February, 2016
IN THE NEWS: PAKISTAN HANGS ASSASSIN OF ANTI-BLASPHEMY LAW GOVERNOR (FEBRUARY 29, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Pakistan hangs assassin of anti-blasphemy law governor SOURCE: Al Jazeera Monday, February 29, 2016 *Mumtaz Qadri was executed for the 2011 killing of Punjab Governor Salman Taseer, who sought to reform blasphemy laws Pakistan has hanged the assassin of a governor who sought to reform the country’s […]
IN THE NEWS: FACING THE TALIBAN AND HIS PAST, AN AFGHAN LEADER AIMS FOR A DIFFERENT ENDING (FEBRUARY 28, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Facing the Taliban and His Past, an Afghan Leader Aims for a Different Ending SOURCE: The New York Times Sunday, February 28, 2016 By MUJIB MASHAL (TAIMOOR SHAH contributed reporting from Kandahar, Afghanistan) LASHKAR GAH, Afghanistan — When mujahedeen guerrillas captured this southern provincial capital in 1993, […]
IN THE NEWS: SIGNS OF PROGRESS IN AGRICULTURE (FEBRUARY 28, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Signs of progress in agriculture SOURCE: The Killid Group Sunday, February 28, 2016 By LALAQA SHIRIN *Afghanistan needs some 6 million tonnes of wheat annually to feed its people. While it grows some 4.5 million tonnes, the rest is imported The Ministry of Agriculture, Irrigation and Livestock […]
IN THE NEWS: MAINSTREAMING FATA (FEBRUARY 27, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Mainstreaming Fata SOURCE: The News International Saturday, February 27, 2016 By ASAD MUNIR The prime minister has formed a five-member committee for finalising reforms in Fata. Fata parliamentarians have submitted a draft bill for amendment of articles 246 and 247 of the constitution to change the status […]
IN THE NEWS: THE TALIBAN AND OBSTACLES TO AFGHANISTAN PEACE TALKS (FEBRUARY 26, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten The Taliban and obstacles to Afghanistan peace talks SOURCE: Al Jazeera Friday, February 26, 2016 (Posted) By HASHMAT MOSLIH *Peace talks in Afghanistan resumed this week, but on several major issues neither side is likely to compromise On Tuesday, representatives of the United States, China, Pakistan and […]
IN THE NEWS: IN SEARCH OF A PEACE PROCESS: A ‘NEW’ HPC AND AN ULTIMATUM FOR THE TALEBAN (FEBRUARY 26, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten In Search of a Peace Process: A ‘new’ HPC and an ultimatum for the Taleban SOURCE: Afghanistan Analysts Network Friday, February 26, 2016 By THOMAS RUTTIG Afghanistan, Pakistan, China and the US –the Quadrilateral Coordination Group (QCG) – are pushing to open a new chapter in the […]
IN THE NEWS: U.S. FORCES TO STAY LONGER IN AFGHANISTAN (FEBRUARY 25, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten US forces to stay longer in Afghanistan SOURCE: Asia Times Thursday, February 25, 2016 (Posted) By SALMAN RAFI *While the Afghan war is well into its fifteenth year, its end seems to be as controversial and complex as the very start of the war and its conduct […]
IN THE NEWS: COAS GIVES GO-AHEAD FOR FINAL PUSH IN SHAWAL (FEBRUARY 25, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten COAS gives go-ahead for final push in Shawal SOURCE: Daily Times Thursday, February 25, 2016 RAWALPINDI: Chief of Army Staff General Raheel Sharif has given the go-ahead for the initiation of the final phase of operation Zarb-e-Azb in the Shawal valley region of North Waziristan. The go-ahead […]
IN THE NEWS: PREMEDITATED MURDERS AND POWER EQUATIONS (FEBRUARY 24, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten Premeditated murders and power equations SOURCE: The News International Wednesday, February 24, 2016 By NASIM ZEHRA “There is no honour in honour killing…”. These words bear special importance when coming from the prime minister of Pakistan. The PM echoed the words of millions of thoughtful Pakistanis. The […]
IN THE NEWS: THE YEAR OF THE GREAT WIZARD (FEBRUARY 24, 2016)
Selected by Olivier Immig & Jan van Heugten The year of the great wizard SOURCE: The Nation Wednesday, February 24, 2016 By KHALID JAMSHED Every morning when one wiggles out of bed, there is a new set of dismaying and despairing stories regarding the impending economic collapse of Pakistan. And engulfing it actually is. Macroeconomic […]