, demands a national counterinsurgency strategy. The absence of a strategy is the cause of many problems at the strategic, tactical and human rightsRead More »Need for a counterinsurgency strategy

// Introduction The Prime Minister of Pakistan has announced his intention for bringing reforms to Fata. In this connection a high level committee has been formed to advise the government. On the other hand there is a violent insurgency in many parts of Fata. Waziristan is the center of this rebellion and smaller pockets existRead More »Agenda for Fata reform

// The recent shift of power in Waziristan provided some hope that Pakistan had finally begun to dominate the situation there, which was previously under Baithullah Mahsud's total control. It was thought that this positive development would remove the serious misgiving of the allies about Pakistan. However, this has not happened. Instead Pakistan has beenRead More »Has Waziristan stabilized?

// The recent shift of power in Waziristan gave some hope that Pakistan had finally begun to dominate the situation in the area which was previously under Baitullah Mahsud's total control. It was thought that this positive development would remove the serious misgiving of the allies about Pakistan. However, this has not happened. Instead PakistanRead More »Has Waziristan stabilised?

// The ANP led coalition government in NWFP has successfully concluded two peace deals with the Malakand militants recently. The first peace deal was struck with the followers of the TNSM led by Sufi Mohammad, on April 20th. After almost a month on May 21st, the NWFP government signed another peace deal this time withRead More »The Swat peace agreement

// The title of this column is borrowed from historian Barbara Tuchman's book with the same name. The book investigates reasons why sane leaders fail to read obvious signs and adopt policies leading to destruction. Pakistani leaders, public and the media are so engrossed in the politics of the PCO that sight is lost ofRead More »The march of folly

// Many controversies have arisen about finalization of peace agreements between the government and the militants. They are being perceived as a panacea for ending insurgency on the one hand while on the other they are termed as sell outs. Tribal areas have a long history of agreements, which were first initiated by the BritishRead More »Risks involved in peace agreements in NWFP and tribal areas

// NWFP Chief Minister Haider Hoti made an important speech to the assembly after winning the vote of confidence on April 10. He spoke about the war being fought in the Pakhtun belt of Pakistan and Afghanistan. He also spoke of presenting a peace plan for its solution. After 9/11, the NWFP and the tribalRead More »Can peace be won in NWFP?

// As the days merge into weeks and weeks into months, our problems and difficulties get bigger.  Obviously, there are limits to the capacity of any system to remain within the boundary of its design.  Overburdened natural systems first go into stress.  If it is not relieved, it morphs into trauma.  If the trauma exceedsRead More »SHOULD WE BE WORRIED?