Explained: Balochistan’s unrest & its consequences for India
As Pakistan faces a rise in terrorist attacks over the past few years, its troubled Balochistan province was hit this week by a series of assaults that have resulted in over 70 fatalities. The coordinated attacks, possibly the most extensive of their kind in recent history, were carried out by the separatist Baloch Liberation Army […]
Khan’s out of jail, but it’s still advantage generals
Ever since his famous breakup with former army chief Bajwa- and public revelations by both about their rocky ‘same page’ government of three years- it was clear that the army could not afford an Imran 2.0 regime.
Pakistan back to being Pakistan
The trial court judge showed extraordinary alacrity in convicting Imran on the weekend, in what was seen in Pakistan as a ‘fixed match’. The ruling dispensation wanted the Imran problem out of the way before the assemblies are dissolved on August 9 and a caretaker setup takes over.
Nawaz May Be Just Awaz
Nawaz Sharif, punished for questioning the army’s primacy, had been removed under a ‘minus Nawaz’ formula designed by Pakistan’s establishment, which allowed the PML-N to complete its parliamentary term, as long as Nawaz himself was kept out of the fray, with a choice of prison or exile.
Vox Militum beats Vox Populi
While the PML-N ended up as the largest federal party (with 75 of 266 national assembly seats), but no majority in its home base of Punjab, and the Zardari-Bhutto PPP claimed 54 seats and the home province of Sindh, it was the independents (mostly) backed by the PTI that surprised Pakistanis with over 100 seats.